>> BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
Baldwin’s hopes of entering the win column for the first time this season ended early on Friday night. Ware County dominated all facets of the game and defeated the Braves, 41-3 The Gators were led by quarterback Nikao Smith, who went 13-of-18 for 184 yards and two touchdowns through the air. The highlight of the night for him was connecting with senior receiver Jarvis Hayes for a 79-yard catch-and-run in the opening drive of the third quarter.
Baldwin running back Micah Welch was the Braves’ only hope on offemse, but he was limited in the loss. The Ware County defense held the four-star prospect in check all night.
The Braves could not keep up, with just two redzone trips in the contest. One led to a chipshot field goal block by the Gators’ special teams as time expired in the second quarter.
Ware County running back Dae’jeaun Dennis had a big night on the ground. He was the Gators’ leading rusher, totaling 124 yards on nine attempts with a touchdown. Sophomore RJ Boyd also had a productive game, rushing for 81 yards on eight carries with two scores.
The Braves’ defensive unit could never get Ware County off of the field. They are giving up an average of 38 points per game so far this season through their first three games of 2022.
On the other hand, Baldwin’s offense also struggled in the loss. The Braves continue to turn the ball over and rack up penalties. They are currently averaging 12.3 points per contest.
Baldwin, which is coming off six consecutive playoff appearances, have not had an 0-3 start since the current senior class were freshmen. They had two 0-5 starts in a row in 2018-19 before ultimately finishing those regular seasons a combined 9-1 to make it into the state tournament. Most notably too, in 2018 the Braves made a run to the quarterfinals after winning seven straight. This is where they suffered a 42-13 loss to first-seeded Cartersville.
The Braves will travel to Sandersville and take on the Washington County Golden Hawks for Week 4 action. This will be Baldwin’s last non-region matchup of the 2022 season.