Team preview: Baker
By ADAM PRUIETT
adamp@nwfdailynews.com
BAKER - Entering his fourth year as coach of the Baker football team, Bob Kellogg has a little more bounce in his step than he's ever had while leading the Gators.
Before, against district rivals such as Northview and Vernon, Kellogg knew it would take a Herculean effort for the Gators to win and sometimes even keep the game close.
With a strong crop of seniors returning and a bevy of talent at key positions, Baker no longer has an underdog mentality.
"I just feel like we can be competitive," Kellogg said. "I feel like if we play good, we can beat them this year. We had to play above-and-beyond in the past to beat them."
His optimism comes with a caveat.
"In this league, that's barring nobody gets hurt," he said. "When you're in a small school and you lose one of your key players, it devastates you. If we can stay healthy, I think we've got a chance of winning every game.
"I just feel like we can contend for a district title. I'm not saying we can win it. I think when we play the people we've got to play, it's going to be who plays the best that night and who makes the fewest mistakes. I don't think one's going to totally dominate."
Another reason why Baker has high expectations is because of chemistry. The majority of the 16 seniors have a bond that is ironclad.
"One of our major strengths is that we've all grown up together, and we've been together not only on the field but off the field as well since we were little," senior halfback/cornerback Billy Whatmough said. "When we're not here on the football field, we're hanging out at the river or something. We're always together."
Baker (4-6 last season) has one of the area's best players at quarterback in Cameron Domangue, the reigning Daily News small school Offensive Player of the Year. Domangue had area bests in rushing yards (1,698) and touchdowns (19) while throwing for 806 yards and seven touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
Domangue, who is backed up by sophomores Christian Mainor and Logan Wagner, has really focused on improving his passing heading into the season.
"The hardest thing for Cameron is his height, but he's very accurate, throws on the run real well," Kellogg said. "We played seven-on-seven - I think we played eight games - and we played against big schools and he was very successful."
Baker is excited about its backfield. Whatmough, an All-Area selection who led the Gators in rushing as a freshman and a sophomore, is back along with senior Kellan Meeks. Junior Marcus Jones is the rare Gator with blazing speed, and freshman Vada Moore has warranted attention as a possible contributor.
In seniors Tyler Holley and Josh Rose and junior Dakota Hooper, the Gators have a seasoned receiving crew. Seniors Brandon Ates and Josh Williams and Wagner are expected to help out.
The offensive line is a major question mark for Baker. Senior center Ryan Wickery is the lone returning starter, but Kellogg said senior guard Blake Bollinger has the potential to be dominant. Other guards include senior Preston Nixon and Ryan Puckett and junior Mason Doggette. Seniors Tyler Moberly and Tyler Jones and sophomore Jacob Lawson are set for tackle duties.
The defensive line is similarly green. Many of the same faces will make up the defensive front: Bollinger, Tyler Jones, Lawson, Moberly, Nixon, Wickery along with Williams.
"The inexperience is on the line, kind of like our offense," Kellogg said. "That will be where we've got to grow up."
Where Baker has a lot of seasoning on defense is the secondary. Domangue, Jones and Whatmough are returning starters and Ates, Hooper and Wagner are expected to lend a hand.
Linebacker won't be a concern either. Meeks, an All-Area pick, and Josh Rose return while sophomore David Beck has made the switch after starting on the defensive line last season. The crew also consists of senior Cameron Davis, Holley, Mainor and Moore.
