GULF SHORES - Halloween weekend brought with it the final slate of high school football’s regular season, and with most of Baldwin County’s teams having wrapped up regional play, Friday night presented an opportunity for some unique matchups to occur.

One of such contests took place at “The Mick,” as Gulf Shores welcomed fellow state-title contender Bayside Academy for a public vs. private matchup. With these teams boasting one combined loss and plenty of familiarity among their players, the clash between the Admirals and Dolphins was highly anticipated for a variety of reasons.

And in the end, it was the home side that defined the night, as Gulf Shores dominated from start to finish on its way to a 41-0 result that completed the second undefeated season in program history.

“We put in a lot of work. We ask more from our kids than I would imagine any program in the country,” Gulf Shores head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “The time that they put in, the time our coaches invest…this is just an accumulation of all the hard work we’ve put in, so I’m really proud.”

From the early moments of this game, it was apparent that the Dolphins were going to be putting their foot on the gas in pursuit of that perfect regular season.

The Admirals received first and were aided by a pass interference call to move the chains, but after Gulf Shores’ defense forced a punt, its counterparts got right to work.

Setting the tone for a balanced offensive night, senior Janoy Ferguson picked up a first down via the ground before sophomore quarterback Major Hudspeth linked up with junior Benton Brereton for a key third-down conversion.

All of that set the stage for Carter Davis to shine, as the West Virginia commit proceeded to haul in a screen pass, juke one defender and practically glide into the end zone for six.

The ensuing extra point failed, but that did little to stymie the home side’s momentum.

A pair of pass interferences ushered Bayside downfield before the visitors were forced to punt again, and Davis made it known that he wasn’t satisfied with one touchdown during the ensuing possession.

The senior receiver first reversed field for an explosive pick-up to get the drive started, and after the Dolphins moved inside the red zone, Davis seemingly replicated his first touchdown off another swing pass.

Facing a 13-0 deficit, the Admirals again worked their way to midfield, but per the theme of the night, the possession stalled at that point. This time, a tackle for loss by Gulf Shores nose guard Gabriel Ervin was what forced Bayside’s punting unit back onto the field.

The Dolphins appeared primed to extend their lead to three scores right after, but a handful of Bayside defenders contributed to chasing a runner to the goal line and punching the ball free right before it crossed the plane. The pigskin rolled out the back of the end zone, resulting in a well-earned touchback that took a high level of effort from the visitors’ defense.

Looking to build off the gained momentum, Admirals quarterback Davis Barnett connected with senior receiver Walker Collins for a chunk gain.

However, the promising drive ended in a turnover of downs. Gulf Shores then did the same when Bayside stuffed a 4th-and-2 play, but the visitors were still prompted to punt in response.

And this time, Hudspeth and his offense didn’t even need to trot onto the field, because senior defensive back Elijah Malone took matters into his own hands on a punt return. The Jacksonville State commit eluded multiple defenders and beat a handful more in a footrace to the end zone in order to extend his team’s advantage to 20-0 with 4:50 left in the first half.

With his team in search of a much-needed answer, Bayside’s bruising tight end Ladd Powers moved the chains with a shifty move on a short pass. But in the end, another failed fourth-down attempt was the result.

Thus, Gulf Shores had another opportunity to put points on the board before halftime, and it made the most of it. 

Hudspeth provided the highlight this time by eluding a defender in the backfield and finding an open Ferguson downfield for yet another explosive touchdown.

The Dolphins took a 27-0 lead into the locker room thanks to that play, and their starters tacked on two more scores early in the third quarter before mostly calling it a night.

Davis got the party started with an electric run into the red zone, and then Mark Hudspeth and his staff opted to get tricky. They rolled Major Hudspeth to his left, then had the signal-caller throw back to 6-foot-2, 255-pound offensive lineman Jack Biggs.

Celebrating his Senior Night, Biggs showcased some elusiveness by shrugging one Admiral aside before he was brought down just a couple yards short of a memorable touchdown.

Still, the veteran lineman can take solace in knowing that he moved his team closer to scoring, because Major Hudspeth tossed a touchdown to sophomore receiver Brayden Lawson during the next play.

 Seemingly inspired by his offense’s performance, Ervin provided another highlight right after by recovering a fumble in the backfield. 

A flip pass to junior tight end Evan McCrary resulted in another touchdown for the home side, and Joc Prince produced his own Senior-Night moment by intercepting a pass during Bayside’s ensuing drive.

From there, Gulf Shores opted to let its bench players get some playing time, and a running clock in the fourth quarter saw this game to an end.

“What a crowd, what a night!” Mark Hudspeth exclaimed postgame. “And what a way to send the seniors out for the regular season.”

Here’s a breakdown of how the Dolphins cruised to a win, what was said after the game and who each side will square off with next:

Primetime Performers

Carter Davis

Gulf Shores | Wide Receiver | Senior

At this point, there really isn’t much more to say about Davis.

Regarded by some (ex. the Dolphins’ PA announcer) as “the fastest man in Alabama,” the track star and future Mountaineer continues to add to his highlight reel as the weeks go by, and his pair of early touchdowns Friday showed just how dominant he can be.

And overall, Davis figures to be an X-factor when it comes to Gulf Shores’ ability to win a state title in the coming weeks.

Gulf Shores' Carter Davis high-fives his teammates.

Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media

Elijah Malone

Gulf Shores | Defensive Back | Senior

Malone has technically been recruited by Jax State as a defensive back, but the senior will be best remembered as a true ‘athlete’ in high school.

From taking direct snaps on offense to locking down opposing receivers and even blocking field goals, Malone has done it all this fall, and he added another memorable moment to the list with his dynamic punt-return touchdown.

“I really just had to get into the end zone,” Malone said. “I talked to the ref before the play, and he was like ‘When you gonna get in the end zone?’ And I said ‘Right now.’ Then I just made my moves, and my teammates made great blocks.”

Gabriel Ervin

Gulf Shores | Nose Guard | Junior

The entire Dolphin defense deserves praise for securing its fourth shutout of the season, but Ervin’s tendency to wreck havoc is impossible to ignore.

Already holding offers from the likes of Tennessee, Texas Tech and Troy, the monstrous D-lineman has been a nightmare for opposing offenses to deal with throughout the 2026 campaign.

“They do their job, they do it right, and they have some grit,” Malone said of the defensive line. “That’s a good front four.”

Defining Moments

Major Hudspeth’s touchdown to Janoy Ferguson (2nd Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 8.5

The final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half are commonly known as the “middle eight” in football, and many coaches argue that those are the most pivotal moments of the game.

So, it makes sense that a large reason why Gulf Shores was able to secure a 41-point win was its success during that time. 

The Dolphins scored a touchdown coming out of the half as well, but it was Major Hudspeth’s creative touchdown toss to his tailback Ferguson that seemed to give the home side an almost insurmountable four-score lead.

“It’s been a huge learning experience from Week 1 to Week 10,” Major Hudspeth said of his development as the full-time starter. “I just have to give all the glory to God for allowing me to step into this role, and my teammates have really been helping me out.”

Elijah Malone’s punt return (2nd Quarter)

Impact Rating (1-10): 8.0

Mere minutes of game time before Ferguson reached the end zone, Malone made his own house call.

And for any opponent that faces Gulf Shores, once the duo of Davis and Malone gains confidence during a game, stopping the Dolphin offense becomes nearly impossible.

Gulf Shores' Elijah Malone gets warmed up.

Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media

Quotes To Note

• “We’re still getting better, and we still did some things tonight that we have to get better at. We have to make our extra points and we have to take care of the football. Once we get in the playoffs, those are the things that can be really important.” — Mark Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Head Coach
• “They [offensive line] don’t get the recognition they deserve. Carter [Davis] and Emo [Elijah Malone] are so special, but it also starts with the O-line up front. They’ve blocked their butts off all season.” — Major Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Quarterback
• “We just had a great week of preparation coming into this one, and our offseason was great too. That’s all there is to it. Just great preparation.” — Gabriel Ervin, Gulf Shores Nose Guard
• “We always play with an edge, and each week the edge has grown. And next week we’re going to be 0-0, so we’re gonna be playing with that edge every time. It’ll be a hard time stopping us.” — Elijah Malone, Gulf Shores Defensive Back
• “We just can’t get a big head. It’s about restarting and taking it one game at a time. Win four, and then we get to the big game.” — Major Hudspeth, Gulf Shores Quarterback

Obscure Observations

• This result moves the all-time record between the schools to 4-1 in favor of Gulf Shores. The Dolphins fell in the last meeting (2011) but won three straight from 2008-2010 prior to that.
• For the uniform enthusiasts out there, Gulf Shores sported an all-teal look Friday night, which was its 10th different jersey combination in just as many games this season. From navy, to white, to black and now teal, the Dolphins have worn it all.
• Gulf Shores’ 2026 defense has produced plenty of zeros on the scoreboard, and as a result, has been rewarded with some treats. The Dolphins’ staff apparently agreed to a deal where the defensive unit would receive doughnuts following every shut-out performance, and thus the coaches have been making frequent trips to pick up a baker’s dozen.
• A major underlying story from this game is the relationship between Barnett and the Dolphins. Bayside’s signal-caller originally moved to Gulf Shores from Oxford in the 4th grade, and thus he grew up playing alongside many of the Dolphins’ players. Barnett especially had a strong bond with Malone thanks to their upbringing in Oxford, but after playing 7-on-7 and eventually his freshman year with Gulf Shores, the quarterback and his family moved to the Daphne area. Barnett and Malone remained close friends, and the families always try to watch each others’ games when they are able.
• As noted above, Davis is taking his talents to Morgantown, West Virginia next year. And to take in the seniors’ final regular season game, the Mountaineers sent a representative down to take in the action.

Gulf Shores' Carter Davis speaks with a representative from West Virginia.

Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media

Up Next

The Dolphins (10-0, 7-0) will welcome Ramsay (6-4, 4-3) for their opening-round matchup in the AHSAA 5A playoffs, which are slated to begin next Friday. The Rams dropped their final three games of the regular season–albeit by a combined 22 points–to finish fourth in Region 4.

“They’re [Ramsay] really talented. They have a lineman committed to Ohio State, and another committed to Clemson, so they’ve got talent,” Mark Hudspeth said of the opening-round matchup. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m just excited for our fan base, our players and everybody that had a part in this.”

Meanwhile, the Admirals (8-2, 7-0) will return home to battle St. James (3-7, 3-3) in the first round of the AHSAA Single-A Private playoffs. The visiting Trojans finished fourth in Region 2.