The Gilmer High School Bobcats football team traveled to region rival Pickens High School Dragons. Both teams entered the game with identical one loss Region 7-AAAA and overall records, with Gilmer owning a five game winning streak. The streak came to a close as the Bobcats fell 42-19.Gilmer had first possession in the game; however, the possession was short lived as a fumble recovered by the Dragons’ defense set up a 23 yard touchdown run that put Pickens up 7-0 with 10:07 left in the first quarter.

The Bobcats responded with an 89 yard drive, that saw an encroachment call on the defense give the “Cats” a first down on the Gilmer 34 yard line, and a 29 yard Chris James pass completion to Noah Wilson put the Bobcats on the Pickens 38 yard line.

The drive ended with a one yard Chris James quarterback sneak for six. The score remained 7-6 with 3:17 left in the first quarter after a missed extra point.

The first quarter ended with the score still 7-6; however, the Dragons marched down the field with a heavy dose of the run game, and scored on a 15 yard touchdown run with 11:23 left in the second quarter to take a 14-6 lead.

On the ensuing possession, the Bobcats fumbled on the first play which led to a 14 yard quarterback scramble for a touchdown, increasing the deficit to 21-6 with 10:41 left in the half.

After a Thaddeus Bowers kick-off return to the Gilmer 32, the Bobcats again used a methodical drive and heavy dose of the run game to cut the lead to 21-13 with 8:44 left in the half, on a two yard Russell Cochran touchdown.

The next Dragons’ drive started on the Pickens 11 due to block in the back penalty on the kick-off return. The Bobcats’ defense forced a punt, which was blocked by Levi Seabolt and recovered by Gilmer, setting up the offense with tremendous field position.

The Gilmer offense was not able to take advantage and had to punt back to the Dragons with 2:42 left in the first half. Pickens was able to move the ball deep into Bobcat territory; however, an interception by Noah Wilson ended the drive and gave Gilmer the ball back with 2:00 left in the half.

The Bobcats moved the ball into Pickens territory after a 20 yard James scramble ended with a late hit out of bounds and was followed immediately by an unsportsmanlike conduct foul on the Dragons that gave Gilmer a first and 10 on the Pickens 24 yard line.

James connected with Bowers for a 10 yard touchdown strike that ended the half with Gilmer down two, 21-19, after a failed two point conversion attempt.

The Bobcats kicked off in the second half and succumbed to a 69 yard touchdown drive that increased the Gilmer deficit to 28-19 with 9:45 left in the third quarter.

The Bobcats turned the ball over on downs after bad snap on a punt play, resulting in a 22 yard Dragons touchdown run that put the Bobcat down 35-19 with 6:37 left in the third.

After a the offense went three and out on the ensuing drive, the Dragons again used a heavy dose of the run game to go 79 yards and score on a 23 yard touchdown run that saw the deficit balloon to 42-19 with just over five minutes left in the third.

Neither team scored in the last quarter as the Dragons missed a field goal and the Bobcats came inches short of a Chris James fourth and goal touchdown run as the clock expired, leaving the final score of 42-19 in favor Pickens favor.

James finished the game with 87 yards through the air and the touchdown pass to Bowers, giving him 1109 passing yards on the season with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had 109 yards on the ground and a touchdown. He now has 463 rushing yards and four TDs.

Cochran finished with 120 yards on the ground and one touchdown. He now has 1373 yards and 17 TDs on the year. Bowers tied with Chad Watkins for the team lead in receptions with three each. Bowers had the one TD reception his eighth of the year.

Kell Kiker led the team in tackles with 12, all solo. Watkins finished second with nine tackles, all solo, and one sack. Wilson finished third with seven tackles, six solo, and the lone interception.

The loss put Gilmer at 7-2 on the year and 4-2 in Region 7-AAAA, and set up a “Region Championship” match-up between the Dragons (8-1, 5-1) and the Purple Hurricanes of Cartersville (8-1, 6-0).

The Bobcats can secure a playoff berth and the number three seed in 7-AAAA with a win over Heritage this Friday. A loss combined with a Southeast Whitfield win would result in mini play in games with Heritage and SEW. A loss combined with a SEW loss would lock up the four seed.