BAKER — A talented Blountstown Tiger team came calling to Doug Griffith Memorial Stadium on Friday to face Baker’s Gators in a game featuring two of the top Class 1A teams in the state.
At stake was early season bragging rights as the Gators tried to defend their home turf in “The Swamp” where they hadn’t lost a regular season game since falling to Northview in 2012.
Baker trailed 28-14 with 6:07 left in the fourth quarter after a 1-yard touchdown run by Tiger quarterback Chasen Roulhac. Roulhac’s touchdown came three plays after an inadvertent whistle denied Baker a recovery of a Tiger fumble.
The Roulhac touchdown turned out to be the difference in the game as the Tigers (1-1) held on for a 28-21 win handing the Gators their first home loss since Cottondale beat them in the opening round of the playoffs in 2013.
“Blountstown has a good program,” Baker Coach Matt Brunson said. “I told our guys it was going to be a heavyweight fight. I’m proud of our guys’ effort.
“We are going to come out here and go back to work and we will get better. We definitely improved from week one to week two.
With their backs to the wall, the Gators did what Gators do, they fought back trying to tie the game.
A six-play, 80-yard drive was capped by a 15-yard scoring pass from Jon Beck to Jamaal Day.
Jalen Cuirleo had a pair of big first down catches on the drive and fullback Montae Barto powered his way to a key first down.
Baker (1-1) trailed by a touchdown when the Gators got the ball back with 1:16 left in the game, but the last-minute drive fell short.
Blountstown wasted no time in jumping to an early lead. On the second play of the game Cole Skipper raced 57 yards on a counter play to put the Tigers up 6-0. The point after failed and that was the score at the end of the first quarter.
Baker’s first score came on a 10-yard scoop and score of a Tiger fumble by Gator defensive back Nick Adams with 11:34 left in the first half.
A 3-yard touchdown run by Roulhac with 3:26 left in the half capped a short 40-yard drive by Blountstown.
Another Blountstown turnover led to Baker’s second score of the night. Chandler Rockwell fell on a loose ball at the Tiger 41 with 1:23 left in the half. Forty second later Beck found Kalee Cuirleo with a 20-yard strike to give the Gators there only lead of the night with 42 seconds left in the half.
Blountstown took the lead for good when the Tigers returned an interception of a Beck pass 75-yards with 9:31 left in the third quarter.
The Gators finished the night with 299 yards in total offense. Beck was 12-of-30 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
Kalee Cuirleo had four catches for 62 yards. Jalen Cuirleo had four catches for 55 yards. Jalen Cuirleo led the Gators in rushing with 31 yards on seven carries.
Baker hosts West Gadsden on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker's comeback comes up short (PHOTOS)