Foley, Baldwin County matchup provides plenty of intriguing matchups

Passing games, trench battles will feature key players to keep an eye on the rest of the season

By Cole McNanna
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 8/26/22

Friday night’s lone in-county matchup between the Foley Lions and Baldwin County Tigers features intriguing matchups all over the field that have potential for more explosive plays during the …

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Foley, Baldwin County matchup provides plenty of intriguing matchups

Passing games, trench battles will feature key players to keep an eye on the rest of the season

Posted

Friday night’s lone in-county matchup between the Foley Lions and Baldwin County Tigers features intriguing matchups all over the field that have potential for more explosive plays during the Week 2 battle in Bay Minette.

For the visiting Lions, quarterback Reece Tynes leads the offense with Alabama commit and junior receiver Perry Thompson with linebacker AJ Prim holding things down on the other side of the ball.

The host Tigers are led offensively by quarterback Todd Powell as well as Troy commit and senior receiver Ky McNulty while safety DJ Jackson is one of the lifelines of the defense.

Of course, it all starts in the trenches and there’s no shortage of big bodies that will be thrown around between Foley linemen Logan Joellenbeck (6’ 6”, 338 pounds) and Cameron Schultz (6’ 5”, 262 pounds) and Baldwin County’s Jay Bolar (6’ 5”, 300 pounds) and Daylan Martin (6’ 2”, 295 pounds).

The Lions and Tigers kick off at 7 p.m. in Bay Minette and Gulf Coast Media will have live updates posted on social media @GCMSportsAL.

Foley passing game vs. Baldwin County defense

Thompson collected a trio of touchdown passes from Tynes in the Lions’ season-opening loss to Prattville, 34-20.

This offseason after he turned heads at Nick Saban’s Prospect Camp, Thompson earned an offer and committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He’ll be opposed by a pair of equally talented safeties in the Tigers’ DJ Jackson and DJ Baker who will look to stifle Foley’s aerial attack.

“Besides DJ Baker, our other safety DJ Jackson, we feel like we have to of the best safeties in the whole state, maybe the country,” Baldwin County head coach Scott Rials said at Gulf Coast Media Day Aug. 16. “Those guys really play hard and fast and do a good job leading us, I know they’re on the backend, but they do a lot of things.”

Tiger passing game vs. Lion defense

Similarly, on the other side of the ball, McNulty announced his pledge to the Troy Trojans this offseason and has high hopes for his final season in Bay Minette.

“I want to set records, I want to make a name for myself and I also want to take my team to state,” McNulty said at the Aug. 16 media day event. “I know that’s a big goal but I’ve had that plan.”

Foley linebacker AJ Prim will help lead the charge to stop the Baldwin County offense after working on some fundamentals in practice this week.

“Tackling is always an early-season concern. We've got to shore up some tackling stuff and that's one of the reasons we want to try to get outside to be able to do a little more tackling,” Lions head coach Deric Scott said Aug. 25. “Alignment and tackling are our main two things right now, getting lined up to what people give you and being able to tackle well early.”

On the line

It will all start, or will end, at the line of scrimmage where the linemen will go to work. The previously mentioned bunch are just a few of the big bodies that will set the tone in the trenches.

“Offensively, they've got a big offensive line. They’ve got a big defensive line so they're going to bring some positional challenges for us but hopefully we can go and play well,” Scott said.

“Really talented, a very good offensive team they’ve got a lot of guys back so that will be a big test for us,” Rials said. “Our guys are excited, we have worked hard and we’re going to continue to do that and try to do things the right way.”