They entered as the underdog and left as champions.
The sixth-grade Gilmer Bobcats are Mountain Athletic Conference champions following their commanding 14-0 football victory over the previously one-loss White County Warriors.
Gilmer reached the end zone once in each half, and the defense did the rest to preserve the shutout win. The Cats’ title came a week after they downed top seeded and formerly undefeated Fannin County in the semifinals.
Gilmer head coach Mark Hice had nothing but praise for the Bobcats following their momentous victory.
“We slipped into the playoffs (as the No. 4 seed), but I never lost confidence in our boys,” Hice said. “I knew we had a No. 1 team. Just getting them to believe in that (was key). When we came in, we had worked ourselves to death. We have practice four, five days per week. It’s all on the boys. They came in and decided they wanted to win.
“We came into Fannin County last week as 12 1/2 point underdogs. Nobody gave us a chance, and we went in and beat them. That gave us a big confidence boost, and I told them, ‘When we line up against these guys tonight, we have to play with the same heart.’ The guys just wanted it so bad. I told them, ‘Once you have experienced something great in your life, no matter how brief, it will stay with you forever.’ These boys deserve this.”
Gilmer received the opening kickoff and promptly went on a 55-yard touchdown drive. Backs Silas West and Heath Hice took turns running through open holes in the line and off the edge. They combined for 10 carries, and West’s 6-yard sweep around the right edge gave Gilmer a 6-0 lead with 3:30 left in the quarter.
Gilmer’s defense forced a punt after three offensive plays, but the Cats were unable to field the kick. White received threatening field position at the Cats’ 21. However, the defense rose to the occasion to deny the Warriors on the 7-yard line.
The score remained 6-0 in Gilmer’s favor at the half. Bobcat Noah Rice was there to make a tackle for a 3-yard loss when White’s offense took the field in the third quarter. Then it was West, who broke up a third down pass. Another Gilmer tackle for a loss gave the Cats the ball at their 48.
Gilmer put its ground game to good use once more, and the Cats picked up four first downs to advance deep into White territory. Cal Morrison scored Gilmer’s second touchdown on a 4-yard run, and Hice added the conversion.
The Cats led 14-0 with 7:17 left in the game, and while Gilmer did fumble on its next drive, the defense was there to bail them out.
On back-to-back White possessions, Bobcat cornerback Jackson Jones intercepted Warrior passes. After Gilmer turned the ball over on downs, White received a final drive with a minutes remaining. Four straight incompletions sealed Gilmer’s championship.
For the Bobcats, the season came full circle. Once the playoffs rolled around, Gilmer flipped the script.
“I felt like we had a rough schedule to start the season versus Fannin and White,” Hice said. “We went 0-2, and this is my first win as head coach of ever beating White. I’ve been coaching for several years and wanted this game so bad.
“It couldn’t have been better than to get this win at home in front of our home crowd. This is my last year coaching, and park and rec is over for us. The boys are moving on to middle school and what a celebration to have tonight with my boys.”
The Bobcats finished the season with a 6-3 overall record.