Gore Football

Gore running back Damion Dover raced 82 yards for the go-ahead touchdown after catching a screen pass from quarterback Weston Shanks early in the final period before recovering a fumble at the Pirates’ 13 with under a minute remaining as Gore defeated Hulbert 32-30 in an important District A-8 high school football game inside K.G. Horn Stadium on Friday night.

The Pirates improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the district with their fifth-straight win and Hulbert dropped to 3-3 and 1-1.

Gore’s James Dover returned the opening kickoff 13 yards to the Pirates’ 38, and on first down Damion Dover caught a 41-yard pass from Shanks. Three Tommy Smith carries netted 11 yards before an 8-yard run by Bryan Lane took the Pirates to the Hulbert 2. Shanks ran for a 2-yard touchdown on the next play to put Gore on top 6-0 with 9:26 remaining.

Gore’s defense forced Hulbert to punt for the only time in the game on the Riders’ first offensive possession and Jacob Bruce’s kick covered 46 yards.

James Bruce intercepted a Gore pass moments later, and the Riders capitalized on the turnover when Jacob Bruce ran for a 13-yard touchdown and the conversion to put Hulbert in front 8-6.

The Pirates reclaimed the lead 12-8 later in the quarter on Shanks’ 12-yard TD run, and key plays in the scoring drive were runs of 17 and 16 yards by Shanks and James Dover’s 15-yard scamper.

Hulbert’s offense started the second stanza at the Gore 32, and seven plays later Jacob Bruce crossed the goal line after a 7-yard run to put the Riders ahead 14-12.

Kanton Washington returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the Gore

47. On second down Washington caught a 21-yard throw from Shanks before his 9-yard reception moved the Pirates to the Hulbert 21. Four carries by Smith produced 19 yards and on second-and-goal from the 2 Smith ran into the end zone. Damion Dover threw to Lane for the conversion and Gore led 20-14 with 5:26 remaining before the half.

Jacob Bruce raced 38 yards for his third touchdown of the half with 4:44 left as the Riders regained the lead and Bruce also ran for the conversion, making the score 22-20.

On its next offensive series the Pirates faced second-and-16 from their 49 when Shanks threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Lane, giving Gore a 26-22 advantage.

Jacob Bruce ran for a 7-yard touchdown with 51.1 seconds showing on the clock before James Bruce threw to Trenton Justice for the conversion.

On the last play of the half Jacob Bruce returned an interception 30 yards to the Hulbert 40 before James Dover’s tackle forced a fumble and the Riders led 30-26 at the intermission.

The first half featured seven lead changes.

Hulbert received the second-half kickoff and the visitors threatened to add to their lead. On the fourth play of the series Jacob Bruce broke tackles during a 25-yard run and Gore defensive back Fabian Martinez made a touchdown-saving tackle at the Gore 13. Five plays later Hulbert had first-and-goal at the 1 and the Pirates’ defense stopped Bruce for no gain and minus five on two straight carries. James Bruce ran for 5 yards on third down and on fourth down the ball was fumbled out of the end zone for a touchback.

On Gore’s first offensive possession of the half, James Dover’s seven carries netted 43 yards but on second down at the Hulbert 31 Jacob Bruce picked off a pass.

A 26-yard throw from James Bruce to Nolan Edmondson took the Riders to the Gore 20 near the end of the third period. On fourth-and-1 from the Gore 11 the Pirates’ defense stopped Jacob Bruce for no gain.

On second-and-13 from their 13 the Pirates scored the go-ahead touchdown on Damion Dover’s 82-yard reception with 8:42 to go in the game.

Hulbert turned the ball over on downs at midfield with 5:50 left but the Pirates had to rely on their defense one more time after Hunter Farless punted 34 yards under pressure to the Hulbert 6 with under three minutes remaining.

Seven Jacob Bruce carries which totaled 59 yards, a 5-yard run by James Bruce and a 15-yard facemask penalty allowed the Riders to reach the Pirates’ 15 with under a minute to go. On the next play Gore’s defense forced a fumble, which was recovered by Damion Dover, and the Pirates took over with 31.8 seconds to go in the contest.

“It was big win,” Gore head coach Brandon Tyler said. “It was a great football game. I was proud of the way our kids came out in the second half and got a shutout after giving up 30 in the first half. I was pleased with they way our defense played. Offensively we kind of shot ourselves in the foot a few times with some turnovers, and then we got the big touchdown there in the fourth quarter to spark us there. That was a big play there and just happy to get a win.”

Jacob Bruce ran the ball 48 times for 292 yards and four touchdowns in the game.

“The (Jacob) Bruce kid was as good as advertised,” Tyler remarked. “We didn’t let him go too crazy and we held him enough to be able to get the win. I thought our defense played well and we bent but didn’t break against them.”

James Dover led the Gore runners with 95 yards on 16 carries, Smith had 11 runs for 37 yards and Shanks also reached double figures in rushing with 33 yards on six attempts.

Shanks completed 7 of 11 passes for 206 yards and making the catches were Damion Dover (2 receptions for 123 yards), Lane (2 for 54) and Washington (3 for 29).

James Dover rushed for 64 yards on 13 tries and his completion (in four attempts) to Edmondson covered 26 yards.

Gore visits Porter on Friday and Hulbert hosts Talihina in District A-8 play.