Pine Tree 52, Gilmer 40

In an explosive season opener that featured nearly 860 combined yards and 92 points, the Longview Pine Tree Pirates held off a relentless second-half charge from the Gilmer Buckeyes for a 52-40 victory at Pirate Stadium in Longview.

The victory gives Pine Tree a slim 19-18-1 lead in the historic all-time series and hands Gilmer its first loss in five trips to Pirate Stadium.

Wild First-Half Shootout
The teams traded lightning-fast scores right out of the gate, combining for 42 points in the opening quarter alone. Pine Tree quarterback Colton Croft set the tempo on the Pirates’ first possession, striking Rashaad Wofford for a 64-yard touchdown pass. Gilmer answered within a minute on a 3-yard touchdown run by Tayveon Horne.

Pine Tree surged ahead 21-7 following a Croft touchdown pass to Bosston Johnson and a 54-yard pick-six from defensive back Darron Pair. The Buckeyes stayed within reach when Jerzyri Johnson recovered his own fumbled kickoff and sprinted 97 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

The Pirates pushed their lead to 35-14 midway through the second quarter following touchdown runs from Ja’Karius Timmons and Croft. Gilmer countered with a 60-yard touchdown run by Zade Taylor. After a 29-yard field goal from Pine Tree kicker Danny Barron, Taylor punched in a 2-yard touchdown run on the final play of the first half to send the teams to the locker room at 38-27.

Buckeye Surge & Pirate Response
Gilmer struck early in the third quarter, executing a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by Horne’s 15-yard touchdown run to pull within 38-34. Croft answered for Pine Tree with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jakaiden Johnson to extend the lead to 45-34.

Horne cut the deficit to 45-40 on a 7-yard touchdown run with 8:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, but a failed two-point conversion kept the Pirates ahead.

Clinching Drive
Faced with a one-possession game, Pine Tree mounted a 10-play, 48-yard drive that consumed nearly six minutes. Highlighted by a critical 6-yard conversion run by Croft on 4th-and-1, the drive ended with Timmons punching in a 2-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 52-40.

With 1:34 remaining, Wofford sealed the victory by intercepting Gilmer’s final pass attempt—one of four interceptions snagged by the Pirate defense on the night.

By the Numbers

Longview Pine Tree  Gilmer

Total Offense| 437 yards | 422 yards |
Rushing Yards 207 yards | 305 yards |
Passing Yards | 230 yards | 117 yards |
Turnovers Forced | 4 (4 INTs) | 0 |

Pine Tree Leaders: Colton Croft completed 10 of 14 passes for 230 yards and 3 TDs while adding a rushing score. Jakaiden Johnson rushed 16 times for 130 yards and caught a TD pass. Bosston Johnson caught 6 passes for 130 yards and a TD.
Gilmer Leaders: Zade Taylor rushed 12 times for 126 yards and 2 TDs. Tayveon Horne added 96 rushing yards and 3 TDs on 16 carries.

Pine Tree travels to Carthage next Friday, while Chapel Hill hosts Gilmer.