There was plenty of offense on display when the Gilmer Bobcats took the field for the first time in 2024.
GHS hosted the Sequoyah Chiefs last Friday for its preseason football scrimmage. Both teams raced up and down the field when their varsity players were in the game, and seven touchdowns were scored through two quarters.
Points were tougher to come by in the second half as reserves and junior varsity players entered the fray. The score was not officially kept, but if one were to have tallied points, Sequoyah outpaced the Bobcats in the first half, 28-20.
“I’m glad to see our guys get the opportunity to compete against someone else,” said head coach Paul Standard. “We were at a point where we were ready to scrimmage to see what we have and what we don’t have and where we need to improve. We still have questions that need answered.
“We had some guys who really did well. We have to find some depth because we’re playing a lot of guys both ways. That’s going to hurt us down the road if we don’t find some depth.”
SHS ran a spread offense and kept GHS off balance with its run-pass options, short passes and deep throws. Two of their scoring drives needed just one play. Meanwhile, the Bobcats deployed their familiar running attack. For much of the night, Gilmer lined up with two tight ends, which meant all 11 Chiefs were within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Both teams were only stopped once in the first half, and Sequoyah got on the board first with a 6-play, 65-yard drive.
Bobcats Memphis Lewallen, Kyle Cowart and Grant Ballew teamed up for a 3-yard loss on the Chiefs’ first offensive play, but consecutive completions of 32 and 21 yards advanced SHS to the Cats’ 15. Three straight runs followed, and the final was an 11-yard jet sweep around the right edge for a touchdown.
SHS needed 2:58 to score, and Gilmer was in the end zone 56 seconds later. The series only lasted three plays, and GHS quarterback Issac Rellinger accounted for 63 on the ground. His second run was a 52-yard option keeper through the left side of the line for six points.
The snap on the extra point was high, and while special teams were not live, Rellinger instinctively scrambled with the ball. No kick was attempted, and SHS led 7-6 with 8:13 left in the first quarter.
Gilmer held Sequoyah out of the end zone on its second possession before three straight Chief touchdowns. GHS linebacker Peyton Chancey made a tackle for a loss on first down, and a pair of subsequent penalties were too much to overcome, and the Chiefs punted.
From 50, Bobcat fullback Wyatt Stokes tested the middle of Sequoyah’s defense for 14 yards on three carries, and wingback Ballew hit the edge for 8 more. Ballew also hauled in a 23-yard pass on first down to set up first and goal from the 5-yard line.
Stokes rushed two more times, and he walked across the goal line for a 1-yard score to cap the seven-play drive. Carter Gearhart added the point after, and GHS took a 13-7 lead.
SHS took over with 1:38 left on the first quarter clock. A quick slant pass on the first play is all the Chiefs needed, and their receiver outran the Bobcat secondary for a 65-yard touchdown.
Gilmer found itself down by a point before their third straight touchdown drive. Wingback Douglas Callihan and Chancey shared carries, and they moved the offense from its 35 to the Chiefs’ 38. Another first down pass resulted in a 18-yard completion to wingback Kyle Cowart.
Callihan then took a hand-off around the left edge for a 20-yard touchdown. The nine-play drive marked Gilmer’s final score, and the Cats led 20-14 with 8:19 left in the half.
SHS answered with its longest drive, and it took 10 plays. The Chiefs blended the run and pass on thedrive’s first five plays. After a holding penalty, four straight completions of 19, 9, 10 and 8 yards took SHS into the end zone.
Down 21-20, GHS picked up a pair of first downs and advanced into Sequyoah territory before turning the ball over on downs.
The Chiefs scored on the first play and they started at the Cats’ 37. A deep pass down the right sideline hit an open SHS receiver in stride.
In the third, both teams started to shuffle some second and third-team players into the game. The fourth was played by junior varsity squads.
Penalties stalled Bobcat drives, and a fumble ended a possession in Sequoyah territory. The Cats found success on the ground running with fullbacks Landon Ledford and Madden Hopkins and wingbacks Cheyne Smith and Ryan Rellinger.
SHS added three points with a 46-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.
“We have got to eliminate the mental mistakes,” Standard said. “The physical mistakes will happen, but we made some mental mistakes, starting with me. They’re things we have to correct, or they’re going to come back and get us. We did some little things we’ve got to take care of before they become big things.
“They’re a well-coached team. They’re a good team, and there were some times when I thought we did some good things. We have a week off, which is great. We plan it that way so we can make any adjustments and get any injured guys we need back. Then we’ll have our game week and we’ll be ready.”
Gilmer will open the season Aug. 16 versus Fannin County at Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium.