Gilmer edges Bellville, 28-26: Live score, updates of Texas high school football championship (12/15/2023)

Follow live as Gilmer seeks to take down another favorite — undefeated Bellville in UIL 4A Division II title

Two teams that bring in very powerful offenses - Gilmer and Bellville - collide in the middle game of the Texas high school football state championship Friday slate at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

The matchup is a part of UIL state championship week at AT&T Stadium with 12 games being played from Wednesday to Saturday with three games per day.

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Follow SBLive and reporter Cody Thorn (@CodyThorn) on the ground in Arlington for the latest live updates on the ground for every UIL football championship. The game is being televised by Bally Sports Southwest and can be accessed with FuboTV. Here is a closer at the UIL Class 4A Division II state final matchups:

FINAL: GILMER 28, BELLVILLE 26

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Gilmer QB Cadon Tennison throws a pass during the first half of the 4A Division II state championship football game against Bellville at AT&T Stadium on Friday / Photo by Tommy Hays

POSTGAME

-- They once stood at 3-3 and were coming off being demolished by Texarkana Pleasant Grove. But since then, the Gilmer Buckeyes ended the season on a 10-game winning streak, and now look at them, they are the UIL Class 4A Division II state champions. What a remarkable run by the Buckeyes and they're taking hardware back to Upshur County

-- Gilmer tailback Will Henderson named the Offensive Player of the Game. Henderson rushed for 227 yards on 27 carries with a TD, but had some big runs for first downs in the second half to help clinch the championship for the Buckeyes.

-- Gilmer defensive back Brendan Webb selected as the Defensive Player of the Game. Webb forced and recovered a fumble and also intercepted a pass in the end zone. He also scored a TD on offense.

-- A couple of weeks after taking down an undefeated and defending state champion Carthage, Gilmer takes down another undefeated squad, Bellville, in winning the Class 4A Division II state title.

-- Gilmer will win a state championship for the fourth time in program history, and the Buckeyes' first since 2014.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- With 29 seconds left and Bellville out of time outs, Gilmer is in the victory formation.

-- Gilmer goes for it on fourth down - and the Buckeyes convert on a Will Henderson run. Buckeyes are going to win the state title.

-- Gilmer stopped on third down inside the Bellville 20. Buckeyes will take a time out with 37 seconds left.

-- Bellville stops Gilmer on second down. Buckeyes have a third-and-long with less than two minutes left, and the clock is running.

-- Bellville takes its final time out with 2:09 left.

-- Gilmer gets another first down near the Bellville 20 with less than three minutes remaining.

-- Gilmer gets a huge first down. Will Henderson was lined up at receiver and they give it to him on a sweep and he breaks off a long run. He now has 216 yards rushing and the Buckeyes have a first down inside the Bellville 35.

-- Gilmer takes its first time out of the half with 3:46 left facing this third-down situation. If the Buckeyes convert, they will be in great shape, as Bellville has just one time out left.

-- Gilmer facing a third-and-8 with four minutes to go.

-- Will Henderson nearing the 200-yard barrier for Gilmer. Just broke off a solid run for a Buckeye first down to near midfield as the clock nears five minutes.

-- It's been more of a defensive game in the second half. Gilmer has just 69 total yards of offense while Bellville has 77 in that same span.

-- Gilmer has the ball at its own 23-yard line with less than seven minutes remaining. Bellville has only one time out left.

-- Bellville faces a third-and-6 at its 40. Give to halfback DD Murray, who attempts a trick play with a deep pass, but the ball is well incomplete. Brahmas will punt it back to Gilmer.

-- Gilmer still going for it here on fourth-and-6. Cadon Tennison attempts a keeper but Bellville's defense wraps him up. Brahmas take over with 8:07 remaining.

-- Movement up front. Gilmer is flagged for a false start on fourth-and-1.

-- Gilmer faces a third-and-2 but a run by Will Henderson is stopped a yard short. Fourth-and-1 upcoming. 

-- Gilmer's defense forces a three-and-out deep in Bellville territory. Brahmas will punt it away. Buckeyes have the ball near the Bellville 40 with 9:53 remaining.

-- Bellville picks off a pass inside its own 5-yard line nine seconds into the fourth quarter. Collin Goeke makes the play at the Brahmas' 3.

-- The Class 4A Division II state championship remains hanging in the balance as action shifts into the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium.

THIRD QUARTER

-- Gilmer will have the ball at the Bellville 30 as we head into the fourth quarter.

-- Will Henderson converts on third down for Gilmer with a run down to the Bellville 33.

-- Gilmer gets past midfield but will face a third-and-7 going into the final minute of the third.

-- Will Henderson carries the ball for a Gilmer first down. Buckeyes have it near midfield.

-- Bellville went 79 yards in nine plays to cut Gilmer's lead to two points. Still anyone's ballgame.

-- Corian Hood scored the Bellville TD on a 4-yard run. They give him the ball again on the two-point try, but the Gilmer defense swarms to take him down, and the Buckeyes' lead remains intact (Gilmer, 28-26 | 2:26 3rd)

-- Touchdown, Bellville. And the Brahmas will go for two - but will use its second time out to avoid a potential delay-of-game penalty.

-- Bellville now with a first-and-goal. Brahmas moving quickly.

-- Gilmer flagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty. First down for Bellville at the Buckeyes' 20.

-- DD Murray breaks off a big run for Bellville, and the Brahmas have it past midfield. Nearing the three-minute mark in the third.

-- Bellville will go for it. But there's a flag on the play - Gilmer flagged for being offsides. Brahmas will get an automatic first down.

-- Actually, Bellville will take its first time out of the half and talk it over. We have a break in the action.

-- Bellville stopped a yard shy of the sticks on third down at their 30. Brahmas will go for it on fourth down.

-- Gilmer fails on a third-down attempt as a pass goes incomplete. Buckeyes will punt it back to the Brahmas past the midway point of the third.

-- Bellville jumps offsides on a third-and-short, giving Gilmer a first down during its opening second-half series. Buckeyes have the ball near their 45.

-- Bellville stopped short of a first down, setting up a fourth down. Brahmas will punt the ball away.

-- Bellville gets the ball to start the second half, and after the kickoff return, the Brahmas start with good field position inside their 40.

HALFTIME

-- Gilmer had 327 yards of total offense in the first half (124 rushing, 193 passing). Bellville with 282 yards in the first half (210 rushing, 72 passing).

-- Very entertaining opening half between both ball clubs, chock full of several big plays on both sides of the ball.

SECOND QUARTER

-- Bellville elects to run out the clock. Brahmas will get the ball to start the second half.

-- Bellville was flagged for a personal foul on the PAT, assessed on the kickoff. Gilmer decides to go for an onside kick, but Bellville recovers it. Brahmas' ball on their 39 with 40 seconds left until halftime.

-- Gilmer and Bellville just trading big plays now. Buckeyes get the latest "wow" moment, as QB Cadon Tennison launches a 69-yard strike to Ta'Erik Tate for another Buckeye TD. Buckeyes back up by eight following the PAT (Gilmer, 28-20 | :41 2nd)

-- Bellville tailback Sam Hranicky already has 132 yards on just six carries, including TD runs of 66 and 58 yards.

-- And just like that, Bellville has an answer, as Sam Hranicky busts free and is off to the races for a 58-yard TD run, his second long TD run on the day. Brahmas decide to kick the PAT, and they get it. Gilmer still in the lead (Gilmer, 21-20 | 1:04 2nd)

-- Already, Gilmer's Will Henderson has 118 yards rushing and 49 more yards receiving.

-- Will Henderson breaks loose and is gone for a Gilmer TD, from 65 yards out. Buckeyes add to their lead (Gilmer, 21-13 | 2:00 2nd)

-- Gilmer receiver Ta'Erik Tate catches a pass on third down and shakes off a pair of Bellville defenders to get a first down. Buckeyes at their 32 as the clock will go inside two minutes.

-- What a first half for Gilmer's Brendan Webb. Scored a touchdown and now has two takeaways as he intercepted a pass in the end zone to squelch Bellville's scoring opportunity.

-- Bellville advancing into Gilmer territory as DD Murray breaks off a long run before going out of bounds at the Buckeye 15.

-- Gilmer goes for it on fourth-and-11 at the Bellville 34. But a pass falls incomplete, and Bellville takes over.

-- Former Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, now the coach at UTSA, is in the building. Traylor won the Buckeyes' most recent state title, in 2014.

-- A potential Gilmer first down was wiped out due to a holding penalty. But the Buckeyes shake it off, as a pass to tailback Will Henderson gets them a first down inside the Bellville 35.

-- Touchdown Bellville, as on third-and-long, QB Zach Leuschner finds DD Murray out of the backfield on a wheel route and Murray does the rest, going down the sideline for a 72-yard TD. But Gilmer blocks the PAT, keeping the Buckeyes in front (Gilmer, 14-13 | 11:47 2nd)

FIRST QUARTER

-- Bellville facing a third-and-long situation as the first quarter comes to an end.

-- Gilmer cashes in on the takeaway and punches it right in as - on third-and-goal - quarterback Cadon Tennison takes a keeper from 2 yards out. Buckeyes take their first lead on the day after a seven-play, 28-yard drive (Gilmer, 14-7 | 1:08 1st)

-- Gilmer quickly gets the ball right back. Brendan Webb, who scored the Buckeyes' TD seconds ago, wrests the ball loose from a Bellville ballcarrier and recovers it. Buckeyes take over at the Bellville 28.

-- Gilmer receiver Brendan Webb catches a 7-yard pass from QB Cadon Tennison and dives into the end zone and makes it to, in the words of longtime Gilmer newspaper writer Phillip Williams, "Beulah Land." TD Buckeyes, and they hit the PAT to tie it at 7-all (7-7 | 5:15 1st)

-- A Gilmer drive stays alive due to a face mask penalty on Bellville. Buckeyes are already in the red zone, and have a first-and-goal at the Bellville 7.

-- Bellville needs just two plays to get on the scoreboard as running back Sam Hranicky breaks loose up the middle on a 66-yard touchdown run. Brahmas tack on the PAT (Bellville, 7-0 | 8:06 1st)

-- Gilmer goes for it on a fourth-and-short and tries a short pass, but the receiver didn't see the ball coming his way. Bellville holds and the Brahmas will have the ball for the first time this afternoon.

-- Gilmer converts successfully on third down and has the ball in Bellville territory.

-- Gilmer will receive the opening kickoff to start this game.

-- Gilmer is the visiting team in this matchup. Buckeyes are in black helmets, white jerseys and orange pants. Bellville, the home team, is in white helmets, red jerseys and white pants.

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PHOTO GALLERY

All photos by Tommy Hays.

Photo by Tommy Hays

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PREGAME READING

Friday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. CT | AT&T Stadium, Arlington

Gilmer once stood at 3-3 after being thumped by Texarkana Pleasant Grove. But since that defeat, the Buckeyes have drastically turned things around with a nine-game win streak coming into Friday's title game. No doubt the highlight of that win streak was the Buckeyes' overtime win against defending 4A II champion Carthage in the regional championship round. Gilmer then decisively beat Glen Rose in the semifinals. While the Buckeyes are averaging 52.4 points a game, Bellville is producing points at a similar pace, averaging 52.8 points. But the Brahmas also have fielded impressive numbers on the other side of the ball, holding foes to 7.2 points a game, including seven shutouts. Bellville is also seeking its first-ever state title, while Gilmer looks to win its fourth championship.

COACHES

Alan Metzel, 4th year at Gilmer

Grady Rowe, 13th year at Bellville

UIL STATE PLAYOFF ROAD

GILMER - Def. Center, 69-42; Sunnyvale, 41-38; Aubrey, 34-21; Carthage, 47-44; Glen Rose, 79-42

BELLVILLE - Def. West Orange-Stark, 49-7; Madisonville, 67-0; Silsbee, 61-7; Jasper, 31-7; Wimberley, 35-33

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TOP PLAYERS

GILMER

Cadon Tennison, QB, jr.

Tennison comes into Friday's championship game has passed for nearly 2,500 yards and 25 TDs. In the regular season, he threw for 407 yards and four TDs in a high-scoring win against Lindale, and in the dramatic playoff win against Carthage, threw for 254 yards and three scores.

Will Henderson, RB, sr.

Another vital go-to player on offense for the Buckeyes, Henderson has generated more than 2,500 yards rushing and has crossed the end zone 34 times. In last week's semifinal win, he went for 271 yards and four TDs. Currently, he is entertaining offers from schools like Texas State, UTSA and Louisiana Tech.

Aron Bell, LB/DE, sr.

Bell helps spearhead the Buckeye defense with a team-leading 120 tackles, along with 81 solo stops and 4.5 sacks. He also has produced three takeaways, including a pick-six that clinched the playoff win against Aubrey.

BELLVILLE

DJ Sanders, DT, jr.

Sanders may very well be the most heavily recruited player in this game. A number of high-profile schools, including Alabama and Miami as well as the major in-state schools, are seeking his services. He helps spearhead a Brahma defense with 88 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He has also caused three fumbles and recovered three more.

Cory Richardson, DE/OL, sr.

Sanders is joined up front by Richardson, who has produced some strong numbers as well. Both are tied for the team lead in sacks with 14, and Richardson leads the team with 27 quarterback pressures. He has recorded 88 tackles.

DD Murray, RB, jr.

Bellville's run-oriented offense has averaged 395.1 yards per game and 92 total touchdowns. The Brahmas also have three players that have rushed for at least 1,000 yards, led by Murray, who has 1,991 yards along with scoring 36 TDs. He has scored 26 of those TDs since October, including five in a playoff win against Madisonville.

-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx

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