By JOHN LIKANJE
VICTOR, N.Y. – After a big Opening Night game against Canandaigua, Shawny Baker look poised to have a strong season for Victor. However, a nagging ankle injury forced him to miss three contests and leave during the second quarter of a game against Webster Thomas. On Friday night, Baker reminded everyone how explosive he is, scoring three touchdowns in a 35-7 victory over Brighton.
“We’ve been waiting to see it,” Victor head coach Geoffrey Mandile said. “Wednesday at practice, he had a couple of runs where we’re like ‘Oh, there he is.’ Finally, that kid we saw last year is back.”
On the Blue Devils’ first drive of the game, Baker caught a low pass from quarterback James Knapp and took off into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven apiece. On the ensuing possession, Baker accounted for 60 of 90 yards on a 14-play drive and sprinted to the house to give the Blue Devils’ a 14-7 lead they did not relinquish.
.@SecVFootball – @BCSDSports vs. @VictorFootballB: Shawny Baker 3-yard TD run. 8:21 2Q: Victor 14 Brighton 7. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/ztyCYjhIfQ
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) October 18, 2019
Baker capped off his night with his third touchdown in three drives, a 68-yard run up the right sideline. For the game, the junior running back scrambled for 22 carries and 159 yards.
“My linemen just practicing hard, getting in the weight room,” Baker said. “Driving people around, making holes for me and I just go.”
.@SecVFootball – @BCSDSports vs. @VictorFootballB: James Knapp 24-yard TD pass to Shawny Baker. 6:00 1Q: tied at 7. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/x1FVTu2CTa
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) October 18, 2019
Knapp completed 5-of-8 passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns. The junior quarterback finished the regular season with 785 passing yards in seven games played.
“He just has an arm and he put it in the right place,” Baker said about Knapp.
“The one to Shawny, he just made a play,” Mandile explained. “With how strong he is, they couldn’t pull him down. He got the ball out to Shawny and he finished it. And then the great throw to end the half to his brother on the fade ball in the end zone.”
.@SecVFootball – @BCSDSports vs. @VictorFootballB: James Knapp 11-yard TD pass to Trevor Knapp. Halftime: Victor 28 Brighton 7. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/4lSVhfEkZ1
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) October 19, 2019
After giving up an opening drive touchdown to Brighton, Victor scored 35 unanswered points. The Blue Devils scored on their first four possessions of the game as well.
Senior running back Jayden Pope produced the only points of the game for the Barons with a 14-yard run two minutes into the contest.
.@SecVFootball – @BCSDSports vs. @VictorFootballB: Jayden Pope 14-yard TD run. 10:06 1Q: Brighton 7 Victor 0. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/rhzzrAMF6D
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) October 18, 2019
Victor finishes the regular season on a five-game winning streak and a 6-1 record. Brighton ends the campaign with a 4-3 record.
“We’re going to give it everything we got,” Mandile said about preparing for sectionals. “We got some guys in the right spots again and I’m just excited about how we played tonight.”
“It’s going to be three tough games. I don’t think there’s an easy game to be had out there. I would like to think we’re playing pretty well based on this game. I’m sure everyone else is feeling the same way.”
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