The opening rounds of the Alabama high school soccer playoffs delivered a clear split across Baldwin County, with convincing victories on one side and season-ending defeats on the other.

All champions will be crowned by the end of the day on May 9 at the Huntsville Soccer Complex — so let’s dive into which county teams are still battling and which ones said goodbye to 2026. 

GIRLS PLAYOFFS

In Class 7A, the postseason structure features one fewer round than other classifications, placing teams into the quarterfinals by the second round. Fairhope took full advantage of its opening opportunity, defeating Baker 3-0 at W.C. Majors Field to advance to the Elite Eight. The Pirates will now host Dothan with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Daphne, meanwhile, was eliminated in the opening round, falling 3-1 on the road to McGill-Toolen.

Class 6A saw a strong start from Spanish Fort, which rolled past Saraland 5-0 in the first round. However, the Toros’ postseason run ended in the second round with a narrow 2-1 loss to Pike Road, closing the book on another great year for one of South Alabama’s premier programs.

Gulf Shores also exited early in 6A play, dropping a 5-0 decision to St. Paul’s in the opening round.

In Class 5A, two Baldwin County teams remain firmly in the hunt. Elberta opened with a 3-2 win over Citronelle before adding a 4-1 victory against Carroll to reach the third round. St. Michael matched that momentum, edging Faith Academy 2-1 in round one and then powering past Charles Henderson 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals.

The two county rivals are now set for a high-stakes third meeting this season in the Elite Eight. Elberta has claimed both previous matchups, including a win at their home field, setting up a compelling postseason clash with a semifinal berth at stake.

Orange Beach delivered one of the most dominant performances of the opening round in Class 4A, overwhelming New Brockton 10-0. The Makos will now host St. James in the second round.

In Classes 1A-3A, Bayshore’s season came to an end with an 8-1 road loss to Houston Academy.

BOYS PLAYOFFS

On the boys side, Class 7A featured opening-round matchups mirroring the girls slate, with Fairhope facing McGill-Toolen and Daphne taking on Davidson. The Pirates followed the girls squad at W.C. Majors Field with a 1-0 win over the Yellow Jackets while the Trojans narrowly defeated Davidson 3-2. In the 7A Elite Eight, Daphne will host Auburn and Fairhope awaits the winner of a match that was delayed between Montgomery Academy and Opelika. 

Spanish Fort picked up a 2-0 win over Saraland in the opening round of Class 6A, continuing the program’s strong postseason presence. The Toros then followed that with a 4-3 second round victory over Pike Road on The Hill, setting up a match with St. Paul’s in the Elite Eight. 

In Class 5A, St. Michael cruised to a 6-0 victory over Citronelle in the first round, advancing comfortably. In the second round, the Cardinals took down Eufaula 3-0 to set a third round date against Faith Academy. 

Among the other boys teams that saw their seasons end, Gulf Shores was eliminated from the Class 6A bracket after a 6-3 loss to St. Paul’s. Bayside Academy dropped a tight 1-0 decision to Faith Academy, while Bayshore Christian fell 4-0 to Houston Academy in the opening round of the Class 1A-3A playoffs as well.

The road to the Blue Map trophies will continue throughout this weekend on the pitch with rounds two and three.