After rolling to a 3-0 start, the tables were turned on the Gilmer Bobcats.
GHS traveled to Ringgold last Friday for its final nonregion football game of the season, and the Tigers were able to stifle the Bobcats’ run-heavy offense. Ringgold found success through the air and on the ground, which led to four unanswered touchdowns in the first half.
Both offenses were held in check over the game’s final 24 minutes as the Bobcats fell, 27-0.
“They were more physical than us,” head coach Paul Standard said of the Tigers, who controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. “Anything that was negative tonight for our football team, rests solely and absolutely on me, period. And I’m not trying to be a martyr. I’m just stating a fact.
“They were better prepared even though I thought we were prepared, obviously we weren’t. They just outplayed us and that’s on the head coach. It’s not on our kids, and if they’re the kids I think they are, they’ll bounce back.”
Gilmer entered Friday averaging 336 rushing yards per game, but the Tigers held GHS to 97 yards on 34 carries, six first downs and zero for nine on third down conversion attempts. GHS punted on its first three possessions and its fourth was its most successful of the half, which lasted nine plays and concluded with a turnover on downs.
Meanwhile, RHS used a hurry-up shotgun offense and spread the field with receivers. Their balanced attack proved to be difficult to contain for GHS, who surrendered 191 yards through the air and 169 rushing yards.
While the Tigers were forced to punt on their first drive, the next four found the end zone. Ringgold’s second drive spanned 62 yards on six plays. RHS took a 7-0 lead after 6’ 7” quarterback Ross Norman rushed for a 7-yard touchdown off the left edge.
Their next scoring drive covered 81 yards on 10 plays. Tailback Alijah Bradberry took a draw across the goal line from 3 yards out for a 13-0 lead 34 seconds into the second quarter.
Norman connected with Ty Gilbert on an 8-yard corner route for the Tigers’ third score on the drive’s sixth play. The possession traversed 40 yards, and RHS extended its lead to 20-0 with 6:12 left in the half.
Norman went to Gilbert again in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown on their fifth possession. The touchdown capped an 8-play, 71-yard series for a 27-0 edge in the waning seconds of the half.
GHS punted twice in the second half and was intercepted on its final possession. The Tigers put together a 14-play drive to start the third quarter, but Will Kiker was there to block a 31-yard field goal attempt.
Kiker led GHS with 19 total tackles to go with 27 rushing yards. Fullback Brock Titus added 34 yards on the ground and was followed by halfback Hunter Watkins (25) and quarterback Issac Rellinger (20).
“We played better last year offensively than we did this year. If you had told me that before the game, I would’ve said, ‘no way.’ But they did, so we have to go back to work,” Standard said.
“We have an off week to heal up some injuries, and we might have a couple bad ones. Now the games start counting (with the region schedule), and I know our kids are going to show up and be ready to go. Whether we are 4-0 or 0-4 or somewhere in between, it matters that we’re getting better. I thought we did that for the first three games, but we did not tonight and that’s my job.”
The loss dropped the Bobcats’ record to 3-1 and they are off this week. Region play will get underway at home next Friday, Sept. 23, versus Wesleyan (1-3) at 7:30 p.m.
Junior varsity Bobcats fall, 33-16
The JV Bobcats were in action at home against the Adairsville Tigers last Thursday.
Gilmer fell behind by three scores at the half and added a pair of second half touchdowns in a 33-16 defeat.
The Bobcats were plagued by turnovers in the first half, which allowed AHS to build a 20-0 advantage. The Tigers put the Cats behind 26-0 in the third quarter before Gilmer fullback Wyatt Stokes scored a 4-yard touchdown. Quarterback Bo Cronic added the two-point conversion.
Following another Tiger touchdown, GHS fullback Michael Bushey found the end zone on a 2-yard run and added the conversion as well.
GHS has a 1-1 record on the season, and the Bobcats will travel to Union County Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff.