It was a hard-fought battle for the Baldwin Braves last Friday night at Braves Field in Milledgeville, but in the end, region rival Westside Academy took a 26-22 win home to Macon. The win boosted Westside to third in Region 2 AAAA, one spot above the Braves.
Baldwin trailed most of the game but in the fourth quarter, the Braves came back to take a 22-20 lead. It did not last, however, as Seminoles running back Jessie Bell scored a game-winning touchdown to put Westside out front for good.
Baldwin running back Sadur Salahuddin started for the injured Micah Welch, who is still dealing with a lowerbody injury. Salahuddin performed well, scoring two of the Braves’ three rushing touchdowns.
Westside’s Bell scored most of the Seminoles' points, but fellow running back Kad Iverson got the first touchdown of the night from one yard out to give Westside a 7-0 lead after the extra point.
On Baldwin’s following drive, the Braves would make it to Westside’s 21-yard line before a lost fumble handed the ball back to the visitors. Westside eventually was forced to punt, but then recovered a dropped ball, giving the Seminoles the ball on Baldwin’s 19-yard line.
Not long after, Bell carried the ball 16 yards to give the Seminoles a 14-0 lead with the PAT. Another Braves turnover then gave Westside good field position and led to another Seminoles touchdown.
A third-and-goal set up by Seminoles running back Jay Summerlin put Bell back in position to score with another quick touchdown run.
Baldwin began its comeback bid late in the second quarter with a pair of pass completions by quarterback Lamar Pounds, which led to a 15-yard Salahuddin rushing score. Baldwin followed up with a successful two-point conversion to remain in the mix.
The Braves got the ball back in the third quarter after a key stop and made a long scoring drive. Salahuddin had most of the carries on the effort to set up Pounds for a one-yard quarterback sneak and a touchdown. Jonathan Butts then went around the edge for the two-point conversion to cut Westside’s lead to 20-16.
The Braves then made their biggest stop of the night and set themselves up to send Salahuddin on to his second touchdown of the night with a three-yard carry that gave the Braves their first lead of the game at 22-20.
However, Westside had enough time to put together a game-winning drive and the Seminoles went back to Bell.
Westside drove downfield, giving the ball to Bell on its final offensive play, who scored with a five-yard rush to take a final 26-22 lead.
Baldwin’s final regular season game will be an in-region contest at Griffin (1-8, 1-4 Region 2), beginning at 7:30 p.m. this Friday.