Gilmer wins state championship
Published 6:05 pm Friday, December 15, 2023
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ARLINGTON — The Gilmer Buckeyes are state champions for the fourth time in school history and the first time since 2014.
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Will Henderson rushed for more than 200 yards — including a 12-yard run on fourth and sixth to allow Gilmer to run out the clock — as the Buckeyes earned a 28-26 win over Bellville in the Class 4A DII state title game on Friday at AT&T Stadium.
The state title trophy will now live along side championship hardware won by the 2004, 2009 and 2014 squads.
Gilmer, which has now played in three state title games in four seasons under head coach Alan Metzel, moves to 13-3 with the win. It was the first loss of the year for Bellville (15-1).
A huge first half by Brendan Webb helped the Buckeyes build a 28-20 lead at the break. Webb, who scored Gilmer’s first TD of the game, had a touchdown catch, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in the end zone before intermission.
Bellville opened the scoring with a 66-yard touchdown run by Sam Hranicky at the 8:06 mark of the first quarter, but Gilmer answered three minutes later with an 8-yard TD strike to Webb.
Tennison’s 2-yard touchdown run with 1:08 left in the first quarter gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead, but the Brahmas answered just over a minute into the second quarter on a 72-yard touchdown pass from Zach Leuschner to D.D. Murry. The PAT was blocked, and Gilmer led 14-13 with 11:47 left in the half.
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Henderson’s 65-yard run moved the Buckeyes in front 21-13 with two minutes left in the half, but Hranicky scored his second TD of the half on a 58-yard run with 1:04 to play.
The Buckeyes went to the air for a quick strike TD, using a 69-yard touchdown pass to Ta’Erik Tate with 41 seconds remaining to give Gilmer a 28-20 cushion at the break.
The Brahmas scored late in the third quarter on an 8-yard run by Corrian Hood, but the Buckeyes stopped Bellville on the try for two points and Gilmer held on to a 28-26 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes took over late after a Bellville punt, and ran out the remaining game clock with Henderson picking up 12 yards on fourth-and-6 and allowing Gilmer to take a knee to end it.