Kolin Wilson rushed 19 times for 179 yards and a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass as Class 5A, No. 1-ranked Gulf Shores routed No. 9 Vigor 42-12 in Region 1 action at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium on Friday night.

Ronnie Royal added 46 yards on eight carries and scored on runs of 2 and 5 yards, Blaize Thomas and Braden Jackson each caught touchdown passes, and Jud Harris, while only completing 2-of-6 passes for 117 yards, added 39 yards rushing on seven carries and a score. Will Langston was 6-of-6 on point-after attempts for the Dolphins (9-0 overall, 7-0 in region).

Gulf Shores’ runaway win culminated a stressful week, as the Dolphins were under investigation by the Alabama High School Athletic Association after a local TV station reported Gulf Coast Athletics, a Gulf Shores-based fitness company, paid rent for multiple Gulf Shores High student-athletes, including several current or former football players at a local apartment complex.

“You know what adversity sometimes does? It makes you pull closer together,” Dolphins coach Mark Hudspeth said. “This has really helped pull our team together, and we had to re-focus and our guys were determined. They came out and beat a really good football team, and I’m really proud of them.”

RELATED: Gulf Shores superintendent says AHSAA rules were followed

Gulf Shores’ defense limited a normally explosive Vigor offense. Although star running back Carlos Benjamin had a 95-yard kickoff return for a score, he finished with 53 yards on 14 carries. Wolves’ quarterback Jerrian Graham managed to complete only 4-of-13 passes for 33 yards and an interception, and rushed seven times for 35 yards.

“We got outplayed,” Wolves head coach Markus Cook said. “They wanted it more than we did, and they were a lot more physical than us tonight.”

After Vigor’s first possession ended in a three-and-out, Gulf Shores needed only three plays to score as Royal scored on a 2-yard run. The score was set up by a 47-yard pass to Royal from Harris. Vigor answered with a 73-yard drive culminating with Benjamin’s 4-yard touchdown run. The point after failed, leaving the score 7-6.

Gulf Shores used a couple of big plays later in the first quarter to stretch the lead to 21-6. The first came when Harris converted a third-and-15 with a 70-yard touchdown pass to Braden Jackson. The next came on a little bit of trickery after Vigor was forced into another three-and-out. Harris threw to Wilson out of the backfield, who then lofted a pass to a wide-open Thomas on the right side of the field.

The Dolphins tacked on another score in the second quarter after Benjamin fumbled and Gulf Shores recovered at the Vigor 27. Harris ended the four-play drive when he scampered from 13 yards out ot make it 28-6.

Wilson ended Gulf Shores’ first possession of the second half with a 56-yard touchdown run, and with 7:57 to go, Benjamin’s 95-yard touchdown on the ensuing kickoff made it 42-12. Vigor drove down deep into Dolphin territory late in the game, but time ran out.

Star of the game: No doubt it was Wilson, whose hard running helped the Dolphins offense maintain momentum throughout the game.

Play of the game: With Gulf Shores clinging to a 14-6 lead in the first quarter, Harris caught the Vigor defense napping with the trick play. Wilson rolled to his right and found Thomas wide open to break open a close game.

Key stats: For Gulf Shores, Royal caught one pass for 47 yards in addition to his 46 yards rushing. For Vigor, Dearrius Washington had five carries for 48 yards.

By the numbers: 4, penalties for Vigor, …. 5, unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Gulf Shores. … 16, first downs for Gulf Shores. … 155, rushing yards for Vigor. … 265, rushing yards for Gulf Shores.

Coachspeak: “Kolin and Ronnie, that’s a good dynamic duo, and it’s good to have a fresh back on the field at all times.” – Hudspeth.

“We were playing catch-up, and we were trying to force some things, and just weren’t able to get anything going. The second half, they were able to run the ball a little better on us.” – Cook

What’s next?: Gulf Shores hosts B.C. Rain next Friday, while Vigor (6-3, 5-3) hosts Sidney Lanier next Thursday.