Braves battle Eagles to end only to fall by 1

Published 11:44 pm Friday, August 23, 2024

Even as the potential game-changing two-point pass fell short of its intended target, Baldwin High’s Braves showed any future football opposition in Class AAA how they will fight until the end against a storied foe.

Sadur Salahuddin scored two touchdowns, including a 7-yard run with 32 seconds left in regulation. New head coach Kevin Patterson – in his first game at Braves Stadium – went for the lead. Three timeouts later, the Braves tried a halfback option pass that hit the turf instead of the hands of a receiver.

With that, Northside High of Warner Robins was able to leave Milledgeville with a 13-12 win Friday improving its start to the 2024 season to 2-0. For Patterson and the Braves, the early record falls to 0-2, but that is it for non-region competition (a schedule that included defending state champion Perry). Now it’s all about the new AAA region where only one team, Aquinas, won a playoff game last season.

But on Friday the Braves were oh so close to pulling out the last-minute victory after trailing the entire flag-filled contest. There were actually more flags enforced in the first half, 18, than in the second half, 11, but most of those 11 came in the final quarter adding to the dramatic end.

Salahuddin, a junior, put Baldwin on the scoreboard for the first time with just over five minutes remaining in the game. It was 10-0 Eagles, but the never-give-up Braves defense had Northside punting for the third time in the second half from midfield. Salahuddin fielded the football and found an opening near the home sideline. The result was an 80-yard touchdown (flag on the play against NHS declined).

As the first try for two points went unsuccessful, Baldwin was back in the game down 10-6.

On Northside’s ensuing possession, officials found reason to drop a flag seven times, be it on the kickoff return, a personal foul on Baldwin on the first scrimmage snap, a horse collar on the Braves, holding on the Eagles and the killer for the home team, a facemask when Baldwin brought down Northside’s punter who got a bad snap.

That punter was also the placekicker, Cody Nelson, and he made a 38-yard field goal for a 13-6 advantage at 1:27.

Baldwin began its next series on its 35-yard-line, and Salahuddin flipped the field on a scrimmage run to the Eagle 24. The clutch play – one Baldwin had been lacking all night – was quarterback Lamar Pounds’ connection with running back Kaiden Gibson on 3rd-and-11 at the 14 (then tack on half the distance for another facemask).

Not only was it a clutch drive but a clean drive – no fouls on Baldwin – and Salahuddin scored behind some solid blocking.

The Braves also needed a game where they showed they wouldn’t get bullied up front like Perry did. Just six days prior the Panthers had 13 first half first downs to just one by Baldwin and won 37-6.

Northside did engineer a long drive to start Friday’s game in 10 plays with a massive running back in James Turner. The drive, however, ended in a missed field goal of 39 yards.

The Eagles got the football back quickly, however, intercepting a tipped pass. Baldwin was playing solid team defense, Jaylen King chasing the quarterback out of bounds, and forced Nelson into a second field goal try. He got this one over the crossbar on a bounce from 29 yards out.

The 3-0 score held through to halftime. The Braves had a much improved punting game Friday behind Jaquan Hill with three kicks downed inside the 13. The offense had just two first downs in the opening quarter (a third negated by penalty).

Northside, though was dealing with stops by Gavin Jarrett, King, and LaBrayden Burden in the first period for two scoreless possessions.

Baldwin had three first downs but two holdings on its first drive of the second quarter. Northside also had three first downs … for the whole period, and with 47 seconds left until the half Burden evened the takeaway ratio with an interception on Baldwin’s 38.

The score didn’t change until there was 2:07 left in the third quarter, Northside getting to the end zone from its own 23. The Eagles had more yardage to gain thanks to Jonquavious ‘Q’ Russell’s sack and Garrett’s stick forcing 3rd-and-19. Northside got the first down, though, through pass interference and Turner’s run to the 36. Quarterback Jayden Wright went up top to Briston Blasingame 43 yards to the Baldwin 15, then Turner rushed the football to the 4. Wright and Blasingame connected again on a slant for the touchdown and 10-0 lead.

Northside had two more series before the Salahuddin punt return, and to start the fourth quarter Jonathan Simpson made a sack for fourth down after Jarrett ended the third with a tackle for a loss.

Baldwin will enjoy an early bye week Labor Day weekend, and on Sept. 6 the first region game is at home against Cross Creek.