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#10 Van (12-0) vs #2 Gilmer (11-1) Round 3


SHillBuckeye

Regional Round  

58 members have voted

  1. 1. Who Ya Got?

    • Van Vandals (12-0)
    • Gilmer Buckeyes (11-1)

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  • Poll closed on 11/26/2021 at 08:00 PM

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  • Crawford changed the title to #10 Van (12-0) vs #2 Gilmer (11-1) Round 3

Vandals do not want a shootout. If the Vandals can convert 3rd Downs and play keep away from that Gilmer o they’ll have a chance. If the vandal D is on the field too much and for long periods then Van is in trouble. Gilmer will score, but I’d the Vandals can keep the ball for long drives the Vandal defense will get a stop or two. Those is either a blowout for the buckeyes or single score game. 
 

winner of this one wins the region. they both stop the run too well for pg or qf to have much of a chance. 

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13 hours ago, trashyhound said:

Vandals do not want a shootout. If the Vandals can convert 3rd Downs and play keep away from that Gilmer o they’ll have a chance. If the vandal D is on the field too much and for long periods then Van is in trouble. Gilmer will score, but I’d the Vandals can keep the ball for long drives the Vandal defense will get a stop or two. Those is either a blowout for the buckeyes or single score game. 
 

winner of this one wins the region. they both stop the run too well for pg or qf to have much of a chance. 

I can guarantee the Vandals will have no trouble keeping their drives going, if the Buckeyes keep racking up the penalty yards.  Our boys keep giving the Refs reasons to throw the laundry and it will eventually get them beat.

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35 minutes ago, MoveTheChain said:

I can guarantee the Vandals will have no trouble keeping their drives going, if the Buckeyes keep racking up the penalty yards.  Our boys keep giving the Refs reasons to throw the laundry and it will eventually get them beat.

You honestly believe those penalties were legit? Some were, most were not. Against Mexia they were not penalized at all. Those dingleberry refs Friday were like oh yeah? Watch this! It was sad and pathetic. Hopefully those guys are done for the year.

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31 minutes ago, SHillBuckeye said:

You honestly believe those penalties were legit? Some were, most were not. Against Mexia they were not penalized at all. Those dingleberry refs Friday were like oh yeah? Watch this! It was sad and pathetic. Hopefully those guys are done for the year.

Hopefully we get a good crew for this game.

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Very talented and disciplined offenses can make a good defense look suspect.  A very good defense can give a talented but undisciplined offensive unit all kinds of trouble.  I don't know either team intimately.......so take your pick.  Which team will give the other the most problems?  

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8 hours ago, regaleagle said:

Very talented and disciplined offenses can make a good defense look suspect.  A very good defense can give a talented but undisciplined offensive unit all kinds of trouble.  I don't know either team intimately.......so take your pick.  Which team will give the other the most problems?  

Reagle - I’m thinking there is another word in your vocabulary that would go better in this sentence.

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22 minutes ago, Vandalman said:

That's the same link I was trying earlier but it kept asking me to log in lol. Must have been a temporary glitch but it's working now though. Thanks!

That is the link I used to purchase from.  Must be having a glitch, as you say.  I did not have to login, just provided contact info.

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4 minutes ago, PantherNation2015 said:

Have you ever seen anyone else use the word “intimate” in a chat room conversation about high school football?

Yes. “Intimate” doesn’t have to have a sensual connotation, which seems to be the issue you’re implying. You’re overthinking it, Panther.

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VAN:

Van has been maximizing their talents for years now, and doing a great job against the opponents on their schedule. Great coaching, kids play hard and execute what they do very well. Great town and local support, great people and Van should be extremely proud of their programs and their kids.  

REALITY:

But let’s be real here. Van facing Gilmer is not a fair fight.  From a talent perspective, the Vandals are a good 4A D2 team. But they are not on the same level as Gilmer.  Records mean nothing as we all can look at the schedule and see who has played who. The honest truth is the class of 4A D2 this season is Carthage, Gilmer, Cuero and Celina (in that order).  And then you have a talent drop off into the second tier teams. Van is probably somewhere between 10th and 15th state wide, which is certainly beyond respectable and a real accomplishment to be proud of. But the two heavyweights in 4A D2 both prowl the piney woods, and they will likely have their rematch again in Arlington in a few weeks.

MORE REALITY:

That said… Yes, it’s high school football and anything can happen on a given Friday. Especially in the playoffs. But these are Van and Gilmer teams whose DNA is #bEastTexas. They  know and respect each other, and are very familiar with each other. They have seen each other come up through the ranks, and are close enough to have witnesses first hand the talent level and ability their opponents possess. And they are playing in their own neighborhood “sandlot” in Tyler.  So a lot of external factors that usually pop up as outside influences in later round playoff games should not be very big issues this week. Both teams should be relaxed, comfortable and play close to the best of their abilities.  And that is a problem for Van.

RESPECTFUL HEADS UP:

Much respect to Vandal Nation, as their team and talent level are conducive to their 12-0 record against the teams they have played. Congrats… But you have not seen anything this year in terms of physical ability as remotely close to what you will see Friday. Gilmer now is as physically deep and talented as they have been in 127 years. (Yes, I said it.  And it is the truth.)

GILMER…:

These Buckeyes are a mature team, and it’s about time they decide this Friday how badly they want to go leave their mark in a storied history of great Gilmer squads. They are more than capable of bringing home a State Title and restoring Gilmer to “Elite” 4A status for the next decade or more. Their run last year was great, but that was a very young team, trying to find themselves and still learning to believe in their own potential.  The 2020 Carthage team was in their head. And rightfully so, because they were a true juggernaut. Gilmer was embarrassed on a big stage, and it left a mental scar. But truthfully, for Gilmer last year to have beaten Carthage would have been an outlier, much like Van staying close to Gilmer this year would be. Beating Carthage in 2020 was simply  out of reach, and Gilmer still has that mental mountain still to climb. 

… IS GILMER:

But this 2021 Gilmer squad is just different. First, there is simply the raw  talent level. It is deeper and better than ever, including 2006 (again…. Yes, I said it.). But like those incredibly skilled and talented group (who were 1 & Done to LE), it is simply about these young men deciding who they are and then playing up to their stratospheric ability.

EXAMPLES: (and yes, spend some time on YouTube and go watch the film if you doubt me)

Brandon Tennison is the most talented and polished QB to ever wear orange and black. Is he the WINNER Stump was? We don’t know yet. That 2009 Cuero game showed that Stump’s will as a champion is and was legendary. Is BT “that guy”? Is he “Superman” who simply will not allow his team or his town to bow a knee to anyone else, from anywhere else, as long as he is breathing? That is just who #10 was and is. #11? We will see soon enough… but as a runner, passer, decision maker, play maker… he is the best Buckeye QB ever. Stump, GJ, Manny, D-Mac, Tanner, Poppy, Luke, Jordan, and the list goes on and on. BT is his own person, and he will leave his own legacy, but he is the best we have ever had. That is a fact.

Then there is Matt Burton. He is pound for pound the best defensive football player Gilmer has ever produced. And the Buckeyes have had some great ones. Demarco is close, but like Stump, what Demarco had in skill he had double in heart and leadership. At his age, #44 is more skilled. And bar none, he is the smartest, most explosive, most talented and tenacious defender the Black Flag has ever had. And Burton has some help up front in 56 & 54 who make that a trio of “Best Ever” talent up front. And there are some guys behind them that makes this version of the Black Flag very, very scary.

“Best Ever” you say? The two juniors in Rohan Fluellen and Ashton Haynes are in the same class Gilmer as playmakers at their positions. Both are scary good. From Manny & Curtis to Kris and Blake, and from Bus and Gus to Houston, Lamar, and a long, long list of D1 and then NFL caliber guys… this skill group is more talented. I could reel off a dozen other names who are literal all state talents themselves on this roster. It is as deep and wide as it has ever been here. The hogs up front and bigger and badder than last year for sure, and likely more productive than even David and Cody’s group. So saying the depth of talent is the best Gilmer has ever produced and the best in the state, maybe through 4A D1 as well is not an exaggeration.

STILL KIDS:

But these are still kids, very talented kids who are learning to be men. They are still learning that they are the ones who will decide how they are remembered in the future. Like all the ones that came before them, it’s all about aligning the gray matter between the ears with the fast twitch matter below their necks.

GREAT KIDS!

As far as kids go, you will honestly never find a better group of quality character kids. That is true in Van as well. For both of these towns, they can walk into Rose Stadium Friday and walk out again no matter what happens in between being prouder to have produced kids like this off the field, than anything that happens on it. This time in their lives doesn’t last long, but the life lessons will. And some valuable ones await them all Friday no matter what.

DECISION TIME:

In Gilmer, could you take the past two seasons and point to some hard life lessons that came via the Field House? Sure. I’m sure that is true in Van too. But the time has come for the gridiron truth to reveal itself. For the 2021 Gilmer Buckeyes, it is time to decide who they are, who they want to be and how they want to be remembered. Van should hope the BUX procrastinate another week in that, but it likely won’t make much difference Friday. Gilmer is now more Gilmer than Gilmer has ever been. If they catch a mental edge, they will be the “Best Ever” on more than just paper. The 2006 Buckeyes have held the “most talented team ever” spot for a decade and a half now. We will now see how the new “Talent Title Holders”  on Bradford Street decide to roll into their December. Their #OvO moment has arrived.

PROGNOSTICATION:

Enjoy the Turkey. Watch and hope the Cowboys are not “pulling a Cowboys” again this year on Thursday. Then we will all get up full and fat on Friday to see if these BUX are on a mere errand, or a Championship Mission. Best case for Van is they catch Gilmer in a tryptophan hangover and only get beat by a respectable 2-3 scores before heading to the gym. But if these incredibly deep and talented boys from Tater Town get “hungry” and lock-in, Van is the unlucky team that will be watching some of these guys from Gilmer play on Saturday (and Sunday) over the next decade, telling their buddies about that time in Tyler they shared a field with (insert names here). Just a warning. This could be ugly y'all. Don’t take anything personal and don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you are from Van, stay positive. If you haven’t watched any GILMER film, do yourself a favor and just don’t. (Especially not against PG 3 weeks ago. Yes, the PG that is good enough to still be playing after Thanksgiving, and may very well be next week too.) You have a great town and a great team. Gilmer has had our share of humble pie lately, and we know it’s not exactly tasty on a full stomach. But keep believing and supporting your kids. Your time will come too. You are on the right track.

FRIENDLY REMINDER:

To all (somewhat spoiled Gilmer Fans) who sense their team has had some “mental identity, focus  and consistency issues” the past 3 games… your Buckeyes have  outscored their opponents 194 to 59 so far with trophies on the line. So if that is what you call “unmotivated”, then whoever else is left in 4A D2 (including the Dawgs) better duck and cover if these Buckeyes decide “Their Best” is their standard. Because they boys from Tater Town are peaking at just the right time…. Here they come… SO…

ARMY:  

(That means anybody even remotely associated with these Buckeyes). The excuses are over. If COVID was gonna be an issue outdoors, 30 minutes away, on a beautiful, sunny Friday Holiday afternoon, you’d be dead by now. So GET YOUR BUTT TO TYLER and GET YOUR DANDER UP & YOUR ARMY ON for the best version of your Buckeyes EVER! Yes…. You’re being called out! Your team on the field DESERVES your PASSIONATE SUPPORT! And off the field, you are cheating yourself if you don’t know these kids personally. They make you proud every day already. And if you don’t already know that, you are missing out. Now go show them how much you love your town and your team! If there is a Gilmer church choir or congregation that sings worth a crap Sunday morning, then you didn’t yell anywhere near loud enough Friday! And we will be listening for any and all non-hoarse voices and taking names! BTW, when we chant “Let’s Go Brandon!” we mean it both ways, as ours also wears #11 and actually delivers (first downs, touch downs and scoreboard beat downs).

PREDICTION:

Crystal ball says, Gilmer is going to be an elite team talent wise for the next 4-5 years. But this 2021 team is going to determine the mentality this program will adopt for the next decade. So I will predict a final score Friday somewhere in between, making an assumption that kids are kids and both teams play between “well” and “their best”:

Gilmer 56 

Van 24

210-CALLING-903:

Let’s all pull for those Roadrunners down at UTSA Saturday too. Folks are starting to figure out nationally what we in Gilmer have known since the 1980s. Those Traylor boys never did quite know how to lose!

BLESSINGS:

Celebrate your blessings! Be grateful for your communities and your kids! Be blessed and be present in who you are and where you’re from! See ya Friday. #BirdsUp & #GoBuckeyes

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