Coach Wade Waldrop knew what he was asking of his players.
“You knew what was coming,” he told his players following a 45-0 homecoming win over Francis Marion.
Filling a desperate need …
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Coach Wade Waldrop knew what he was asking of his players.
“You knew what was coming,” he told them following a 45-0 homecoming win over Francis Marion.
Filling a desperate need for homecoming – an opponent to play so there would be a game – Orange Beach found a willing participant in the Class 1A Francis Marion Rams.
Francis Marion made the nearly four-hour trek with less than 20 players suited up and a handful of cheerleaders. A team from Georgia (Pacelli) was on the original schedule but backed out of making the journey.
The outcome was hardly in question from the moment it was decided the two teams would play. But Waldrop spent the week preaching about practicing the right way, and he came away happy with what he saw all week and Friday night.
“It goes against everything from a coaching standpoint we ever talk about doing,” he told his team. “It's always about the next thing. I was honest with y'all, and y'all worked the way you needed to work. I thought you had a great week of practice. I’m proud of y’all.”
Any doubt on the outcome was erased quickly as Kevin Gause raced almost untouched on the opening kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown just 12 seconds into the game.
Francis Marion fumbled its first snap from scrimmage and gave Orange Beach the ball at its 28. Two sweeps to tight end Lee Steele--who forced the aforementioned fumble on defense--made the score 14-0 less than two minutes in.
On the night, Orange Beach got touchdowns from:
Kicker Evan Crochet made six PATs on the night and was true on a 26-yard field goal just before the half. Orange Beach didn’t attempt a pass in the game and have a return set up on any punts by the Rams during the game.
A shout-out to Francis Marion for taking on an impossible assignment and handling it with great dignity.
Same could be said for everything about how Orange Beach handled a unique circumstance.
Perhaps the biggest game in Orange Beach’s short football history.
The Makos travel to Mobile to take on No. 1-ranked Class 4A Region 1 power Williamson. Both teams are undefeated on the season, with Orange Beach 6-0 overall and 3-0 in region play and Williamson standing at 4-0 and 2-0.
