SPANISH FORT — After Daphne senior Mikkel Willoughby (4 yards) and Spanish Fort senior Sawyer Wilson (78 yards) scored within the first five minutes of Friday’s non-region rivalry game on The Hill, it seemed like the game could be on pace for a shootout.

Instead, the Toro defense found ways to bend but didn’t break in the words of head coach Chase Smith and kept the Trojans off the board the rest of the way for a 21-7 victory.

The hosts came away with an interception in the end zone for a touchback from junior Justin Vines late in the third quarter then got a blocked field goal attempt from senior Newton Gardner midway through the fourth quarter. Gardner then sealed the deal with an interception returned for a touchdown in the final 1:11 to help Spanish Fort improve to 11-2 overall against Daphne.

After a few big stops, @NewtonGardner3 comes up HUGE with a blocked Daphne field goal and Spanish Fort will take over on its own 15-yard line with 7:30 left in regulation and a 14-7 lead #ALHSFB pic.twitter.com/ZhhkCgxJZw

— Gulf Coast Media Sports (@GCMSportsAL) September 28, 2024

“They were doing a good job and making plays and we bent a little bit, but we didn't break. We found a way to get off the field,” Smith said after the game. “(Daphne) made some plays and they had a great game plan. We adjusted and the kids just found a way and fought and made plays when they had to. I'm just so proud of them.”

Gardner sparks halftime turnaround

It was also Gardner who helped deliver a halftime message to his Toro teammates, but not about the game plan. Instead, he laid his heart on the line and talked about the love they needed to have for each other.

“We came in during halftime and everybody was kind of arguing with each other. I had to calm everybody down and I brought it back to our core values. I felt like it was offense versus defense and defense versus offense and I was like, ‘Look, guys, let's come together,’” Gardner recounted after the game. “From the first day of summer in fall camp, Coach preached our core values. Every one of our seniors, we spoke about the values, and one of them was love. And I feel like we didn't have love for each other on and off the field in the first half.

“At halftime, I kind of talked to everybody and I was like, ‘Let's come together. Let's be a team. Let's play at our best standard and play every play like it's our last play, and let's love each other on and off the field and let's just have fun,’” Gardner continued. “And that's what happened.”

Tate scores special touchdown

Spanish Fort took a 14-7 lead into halftime thanks in part to a special touchdown for junior Damien Tate in what served as his home debut. The Bayside Academy transfer said Friday’s date had a significant meaning.

“It's my mom's heavenly birthday so that was big for me, and I just went all out for that,” Tate said after the game.

Tate was on the receiving end of a well-placed pass from classmate Aaden Shamburger to record a 37-yard touchdown just 40.5 seconds before halftime. While Tate suffered an injury early in the Toros’ season-opening game against Fairhope, the receiver was kept up to speed by his quarterback who told him to go out and take the jump ball.

“I told Sham, because we've been working on it at practice all week, ‘If I get over the top of him, just throw it to where I can go get it,’ and he did that,” Tate said. “Whenever I saw the pass in the air, because it's been a minute, I've been hurt, I was like, ‘I better catch it. I better catch it.’ And then I caught it.”

Dailey, Coleman hit on big plays for Trojans

Daphne nearly immediately responded to Spanish Fort’s big play before the half with one of its own when sophomore quarterback Jaylyn Thibodeaux launched a Hail Mary pass from his own 20-yard line to freshman Labrayln Coleman. The receiver came down with the pass and immediately broke a tackle near the Toros’ 30-yard line then nearly outraced the supporting defenders but was ruled down at the 1-yard line as time expired in the second quarter.

The Trojans’ third-quarter trip to the red zone was set up by a 1-on-1 catch from senior RJ Dailey that was good for 30 yards and gave the visitors a 1st-and-Goal at the 6-yard line. One play later, Vines came down with an interception for Spanish Fort.

Daphne recovered a Toro fumble on the ensuing drive but only 10:26 remained in the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Thibodeaux again relied on a deep attack and made a 35-yard connection to Coleman who hauled in the pass through a defensive pass interference penalty.

.@LB827337648 with a HUGE catch plus pass interference! Daphne with another red zone trip thanks to another great ball from Jaylyn Thibodeaux and the Trojans will set up shop at the Spanish Fort 15-yard line trailing 14-7 #ALHSFB pic.twitter.com/gXE4CYQ2Rz

— Gulf Coast Media Sports (@GCMSportsAL) September 28, 2024

Prior knowledge led to blocked field goal

The Trojans got backed up with sacks and negative yardage until another defensive pass interference penalty brought the ball back to the 15-yard line where Gardner thought back to prior field goal attempts.

“I was looking at the ball the whole time and I got myself ready. I got a good jump off because I noticed the past couple field goals that the outside guy was kind of slow off to the inside so I thought maybe I could squeeze in,” Gardner said. “And I just put my body out, and it hit the top of my helmet so it worked out.”

Up next

Spanish Fort improved to 5-1 overall and is set for a road trip next week to face the Blount Leopards who will be coming off a bye with a 1-3 record and 1-2 mark within Class 6A Region 1.

Daphne fell to 3-3 overall and is scheduled to return home next week for a Class 7A Region 1 meeting against the Davidson Warriors (1-4, 0-3) who lost 42-13 to McGill-Toolen in non-region play Friday night.

Money quotes

“I'm just proud of this team. Every one of them, they mean a lot to me,” Gardner said. “They all have big hearts and we all come together at the end of the day and we love each other and we have fun and play ball.”

“I just want to say I love this new family that I have, we did the thing tonight and did what coach wanted us to do, and we stayed together,” Tate said. “And happy birthday Mama.”

“I really love this team. I think we've got a really good core group here that understands what it's going to take,” Smith said. “So proud of our kids, this is a great win for us all around.”

Other Week 6 finals

Escambia Academy Cougars 50, Snook Christian Eagles 10

Florala Wildcats 45, Bayshore Christian Eagles 14

MGM Vikings 42, Baldwin County Tigers 0

Orange Beach Makos 45, Robertsdale Golden Bears 14

Theodore Bobcats 15, Fairhope Pirates 7