In a rivalry anything can happen, and the latest Gilmer Bobcat football game proved that.
GHS traveled to Pickens last Friday, and the Dragons had their best game of the season. Pickens limited the Bobcats’ explosive offensive plays, and GHS turnovers in the second half killed any chance of a comeback.
Pickens had just one win on the season but managed to lead from wire to wire. Gilmer was held to 22 points below its seasonal average and was unable to score in the second half as the Dragons claimed a 27-10 win.
“We got beat, plain and simple. They whipped us, and that’s on me,” said head coach Paul Standard. “There’s not a whole lot else to say. I’m sorry and disappointed for our fans and our kids and for our community. We didn’t play well, and I don’t like the way we played.”
The Bobcats’ rushing attack was limited to its second fewest yards (167) on the season. The Dragons’ defense had been getting gashed all year and entered the night giving up 35 points per game.
“Tonight they weren’t going to let us pitch it, and they played pretty good up front and stopped us,” Standard said.
GHS fullback Brock Titus gladly accepted the extra load and rumbled for 103 yards on 20 attempts. The season’s leading rusher Hunter Watkins finished with 19 yards while fellow halfback Will Kiker only had three carries and rushed for 28.
Pickens’ hurry-up offense attacked with quick passes, draws and jet sweeps to Colby Brooks and Miguel Salto most of the night. After GHS punted to start the game, Pickens went on a 59-yard drive. The highlight play came on a 35-yard halfback pass to advance to the Cats’ 24.
On the ninth play, tailback Kadyn Hampton scored on a 2-yard draw for a 7-0 PHS lead with 5:54 left in the first quarter.
Titus tested the middle of Pickens’ defense on the Cats’ next series. He rushed for 37 total yards and his 17-yard run moved GHS into Dragon territory. Facing third and goal from the 7, quarterback Issac Rellinger was sacked, and GHS settled for a 25-yard Connor Seim field goal.
Bobcat Kendall Sanders made a tackle in the backfield and forced a fumble on Pickens’ next drive and teammate Aspen Hataway recovered at the Dragons’ 34.
GHS was then aided by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and advanced to the 6 before three penalties pushed the Cats back to the 25. Seim’s 42-yard field goal attempt was short. PHS needed just four plays to cover 80 yards and scored on a 79-yard screen to Brooks.
GHS found itself down 14-3 with 4:07 to play in the half. Both teams went on to turn the ball over on downs, and Gilmer received a final possession from Pickens’ 44 with eight seconds left in the half. After a 15-yard gain by Titus, Rellinger threw a Hail Mary into the end zone as time expired.
Kiker was there to make the leaping catch over a PHS defender. The touchdown and Seim’s extra point made the score 14-10 at halftime.
The teams swapped punts to begin the third quarter. While Kiker’s punt did pin PHS at its 2, the Dragons strung an 18-play drive together. The Dragons mixed runs and passes to pick up five first downs while draining over nine minutes off the clock. Salto’s 3-yard dive made the score 21-10 in Pickens’ favor.
Gilmer’s next two drives ended with fumbles, and Rellinger was injured toward the end of the third quarter and did not return. PHS cashed in Gilmer’s second fumble for an eight-play, 28-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard Hampton run.
The score moved PHS ahead 27-10 with 5:20 remaining in the game. Gilmer turned the ball over on downs on its final drive.
Kiker led Gilmer’s defensive effort with 14 total tackles. Linebackers Grant Ballew and Hataway finished with 10 and nine, respectively.
“We didn’t take advantage of a fumble, and go down there and get stopped (inside the 10),” Standard said. “Then we drove down and had to kick a field goal. Defense at times did some good things. We gave up a couple big plays, then their size wore us down.”
The win was Pickens’ eighth in a row over Gilmer, and the loss dropped the Cats’ record to 5-3. GHS travels to Dawson County Friday to take on the region leading Tigers for a 7:30 p.m. game.