GAINESVILLE - The Keystone Heights Indians football team closed out regular season play in a big way with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries on the P.K. Yonge Blue Wave earning Indians coach Steve Reynolds a 6-4 winning maiden season.

Quarterback Baylor Ford battled back against a stiff 15-mile-per-hour wind all night, throwing for 136 yards, and connecting for two touchdown passes to Garrison Teague and Bryson Wester while running back Cartez Daniels earned two rushing touchdowns for the 27-22 win.

“I think Baylor (Ford) is progressing and doing a great job. He had some great plays tonight,” said Reynolds of his sophomore quarterback and his development. “Tonight some of his best plays were not throwing it, but knowing when to tuck and run it. We were thinking we were going to deal with some wind tonight, but I was thinking 10 miles per hour. We were dealing with a sustained 15 all night. We felt like win and you’re in the playoffs and tonight that is how this team approached it.”

Local high school deep ball passing legend, now Assistant/Quarterback Coach Ken Mudge worked with Ford back in the pre-season when Reynolds knew he was taking the helm. Keystone, known for the in-your-face run game, unleashed an air assault on opponents that proved effective.

“He really developed a great vision of the field,” said Mudge of his protégé Ford. “What was impressive was his (Ford’s) seeing the play develop, and when it wasn’t, knowing when to take off and gain positive yards.” Ford would rack up 34 yards on the ground, several for first downs. In the air, he went eight completions for 136 yards.

“Tonight, not practicing in the cold, the conditions were a factor. It just wouldn’t come off my hand the way I wanted it to,” said Ford. When deciding when to take off or stay home, Ford’s decision came down to what he was taught by Mudge. “Just watching. If they were looking for the pass or looking for the run. I know they struggled with the coverage over the middle so when they keyed in on our routes, I’d run it and take what I could.”

As the game went into the second half, it was obvious with hands on hips and crouching down, the Blue Wave were less conditioned for the long haul than the Indians. As the Indians picked up on the visual cues, they poured on the coals and put more pressure on the front line. Cartez Daniels went from brushing the backs of the line looking for a seam, to direct north-south head-on rushing and it paid off.

“I knew when it came late into the game, they weren’t going to compete with us,” said Daniels. “I knew we could wear them out. Our will was stronger than theirs tonight.”

In the first half, Daniels was limited on running and held for single digits per carry. “They were getting in the gaps good, filling holes. They had our number in the first half. We came out on fire in the second half and we just got them.”

After a scoreless first quarter highlighted by a Bryce Hollingsworth interception to kill a Blue Wave drive, the second quarter started with a bang as Trey Jeffries shot a gap off his nose guard position and leveled Blue Wave quarterback Lawrence Wright Jr. Just passed halfway through the quarter, Ford connected with Wester for the first points of the game. A fake kick extra point almost worked but for an overthrown pass, 6-0. With :31 left in the half, the Blue Wave equaled the score, attempted a two-point run which was stuffed by the Indians, and went into the half tied 6-6.

The third quarter was back and forth with possessions until Ford hit Teague deep, setting up one of Daniel's rushing touchdowns, 13-6.

In the fourth quarter, after a Teague touchdown pass reception to bring the score to 20-6, it was the defensive line’s Joseph Paul with a fumble recovery to get the ball back and begin some clock killing to get to the end. While that drive resulted in a punt, crucially needed Blue Wave time was robbed. With 7:27 to play, the Blue Wave brought the score closer, 20-14. On the return drive, Keystone saw the wear in the Yonge players and pressed harder. With 3:40 remaining, the Indians elevated the score once again with Daniels, 27-14. The Blue Wave would close the score to 27-22 with 1:53 remaining and attempt an on-side kick which was recovered by the Indians. Keystone Heights would burn all the clock they could, but Yonge's timeouts forced a late Keystone punt. The Blue Wave had the ball back with :04 seconds remaining. With a four-spread receiver look and empty backfield, the ball launched and as the horn sounded to end the game the final Keystone Heights interception was notched ending the game, 27-22.