FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Fairhope Pirates have played their way into the statewide conversation. After dropping their season opener on the road at Pace, Fla., the Pirates have reeled off five consecutive victories, and that run was rewarded this week with a No. 10 ranking in Class 6A in the statewide high school football poll released Wednesday morning.
The climb is a notable early milestone for head coach Caleb Ross, who is in his first season leading the Fairhope program. It also gives Baldwin County two representatives in the Class 6A top 10, as Daphne checks in at No. 6.
Thompson holds the No. 1 spot in Class 6A, continuing to set the pace for the state’s largest public school classification this fall.
Fairhope’s next chance to defend its new standing comes this week at home against Baker. That game was originally scheduled for Friday night but, like nearly every other Week 8 contest in the Mobile and Baldwin county area, has been moved up to Thursday, Oct. 8, because of the threat posed by Tropical Storm Isaias.
A Strong Response After a Season-Opening Loss
Fairhope’s path to the rankings began with a setback. The Pirates opened the year across the state line at Pace, a Florida Panhandle program, and came home with a loss. Since then, however, they have not lost again, stringing together five straight wins to move to 5-1.
The streak has also been meaningful in the standings that matter most in the postseason. Fairhope is unbeaten in Class 6A, Region 1 play at 3-0, sitting just behind Daphne in the region race. In Class 6A, the top six teams in each region qualify for the playoffs, so every region win the Pirates bank now gives them more breathing room heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
A first-year head coach often needs time for players to absorb new schemes, terminology and expectations. Fairhope’s steady improvement after Week 1 suggests the Pirates have adjusted quickly to Ross’s approach, and their arrival in the top 10 is a sign that voters across the state have taken notice.
Daphne Joins Fairhope in the 6A Top 10
Daphne’s No. 6 ranking reflects a strong start of its own. The Trojans are 5-1 overall and lead the Class 6A, Region 1 standings with a perfect 4-0 mark. Fairhope is also unbeaten in region play at 3-0, having played one fewer region game than the Trojans.
Daphne also faces a significant region test this week, traveling to Foley on Thursday. Foley sits third in the region at 3-1, so the result will go a long way toward shaping the top of the standings. With Daphne, Fairhope and Foley all winning region games so far, the race for the top seed from Region 1 could come down to the final weeks of October.
Having two Baldwin County programs ranked in the top 10 of the state’s largest classification underscores how competitive Class 6A football has become on the Eastern Shore and throughout the county.
Thursday Night Matchup With Baker
Baker, a Mobile County Public Schools program, will make the trip across the bay to face Fairhope in a Region 1 game. The Hornets enter the week tied for fourth in the region standings at 1-2, making the game an important one for both teams: Fairhope is trying to keep pace at the top, while Baker is fighting to hold its place in the playoff picture.
The move to Thursday is part of a broad schedule shift across the region. As of Wednesday morning, 19 of the 20 games involving local teams this week were set to be played Thursday, Oct. 8, with only Chickasaw’s trip to Hillcrest-Evergreen still slated for Friday night. Fans are encouraged to check with their schools for any further changes, as forecasts for Isaias continue to evolve.
Class 5A: Saraland Slips, Gulf Shores Holds at No. 5
In Class 5A, Saraland dropped one spot this week and is now ranked No. 4. Gulf Shores is right behind the Spartans at No. 5, giving the area two teams in the top half of the 5A rankings.
Spanish Fort received votes in the poll but did not crack the top 10. The Toros are tied with Gulf Shores atop the Class 5A, Region 1 standings, however, and travel to Theodore on Thursday in one of the region’s most important games of the week.
Clay-Chalkville is the top-ranked team in Class 5A statewide.
Class 4A: Williamson Stays on Top
Williamson remains the No. 1 team in Class 4A, and the Lions did nothing last week to give voters a reason to reconsider. Williamson handed previously unbeaten Orange Beach a 42-0 defeat in a matchup of undefeated teams that carried major implications in the Class 4A, Region 1 race.
Despite the lopsided loss, Orange Beach remains in the top 10, ranked No. 9. Vigor, another Mobile program with a strong tradition, is ranked No. 3. Citronelle received votes but is not in the top 10.
The 4A picture will get another test this week when Williamson visits Citronelle. That game, like the others, has been moved to Thursday because of the storm. Williamson and Vigor are scheduled to meet on Oct. 16 in what is shaping up as one of the most anticipated regular-season games in the area.
Private School Rankings
Local private schools are well represented in this week’s rankings as well.
- Private Class AA: McGill-Toolen is ranked No. 2 and UMS-Wright is No. 3. St. Michael is receiving votes.
- Private Class A: Bayside Academy is ranked No. 3 and Mobile Christian is No. 4.
Readers may notice that the private school rankings are shorter than the public school lists. In both private classifications, as well as for schools in the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA), only five teams are ranked. The reason is simple: there are far fewer schools competing in those classifications than in the public school classes, so a top-five list provides a more meaningful snapshot than a top 10 would.
That smaller field also affects the postseason. In the two private school classifications, every team reaches the playoffs, which means the regular season is largely about seeding and home-field advantage rather than simply qualifying.
This Week’s No. 1 Teams Across Alabama
Here is a look at the teams sitting atop each classification in this week’s poll:
- Class 6A: Thompson
- Class 5A: Clay-Chalkville
- Class 4A: Williamson
- Class 3A: Plainview
- Class 2A: Fyffe
- Class 1A: Maplesville
- Private Class AA: Briarwood Christian
- Private Class A: Westbrook Christian
- AISA: Patrician Academy
Williamson is the only team from Mobile or Baldwin county holding a No. 1 ranking this week.
Where the Area Has No Representation
Not every classification includes local teams. There are no schools from Mobile County or Baldwin County competing in Class 3A or Class 1A this season, and Chickasaw is the area’s lone representative in Class 2A. As a result, the area’s presence in the rankings is concentrated in Classes 6A, 5A and 4A and in the two private school classifications.
What the Rankings Mean — and What They Don’t
Weekly rankings generate plenty of discussion among fans, players and coaches, and a spot in the top 10 is a point of pride for any program. But it is worth remembering that the polls are an opinion-based snapshot. They do not determine playoff qualification, seeding or home-field advantage.
Those are decided by the region standings set by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). In Class 6A, the top six teams in each region advance to the postseason, while in Classes 1A through 5A the top four teams in each region qualify. All Mobile and Baldwin county teams compete in Region 1 of their respective classifications.
That is why games like Fairhope vs. Baker and Williamson at Citronelle matter more than any ranking. A region win counts toward a playoff berth and seeding; a poll position, however flattering, does not.
The Road Ends in Mobile
This season carries extra motivation for local teams. For the first time, all of the AHSAA’s state championship games will be played in Mobile, at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium, during the first week of December. The slate includes the public school, private school and flag football title games.
For Fairhope, Daphne, Saraland, Gulf Shores, Williamson, Vigor, Orange Beach, McGill-Toolen, UMS-Wright, Bayside Academy, Mobile Christian and the rest of the area’s contenders, that means a championship run would end just a short drive from home — a powerful incentive as the regular season enters its final month.
What’s Next
The regular season concludes on Oct. 31, leaving only a handful of weeks for teams to sort out region races and playoff positioning. For Fairhope, the immediate focus is Baker on Thursday night, and a sixth straight win would further strengthen the Pirates’ standing in both the region race and the statewide poll.
Fans planning to attend any of this week’s games should keep an eye on official school and athletic department announcements. With Tropical Storm Isaias approaching the northern Gulf Coast, schedules have already shifted once and could change again.
