The Gilmer Buckeyes had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 41-38 win over Sunnyvale on Thursday. Given Gilmer's advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 102nd, while Sunnyvale is ranked 213th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Will Henderson was his usual excellent self, rushing for 203 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 9.2 yards per carry. Henderson was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 64 yards. Gilmer also got help from Ta'Erik Tate who showed off his sure hands for 137 receiving yards.
Despite the defeat, Sunnyvale saw an underclassman step up: Nelson Peterson jr rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.7 yards per carry, and also threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
The win was the sixth in a row for Gilmer, bringing their record for this year to 9-3. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.3 points per game. As for Sunnyvale, their loss dropped their record down to 9-3.
Gilmer will face off against Aubrey at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Aubrey will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak. Sunnyvale does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
