Down 21-7 to Chartiers Valley on Sept. 13, the Baldwin football team scored a touchdown to pull within a single score, and then successfully completed an onsides kick to get the ball back.
But a miscue on a snap and some unsuccessful offensive plays ended that drive, and the Highlanders lost the game.
“We played hard but made some messy mistakes, resulting in us coming up short in the end,” senior Cenzo Pacella said of that game. The final score was 21-13.
In the two weeks since then, Baldwin has lost to Elizabeth Forward 40-0 and South Fayette 38-0. The team is 0-6 overall and 0-1 in the section.
Despite all the challenges of the season, there have been bright spots and moments of growth. Chris Reilsono, running backs coach, cited the offense’s play in the Chartiers Valley game.
“They put in a lot of hard work, so when plans are carried out as expected it’s great to see,” Reilsono said.
The team has also been working on basics and working in reps to improve the consistency of their plays.
“Every rep we do we are making sure nothing is overlooked, fixing small and large mistakes,” Reilsono said.
Freshman Noah Mickolay has seen some good things out of the team through the first half of the season.
“Some improvements that we have made were understanding our assignments better and doing our jobs,” Mickolay said.
Mickolay also gives credit to the wide receivers on the team.
“They have been playing great and doing the best they can,” Mickolay said. “They have made at least a few good plays in each game so far.”
Freshman Dylan Kluczkowski feels that the offensive line has improved since the start of the season.
“The O line has done a good job of stopping the opponent’s defensive line from getting to the quarterback,” Kluczkowski said.
As the Highlanders move on to the rest of their season, it will be a tough road to finish out. The Highlanders are set to play four teams that are competing for a top spot in their section.
Pacella said players need to be more aware of their position in the game to limit the amount of mistakes made.
“I feel that people aren’t very aware of what needs to be done by them and it’s giving the opponents an advantage,” Pacella said.
Mickolay said each side of the ball can do more.
“We need to work on executing on offense and also tackling on defense,” Mickolay said.
For the seniors, these final four games offer a chance to work on personal and team goals.
“I just want to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities,” senior Jaden Duttine said.
Pacella hopes to keep the spirits high for the freshmen on the team during these final weeks.
“They are young and this season has been tough, so I just want them to keep their heads up and put in all they got,” Pacella said.
