As Week 7 of the high school football season arrives, so too have the intra-county matchups that will help determine regional playoff races in the home stretch of the season.

Orange Beach at St. Michael Thursday night, as well as Foley at Fairhope Friday night, highlight some of the high-stakes region action on this week’s docket. Elberta hosts top-ranked UMS-Wright Prep Friday as the other home game this week.

We’ll know more about the playoff pictures when the dust settles this weekend but until then, follow @GCMSportsAL on social media channels for live updates from Baldwin County sidelines every week, and here are three games to watch in Week 7.

Orange Beach Makos at St. Michael Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m.

A big clash between half of the 2-1 teams within Class 4A Region 1 takes place at Fairhope Municipal Stadium Thursday night. Orange Beach is coming off a win over 1A McIntosh and St. Michael fell in its battle against 6A McGill-Toolen.

The Makos and Cardinals are joined by Bayside Academy and Escambia County in sitting just behind 3-0 T.R. Miller with 2-1 marks within the region. Behind them are Jackson (1-2) as well as Satsuma (0-3) and Wilcox Central (0-3).

Orange Beach has scored double digits in all of its games so far and eclipsed 30 points in both of its previous region wins to move its record to 11-2 when scoring 30 or more points.

St. Michael failed to reach double digits for the first time under second year head coach Philip Rivers but still enters Thursday’s contest the third-highest scoring team in Region 1. To complement the offense, the Cardinal defense has also allowed the fewest points to region opponents at 38 in three games.

Foley Lions at No. 2 Fairhope Pirates, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

In Class 7A, the 2-0 Fairhope Pirates join only the 3-0 Daphne Trojans in remaining undefeated within the group so far. After them, Baker holds third place with a 2-1 record ahead of Foley at 1-1.

MGM (1-2), Bryant (0-2) and Davidson (0-3) all sat outside the playoff picture entering Week 7. This week, Bryant plays Baker, Davidson plays MGM and Daphne is off.

Second-ranked Fairhope was off last week but beat Davidson 55-28 the week prior. The Lions fell last Friday to Class 6A’s new No. 1 Saraland and have dropped their last five matchups against the Pirates in the all-time series that dates back to 1931, according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society.

Foley still holds a 52-43-4 overall lead in the series, having outscored Fairhope 1,824-1,438, but the Pirates’ five-game win streak comes with a scoring advantage of 148-63.

No. 7 Gulf Shores Dolphins at Williamson Lions, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

Another matchup featuring teams with identical region records pits Gulf Shores and Williamson together with 3-1 marks in Class 5A Region 1. It will also be a best-on-best battle between the team that has scored the most points in region games, against the team that has allowed the fewest points to region opponents.

The Dolphins have outscored their region opponents 140-85 while the Lions have racked up an 80-6 point differential against region foes. In Williamson’s six regular-season games, it has allowed 32 total points, including 20 in an overtime win over MGM and six points each to Vigor and Blount.

Gulf Shores has scored at least 20 points in all of its games so far this season and remained ranked No. 7 after last week’s non-region win over Murphy.

Williamson leads the all-time series 4-2 although it will be the schools’ first meeting since 2015 when the Lions won 28-20. The Dolphins won the previous two meetings in 2014 and 2013 by a combined 60-31.

Other Baldwin County games in Week 7

Robertsdale Golden Bears at Murphy Panthers, Thursday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m.

All-time series: 0-0, teams’ first meeting.

Last week: Robertsdale fell to Alma-Bryant 41-20 and Murphy lost to Gulf Shores 35-14.

Baldwin County Tigers at McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

All-time series: McGill-Toolen leads 15-8, having won the last nine in a row.

Last week: Baldwin County fell to MGM 35-7 and the Yellow Jackets beat St. Michael Catholic 27-7.

Bayside Academy Admirals at No. 10 T.R. Miller Tigers, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

All-time series: T.R. Miller leads 10-4, having won the last two in a row by shutouts.

Last week: Both teams were off.

Snook Christian Academy Eagles at St. Patrick (MS) Fighting Irish, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

All-time series: 0-0, teams’ first meeting.

Last week: Both teams were off.

Spanish Fort Toros at St. Paul’s Episcopal Saints, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

All-time series: St. Paul’s leads 8-6

Trend: Spanish Fort won last year, 42-7, to snap the Saints’ two-game win streak.

Last week: The Toros beat Daphne 18-15 and St. Paul’s fell to Faith Academy 34-7.

No. 1 UMS-Wright Bulldogs at Elberta Warriors, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

All-time series: UMS-Wright leads 2-0.

Last week: Both teams were off.