With their postseasons on the line, a pair of Eastern Shore squads leaned on their strengths and advanced to the state quarterfinals of their respective classifications with road wins Friday night.

Bayside Academy leaned on its defense to take down Alabama Christian 23-7 in Class 3A and St. Michael relied on its potent offense to earn a 38-24 victory against Pleasant Grove on the Class 4A stage to secure the Cardinals’ first-ever trip to the third round. It will mark the Admirals’ first quarterfinal berth since 2016.

On the other side, Spanish Fort found the end of the road in the Class 6A playoffs with a 21-14 loss to Hueytown and finished 9-3 overall for a second season in a row. Since the Toros started their playoff streak 17 years ago, they have never lost more than five games in a season.

Below are details on the local second-round matchups, follow @GCMSportsAL on social media for immediate updates and stay tuned to gulfcoastmedia.com/sports for full coverage of the AHSAA State Football Playoffs.

Bayside Academy Admirals 23, Alabama Christian Eagles 7

Senior Palmer Angermeier and sophomore Ladd Powers helped seal a sixth single-digit effort by the Bayside Academy defense and lowered the unit’s average allowance to 12.3 points per game. The Admirals moved to 5-4 all-time in the second round of the playoffs as head coach Barrett Trotter helped lead his first two postseason victories in as many games this season.

The seven points allowed also helped Bayside Academy improve to 57-1 all-time when allowing 10 points or less according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society.

In the final minutes of the fourth quarter Friday night, Angermeier pulled down an interception before Powers came up with a third-down sack which ultimately forced an incompletion and turnover on downs during Alabama Christian’s final possession.

On the other side of the ball, sophomore quarterback Bo Miller connected on a screen pass to freshman running back Wells Smith for the Admirals’ first lead of the game at 9-7 with just under five minutes left in the first half. Although the point-after try failed, junior Jack Wilkinson connected on a field goal earlier in the half.

Junior all-state linebacker Billy Neill provided a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second half as the quarterback out of the Wildcat Formation, the latter of which came on the next play after Bayside Academy’s final defensive stand. It marked Neill’s fourth two-touchdown game of the season.

The Admirals improved to 9-3 overall and earned their first second-round win since they won consecutive games in 2015 and 2016. Bayside Academy will draw Southside-Selma (10-2, 6-1 in Region 3) in the 2024 quarterfinals after the Panthers beat Montgomery Academy 44-34 for their 10th-consecutive victory.

St. Michael Cardinals 38, Pleasant Grove Spartans 24

After a six-touchdown effort in St. Michael’s first-ever playoff victory last week, junior running back Noah Moss provided four touchdowns and another 200-yard performance to help the No. 5 Cardinals upset the No. 2 Pleasant Grove Spartans on the road. It served as the sixth-straight win of the year to also set a St. Michael program record for longest win streak.

The Cardinals opened the scoring with a slant-pass connection from sophomore Gunner Rivers to junior Brody Jones before Moss collected 25- and 17-yard rushing touchdowns to help take a 21-7 lead into halftime. The last score before intermission was set up by an interception from junior Kamarjay Lavoie then the St. Michael offense improved to 4-of-5 on fourth downs to extend the drive.

Although Pleasant Grove battled back to tie the game at 21-21, junior Patricio Garcia helped the Cardinals take a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter with a 28-yard field goal in the final two minutes. Jones came up with a big play on the other side of the ball and pulled down an interception as a defensive back with 11 seconds left in the third quarter which served as his second of the night after he stole a last-second Hail Mary to end the second quarter.

Moss helped cash the turnover into points with a 31-yard rushing touchdown before he showed up on defense himself and forced a fumble recovered by junior Maddox Caldwell. Moss was also credited with a strip-sack and fumble recovery in the first half to help punctuate the Cardinals’ defensive effort that slowed down a Pleasant Grove offense that entered averaging 44.6 points a game.

A 25-yard rushing touchdown from Moss with only 3:18 left in regulation pushed the score to its final resting place and secured St. Michael’s first-ever road win in the playoffs. The Cardinals improved to 11-1 overall and will draw Fairfield (9-3, 4-3 in Region 4) after the Tigers beat W.S. Neal 23-22 for their first quarterfinal berth since 2004.

Hueytown Golden Gophers 21, Spanish Fort Toros 14

Backed up on their own 15-yard line, the Hueytown defense came up with a fourth-down stop in the final seconds to seal a 21-14 win over Spanish Fort. Toro senior EJ King had helped carry the ball inside the red zone as the Wildcat quarterback and instead of a fourth-straight run, a play-action pass intended for classmate Newton Gardner was broken up.

Spanish Fort finished 9-3 overall and suffered a second-round exit for the second year in a row. The Golden Gophers advanced to face the Pike Road Patriots in their first quarterfinal appearance since 2021.

Junior quarterback Aaden Shamburger connected with classmate Justin Bonner on a 25-yard passing touchdown on Spanish Fort’s first possession to open the scoring. After the Toros trailed 13-7 at halftime, Shamburger ripped off a 26-yard rushing touchdown and senior Cam Lytle’s extra point gave Spanish Fort a 14-13 lead with 3:42 left in the third quarter.