BALDWYN – In a season that has emphasized taking things one week at a time, the Baldwyn Bearcats will get to play one more week for all the marbles.
Baldwyn beat West Lowndes, 34-6, on Friday night to win the MHSAA Class 1A North half football championship. It’s the first for the Bearcats since 2008.
“We played our game. We weathered the storm early and were able to make some plays and make some big plays, and we settled in and ran out there on them,” Bearcats coach Michael Gray said. “They executed our plan.”
The storm came when West Lowndes (7-6) had first-and-goal at the 7 on its first drive of the game. However, Baldwyn’s defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs.
Baldwyn (13-1) then marched 85 yards on just eight plays, the last of which was a touchdown. The Bearcats’ next two drives ended in field goals, making it 13-0 with 7:57 left in the second quarter.
The Panthers got into Baldwyn territory on their next drive, but the Bearcats forced and recovered a fumble at their own 39. Baldwyn took advantage with another touchdown, this one a 5-yard run by Dy’Lan Johnson to make it 20-0.
“We knew that if we could win the line of scrimmage, win the turnover game, we knew we was going to come out with the (win),” Johnson said. “Coach (Gray) has been preaching it all week. Got to take care of the ball and got to be able to run the ball.”
The Bearcats ran for 233 yards as a team. It’s the ninth time this season that Baldwyn has eclipsed 200 team rushing yards.
Both teams traded touchdowns before halftime, making it 27-6 at the break.
Looking for momentum late in the third quarter, West Lowndes attempted to convert a 4th-and-19 from its own 26. The pass that followed was picked off by Ashton Grice. Three plays later, Johnson found Marquez Davenport on a short route across the middle, which Davenport ran all the way in for a 38-yard score.
The Panthers did not throw the ball often, but Baldwyn’s defense forced them out of their comfort zone.
“Once we got them behind the chains, they had to do something they didn’t want to do,” Gray said.
Baldwyn will face Simmons in the Class 1A state championship game.
Extra Points
Turning Point: Two negative plays, a play for no gain and a false start forced the Panthers to fourth-and-goal from the 15. An ensuing pass to the end zone was batted away, allowing Baldwyn to take over.
Point Man: Johnson ran for 81 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He also completed 7 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Talking Point: “We knew that if we didn’t make it past North half, it was going to be a failure. We was going to feel like failures. We was never going to get over it. It’s been, like, 17 years since we’ve been able to do it. We knew we was the group to do it.” — Johnson, on Baldwyn’s seniors
Notes
• The game was a rematch of a contest between the teams on Sept. 27. The Bearcats won that one on the road 42-16.
• Following Friday night, Baldwyn’s defense is now forcing 3.1 turnovers per game.
• Baldwyn and Simmons will face off on Friday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of Southern Miss.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
