The high school football playoffs have arrived in Alabama. Seven teams from Baldwin County open the 2022 postseason Friday where three will do so at home.

Foley is at home in the playoffs for the first time since the 2014 state semifinal against Prattville, Gulf Shores is hosting its first-ever home postseason game and Orange Beach is hosting its second straight first-round contest.

The other four teams will open on the road, including Fairhope in its sixth straight state playoff tournament and Spanish Fort, who is searching for its 15th first-round win in as many seasons. Bayside Academy squares off with Montgomery Catholic for the third straight postseason and Snook Christian Academy is playoff-bound for only the second time in program history.

Below is a breakdown of each of the first-round matchups, stay tuned for sideline updates on social media (@GCMSportsAL) and full coverage online.

Baldwin County teams’ first-round playoff games

Class 7A

Dothan Wolves (7-3) at Foley Lions (7-3), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

The Lions are 5-4 at home all-time in the first round of the playoffs. Their last playoff-opening win at home was in 2012, 30-28 over Baker, which started a three-season win streak in the first round. Foley ended its regular season on a five-game win streak.

Dothan is making its second postseason appearance and has a similarly high-scoring offense where the Wolves scored 326 total points this season compared to the Lions’ 332 points.

Both teams are 4-1 on their respective sidelines, Foley won four home games and Dothan won four away games.

No. 8 Fairhope Pirates (8-2) at No. 4 Auburn Tigers (9-1), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

Friday’s contest will mark the teams’ third first-round postseason meeting where both teams have won one game. Fairhope won in 2011, 43-42, and Auburn won in 2018, 34-23.

There’s further familiarity between the squads where current Pirate head coach Tim Carter, who took over in 2015, spent the previous nine seasons as the Tigers’ head man where he collected an 84-25 overall record with four region titles, three after undefeated region seasons. So far, Carter’s registered a 54-31 record in eight years at the helm in Fairhope, including last year’s undefeated region championship.

In addition, both starting quarterbacks will meet again at the AHSAA North-South All-Star game Dec. 16 in Mobile after the Pirates’ Caden Creel and Auburn’s Clyde Pittman were named to the roster Tuesday morning.

Class 6A

Spanish Fort Toros (7-3) at Pike Road Patriots (6-4), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

The Toros have never lost in the first round of the playoffs and own a 4-0 record on the road in the opening round of the postseason.

All 15 of Spanish Fort’s playoff appearances have come consecutively after seasons with at least five regular-season wins and 300 points scored on the season.

The Toros ended their season on a five-game win streak but Pike Road is 3-0 at home in the first round of the playoffs.

Class 5A

Carroll Eagles (5-5) at No. 5 Gulf Shores Dolphins (9-1), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

Gulf Shores closed its regular season on a six-game win streak to climb to No. 5 in the ASWA state rankings for Class 5A and set a program record with nine regular-season wins to host their first-ever playoff game.

It’s the Dolphins’ fourth postseason appearance and they’ll be looking for their first playoff-opening win since 2009. Gulf Shores also set a program record with 402 points scored on the season.

Carroll averaged 26.2 points per game but allowed only 19.7 points per game. The Eagles are 1-9 all-time in away games in the first round of the playoffs.

Class 4A

B.T. Washington Golden Eagles (5-5) at Orange Beach Makos (8-2), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

For the second straight season, Orange Beach is hosting a playoff game after a regular season that saw the Makos set program records for scoring, both in a single game (55 points) and the season overall (361 points). Orange Beach’s five region wins matched the program record set last year.

The Makos racked up a 5-1 record at home this season but B.T. Washington was similarly good on the road and finished 4-2 in away games to help earn just its second playoff appearance in program history.

Both teams will be searching for their first postseason victory.

Bayside Academy Admirals (6-4) at No. 1 Montgomery Catholic Knights (10-0), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

The teams will be meeting for the third straight playoff tournament and fifth game overall where both teams have won two games. However, both of Montgomery Catholic’s wins have come in the playoffs.

Bayside Academy owns a 6-4 all-time record on the road in the first round of the playoffs having won last year’s contest over Southside Satsuma. The Admirals went 4-1 in away games this season, with their lone loss coming to region-champion T.R. Miller, after the squad set a program record for most points scored in a single game.

AISA Class 1A

Snook Christian Eagles (1-9) at No. 5 Lowndes Academy Rebels (8-2), Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

The Eagles clinched their second postseason appearance with a win over Sparta Academy to set up the team’s first meeting with Lowndes Academy.

Snook’s last first-round game also came on the road in 2018. The Rebels are entering on a three-game win streak and a Region 1 title.

Senior Philip Butts made program history after he became the first Eagle named to the AISA All-Star game.