MAYBE JOE KNOWS: ‘Relish this moment’

Posted 9/11/14

The mistakes are excusable, and to be expected. The senior is in his first year starting behind center and is adjusting to a new offense instilled by interim head coach Chanler Buck.

But despite any shortcomings Baxter may reveal at quarterback …

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MAYBE JOE KNOWS: ‘Relish this moment’

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QB Baxter showed true leadership Friday night  

Carter Baxter was not perfect Friday night.

Six of his 13 passes fell incomplete, one went for negative yards and another was returned for a touchdown that put Douglas ahead of Powell High School, 17-6, midway through the third quarter.

The mistakes are excusable, and to be expected. The senior is in his first year starting behind center and is adjusting to a new offense instilled by interim head coach Chanler Buck.

But despite any shortcomings Baxter may reveal at quarterback this season, everything he did following the pick-6 Friday proved what Buck has believed from day one: Baxter is the leader of this Panther football team.

After having my eyes glued to the “Tank,” as his teammates affectionately call him, for the final 18:48 of football on Friday, I believe it too.

It started with the Panthers’ subsequent drive following the interception. Baxter seemingly shook off his blunder and marched his team 73 yards down the field. Due to a 5-yard penalty, Baxter actually accounted for 74 yards during the drive. His 2-yard touchdown run cut the Douglas lead to 17-12 with 12 seconds left in the quarter.

Baxter made two tackles at middle linebacker during Douglas’ next offensive series, helping to put the ball back in his hands.

Again, he delivered.

On third-and-15 at the Douglas 15, with just over five minutes to play, Baxter showed guts that some at the college and professional level have never demonstrated. He took the snap and headed toward the Douglas goal line. On his way, he broke more tackles than you’d see a video gamer collect during a game of Madden Football.

When Baxter crossed the plane and put his team ahead for good, he didn’t celebrate or taunt Douglas. Instead, he continued to set the standard for his teammates, and politely flipped the ball to the nearest official, a carbon copy of his actions after his first touchdown run.

And what appeared to be the peak of a storybook Week One football comeback was only the prologue to a climactic finish.

The Bearcats weren’t going away quietly, thanks to the arm of quarterback Haize Weber. Starting from his own 38 with 1:16 remaining on what would be the last Douglas possession, the senior guided his teammates to Powell’s 20-yard line with 20 seconds to go. It was here however, that Baxter shined one last time, and put his stamp on Powell’s win.

As the final seconds continued to melt away, the ball was snapped into the hands of Weber, who was quickly met and dropped to the ground by a charging Baxter. It was Baxter’s third sack of the game, and the game winner.

For several seconds, Baxter stood over Weber. Again, he did not gesture at or taunt his counterpart. It did not appear that he even looked down at the sacked passer. Baxter just stood motionless as his teammates hugged him and Douglas scrambled to get back to the line of scrimmage for a final play.

It didn’t happen, and Baxter had effectively sent Powell to victory.

As a sports journalist, it’s unwritten code to remain neutral and stone-faced when covering athletic contests. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t broken the rules a few times during my three and a half years in the industry. I broke them again on Friday.

I’m a Chicagoland native and a die-hard Chicago Bears fan … it could’ve been Aaron Rodgers (the Packer’s star) leading Powell to victory Friday night, and the smile smeared across my face when the scoreboard timed out in favor of the Panthers would have remained.

Some fans have turned away from professional sports because things like salaries and egos have dampened them. You don’t find that at the high school level. And when good kids succeed, it’s OK to feel good about it, no matter what team you’re rooting for (or not rooting for, *cough cough*). Baxter is one of the good guys.

When asked about his thoughts as he stood in the Douglas backfield, Baxter, whose eyes had become a riverbank for a stream of tears, said: “Our team motto is ‘Relish this moment,’ and that’s what I was doing. I was relishing the moment.”

He earned that moment.

And I’m willing to bet No. 4 will be leading the Panthers to a few more this season.

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