BAKER — It seems only a matter of time before Baker School’s football team returns to the podium as state champions.
Maybe the championship will come next season or the year after.
Baker had a chance to make it to state on Friday, when the Gators hosted defending Class 1A state champion Port St. Joe in the state semifinals at Doug Griffith Memorial Stadium.
The Sharks, powered by running back Trey Sanders' play, beat the Gators 42-13.
Baker finishes the season with a 9-4 record.
Sanders scored three touchdowns on runs of 93, 79 and 41 yards, and finished the game with 228 yards rushing on nine carries.
“They’ve got some great backs,” Baker Coach Matt Brunson said. “I knew if they got loose, we were going to have trouble.
“I knew they were going to be tough to block. Our guys battled and scratched out some yards and scored twice.”
Port St. Joe had a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter before Trey Sanders took over. The first Shark score came on a 66-yard pass from Ethan Sander to Matt Simpson, with just less than nine minutes left in the first quarter.
Baker answered with a six-play drive covering 63 yards. Montae Barto had a 17-yard reception from quarterback Jon Beck and Jalen Ciurleo had a 21-yard catch.
Barto finished the quick drive with a 4-yard run. When Josh Springle added the extra point the Gators led 7-6 with 7:34 left in the opening stanza.
The rest of the game belonged to the Sharks (11-1). Khayyon Zaccaro scored on a 5-yard run later in the first quarter.
Ethan Sander hit Troy Williams Jr. with a 12-yard touchdown pass with 8:22 left in the half.
Trey Sanders then took over the game. He scored his 93-yard touchdown in the second quarter and his last two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Baker’s only score of the second half came on a 12-yard run by Beck in the third quarter.
Barto held his head high for the Gators, even in defeat.
“It’s incredible what we’ve done,” Barto said. “No senior class has done that in 16 years. So hopefully, this program will keep growing and get over that hump (win in the semis) and go to state next year and win it.”
Brunson seemed to already be looking to next season as he praised the senior class for a job well done.
“This senior class has three district championships,” he said. “Last year we made it to the second round (of the playoffs). This year we won the region and got to the semis.
“I’m proud of the work these guys put in. Now we’ve seen what we have to match up with to get past the semis and get to Orlando (where the championship game is played). I’m excited about the future of this program.”
PORT ST. JOE 42, BAKER 13
Port St. Joe 14 14 0 14—42
Baker 7 0 6 0—13
First quarter
PSJ – Matt Simpson 66 pass from Ethan Sander (kick failed): 8:50
Baker – Montae Barto 4 run (Josh Springler kick): 7:34
PSJ – Khayyon Zaccaro 5 run (Sander 2-pt): 5:58
Second quarter
PSJ – Troy Williams Jr. 12 pass from Sander (kick failed): 8:22
PSJ – Trey Sanders 93 run (Williams Jr. pass from Sander 2-pt): 5:13
Third quarter
Baker – Jon Beck 12 run (kick failed): 10:39
Fourth quarter
PSJ – Sanders 79 run (Carlos Guido kick): 9:18
PSJ – Sanders 41 run (Guido kick): 4:00
PSJ Baker
First downs 13 15
Rushes-yards 38-375 47-168
Passing yards 115 129
Comp-Att-Int 4-6-0 12-27-4
Fumbles-lost 1-0 0-0
Penalty-yards 9-65 7-55
Individual Stats
Rushing
PSJ: Aaron Paul 9-48, Khayyon Zaccaro 7-31, Trey Sanders 9-228, Chad Quinn Jr. 1-(-3), Marshall Sweet 5-32, Troy Williams Jr. 2-30, Ethan Sander 2-(-4), Russell Russ 3-16. Baker: Austin Davis 7-37, Jon Beck 15-59, Jalen Ciurleo 7-15, Montae Barto7-53, Chris Roller 1-1.
Passing
PSJ: Ethan Sander 4-6-0 115. Baker: Jon Beck 11-26-3 129, Austin Davis 0-0-1 0.
Receiving
PSJ: Matt Simpson 1-66, Troy Williams Jr. 3-49. Baker: Oakley Kimbrel 1-2, Austin Davis 2-21, Montae Barto 3-29, Jamaal Day 2-27, Jalen Ciurleo 2-30, Dillon Nixon 2-20.
Baker-Port St. Joe Box
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker looks to future after semifinal loss