Gilmer High School returns plenty of experience, starters in 2020
Gilmer High returns an experienced football team that is bigger, stronger and faster than it was a year ago.
The Bobcats won four games to end their losing streak and did so with plenty of first-year starters and underclassmen.
Kevin Saunders enters his second season as Gilmer’s head coach. Much of last season was spent getting the players where he needed them mentally and physically.
With that foundation in place, the team spent more time focusing on football.
“We’ve been able to put in a lot more stuff this preseason,” Saunders said during an interview last Wednesday. “We’re a lot stronger and we’re faster. That part has gone really well. The kids are really committed to what we’re doing. We’ve got 51 kids out there, so that puts us up by about 20 from last year. So everything has gone good.
“We’ve been able to add some more coverages and blocking assignments. The kids have a good idea of what to do. They know what to expect from me and I know what to expect from them. They know how to practice a little better. Their competition at practice is better as far as pushing each other. I really like that part. Over the last week and a half, practices have been really good.”
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic forced all teams to alter their preseason. Georgia High School Association precautions and guidelines restricted workouts initially. An outbreak of cases in Gilmer forced the team to cancel nine practices in July.
As statewide conditioning restrictions were eased, and confirmed COVID-19 cases in Georgia continued to rise, the start of the season was postponed by two weeks.
Uncertainty persisted throughout most of the summer and morale fluctuated.
“Some days it affected us a lot and some days it didn’t,” Saunders said. “It was just hit and miss. They’re kids and just didn’t know how to handle things sometimes. But I thought for the most part, our kids did a good job handling it. They showed up to practice and everything.
“It’s just hard when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s here now so it’s much better.”
No GHSA member schools were permitted to participate in the normal rites of summer such as seven on seven passing competitions, linemen challenges and contact camps.
Gilmer was scheduled to play two scrimmages but the GHSA eliminated those as well.
“I needed two scrimmages so I could have evaluated some people,” Saunders said. “I could have really used those contact camps during the summer to evaluate.
“It is what it is and we’ll have to go into that first game and treat it like a scrimmage a little bit cause we’ve got to evaluate some people. I’m sure we’ll get in there and get after it. The first two games (against Pickens and Fannin) should be really intense. It will set the tone for the year and I like where we’re at.”
Altered preseason activities also limited the Bobcats’ time in full pads at practice.
“It has (been less than last year) because you have to make sure you are taking care of everything,” Saunders said. “We’ll go two days out of the week with pads. The rest of the time, it’s just helmets. I’m trying to keep everyone healthy and focused. You don’t want to wear them out before we get started. We’ve practiced well as far as that’s gone.
“Our plan with them has been really good to keep them fresh. (Previously) you didn’t know exactly when you would play. Everything was always ‘fluid’ and we were waiting.”
With the waiting all but over and the start of the season becoming a reality, spirits picked up at practice in recent weeks with Pickens set to host Gilmer to open the season Friday.
This year the Bobcats will have more depth on both sides of the ball and be less reliant on so many two-way players.
Gilmer runs a wing-T offense and returns nine starters. Saunders discussed some of the players who will be starters and heavy contributors.
Last season’s top three rushers return and they are juniors Kobe Stonecipher (775 yards) and Gray McClure (504) and senior Ashton White (481).
Back on the line at tackle are senior Dawson Stephens and junior Dylan Shope. First team all-region junior guard Will Bradburn returns as well. New varsity starters include junior Tony Olea at center and sophomore Hershel Defoor at guard.
Key back-ups include sophomore Patrick Danforth, senior Jacob Gallagher and senior Tyler Gatlin, who arrives to GHS from North Gwinnett.
Senior Spenser Smith is back under center at quarterback. He threw for 326 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns in eight games last season. White takes the field at fullback and wingbacks Stonecipher and McClure are back in their starting spots.
Returning receivers are senior Braden Jenkins and junior Seth Darling. Jenkins led the team with 12 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Cade Carter, the starting center on the basketball team, will get the nod at tight end.
Darling will see time at quarterback as well. Senior Isaiah Sharp and sophomores Brock Titus and Hunter Watkins will be reserves in the backfield. White will also take the field at wingback at times when not playing fullback. Sophomore Will Kiker will see time at receiver.
When asked if he is pleased with the talent and experience on offense, Saunders responded, “No doubt.
“I feel really good about where we are with how many kids are back and the ability they have. They’ve had a year in the program now. With the way things have gone with COVID and everything, we’ve developed probably a little more depth than we’ve had in the past.”
The Cats’ base defense is a 3-4. Nine more starters are back, which include senior tackle leaders Cameron Weaver (95 total), White (75), McClure (75) and Kanaan Walker (59).
Gatlin will anchor the middle of the line at nose guard and tackles will be Danforth and Weaver. Danforth missed most of last season with an injury and Weaver is a returning starter.
Linebackers White and senior Kyle Allison are back in the middle and Jenkins and first team all-region selection McClure return to the outside spots.
Returning in the secondary are first team all-region safety Smith, and corners are Walker and Stonecipher. Watkins will start at the other safety position.
Back-ups along the line will be Bradburn (50 total tackles, 12 for a loss last season), Gahalleger and sophomore Hunter Brown. Titus and Darling will see some time at outside linebacker. Reserves in the defensive backfield include Kiker and Darling.
“This could possibly be our strong suit,” Saunders said of the defense. “We gave up about 25 points per game after the first start (against Fannin). We kept getting better on defense as the year went on. We didn’t have Kyle half the year and missed Danforth most of the year.
“We got more depth this year than we had last year. That is going to be one of the best things for us. I feel really good about it.”
Senior Adolfo Bautista is back at kicker and Darling will look to replicate his all-region season at punter. Smith will hold on extra points and field goals and the long snappers will be Bradburn and White.
With so many experienced laden upperclassmen coming back, Saunders believes this team will bring a hard-nosed mentality to the field.
“This team practices hard and will play hard. I don’t doubt that at all,” he said. “They’re going to be physical, play hard and give everything they got. It will kind of be very similar to what Gilmer used to be. These kids, I love them to death. They work hard in the weight room and on the field.”
Saunders discussed his expectations for the season.
“I want to see us be better than we were last year. I want to see us improve and get better each week,” he said. “Everything is a lot different now because of corona, so you don’t know how they’re going to react to having no scrimmages.
“I just want us to be able to handle our adversity well, which we got better at last year. When kids got hurt, it got them down. When the year went on, they realized that was part of it and got better.”
GHS made the drop down to Class 3A and is now in Region 7. Gilmer has played its new region mates a combined 99 times, winning 53.
Region 7-3A members and Gilmer’s record against them include Lumpkin County (24-9), Dawson County (7-1), White County (13-23), Cherokee Bluff (0-0), West Hall (4-4) and North Hall (5-9).
Nonregion opponents are Pickens (35-26), Fannin County (25-17), Murray County (9-18) and East Jackson (0-0).
“I’m excited about the new region and the kids are excited about it, too,” Saunders said. “There are some teams we haven’t played in a long time and some teams we’ve never played. I’m excited about our schedule and I feel like we can compete with everyone on it.”
2020 Schedule
Sept 4. @ Pickens
Sept. 11 vs. Fannin County
Sept. 18 vs. Murray County
Sept. 25 @ East Jackson
Oct. 9 @ Cherokee Bluff *
Oct. 16 vs. Lumpkin County *
Oct. 23 @ Dawson County *
Oct. 30 vs. North Hall *
Nov. 6 @ West Hall *
Nov. 13 vs. White County *
Bold denotes home game. All games kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
* Region 7 opponent