Baker toasts Malden in Sikeston's 49-16 win

SIKESTON — ‘Roll it, pat it, and mark it with a B.’

But instead of pat-a-cakes, Pierce Baker pounded out touchdowns, leaving the Malden defense burnt to a crisp in a 49-16 win at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium on Friday, Sep. 20.

“We had a rough first half, but we picked up speed by working together and getting our heads straight,” Baker said. “That led to us putting a lot of points on the board.”

The victory not only marked the Bulldogs' (2-2, 0-1 SEMO North) most decisive victory since a 48-14 season-opening win at Caruthersville in 2021 but also equaled the team’s total number of wins from last season.

The Green Wave (0-4, 0-2 SEMO South) started the game with some big plays as Dyentez Dobbins broke free for a 26-yard run, followed by a 19-yard reception by Tristin Moncrief.

Moncrief later converted a fourth down with a catch on a quick screen, keeping the drive alive. However, Sikeston's defense made a pivotal play by forcing a fumble, which Acie Dixon recovered to end the drive.

Despite this opportunity, the Bulldogs were forced to punt back to the Green Wave, who quickly responded with a stunning 51-yard touchdown pass from Miguel Redfoot to Tyshan Carter. Redfoot then found Moncrief for the 2-point conversion, giving Malden an 8-0 lead with 6:51 left in the first quarter.

“We seem to struggle out of the gates so far,” said Sikeston coach Jim May. “We’ve had to play from behind every week and we’ve done a pretty good job of keeping our heads up and staying in it.”

Just when it seemed like Sikeston might be on the ropes, Keane Atkins provided a lifeline with a spectacular 65-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, narrowing the lead to 8-7 with 6:38 left in the first quarter.

“It was a great answer and a great run by [Atkins],” May said. “We picked up some blocks and he outran them down the sideline. We can do that because he’s a really good athlete. It was big to get us on the board.”

Following the touchdown, both teams found themselves mired in offensive struggles. Malden's offense sputtered, failing to gain significant yardage and punting twice in quick succession.

Meanwhile, Sikeston managed to move the ball effectively, advancing into the red zone on two consecutive drives. However, their efforts were thwarted by turnovers: first, a fumble that halted momentum, and then an interception by Dobbins in the endzone for a touchback.

The Bulldogs took their first lead in a rather unexpected and dramatic turn of events.

Driving deep into Green Wave territory, Baker connected on a short pass near the goal line, but as the ball carrier fought his way toward the end zone, he lost control of the ball.

In a fortunate break, the ball was scooped up by Luke Gadberry for a touchdown. This opportunistic play gave Sikeston a 14-8 lead with six minutes left in the second quarter.

The next sequence was a comedy of errors for Sikeston, marked by a series of penalties and missed opportunities that seemed almost self-sabotaging.

Sikeston appeared to have a sack in the end zone for a safety, but a clear facemask penalty nullified the play and granted Malden a first down.

The Bulldogs then forced a punt, only to rough the kicker and provide the Green Wave with another fresh set of downs. When Sikeston finally intercepted a deep pass, the play was called back due to a pass interference penalty.

“I was extremely frustrated,” May said. “I have never seen anything like that. We couldn’t get off the field and it was all self-inflicted. We have to clean that up.”

Despite what appeared to be their best efforts to hand the game back to the Green Wave, the Bulldogs' defense, led by standout defensive end Darryl Jordan, ultimately held firm.

Jordan stepped up when it mattered most, making a powerful tackle for a loss on third down, forcing a punt and finally ending the drive. He also recorded a sack to close out the first half.

Incredibly, despite six 15-yard penalties, three turnovers, and numerous additional infractions totaling at least 100 yards, Sikeston managed to head into halftime with the lead. The Bulldogs' resilience in the face of their own mistakes was nothing short of remarkable.

"That's almost impossible," May said, reflecting on the team's tumultuous first half. "But we cleaned it up and things took care of themselves."

May emphasized that there was no yelling or screaming during halftime. Instead, he calmly explained to the team that their current level of play wouldn't secure them big wins.

This straightforward approach seemed to resonate. Whatever adjustments were made during the break proved effective, as Sikeston came out strong in the second half and Baker quickly extended the lead with a 21-yard touchdown run, making it 21-8 with 9:06 left in the third quarter.

“We didn’t change much,” Baker said. “We just tried to work on the mental errors and penalties.”

However, Malden showed they were far from defeated. The Green Wave immediately responded with a 57-yard touchdown run by Tylyne Mathies, and a successful 2-point conversion pass from Redfoot to Moncrief narrowed the gap to 21-16 with 8:40 left in the third quarter.

Sikeston managed to create some breathing room with 4:09 left in the third quarter, capitalizing on overaggressive defense with a brilliantly executed trick play where Baker pitched the ball to Gadberry, who then launched a halfback pass downfield. The play caught the Green Wave completely off guard, as Gadberry's bomb found a wide-open Kendarious Love for a 54-yard touchdown. This spectacular play extended Sikeston's lead to 28-16.

“[Malden] was selling out in the middle of the field,” May said. “So in the second half, we really started getting out on the edge. We had a lot of success because they were determined we weren’t going to run up the middle. They started crashing on the sweep once we began to have some success and [Gadberry] has that ability to throw it. So, when the corner bit [Love] was wide open.”

Next, Sikeston's defense showcased their dominance. Jordan set the tone with a sack on first down, followed by a pass breakup by Mason King. On third down, Jayden Wiley sealed the deal with another impactful sack, forcing the Green Wave into a three-and-out and returning possession to the Bulldogs.

Baker capped off the third quarter with a powerful one-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 36-16. He then added the two-point conversion, connecting with Jordan for a successful pass.

The Bulldogs continued to pile on points, extending their lead to 42-16 with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Baker to Atkins with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter.

“We played til the end,” Atkins said. “It didn’t matter what happened, we kept playing.”

Atkins had an outstanding game, tallying seven receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, he electrified the crowd with a kickoff return touchdown and contributed 53 yards on three rushes.

“[Atkins] is a playmaker,” May said. “He’s got good speed and hands. We have some pretty dynamic guys playing in the slot.”

Baker delivered the final blow with a 28-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 49-16 with 6:01 remaining in the game. His dual-threat capability was on full display, as he completed 17 of 27 passes for 237 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 61 yards and three touchdowns.

May was quick to highlight that this was only Baker's fourth game as the starting quarterback, and despite his relative inexperience, the performance was nothing short of impressive.

"He's learning and getting better every week," May said. "He's doing a fantastic job of leading us and running the offense. Pierce is a really good player, and he's going to have a great career here before we're done."

Sikeston's offensive firepower extended well beyond the standout performances of Baker and Atkins.

Gadberry demonstrated his exceptional versatility, not only throwing a 54-yard touchdown pass but also rushing four times for 38 yards and hauling in four receptions for 44 yards. Marcus Sanders Jr. made a significant impact on the ground, amassing 61 yards on just three carries.

Additionally, Kenneth Holcomb provided valuable depth to the Bulldogs' rushing attack, contributing 32 yards on 12 carries.

“During the pregame, we talked about not turning the ball over and getting penalties and we didn’t do a very good job of that in the first half,” May concluded. “But we righted that in the second half. We played a good, clean half and it showed on the scoreboard.”

Next Friday, Sikeston travels to Farmington (2-2, 1-1 SEMO North) while Malden hosts Scott City (3-1, 1-1 SEMO South).