BAY MINETTE – On a night of remembrance Baldwin County High School "played their hearts out," in the 20-14 defeat to 6A Region 1 playoff team Theodore Bobcats.

The defenses came out strong in the opening of the game as both teams were unable to move the ball any distance until Baldwin County received the ball on the Bobcat 38.

Quarterback Jordan Ebert opened up the drive with a seven yard pass to Chris Bush. Senior Charleston Gandy then took the ball for a 30-yard run and was brought down at the one. Ebert then took the quarterback keep up the middle for the first touchdown of the game. With 1:05 left in the first quarter the Tigers jumped ahead 7-0.

Theodore came back in the second quarter with a 36-yard pass from quarterback  Chris Nelson to Darien Thomas for the 7-7 tie with 10:55 left in the half.

CJ Stevens took a 25-yard kick off return to set up the Tigers next 55 yard scoring drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ebert to Bush with 5:33 left in the half.

The Tiger defense then held Theodore to a punt and BCHS managed to keep the ball until time ran down for the half giving Baldwin County the 14-7 lead going into half time.

Theodore came back strong to open up the second half. Starting out on their own 15 Todd Neal took a pair of two yard rushes to open up for a 31-yard pass from Nelson to Thomas to give the Bobcats first and ten at midfield. Nelson then hit Brandon Kiser with a 45-yard pass to set up the first and goal at the five. Nelson then dropped the snap but was quick to regain the possession with a three yard loss setting up second and goal at the eight yard line. Then Nelson's pass to the right corner of the end zone was caught by Thomas for the 14-14 tie with 9:26 left in the third quarter.

Once again the defense held strong until the final seconds of the fourth quarter when Plummer Mayblen caught an interception at the Tigers 35 Theodore. The Bobcats marched down the field when Neal drove in the three yard touchdown run with 31.5 seconds left on the clock.

Theodore then kicked the onsides kick directly to defensive end Brandon Savage who took the quick fall to stop the clock with 27.7 seconds left on the clock. Ebert then handed the ball to Andrew King who ran to the left for a seven yard gain. The next play was an incomplete pass to stop the clock, Bush took the third snap of the final possession to gain the first down at the Bobcats 31 yard line. With the clock ticking away Ebert threw a pass deep into coverage to Gandy, and the ball was tipped by Theodore's defense to give the Bobcats the 20-14 victory.

Baldwin County High finished the season 5-5.

"They (BCHS) played several games without Gandy, with his talent if he was healthy all year they would have been in the playoffs,” Theodore coach Bill Meredith said. “They played a hard fought game.”

"This game sums up our season, we played our hearts out all year,” BCHS coach David Wofford said. “I am very proud of these guys."