The Class 5A Alabama High School Athletic Association championship game today at 7 p.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa features a brash newcomer and a confident two-time champion.
No. 1 Gulf Shores is playing in its first title game in its 24th season to field a team. The 14-0 Dolphins won their first semifinal game last week and had only advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the first time last season.
Second-ranked Ramsay is the defending 5A champion. The Rams won their first playoff title in 2016 – the fifth season after Ramsay’s return to the football field after a 36-year pause in the program. Ramsay (12-2) started playing football in 1930 and, according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society, was awarded “mythical” state championships in 1934, 1946 and 1953 before the program was shut down from 1976 until 2012.
Under third-year head coach Mark Hudspeth, Gulf Shores has improved from 6-4 to 11-2 to this season’s 14-0 record. According to research by AHSFHS.org, Gulf Shores is 7-4 in playoff games.
Ronnie Jackson was on staff at Ramsay as offensive coordinator since the return to the field and has been the head coach for three years. His Rams were 6-5 in his first season, 13-2 on the way to the state title last year and are 12-2 this season. Ramsay has a 24-7 record in playoff games, 3-1 in state semifinals and 2-0 in the championship game.
The Dolphins won the Region 1 title this season, their first ever. Gulf Shores averaged 39.6 points per game and allowed 8.9. The Dolphins registered five shutouts, with two in the playoffs including last week’s 45-0 victory over Eufaula in the semifinals. Gulf Shores scored at least 40 points nine times and scored a season-high 55 in a win at Elberta. Gulf Shores has scored a school-record 555 points.
The Rams won the Region 5 championship this season, their second straight and fifth overall. Both losses Ramsay suffered this season were out of class, 20-17 to Class 6A Parker in Week 2 and 13-7 to 7A Auburn in Week 6. Parker and Auburn were both playoff semifinalists this season. Ramsay scored 37.9 points per game and allowed 11.4. The Rams scored more than 40 points in eight games, at least 50 in three and hit a school-record 65 in a win over Wenonah.
AL.com asked several coaches who are familiar with the teams for some insight into the matchup. Here’s a look at how the championship breaks down:
In the playoffs:
Gulf Shores: Defeated Beauregard 48-7, Charles Henderson 41-0, Headland 35-14 and Eufaula 45-0.
Ramsay: Defeated West Point 50-0, Leeds 42-7, Moody 40-27 and Guntersville 35-14.
The coaches
Mark Hudspeth is 31-6 in his third season at Gulf Shores. The Louisville, Miss., native also led his high school alma mater, Winston Academy, to a 25-1 record in 1996-97. The Patriots won the Mississippi Private School Association Class A championship in 1997 with a 14-0 mark. Ronnie Jackson is 31-9 in his third season at Ramsay. He has been part of both of the Rams’ playoff championships, as offensive coordinator in 2016 and head coach last season.
How do you beat Gulf Shores?
No one has done it this season and only two teams got the best of the Dolphins last year, but one coach who played Gulf Shores this year said the only way to win is to make sure “you match their effort. If you can’t match their speed, you have to match their discipline and supersede their effort. They are an ‘effort’ team. If you don’t play with effort, you’re going to lose.” While Ronnie Royal, a North Carolina State commitment and All-State pick as an athlete last season, draws a lot of attention, one opposing coach said, “Royal is a good player and they try and hit him here and there, but No. 6 (running back Kolin Wilson) is better.” Another said, “Wilson is going to be the fastest kid on the field, I don’t care who you have. If he gets in the open field, there’s not a soul who can catch him. He runs hard, he’s physical, but he’s a track guy. Get a track guy in the open field, you can’t catch him.” Coaches agreed that you have to be successful running the ball against the swarming Dolphins defense, but it’s vital to make plays through the air. “You have to protect your quarterback and get some push back on their defensive line. If you can’t do that, you’re in trouble.”
How do you beat Ramsay?
Patience may be the key to stopping Ramsay, according to coaches who played the Rams this season. “Limit their big plays and make them have a long drive. On offense, you have to know where No. 6 (linebacker and Alabama commitment QB Reese) is. He’s going to be at the ball on every play. If you handle their pressure and their blitz, you will have an opportunity to throw the ball and you can beat them.” Another coach said, “It’s hard to score on them. Ramsay has some dudes.” Kam Keenan “is a great quarterback they have. You need to put as much pressure on him as you can. Make him a runner. He’ll get some yards, but you’d rather have him run than throw.” Tremell Washington is a threat from anywhere on the field, one coach said. “He can play quarterback, running back and receiver. He is the ‘X’ factor. Once he touches the ball, he can take it 50 yards any time.” Another coach called Washington and running back Ashton Ashford Ramsay’s top offensive threats.
Player to watch: Gulf Shores
Ronnie Royal, senior, athlete/defensive back
A first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State pick as an athlete in 2021 and 2022 and as a running back in 2020 at Alexandria, Royal committed to North Carolina State in June. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder has 884 rushing yards this season with 15 touchdowns and 31 catches for 435 yards and another score. Add in his 391 yards on kickoff returns, 606 on punt returns and 154 on interception returns and Royal has 2,470 all-purpose yards. He’s scored 2 touchdowns on pick-6′s, 4 on punt returns and 2 on kickoff returns – both against B.C. Rain, when he also scored on a punt return. At Gulf Shores, Royal has 3,381 rushing yards, 1,387 receiving, 662 on punt returns, 515 on kickoff returns and 217 on interception returns. He’s thrown four passes in his career – one per season as a junior and senior – and three went for TDs.
Player to watch: Ramsay
QB Reese, senior, middle linebacker
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Reese was a first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State pick as a junior after notching 155 tackles with 24 behind the line of scrimmage. This season, the University of Alabama commitment and son of a former Auburn linebacker/defensive end Quinton Reese has 167 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions and 6 forced fumbles. Coach Ronnie Jackson calls Reese “our No. 1 guy. He’s the hardest working player I’ve ever coached. … He’s a sideline-to-sideline guy. When he shows up, they are going to feel it. Some of the tackles I’ve seen this year, sometimes I feel sorry for the opponent.” An opposing coach calls Reese “the true definition of a Mike linebacker.”
Stat sheet: Gulf Shores
Freshman quarterback Judson Harris has completed 72-of-122 passes for 1,030 yards and 7 touchdowns with 4 interceptions to go with 381 yards rushing on 31 carries with 2 TDs. Junior Kolin Wilson has 196 carries for 1,916 yards and 30 TDs with 12 games of at least 100 yards. He averaged 136.9 yards per game, 9.8 per attempt. Senior Ronnie Royal has 884 yards rushing with 15 TDs and 435 yards receiving on 31 catches with another score. Senior Braden Jackson has 14 receptions for 378 yards – a whopping 27 yards per catch – and 5 touchdowns. According to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society website, the Dolphins have the sixth-best scoring defense in the AHSAA. Gulf Shores allows 8.9 points per game.
Stat sheet: Ramsay
Junior quarterback Kam Keenan has passed for 3,196 yards – 228.3 yards per game – and 31 touchdowns. He’s completed 63 percent of his 312 attempts with 8 interceptions. Senior running back Ashton Ashford has 1,046 yards on 152 carries in 11 games – 95.1 yards per game – with 18 touchdowns. Sophom*ore Jayden Martin has 678 yards with 6 TDs in 10 games. Senior wideout Kristian Stinson has 48 catches for 1,173 yards with 10 touchdowns. Junior athlete Tremell Washington has 67 catches for 1,139 yards with 11 scores with a long play of 75 yards. Junior linebacker Marquel Patterson has 164 stops, 53 unassisted, with 24 tackles for a loss. Senior defensive back O’Conner Jones leads the Rams with 5 interceptions in 12 games.
Did you know? Gulf Shores
Mark Hudspeth has a 106-63 record as a head coach in college with stops at North Alabama, Louisiana-Lafayette and Austin Peay. He also worked as an assistant at Nicholls State, Central Arkansas, his alma mater Delta State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Mississippi State. He was offensive coordinator at Navy before he took his first college head coaching job at UNA, where he was 66-21 from 2002-08. Hudspeth’s staff includes former Division I coaches Kennedy Edenfield (Troy, South Alabama, Tulsa), Brian VanGorder (Notre Dame, Auburn, Georgia and stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets) and Mitch Rodrigue (Southern Miss, Louisiana, Colorado).
Did you know? Ramsay
Ramsay International Baccalaureate School is a Birmingham City School, founded in 1930. Ramsay’s 2016 state football title was the first for a Birmingham City School since now closed Banks High won back-to-back championships in 1972-73. The Rams have won two boys basketball state championships, in 2006 and 2010, and four straight girls crowns from 2004-07. Ramsay has several prominent alumni who made names for themselves in the entertainment world, including Oscar winner Louise Fletcher, comedian/author Fannie Flagg, comedian Roy Wood Jr., child star Phillip Alford of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” keyboardist/producer Barry Beckett of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (known as the Swampers) and actor Wayne Rogers.
Game within a game
Ramsay running back Ashton Ashford vs. the Gulf Shores defense.
Ashford, a 5-foot-9, 180-pounder, was a first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State pick as a junior after running for 1,881 yards and 26 touchdowns. This season, in 11 games, he has 1,018 yards on 147 carries – that’s 6.9 yards per attempt – with 18 rushing touchdowns. He has run for more than 100 yards in six of his 11 games, including 102 last week against Guntersville with a pair of short TDs. In his career, Ashford has 3,993 yards and 63 TDs on the ground – with three more on receptions.
The Dolphins have recorded 170 stops behind the line of scrimmage with 39 sacks and 191 quarterback hurries. The Dolphins have 20 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries and 5 blocked punts. Senior 6-0, 180-pound linebacker Isaiah Hammac leads the team with 51 solo tackles with 57 assists, 8 tackles for a loss and a sack. Sophom*ore linebacker Landon Everett has 103 total stops with 22 TFL, 4 sacks and 3 interceptions. Sophom*ore LB Jamichael Garrett has 79 tackles, 22.5 behind the line with 7.5 sacks. Senior LB Kingston Lowe, a University of North Alabama commitment, had 67 total tackles with 30 behind the line and 9.5 sacks.
Wildcard No. 1
Ramsay athlete Tremell Washington is an offensive threat who can score from anywhere. He plays wide receiver, running back and quarterback. The 5-6, 160-pound junior has scored 12 touchdowns – 11 on receptions – and thrown 2 TD passes. Washington has 15 rushing attempts for 137 yards – that’s 9.1 yards per touch – and a TD. One coach said, “Sometimes they put Washington in at quarterback. He can play quarterback, running back and receiver. ... Once he touches the ball, he can take it 50 yards any time.”
Wildcard No. 2
Can Gulf Shores overcome Ramsay’s big-game experience under the bright lights of a first visit to the Super 7? Hudspeth has a high school championship under his belt, but it was 26 years ago in the Mississippi Private School Association. Ramsay has lots of starters back from last season’s champs and 21 seniors on the roster. The pressure of playing in the last game of the year shouldn’t be too much for the Rams.
Rankings/On the air
Gulf Shores was ranked No. 1 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association final regular season poll, replacing Ramsay in the top spot in Week 6 after the Rams fell 13-7 to 7A Auburn. Ramsay finished second in the poll after being No. 1 in Week 4 and 5 as well as in the preseason ranking and the Week 1 poll. Pleasant Grove held the No. 1 ranking in Weeks 2-3.
All championships will be televised by the AHSAA Network – including the Alabama Public Television Network – the second time in the 28-year history of the Super 7 that the games are available across the entire state. All games will also be available over the subscriber based NFHS Network.
AL.com prediction
Ramsay 22, Gulf Shores 21
(Prediction comes from analysis from coaches polled)
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