The Gilmer Bobcats traveled 15 miles north last Friday night to take on the Fannin Rebels to open the 2013 season. The two programs were coming off two totally opposite 2012 seasons. The Fannin Rebels coming off a 1-9 season and the Gilmer Bobcat finished by playing in a state playoff game.Rebel fans were looking for improvements in the program from head coach Greg Chambers while Bobcats fans are watching to see how head coach Wesley Tankersley handles a young squad. Several Bobcat players have little varsity playing time. Several watched the game from the side line last year behind a successful large senior squad.

Manny Lopez popped up the opening kick. The ball traveled about 15 yards and Char Watkins hustled down to catch it in the air. What appeared to be Gilmer ball soon was over ruled as the officials gathered to discuss the play. It seems that the ball has to hit the ground or be touched by the receiving team to be considered an onside kick.

Fannin would open on offense and the first play of the 2013 season for the Bobcats would be a penalty. This would set the tone for the game as I call it flag football. Penalties would plague the Bobcats the entire game.

Gilmer’s Cory Walters recovered a Fannin fumble to give the Bobcats the ball. Tankersley would go after the Rebels on the ground and Tyler Bertolini would pick up where he left off last season. Bertolini would start the season going through the right side of the line for 8 yards and then a 12 yard carry. After 3 rushing plays Russell Cochran would rush for 13 yards for what seemed to be Gilmer’s first touchdown of the season but a holding call would bring it back to the 18 yard line. A carry by Watkins and then Cochran would give the Bobcats first and goal from the one. Bertolini would get the call and go over the top for the first Bobcat touchdown of the season. Lopez would add the extra point to give the Bobcats a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Fannin’s second attempt at offense continues to struggle with a bad snap that quarterback Trevor Stone can’t get a handle on that allows Johnny Flakes to get into the back field quickly to drop Stone for a big loss. Stone would turn around and connect a 22 yard pass to Noah O’Neal for the first Rebel first down of the season. Giving the Rebels first and ten on their own 46. Tankersley ran out on the field crawling all over his defense for sitting back and allowing the pass play to happen. His ENCOURAGING words must have worked as the Bobcat defense shut down the next three plays giving up no yards and forcing the Rebels to punt.

The Rebels first punt of the season was blocked by Austin Davis giving the Bobcats the ball on the Fannin 39 yard line. Gilmer quarterback Chris James threw an incomplete pass to Austin Cole that resulted in Fannin pass interference and would give Gilmer first and ten on the eleven. Fannin defense could not keep Gilmer out of the end zone but penalty flags did. Finally Russell Cochran punched it in with no flag giving Gilmer a touchdown. Lopez was set for the extra point. The snap to James, Lopez fakes the kick James pulls up the ball rolls out passes to Austin Davis for the 2 point conversion, giving the Bobcats a 15-0 lead to end first quarter.

Coach Chambers made adjustments in his defense and closed up the holes that Bertolini was running through in the first quarter. This forced the Bobcats to punt. Rebels Tyler Beaver had trouble handling a Lopez punt allowing Flakes to show his speed by getting down the field and recovering the ball for the Bobcats.

This gave the Bobcats the ball first and goal on the ten. The Rebels stacked up the middle on the Bobcats. The next play James hit Austin Cole for nine yards on the right side. What looked like a nine yard gain was soon ended with a flag on the ground. Cole was called for pushing off. Watkins would then rush for five yards that would bring up fourth down.

Coach Tankersley would go for the first field goal of the season. On the snap the holder James didn’t get the ball down and set for Lopez causing him to abort the kick. James tried to pick up the ball and run around the outside only to be met by a host of Rebels. Gilmer would turn a first and goal into a turn over on downs.

Fannin’s Trevor Stone trying to get some offense going hit Jacob Greer over the middle for a nice gain. He then went deep to Jordan Gray and was intercepted by Garret Rigdon.

Rebels had now adjusted to the Bobcat offense and would make the Bobcats punt. 3:24 to play in the first half Payton Satterfield with a thirteen yard gain would cross mid field for the Rebels for the first time of the night. Cory Walters would intercept Stones pass to end the Rebels late second quarter threat.

The third quarter would start again showcasing Flakes speed as he would return a Fannin kickoff 81 yards for an untouched touchdown. Lopez would add the extra point with a new holder Thaddeus Bowers.

Flakes touchdown and Lopez’s extra point would bring the score to 22-0 Gilmer. This would end up being the final score. Fannin would continue to move the ball with their passing game but not enough to put any points on the board.

Fannin’s play of the game to me came in the fourth quarter when Jordan Gray made a one handed catch over the middle for thirty yards. Gilmer’s play of the game was Flakes 81 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The game was much closer then the score reflects. Chambers had the Rebels improving every minute that went by. Fannin made the necessary adjustment to stop Gilmer’s running game and stop little if any passing game. In what many thought would be a runaway game by Gilmer -Fannin held their own. Fannin’s passing game could be a threat but one thing is for sure you have to get in the end zone to win.
There were a total of 30 penalties in the game. Gilmer 19, Fannin 11.

Gilmer has work to do this week. Passing game, only 12 yards passing. Rushing for 165 yards for a total of only 177 offensive yards. Tyler Bertolini was held to 65 yards rushing. Bertolini averaged a 100 yards rushing per game last year. The defense did have a shut out with a total of 53 team tackles with 29 of them being solo tackles. Flakes had 7 solo tackles.

We spoke with coach Tankersley after the game. He told us

“penalties were ridiculous, mental focus issues, we worked on it all week, harped on it all week. A lot of these kids it’s the first time they have ever been in a varsity football game before. They have to learn how to focus and get their mind on the game itself and what’s going on each and every play instead of focusing on the whole atmosphere.”

I asked him about Fannin being able to complete passes on the Bobcat secondary , Tankersley

“Stones a good quarterback, you can’t give him 5-6 seconds back there someone’s going to get open. We have to work on our pass rush.”

Gilmer will host Sonoraville this Friday night. Game time 7:30. Hall of Fame Game. Sonoraville lost their opening game to Pickens 47-0.
Pickens Slams Soronaville

AAAA Region 7A
Pickens
1-0 1.000 48 0 1 W
Gilmer
1-0 1.000 22 0 1 W
Cedartown
1-0 1.000 40 14 1 W
Cass
1-0 1.000 23 17 1 W
River Ridge
0-1 0.000 7 56 1 L