GLADEWATER — Cool Hand Luke torched the Gladewater Bears on Thursday night, as Gilmer Buckeyes quarterback Luke Turner ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lead unbeaten No. 5 Gilmer past arch-rival Gladewater, 55-19, at Jack V. Murphy Bear Stadium.
Turner performed his feat before halftime, playing a major role in the Buckeyes totting up a 28-13 lead at intermission in the District 16-3A opener. Then a series of big  plays in the second half resulted in or led to several more Gilmer touchdowns.
Turner rushed for 98 yards on 12 carries while completing 7 of 10 passes for 132 yards with all the air activity coming before halftime.
Gladewater running back Derrick Daniels led his team’s land attack with 113 yards on 17 carries.
Gilmer (6-0, 1-0) opened the scoring on Turner’s 2-yard dash with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Pablin Olivares kicked the first of six PATs.
After partly blocking a Gladewater punt, Gilmer tallied again on Turner’s 3-yard toss to Gavin Holt with 3:23 left in the first.
Gladewater (4-2, 0-1) rebounded on Charles Gordon’s 2-yard rumble with 11:19 left to halftime before Gordon also kicked the PAT.
After Gladewater unsuccessfully attempted an onside kick, Turner threw a 22-yard scoring sling to Holt with 9:53 left in the half.
Then Turner rumbled 55 yards up the middle on a fourth-and-1 for a TD with 1:17 left in the half.
Gladewater, aided by two 15-yard penalties, reached the end zone in the dying seconds of the half on Gordon’s 1-yard TD run.
Then Gilmer opened the second-half scoring with a wow as Darrion Pollard returned a punt 57 yards to score in the third quarter.
Soon after yet another blocked Gladeweater punt, Holt ran 2 yards to score with 1:35 left in the third quarter.
Then, soon after Colton Hill intercepted a Gladewater pass, Buckeye Jeremy McMillion ran 4 yards to score on the first play of the final quarter.
After Marcus Adams notched Gladewater’s final TD on a 2-yard burst with 6:10 left, Gilmer’s Brandon Barnes ran 11 yards to score with 1:26 left. David Olivares added the final PAT.