Leopards finish breakout season
Nov. 19—MESQUITE — Gainesville proved it wasn't intimidated by one of the best teams in Texas, but the Leopards' breakout season nevertheless concluded Friday night.
The Gainesville football team lost 60-20 to Gilmer in the second round of the playoffs at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.
No. 2 Gilmer (11-0) moves on to face No. 1 Carthage in a blockbuster third-round game.
Gainesville (5-7) played the Buckeyes close early on, but Gilmer pulled away in the second quarter.
Gainesville coach Neil Searcy said he was proud of how his team played.
"For the first quarter and a half, I felt really good," Searcy said. "I thought our team battled. Our kids fought hard. They fought hard all night long. We turned the ball over three times in the first half. That kind of set us back. You can't do that against a good football team like Gilmer."
The Leopards received the opening kickoff and marched down the field as if they were facing an ordinary team. Junior quarterback Cade Searcy gave Gainesville a 7-0 lead on a 6-yard run.
Gilmer answered on its first drive. Rohan Fluellen connected with Ta'erik Tate on an 11-yard pass to tie the game. The Buckeyes forced a quick punt, then took the lead on a 17-yard run by Ashton Haynes. Gilmer recovered a Gainesville fumble on the next drive, giving the Buckeyes a chance to pull away.
Gainesville didn't fold. The Leopards' run defense stood tall, forcing a punt. Gainesville got the ball at its own 14 and drove into Gilmer territory. Searcy threw downfield for Jesse Luna, and the junior receiver made a contested grab and ran into the end zone to tie the game at 14.
Searcy said the Leopards went toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes early in the game.
"I wanted to see them come out and fight and execute and push the ball and go score," Searcy said. "That's exactly what they did. That's what we've asked of them all year long, and they did a good job of that tonight."
Gilmer took the lead for good on its next drive. Haynes punched it in from the 3-yard line, and Aron Bell ran in a 2-point conversion. Two Gainesville fumbles and a missed field goal led to three Gilmer touchdowns, giving the Buckeyes a 43-14 halftime lead.
Searcy and Luna connected on a second touchdown pass in the second half, but Gilmer continued to pull away.
In the preseason, Gainesville was predicted to finish sixth in its district. Instead, these Leopards made the second round of the playoffs.
Searcy said this was a special season.
"Me coming back home to coach at Gainesville, there was no other place that I'd have left Killeen High School to come but home to Gainesville," Searcy said. "How these kids played and how they responded to the coaches, this team will always have a special place in my heart."
The Leopards say goodbye to 14 seniors, but 18 juniors are set to take the lead next year. Those juniors, along with the underclassmen, got two extra games and two extra weeks of practice thanks to Gainesville making its first trip to the second round since 2013.
