DAPHNE, Ala. — Bayside Academy blocked two fourth-quarter punts, erased a 14-point deficit and scored 21 unanswered points to beat Mobile Christian 27-20 on Friday, Oct. 16, at Freedom Field, a comeback that clinched the Class A Region 1 championship for the Admirals. Quarterback Davis Barnett hit Mason Edwards with a 16-yard touchdown pass with 33.7 seconds left to complete the rally.
The matchup pitted two of the top teams in Class A, with the No. 3-ranked Admirals hosting the No. 4-ranked Leopards. Mobile Christian held a 20-6 lead in the third quarter before Bayside’s special teams changed the course of the night.
Bayside Academy Clinches Class A Region 1 Title
With the victory, Bayside Academy improved to 7-1 overall and 6-0 in region play, locking up the Class A Region 1 title and the region’s top seed for the playoffs. The Admirals have now won three consecutive games since a 37-19 loss to St. Michael Catholic on Sept. 25.
Mobile Christian fell to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the region. The loss was the Leopards’ first in region play.
Admirals head coach Barrett Trotter credited the visitors and said his players never doubted they could come back, even when the scoreboard said otherwise.
“We knew this was a tough team and give credit to Mobile Christian for doing a heck of a job,” Trotter said. “We knew it was going to be a four-quarter battle, so it didn’t matter what the score showed in the third or halfway through the fourth; we knew we had a chance to come back and win if we go out and execute.
“We have to play hard teams (and) we have to play good teams, and that’s what’s going to make us good. Going out and finishing this game the way we did prepares us for what’s coming down the road in the playoffs and, hopefully, the state championship.”
A Slow Start for the Admirals
Bayside’s night began with a scare. On the Admirals’ opening drive, a pass appeared to be intercepted and returned for a Mobile Christian touchdown, but the play was wiped out because of an inadvertent whistle.
The Admirals could not cash in on the reprieve. Carson Kohn’s 36-yard field goal attempt on that possession missed, and the game remained scoreless deep into the first half.
Bayside finally broke through two possessions later, putting together a 50-yard drive late in the second quarter. Sam Cunningham finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run, but the extra point was no good, leaving the Admirals ahead 6-0.
Mobile Christian answered just before the break. Israel Benard connected with Damarien Gatson on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left in the half, and the successful extra point sent the Leopards to the locker room with a 7-6 lead.
Mobile Christian Builds a 20-6 Lead
The Leopards took control in the third quarter behind Benard’s arm. Midway through the period, he found Ladouglas Jones Jr. for a 15-yard touchdown pass that pushed the lead to 14-6.
Mobile Christian’s defense then delivered a big play of its own when Durrell Robinson intercepted a Barnett pass. Benard made the Admirals pay on the ensuing possession, hitting Hakeem Winston on a 71-yard touchdown strike.
Bayside blocked the extra point, but the Leopards still held a 20-6 advantage. At that point, the 14-point cushion looked like it might be enough for Mobile Christian to take control of the region race.
Two Blocked Punts Spark 21 Unanswered Points
The momentum swung early in the fourth quarter. After the Bayside defense forced a stop, the Admirals got a hand on a Mobile Christian punt, and the partially blocked kick was downed at the Leopards’ 44-yard line.
Four plays later, Barnett lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to Walker Collins, trimming the deficit to 20-13. Mobile Christian went three-and-out on its next series, and this time Bayside blocked the punt cleanly and recovered at the Leopards’ 8.
Caid Lyons and Riggins Hammock each blocked a punt in the quarter. Two plays after the second block, Cunningham powered in from 3 yards out for his second touchdown of the night, and the extra point tied the game 20-20 with 3:57 remaining.
Trotter said the blocks were no accident. “We knew we had a chance to block one just by looking at the tape this week, and our kids went out and made plays,” he said.
Barnett Delivers the Game-Winning Drive
The Bayside defense forced Mobile Christian to punt once more, and Barnett took advantage. The Admirals covered 56 yards in five plays, and Barnett capped the drive with the 16-yard scoring throw to Edwards with 33.7 seconds on the clock for a 27-20 lead.
Mobile Christian had one last chance, but its final drive ended when Warren Johnson intercepted a Benard pass, sealing the victory and the region title for Bayside.
Barnett struggled at times in the first half but finished 21 of 35 for 318 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter. Collins was his top target with 10 catches for 162 yards, while Edwards added five receptions for 109 yards. Cunningham accounted for the Admirals’ two rushing touchdowns on runs of 1 and 3 yards.
Trotter said his quarterback carries a heavy load at the line of scrimmage and responded when the game was on the line.
“We trust him (Barnett) to do everything up front and make the calls and get the ball to the right spot,” Trotter said. “He wavered at times tonight and he knew it, but he stepped up at the right time and made plays when he had to.”
Leopards Air It Out but Struggle on the Ground
Benard completed 12 of 21 passes for 213 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for Mobile Christian. Winston had five receptions for 149 yards, including the 71-yard score, while Gatson caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown and Jones added his 15-yard touchdown grab.
The Leopards’ running game, however, never got going. Mobile Christian finished with just 56 rushing yards, and Tristan Aragon led the team with 45 yards on 12 carries.
Leopards head coach Charles Lawson said Bayside’s second-half pressure took his quarterback out of rhythm.
“They put pressure on Israel in the second half,” Lawson said. “He tried to get out of the pocket a lot and moving around, and that’s something I don’t want him to do; moving around in the pocket to make plays when he has a lot of weapons.”
What’s Next for Bayside and Mobile Christian
With the Class A Region 1 crown secured, Bayside Academy will carry the region’s No. 1 seed into the postseason. Trotter said closing out a close game against a quality opponent should help his team as it looks toward the playoffs.
Mobile Christian, now 7-2, travels to play Bayshore Christian on Friday, Oct. 23. The Leopards will look to bounce back from their first region loss of the season.
- Final score: Bayside Academy 27, Mobile Christian 20
- Records: Bayside Academy 7-1 (6-0 Class A Region 1); Mobile Christian 7-2 (5-1)
- Key plays: Two blocked punts in the fourth quarter; 21 unanswered points; 16-yard TD pass with 33.7 seconds left
- Next for Mobile Christian: at Bayshore Christian, Friday, Oct. 23
