ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — It is homecoming week in Orange Beach, and there has never been one quite like it. The Makos are 5-0, alone atop Class 4A, Region 1, and their head coach has just been named one of the top prep coaches in the region. The whole town has been invited to celebrate.
Orange Beach High School students, alumni and community members have spent the week showing their school pride, with festivities that began on the sand Thursday night and continue Friday with a homecoming tailgate, the crowning moment of the homecoming court at halftime, and a game the Makos hope will keep their perfect season intact.
Homecoming schedule
- Thursday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.: Annual community pep rally on the beachfront at CoastAL Orange Beach
- Friday, Sept. 25, 5 p.m.: Homecoming tailgate on campus
- Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m.: Homecoming football game, Orange Beach vs. Marion
- Halftime: Homecoming court presentation
Fans are encouraged to break out their Mako gear and fill the stands.
A pep rally on the sand
Homecoming week festivities kicked off Thursday evening with the annual community pep rally, held right on the beachfront at CoastAL Orange Beach. Supporters gathered directly on the sand to cheer on the team — a setting few high school pep rallies anywhere can match.
The celebration continues Friday with sports and family entertainment on campus. Tailgating begins at 5 p.m., ahead of the 7 p.m. kickoff. At halftime, the homecoming court presentation will highlight the traditional festivities as students and alumni come together to honor the student court, a tradition that brings the school community together each fall.
Waldrop honored as Power Coach of the Week
On the field, head coach Wade Waldrop is receiving major recognition. Waldrop was named the JBT Power Coach of the Week for Week 5 of Friday night football, an honor that highlights top prep coaches across the region.
It is not the first major award of Waldrop’s career. He was named Coach of the Year in 2019 by the Alabama Football Coaches Association while he was coaching at James Clemens High School.
Waldrop has credited the chemistry of this year’s team for its success.
“I think we have a pretty cohesive group of kids,” Waldrop said earlier this season. “I think they feed off each other well, respond really well to each other. That’s probably a little different than the last two years, and I guess you attribute that to the leaders on this team. We’ve been really good at responding when we have adversity.”
A historic start for a young program
Orange Beach’s football program is still young. The Makos played their first varsity season in 2020, making this year’s run all the more remarkable.
This season has been full of firsts:
- A 21-19 win over then-No. 2 Vigor, likely the biggest victory in school history at the time
- A 27-7 road win at LeFlore in a battle of unbeaten 4A, Region 1 teams, as sophomore quarterback Tucker Wade threw four touchdown passes and the Makos moved to 4-0 for the first time in school history
- A 43-6 home win over B.C. Rain last Friday to improve to 5-0
That B.C. Rain win came on a historic night for South Baldwin football. With Gulf Shores beating Murphy 54-0 the same evening, both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach sat at 5-0 at the same point in the same season for the first time.
Defense leads the way
Tough defense has been a cornerstone of Orange Beach’s success. Waldrop’s defense is holding opponents to about nine points per game, a stingy average that has kept opponents from building momentum.
The offense has been balanced and efficient, led by Wade, who has spread the ball among multiple receivers. Against LeFlore, his four touchdown passes went to three different receivers at distances ranging from 4 to 65 yards.
The Makos’ undefeated record has them in first place in Class 4A, Region 1, with the second half of the regular season still ahead.
Homecoming opponent: Marion
For homecoming, the 5-0 Makos host the 1-3 Marion Rams. On paper, Orange Beach enters as the favorite, but homecoming games bring their own distractions, and coaches will be looking for the same focus that has carried the team through its first five games.
Players and coaches hope to keep the perfect season going, and they are counting on a full house for support.
A town that rallies behind its team
For a city better known for its beaches, boating and tourism, the Makos’ success has given residents a new source of community pride. From the pep rally on the sand to the tailgate and the halftime crowning of the homecoming court, homecoming week is a chance for students, alumni, families and neighbors to come together.
The entire community is invited to come out Friday night and support the Makos.