High School Sports

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

Different year, same explosive-looking Gilmer Buckeyes.

Gilmer generated points from a number of sources, with the junior duo of Darien Godfrey and Jeremy Jackson supplying the most, as the Buckeyes blew away Jasper 56-28 in the season-opener, and first of three games at the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic Thursday at Rose Stadium.

The Gilmer win spoiled the return of Jasper coach Thomas Brooks, in his second season at Jasper after leading John Tyler to consecutive playoff appearances.

The contest marked a rematch from the 2004 Class 3A Division II state championship, won by Gilmer in thrilling fashion, 49-47.

The rematch proved one-sided.

Godfrey rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another. Meanwhile, Jeremy Jackson scored four times for Gilmer -- three on the ground and another on a TD reception.

The Buckeyes benefited from short drives and early Jasper turnovers to take a 21-point lead and rarely looked back.

For Brooks, he had no choice but to look back as he returned to a place with so many memories.

"It felt good to see familiar faces," Brooks said. "I thought I'd feel like a stranger here. I'm glad I came back. I love Tyler, it was good to me."

Coming off a second championship game appearance in a four-year span, Gilmer posted a pair of TDs in each quarter.

Interceptions by JT Beecham and Mikey Wilson led to a pair of one-play drives in the first quarter for Gilmer.

Following Beecham's pick, Godfrey hooked up with Jackson out the backfield for a 20-yard scoring pass early.

After Wilson snatched another pass from Jasper's Dominique Bailey, Beecham showed his offensive abilities on first down, hauling in a 37-yard catch off a double pass from Braylon Webb for Gilmer's second score.

Jasper broke out its funk briefly, using a 48-yard pass from Dominique Bailey to Kwame Spikes to set up a 4-yard TD run by Darren Beavers.

The momentum barely changed, though, as Gilmer's Tristan Holt returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to the six.

Two players later, Zach Jones took a handoff in motion to the left side and stepped off 5 yards for a TD, putting Gilmer back in front by three scores.

Godfrey gave Gilmer's run game a boost, gaining 125 yards on 20 carries, including TD runs of 3 and 36 yards.

Jackson accounted for 122 yards of offense, rushing for 91 on 13 carries and catching a pair of passes for the rest. Jackson's TD runs covered distances of 1, 52 and 1 yards.

Gus Osborne led the Gilmer defense with seven tackles and notched one of four sacks for the Buckeyes, who are coming off a 14-1 season.

Bailey completed 10 of 19 passes for 193 yards and added 57 rushing for Jasper, a regional semifinalist a year ago.

"This is going to make us better," Brooks said of playing Gilmer. "Gilmer has a (great) football team."

Gilmer 56, Jasper 28

At Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium

Jasper 28, Gilmer 56

First Quarter GIL -- Jeremy Jackson 20 pass from Darian Godfrey (Adan Olivares kick), 4:37 GIL -- JT Beecham 37 pass from Braylon Webb (Olivares kick), 2:10 Second Quarter GIL -- Godfrey 3 run (Olivares kick), 8:34 JAS -- Ben Armstrong 1 run (Ernesto Medrano kick), 4:54 GIL -- Zach Jones 5 run (Olivares kick), 4:05 Third Quarter GIL -- Jackson 1 run (Olivares kick), 9:15 JAS -- Dominique Bailey 11 run (Medrano kick), 8:07 GIL -- Jackson 52 run (Olivares kick), 3:02 JAS -- Armstrong 4 run (Medrano kick), 0:00 Fourth Quarter GIL -- Jackson 1 run (Olivares kick), 5:50 GIL -- Godfrey 36 run (Olivares kick), 3:25 JAS -- Ryan Bronson 17 pass from Cameron Stubblefield (Medrano kick), 1:46

RUSHING -- Jasper, William Ellis 9-79, Dominique Bailey 19-57, Ben Armstrong 12-46, Jonathan Hadnot 1-2, Kwame Spikes 1-(-1). Gilmer, Darian Godfrey 20-125, Jeremy Jackson 13-91, Marlon Granville 3-26, Gus Osborne 3-18, JT Beecham 2-14, Zach Jones 1-5, Kedon Franklin 1-2, Team 1-(-6).

PASSING -- Jasper, Bailey 10-19-2 -- 193, Cameron Stubblefield 1-2-0 -- 17. Gilmer, Godfrey 8-14-0 -- 78, Braylon Webb 1-1-0 -- 37.

RECEIVING -- Jasper, Darren Beavers 4-98, Spikes 4-91, Ryan Bronson 1-17, Ellis 1-5, Hadnot 1-(-1). Gilmer, Franklin 3-25, Jackson 2-31, JT Beecham 1-37, Daniel McLaren 1-11, Zach Jones 1-7, Paul Chestnut 1-2.

TMF CLASSIC: Dominique Bailey barely avoids a sack by two Gilmer defenders during the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic Thursday on Earl Campbell Field at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
(Staff Photo By Mark Roberts)