CORSICANA — Argyle’s Austin Aune threw three touchdowns and ran for another, while teammate Cole Hedlund hit three field goals as the Argyle Eagles ejected the No. 4 Gilmer Buckeyes from playoff for the second straight year Friday, 51-35, in a Class 3A Division II quarterfinal at Tiger Stadium.
Argyle, which faces Monahans next week in the same semifinals, bounced the Buckeyes last year as well.
Aune’s 300 yards passing was sufficient to surmount the performance of Gilmer quarterback Jordan Traylor, who threw for 400 yards and three TDs, and receiver Darrion Pollard, who snagged 19 receptions for 214 yards.
Aune only completed 11 of 33 passes, while Traylor hit 42 of 63. But the Gilmer signal-caller also surrendered two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
After Gilmer blew leads of 7-0, 14-7 and 21-14 to make the score 21-21 at hafltime, Argyle opened the second half with a long-distance touchdown pass and never forfeited the lead.
Gilmer opened scoring on Traylor’s 7-yard pass to Pollard, and Pablin Olivares airlifted the first of five PATs with 8:47 left in the first quarter.
Aune then rifled a 38-yard TD throw to Adam Khan and Hedlund nailed the first of six PATs.
After Gavin Holt bounded 5 yards for a Gilmer score, Aune sprinted 21 for an Eagle TD.
Gilmer’s Traylon Webb raced 17 yards on a reverse to score, only to have Aune send a 25-yard TD throw to Ian Sadler.
Then Argyle opened the second half with a jaw-dropper as it took the opening kickoff and Aune promptly airmailed a 70-yard bomb to Sadler to put the Eagles ahead.
Then came the contest’s likely turning point when Antonio Griffin picked off a Traylor pass and returned it 78 yards to score with 9:40 left in the third.
Gilmer rebounded on Traylor’s 13-yard TD throw to Pollard, but Hedlund aired field goals of 27 and 39 yards to put Argyle up 41-28.
Gilmer continued reviving as Traylor threw a 4-yard TD to Webb with 7:03 left.
But Hedlund nailed a 32-yarder with 2:05 left before Chadd Bossow rumbled 26 yards for the final TD with 1:21 remaining.
Gilmer ended the season 13-1.