DAPHNE - Bayside Academy is getting pretty used to playing within the friendly confines of its newly turfed Freedom Field.

The Admirals’ 2026 schedule features a five-game homestand to begin the season, and they completed the third leg of that endeavor Friday night.

Barrett Trotter’s team had jumped out to a comfortable 2-0 start entering its clash with visiting St. Luke’s, and it maintained that momentum with a dominant 55-6 victory over the Wildcats.

“They’re progressing and doing a really good job,” Trotter said. “There’s still a lot of things we can clean up, but overall I’m proud of how far we’ve already come this season.”

And making that final tally even more impressive is the fact that Bayside scored 48 of those points in the first half alone.

To accomplish such a feat, the Admiral offense had to start out hot, and it certainly did that.

St. Luke’s opening drive resulted in a failed fake punt attempt, giving Bayside the ball at the opposing 44-yard line. Junior quarterback Davis Barnett made quick work of the short field, as he completed a pair of first-down passes to senior Mason Edwards before linking up with star tight end Ladd Powers for an easy score.

Soon after, a muffed catch by the Wildcats’ punter gifted the home side a possession beginning in the red zone, and lightning struck twice when Barnett again found Powers for a touchdown.

“It starts in the offseason,” Powers said of his connection with Barnett. “We’ve been out on the field, practice after practice, and even when we didn’t have practice. Just so we can make sure that we get that timing down and be successful.”

And after the Admirals’ special teams came up with a pair of impactful plays, the defense got into the mix when Edwards forced a fumble that senior River Hannaman pounced upon.

Barnett and company did face a 4th-and-9 during the ensuing drive, but a snag by senior Sam Cunningham kept the possession moving, and Bayside’s signal-caller rifled a throw to senior Caid Lyons to push the lead to 20-0 heading into the second quarter.

St. Luke’s threatened in response but turned the ball over on downs, which merely delayed another successful series for the Admirals’ offense. This time, junior running back Wells Smith burst through the line for a 62-yard touchdown jaunt, showcasing the balance this Trotter-led offense possesses.

“I think we were able to be really balanced tonight, and our offensive line has really stepped up in these past two games,” Smith said. “They were finishing blocks and put a strong step forward tonight.”

And the floodgates opened from there.

An explosive punt return from Cunningham set Barnett up inside the Wildcats’ 30-yard line, and Wells found the end zone yet again to make the score read 33-0 with 7:36 left before halftime.

Chasing the half-century mark, Bayside scored twice more before heading to the locker room, as Lyons brought the crowd to its feet with an ankle-breaking punt-return touchdown before Barnett capped his efficient half with a deep throw to Edwards.

“Hope I can get more of those,” a smiling Lyons said of his shifty score.

Looking poised and confident while leading the Admiral offense, Barnett led one more scoring drive in the second half before subbing out of the game. He connected with senior Walker Collins for his fifth touchdown pass of the evening.

Trotter opted to let his second and third string players see the field for the remainder of the night, and the units nearly preserved the shutout before St. Luke’s found paydirt with seven minutes left.

Here’s a breakdown of how Bayside cruised to a 49-point win, what was said after the game and who each side will square off with next:

Primetime Performers

Davis Barnett

Bayside Academy | Quarterback | Junior

Notable Stats: 5 passing touchdowns

The Admirals will go as far as Barnett will take them, and their signal-caller is performing at an elite level in recent weeks.

After throwing just one incompletion against Bayshore Christian last Friday, Barnett again looked in command throughout the win over St. Luke’s. He completed passes at all three levels of the field, got the ball out of his hands on time and placed it in some tight windows on a consistent basis.

A potential showcase game against St. Michael’s looms in two weeks, but it’s safe to say that Barnett is already putting the state on notice.

“We started out slow and had a lot of penalties tonight, but we just have a lot of guys that have the ability to go score,” Barnett said of his performance. “So I just trust those guys, and my line gives me so much time.”

Ladd Powers

Bayside Academy | Tight End/Defensive End | Senior

Notable Stats: 2 receiving touchdowns

Barnett’s favorite target is likely Powers, which makes sense given any high school quarterback would love to throw to a 6-foot-2, 245 lb. bruiser of a tight end.

But perhaps what makes Powers such a highly touted recruit is his athleticism at that size, because Trotter and his staff are more than happy to throw their tight end a screen pass in the same way they send him downfield.

And of course, Powers is always an imposing presence defensively, and he certainly put that on display in this game with plenty of impactful tackles and tipped passes.

Wells Smith

Bayside Academy | Running Back/Linebacker | Junior

Notable Stats: 2 rushing touchdowns

Somewhat overshadowed by the dynamic Bayside aerial attack is Smith, who found the end zone for the first (and second) time Friday.

Built like a bowling ball yet possessing the speed needed to hit a crease and find the painted area, Smith perfectly complements Barnett and the passing game. 

The junior tailback is now well over 200 yards on the season, and this performance may give him the confidence needed to build off of it.

“He’s [Smith] a guy that didn’t get to play much last year, but he’s now taken on a way bigger role,” Barnett said. “He’s got the ability to make people miss or run guys over, and it definitely opens up the passing game.”

Defining Moments

St. Luke’s special teams miscues (1st Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 9.0

Coming into this game as a sizable underdog, St. Luke’s couldn’t afford to let Bayside dominate the field-of-position battle.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, a stuffed fake punt and a muffed snap by the same unit essentially gifted the Admirals two touchdowns, a sequence that immediately took the life out of the visiting sideline and lit a fire under the crowd opposing it.

River Hannaman’s fumble recovery (1st Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 8.0

With plenty of damage already done, it seemed like insult to injury when Edwards rocked a ball-carrier and forced a fumble, setting Bayside up in plus-territory for the third time in the first quarter.

With the second quarter still a ways off, a 20-0 scoreline was the result.

“I think our defense is doing great, and we’ve got a lot of young guys that are stepping up and doing their jobs.” Powers said. “I love what we’re doing and think we’re heading in the right direction.”

Wells Smith’s 62-yard touchdown run (2nd Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 6.5

The knockout punch occurred when Smith joined the party with his first rushing score, as it not only extended the lead to 26-0 but also proved that the Admirals could score on the ground just as easily as they could via the air.

That had to be disheartening for the Wildcats’ players, and Smith continued to find success as the game wore on.

Quotes To Note

• “Having Coach Trotter at my side, he’s always going to be able to tell me about what I can do better. He definitely knows what he’s talking about, so it just makes the game so much easier to be able to listen to him.” — Davis Barnett, Bayside Academy Quarterback

• “We need to fix our penalties, because we had a lot of false starts and miscommunications. So I think if we can work on those, we’ll be on a great track.” — Caid Lyons, Bayside Academy Wide Receiver/Defensive Back

• ““We’ve been blessed this season to be at home a lot. But we’ve been stressing to our guys that they have to prepare the same way no matter where or who we’re playing.” — Barrett Trotter, Bayside Academy Head Coach

• ““Whenever I don’t know something, he’s [Barnett] right there directing the offense and telling me what to do.” — Wells Smith, Bayside Academy Running Back

• “We love to throw the ball, we love to run the ball and we have the weapons to do so. And Coach Trotter loves to mix it up so teams don’t know what we’re going to do.” — Ladd Powers, Bayside Academy Tight End/Defensive End

• “We have so many receivers we can rotate through. So that gives us a break and keeps all of us fresh.” — Caid Lyons, Bayside Academy Wide Receiver/Defensive Back

Obscure Observations

• This was the first meeting between Bayside and St. Luke’s on the gridiron.

• While still an unofficial number, it was being said on the sidelines that Barnett has now thrown more touchdowns than incompletions through three games. Considering just one of his passes hit the ground last week and no more than five did Friday night, that feat is more than believable.
• The gaudy numbers will rightfully call attention to Bayside’s offense, but its peers on the other side of the ball have been just as dominant to start the campaign. The Admiral defense largely stifled a previously productive St. Luke’s rushing attack, consistently winning the battle up front and rarely allowing the visitors across the 50-yard line as a result.

“We’ve got guys flying around,” Trotter said. “Our backend does a great job, and our D-line and linebackers do a great job of forcing people to have to throw on third-and-long. So we’re putting our teammates in position to be successful.”

Up Next

Bayside (3-0): vs. Northside Methodist Academy (0-4) | Friday, Sept. 18

The Admirals will now gear up for the fourth leg of their five-game homestand to open the season. St. Michael’s will notably visit Freedom Field the following week.

St. Luke’s (1-2): vs. Bayshore Christian (1-3) | Friday, Sept. 18

The Wildcats will battle another Baldwin County opponent next week when they host Bayshore.