Two teams trending upward meet Friday night in the Week 10 Gulf Coast Media Game of the Week as Gulf Shores seeks to strengthen a 6A playoff spot and Baldwin County eyes a third-straight victory as the regular season comes to a close.

The Tigers lead the series 7-4 over the Dolphins. Gulf Shores won the inaugural matchup in 2012 and the two after that before losing seven straight. The North-South county clash was not played in 2022 and 2023, but the Dolphins were able to end the losing streak last season with a 30-7 win over the Tigers.

Baldwin County started the season 0-6 but now enters this game on a two-game win streak after taking down Murphy and Blount in back-to-back weeks. Though not playoff-bound, head coach Andrew Davis' program will be playing for the pride of getting the Tigers back to winning ways.

Gulf Shores started the season off with a rocky 0-3 start against a tough schedule. Since then, the Dolphins are 3-2, with both losses being by just one possession. A win over the Tigers and then Murphy in the final week of the regular season should lock up a Class 6A playoff spot for the recent 5A state champs.

Senior quarterback Hayden Cooley will lead the Tiger offense with a choice of playmakers to get the ball to. Junior Ashton Cox is Cooley's top target, along with seniors William Robbins and Brycen Stewart to round it out. Senior athlete Lejames Daniels will line up just about anywhere on the field as well. Senior linebacker Jeffery Moorer and junior defensive lineman Brayden Hood will lead the way for the Baldwin County defense.

The Dolphins are saturated with playmakers and led by junior quarterback Jud Harris. The Gulf Shores signal-caller has thrown for 1,246 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, feeding the ball to three-star junior Carter Davis, who has 28 grabs for 454 yards and nine total touchdowns. The next-level talent doesn't stop there, as three-star senior Darrion Kirksey and Troy commit Nick Hampton combine for another 439 yards and four receiving touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, Gulf Shores is led by senior linebacker and Army West Point commit Landon Everett, who has 73 tackles and six tackles for loss. In front of him will be junior Adam Duncan and sophomore Gabe Ervin, who have combined for 32 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season.

The Class 6A Region 1 matchup will be played Friday, Oct. 24, at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium.