ROBERTSDALE - Fairhope exits Week 5 of the season on a four-game winning streak after cruising to a road victory over Robertsdale, 32-6.

The Pirates' offense played an efficient game, with every possession for them ending in either a touchdown or a field-goal attempt. For Fairhope head coach Caleb Ross, his team has come a long way since its season-opening loss to Pace (FL) on Aug. 21.

“They handled their business,” Ross said. “This is a game that could have been an easy trap game against a team that’s got some talent. There’s a lot going on, but our kids were focused, man. They were dialed in and we took care of business.”

Heading into the game, Robertsdale Head Coach Justin Jones was initially suspended by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), along with an assistant and ten students, due to an investigation into the recruitment of multiple players who had joined the football program over the offseason.

However, following a hearing the morning of game day, Baldwin County Circuit Judge Ashley W. Siebert granted a temporary restraining order against the AHSAA to allow Jones to coach the Golden Bears on Friday night. In addition, ten student athletes were also awarded an order by Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin late Thursday, which also enabled them to suit up on the field against the Pirates.

“I can’t say a whole lot about that. Y’all know that,” Jones said following the game. “We’ll keep fighting to get better. We’re not too far away. We just got to get everybody in shape and get back to getting everybody prepared like we’re supposed to. Our coaches do a heck of a job and we’ll keep battling.”

Despite the legal drama leading up to game day, Ross said it was business as usual for the Pirates.

“I preach to our kids it’s about us,” Ross said. “It really is and our kids don’t get rattled, man. They don’t ever really change. It was a different type of game with a lot going on, but our kids, I didn’t hear them say a word about it and I preached all day ‘Hey man, it’s about us. Whoever shows up, we’re gonna play,’ and our kids handled business.”

PIRATES RUMBLE PAST GOLDEN BEARS

Robertsdale took possession of the ball first, but its first drive resulted in a turnover on downs after it failed to convert on 4th-and-8.

Conversely, Fairhope cruised 70 yards down the field and scored with a touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion to make it 8-0 at the 4:48 mark of the opening quarter.

Robertsdale would respond with a touchdown from JoNavan Bryant with 2:39 on the clock, though the Golden Bears' ensuing kick would be blocked to trail 8-6 to the Pirates.

From that point forward, Fairhope’s offense started rolling.

Despite possessing the ball just three times and having two touchdowns called back due to penalties in the first half, the Pirates went down the field and scored a touchdown, followed by Pirates defender Ashton Null intercepting Robertsdale quarterback Cub Jones, which led to another touchdown drive and an 18-6 scoreline at halftime.

In the second half, Fairhope running back Nic Ronsisvalle opened the scoring with a touchdown run a the 6:23 mark to make it 25-6, followed by Cub Jones throwing his second interception of the night, this time with Pirates defender Dylan Gilbert picking it off with mere milliseconds remaining in the third quarter.

Fairhope did miss a field-goal attempt at the 9:24 mark in the fourth quarter.

However, it wouldn’t really matter, as Ronsisvalle waltzed into the endzone for his second touchdown of the night at the 4:50 mark, capping a 32-6 Pirates victory.

LOOKING AHEAD

Both Fairhope and Robertsdale enter a bye week before getting back into the thick of the season by hitting the road.

With the win, Fairhope improves to 4-1, including a 2-0 record in 6A Region 1, and will next play at Alma Bryant on Friday, Oct. 2 after their break.

“We’re gonna get rested a little bit," Ross said. "We're gonna get some work in, try to get healed a little bit and then we got to start putting some stuff in and get us the through that second half of the season.”

For Robertsdale, the Golden Bears fall to 1-4, including a 1-1 record in 6A Region 1, and will next play at Daphne following their bye on Friday, Oct. 2.

“We can hopefully get back to a little bit of normalcy and then we’ll be ready to go after Daphne the week after, so we’ll see," Jones said. "It’ll be good for us to get a bye week next and kind of get our legs out under us. We’ll be fine.”