BALDWIN – For the second straight year, Orange Park and Baldwin left the field the same way they entered it, tied; as a late rally in the closing seconds saw both deadlocked in a 28-28 tie in the annual spring classic.
Down 28-21, a Hail Mary caught at the 10 in the closing seconds, set up Arlo Wilson 10 yard touchdown run cutting the lead to 28-27 with under a minute remaining.
With the clock running on the point after attempt, Orange Park coach Tom McPherson was barely able to call a timeout with 4 seconds left, to send his field goal team out. Jean Brevile split the uprights to tie the game as the clock ran out during the play sending both teams home happy with the outcome.
“I’m happy with it, a tie is the best result, now both teams get to go home happy, instead of the losing team having to dwell on it and the winning team getting to complacent,” Baldwin head coach Steve Shields said. “In my opinion its the perfect scenario.”
“I’m very happy with the outcome, what an exciting game, glad to be able to see a lot of backups and junior varsity kids get in the game and fight back,” Orange Park head coach Tom McPherson said. “You saw ninth graders in there on the final drive and also in the second half and those kids don’t get much time in the spring.”
Things started off with a bang as rising senior quarterback Gavin Screws hit Richie Coffey in stride at the 45 and Coffey fought off a tackle and raced the final 45 yards untouched for a 80 yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game giving the Indians a quick 7-0 lead ten seconds into the game.
The play was a symbol of what was to come, plenty of fireworks for both teams on both sides of the ball as well on the defense.
Despite no rush on field goals and punts, Brevile missed a 35 yard field goal on the Raiders next drive pushing it wide right.
However they were able to tie it a possession later as rising junior tailback Alex Collier moved the Raiders down the field methodically. A 36 yard run on the first play of the drive put the Raiders inside the 25-yard line, which set up Aj Mealer’s 1 yard quarterback sneak tying the game again at 7-7 with 3:25 left in the first quarter.
Two possessions later, Collier hit a hole and exploded up the middle zig zagging his way in for a 80 yard touchdown run to give the Raiders their first lead of the game 14-7 with 8:31 left till half.
Just before half, two possessions later Baldwin tied it up again on Christian Sanderson 8 yard sweep to the left side with 2:50 left till half time.
McPherson agreed to put his backups in the second half, while Shields agreed to play his starters in for most of the third quarter before putting his backups in the fourth quarter. Against his wishes too, the game went to a running clock in the second half as the third quarter flew by quickly.
After the backup offense went three and out, the Indians staring offense quickly picked apart the Raiders secondary as Baldwin scored on their first play of scrimmage in both halves ironically.
Screws hit a streaking wide open Xavier McGriff down the sideline for a 65 yard touchdown toss giving the Indians a 21-14 lead.
A fumble on the ensuing Indians possession again by the starters led to a near scoop and score before the Raiders were tackled inside the 20 yard line. Orange Park backup offense capped the drive with a score tying the game again at 21-21 late in the third quarter.
Baldwin put their backup offense in in the fourth quarter and Tyree Pritchett rumbled 35 yards to give the Indians a 28-21 lead in the fourth quarter. Setting up the dramatic final drive for the Raiders in the closing minutes.
“I told him we were putting in our backups in the second half and he told me they were going to put his starters back in for a few drives in the third quarter, ” McPherson stated. “It’s okay though he told me he had only 40 kids. Our backups were in on offense and defense that first drive of the third quarter. ”
Despite the confusion, both teams were satisfied with what they saw for the most part and got to see what they both needed to work on.
For Orange Park, coming off a 1-9 season in 2017, that meant cleaning up several personal fouls for late hits, roughing the quarterback and helmet to helmet calls.
“I don’t mind those type of penalties really, that means we’re getting to the quarterback and that’s better than the alternative and not hitting the quarterback and allowing a kid (Screws) like him pick us apart,” McPherson said.
He was more concerned with the other things he saw on the field.
“I’m trying to clean up this program and teach them talk is cheap, we have a lot of young guys and immaturity here, trying to teach them talk with your pads and not your mouth,” McPherson said.
For Baldwin, coming off a 5-5 season including a four game winning streak, the Indians have a lot of things to work with on offense and defense and now must continue to build on their streak and successful spring and their momentum.
The Indians have several Division I play makers on offense including Gavin Screws and Xavier McGriff along with newcomers Richie Coffey and Christian Sanderson; along with secondary players Dana Poole Jr. and Aaren tSims on defense.
“(Richie) Coffey is a really good player he’s being recruited by both Idaho and Mercer, he’s got great speed and can jump, he’s 6-4 and an excellent high jumper who can get up and get it for us,”Shields said. Xavier (McGriff) is a big time player for us and obviously Gavin (Screws) is our leader.”
Both teams will now get ready for the summer and fall workouts before practice begins July 30 and both return to the field August 17 as Baldwin host Baker County and Orange Park host Bishop Kenny in their kickoff classics.
