Center Roughriders Stadium, September 8, 2017 -
The No. 2 ranked Gilmer Buckeyes rolled to a convincing 56-17 win over the hometown Center Roughriders on Friday, at Roughrider Stadium during Centers’ Senior Night game.
Center got on the scoreboard first with a 25-yard field goal by Alexis Lopez with 5:01 to play in the first quarter. Gilmer answered back with a 5-yard touchdown run by Braydon Bates to give Gilmer a 7-3 advantage with 2:50 left in the opening period.
Center punted the ball back to Gilmer, with less than a minute left in the opening stanza, after a failed four-play drive. Morgan Lusty caught a short pass, from quarterback Poppy Brown, and raced 61 yards for a Gilmer score with 56 seconds to play in the first quarter. Gilmer added an extra point kick to giving them a 14-3 advantage.
The Buckeyes added to their lead with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Qua Heath, and Bran Webb’s two-point conversion extended the Buckeyes’ lead to 22-3 with 6:35 left in the second quarter.
Buckeye Rashaad Ward scored on a 2-yard run with 1:16 left in the second quarter to put GHS up 28-3. After a Roughrider fumble, Bates scored on a 1-yard run to put Gilmer up 35-3.
The teams then traded kickoff returns for scores as Center’s Jaterious Evans raced 90 yards to pull the 'Riders to within 9-35 of Gilmer. Then JaMareon Granville went 80 yards with only 52 seconds left to play in the half to give the Buckeyes a commanding 42-9 halftime lead.
In the third period, Brown hooked up with Granville for a 7-yard Buckeyes scoring pass with 9:22 remaining, but Center’s Marques Hall returned a Gilmer fumble 70 yards for a score defensive score. The score was Gilmer 49 Center 17 with 4:09 left in the third frame.
Gilmer finished the scoring for the night with a 1-yard touchdown run by Bates with 1:02 left in the third period.
Gilmer outpaced Center351-274 in total yardage. Gilmer passed for 214 yards and rushed for 137, completing 10 passes on 16 attempts. They fumbled twice and had 14 first downs.
Center completed 8 of 13 pass attempts for 133 yards. They rushed for 141 yards, had two fumbles, and two interceptions. The ‘Riders gained 9 first downs.
Gilmer received three penalties for 20 yards. Center was penalized three times for 25 yards.
Center is now 0-2 and will host the Gladewater Bears for the Roughriders Homecoming game on Friday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. Gladewater is 0-2. They have lost to Carthage 49-7 on the road, and Kilgore 33-21 at home.
Gilmer will host Liberty Christian on Friday.
