MOBILE, Ala. — The final high school football schedule of the regular season wraps up tonight, Friday, Oct. 30, with 16 games involving Mobile and Baldwin County teams, headlined by top-ranked Class 4A power Vigor’s trip to Fairhope and Foley’s visit to Philip Rivers’ St. Michael Catholic. Four more area teams opened the week Thursday night, including Saraland’s high-profile meeting with Class 6A Auburn at Spartan Stadium.
Every game this week is a non-region contest for local teams, so none of tonight’s results will change playoff qualification or seeding. Instead, the week is a final tune-up, and for a handful of programs a chance to make a statement, before the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) postseason begins.
Thursday night: Auburn at Saraland
The week’s marquee matchup was played Thursday, when Class 6A Auburn traveled to Saraland to face the Class 5A Spartans in a meeting of playoff-bound teams. Both programs entered the game considered solid contenders to chase state championships in their classifications.
Saraland clinched the No. 2 seed in Class 5A, Region 1 last week with a 56-14 rout of Spanish Fort in which Jamison Roberts accounted for six touchdowns.
Three other area games were also played Thursday. Choctaw County visited St. Luke’s, Davidson played at B.C. Rain, and Daphne made the trip to Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla. The Daphne game was a late addition to the Trojans’ schedule; Daphne was originally scheduled to play Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, but that game was canceled. Daphne enters the postseason as the No. 2 seed in Class 6A, Region 1.
Vigor at Fairhope
Friday’s biggest game brings Vigor, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A in the latest Alabama Sports Writers Association poll, to Fairhope. The Wolves clinched the No. 1 seed in Class 4A, Region 1 last week with a 43-7 win over Satsuma and entered this week 8-1.
Fairhope (7-2) won the Class 6A, Region 1 championship last Friday when quarterback Trey Garner threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Woodford with three seconds left to beat Daphne 27-24. The region title gives the Pirates the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the expanded Class 6A playoffs.
First-year Fairhope coach Caleb Ross has said facing Vigor cuts both ways. The Wolves give the Pirates one more quality opponent before the playoffs, but Vigor is also a very physical team, and that physicality can leave an opponent banged up. The bye week that follows gives Fairhope extra time to heal.
Foley at St. Michael
St. Michael Catholic (6-3) closes its regular season at home against Foley after winning six straight games following an 0-3 start. The Cardinals rallied from 24 points down to beat Montgomery Catholic 38-31 last week and will be the No. 3 seed from Private Class AA, Region 1. They are scheduled to host Glenwood of Phenix City in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 6.
The game comes during a busy week for Rivers, the former NFL quarterback and North Carolina State alumnus who is in his sixth season at St. Michael. His name has appeared on lists of possible candidates for the N.C. State head coaching job since the Wolfpack fired Dave Doeren. Rivers has said his focus is on Foley and the playoffs.
Foley lost 24-13 to Mary G. Montgomery last week.
Other games to watch
- Bayside Academy at Gulf Shores: The Dolphins went unbeaten through Class 5A, Region 1 play and won the region title. Bayside Academy is headed to the Private Class A playoffs.
- Mary G. Montgomery at Theodore: Theodore finished 4-3 in Class 5A, Region 1 play. MGM is barred from the postseason this year under AHSAA sanctions.
- Spanish Fort at St. Paul’s: Spanish Fort looks to rebound from the loss at Saraland before the playoffs. St. Paul’s won 39-7 at Houston Academy last week.
- McGill-Toolen at Baker: McGill-Toolen, the No. 2 seed in Private Class AA, Region 1 after a 20-17 loss to UMS-Wright, visits a Baker team that has won three straight. Baker quarterback Tate Graham threw six touchdown passes against Robertsdale last week.
- Baldwin County at UMS-Wright: UMS-Wright clinched the Private Class AA, Region 1 title and No. 1 seed last week. Baldwin County shut out Murphy 28-0.
- W.S. Neal at T.R. Miller: The Escambia County neighbors meet in their annual “Battle of Murder Creek” rivalry at Brewton Municipal Stadium.
- Orange Beach at Holtville: The Makos (7-2) look to bounce back from a 38-7 loss to Citronelle.
- Escambia County at Citronelle: Citronelle (7-2) comes off its upset of Orange Beach.
Friday, Oct. 30 schedule
- Baldwin County at UMS-Wright
- Bayside Academy at Gulf Shores
- Chickasaw at Cottage Hill Christian
- Escambia County at Citronelle
- Flomaton at Satsuma
- Foley at St. Michael
- LeFlore at Faith Academy
- Mary G. Montgomery at Theodore
- McGill-Toolen at Baker
- Murphy at Moss Point, Miss.
- Orange Beach at Holtville
- Percy Julian at Blount
- Robertsdale at Park Crossing
- Spanish Fort at St. Paul’s
- W.S. Neal at T.R. Miller
- Vigor at Fairhope
Thursday, Oct. 29 games
- Auburn at Saraland
- Choctaw County at St. Luke’s
- Daphne at Tate, Fla.
- Davidson at B.C. Rain
What comes next
With the regular season complete after tonight, attention turns to the AHSAA playoffs. This year’s postseason looks different after the association reclassified its member schools and separated public and private schools for state championship play. In Class 6A, six teams from each region now qualify instead of four, and the top two seeds in each region receive first-round byes.
Robertsdale, for example, will be in the Class 6A playoffs as the No. 6 seed from Region 1 despite its record, and it closes the regular season tonight at Park Crossing in Montgomery.
The road for every contender ends close to home this year. All of the AHSAA’s football state championship games are scheduled for Dec. 1-5 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the University of South Alabama campus in Mobile.
Fans planning to attend tonight’s games should check with the home school for kickoff times, ticket information and any digital ticketing requirements.
