Threes wild in Bayside Academy’s Week 3 meeting with St. Michael

Plus three more games to watch around Baldwin County in third week of high school football season

By Cole McNanna
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 9/2/22

Threes are wild for the Bayside Academy Admirals entering their Week 3 matchup with the St. Michael Catholic Cardinals at home Friday night.

Bayside Academy will be looking for its third win in as …

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Threes wild in Bayside Academy’s Week 3 meeting with St. Michael

Plus three more games to watch around Baldwin County in third week of high school football season

Posted

Threes are wild for the Bayside Academy Admirals entering their Week 3 matchup with the St. Michael Catholic Cardinals at home Friday night.

Bayside Academy will be looking for its third win in as many meetings with St. Michael which would improve the Admirals’ overall record to 3-0 for the third year in a row. The win would also put Bayside Academy head coach Phil Lazenby only three wins away from the 200th of his career.

However, both games took place before Philip Rivers took over the Cardinals’ program and revitalized St. Michael’s offense. In his first year at the helm in 2021, the Cardinals set school records in wins (6), points in a game (49) and points in a season (316), which was a 205-point improvement from the 2020 campaign.

Through two games this season, St. Michael is 1-1 with a 34-27 loss to Gulf Shores and a 36-0 win over Chickasaw, both at home.

On the other side, the Admirals earned two road wins over Elberta (14-13) and Pike Liberal Arts (33-15) and return to their home field to open region play.

All but one Baldwin County team will similarly open play within its respective region this Friday night. Seven local teams will host games, two matchups are intercounty meetings and two more will travel to away contests.

Baldwin County Tigers at Spanish Fort Toros, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

Both teams enter with 1-1 overall records, but each did the opposite from the previous week where Spanish Fort earned its first win, 16-6 over Blount, and Baldwin County suffered its first loss, 14-0 against Foley.

The Toros will look for their second straight regular-season win but will also be in search of their 11th win in as many region meetings with the Tigers. The last eight have come consecutively since 2014 before wins in the 2010-2011 alignment of the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

Jackson Aggies at Orange Beach Makos, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

After Orange Beach had a bye last week, it opens region play with the school’s first matchup against Jackson who has been to the playoffs every year since 2008. The Aggies were state runners-up in 2009 before they won the 2011 state title and finished as state semifinalists in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.

The Makos’ new quarterback/athlete John Wallace Holladay will be making his first home start with his new teammates after the Week 1 win over Pensacola on the road. Last year, Holladay helped the St. Paul’s Saints to a second-place finish in 5A Region 1 and led a playoff win.

This year, Orange Beach will be eyeing its second straight postseason berth and opens the jockeying for playoff position Friday night.

MGM Vikings at Foley Lions, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

Coming off a shutout win over Baldwin County where the Foley defense came up with a pair of goal-line stands in the final minutes of regulation, the Lions will look to carry that magic into their region-opening game against MGM.

According to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society, Foley leads the all-time series 23-6 and currently owns a three-game win streak over the Vikings. In region matchups, the Lions have a 7-3 advantage.

MGM enters this year’s contest with an 0-2 record after single-digit losses to Williamson (21-20 in overtime) and Charles Henderson (24-20).

Faith Academy Rams at Gulf Shores Dolphins, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

All-time series: Gulf Shores leads 6-2

Trend: Teams have split previous four meetings

Next week: Dolphins travel to face UMS-Wright Prep

Blount Leopards at Robertsdale Golden Bears, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

All-time series: Blount leads 15-4

Other meetings: Leopards won in first round of 1993 playoffs

Next week: Robertsdale travels to face McGill-Toolen

Choctawhatchee Indians (FL) at Fairhope Pirates, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

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

Back home: Fairhope returns to W. C. Majors Field for first game since Nolan Phillips’ walk-off pick-six

Next week: Pirates travel to face MGM

Daphne Trojans at Alma-Bryant Hurricanes, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

All-time series: Daphne leads 6-0, outscoring 263-81

Break the streak: The Trojans are looking to avoid losing their first three regular-season games since 1995 after the fifth 0-2 start in that time.

Next week: Daphne hosts Davidson

Elberta Warriors at Williamson Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

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

Last week: Williamson opened region play with a 40-0 win, Elberta fell 42-6 to Faith Academy

Next week: Warriors host LeFlore