Having combined for three state titles since 2023, Parklane Academy and Gulf Shores know what it takes to win at the highest level. 

But their championship mettle was put to the test Friday night, because the Pioneers made the roughly four-hour journey from McComb, Mississippi, to battle the Dolphins in a marquee cross-state contest.

With plenty on the line in this opener, Gulf Shores forced a three-and-out on Parklane’s opening possession and became the first to strike soon after.

A methodical, balanced drive from the Dolphins resulted in sophomore quarterback Major Hudspeth lofting a ball up to star receiver Carter Davis, and the West Virginia commit won a 50/50 battle in the air to score the game’s first touchdown from 25 yards out.

But the home side’s advantage was short-lived. 

Opposite Hudspeth was the Pioneers’ Reece Robinson, another young quarterback who was making his first varsity start as a freshman. And despite going three-out-and on his first drive, Robinson proceeded to find Kardez “Dooley” Copeland on a slant route that ended with the wide out blazing past Dolphin defenders for a tying score.

The teams traded promising yet empty possessions before Gulf Shores’ Brayden Lawson took a short screen from his own territory all the way to the red zone. Junior tailback Kingston Gardner proceeded to punch in a short touchdown to make the score read 14-7 with 7:02 left in the opening half.

A Zach Williamson sack forced another Parklane punt, but Copeland kept his team within one score by rising up for an interception during the ensuing Dolphin drive.

Gulf Shores mounted a productive drive in the closing moments of the half, but another interception, this one by Parklane’s Eli Chandler, kept the visitors within one score heading into the locker room.

Each offense stalled on its opening possession of the third quarter, but the Dolphins manufactured a scoring drive right after.

Davis shook off a tackle for a big gain that brought his side to the Pioneers’ 30-yard line, and Hudspeth followed that up with an elusive scramble that pushed the ball inside the 10.

And fittingly, the young signal-caller capped the drive with a read-option keeper that resulted in six points and extended the lead to 21-7 with 6:29 left in the third.

But in an instance of déjà vu, Copeland exploded for another touchdown on a catch-and-run, cutting the advantage in half.

Parklane’s defense secured a 4th down stop right after, but Gulf Shores’ unit mirrored that effort to regain momentum.

That sequence was followed by Hudspeth placing a pass right in Lawson’s bread basket to move his team inside the red zone. A physical run from senior tailback Janoy Ferguson pushed the lead back out to two scores with nine minutes left in the contest.

But at this point, déjà vu couldn’t even explain it, because Copeland yet again found the open field and won a foot race to the end zone.

“It was really because of us being deep in the fourth quarter and not being focused,” senior defensive back Elijah Malone said of the explosive plays. “It was just a lack of focus, and I told my teammates that I’ve got them next time.”

And after Parklane sacked Hudspeth during the next possession, the visitors had the ball with a chance to tie and under five minutes on the clock.

But where they had the ball was problematic, because senior punter Zarek Carris pinned a ball inside the five-yard line, forcing a freshman quarterback to start the biggest drive of his career with his feet in the end zone.

And the defining moment occurred when Malone expertly read a slip screen and brought a Pioneer down in the painted area. As a result, the Jacksonville State commit secured two more points for his team, and ultimately, the 30-21 victory.

Here’s a breakdown of how Gulf Shores outlasted the visitors from Mississippi, what was said after the game and who each side will square off with next:

Primetime Performers

Major Hudspeth

Gulf Shores | Quarterback | Sophomore

Notable Stats: 1 rushing touchdown, 1 passing touchdown

Hudspeth played in a handful of games for the Dolphins in 2025, but this was the young signal-caller’s first time starting as the full-time leader of Gulf Shores’ offense.

There was plenty of reason for the sophomore to show signs of feeling the pressure, but instead, he starred. Despite tossing two picks in the first half, Hudspeth rallied to complete a handful of high-level throws while also dicing up the Parklane defense with his feet.

“It really just made me go hard on defense, because he was doing a lot for us on offense so we had to make up for it,” Malone said of his QB’s inspiring play. “And he’s a 10th grader…he is nice.”

After a performance like this, it’s safe to say the youngster has earned the respect of his teammates.

Carter Davis

Gulf Shores | Wide Receiver | Senior

Notable Stats: 1 touchdown, multiple 20+ yard gains

As one of the most well-known athletes at Gulf Shores High School, Davis was certainly at the top of the scouting report for Parklane. And yet, it didn’t seem to matter.

The future Mountaineer frequently found separation downfield and made defenders miss when he got the ball in his hands. And on top of that, his season-opening touchdown will likely be featured in his end-of-year highlight reel.

Kardez “Dooley” Copeland

Parklane | Wide Receiver | Senior

Notable Stats: 3 receiving touchdowns, 1 interception

Gulf Shores had plenty of other standouts, but it is worth shouting out Copeland for his efforts. The speedy yet strong target managed to beat his initial defender on multiple occasions, and once he had the ball in his hands, Copeland made sure to show off his track speed. 

High school sports fans back in Mississippi will likely get very familiar with the name “Dooley,” a moniker his coaches and teammates have grown fond of.

Defining Moments

Major Hudspeth’s miraculous scramble (3rd Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 7.5

This drive eventually resulted in Hudspeth rushing for a touchdown, but his initial scramble is what truly lit a fire under his teammates.

Hudspeth first avoided a would-be tackler in the backfield, then he forced a handful of defenders to hesitate with a well-time pump fake. The sophomore proceeded to shed another tackle before being brought down in the red zone after scrambling for a total of what seemed like 40 yards.

“Honestly, I was not expecting to use my legs as much as I did tonight, but the O-line blocked great and gave me a few lanes to make the most of,” Hudspeth said. “But I’m just proud of everyone on the team.”

Zarek Carris’ pinned punt (4th Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 8.0

Yes, a punt made this list.

Special teamers deserve attention as well, and Carris’ well-placed kick in the final quarter certainly played a factor in the Dolphins coming out on top.

Also, a shout out to the Gulf Shores coverage team for locating and downing the ball inside the five-yard line.

Elijah Malone’s safety (4th Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 9.0

Of course, the game-clinching moment would be the most impactful.

Malone displayed all of the reasons he’s a current D-I commit in a single play, and the dynamic cornerback deserves plenty of praise for his efforts in all phases of this game.

“I had been watching film of their slip screens since last week,” Malone said of the safety. “As soon as I saw him go out and come back in, I just read it like a book and made the play.”

Quotes To Note

• “This was my first time being the starting guy to open a season, so I definitely feel like I have a lot of things to clean up. But I want to shout out our receivers, O-line and defense, they played great tonight.” — Major Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Quarterback
• “I’m just proud of him, because he found out 24 hours ago that he was gonna be the starter. Sometimes that’s hard, but for him to respond the way he did, I’m really proud.” — Mark Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Head Coach
• “Our goal was to come over here and have a chance to win it late. And we had the ball down one score, but they pinned us back and made a great play.” — Ron Rushing, Parklane Head Coach
• “This was definitely a good start, but we don’t want to let that get to our heads and think we have it all figured out. We have a lot to learn from the film, especially myself.” — Major Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Quarterback
• “I thought they had a good plan, because they tried to take our D-line out of the game by getting the ball out quick. They hit some big plays on us, which is good because it allows us to see what we need to work on.” — Mark Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Head Coach
• “They [Gulf Shores] have answers to everything. It made our staff a bit better by preparing for them, but I believe they’re the best coached team in the country. At every position they’re just so technical, so they could go a long way.” — Ron Rushing, Parklane Head Coach
• “They [Parklane] are a class program. There’s a reason they’ve won two straight championships, and it’s because of how they’re coached.” — Mark Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Head Coach

Obscure Observations

• This was the first meeting between Parklane and Gulf Shores. The matchup came about in part because of a friendship between Hudspeth and Pioneers assistant coach Paul Anderson, as the duo won a state title together in 1997 while coaching at Wayne Academy in Mississippi.

• It wasn’t mentioned much in the overall recap, but both of these team’s front sevens deserve recognition for their performances. Outside of Hudspeth scrambling on broken plays, neither side was able to generate consistent success on the ground, which forced both young quarterbacks to step up.
• This was the first time Gulf Shores has won its season-opening game since 2023, the same year the Dolphins won the AHSAA 5A state title.

Up Next

Gulf Shores (1-0): vs. St. Pauls (1-0) | Friday, Aug. 28

The Dolphins will remain at home when they welcome St. Pauls from Mobile for another public vs. private matchup.

Parklane (0-1): @ Jackson Prep (1-0) | Friday, Aug. 28

The Pioneers will head back to Mississippi and look forward to a clash with arch rivals Jackson Prep, who ironically hosted an opponent from Alabama in UMS-Wright Prep to open its season.