Turnovers and penalties did Gilmer High no favors.
The GHS Bobcats were in Adairsville to continue their region football slate last Friday. The Tigers took advantage of Bobcat miscues, and AHS reached the end zone once in every quarter to send the Cats back to Ellijay with a 28-0 defeat.
The loss dropped GHS to 2-3 in the region with one game remaining.
“The kids did a great job getting prepared for a good Adairsville team,” said head coach Paul Standard. “They had great attitudes at practice and we rallied around the guys who are stepping into new positions. We were well prepared and we were ready.
“In the first half, we moved the ball with what we can do right now, and our kids’ effort was great. At no point during this season have our kids not played as hard as they can play.”
GHS was without senior quarterback Issac Rellinger directing its option offense. Starting linebackers, sophomore Peyton Chancey, and senior Grant Ballew, were sidelined because of injuries as well. The Cats were especially thin at fullback as Chancey is the backup, and No. 3 fullback Landon Ledford was out with an injury. Ledford also serves as a reserve linebacker, and junior Cheyne Smith and freshman Madden Hopkins helped fill the void defensively.
The Cats were further hampered by costly turnovers and penalties. Of Gilmer’s 10 infractions, six were for 15 yards, which included two personal fouls and two unsportsmanlike conducts.
Gilmer remained conservative with its game plan in Rellinger’s absence. Fullback Wyatt Stokes was the feature back once again, and he ran for 115 yards on 21 attempts. No other back rushed more than five times, and Gilmer only attempted two passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Gilmer’s defense held the Tigers’ running game in check and only surrendered 48 yards. AHS continually took advantage of short quick passes and completed 21/29 for 244 yards and three scores. The Tigers’ offense was equally effective in draining the clock, and each team only received six possessions.
The Cats received great field position to begin the game. An AHS player caught the opening kickoff, which constituted as catch interference. GHS started at the Tigers’ 41 and were able to gain a first down. The drive ended when Carter Gearhart’s 41-yard field goal attempt was narrowly short.
On its sixth offensive play, Adairsville struck for a touchdown with a short completion. Multiple missed tackles ensued, and the 60-yard play capped the 80-yard drive.
“We got great field position to start the game and unfortunately made some mistakes that cost us,” Standard said.
“On the ensuing series, they hit a pass and we missed some tackles, and they’re good enough that if you do that they’re going to score.”
Down 7-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter, GHS gained four first downs on its second drive as Stokes powered the offense. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty stalled the series, and Gilmer punted.
“On our next drive again, we’re driving the football and there were some penalties there that had gone on ... some unsportsmanlike (penalties). I’m just going to be honest, our boys unfortunately reacted to the unsportsmanlike play of the Adairsville players, in particularly one,” Standard said. “I reported it to the referees, and they said they’d look at it, which they never did.
“Again, we cannot respond or react because that does nothing but hurt us. And it did on that possession. The penalty on us was warranted, but would have been prevented if action had been taken earlier. “
Douglas Callihan’s punt pinned AHS at its 1-yard line before a 15-yard Bobcat penalty gave the Tigers some breathing room. Adairsville made a rare pass downfield, and Bobcat Hunter Britain intercepted quarterback Ethan Long.
Gilmer overcame another 15-yard penalty on its third drive with a 25-yard run by wingback Callihan. However, the drive ended with a fumble, and AHS took over at its 13-yard line.
The Tigers strung together a 17-play touchdown drive that included an 11/15 passing effort. A GHS pass interference on fourth down 3 from Gilmer’s 4-yard line gave AHS a first down. A juggling effort by a Tiger receiver in the back of the end zone was deemed a catch for a touchdown with 2.2 seconds left in the half.
“They scored right at the end of the half, and I think our kids were a little down. We came out and made a stop in the second half, but offensively we couldn’t generate that much juice,” said Standard.
Adairsville began the second half with a 14-point lead but was forced to punt. GHS once again found positive traction and gained a pair of first downs. Another fumble on the drive’s eighth play gave the ball back to AHS at the Cats’ 38.
Four plays later, a 28-yard touchdown pass moved the Tigers ahead 21-0 with 2:32 left in the third quarter.
A chop-block penalty hampered Gilmer’s next drive, which ended on downs. The Bobcat defense stopped AHS on downs as well when Gilmer forced an incompletion at its 18.
GHS freshman quarterback A.J. Callihan entered the game to take over for Bo Cronic. His first down pass was intercepted and returned for a 27-yard Tiger touchdown.
GHS hosts Ridgeland Friday for senior night at 7:30 p.m.