By Sherry J. Parker, For the Tribune
MOBILE—The eighth-ranked Hewitt-Trussville Huskies traveled to Mobile to face the number nine-ranked Baker High School Hornets and their old offensive coordinator in the first round of the 7A playoffs.
With the game’s last snap, first-year head coach Juan Johnson’s Hornets defeated the Huskies 17-14 and claimed the school’s first playoff victory in 40 years.
The first half, which featured goal line stands for each team’s defenses and missed opportunities to score for the offenses, ended in a scoreless tie.
The Huskies’ offense had a difficult time during both opening quarters, resulting in multiple turnovers and a missed field goal.
However, Hewitt-Trussville’s defense remained strong. The unit intercepted two passes, blocked a punt, and prevented Baker from scoring points.
Hewitt head coach Josh Floyd emphasized the importance of holding onto the ball and creating first downs to move the ball down the field. His words seemed to resonate with the team as they returned to the field.
At the 8:06 mark of the third quarter, running back James Kelly broke through the Baker defense to score the night’s first touchdown, putting the Huskies ahead 7-0.
Baker capitalized on a Husky turnover on the ensuing drive, tying the game at 7-7 with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter.
While Baker’s offense began finding its stride in the fourth quarter, the Husky offense went backward and lost 11 yards on four drives without gaining a first down.
Baker missed a field goal with a little less than four minutes remaining in the game, and both teams ended with a tie in regulation.
Hewitt-Trussville had the initial possession in the first overtime, and Noah Dobbins hit Dylan Cope on first down to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead.
Baker responded by scoring a touchdown on their first play and forcing a second overtime.
Hewitt’s defense held and forced a Baker field goal in the second overtime period, putting the home team ahead 17-14.
With Hewitt’s last opportunity to advance in the playoffs on the line, the Huskies opted to go for a touchdown instead of settling for a field goal to tie the game. Dobbins fumbled a high snap, and the Huskies were stopped short of the goal.
With the stop, Baker took a 17-14 victory, and the Huskies’ season came to a heartbreaking end.
Two of the best defenses in the state flexed their muscles. Both offenses ran 71 plays and only compiled 201 and 202 yards, respectively, for a 2.8 yards per play average.
“I hate it for our seniors to end like this, said Floyd. “They made a few more plays than we did. I love this team, and I love these kids,” he said.
“A lot of people didn’t have high expectations for them when the season started, but we did,” he said. “They did a great job this year. I hate how it ended for our seniors because I appreciate all they have done for our program.”
