BAKER FOOTBALL: Injury-depleted Bulldogs prepare for homecoming game

Published 11:14 am Monday, October 14, 2024

Jason Ramos has been coaching football at Baker High School for 25 years, but the rash of injuries afflicting the Bulldogs this fall surpasses any that he’s dealt with.

“Our roster is pretty depleted,” Ramos said on Monday, Oct. 14, four days before Baker returns to Baker Bulldog Memorial Stadium for the homecoming game against Ontario.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18.

“We’re excited,” Ramos said. “It’s homecoming.”

Baker has two other games on its schedule, at home against Gladstone on Oct. 25 and at Crook County on Nov. 1.

Baker, 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Greater Oregon League, has lost several players, either temporarily or for the rest of the season, including starting quarterback Jake McClaughry, who sustained a wrist injury against Pendleton on Oct. 3.

Most recently, in a 43-6 loss at La Grande on Oct. 10, Rasean Jones, Baker’s all-state wide receiver, sustained a separated shoulder in the third quarter that will sideline him for six weeks, most likely the rest of the season.

Jones, a junior, has scored 16 of Baker’s 21 touchdowns in its six games, including its lone points against La Grande.

So many Bulldogs are down that Ramos, who was an assistant before taking over as varsity head coach in 2019, said the rest of the junior varsity schedule, either three or four games, has been canceled.

That has never happened during his coaching tenure.

With several JV players moving up to varsity to replaced injured teammates, Ramos said the JV roster was down to about 15.

That’s not enough to field a team, he said, as it would require most players to play the entire game.

“We’re doing our best to do right by these kids,” Ramos said. “We know it’s not ideal.”

Several JV players were in uniform and played at La Grande on Oct. 10.

Ramos said his goal is to have as many previous JV players as possible in uniform on the sidelines for Baker’s two remaining home games, against Ontario this Friday and against Gladstone for senior night on Oct. 25.

Ramos said coaches will ensure that young players with no varsity experience will not be put in a game situation for which they’re not prepared.

“The kids’ well-being and safety is foremost,” he said.

The injury situation isn’t completely bleak.

Ramos said John Garcia, a senior wide receiver/defensive back who was hurt during the Pendleton game and was taken off the field in an ambulance, could potentially return for the Oct. 25 game against Gladstone.

Connor Martin, who was also hurt against Pendleton, played in a limited role against La Grande.

Brayden Anderson, who sustained a concussion against Vale on Sept. 20, and Otis Young, who is also recovering from a concussion, could play again this season, Ramos said.

Replacing Rasean

Ramos said Baker has players who can fill in for Jones at defensive safety.

But replacing the player who has accounted for three quarters of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns is a different matter.

Jones has scored on receptions, kickoff and punt returns, and on rushes.

Ramos said coaches will need to simplify the offensive playbook, and try to distribute passes to receivers including Martin, Hayden Churchfield, Logan Crawford, Daniel Maldonado, Gavin Combs, Alex Brown and others.

“We’re going to have to go back to the basics,” Ramos said.

The benefit of this unexpected roster shuffling is that players will gain varsity experience they otherwise wouldn’t have had in 2024.

“Looking long term, that will be a benefit,” Ramos said. “Eventually that will pay dividends.”