>> BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
Perry showed why it is one of the top-ranked teams in Class AAAA on Friday at Braves Field.
The No. 3 Panthers defeated Baldwin 35-0 in a dominant effort. Their stout defense limited the Braves to three total first downs through the opening three quarters.
Perry’s offense didn’t have its best performance of the season, although quarterback Armar Gordon Jr. and running back Demetrious Carter carried their weight.
Gordon wasn’t sharp, completing 21-of-33 passes for 230 yards with zero TDs and an INT. However, he did get into the end zone three times on rushes to power the Panthers offensively. Carter also scored a rushing TD and totaled 142 yards on the ground.
Perry couldn’t get anything going on its opening drive and punted away to Baldwin.
The Braves started their first possession on their three-yard line, but a bad snap gave the Panthers an early 2-0 lead after falling on the ball in the end zone. They then put together an 85-yard scoring drive, resulting in a five-yard TD rush from Carter.
Perry led 9-0 at the end of the first quarter but Baldwin got back possession of the ball.
Still, the Braves couldn’t get anything going offensively as the Panthers’ defense flew all over the field. Gordon got into the end zone on a four-yard rush later in the quarter.
The 5-foot-11, 160-pound quarterback then reached the end zone again with under a minute left in the first half. He took a direct snap and scored a TD from five yards out.
A positive moment for Baldwin was Jacobi Nixon’s INT in the middle of the third quarter.
Perry’s second half was sloppy. The Panthers committed several penalties and had an FG blocked, but the Braves couldn’t get anything going offensively in the final two quarters.
The score remained 22-0 until the 8:44 mark of the fourth quarter. Perry blocked a punt and returned it to the end zone for six, although the Panthers couldn’t convert a two-point conversion. They led 28-0 after that TD and remained in control of the game.
Gordon would score again via the ground on a fourthdown rush. His third rushing TD came with 4:22 left in the contest, giving Perry a 35-0 lead after the PAT.
Baldwin’s struggles have been evident this season. The Braves are now 2-5 overall and 1-2 in Region 2-AAAA play. The loss to Perry was the first time they’ve been shut out in 2022.
The final three weeks of the 2022 season will be crucial for Baldwin’s playoff chances. The Braves will face West Laurens (1-6, 0-3), Westside (5-2, 1-2) and Griffin (2-6, 2-2) in their final three games. They haven’t missed the playoffs since 2015.