Pleasant Grove 41, Gilmer 7
By Elwyn Henderson
The 2-5, 1-1 Gilmer Buckeyes hosted the 6-1, 2-0 Pleasant Grove Hawks at Jeff Traylor Stadium in Gilmer Friday night in a District 7-4A DII contest. Pleasant Grove all but had the district title sewed up before the game, although they do have to play the Van Vandals yet and that should be a competitive game while the Buckeyes were hoping to pull an upset and continue building toward the playoffs.
While the Buckeyes were not able to get the upset win, they did manage to play a competitive game most of the way, coming up on the short end of the scoreboard by the score of 41-7. The Black Flag Defense managed to hold the visitors twice inside the Gilmer 10 and had two lengthy drives that would have made a difference if they could have found the end zone, but they did take big steps once again.
Gilmer kicked off to start the game and the ball went to the PG 22 and was returned to the 39 where Colt Yancey brought his offense out for the first time.
The visitors hit the scoreboard quickly; scoring on a 52-yard TD pass from Yancey to Walker Wright with only 28 seconds elapsed in the first quarter. The drive was 2 plays and 58 yards. Silas Yowell hit the PAT and Pleasant Grove led 7-0.
After the kickoff Zade Taylor brought the Buckeyes offense down the field but a 4th down pass into the end zone fell incomplete and PG took over on downs a their 36 with 8:51 left in the quarter. Gilmer held the ball for 9 plays and 3:41.
The Black Flag Defense gave up 26 yards and one first down and forced a turnover on downs at the Gilmer 18 for a big stand and Taylor and company were back in business. Unfortunately, it was a quick three and out and after a punt PG went back to work at their 42.
The Bucks were moving the ball but on a key third down Taylor was hit and lost the ball. Gilmer recovered but had to punt. The ball went into the end zone and the Hawks set up on their 20.
The Black Flag forced a three-and-out and after a punt the Gilmer offense was back in business at their 36. Taylor hit Gauge Trossbach for a 46-yard gain on the first play of the possession down to the PG 18. 4 plays later Taveon Horne ran into the end zone for the first Gilmer TD of the game with 6:57 left in the first half. Miguel Castaneda kicked the extra point and the game was tied 7-7.The drive was 5 plays, 64 yards and took exactly 2 minutes off the clock.
The ensuing pooch kick was returned to the Gilmer 46 and the Hawks set up on offense once again.
The Hawks moved down the field quickly, going on a 6-play, 46-yard drive that consumed 3:16 off the second quarter clock. The drive concluded when Nick Bells ran in from 3 yards out with 3:41 left in the first half. The extra point was good and Pleasant Grove took a 14-7 lead.
The Buckeyes took over on their 22 after the kickoff return but on the first play of the series Taylor was picked off by Jaidun Scales at the PG 36with 3:26 left in the first half.
Yancey only took 1:26 and 4 plays to get his team into the end zone again. The score came on a 26-yard pass to Spencer Browning with exactly 2 minutes left in the first half. The extra point was good and PG took a 21-7 lead.
Gilmer began their next drive at their 28 after the kickoff and on the second play of the possession Taylor was hit after a 6 yard gain and fumbled the ball away and the visitors recovered at the Gilmer 39 with 1:32 left in the half.
The Black Flag forced a 34-yard Yowell field goal attempt that was blocked but on a very questionable call, Gilmer was flagged half the distance to the goal and 2 plays later Yancey hit Bells on an 8-yard TD pass with 43 seconds left in the half. The point after was good and the Hawks led 28-7.
Following a 20-yard return the Bucks set up on their 25. Gilmer ran one play and the half ended with the Buckeyes set to receive the second half kickoff and trailing 28-7.
The second half kickoff was returned to the 27 but on the second play of the series Gilmer fumbled the ball again and the Hawks recovered at the Gilmer 35.
PG had the ball for 5 plays and the Black Flag forced an incomplete pass and the ball turned over on downs to Gilmer at their 9.
The Buckeyes held the ball for 13 plays and 6:30 only to turn the ball over on downs at the PG 30 with 3:09 left in the third stanza.
The Hawks moved the ball down to the Gilmer 7 and on a key 4th down a Yancey pass was incomplete and Gilmer took over on downs at their 9 with 10:51 left in the game.
The Bux picked up one first down before punting the ball once again, giving the Hawks the ball at the Gilmer 47.
It took just 1 play and 13 seconds for a 47-yard run by Bells with 8:28 left in the game. The extra point was blocked but Pleasant Grove put the final nail in the coffin, leading 34-7.
Gilmer got the ball back at their 17 and put together a 15-play drive but Taylor was sacked for an 8-yard loss on 4th down and PG got the ball back at the Gilmer 46. It took just 1 play for Pleasant Grove to get into the end zone again. The score came on a 46-yard TD run by Jaivion Butler with 1:36 left in the game. The extra point was good and PG led 41-6.
Gilmer got the ball on the 20 and ran 2 plays before the clock ran out, giving the Hawks a 41-7 victory.
We talked with Coach Alan Metzel after the game and asked he agreed that the team made major improvements over last week.
“I agree completely. I told our guys it’s a weird year; it was a weird game. We did things tonight we’ve not done all year at a high level against a really good team. Our defense played outstanding, several times stopping them in the red zone when we had turned the ball over or whatever. We put them in a battle and I’m so proud of them. It was challenging to move the ball on them and they had a good plan. We were a little dinged up. Solomon (Jackson) had an injury and he was trying to play through it and that hurt but it is what it is. I thought our kids battled; I thought our atmosphere on the sideline was amazing. There’s just some maturity that is coming out of this that I want so band for them to get to taste some success from it.”
This writer was VERY DISAPPOINTED to see the Hawks go for the throat with 1:35 left in the game and going for a touchdown when the game was already wrapped up and we asked coach if he had any thoughts on the matter. He gave a short comment that was easily discernable.
“I’ll just say no comment with a grimace!”
Then we wanted to know his thoughts on now facing Spring Hill and North Lamar who the Buckeyes will most definitely be favored to beat in the final two games of the district schedule going into the playoffs.
“Well, we have to go ‘ok, here’s where we are’ and how do we take the next step? Tonight, I thought in many areas we did take a step. We’ve got to apply that into the next two weeks and start eliminating some of the mistakes and then you get into the tournament and you’re 0-0 and you hope that you’re ready to go take on an opponent and get after it. That’s how we’re going to look at it. Our guys, I thought the way they were focused tonight if we carry that into next week we’ll improve more.”
Next, we wanted to talk about the lack of fans in the home stands for the game. I will say personally I have NEVER been as disappointed in the lack of attendance by the Army of Buckeyes as in this game. We know there are some who are physically unable to attend but there were hundreds of you who COULD have come out to support the team and chose not to do so. What do you thing this says to the team? It says you DON’T CARE and that is INEXCUSABLE. These views are those of this writer and not necessarily the views of the Gilmer Mirror. We asked Coach Metzel’s thoughts on the matter.
“You know I feel that fans show up when they feel like you’re going to win so from my standpoint I’m going to do the best I can to make that happen. I hope that people will be there for the kids and I hope that that’s how they’ll look at it moving forward because it does help our kids when they’re here. I’ll say that.”
Coach concluded his thoughts by saying, “I’m proud of our leadership tonight and I really have been challenging these guys to come on in the area of leading on the sidelines, on the field, finishing plays, etc. I felt like I saw some of that tonight. I’m happy about that and I’m ready to go get to work with these guys again next week and thankful for that opportunity.”
