The Gilmer Bobcats were defeated for the final time, and they did not go quietly.
GHS began the Class 3A state football playoffs as the No. 22 seed and hit the road to take on No. 11 Fredrick Douglass High School (8-3) in Atlanta. The speedy Astros entered the game with six shutouts on their résumé and had only given up 9.7 points per game. Gilmer had little room to run, but a valiant defensive effort kept the game close.
The Cats led by three at the half, and Douglass struck for the game’s final score in the third quarter. GHS was unable to retake the lead over its remaining four possessions, and the Astros escaped with a 19-15 win.
“I’m very proud of our kids and how they prepared for the game and played,” said head coach Paul Standard. “We played a very athletic and well-coached Douglass team. They are very fast, and probably the only team that had as much team speed that we faced is maybe Calhoun. In some positions, Douglass may even be faster. I thought our young men played very hard, and I was impressed with how we defended Douglass overall.”
Gilmer held the Astros to 192 yards of offense and a mere 3.2 yards per carry. GHS was in the backfield for six tackles for a loss. Junior Douglas Callihan led the way for GHS with 12 total tackles, which included two for a loss. Senior Jack Puckett made nine total stops and two were behind the line of scrimmage.
Douglass’ two scores of more than 25 yards came on a pair of touchdown passes.
“They hit two pass plays. One where they made an unbelievable catch. We had great coverage, and the young man just made a spectacular catch,” Standard said. “On the other one, we got caught looking in the backfield and they got behind us. What we did do a great job of was holding their run game. Even in the games they got beat, they broke runs on everybody. Their offensive team speed was really impressive.”
On the flip side, Gilmer’s offense was held in check for much of the night. All of the Cats’ yards came on the ground, and Douglass limited GHS to 95. It was the Bobcats’ lowest offensive output of the season by 116 yards.
“Offensively, we struggled really for the first time. In all of our games, even in the ones we got beat, we were able to move the ball on everybody,” Standard noted. “We had a tough time overall handling their defensive speed. Our kids gave great effort. When those things happen, and we’re not able to control the ball, we’re going to have a tough time. We still gave ourselves a chance to try to figure out how to win because we kept the game close with our defensive play.”
Everything went right for the Bobcats through two possessions. The Astros put their offense on the field to start the game, and they were there for eight plays. After picking up two first downs and moving to the Cats’ 43, they faced third down and 13. A pass across the middle was behind the intended target, and safety Hunter Britain was there for the interception. He returned it 34 yards to set up the offense at the Astros’ 38.
GHS hit the ground for eight rushes, which included two of its longest of the night. Britain ran for 15 yards to convert a third down, and quarterback A.J. Callihan picked up 13 on second down and 17. Three plays after that, on his fourth carry of the drive, fullback Peyton Chancey scored from 4 yards out.
Carter Gearhart’s extra point gave the Cats a 7-0 lead with 2:48 left in the opening quarter.
Douglass answered with the longest touchdown drive of the game. Facing third down and 19 on the seventh play, the Astros threw an incomplete pass. However, Douglas Callihan was flagged for roughing the passer to keep the drive alive.
Four plays later, receiver Damarien Parrott laid out to make a diving catch in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown. The series covered 62 yards on 11 plays. The missed extra point allowed GHS to lead 7-6, 2:30 into the second quarter.
A.J. Callihan was hit and fumbled the ball on the third play of the Bobcats’ second drive. Douglass used three plays on the 24-yard possession, and the final was a 5-yard touchdown run.
The conversion failed, and GHS trailed 12-7 with 7:07 before the half. The Cats’ first of four punts came on their third drive. Douglas Callihan’s 50-yard boot settled at the Astros’ 1-yard line.
On the ensuing offensive play, Douglass was called for holding in the end zone, which resulted in a safety. It cut the Astros’ lead to 12-9 with 5:16 left before the half.
FDHS kicked off from its 20, and the GHS offense was back on the field at the Astros’ 46. A 13-yard run by Cheyne Smith around the left edge gave GHS a first down. Douglas Callihan attacked the edge on consecutive runs for 4 and 21 yards to move inside the 5. Chancey took the ball across the goal line from a yard out on the ninth play.
GHS attempted to go for two, but the conversion failed. Gilmer held a 15-12 edge in the final minute of the half. Douglass’ second-down pass was intercepted by Mason West, and GHS led by three at the break.
Gilmer went for it on fourth down and 8 from the Astros’ 48 to start the third. Douglas Callihan was stopped 5 yards short, and the Astros took over at their 45, and Puckett made a 6-yard tackle for loss on first down. Two plays later, a 52-yard pass to a wide-open Parrott moved Douglass ahead for good, 19-15.
GHS gained just one first down over its next three possessions, which all ended with punts.
The GHS defense surrendered two first downs over Douglass’ final three drives. The Astros kept the ball on the ground to milk the clock and turned the ball over on downs and punted twice.
Gilmer’s fifth drive of the half began at its 29 with 11 seconds left in the game. A.J. Callihan was sacked as the clock expired.
GHS finished with a 6-5 overall record. This year’s senior class is the first to have a winning career (23-21) since the class of 2016. Gilmer’s 30.7 points through 10 games are the most during the regular season of any of Standard’s five Gilmer teams.
“I’m disappointed to not be playing in the second round but very proud of our kids this year,” Standard said. “I’m extremely proud and happy for our seniors’ accomplishments. A lot of these kids have been a part of all three of these playoff teams and a major part of it. They’ve left a great legacy for future Bobcat players to follow.
“They have given this junior class the opportunity to be the first class who makes it to state four years in a row. Whether that happens, time will tell. I’m just really proud of our kids and proud of our staff. I’m thankful to our booster club and all of our support. It was really a great season, and we had a great crowd to go all the way to Atlanta to watch us play a great team.”