MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia - (41NBC/WMGT) - Braves Field is the site where the now 7-4 Baldwin Braves look to build off the momentum from last week's Game of the Week, and the same site where that same game came down to a blocked field goal in the closing seconds from Braves Senior Brandon Whisby, to give Baldwin the 26-24 win over their region opponent West Laurens. The same team they had lost to just 10 days prior.

"I feel like we didn't communicate as well with each other" said Whisby Thursday afternoon at practice. "Once we communicated, we didn't want to lose. We were doing it for us, for the seniors."

A huge second half from the Braves is why they are still in the playoffs to begin with. After being down 17-6 at halftime last week, first year Braves Head Coach Kevin Patterson, and this Braves squad, rallied together to make the necessary adjustments, and made a comeback that was led by Baldwin Junior Runningback Sanur Salahuddin, who ran for over 100 yards and three touchdowns in the second half of the First Round playoff game alone.

"We are going to have ups and downs, and we can't have no bad plays interfere with how we finish this game" said Salahuddin at practice. "As a team, we all could have went harder and played together, and I know that during this upcoming game, we sure got to stick to our family. Then, you also got to learn how to handle adversity. See, when a tough battle comes, a lot of people just run away, but the best thing about me is that I love that because that's what made me into a better man."

According to Coach Patterson, it was dedication, determination, and execution that propelled Baldwin into the second round. Now, this Baldwin team is hungry for more than turkey this Thanksgiving. That's because the last time the Braves were in the quarterfinals was six years ago back in 2018, when they won their last region championship. Go all the way back to 2005 to see the last time Baldwin made it to Thanksgiving football in the first place.

Now, these Braves face a tough test ahead in Fort Valley against a Peach County team that has won nine straight games, and has scored 200 more total points than Baldwin this season.

"It's definitely not just another game. It's the second round of the playoffs" said Coach Patterson Thursday. "We understand what's at stake. We also understand they are hungry because of what happened last year. We're not the same football team, they're not the same football team. So, that doesn't mean 'hill of beans' over here really. But, I understand they are using that as motivation and hopefully we can use it to say, 'hey we can still play with you guys. We got just as much talent as you guys.' They are going to take shots early on. They got trick plays. The quarterback is dynamic and they are going to have some success. We got to be able to live with that and keep chopping. But, we want to be able to limit the explosives and try to make them a football team that drives the football. They score a lot of points and the majority of the points they score are explosives."

Whisby added on to that. "The biggest thing is to stop the explosive plays. We want to play the ball in the air well and make sure the D-lineman play good upfront, and the linebackers contain the scramble, and then, we all just fly around the ball, and make the right decisions, and make the right plays."

Coach Patterson preaches "B.I.B" which stands for "Believe in Baldwin", and these Braves are going to need all the belief they can muster, to leave it all out on the field, and advance to the GHSA Quarterfinals in our Week 15 Game of the Week.

Coach Patterson preached, "It's about this year. It's about this team. It's about the guys that are out there suiting up on that sideline. It's about the coaches, and we are going to believe in Baldwin."

Salahuddin added, "It's going to have to come down to a mentality game, like who wants it more?"

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Trojan Stadium.

Catch live pregame coverage during 41NBC News at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. Don't miss highlights from our Game of the Week, and others, on this Friday's edition of The End Zone during 41NBC News at 11.