2013 East Texas Football Games of the Year, No. 16: Gilmer vs. Henderson

Some of the numbers and names may not be the same, but that won't diminish this year's District 16-3A battle between Gilmer and Henderson on Oct. 12 at Longview's Lobo Stadium.

Gilmer and Henderson met twice last season, and both ended up being classics.

In the regular season, Gilmer raced out to a 21-3 lead late in the first half. But Henderson had a shot to tie the game with a two-point conversion with a little more than a minute remaining. The Lions got the conversion, but it was negated by an illegal procedure penalty and the second attempt was unsuccessful, giving Gilmer the 28-26 win.

The postseason matchup, back at Lobo Stadium, was just as exciting. Henderson grabbed a 31-14 late in the second quarter, but Gilmer responded with a pair of quick touchdowns right before halftime to cut the deficit to 31-28.

Gilmer continued its barrage in the second half to take a 41-31 lead in the fourth, and held on for a 41-34 victory.

Looking ahead to this year's matchup, Henderson must replace several key players that helped the Lions go 33-10 from 2010-12. Henderson will also have a new coach in area coaching veteran Phil Castles, so while there may be a few growing pains early in the season, the game with Gilmer could serve as a barometer to how much Henderson has adapted to the new coaching staff and players.