GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Under the new playoff system in its inaugural season, both Baker County and Clay both were likely unsure what the margin of error was for making the playoffs as a wild card team; the only thing they knew for sure was to win the District 5-5A title and guarantee their spot in the playoffs. Friday nights district title game lived up to the billing as both teams gave everything they had.
With time running out on the 5-yard line, Clay senior quarterback Caleb Eason thought he made the right decision by spiking the ball into the ground to stop the clock after a picking up a first down with four seconds left.
Little did anyone know, the previous play came up inches from a first down and by spiking the ball it turned the ball over on downs back to Baker County and allowing the Wildcats to hang on to a 21-14 win over host Clay at C.B. Bowles Stadium.
The play symbolized the effort and the craziness of the intense game that had more drama than a soap opera. Anything this rivalry has taught us is to expect the unexpected especially with play makers Seth Paige, Josh Haygood, Aundre Carter and Ajay Belanger.
Ahead 14-7 with seven minutes to go, the Wildcats appeared to put the game away on Haygood’s third touchdown of the night a 50 yard scramble on third and 15 down the left sideline giving the Wildcats a 21-7 lead.
However, Clay wouldn’t go away as Carter (131 yards on 26 carries) broke off a 25 yard gain on first down and a 42 yard touchdown run on fourth and three cutting the lead to 21-14 with 5:33 left to play.
Six straight carries by Paige (154 yards on 26 carries) on the ensuing drive killed the clock and set up a fourth and three with 2:39 left in the game forcing a rare punt, however Clay jumped offsides to keep the drive going.
Four plays later, the Wildcats surprisingly took starting quarterback John Green out of the game and replaced him with Chase Reynolds. Reynolds fumbled the snap on the ensuing play giving the Blue Devils one last shot at the 37 yard line with 1:11 left.
A pass interference call on the first play of the drive put the Devils near midfield. Eason found Belanger on a 13 yard catch and along with a personal foul on the Wildcats moved the ball to the 14-yard line.
Back-to-back incomplete passes set up third and ten with 19 seconds left. Eason dropped back and found Belanger on an inside slant inside the 5 yard line. Thinking they had picked up the first down, Eason then spiked the ball into the ground with four seconds left to set up the final play of the game.
However, officials didn’t measure the play unlike they had done several times through out the game and the Devils didn’t realize they didn’t pick up the first down and with the clock moving spiked the ball on fourth down.
Baker County coaches and players began jumping in the air celebrating after realizing the Devils had not made the first down on third down and the spiked ball meant it was their ball and game over.
As intense as the final play was Wildcats head coach Jamie Rodgers and his staff found out seconds before the play, they had won their second straight district title and automatic trip to the playoffs after Menendez had upset Ridgeview.
Things didn’t start out well for both teams as both had issues holding on to the ball with early fumbles.
A Clay fumble by Carter on the opening drive led to a quick Baker County score as Paige and Haygood punished the Blue Devils defense with 11 straight runs capped by a Haygood 1 yard touchdown run and 7-0 lead with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
Clay appeared on its way to tying the game on the ensuing drive but another fumble this time by Cedric Brown at the 13-yard line kept them from scoring.
Clay coaches gambled twice calling fake punts on back-to-back drives one worked and one didn’t as the Wildcats were ready for the second attempt. The second attempt with 1:17 left till half, allowed Baker County to take a 7-0 lead into the half.
As the second half began, Haygood (115 yards and 3 touchdowns on 10 carries) struck again on a 40 yard run giving the Wildcats a comfortable 14-0 lead with 7:43 left in the third quarter.
However, Clay wouldn’t go away as Eason found Denaud Valmyr on a slant play across the middle of the end zone cutting the lead to 14-7 with under fie minutes left in the third.
Haygood fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter but it wasn’t costly as Carter was stopped an inch short on fourth and one play up the middle giving the Wildcats the ball back and the momentum again.
Baker County responded behind Paige and Haygood who moved them to midfield; before Haygood broke loose again for a 50 yard touchdown run on a third and 15 play to increase the lead to 21-7 with 7:13 left in the game setting up the wild finish.
While Baker County knows their in the playoffs after winning the district, Clay must regroup and and win out and hope its good enough to earn one of the four wild card berths available.
Baker County (7-1, 4-0) host Ridgeview next Friday in their final 5-5A game, while Clay (5-3, 3-1) host Palatka in its final 5-5A game as well.
