The Gilmer High School Bobcats hit the road once again and were in the end zone four times only 14 minutes into the game.
GHS put Union County on the ropes last Friday and turned three first half turnovers into 21 points. The teams traded touchdowns to begin the second half, but the game was far out of reach for the Panthers. A late UCHS score made the final 42-20 in the Bobcats’ favor to improve to 2-0 on the season.
“The biggest obstacle for us, as a fairly young and inexperienced team in a lot of areas, was our ability to overcome a big win last week versus Fannin,” said head coach Paul Standard. “Our guys still came back, and that’s hard to do sometimes after a big rivalry game. It was a great opportunity for a letdown, and our guys didn’t let that happen.
“The second thing was our guys jumped out to a lead, executed and did a good job. Defensively, we played really well. Douglas Callihan had a batted ball for a pick-six, which was great. Offensively, at the end of the first half, we had two chances to put points on the board and we didn’t. In the second half, our offense had some good drives, and our offensive line played really well all night long. (Quarterback) A.J. Callihan had a really nice night running the offense and showed he can pitch it and throw it, and that’s really gonna help us as we go down the road.”
The Bobcat defense continually made plays in the first half. GHS forced and recovered two fumbles and had an interception. Union’s other four drives of the half ended with punts, and Gilmer was constantly in the Panthers’ backfield for five tackles for a loss.
Offensively, the Cats’ rushing attack produced 355 yards, and they scored three straight times to begin the game. The Bobcats did not send a man back on Union’s opening punt from its 45. GHS was pinned at its 2-yard line and needed 10 plays to reach the end zone.
The Panthers received a heavy dose of fullback Peyton Chancey, who rushed six times for 60 yards. However, Chancey’s 41-yard romp on the drive’s ninth play was his last of the game. Chancey was helped off the field and did not return. On the ensuing play, wingback Hunter Britain took a handoff up the middle for an 18-yard touchdown run.
Carter Gearhart knocked the extra point through the uprights for his first of six on the night.
GHS led by 7 with 5:20 on the first quarter clock. On the second play of the Panthers’ possession, they threw a swing pass out to the right. Britain fought through a block and stripped the ball and recovered it at Union’s 24.
Aside from a 7-yard run by fullback Madden Hopkins, Britain handled the remaining three carries, and his last covered 8 yards for a touchdown. Gilmer led 14-0 with 2:08 remaining in the first, and Union’s offense would not be on the field for long.
After achieving two first downs on consecutive pass plays, Jack Puckett and Douglas Callihan both made tackles for losses to force third down and 16. On the next play, Douglas Callihan got his cast-covered right hand on the ball, which shot into the air at the 42-yard line. He then ran underneath it for an interception at the 33 and returned it for a touchdown.
The Cats enjoyed a 21-point advantage in the final minute of the first quarter, but more follies were to follow for Union. On the kickoff, Riley Duggan jarred the ball loose on the tackle, and Douglas Callihan recovered the fumble at Union’s 26.
Hopkins rushed three straight times to advance GHS to the 4, but a penalty pushed the ball back 5 yards. On third and goal from the 11, quarterback A.J. Callihan dropped back and lofted a perfectly thrown ball to wingback Cheyne Smith in the corner of the end zone.
Down 28-0 with 9:43 left in the half, Union’s offense only achieved two first downs over its final three drives and all ended with punts.
Gilmer’s fourth drive started at Union’s 48, and the Cats eventually settled for a 32-yard field goal, but Gearhart’s kick was just wide right. GHS also turned the ball over on downs and took a 28-point lead into the halftime.
Both teams put a pair of touchdowns on the board to begin the second half. Gilmer returned the kickoff to its 28, and Hopkins continued to be Gilmer’s main offensive weapon. The highlight play of the drive came on the third play.
From Gilmer’s 39, A.J. Callihan kept the ball on the option when pitchman Smith was covered. Callihan shot up the middle of the field and as defenders closed in after gaining 21 yards, he peeked over his right shoulder at Union’s 40. Four yards later, he pitched to Smith, who advanced the ball to the 18 for a 43-yard gain.
Britain, Smith and Hopkins traded the remaining carries, and the latter scored from a yard out on the series’ 10th play for a 35-0 lead.
Gearhart’s kickoff resulted in a touchback, his fifth boot into the end zone on the night. With 6:23 left in the third, Union started its first touchdown drive and needed 11 plays.
The Panthers did most of their damage on the ground with six runs, but a third down and 5 ended with a 27-yard touchdown pass with 1:50 left in the third.
GHS was back in business at its 27 and used 10 plays for its fifth and final touchdown drive. Four different backs carried the ball, but Hopkins was the workhorse with 47 yards on six rushes, which included a pair of 18-yard gains into the heart of Union’s defense.
GHS had to overcome 20 yards in penalties on the possession and also faced a fourth down and 6 from its 31. When Gilmer lined up to punt, Union did not cover Ryan Rellinger out wide. The ball was snapped to upback Bo Cronic, who completed a 12-yard pass to Rellinger for a first down. Eight plays later, Hopkins cashed in another 1-yard touchdown.
In a 42-7 hole, UCHS took over with 8:30 left in the game. UCHS benefited from two 15-yard penalties to start the series, and on the third play, a 35-yard completion cut Gilmer’s lead to 28.
Gilmer began to funnel reserves into the game, and teams traded punts. When Britain was unable to field Union’s punt, the Panthers recovered at Gilmer’s 48 and scored eight plays later on a 1-yard run. The two-point conversion failed to cut the Cats’ lead to 42-20 with 1:20 on the clock.
“Late in the third and in the fourth, we were playing a lot of younger guys, which is going to be great for the future. Madden Hopkins had a great day filling in for Peyton Chancey,” said Standard.
“We do have some things we need to work on to beat a really good Pickens team.”
Hopkins led the way with 95 rushing yards while Smith (82) Britain (65) and Chancey (60) were also heavy contributors.
GHS hosts rival Pickens Friday at 7:30 p.m., and the Bobcats have won the previous two meetings. Standard plans to approach the game with an even keel.
“I’m not gonna have to do anything to get our guys up for that game,” he said. “We’ve also approached this as just another game. Obviously, it means a lot to the community and everybody else. There’s no reason to overemphasize it. It’s a nonregion game, and at the end of the day, it’s our job to get into the playoffs and win region games.
“I know over there they have a lot of different things for this week. Our thing for us is it’s just another week. Because if you get up one week, how are you going to do the next week?”