The numbers on that board – Chipley 39, Baker 20 – burned bright red, a painful reminder that the Gators are done playing football this season, but those numbers didn’t tell the story of the fight the players put up against a talented and athletic Tiger team that made a few more plays and got a few more stops on a frosty mid-November evening at Philip Rountree Stadium.

Gardner was fighting back tears as he talked with his team. His players did the same as they listened. And while the effort to do that was a tough ask, the effort on the field was undeniable, even in defeat in a 1A regional semifinal.

“The effort was awesome. Our seniors did a great job of leading tonight. We didn’t help enough as coaches,” Gardner said.

Kayleb Wagner is one of those seniors. The Southern Illinois-bound standout scored twice in the fourth quarter, including his final touchdown on a 75-yard run with 1:45 to play. It exemplified the fight the Gators showed right up until the end.

“We’re the Baker Gators. We are going to have that (fight) no matter what,” Wagner said.

Baker (8-4) came into the night here on the road knowing the odds were stacked against it. The Gators faced an unbeaten Chipley team that featured Auburn commit Dequayvious Sorey, who turned out to be as good as advertised.

Sorey came up with a pick six in which he fought off tackles to run into the end zone for a 39-13 lead with 49.3 to play.

Sorey also made several big catches, but it was the two rushing touchdowns in the third by Khaiden Kennedy that created the separation the Tigers needed. They lead 21-6 going into the final quarter.

“Once they get rolling, they are too fast,” Gardner said.

Wagner scored the first of his two second half touchdowns with 6:49 to go in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 21-13 and providing a glimmer of hope that perhaps the Gators could rally.

Three minutes later, Chipley answered.

The night had started well for Baker. Wagner recovered a fumble on Chipley’s opening drive of the game, pouncing on the ball and giving the thumbs up that he had it as he laid on the ground.

That set the stage for the Gators to score first. Nick Childs caught a touchdown pass that put Baker up 6-0 with 7:33 to play.

The Tigers took a 7-6  lead a minute later and never looked back.

Baker had chances to counter but came up short on fourth down in one situation and nearly recorded a safety in another.

Brayshwn Baker blocked a field-goal attempt with 11.6 seconds left but the Gators let the final seconds run out of the half. 

Still, the Gators felt good about their position.

“Going into halftime, it was 7-6. We thought we had a chance,” Wagner said.

Gardner reflected after the game on what might have been had things gone differently in the first half.

“We felt good about halftime. We were pumped up. We’re mad we didn’t score again before the half,” Gardner said. “If we do that and then they score (in the second half), it’s 14-14 and we have the ball back instead of being down eight.”

This was Gardner’s first year as the head coach and while it ends in defeat, he is proud of his players.

“A coaching change is tough on everybody, but we came together. We had some bumps in the road in the middle of the season, but fought through and did a great job.”

Gardner wishes the season could have lasted longer.

“We should have had one more game, but that’s how it goes,” Gardner said.

The fact that there isn’t another game is what makes the loss hurt more. Baker is accustomed to postseason success.

“We’re used to going further. It hurts more to get knocked out early, but we’re thankful for the opportunity,” Wagner said.

Wagner hopes the younger players take value in hard work and to keep battling no matter what. 

“Work hard no matter what is against you. No matter what it says on paper, or what anyone says. “Just work hard and be the difference,” Wagner said.

“I’d go with hit,” Baker said. “They have can have their glory. I just want the contact.”

Baker embodies the spirit of small school football across the Southeast. At 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, he has decent size, but looks like the average high school student.

“He’s a good kid, a hard worker,” Gator coach Barry Gardner said. “He didn’t play a lot for us last year, but he’s a senior for us this year and he has started both ways. He’s been in and out on offense, but he has started every game on defense as a cornerback.

“He’s played a little bit of everywhere for us. On offense we have kind of eased him into it. He’s probably the second fastest kid on the team besides Kayleb (Wagner).”

Gardner said Baker has worked hard to improve and it shows in how his tackling has improved as the season has progressed.

Baker has enjoyed the transition to two-way player.

“It’s nice to play offense and defense and help out where I can,” he said. “It’s been fun. It’s interesting this year to see how teams match up against me on one side of the ball instead of just one side.”

It should come as no surprise that Baker, who prefers causing a fumble to scoring a touchdown on an  interception, prefers defense to offense for the hitting aspect of it.

He said he doesn’t try to pattern his game after any college or professional cornerbacks.

“Most cornerbacks you see are playing against all-stars,” he said. “We have a couple here, but other than that, it’s just regular kids. It’s not anyone flashing or anyone spectacular that I have to worry about.

“So, it’s not anyone to compare myself to.”

Baker is also a member of the Gator weightlifting and track teams.

He said the weightlifting helps the physical aspects of his game. The track helps the speed element needed to play the cornerback position when breaking on the football and trying to catch up to receivers.

Originally from Jacksonville, Baker was asked where he would play college football if given the opportunity to play for his dream school.

“I would say the Florida Gators,” he said. “I would help the Gators out. That’s my team since I was a child.

“I would help the Gators.”  

He’s one of the leaders on the team in tackles, has recovered a fumble and returned onside kicks.

Bulldog coach Thomas Grant is glad to have a player of Purdue’s multiple talents on his squad.

“He has lined up on offense, but he has primarily been outside linebacker, safety,” Grant said. “He’s just a great young man. He’s really come on this year, not only as a football player, but as a leader of this team.

“He’s just a great locker room guy. I trust him special teams, offense, defense. I trust him as much as anybody.”

Purdue has played football since he was in the sixth grade, and he finds it hard to believe his high school career will be over in a short time.

“It came to fast,” he said of his senior year as he echoed the sentiment of most high school football players.

There are many facets of the game Purdue enjoys.

“I love the contact and having the ball in my hands,” he said. “I love playing safety, because when the ball is in the air, I can take it. And I can play downhill (attacking the ball carrier or receiver).”

Standing about 6-feet-tall and weighing in at 170, Purdue is what Grant described as a prototypical high school athlete.

Once football season ends Purdue will join coach Greg Watson’s basketball team.

“He’s a great basketball player,” Grant said. “I’m looking forward to see what he does on the hard court this winter. He’s a multi-sport athlete.

“He does a great job. He comes to work every day with a smile on his face and tries to get better.”

Grant describes Purdue as, “He’s just a gamer. He makes plays.”

Purdue was able to show his skills after fielding the onside kick against Milton.

“It felt incredible,” he said. “I showed people what I could do with the ball in my hands.”

Purdue hopes to play college football and is waiting to see where that might be. He knows where he would like to play if given the opportunity.

“The Florida Gators,” he said. “That’s always been my dream school.”

The 2002 Bulldogs were undefeated when they played Rockledge in the state championship game at Florida State University’s Doak Campbell Stadium. The Raiders won the game 22-0 to claim their second consecutive state title.

The loss in the championship game doesn’t take away from one of the best teams in Bulldogs history.

“We are going to honor them at halftime,” Bulldog coach Thomas Grant. “We are going to do a tribute to that year.

“The announcers will talk about their accomplishments that year and fans will have a chance to give them a standing ovation. They are one of the greatest teams to come through here and they deserve to be honored.”

Matt Brunson was in his second year as Crestview head coach as the Bulldogs went 9-0 in the regular season. The playoff run was magical as Crestview opened with a 17-13 win over North Marion.

The second round of the playoffs saw the Bulldogs beat Suwannee 17-14. Crestview’s game with Milton in the region finals went to overtime before the Bulldogs prevailed 30-27. The semifinal was a 20-10 win for Crestview. Grant said players, cheerleaders and coaches from 2002 will be admitted to the stadium at no cost. They will need to go to the pass gate where they will have their name checked off the guest list.

Baker senior center Hunter Allen is the quarterback of the Gator offensive line.

“He’s very important to our team because he touches the ball on every play,” Baker head coach Barry Gardner said. “He has to know what everybody’s supposed to do on the line. He has to make a lot of checks and stuff. He’s a very smart kid. He picks up things fast when we put things in. He helps us get things aligned.”

Allen doesn’t shy away from his leadership role.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, but I love it,” Allen said. “If you mess up, it can ruin the whole entire play. In the middle of the line, that’s where everything happens.”

Baker runs a Wing-T offense and Gardner explained the differences between it and some other offensive sets.

“It’s not quite as much pass blocking for the center,” Gardner said. “Even when he is pass blocking, he gets some help. In other offenses like the spread, he’s isolated and blocks by himself.

“In this offense, it’s more blocking back,” Gardner continued. “The key is, he has to know where to block. The good is it’s less stuff, the bad thing is if he messes up, we are in trouble.”

The center usually only has to take a step or two to his left or right to make his block. But if he’s late or misses the block, there isn’t anyone to erase his mistake.

“He has to go to the right spot (to block),” Gardner said. “In some offenses, if the center messes up, there are people to block for him. In this offense if the center messes up the play is over.”

Allen started playing football in youth leagues. His dad introduced him to the game.

“He didn’t make me play football,” Allen said. “He wanted it to be my choice and I’ve always been in love with football.”

Gardner said Allen has always been one of the team’s most knowledgeable players, but he has taken things to a new level in the last couple of years.

“He’s always been a really smart kid and he has come a long way in the weight room,” Gardner said. “And he has come a long way as far as getting in shape and getting a little faster. He always knew what to do, but in the last few years he’s come a long ways in getting stronger, but also in getting a little quicker to help himself.”

Playing center for so long, Allen has plenty of stories. One of his best memories is when he actually carried the football.

“There was one time, when I was playing little league, the quarterback fumbled the ball and I had to pick it up and run a few yards,” he said. “That was probably the funniest thing that has happened to me. It’s a lineman’s dream.”

A standout in the classroom, Allen plans to attend the University of West Florida and major in computer science or cyber security.

As he leaves his football days and being a Baker Gator behind, the memories of being a part of a special team and community will remain. “It means a lot being a Baker Gator,” Allen said. “It means everybody has my back because it’s a small community. I’m never alone.”

Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 200 pounds, Knox has room to grow into his body. When that happens, his body will catch up with his already full-grown game.

“Jaylen’s been one of our more consistent players on defense this year,” Crestview coach Thomas Grant said. “Either him or Marion Hawthorne lead the team in sacks. He’s just been awesome for us.

“He’s really taken the next step on the field,” Grant continued. “He’s taken even a bigger step off the field in the way he leads and his leadership role on the team this year as senior. He has taken another stop vocally to be a leader in the locker room and it has been a pleasant surprise.”

Knox never thought he would play high school football, much less high school football at Crestview. And it has nothing to do with his love for the game.

“When I was younger, I didn’t think I’d be playing football my senior year,” he said. “I thought I’d be doing something else. I didn’t think I was good enough because of all the good players they had in the past like the Voisins and Chris Johns. I looked up to them.”

It’s probably a good assumption that young football players in the community are looking up to Knox now. If they aren’t, Grant can give them plenty of reasons to mold their game after his.

“His effort is off the chart,” Grant said. “I’ve seen him make plays where he runs down people. He’s a very athletic defensive end/outside linebacker. He just plays with tremendous effort. I can’t say how proud of him I am. He’s been just terrific this year.”

Grant likens Knox to former Bulldog defensive end Denzel Ware, but it’s not so much the way he looks but how he plays.

“Denzel was bigger, but he has that same kind of motor,” Grant said. 

“He just plays with great effort,” Grant continued. “You can’t put into somebody the type of effort he plays with. He doesn’t take plays off.”

Grant believes any college that signs Knox will get a player that can quickly grow into a college football player’s body.

“If there is a college interested in him, he checks every box,” Grant said. “When he gets to school, you can put weight on him. He could be 6-3 240 within a year-and-a-half. That’s the potential he has.”

Knox wants to play college football and is trying to improve every area of his game. “I’ve worked on my skills, my craft and my speed,” he said. With my speed I can contain the outside easy. If I see pulling guards, boom I can get there.”

Martin, who plays tight end on offense and linebacker on defense, returned to the starting lineup on Sept. 23 when the Gators played Northview. His return has bolstered the Gators on both sides of the ball as at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Martin is one of the larger more physical players on the team.

“It feels amazing,” Martin said. “I’ve been waiting for it a long time. It feels like too long.

I go out there and play 100 percent all the time. It’s hard sometimes, because I’m not in as good of condition as I want to be. I try extra hard during practice time to make up for lost work. I’m always trying. “

Gator coach Barry Gardner is happy to see Martin back and nearing full speed.

“He tore his ACL last year in the Walton game,” Gardner said. “He continued to play all the way through the playoffs. He wasn’t the same, but he gave it all he had.

“He played very good against Northview, and last week he was lights out (against Lighthouse). This week (against Jay) he’s going to play on both sides of the ball. He’s physical, but he’s also smart. He helps us get lined up defensively because that’s what he has done the last two years.”

Gardner said Martin’s experience and knowledge on offense also helps the Gators as he can immediately adjust to what a defense is doing.

“He’s been starting for us a long time,” Gardner said. “He started for us in 2020 (when the Gators won the state championship).”

Martin prefers playing linebacker to tight end as he believes his game is more suited for defense.

“I think the strength of my game is defense,” he said. “I think I’m needed on defense more. I think I’m just better on defense, tackling wise and making plays.”

Martin hopes to have the opportunity to play college football despite the setback of the knee injury. If he could play for the school of his dreams, he knows exactly where he would go.

“Florida State,” he said, “I played in the state championship game there a couple of years ago.”

Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder can play either inside or outside linebacker. And, as the old joke says, he might even drive the team bus if need be.

“I could ask him to drive the bus because he has like a 4.5 GPA,” Bulldog coach Thomas Grant said with a smile. “He’s one of our smartest scholar-athletes. It seems like everything he does, he does well.

“He’s just a tremendous young man. He’s one of the smartest people on the field. When you are as smart as he is, the more you know, the more you can use it to play different position.”

Still a junior, Parks is the second or third option at running back. As he waits his turn to replace senior Jayson Jones as the feature back in 2023, Parks is a starting receiver for Crestview. He’s making the most of the wait as through four games he was leading the team with 51.5 receiving yards a game and three touchdown receptions.

“He’s a guy that, because we have a couple of different running backs and Jayson kind of carries the load, he’s in the slot for us,” Grant said. “But next year, he more than likely be the guy in the backfield taking over and getting the 15-20 carries like Jayson does this year.”

Basketball was Parks’ first sport when he was in elementary school.

“I was eight and playing basketball and my coach suggested I play football,” Parks said. “I enjoy playing football to be with my friends.”

Parks said the footwork required at receiver has helped him at running back, but that running back is still his preferred position. And while he’s a capable defender, his heart is on offense.

Parks’ size, coupled with his speed and intelligence, should attract plenty of attention from college football programs.

“He might be one of our top prospects,” Grant said. “I know that at camps this year he ran a 4.53 (40-yard dash) or a 4.56. To be almost 200 pounds and to run a 4.5 his junior year is really good.”

As he continues to develop his game, Parks is working on keeping his composure when things get tough. He admits to needing to get stronger and gain confidence too.

If everything falls into place, who knows, maybe his dream will come true of remaining in state to play college football.

“My dream school is FSU,” he said. “I’ve liked Florida State since I was a kid.”

Coming into the game, the Baker Gators (3-2) needed to reestablish the running game, their bread and butter. Lighthouse (1-3) entered the game coming off its first win of the season, an 8-7 victory over Destin.

While the Stingrays celebrated a win last week, they didn’t get the chance against Baker.

The first half was highly competitive, with Lighthouse putting together a few good drives but Baker’s defense held strong when it counted, only allowing a single touchdown on a jet sweep by Daquavious Rich. Baker’s Kayleb Wagner scored twice in the first quarter and Colton Weekley rushed for another to give Baker a 21 to 7 lead at half.

The second half was dominated by Baker, with the only miscues being a fumble and a missed extra point. 27 of Baker’s 48 points came after halftime. Everything seemed to go Baker’s way in the second half.

One play summed up the second half rather well. Lighthouse was punting out of its own endzone when the punter shanked it, causing the ball to go sideways and land in their endzone. Wagner jumped on top of it, giving Baker another touchdown.

“Defensively, last year Wagner didn’t have to play much on defense, but this year, due to some injuries, he has had to play a lot,” Gardner said. “He’s really stepped up and been a great leader for us.”

Wagner finished with 25 carries for 237 yards and four total touchdowns, three of which came on the ground.

Weekley added two touchdowns with 132 yards on the ground and Brayshawn Baker, who was named homecoming king earlier in the night, capped off the game with a score of his own.

“We have got a lot of young kids starting, but our focus is being consistent all the time,” Gardner said. “That’s what we have to do a better job of.”

Baker goes back on the road for their next game at Jay.

While Keon has transferred to the University of West Florida to finish his career, the twins are fourth-year sophomores having taken a redshirt year and receiving an extra year due to the pandemic.

Devin and Jaden might be identical in physical appearance, but they play different positions on opposite sides of the ball. Devin is a receiver and was third on the team in receptions through three games with 13 catches and a touchdown. Jaden is a hard-hitting safety and was tied for the team lead with 17 tackles through three games.

South Alabama made the trip to California on Sept. 17 playing UCLA in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. And while the Jaguars lost to the Bruins 32-31, the brothers agree it was an experience they will never forget.

Devin enjoyed playing in the storied venue, but not for the reasons one might think.

“It was definitely different because the Rose Bowl has grass and we are used to playing on (artificial) turf all the time, so I felt a lot faster,” Devin said. “And the weather was different rather than being humid, like it is here in Mobile, it just felt dry. It felt like I could run a marathon out there, that’s how good I felt.

“Because of how well the grass is kept over there, I felt like I could run faster, and I could cut better without slipping on turf like I do all the time. Of course, because there is not humidity, I didn’t have to worry about moisture getting in my gloves and I didn’t have to worry about sweat dripping in my eyes. It felt really good, especially with the breeze out there.”

Devin admitted that he didn’t pay much attention to the announced crowd of 29,344 in attendance.

“I was just worried about playing the game,” he said. “But we really had a lot of people from South (Alabama) show up. A lot of our parents came out.

“A lot of our fans came out. They were honestly louder than the UCLA fans and that was nice.”

Jaden knows he will never have an opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl again as South Alabama is a member of the Sunbelt Conference and the actual Rose Bowl game has other bowl game obligations.

“It’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Jaden said. “For us in the Sunbelt, you don’t play a PAC 12 team pretty much ever. It was a good experience going out to the Rose Bowl.

“They didn’t pack it like you wish they had, but having our fans there was all that mattered. And definitely showed up for us.  I’d say Jack Foster (the CHS stadium) is a little more crowded.”

When asked their favorite road stadium, both brothers agreed on the same venue, or at least in part agreed.

“I would say my favorite would be UCLA because it is the Rose Bowl,” Jaden said. “But I would say if you are talking fan base, it would be my freshman year at Nebraska. They have 90,000 plus there. 

“But just of the stadiums I’ve been to, that’s the Rose Bowl.”

Devin agreed on the Nebraska part of his brother’s answer.

“I would probably say Nebraska is my favorite from my freshman year,” Devin said. “That was my first college game too. Playing your first college game in a stadium that big, especially since they sell out every game, it was intense.

“It was also when I had my first catch too. It was definitely fun for me.”

Both brothers have moved into starting roles and with starting comes the assurance of more playing time and more challenges.

“Before this year, I wasn’t worried that I would play that much,” Devin said. “This year, I’ve had two games where I cramped up during the game and had to leave at halftime. So, I think starting to play and taking care of my body the day before is the biggest challenge, but now I’m fine.

“I know exactly what I need to do before the games, the week prior to the games and everything. The biggest challenge is making sure I hydrate before the game because I didn’t use to cramp as much as I am now.”

The added responsibility of being a starter is what Jaden feels.

“Honestly, it was taking on the bigger role,” Jaden said. “I had Keith Gallmon in front of me, so I had a good leader in front of me. He was a good mentor just watching him.

“That’s big shoes to fill with Keith. That’s the biggest challenge just trying to be a leader that everybody can trust and keeping them locked in when I am out there.”

Devin said playing in Tim Hatten’s high-octane offense at Crestview prepared him for a college offense where the offense doesn’t huddle and players get hand signals from the coaches as to the play they will run.

Jaden credited playing against top high school talent prepared him for the speed he sees every week n the college field. Yes, he had to adjust to it a little, but he was prepared to face faster players in college because he faced fast players while at Crestview.

The brothers still have a chance to compete head-to-head occasionally when Devin lines up as a slot receiver in practice. The real question then becomes who gets the upper hand? And the answer depends on which brother you ask.

“Sometimes I have to go to slot and he’ll line up over me and we’ll battle each other,” Devin said. “He’ll win some and I’ll win some.”

That’s not the way Jaden see things.

“I’d lean it a little more 75 percent to 25 percent for me.”