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    Braves win the big one

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October 31, 2009

Braves win the big one

Altovise Harris and defensive front help Baldwin demolish WaCo and clinch Region 3-AAA title on Senior Night, 27-7

David Brent Martin

Oh, how sweet it is!

Friday night was Senior Night for the Baldwin Braves as their stadium maxed out with a capacity crowd of 5,000-plus to watch the Braves take on undefeated region rival Washington County for a Region-3AAA clinching duel.

Baldwin star back Javontae Edwards will be out at least four weeks after having surgery for a torn miniscus this week — but backups Brandon Thomas and Altovise Harris picked up the slack and really delivered when their team and school needed them the most. Harris would score on a 37- yard touchdown run with 1:05 to go in the first quarter to put the Braves up 7-0.

“My motivation tonight was to not let Jevontae down. This win was sweet for him because it was his first venture as a region champion,” said a jubilant Harris after the game.

The Golden Hawk offense would have trouble with the Braves menacing and ferocious defensive charge all night as the team failed to convert third downs on their first few possessions. Washington County didn’t get their first first down until the second quarter, and their offense only mustered 24 yards in the first half.

Baldwin led 7-0 at halftime and looked to come out in the second half with the same defensive intensity as in the first.

The Brave’s Kelvin Williams would then calm the local crowd by snapping the opening kickoff of the third quarter and then skyrocketing 82 yards down the Baldwin sideline for a 14-0 lead.

“One more ought to do it!” yelled Baldwin coach Jesse Hicks as he directed his team to close the deal against the Golden Hawks.

At the end of the third quarter, Baldwin would punt, and it appeared as if the ball tipped off the hand of a WaCo player before a Baldwin player ran it in for six. One official would rule in favor of the Braves, but he was later overruled by a higher authority.

The teams would then trade possessions and Baldwin would go into the fourth quarter leading 14-0.

The Braves would then trade possessions before getting the ball back. Quarterback DeAndre Thomas would hand the ball to Harris again and he would sprint 45 yards for a comfortable 21-0 lead.

At this point coach Hicks and the Baldwin family could taste the region title — but the Golden Hawks would score on the very next play on a kickoff return. The play would net WaCo 84 yards on the return.

Both teams would trade possessions again before Thomas scored on a 25 yard touchdown keeper, untouched, with 1:11 to go.

“We’re going to play until the end!” said Hicks as he regrouped his team on the sideline.

The win pretty much guarantees Baldwin the Region 3-AAA title with one regular season game to go versus Thomson away.

When told WaCo only had 64 total yards of offense defensive coordinator Ronnie Baker smiled and said, “I get lucky every once in awhile.”

Harris finished the night with 170 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Thomas had 64 yards on the ground before being injured in the third quarter. DeAndre Thomas had 40 yards, including a touchdown run.

Leading tacklers for Baldwin included Kitray Solomon with seven tackles and one sack. Janerrio Bonnor, Greg Curry and Denarrious King each had eight tackles.

Javon Griswold had nine tackles to lead the stingy defensive front.

Coach Hicks was overcome with emotion after the game — afterall, his boys really came through and fought like champions after being counted out by so many.

“This region championship was sweeter because of all the adversity we had to overcome and endure. Looking back over the last eight years, when people said this couldn’t happen at Baldwin — now we’re region champs two years in a row.”

Congratulations to the Baldwin Braves for the thrilling victory — and the Region 3-AAA title!

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