Buckeyes roll over Prestonwood

GILMER -- Gilmer quarterback Tanner Barr threw for 382 yards and six touchdowns in leading the state-ranked Buckeyes to a 66-32 win over Plano Prestonwood Christian on Friday night at Buckeye Stadium.

Barr was 17 of 26 passing against the Lions, but did not quite get in the rhythm he had in the first game of the season a week ago against Atlanta when he completed eight in a row at one point. He had completions to seven different receivers, though, and four of them scored touchdowns.

The Buckeyes (2-0) took a measure of revenge, also, against Prestonwood, one of the winningest TAPPS programs in the state, compiling a 40-14 record since 2008, with the victory. Gilmer stretched its regular-season winning streak to 10 games and its home (win) streak to 13 at the expense of the Lions. Prestonwood (1-1) was the last team to beat the Buckeyes in a regular-season game, 42-12, last year.

The Lions had defeated Gilmer and Henderson last year and Henderson, again, last week, by a combined score of 143 to 55.

Gilmer set the tone of this contest early, though, winning the toss and deferring to the second half, and then holding Prestonwood to two first downs on its first two possessions. The Buckeyes, who defeated Atlanta a week ago, 57-7, scored their first touchdown on the second play of their second possession as Barr hooked up with Chase Tate for a 63-yard score.

Barr then found Desmond Pollard, his favorite receiver, for a 70-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter before Gilmer extended its lead to 22 on a 33-yard Barr completion to Tate with 10:43 left in the second period.

Prestonwood quarterback Twayne Blackwell, who was 16-for-27 passing for 214 yards with four touchdowns of his own, responded with scoring passes of 37 yards to Jonathan Hensley, and 16 to Michael Irvin, Jr.

The Buckeyes answered with a one-play, 53-yard touchdown run by Kris Boyd and a 26-yard Barr completion to Pollard for points with 3:38 remaining in the second quarter.

Before the half was history, Blackwell scampered 32 yards for a touchdown to pull the visiting Lions to within 17 at halftime, 37-20.

Gilmer's DeVondrick Dixon, a Texas State commit, electrified the crowd, returning the second-half kickoff 78 yards to the Prestonwood 21. Kris Boyd rambled 8 yards to score on the second offensive play of the second half.

Prestonwood got a 28-yard Blackwell to Ryan Bradberry scoring pass with 9 minutes remaining in the third quarter and, then recovered an onside kick, and added to its touchdown total less than a minute later with a 39-yard Blackwell to Irvin completion to get back to within 12 of the Buckeyes, 44-32.

It proved to be much too little too late, though.

Gilmer would wrap things up with a couple of more Barr touchdown passes, covering 6 yards to Josh Walker, a Texas A&M commit, and 15 to Jaidon Parrish, followed by a 5-yard Jamel Jackson run with 1:34 remaining in the contest.

The Buckeyes outgained Prestonwood, 649 yards to 404.

Kris Boyd led the Gilmer ground attack with 107 yards on six carries. Jackson added 80 on 11 carries. Pollard led the Gilmer receiving corps with four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Tate added 111 yards on three catches and also scored twice.

Irvin, only a sophomore, led all receivers with eight receptions for 124 yards. Blackwell was the Lions' leading rusher with 104 yards on 22 carries.

Both teams are on the road next week. Gilmer visits Jacksonville and Prestonwood is at Royse City.