• PLEASANT GROVE VS. GILMER
TEXARKANA, Texas — A four-point lead turned into a 13-point game in the end.
Pleasant Grove defeated Gilmer, 37-24, in a District 6-4A, Div. II football game on Friday at Hawk Stadium.
“We came out strong in the first half—offensively and defensively,” Hawks’ head coach Josh Gibson said. “The kids played really good. And to come out with such a big defensive performance in the second half was huge. This is a huge for us. I am really proud of everybody tonight.”
Ben Harmon hit on 4-of11 passing for 179 yards for the Hawks (7-1, 2-0) with a touchdown.
Harmon plunged into the end zone from a yard out to increase Pleasant Grove’s lead, 28-17, in the third quarter.
Bruce Garrett broke a couple of tackles and scored on a 3-yard run to make it 35-17 in favor of the Hawks.
Darrell Bush had a 3-yard run for Gilmer (5-3, 1-1) to cut into PG’s lead, 35-24.
The Black Hawk defense got a great push, and the Buckeye’s quarterback fumbled the ball for a Pleasant Grove safety.
The safety came with 3:48 left in the game and gave the Hawks a 37-24 lead.
“The defensive players work their tails off, and its hard to get defensive points,” Gibson said. “Safeties are rare so it was a big moment for our coaching staff.”
Pleasant Grove took a 21-17 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Logan Johnson ran eight yards into the end zone to give the Hawks a 7-3 lead with 7:59 to go in the first quarter.
Rodriguez caught a pass from Harmon and sped 68 yards down the field to make it 14-3 in favor of PG with 5:21 left in the first.
Eddie Ray grabbed a 5-yard pass from Mason Hurt to put Gilmer within four, 14-10, with 14 seconds left in the first.
The Hawks responded when K.J. Hicks cut left and ran it in from two yards out. Pleasant Grove took at 21-10 lead with 9:35 left in the second quarter.
Ray caught an 8-yard pass from Hurt for the Buckeyes with 7:29 left until the half to make it 21-17.
Pleasant Grove’s Dylan Hopkins had a 73-yard reception that led to Johnson’s TD in the first quarter.
Rodriguez and Riley Durmon each had an interception for the Hawks.