Gulf Shores Football Stays Unbeaten as Major Hudspeth Goes 12-for-12 in 49-6 Win at Elberta

ELBERTA, Ala. — With Hurricane Isaias bearing down on the coast, Gulf Shores did not waste any time on Thursday afternoon. The Dolphins beat Elberta 49-6 in a game that was moved up several hours and relocated inland, keeping the Gulf Shores football team undefeated at 7-0.

Quarterback Major Hudspeth was perfect through the air, completing all 12 of his passes for 160 yards and four touchdowns. West Virginia commit Carter Davis caught two of those scoring passes and ran for another touchdown as the fifth-ranked Dolphins improved to 5-0 in Class 5A, Region 1.

Elberta fell to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the region.

A game reshaped by the storm

The matchup was originally set to be played at Gulf Shores. Because of Isaias’ approach, it was moved to Elberta, farther from the beach, and kickoff was set for 4 p.m. rather than the usual evening start. Most other area games were moved from Friday to Thursday night, but Gulf Shores and Elberta took the field earlier than anyone else so teams, families and fans could get home well before the weather turned.

The timing mattered more for Gulf Shores than for most communities. Ahead of the storm, state officials ordered tourists off the beaches of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Dauphin Island, and coastal Baldwin County residents in low-lying areas were urged to leave. Isaias made landfall on the Gulf Coast on Friday, a day after the game.

Hudspeth goes 12-for-12

The Dolphins’ passing game was nearly flawless. Hudspeth did not throw an incompletion, and four of his 12 completions went for touchdowns.

Davis was his top scoring target with two touchdown catches, and he added a rushing touchdown for three total scores. Benton Brereton and Evan McCrary each caught a touchdown pass as well.

Gulf Shores also got production on the ground from Janoy Ferguson, who ran for two touchdowns. That balance — four touchdowns through the air and three on the ground — accounted for all seven of the Dolphins’ touchdowns.

Defense keeps Elberta in check

The Gulf Shores defense limited Elberta to six points, continuing a season in which the Dolphins have been difficult to score against. Earlier this season, Gulf Shores posted a shutout on the road at Baldwin County.

A perfect season so far

The win pushed Gulf Shores to 7-0 overall and kept the Dolphins in a tie for first place in Class 5A, Region 1. Entering the week, Gulf Shores and Spanish Fort were tied at 4-0 in region play, with Saraland and Theodore tied for third at 3-1. Spanish Fort kept pace Thursday night with a 31-7 win at Theodore.

In Classes 1A through 5A, the Alabama High School Athletic Association sends the top four teams from each region to the playoffs. Region standings, not polls or overall records, determine who qualifies and how teams are seeded, which is why games against region opponents carry so much weight in October.

Gulf Shores has steadily built its program in the years since the city formed its own school system and took over Gulf Shores High School from the Baldwin County Public Schools system in 2019. An unbeaten run through seven games has made the Dolphins one of the top stories in south Alabama high school football this fall.

A difficult season for Elberta

Elberta has struggled this season. The Warriors earlier lost 33-6 to Murphy, a defeat that ended Murphy’s 24-game losing streak, and they have yet to win a region game. Elberta did end a losing skid of its own in late September for its lone victory of the season.

Elberta, a small town in southern Baldwin County between Foley and Perdido Bay, has seen its Warriors face a demanding region schedule against several of the top programs in coastal Alabama.

Showdown on the Hill

The next game on Gulf Shores’ schedule is the biggest of its regular season. The Dolphins travel to face Spanish Fort on Friday, Oct. 16, in a matchup of unbeaten region teams. Spanish Fort is 6-1 overall and 5-0 in the region, and the Toros have outscored their opponents 151-21 during a five-game winning streak.

Spanish Fort’s home field, known locally as “the Hill,” will host a game that could go a long way toward deciding the Class 5A, Region 1 championship and the top playoff seed from the region.

Scouting the Toros

Spanish Fort’s win at Theodore offered a preview of what Gulf Shores will face. JJ Thibodeaux accounted for two touchdowns for the Toros, throwing an 11-yard scoring pass to Brandon Marino and breaking off a 38-yard touchdown run, the longest play of the game. He finished with 83 rushing yards on 14 carries and completed 11 of 15 passes for 63 yards. Ford Turner added a rushing touchdown.

The Spanish Fort defense intercepted Theodore quarterback Jadon Strait three times in the second half and focused on slowing Bobcats running back Kendrick Able Jr., who was held to 83 yards on 19 carries. Toros coach Chase Smith praised the defense afterward.

“Just another gritty team win. We knew it was tough coming on the road, but to come in here and our defense played phenomenal.”

The win set up a meeting of the region’s last two unbeaten teams.

Elberta returns home next week to host Baldwin County.

Other notes

• Orange Beach’s game against Satsuma, originally scheduled for Thursday, was rescheduled for Monday, Oct. 12, because of the storm.
• Gulf Shores is ranked fifth in Class 5A.

Scoring summary highlights

• Final: Gulf Shores 49, Elberta 6
• Major Hudspeth (Gulf Shores): 12 of 12, 160 yards, 4 TDs
• Carter Davis (Gulf Shores): 2 TD catches, 1 rushing TD
• Benton Brereton (Gulf Shores): TD catch
• Evan McCrary (Gulf Shores): TD catch
• Janoy Ferguson (Gulf Shores): 2 rushing TDs
• Records: Gulf Shores 7-0, 5-0 in Class 5A, Region 1; Elberta 1-7, 0-5