HOLT — Anthony Baker showed his abilities as a running back during a strong sophomore season for the Grand Ledge football team in 2024.
And those abilities have led to the junior receiving interest from Division I programs as he chases his dreams of playing college football.
But Baker knows he doesn’t need to just score touchdowns to help the Comets win games. And he’s been a willing contributor in other areas in the season’s early stages
“We have other people who can score touchdowns and I can play defense and try my hardest to stop the run on defense and help the team in any way I can that’s not scoring the ball and getting yards,” Baker said. “It’s just doing anything I can to get a win.”
While Grand Ledge has received contributions on offense from numerous players in its perfect start, it was in need of a spark with its back against the wall on Friday, Sept. 19. And it turned to Baker, who provided that spark with his rushing ability while playing a big role in the Comets rallying for a 30-24 victory over CAAC Blue rival Holt.
Baker helped Grand Ledge (4-0, 2-0 CAAC Blue) retain “The Jack” trophy for a third straight season by running for a season-high 156 yards and two touchdowns. He had the final two touchdowns for Grand Ledge, which closed the game with 20 unanswered points while overcoming a 24-10 deficit.
A majority of Baker’s production came in the second half as he exceeded his rushing total from the first three weeks of the season combined.
“We came out in the second half and personally I told myself that I know I’m better than that,” said Baker, who ran for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns during his strong sophomore season. “(I feel like) I only had like 50 yards in the first half and I know I’m better than that. I told myself that I really needed to lock in and be aggressive because my team needed me at the time. I was tired but I pushed through.
“I couldn’t do it without my O-line.”
Baker scored the go-ahead touchdown with 9:54 to play in the fourth quarter. He then played a large role in helping Grand Ledge run out the clock on its next drive, converting a fourth-and-short in the final minute that sealed the win for the Comets.
“That was a great drive,” Grand Ledge coach Joe Brya said. “He did a great job of toting the rock there for us at the end of the game. It seemed like he got stronger, but I was really proud of our offensive line. We always talk about it in practice that at the end of the game the other team is going to know we’re going to be running the ball and you’ve got to be able to still make your blocks. I thought the O-line did a great job.”
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and BlueSky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Anthony Baker delivers for Grand Ledge football in comeback victory over Holt
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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