Baldwin's Welch named 4-AAAA top Offensive Player
Dec. 14—Going against a stacked level of competition that included one eventual state champion, junior Micah Welch was a virtual machine representing Baldwin High football in 2022. Region 2-AAAA recognized Welch's efforts with the honor of Offensive Player of the Year.
At 5-9 and 195 pounds, the running back Welch scored 16 touchdowns on the ground in Baldwin's 11 games which were against the likes of Peach County, 5A state champion Ware County and 2-AAAA champion Perry. He carried the football 226 times for 1,373 yards and caught seven passes — one being an additional touchdown. In all, he gave head coach Jesse Hicks 1,600 all-purpose yards and even scored returning a kickoff.
Welch also had a case for any All-Purpose award in the region or defensive placement All-Region for what he contributed in snaps as an edge rusher. For the season he sacked the opposing quarterback five times and had eight tackles for a loss. Welch's main defensive highlight came in the important regular-season finale against Griffin High in Milledgeville. He caused the Bears' quarterback to fumble, and that turned into a scoop-and-score as the Braves won and earned a spot in the GHSA Class AAAA playoffs.
Welch has one more year for Baldwin, and he has a big decision in 2023 as a highly recruited running back by several major Division I schools. It doesn't get any bigger than defending national champion and now defending SEC champion Georgia, and he has also been offered by in-state rival Georgia Tech. According to rivals.com, Welch has made a combined five visits to these two schools.
Other programs the website list as having made offers to Welch are Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Middle Tennessee State, N.C. State, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Another website that tracks college football recruiting, 247 Sports, adds Florida, Florida State and Virginia Tech as programs with interest — but not offers — in Welch.
Baldwin High's Region 2-AAAA First Team members are: Offense — Lineman Jermon Simmons and kicker Dyson Sallad; Defense — Lineman Omarion Fraley, Linebacker Casey Soloman and Defensive Back Yauri Calixte.
Second Team members are: Offense — Wide Receiver Armontae Palmer, Tight End Rod Jenkins and Lineman Decori Elum; Defense — Lineman Tyrecus Harrison, Linebacker Eli Cleveland and Defensive Back Jacobi Nixon.
Honorable Mentions are: Lineman Jace Powell, Lineman JonQuavious Russell, Linebacker Devarious Russell and Defensive Back Clamarious Burney.
