DAPHNE — The Admirals scored over a point per minute in the first two quarters to take a 40-0 halftime lead over visiting Montevallo Friday at  Freedom Field in round one of the AHSAA 3A state playoffs. Bayside went on to win 54-21 and advance to host Clay County in the second round.

Although no stranger to the playoffs in recent years, Bayside has now taken its first undefeated regular season record into the all-or-nothing land of the post-season and survived with determination and confidence as well as ability. BA head coach Phil Lazenby was generally pleased with the early pace his offense established and then kept up. "The first bunch played well, took care of business got the lead and then everybody got to play and that's always good," he said. "We took care of the football, some of the younger ones didn't, but the older ones did. They are excited about the whole season. They really sense the history right now because they are the the winning-est team in school history. But I think they also have their minds set on something else," he said.

"Our guys up front got it done tonight. On the offensive line we have experience going for us. Two three -year starters and one four year starter. Up there, we have Hootie Hawkshead and Sam Parker and Blake Nelson leading the way and they are good at what they do and that helps the rest of the team, the ball handlers especially, do their job. They can't do it without good people up front, not consistently. Jonathan Walton, Joe Stassen, Hunter (Slater), Stinebaugh (Geoffrey) are all having a good year because of them (the offensive front). So, yes, I'm proud of them. They all played well. Heck, a 40-to-nothing lead at the half in a playoff game.

"That's something, but it comes from hard work and they know it."

As the Admirals broke their post-game meeting on the field with a now familiar and loud, "State Champs," Lazenby said it's not a line they take lightly. "That's their goal and they break every huddle with it," he said. "I told  them not to say it if they didn't believe it and I think they do. I know we are all going to go try."

Parker, a senior and the starting center, said that with confidence in each other and their coaches, the Admirals can go all the way. "We've been saying that ever since coach Laz came here and he's big on preaching that you can't do something like that unless you believe in it. And we do believe it and we say it every single day. We really mean it and it's our way of keeping that goal on our minds. That's our goal and we're not going to stop until we get there. But we know we have to keep working hard to make it happen. We have really been hitting our strides and I just have confidence in everybody around me, my teammates and coaches to do their best. We're not going to quit."

Lazenby said that Clay County (10-1) is a long-established program that he and his staff will have to work quickly to prepare against for Friday's game.

"All I know for sure right now is that they are big, powerful, been in the playoffs a lot. Have a long tradition of great teams and great programs. But it's great to have it at home again. It's a long way to travel."

BA quarterback Hunter Slater connected with Geoffrey Stinebaugh on the third play from scrimmage for a 71-yard touchdown pass to start the Admirals scoring bonanza. Joe Stassen scored on a 13-yard run and Jonathan Walton added a TD from 45 yards out and Trey Smith nailed a sharp-angled 22-yard field goal to make it 24-0 to start the second period. Another Slater-to-Stinebaugh strike was good for a 59-yard TD, a safety and a 75-yard kick-off return for a TD by Greg Parker along with Smith's extra points put the Ads way up at the half.

Bayside lost a fumble early in the third, however, and the Bulldogs capitalized on Korey Cunningham's recovery by scoring when Taylor Burr connected with Eugene Rodgers on a 42-yard pass, but Parker nullified the score on the ensuing kickoff with a 98-yard kickoff return to make it 47-7.

Rogers later carried for TD runs of 71 and 35 yards in the fourth and Bayside's Adrian Martino added a 7-yard TD run as well. Stassen added to his 1,000-yard season with 78 more on just five carries while Walton picked up 98 yards on eight carries.

Clay County (10-1) was ranked No. 5 as of Friday. Their only loss was a regular-season region game to Handley 20-13. They defeated Luverne 21-0 Friday to advance to the second round. Kick off at Bayside Academy (No. 3) is Friday at 7 p.m.