Nothing could wipe the smile away from head coach Mike Grossner’s face after Baker’s 33-7 win over Central Methodist University at Liston Stadium on senior day.
Not even after the cold feeling of a Gatorade shower hit him in 50-degree weather as the game clock wound down to zero.
“It was a little cold, but it felt good,” Grossner said. “Anytime you get a (Gatorade) shower, something good happens.”
The No. 24-ranked Wildcats finished the regular season at 7-3, and have won seven of their final eight games. For 21 players, this was the final regular season game of their career. The seniors will leave Baker with 25 career Heart of America Athletic Conference wins and three straight winning seasons.
“Those 21 (seniors) that are leaving us, they gave us a fantastic career,” Grossner said. “They turned this program around.”
The first big play of the game came from the Baker defense, as linebacker Matt Brock intercepted Central Methodist quarterback Bryant Jackson and returned the pick down to the Central Methodist 24-yard line. The Wildcats capitalized on the turnover with a 34-yard Derek Doerfler field goal.
Baker had great field position again when the Eagles muffed a punt return, which was recovered by the Wildcats on the Central Methodist 13-yard line. The Wildcats were unable to put points on the board, however, as Doerfler’s 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Baker found the end zone for the first time with 10:25 remaining in the second quarter, when quarterback Mack Brown found receiver Austin DeGraeve for a 32-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats a 10-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, running back Richie Bryant broke a 50-yard run for a touchdown, but the extra point was missed by Doerfler. Despite coming into the game being injured with a hip flexor, Bryant had a career-high 35 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Doerfler knocked in a 28-yard field goal with 48 seconds left in the second quarter to give Baker a 19-0 lead at halftime.
“I just thought everybody up front, and both sides of the football, everybody just played their best game and it showed,” Grossner said.
Central Methodist finally found some success offensively with a 78-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryant Jackson to Moses Harper.
The Eagles good fortunes did not last long, as they fumbled on their next offensive possession, which was picked up by Robert Woodall and returned to the nine-yard line.
Baker again capitalized on a turnover by the Eagles, as Brown found receiver Brad Fawcett in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Brown hooked up with Fawcett again with just under nine minutes remaining in the game, with Fawcett fighting off a Central Methodist defender to make the catch.
Brown completed 25 of 38 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns, while Fawcett pulled down a game-high 10 receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns.
“Brad Fawcett, we’ve seen it for four years in practice. He snags a ball out of the air when you don’t think he’d do it,” Grossner said. “I’m just so proud that he picked his last senior day to show everybody what he’s all about.”