Nine Baldwin County soccer programs are featured in the latest Alabama High School Athletic Association coaches polls, continuing to highlight the depth of talent across the Gulf Coast as teams push closer to the postseason here at the end of March.

Both the boys and girls sides continue to see movement in the rankings — with several additional teams making strong cases to join them down the stretch. Here's a look at where the county teams stand in this week's polls.

BOYS RANKINGS

In Class 7A, Foley checks in at No. 8 after a perfect 4-0 week that included a division title at the Southern Coast Cup at OWA. The Lions were the only county team to win their bracket in their host tournament and now sit at No. 26 overall in the state according to MaxPreps. With key area matchups against Daphne and Fairhope looming, Foley appears to be hitting its stride.

Gulf Shores remained steady at No. 8 in Class 6A despite a narrow 2-1 home loss to Spanish Fort last week. The Dolphins ranked No. 35 in the state in the MaxPreps ranking and remain within striking distance of the county's top tier as area play intensifies.

Spanish Fort joined the Class 6A rankings for the first time this season at No. 10 following its win over Gulf Shores. The victory extended the Toros' win streak to four matches, during which they outscored opponents 21-2.

St. Michael held its position at No. 8 in Class 5A after a 5-0 win over rival Bayside Academy. The Cardinals have surged late in the season, winning 10 of their last 11 matches, and face one of the more challenging closing stretches in the county with games against Fairhope, Elberta, Northridge and St. Luke's ahead.

In Class 4A, Orange Beach dropped to No. 8 following a 1-0 loss to St. Paul's. The Makos have not recorded a win since Feb. 19 and will look to end a six-match winless stretch in a key matchup against Elberta this week.

Just outside the rankings, Fairhope continues to make a strong case for inclusion. The Pirates have won six of their last seven matches, with their only loss in that span coming against Foley. Fairhope also owns wins this season over ranked opponents Gulf Shores and Spanish Fort.

GIRLS RANKINGS

On the girls side, Spanish Fort leads the county's ranked teams in Class 6A at No. 6. The Lady Toros went 3-0 last week with dominant wins over Gulf Shores and Baldwin County by a combined score of 12-1. Despite dropping one spot in the poll, Spanish Fort has won 10 of its last 11 matches and is ranked No. 18 in the state by MaxPreps.

St. Michael remained at No. 7 in Class 5A after a win over Bayside Academy. The Lady Cardinals have now won four consecutive matches and face a critical pair of area games against Elberta in the coming week.

Orange Beach continues to hold the top spot in Class 4A despite its first losses of the season. The Lady Makos went 1-2-1 last week, including a 2-0 loss to St. Paul's and a 1-1-1 showing at the Southern Coast Cup. Orange Beach remains among the top 10 teams in the state according to MaxPreps as well.

Bayshore Christian made the biggest jump among local teams, rising three spots to No. 4 in the Class 1A-3A rankings. The Lady Eagles picked up wins over Cottage Hill Christian and Robertsdale to continue their strong season.

Elberta remains one of the more notable omissions from the Class 5A rankings despite an unblemished 14-0 record. The Warriors are ranked No. 30 in the state by MaxPreps — third-best in Baldwin County behind Orange Beach and Spanish Fort — and face a challenging finish with three of their final six matches coming against ranked opponents, including two against St. Michael and a regular-season finale against Orange Beach.

Editor's note: All records reflect team results listed on the MaxPreps website and other scores gathered online. Rankings are reported directly from the AHSAA website.