Harlem opened its 2024 Region 4-AAA campaign in somewhat dramatic fashion with a narrow 17-14 victory over Baldwin Friday night.
After bolting out to a 17-0 halftime lead, Harlem almost fumbled the game away — literally.
Baldwin scored both its touchdowns in the second half which cut the Bulldogs’ margin to three late in the game.
Harlem was forced to punt late in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs got a gift as the Baldwin’s return man muffed the punt and Hance Harper pounced on it.
With only two timeouts remaining for Baldwin, it seemed as if this one was over. But then the Bulldogs gave the gift right back, as the Braves’ defense blew up the mesh forcing a Harlem fumble with a minute left in the game.
Baldwin would move the ball near midfield, but the Bulldogs defense held firm, tackling the Braves’ quarterback on a scramble as time expired to secure the victory.
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It was the first game for Harlem in two weeks which, perhaps, prompted some rusty play.
Tale of two halves
The Bulldogs struggled on offense through the first quarter only managing to get one good drive going which led to a field goal off the foot of Will Holder to give Harlem a 3-0 lead.
Things really got rolling for Harlem as it fed off of Baldwin’s mistakes — the first coming inside the Bulldogs’ 20-yard line. The Baldwin quarterback made a man miss and threw up a ball that came down in the hands of Harlem defensive back Jayden Futrell.
The Bulldogs capitalized on it when Giovanni Arroyo found the end zone from five yards out to give them a 10-0 lead.
The Braves threw another interception, this one to Harlem’s Ronald Oliver. The Bulldogs offense, however, failed to get anything going.
Jayden Futrell heroics
The punt set up Baldwin in premium position to get points before the half, but Futrell jumped the route of Braves’ wideout and snagged another interception taking it to the Braves’ 25-yard line before being tackled out of bounds.
Two plays later, Mercer Barton found Futrell in the back of the end zone for a quick score before the half, making it 17-0 at the break.
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The second half was a complete 180 from the first, as Baldwin asserted control.
The Braves’ defense shut down the Bulldogs giving its offense an abundance of chances to get into the end zone, and Baldwin finally capitalized on a pass play from Lamar Bounds to Kielan Walker that cut Harlem’s lead to 17-7 in the third quarter.
Baldwin’s Sadur Salahuddin tallied a rushing score at the 3:09 mark of the final quarter to pull the Braves within a field goal and set up the final drive drama.
Harlem (3-0, 1-0) got out of the game with its perfect record still intact as it will prepare to host West Laurens in region play next Friday. The Raiders (4-0, 1-0) defeated Cross Creek (1-3, 0-1) 44-28 Friday night in its region opener.
We’ll have more coverage of Harlem’s Friday night win over the weekend.
