In the opening game of the AHSAA's 2026 football postseason, Orange Beach hit the road and stunned top-seeded Charles Henderson, 21-20, on Thursday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy.

The Makos jumped out to a 21-0 lead following a dominant performance for much of the first half, but the Trojans responded in kind and had plenty of chances to pull ahead during the latter stages of the second half.

However, a pivotal defensive stand and some well-orchestrated clock-draining by the Orange Beach offense secured the program its first playoff victory and made head coach Wade Waldrop the winningest in its history.

The Mako offense set the tone from the jump, as it methodically drove down the field after receiving the opening kickoff, chewing up nearly eight minutes of clock.

And in the end, lefty quarterback Tucker Wade rolled to his strong side and linked up with two-way star Verchaun Simms for the game's first points.

Orange Beach's defense forced an immediate three-and-out in response, with the Trojans struggling to pick up just a couple of yards against defensive tackle Amare Trammell and company.

The dream start for Waldrop's team continued when 6-foot-6 tight end Lee Steele took a pop-pass from his quarterback and raced down the sideline for an explosive touchdown. The monstrous junior showcased why he currently holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU and Tennessee.

Steele's electric score pushed the Makos' advantage to 13-0 with four minutes left in the opening quarter, and the visitors struck again early in the second.

This time, freshman tailback Jace Kidd capped a drive by bulldozing his way into the end zone from a few yards out, extending his team's lead to 19-0 with 9:24 left before halftime.

Then, Wade linked up with Simms on a near-identical play to their opening touchdown in order to convert a two-point attempt, which made the deficit three touchdowns.

Charles Henderson continued to struggle generating anything positive against the Orange Beach defense, and another punt ensued.

It appeared that the Makos were set to build on their already sizable advantage when junior Deundrea Gray ripped off a strong run into opposing territory, but the home side stole some momentum soon after.

The Trojans' Amari Wingard read a deep throw, hauled in the ball and returned it over 100 yards to the opposite end zone, stunning the visting sideline and completing a pivotal 14-point swing before the break.

And that momentum-shifting play had the intended effect, because it seemed to flip a switch in the game as a heavy fog also rolled into the stadium.

Charles Henderson drove right down the field and put seven more points on the board to begin the second half, and the Orange Beach offense went three-and-out right after. Junior punter Evan Crochet managed to coffin-corner a kick inside the one-yard line, but a penalty moved the ball out to the 15.

With just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, the Trojans again worked their way downfield, and a quarterback-keeper resulted in another touchdown. However, a deflected extra point by junior Walker Long kept the Makos ahead, 21-20.

Needing to give their defense a break, Wade and Simms connected for a pair of first-down conversions as the third frame came to a close.

The drive stalled shortly after that, but Waldrop's defense had regained its footing by that point. With the home side starting at the plus-42 yard line, senior Turner Tillman and his peers forced Charles Henderson into a 4th-and-5.

Wanting to maintain their momentum, the Trojans attempted a fake-punt pass, but the visitors read it well as the ball dropped to the turf.

Gray picked up a first down, but a sack forced Orange Beach into a punt of its own as the clock dipped under seven minutes left.

Taking possession at its own 32, Charles Henderson's offense progressed to midfield.

But after a holding penalty and negative plays created a 3rd-and-18, the Trojans' quarterback fumbled while attempting to scramble. The Makos recovered, and with the home side having spent one of its timeouts already, Waldrop and company had a chance to ice the game.

Kidd picked up five yards, then churned out two more short runs to move the chains. The freshman nearly dashed for another first down before Charles Henderson began to use its timeouts.

Gray proceeded to step in at this juncture, and he moved the ball into the red zone all on his own with the clock working well below the two-minute mark.

And with the Trojans having run out of ways to stop the clock, another Gray carry and a kneel-down from Wade capped a monumental win for Orange Beach.

The Makos (9-2, 4-2) will next face the winner of Friday's No. 2 Andalusia (7-3, 6-1) vs. No. 3 Sipsey Valley (8-2, 5-2) matchup.