Baldwin Fl- It was another anticipated rematch between Highway 90 rivals as Baker County traveled to Baldwin for their Class 2S playoff matchup. Baldwin(9-2) got the best of Baker County (8-3) by a score of 30-7 back on September 16th, 2022. This time however, it was win or go home, and that pressure made the postseason match much more competitive this go round as we say in these parts. It was a good ole fashioned barn burner that went down to the last minute.
Baldwin started fast scoring the first two touchdowns of the game. First it was Cortez Martinez who muscled his way into the endzone for the score. Martinez has been an enforcer on both offense and defense for Baldwin this year.
After a stop by the Baldwin defense, the Indians went off again offensively, this time through the air when Jalen Hitchens tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Brown as the score read 14-0 with the Baldwin Indians leading the Baker County Wildcats in the second quarter.
However, this score would not remain as Baker County mounted a first half comeback that saw them score two touchdowns in less than two minutes. First, Davion Dean would burst free for a 40-yard touchdown run to put Baker County on the board 14-7 in the second quarter with 2:02 to go. Less than a minute later, the Wildcats would score another touchdown. This time by a Jabari Ruise pass to Blake Mays for a 50-yard score as the game was tied 14-14 with 1:05 to play in the half.
Tied at halftime, Baldwin would convert on a field goal going up 17-14 in the third quarter. Baker County would finally go ahead for the first time in the game, when Blake Mays scored from 12-yards out on a run to make the score 21-17 with 1:52 to play in the 3rd quarter.
A Jabari Ruise pass to Silas Rhoden for a 49-yard touchdown saw Baker County extend their lead 28-17 over Baldwin with 11:52 to play in the 4th, as the game seemed to be slipping away from Baldwin. Ruise and Rhoden stepped up big for the Wildcats to make plays for them when it counted.
Yet, Baldwin would not give up, scoring on a 25-yard pass by Hitchens to Jahad Miller making the score 28-23. A 2-point conversion would be unsuccessful by Baldwin however as Davion Dean broke up the pass, and the score remained a 5-points difference.
Blake Mays hit a 25-yard field goal to extend his team’s lead to 8-points, 31-23 with 3-minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. Yet Baker County could not hold off Baldwin as a 12-yard touchdown run by Hitchens made the score 31-29. Hitchens has been an absolute playmaker for Baldwin this year, and he showed off again in the playoff game.
A 2-point conversion seperated Baldwin and Baker County from being tied late in the game, but the attempt by Baldwin was unsuccessful, and Baker County would go on to get their revenge over Baldwin 31-29, to advance to face Bradford in the Class 2S Regional Final. It is Baker County’s second year in a row advancing to the regional finals. A great accomplishment by head coach Kevin Mays.
