Class 5A No. 6 Class 5A Gulf Shores got its running game going in the fourth quarter and got two big touchdowns from JR Gardner and Ronnie Royal to cruise to a 37-20 win over Region 1 foe Vigor at Ladd-Peebles Sports & Entertainment Complex on Friday night.
Royal finished the night with 11 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown, had three receptions for 42 yards and 33 return yards to account for 210 yards. He also intercepted a pass. Gardner rushed 13 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns, and also had a 28-yard reception as the Dolphins improved to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in region play.
Gulf Shores went up 10-0 in the first quarter when Gardner scored on a 1-yard run and Will Langston connected on a 31-yard field goal. The Dolphins stretched the lead to 13-0 with 5:32 left in the second quarter when Langston made a 37-yard field goal, but UAB commit Michael Towner put Vigor (5-4, 4-4) within striking distance when he threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gerritt Holcombe on the Wolves’ ensuing possession and made the score 13-7.
Gulf Shores, however, caught a break on its next possession after Vigor was called for roughing the kicker, giving the Dolphins new life and a fresh set of downs. GSHS drove down the field, and after eluding several tacklers, Brendan Byrd found Blaze Thomas in the end zone on an 8-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the second quarter to give the Dolphins a 20-7 halftime lead.
After Langston’s 27-yard field goal with 6:46 left in the third quarter, Vigor chipped away at the lead once again when Kevin Malone scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. The try for two failed, but the Wolves were down by only 10.
Gulf Shores, though, answered with Gardner’s 39-yard touchdown run, and after Vigor went three-and-out on its next possession and was forced to punt, Royal scored on a 37-yard run to make it 37-13.
Vigor’s final score came with 4:27 left in the game when Jacori Barnes scored on an 11-yard run.
Star of the game: Give Gardner and Royal top billing, as their fourth-quarter scores broke open an otherwise tight game.
Play of the game: As effective as Gardner and Royal were, Byrd’s scrambling 8-yard touchdown pass to Thomas was the key to giving Gulf Shores a bit of a cushion going into halftime.
Key sequence: With Gulf Shores the recipient of a roughing the kicker penalty, it moved the ball to the Vigor 42, allowing the Dolphins to retain possession. A 24-yard pass to Royal and a 10-yard run by Byrd set up Thomas’s TD reception.
By the numbers: 3, number of first downs Vigor had in the first half; 4, number of personal foul penalties called against Vigor in the first half; 6, number of penalties Vigor had in the first half; 17, total first downs for Gulf Shores; 42, number of net first-half rushing yards for Vigor.
Key Stats: For Gulf Shores, Byrd was 10-of-18 passing for 141 yards rushing and an interception. For Vigor, Barnes had 15 carries for 77 yards while Malone had 11 carries for 54 yards.
Coachspeak: “We were finally able to hit some creases that I felt we missed in the first half, but give them (Vigor) credit, though. We knew coming in their front was pretty good and active. But we stayed with it and finally made some cuts. We kept chipping and eventually it opened up for us.” — Gulf Shores head coach Mark Hudspeth.
They said it: “We just made too many mistakes to beat a good football team. We tried to play good football, but we made young mistakes and you’ve got to learn from that. I think we’re going to be a much better team; we keep working every week, and it’s just a process.” Vigor head coach Markus Cook.
Up next: Vigor’s regular season is over, while Gulf Shores travels to play B.C. Rain next Friday night.
