Gilmer survives Leopards, 58-57
In another close battle that was highlighted by offense, a defensive play determined the outcome.
Gilmer's Red Jones wrestled away a pass to Liberty-Eylau receiver Dazawion Cooper in the end zone with just over 5 minutes remaining to preserve the Buckeyes' 58-57 win at Harris Field Friday in both teams' season opener.
The Leopards and Gilmer combined for 1,201 yards of total offense, the vast majority coming in the first half. Liberty-Eylau took an 8-point lead on its second possession of the third quarter, Cedric Dickerson scoring his second of three touchdowns on a 2-yard plunge with 6:45 left in the third. Dickerson, who had a fumble recovery and interception he returned for a touchdown on defense, also scored with 8:22 left in the game from a yard out.
Decorian Phillips finished 16-of-35 passing for 377 yards for the Leopards, connecting with Cooper for three first-half touchdowns. Cooper caught six balls for 244 yards. The Leopards had 571 yards of offense, rushing 34 times for 194 yards, led by Phillips' 12 carries for 80 yards.
Aaron “Poppy” Brown threw for a pair of scores and ran for two more to lead Gilmer. Brown was 17-of-26 passing, with two interceptions, and 217 yards through the
air. He added 78 yards on the ground and tossed a 2-pointer to Jones and ran for another 2-point conversion, both in the fourth quarter.
Bran Webb rushed 16 times for 179 yards for the Buckeyes and three TDs, including the game-winner from 8 yards out with 6:36 left, followed by Brown's 2-point run.
Liberty-Eylau got the ball at the 50 on the ensuing drive after a late hit on the return. Mahleik Darty hauled in an 18-yard pass on first down, and two plays later Cooper had a pass in his hands in the end zone, but Jones ended up with the ball after the pair hit the turf with each a grip on football. Gilmer, which won last season's game, 61-55 after the teams combined for 1,131 yards, was able to run out the clock from there.
Darty added four catches for 40 yards for L-E, and Isaiah Cross had three balls for 41 yards. Ken'Trell Chatmon also had an interception for the Leopards.
The teams combined for 85 points and 804 total yards in the first half. There were 12 touchdowns, just six stops and a turnover each.
Phillips hit Cooper for a 10-yard strike, set up by Cooper's 57-yard reception in double coverage, with 0.7 seconds left in the first half, and Steven Goben, who was 5 of 5 on PATs in the first half, booted the extra point to give the Leopards a 43-42 lead heading into the locker rooms.
Phillips connected on 8 of 19 passes for 253 yards and three scoring tosses to Cooper, who caught five balls for 192 yards before intermission.
Brown was 12-of-18 passing for 199 yards and two touchdowns for the Buckeyes and also ran for a score with 35 seconds left before the break.
That 11-yard TD scamper came at the end of a 10-play drive in response to the Leopards' 8-play, 69-yard scoring campaign, capped with Phillips racing 11 yards to the end zone.
Phillips connected with Cooper for a 78-yard strike with 7:31 left in the second quarter, sandwiched around touchdown runs by Gilmer's Braydon Bates and Bran Webb, his second of the game.
After Brown hit Morgan Lusty with a 14-yard touchdown to open the game, Ken'Trell Chatmon returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to set up LibertyEylau up at the Buckeye 30. On the second play, Cedric Dickerson bulled his way in from the 3.
Brown and Lusty hooked up for a 55-yard strike with 7:53 left in the first quarter, and Dickerson snagged a Brown pass and returned it 54 yards for a pick-6 to knot the score for the second time.
Webb ran 19 yards for his first TD with 3:06 left in the first, and Cooper hauled in a 43-yard touchdown from Phillips with 19 ticks left in the quarter. Ralph Crabtree raced around the left end and into the end zone for a 2-point conversion, the difference at intermission.