The city boys made their way to the mountains and returned to Tuxedo Park with a country whooping.
Gilmer High welcomed Westminster to Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium last Friday, and the visiting Wildcats were merely a speed bump for the Bobcats’ rushing attack.
Possessions were limited early, and Gilmer’s defense repeatedly made plays to hold Westminster in check. GHS started the second half with three straight touchdowns for a 21-point fourth-quarter lead. The Wildcats’ score in the waning minutes was not nearly enough and Gilmer won, 28-14.
The victory improved GHS to 3-1 and region games begin this week.
“The key for these nonregion games, whether we’re 4-0, 0-4 or somewhere in between, is that we’ve gotten better and have the right guys in the right spots. I think we’ve done that,” said head coach Paul Standard. “This was a big win against a class program and a good football program.”
Gilmer limited the Wildcats to 233 yards of offense and a 3.4 yards per carry. Sixty-six of those rushing yards came on the first play of the second quarter. While Westminster completed 69 percent of its passes, they were typically for short gains.
“We had some penalties that hurt us in some key situations), but somehow, someway, they figured out a way to overcome them,” Standard said.
“The biggest accolades start with our defense. We held them to seven points in the first half and that was on a big play. I thought we made a heck of a goal line stand. It took them four plays to score from the 1, and I’m not sure he got in.”
Gilmer’s ground game churned out 355 yards, and it was the Cats’ third 350-plus rushing performance of the season.
Junior fullback Peyton Chancey, who injured his knee on the first drive in week two, hammered the middle of Westminster’s defense for 164 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries. Halfbacks Hunter Britain, Douglas Callihan and Cheyne Smith added 78, 48 and 26 yards, respectively.
“The offense sputtered on the first drive and needed to respond and we did,” Standard said. “The line just blocked like crazy and (quarterback) A.J. (Callihan) did a good job directing the offense. A lot of it was between the tackles tonight because of how they were playing us. The fullback position was key, and Peyton did a great job. He is some kind of football player. When we needed to use the halfbacks to run the ball, they did a fantastic job.”
The teams traded punts to begin the game, and Douglas Callihan’s 55-yard quick kick pinned the Wildcats at their 1-yard line.
With 3:33 left in the first quarter, Westminster began its 11-play touchdown drive. The Wildcats overcame 26 yards in penalties early in the series as they were continually pushed back into the shadow of their own goal posts.
On the sixth play, a 21-yard completion advanced the Wildcats to the 33. On the ensuing play, a jet sweep and three broken tackles resulted in a 66-yard gain. GHS safety Bo Cronic made the touchdown-saving tackle at the 1-yard line. It took Westminster four tries, and it barely breached the goal line on fourth down.
GHS responded with a 12-play touchdown drive that started at its 20. Chancey handled nine of the carries for 55 yards, and his final was a 4-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked, and GHS trailed 7-6 with 2:53 left in the half.
Bobcats Smith and Denny Ramirez teamed up for a sack on Westminster’s next drive. The Wildcats punted after not gaining a first down, and GHS drained the remaining 1:43 off the clock when it received the ball.
The Bobcats could not be stopped in the second half, and the defense continually made plays to put the game away.
GHS ran 12 more times to open the second half. Smith, A.J. Callihan, Douglas Callihan and Britain all rushed to give Chancey a break. It was Britain’s gritty run on the 11th play that took GHS from the 12 to 1-yard line. Chancey scored a play later, and Carter Gearhart’s extra point made it 14-7 with 4:44 left in the third.
Gilmer could not recover its onside kick, and Westminster took over at the 50. A 15-yard Bobcat penalty helped move the Wildcats to the 25. However, a high bobbled shotgun snap sent the ball to the turf, and Gilmer’s Jack Puckett was there for the recovery at the 33.
Britain hit the left edge on second down, and his 36-yard run set the offense up at Westminster’s 26. Britain and Chancey then swapped carries, and the latter took the ball into the end zone on third and goal from the 5.
Gearhart pushed Gilmer’s lead to 21-7 a minute into the fourth quarter.
Westminster picked up four first downs on its next series. After advancing to the Cats’ 28, Douglas Callihan was there for a sack and 7-yard loss. Britain then broke up a third down pass before Puckett’s sack set the Wildcats back 13 more yards and ended the drive.
Gilmer’s offense was in business at its 40 where the Bobcats began another touchdown drive. Four straight Chancey runs advanced GHS to Westminster’s 27. Rushes by Douglas Callihan and Britain gave Chancey a bit of a reprieve. From the 20, Chancey hit the middle of Westminster’s defense on consecutive runs, and his final was for an 18-yard touchdown.
The extra point moved GHS ahead 28-7 with 3:40 left on the clock.
Westminster’s final drive covered 59 yards. On the seventh play, a 19-yard touchdown pass and extra point cut Gilmer’s lead to 14.
GHS recovered the onside kick and took the final 1:53 off the clock.
“In the second half, our offensive line took over, and our defense made a couple big stops,” Standard said. “Our defense played outstanding, and it might be one of the better defensive performances we’ve had in a while overall. I’m proud of them.”
Gilmer’s home region opener against Northwest Whitfield this week has been moved to Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
“Now they start counting,” Standard said. “We’ve got Northwest at home, and they’re a great team, but our guys play well at home and I’m excited to see them prepare again.”