Gilmer Blanks Tatum, 23-0, In High-Profile Class 4A Game

GILMER – After a scoreless first quarter, Gilmer’s offense broke open as halftime approached. In the second half, the Buckeye defense sealed the deal.

Behind two scores from DeMarco Boyd and a shutout from the Gilmer defense, the Buckeyes upended Tatum, 23-0, on Friday night at Jeff Traylor Stadium in Gilmer.

The win pushed the Buckeyes to 3-0 on the season while Tatum, coming off its bye in Week 2, fell to 0-2.

Boyd notched a pair of touchdowns for Gilmer – finding the end zone on the ground and through the air and paced the shutout defensively in a contest that featured a host of players going both ways.

Junior quarterback Brett Rice eclipsed the century mark in his varsity debut for the Buckeyes, connecting with Boyd for his first varsity touchdown. Senior Zac Spears missed the contest with an illness.

Round out the Buckeye scoring was Red Jones, who scored on an eight-yard run. Senior kicker Juan Esquivel connected on a 21-yard field goal for the Buckeyes, who will host Daingerfield next for its fourth-straight home contest.

Tatum moved the ball behind quarterback JD Taylor, who finished with 142 all-purpose yards but two first-half turnovers. Three total turnovers disrupted any momentum the Eagles gained.

Following an interception from Ryen Lawhorn, Boyd put Gilmer on the board with a 25-yard run with under four minutes to play in the second quarter. On the Eagles’ previous drive, Charles Grimmett jumped on a fumble in the end zone as Tatum was marching.

Rice and Boyd connected for a two-yard score with 10 seconds left in the opening half and, after a missed point-after attempt, the Buckeyes claimed a 13-0 lead at the break.

After exchanging punts to open the third quarter, Jones extended Gilmer’s lead to 20-0 on an eight-yard run with 2:57 left in the third.

Less than two minutes later – after a picked off pass from Kollin Hurt – Esquivel drilled a 21-yard field goal attempt inside the final minute of the third quarter for the final points of the night.

Tatum looks to right the ship at home next against Liberty-Eylau.

Gilmer will simultaneously host Daingerfield.