After a devastating loss to LaGrange High School in the first round of state playoffs last year, the Baldwin Braves come into this season with a chip on their shoulders.
Nasir Robinson, Solomon Burney, Jacobi Nixon and Casey Solomon are all returning varsity starters from last year’s team and feel ready to get back out on the field.
“I feel like we got better over the summer,” Robinson said. “We’re ready to come out and show people that we’re the best team in the state.”
Defensively, the Braves allowed less than three touchdowns per game on average and recorded their only shutout against Westside Macon last season.
On the offensive side of the ball, Burney led the Braves passing attack with eight total touchdowns last year.
He acknowledged that some individuals have stepped into roles this season that they may not be accustomed to, but it helps the offense to remain explosive.
“Nick Gillian is one of our slot receivers who has made big improvements from last year,” Burney said. “He used to play defense and they didn’t really look at him like that, so he moved to wide receiver and has made a great impact on our offense.”
Players like Nixon believe that the most improvement has come during the offseason training, and that it will pay off once the Braves get into region play.
“The biggest difference from my freshman year is the training and physicality. Everybody is coming into the season more hungry now, and we want to win,” Nixon said. “I’m expecting everybody to just stay consistent. They all say they want to win, but I want everyone to keep that same mindset that if we stick together, nobody can beat us.”
However, seniors don’t stay in high school forever and at some point, more experienced players like linebacker Solomon will have to hand over the reins. He believes it’s important to instill a winning culture and teach younger generations what it really means to be a Baldwin Brave.
“They just need to work hard, because the more everybody works, the less each person has to do on their own. We’re trying to get off the field to get them on the field,” Solomon said.
“It means a lot [to be a Baldwin Brave]. I moved from Schley County my junior year and I didn’t really know what to expect, and it was hard, but I like the competition here and I’ll miss the coaches.”
That said, there’s nothing he and his teammates would like better than to exit this season as state champions.