Perry rumbles past Baldwin after skies rumble

Published 5:06 pm Monday, August 19, 2024

FT. VALLEY – When your first first down comes with 77 seconds left in the first half – and the other team’s amassed about 13 … and about every snap of the half took place on one side of the 50 … maybe the score will still be tight …

Even with a pair of defensive stands from the Baldwin High Braves, very late Saturday night belonged to the Perry High Panthers looking every bit the defending state champion craving more glory in 2024. In the first game for new Baldwin head coach Kevin Patterson, and the last game of the newly-established Gridiron Classic at Ft. Valley State University, Perry dominated up front running the football while mixing in a little bit of throwing to roll to a 37-6 victory.

The story of the day was as much the atmosphere as it was the opening weekend of the 2024 football season. Baldwin and Perry – once region rivals now in separate GHSA classifications – did not kickoff until around 9:30 p.m. There were three games scheduled at Ft. Valley State Saturday, and the second one between Macon rivals Westside and Howard experienced two lengthy lightning-related delays. It also went into overtime.

When Braves-Panthers action began, Perry was unstoppable in an opening 78-yard scoring drive featuring 14 plays. The Panthers converted on third down twice and fourth down once, plus they gained yards on the ground in 10 of those snaps.

A bellcow running back from the 2023 state championship, Ahmad Gordon carried the football six times in the series and scored on an 8-yard run at 7:20 of the first quarter.

The Baldwin offense was two 3-and-outs in the first quarter, a third one to start the second quarter with 10 lost yards and a fourth one that ended with a bad snap in punt formation. The football went out beyond the end zone giving Perry two safety points.

The Braves special teams also struggled to get the football out of its own territory. Perry’s second offensive series began on the Baldwin 23-yard-line. It was here that the Braves defense showed some teeth as Ahmad Reeves and Jonquavious ‘Q’ Russell stopped Gordon – running a wildcat set – on fourth down.

However, with no offensive movement, that Braves defense returned to the field having to defend short ground, this next Perry drive beginning on the 46. In six plays, Perry had its second touchdown. They were faced with 3rd-and-1 at the 11, then Decorrion Daniels went left tackle covering the distance and ending the first period.

Perry’s first series of the second period began on the Baldwin 30. Labraydon Burden of the Braves knocked away a 3rd-and-12 pass in the end zone, and Perry’s attempt at a 39-yard field goal missed wide.

The score remained 14-0 Perry but then went to 16-0 on the safety at 5:21 until the half. The safety also meant Perry got the football. They had to start from their side of the 50 this time, but was moving again using a big 3rd-and-6 completion of 13 yards from Cullen McDaniel to Rod Lewis. Two more first downs later, the Panthers are on Baldwin’s 21. McDaniel hit 6-4 Keil Sparks on a slant in for a touchdown upping the lead to 23-0.

Not only did Baldwin make it’s initial first down at 1:17, but Sadur Salahuddin’s run of 42 yards made for the first spot in Perry ground. The half would end without any further highlight.

Baldwin’s greatest highlight came immediately in the second half. It only took a few plays to get the second first down, and then on 3^rd down from his own 32 quarterback Lamar Pounds tucked the football and scrambled down the home sidelines to end the shutout.

The Braves had no more offense of note as rain fell without fireworks. Perry, though, answered the touchdown with a 65-yard scoring drive of eight plays and one key roughing the passer call on Baldwin. That flag came when it was 2nd-and-22, then it was all about Gordon and Daniels running for 55 yards with Daniels taking an end-around in the wildcat for a 4-yard TD.

With 1:28 in the third quarter, Perry’s final scoring was on a 4th-down pass play of 14 yards.

On Friday, Kevin Patterson will have his second game as Baldwin High’s head football coach and first one at Braves Stadium. For the second week in a row, the opposition will come from Houston County, and this time it’s against the tradition-rich Northside High Eagles. The Eagles have three state championships to their credit (2006, 2007, 2014) and other championship-game appearances falling to the likes of Parkview, Statesboro High and Camden County.

Baldwin has not beaten Northside since 1993 even with numerous chances (14). That includes a meeting in the GHSA semifinals in 2005 at the Georgia Dome that ended 28-7.

It hasn’t been typical Northside lately, though, with three losing seasons since 2019. Ben Bailey is in his second year as head coach and got 2024 off to a good start beating Eagle’s Landing 38-18.