Jay Finishes As Class 1A Runnerups
May 8, 2015
The Chiefland Indians defeated the Jay Royals 3-2 in eight innings Thursday afternoon for the Class 1A softball state championship. It was the second consecutive championship for the Indians.
Jay was first on the board in the top of the third inning with a single from Kolby Bray. Chiefland took the lead 2-1 over Jay in the bottom of the fourth. The Royals tied it up 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with a single from Emily Dobson, Miranda Roberts bunting to first and an RBI single from Destiny Herring.
The game went into extra innings, with Chiefland pulling off the win in the bottom of the 8th.
For the Royals, it was their third finish in second in the past four years.
Jay hitters were: Dana Blackmon 2-4, Samantha Steadham 1-4, Harley Tagert 1-4, Kolby Bray 1-4, Destiny Herring 2-4, Riana Wolfe 2-3. On the mound, Dana Blackmon allowed eight hits and three runs while striking out four.
Pictured top: Jay junior Michaela Stewart reacts to Jay’s heartbreaking loss in the Class 1A state championship game in Vero Beach. Pictured below: The Royals react after the loss. Images courtesy Bright House Sports Network for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos: Northview Teacher Tosses First Pitch, NHS NJROTC Presents Colors
May 8, 2015
Pictured: Escambia County Teacher of the Year, Anna Barry of Northview High School, tossed the first pitch at Thursday night’s Blue Wahoos game in Pensacola. The Northview High School NJROTC presented the colors before the game. Photos by Barrett McClean for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Funeral Services Held For Escambia Sheriff’s Office Colonel Rodney Eddins
May 8, 2015
Funeral services were held Thursday for Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Colonel Rodney Eddins. He passed away Sunday at his home.
“He leaves behind an extended loving family and far too many brothers and sisters in law enforcement to mention,” said Sheriff David Morgan. “We all feel his absence and he will be greatly missed. His memory will be forever carried in our hearts. Rest in peace our brother. Your race is done, good and faithful servant.”
Eddins is survived by daughter Rebecca Lynn; parents Rodney “Rocky” and Marilyn Eddins; brothers, Greg Eddins (Tammy), Doug Eddins and Mike Eddins (Libbie); nephew, Blane; nieces, Erin, Rachel and Avery; and the love of Rod’s life, Brittany; as well as man’s best friend, Tanner.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Florida Sheriff’s Association, Law Enforcement Memorial, P.O. Box 12519, Tallahassee, FL 32317.
Pictured top: Eddins was recently promoted to the rank of colonel. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Beat Smokies
May 8, 2015
Jesse Winker’s first hit of the game Thursday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium knocked in the winning run which led to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 100th home victory in its fourth season.
Winker’s single to center field scored Juan Perez from second base to give Pensacola a, 5-4, victory over the Tennessee Smokies in front of 4,386 fans. The Blue Wahoos are just 1,620 fans away from reaching one million Friday in its first four seasons of existence.
Winker said a chance for a walk-off is the position a hitter looks forward to being in. Friday’s was his third for Pensacola since being promoted mid-season last year from High-A Bakersfield.
“It’s always a situation you want to be in whether you are 10-for-10 or 0-for-10,” said Winker, the Cincinnati Reds No. 2 rated prospect according to MLB.com. “It’s the best feeling in baseball. Those are the moments you live for.”
After losing both doubleheaders in the last inning on Thursday, the Wahoos turned the tables on the Smokies, who scored its four runs in the first inning off of starting pitcher Daniel Wright on a walk and four hits. The big hit came on right fielder Bijan Rademacher’s bases-clearing double.
The first pitch for the game was tossed by Escambia County’s Teacher of the Year, Anna Barry from Northview High School, and the colors were presented by the Northview High School NJROTC. Click for photos.
Wright settled down and had two 1-2-3 innings and got out of a bases loaded jam in the third inning. He struck out 10 batters in five innings.
Meanwhile, the Blue Wahoos fought back with two runs in the bottom of the first inning when first baseman Kyle Waldrop singled to center field and Perez scored. Seth Mejias-Brean then singled sharply back up the middle to drive in Ryan Wright to bring Pensacola within, 4-2.
Winker scored in the fifth on a ground out by Mejias-Brean, his second RBI of the game. Kyle Skipworth, who led off the sixth with a single in his first game down from Triple-A Louisville, tied the game, 4-4, when he scored on a wild pitch by Smokies reliever Fernando Cruz.
Wright said the two runs in the bottom of the first helped calm him down on the mound. He was happy with pitching six innings and getting the no-decision.
“The two in the bottom of the first really settled me in,” Wright (0-4) said. “I have to spot up my fastball. I don’t throw 97 mph fastballs. That’s not my game.”
“He’s a Hall-of-Famer and you don’t get that chance every day,” Winker said. “I look forward to implementing some of the things he said.”
Both Winker and Wright hope the walk-off changes the course of the season for the last place Blue Wahoos who are 9-19.
“We haven’t started the season off like we wanted to,” Wright said. “We’ve got the batters to do it. We’ve got the pitchers to do it. Jesse coming through there for us is big for us.”
Added the ever-confident Winker: “Anything can happen from this point on.”
Pensacola Manager Pat Kelly said both Winker and Waldrop talked hitting with Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin before the game. Larkin has been in Pensacola during the Smokies series.
“They talked about hitting mechanics,” Kelly said. “We’ve been close a couple of times. Jesse’s been close. He’s worked really hard.”
Winker, who’s hitting .240 this season after winning the Arizona League batting crown in the fall, acknowledged getting some advice from Larkin earlier in the day.
Photos by Barrett McClean for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Veterinary Academy Students Film Commercial At Horse Rescue
May 8, 2015
Tate High School Veterinary Academy students visited Cantonment horse rescue group Panhandle Equine Rescue Thursday. Their task was to shoot a commercial advertising their mobile vet services.
The commercial, as planned, will show the students driving up, introducing themselves to their clients and examining a horse. PER’s “Glitter” had the starring horse role in the video.
“Dr. Donny examined her blind eye and then informed his client that she was blind. They should get a good grade on this,” said PER President Diane Lowery.
Pictured: Tate High Veterinary Academy students at Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Detroys Mobile Home Near Jay
May 7, 2015
Fire destroyed an unoccupied mobile home about six miles south of Jay Thursday morning.
The fire was spotted by a Santa Rosa County deputy in the 3400 block of Ira Lane off Greenwood Road about 10:30 a.m. The mobile home was fully involved with the first firefighters arrived on scene.
There were no injuries. The mobile home was a total loss, and the Florida State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
The Jay, Berrydale and Allentown volunteer fire departments and Lifeguard Ambulance also responded to the blaze.
Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional’s Coppenger Named Florida DOC’s Employee Of Year
May 7, 2015
Sgt. Jack Coppenger, reentry coordinator at Century Correctional Institution, has been named the Florida Department of Corrections’ Institutional Employee of the Year. He will receive the award and official recognition later this month. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview’s FFA Receives Multiple Top State Awards
May 7, 2015
The Northview High School FFA has been named as one of Florida’s Finest FFA Chapters, and the chapter’s “Fresh From Florida Advocacy Program” has been named one of the top five programs in the state.
The selection of Florida’s Finest FFA Chapters is based upon the completion of the National Chapter Award program application. These chapters have excelled in the areas of student, chapter and community development and have worked hard to fulfill the mission of the FFA.
One member and one advisor from each of these chapters will be recognized on the main stage during the 2nd General Session of the 87th Florida FFA Convention on Wednesday, July 1 in Orlando. In addition, each of these chapters will represent Florida at the national level in the National Chapter Award Program.
Formerly known the Food for America program, the Fresh from Florida Advocacy Program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in agricultural literacy and awareness projects on the local level.
The annual program, conducted by the Northview FFA in March, gave over 1,000 students a chance to learn about agriculture firsthand as they got up close and personal with farm animals, farm equipment and more. The students even had the opportunity to make their own butter and enjoy it on crackers.
The Northview High School FFA “Fresh From Florida” program has been honored as the best in Florida for three consecutive years, and the chapter was recently name one of the best in the United States by the National FFA Organization for a second year.
Pictured: The Fresh from Florida program last March at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
National Day Of Prayer Event Held In Molino
May 7, 2015
Thursday was the National Day of Prayer.
Several churches from Century to Cantonment got an early start with a prayer program Wednesday evening at the Don Sutton Ballpark in Molino. A large crowd heard uplifting Christian music, heard testimonies from local residents and prayed on numerous topics, including prayer for our nation.
For more photos from the Molino event, click here.
Pictured: A National Day of Prayer event Wednesday evening at Don Sutton Ballpark in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Woman Arrested For Bomb Threat To Navy Recruiter
May 7, 2015
An Escambia County woman was arrested after making a bomb threat to a Navy recruiter.
First Class Petty Officer Charles Brockett told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he received a phone call from a woman later identified as Priscilla Bembow that he received a call at the Navy Recruiting Office on Navy Boulevard. He stated that she asked if she had reached the government, and he replied yes. She then told him there was a bomb in an undisclosed location, and that her name was “Patricia Lee” and that she was located at the Raceway on Highway 29. Brockett called 911 and notified his supervisors.
Deputies responded to the Raceway and found Bembow, who admitted to making the bomb threat.
She was charged with a felony count for the making the bomb threat and remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $5,000.