PREVIEW: Gilmer + Pittsburg Meet With Playoff Seeding on the Line

DISTRICT 7-4A DIVISION II

Gilmer Buckeyes (7-2, 3-1)

vs.

Pittsburg Pirates (6-3, 3-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Pirate Stadium, Pittsburg

Coaches

• Gilmer: Matt Turner
• Pittsburg: Brad Baca

Last week

• Gilmer: def. Atlanta, 45-30
• Pittsburg: def. Gladewater, 28-21

Next week

• Gilmer: vs. TBD, 4A Division II bi-district playoffs
• Pittsburg: vs. TBD, 4A Division II bi-district playoffs

Playmakers

Gilmer

• QB Aaron "Poppy" Brown, Sr., 5-9, 180 (178 of 283, 2,619 yards, 18 TDs, 9 INTs; 91 carries, 508 yards, 12 TDs)
• RB/DB Bran Webb, Jr., 5-10, 175 (107 carries, 917 yards, 17 TDs; 12 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD; 17 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs)
• WR/DB Morgan Lusty, Sr., 5-9, 150 (36 catches, 820 yards, 7 TDs; 35 tackles, 2 PBUs)
• WR/DB Red Jones, Sr., 5-11, 150 (48 catches, 614 yards, 3 TDs; 10 carries, 51 yards, 0 TDs; 15 tackles, 3 INTs, 6 PBUs)
• WR/DB Qua Heath, Sr., 6-2, 175 (34 catches, 542 yards, 5 TDs; 14 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 INT, 2 PBUs)
• LB Garry Orr, Sr., 6-1, 190 (72 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 PBU)
• WR/DB Tra Fluellen, Jr. (18 catches, 218 yards, 1 TD; 4 carries, 24 yards, 0 TDs; 40 tackles, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs, 1 forced fumble)
• LB Dain Goudarzi, Sr. (90 tackles, 3 for for loss, 1 sack)

Pittsburg

• QB Jaylon Jimmerson, Jr., 5-11, 180 (83 of 129, 1,263 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs; 91 carries, 536 yards, 12 TDs)
• WR/DB Keontae Burns, Jr., 6-3, 175 (29 catches, 567 yards, 5 TDs; 12 carries, 91 yards, 0 TDs; 53 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 INT, 7 PBUs)
• RB Jordan Turner, Jr., 5-9, 193 (215 carries, 938 yards, 7 TDs; 5 catches, 35 yards, 1 TD)
• DL Cody Jones, Sr., 6-2, 185 (72 tackles, 17 for loss, 5 sacks, 20 QB pressures, 5 PBUs)
• DL Camryn Edney, Jr., 6-0, 200 (74 tackles, 17 for loss, 1 sack, 1 PBU)
• LB Antwon Robertson, Jr., 5-10, 220 (52 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks, 16 QB pressures, 1 PBU)
• WR/DB Keithlen Griffin, Jr., 6-0, 145 (27 catches, 347 yards, 6 TDs; 11 carries, 61 yards, 1 TD; 52 tackles, 1 for loss, 4 INTs, 6 PBUs, 2 fumble recoveries)
• LB Mason Monts, Jr., 5-10, 175 (84 tackles, 8 for loss, 1 PBU)

Just the facts

• The winner of Friday's game between Gilmer and Pittsburg will earn the No. 2 seed for the playoffs from District 7-4A Division II. The loser will be third.
• Gilmer won last year's meeting, 51-35.
• Gilmer is averaging 47.7 points and 542 yards per game -- 246 rushing and 296 passing.
• Buckeyes quarterback Aaron "Poppy" Brown is averaging 291 passing yards per game. Last season, he averaged 334.2.
• Gilmer is allowing 36.7 points per game, and has forced 12 turnovers -- eight interceptions and four fumbles.
• Pittsburg is averaging 31.1 points and 340.9 yards per game -- 189.9 rushing and 151 passing.
• Pirates receiver Keontae Burns is averaging 19.6 yards per catch.
• Pittsburg is allowing 30.7 points per game, and has forced 14 turnovers -- 10 interceptions and four fumbles.

Key matchup: Gilmer passing attack vs. Pittsburg secondary. The Buckeyes are among the most productive offenses in East Texas, and senior quarterback Aaron "Poppy" Brown is the biggest reason why. Brown enters Friday's regular-season finale against Pittsburg with more than 2,600 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, and he's got a talented and diverse set of receivers around him. Morgan Lusty, who leads the team with 820 yards and seven touchdowns, in the big-play threat with a yards-per-catch average of 22.8. Red Jones is the team's leader in receptions, and has knack for making first-down catches, while Qua Heath and Tra Fluellen serve as complimentary weapons for Brown.

Gilmer averages more than 47 points and 540 yards per game, so it's apparent that Pittsburg probably won't be capable of matching the Buckeyes possession for possession. For the Pirates to curb Gilmer's offensive production, they'll need to create a few turnovers to allow for extra offensive possessions. For the season, Pittsburg has 10 interceptions as a team, and Brown has been susceptible to the turnover this year with nine INT's in nine games.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's games turns into a shootout. There's hasn't been a defense that's limited Gilmer to less than 28 points all season, and the Buckeyes are averaging 44 points in their four district contests. However, Gilmer's defense has been vulnerable for most of the season, as it comes into this week allowing more than 35 points per game. Since Week 4, the Buckeyes have surrendered at least 30 points in every game. And between Pittsburg's offensive trio of quarterback Jaylon Jimmerson, running back Jordan Turner, and receiver Keontae Burns, the Pirates are more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard.