Alaynah Smith has that “it” factor when taking the softball in the circle for the Baker Lady Gators.
The senior will continue to showcase her talents after graduation when she continues her career at Lurlene B. Wallace Community College in Andalusia, Ala.
Crestview’s 2022 football season came to an end Friday night in the semifinal round of the Region 1-4S playoffs.
A week after making the short trip to Niceville and upsetting their rival Eagles, the Bulldogs made the long road trip to Gainesville to take on a talented Buchholz squad. Crestview mistakes, coupled with the firepower of the Bobcats, equaled a 54-33 win by Buchholz.
Baker head coach Barry Gardner spent several minutes talking with his team after Friday night’s 39-20 1A regional semifinal loss to Chipley.
The pain of this defeat here on a chilly evening at Philip Roundtree Stadium cut deep, and it was evident in the emotion shown in Gardner’s post game talk as well as through the tears the players shed as the realization hit that the lights of Friday night have been dimmed until 2023.
Crestview’s Lady Bulldogs basketball team opened the 2022-23 campaign on Tuesday night against Fort Walton Beach to mixed results under first-year coach Connor Williams.
The team played hard under their rookie boss and led throughout a large portion of the game. But first-game jitters and sloppy play negated the positives as Crestview fell to the Vikings 48-44.
Crestview’s football team arrived safely in Gainesville a little around 5 p.m. on Thursday for Friday’s playoff game with Buchholz.
After checking into their rooms, the team went through a walk-through at an open field next to their motel as the final glimmers of light gave way to darkness.
A gritty Baker football team will be tested on Friday when the Gators travel to Chipley to take on the Tigers in the Region 1-1A R semi-finals. Game time is set for 7:30.
The Gators enter the game with an 8-3 record and playing some of their best football of the season. They will need to be playing their best against a talented Tiger squad that has a perfect 10-0 record and received a first-round bye in the playoffs.
It’s the time of year when football teams are happy to still be playing. And while celebrating wins in the early rounds of the playoffs are nice, no time wants the season to end short of lifting the championship trophy.
Crestview will take the next step in a hopeful championship run on Friday when the Bulldogs (7-4) travel to Gainesville to take on Buchholz in Regional 1 4A S semifinal.
The first game of 2022 playoffs turned out to be an uneasy win for the Baker High Gators, despite leading all four quarters on Friday night at Doug Griffith Memorial Stadium.
Baker took on the Bozeman Bucks out of Bay County for the second time this season. While Bozeman came into the playoffs at 5-5, Baker head coach Barry Gardner said the Gators were not about to underestimate them.
Friday is a night that will be remembered for years to come by the Crestview football team and their fans.
The Bulldogs traveled south on Highway 85 hoping to avenge a regular season loss to Niceville and extend their season with a playoff win.
