It was a coronation of sorts for the Region 1 Class 5A champs Gulf Shores Dolphins.
Gulf Shores had the title already in hand and any result v. Theodore in the final region contest would not …
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It was a coronation of sorts for the Region 1 Class 5A champs Gulf Shores Dolphins.
Gulf Shores had the title already in hand and any result vs. Theodore in the final region contest would not change that.
But the Dolphins showed the same stuff that made them champions this season, dominating the Bobcats 33-7 to finish the region undefeated at 7-0 and 9-0 overall.
A season-long star, senior Elijah Malone had bookend plays to start and finish Gulf Shores’ first drive, and a scoop-and-score by Karter Williams had the Dolphins up 12-0 just five minutes into the game.
Malone returned the opening kickoff 27 yards to his own 37 and eight plays later faked a handoff to senior Carter Davis and raced around the left end for a 10-yard score from the wildcat formation.
The big play on the drive was a 22-yard flip to Davis on a sweep play as sophomore quarterback Major Hudspeth went 3-for-4 for 35 yards of the 63-yard drive.
Three plays into the ensuing possession, Dolphin junior defensive lineman Gabe Ervin forced a fumble on a scramble by Bobcat quarterback Jadon Strait, and Williams scooped up the prize and raced 25 yards for the touchdown. A second unsuccessful PAT left the score at 12-0 with seven minutes left in the first.
Another Strait fumble, again forced by Ervin just three plays into the next Theodore possession, led to the Dolphins' third score.
Operating from the wildcat again, Malone gave the ball to Davis on a jet sweep, and the fastest man in Alabama raced 21 yards for the score on the next play.
Hudspeth found sophomore Brayden Lawson for the two-point pass and a 20-0 Dolphin lead with 3:48 left in the first quarter.
A good combination of run and pass defined the last Gulf Shores drive of the half, with Hudspeth hitting on four of five passes to three different receivers for 43 yards while senior Janoy Ferguson had three rushes for 14 yards.
Lawson got the touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Hudspeth, and freshman Khy Webb added the PAT for a 27-0 lead just 40 seconds before halftime.
Both teams opened the second half by trading punts, and an interception by Hudspeth and a muffed punt stifled the Dolphins' offense in the quarter.
Taking advantage of a short punt by Theodore, Gulf Shores took over on the Bobcat 36 and used alternating runs by Ferguson and Davis to drive to the 12.
From there, the sophomore combination of Hudspeth and Lawson struck again for their second 12-yard scoring pass play in the game. Another missed PAT made the score 33-0 with 6:41 to play.
Buoyed by a 45-yard run from bruising senior back Kendrick Able, the Bobcats were able to get on the board when he plunged in from the one with just 2:42 left in the game.
Hudspeth’s numbers--while not spectacular--were certainly efficient, and he helped the Dolphins build the 27-0 halftime lead. He was 10-of-15 passing for 111 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception, unofficially. He only attempted two passes in the second half, with one of those being a touchdown.
Running back by committee saw the trio of Ferguson, Malone and Davis all come up with big runs at opportune times.
Defensively, the Dolphins continued to show dominance. Theodore got only six first downs in the game to go along with with minus-3 yards rushing.
A nine-play touchdown drive to start the game was followed quickly by a defensive scoop and score, allowing Gulf Shores to take command five minutes in.
Gulf Shores will be at home the next two weeks, the first to end the regular season against Private Schools Class 1A Bayside Academy and the second to open the 2026 Class 5A playoffs, likely against Ramsey from Birmingham.
Theodore lines up against Class 6A Mary Montgomery next before a road playoff game the following week, likely at Homewood.
Ramsey and Homewood closed out their region play Friday as well, with champ Homewood taking a 10-7 win to stay undefeated in Region 4 at 7-0. Ramsey fell to 4-3 in region play.
