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Photo by Ted Melton
Deuce Alston (2) runs the ball for Hewitt-Trussville in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
James Kelly (4) runs the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Jaylan Morris (5) rushes Noah Dobbins (3) and forces an interception in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
QB Noah Dobbins (3) runs the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Pregame action from the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Hewitt-Trussville strength coach Brandon Herring and Baker coach Juan Johnson meet before the first round play-off game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
The Hewitt-Trussville band before the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Action from the first round play-off game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Action from the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
QB Noah Dobbins (3) runs the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
QB Noah Dobbins (3) runs the ball against Jaylan Morris (5) in the first round playoff game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
QB Noah Dobbins (3) runs the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
WR Dylan Cope (1) runs the ball for Hewitt-Trussville in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Hayden Chauvin (25) and Denarrius Crawford (4) chase Jailen Wheeler (0) in first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
James Kelly (4) catches the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Hewitt-Trussville WR Dylan Cope (1) runs a reverse in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Hewitt-Trussville WR Dylan Cope (1) runs a reverse in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Deuce Alston (2) runs the ball for Hewitt-Trussville in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
James Kelly (4) runs the ball for Hewitt-Trussville in the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Players go up for the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Action from the first round playoff game between the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Hewitt-Trussville strength coach Brandon Herring before the first round playoff game between the Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Jailen Wheeler (0) runs the ball in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
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Photo by Ted Melton
Kristian White (1) catches a pass in the first round playoff game between the Hewiitt-Trussville Huskies and the Baker Hornets at Clem Richardson Stadium in Mobile on Nov. 8, 2024.
MOBILE – In a game where every inch was difficult to come by for both teams, it was the final agonizing yard that hurt the most for the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies.
The Huskies lined up in the pistol formation on fourth down needing one yard to beat Baker in double overtime Friday night, but the snap was high to quarterback Noah Dobbins and squirted over his head and out of his hands.
Baker defenders swarmed him at the 15, and just like that, Hewitt-Trussville’s season was over. Baker (9-2) escaped with a 17-14 victory in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs.
A showdown between two of the state’s best defenses lived up to its billing. Including the overtimes, Hewitt-Trussville could gain only 250 yards; it was even more difficult for Baker, which won despite gaining only 191. This was a hard-hitting clash that featured interceptions, blocked punts, goal-line stands and missed field goals. Points and yards were at a premium and field position was crucial, but it looked as if the Huskies (8-3) would get the final word.
After Baker went up 17-14 on a 22-yard field goal by Blayne Munson in the second overtime, Hewitt-Trussville got a 5-yard run by Dobbins and a 4-yard run by Dobbins to face 3rd-and-1, where this time Dobbins was met for no gain by the Baker defense.
While a successful field goal would have forced another overtime, Coach Josh Floyd went for the win on the road and it didn’t go the Huskies’ way.
Neither team could do much offensively in the first half, and when they did, defenses didn’t break.
A blocked punt set up Baker for a short field at the Hewitt 14 in the second quarter, but then came a stand for the ages for the Huskies. Baker had seven plays inside the Hewitt 4 and couldn’t crack the goal line, including three straight plays inside the Huskies’ 1-yard line with 2 minutes to play before halftime.
From there, the Huskies suddenly found some rhythm and marched from their 1 to the Baker 7. But they came up empty when a 25-yard field goal attempt by Colton Argo went wide right with 5.6 seconds to play.
In the third quarter, the Huskies used an interception and 18-yard return by Harrison Malone to finally break the scoreless deadlock. Capping a 5-play, 29-yard drive, James Kelly broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage and scooted into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown run, and the extra point made it 7-0 midway through the third quarter.
But Baker soon returned the favor. A beautiful punt pinned the Huskies back deep at their own 2, and then an interception in the face of heavy pressure - the Hornets’ third pick of Dobbins in the game – set them up at the Hewitt-Trussville 29. It didn’t come easily, but on third-and-goal from the 1, Baker’s Speedy Wheeler found the end zone with a second effort and bit of a push, tying the game at 7.
Baker missed a field goal in the fourth quarter, and that sent things to overtime. On the Huskies’ first play, Dobbins found Dylan Cope for a 10-yard touchdown. But Baker answered with a first-play TD of its own, a 10-yard quarterback sweep by Jawon Springs.
That set up the fateful second overtime. Baker took the ball first, and had to settle for a field goal by Munson. That made the Hornets the first of 11 opponents this season to score more than 15 points against the Huskies, but that proved to be enough to turn out the lights on the season.
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