Crusaders fall to Wildcats

Crusaders fall to Wildcats

Wildcat Head Coach Bobby Johns knew his team was heading into a must win game last Friday night. Baker County’s aspirations of making the state 3A football playoffs hinged on beating the Bishop Kenny Crusaders. Coach John’s hammered that point home in dramatic fashion, when prior to the game he led his team from the locker room carrying a sledgehammer.

Baker came into the game with a 6 and 1 record including a district loss to Jackson, while the Crusaders record was 4 and 2 with their own district loss. Jackson has a death grip on the district 3-3A title and the winner of Friday’s nights game would have the inside track to the runner spot and a playoff berth.

The Crusaders were expected to give the Wildcats fits with their very versatile offense, led by Division I college quarterback prospect Brett Whitmire. But that threat never had a chance as Whitmire suffered a shoulder injury when he was sacked on his team's first possession and never returned to the game.

The Wildcats marauding defense applied pressure in the backfield from the first play and Hank Farmer, Ethan Munson, Dekembey Hogan and Trek McCullough gang tackled the Crusaders QB, eight plays into the ball game. The Baker boys didn’t let up the pressure all evening as they forced multiple turnovers and slammed the door on Bishop Kenny’s offense, limiting them to just to touchdowns in the 35 to 14 victory.

Coach John’s offense put on a show for the cheering hometown fans with a new Wildcat formation scheme that had running backs taking the direct snap. The new offense had been honed over the past few weeks of practice and when the Cats put it into action, the Crusaders didn’t have an answer for it.

Wildcat junior running back Harold Moore led the way for his team with for touchdowns during the game including an interception return for 90 yard defensive score. Moore interception of Kenny backup quarterback Trent Parete came on the Crusaders' second possession of the game, and started the Wildcats scoring romp.

Moore’s career high four touchdowns included gaining 88 yards on seven carries with his other touchdowns scored on runs of 30, 10 and 6 yards. Five of his seven runs were for 10 yards or more and most occurred when he got the ball in Baker version of the Wildcat offense.

Greg Williams and sophomore Reuben Jackson also got the ball in the new offensive scheme and they gained 142 and 48 yards, respectively. The jubilant crowds enthusiasm was quashed when Jackson had to be carried off the field on a stretcher with a knee injury.

The Wildcats took the lead with Moore’s first score and never trailed I the rest of the game. They took a 14 to 7 lead to the locker room at the half and padded that lead on the second half opening possession (21-7). Williams scored the Cats other touchdown after the Crusaders were forced to punt on the ensuing possession. He took the direct snap, broke containment and turned on the jets to scamper 79 yards into the end zone (28-7).

For the second week in a row, the game officials aided the Wildcats opponents in scoring when two questionable penalty calls set the Crusaders up with first and goal at the two yard line early in the fourth quarter (28-14).

The Wildcats stepped up their aggression after the dubious officiating and used it as motivation to put together a sustained drive. They used their new formation set to ram the all right through the heart of the Kenny defense on their way to the game final touchdown (35-14)The Wildcats improved their record to 7 and 1 with the win and more importantly they leapt ahead of the Crusaders in the district standing. With wins already in the bank against Kenny and Raines, Baker County can lock up their playoff slot with a Halloween night road win over the Suwannee Bulldogs.