Sports
Baldwin Beats T.J. in Battle of Route 51, 21-14
Highlanders stage improbable comeback to best local rivals on Homecoming night.
This article was originally published on Sept. 24, 2011.
They say that non-conference games don't mean anything. But whoever "they" are, they certainly aren't the Highlanders.
Baldwin High School, celebrating Homecoming, scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to top nearby Thomas Jefferson High School (2-2) in varsity football on Friday night, 21-14.
For Baldwin High (3-1), it was a long time coming, as many Highlanders had this game circled on their calendars ever since a 35-20 loss last year at Thomas Jefferson, less than a 4-mile drive from Baldwin.
"I've always wanted them back from last year," Baldwin's junior running back Dorian Brown said, "from what they did to me ... They taunted a lot (last year), yelled about a lot of stuff. But I kept my mouth quiet. Words don't speak as loud as actions, so I just did what I did today."
What Brown did was almost single-handedly bring the Highlanders back from a 14-0 halftime deficit, rushing for a game-high 278 yards on 34 carries, including a breathtaking 80-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 19 seconds left and Baldwin trailing, 14-13.
But Brown wasn't without help. The Highlanders' senior defensive lineman Andrew Bannister, a converted fullback, caused two fumbles in the second half while Baldwin was facing fourth-down situations inside its own 10-yard line. The second fumble—recovered by Bannister, too—came one play before Brown's game-winning 80-yard TD run.
Bannister was credited with a sack on both forced fumbles, which, oddly, were his only two tackles of the game.
"I realized it was a big (situation)," Bannister said of the second forced fumble, "but I just came out and did my job—what the coaches taught us to do.
"Just trying to make a play. I was trying to aim for the ball a little bit."
Bannister echoed Brown's sentiments that a game against the Jaguars, perennial state-title contenders at the AAA level, means more than most other non-conference games. Baldwin plays at the WPIAL's AAAA, or highest, level.
"We put our heart and souls into this game," Bannister said. "All the seniors wanted it ... They're cross-town rivals; they talk a lot. But we came out and handled our business."
Thomas Jefferson had a business-like approach to the first half, outgaining Baldwin, 213-85, through the first two quarters despite Baldwin holding an edge in time of possession, 12:45-11:15.
The Highlanders hurt themselves with three first-half turnovers—all interceptions and all coming in Jaguars territory.
Baldwin's starting quarterback, freshman Doug Altavilla, was pulled after throwing two picks and was replaced by sophomore quarterback/defensive back Luke Smorey.
Altavilla's final numbers were two completions on six attempts for 25 yards. Smorey went 2-for-3 passing for 20 yards. He threw Baldwin's other pick.
The Highlanders changed their offense—and the game—drastically by coming out in the second half in the wildcat formation, the same tactic used by Baldwin in its 35-7 win at Norwin High School the week before.
Senior utiltyman Zack Denardo took the bulk of the snaps for Baldwin in its wildcat look during that game, but this week, Brown handled most of them, perhaps feeling better after resting his sore ankle a bit during practice this week.
"It's close to 100 percent," Brown said.
Neither Altavilla nor Smorey threw a pass from scrimmage in the second half against T.J., but Denardo did find senior running back Tarief Green for a 23-yard TD catch in the third quarter that made the score 14-13. It was the Highlanders' lone passing play of the half, except for a questionable two-point conversion pass by Altavilla to senior wide receiver/defensive back Jeremy Joyce that followed Green's score.
Altavilla hit Joyce about two yards from the end zone, but Joyce couldn't squeeze between two Jaguars defenders to give Baldwin the lead.
"We had the play that we wanted, too," Baldwin's Head Coach Jim Wehner said. "We just couldn't get it in. Luckily, it didn't cost us in the end.
"We said, at halftime, if we were to get the chance to take the lead, that we were gonna do it. We weren't playing to tie."
Baldwin's first TD came at the end of a bruising series by Brown, who looked plenty comfortable in the wildcat.
Baldwin took the opening kickoff of the second half at its own 37 and marched 63 yards into the end zone to make it 14-7. Brown took a direct snap on all five plays of that drive and accounted for all 63 yards.
He had 237 yards rushing in the second half alone.
"Just try to score," Brown said, "every time you touch it."
"Our goal is to give Dorian Brown the ball," Wehner said. "I said, at halftime, snap the ball to Dorian Brown and get it to him as quickly as you can. Let him run.
"Dorian did the rest. And our (offensive) line played pretty well."
After Brown's final touch of the game—the 80-yard score in which he shed a would-be T.J. tackler near the boundary off of the right side—Denardo plowed in for an important two-point conversion rush that made the earlier two-point miss irrelevant.
After Baldwin went ahead by the final margin, the Jaguars still had a chance to tie the game late, but the Highlanders defense swelled up.
T.J. drove to its own 45 with about a minute to play, but Jaguars senior quarterback Dom Presto was sacked on first down for a 10-yard loss by senior linebacker Dominick Barca Jr.
On the next play, Presto tried to hit streaking junior wide receiver Jake Mascaro in Baldwin territory, but the ball fell through Mascaro's hands as he was being challenged by two defenders.
Presto's next pass to junior wide receiver Zach Schademan was broken up by Joyce, and on fourth-and-20, another Presto attempt to Mascaro fell incomplete, allowing the Highlanders to finish in victory formation.
"Anytime that you can beat T.J. is a big win for your program," Wehner said. "They're in the state playoffs almost every year. If we can get to that point, it'd be awesome."
Baldwin finished the game just ahead in total yards, 344-343.
Brown's performance overshadowed 165 yards on 22 carries by T.J.'s senior running back Ryan Ruffing, who also intercepted two passes on the other side of the ball.
Presto threw for 150 yards on 12-of-27 passing, including two TDs and an interception to Denardo.
Schademan caught a game-high six passes for a game-high 77 yards. His 10-yard reception midway through the second quarter marked the game's first points. Ruffing caught a three-yard TD pass with 23 seconds remaining in the first half.
Joyce led all players with 11 tackles, including a game-high 10 solo stops. Sophomore defensive back Chase Winovich led the Jaguars with eight tackles (six solo).
Not to be forgotten are three tackles by Smorey, including two that prevented almost-certain TD runs, during the T.J. drive that ended with Bannister's second forced fumble.
Brown has 651 yards on 94 carries this year, including six TDs. Denardo's TD pass against T.J. is the Highlanders' only passing score this year.
Baldwin's senior quarterback Cory Phillips, who hasn't played this season as he recovers from concussion symptoms, has been cleared to resume practicing with the team.
"(Phillips is) going to get eased in," Wehner said, "and he knows that. Any guy that you can get in there to start competition is good."
Bannister left the game with a leg injury during T.J.'s final drive. He was on crutches after the game but reported that he "feels pretty good."
Baldwin opens AAAA Great Southern Conference play at Upper St. Clair High School (3-1) on Friday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m.
T.J. plays Elizabeth Forward High School (1-3) next at home in an AAA Big Eight Conference game on Sept. 30, also at 7:30 p.m.
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