Two dominant backs in CJ Benjamin Jr and Kolin Wilson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Vigor Wolves will head out on the road to face off against the Gulf Shores Dolphins at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Vigor blew past Elberta, posting a 46-7 victory on the road. Given Vigor's advantage in MaxPreps' Alabama football rankings (they are ranked 39th, while Elberta is ranked 186th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Vigor's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jerrian Graham, who threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 passes, and Benjamin Jr, who rushed for 142 yards on only 12 carries. Benjamin Jr was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 57 yards. Vigor also got help from Gerritt Holcombe who showed off his sure hands for 100 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, Gulf Shores put another one in the bag two weeks ago to keep their perfect season alive. They claimed a resounding 55-7 win over Elberta on the road. The matchup was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point Gulf Shores had established a 41 point advantage.
Ronnie Royal and Wilson were among the main playmakers for Gulf Shores as the former gained 119 total yards and three touchdowns and the latter rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. Wilson is on a roll when it comes to rushing yards, as he's now rushed for 100 or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Jud Harris, who threw for 216 yards and a touchdown on only 18 passes.
The win makes it two in a row for Vigor and bumps their season record up to 6-2. They've been dominating during the games in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 35 points. As for Gulf Shores, their victory was their eighth straight on the road (dating back to last season), which bumped their overall record up to 8-0.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's contest: Vigor has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 193 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Gulf Shores struggles in that department as they've been even better at 225.8 per game. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Vigor lost to Gulf Shores on the road by a decisive 37-21 margin in their previous meeting back in October of 2022. Can Vigor avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
