Ernest Ward Middle Topples Jay, 22-20
August 28, 2015
Ernest Ward Middle School opened their football season with a 22-20 win over the Jay Royals Thursday night in Walnut Hill. The EWMS Eagles will travel to T.R. Miller on September 3.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Multiple Injuries In School Bus Wreck In Pensacola; Dump Truck Ran Red Light
August 28, 2015
Multiple students were injured when a school bus loaded with students from Pensacola High School was hit by a dump truck and overturned in Pensacola Thursday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 16 students were transported to area hospitals, two as “trauma alerts”. The FHP said bus driver Harriet Collins, 27, along with 22 students and a driver’s assistant were westbound on Jordan Street attempting to cross Pace Boulevard.
A Mack Dump truck being driven by Abraham Larry, Jr., age 33 of Pensacola, was traveling north on Pace Boulevard. The dump truck driven by Larry ran the red light at the intersection of Jordan Street on collided with the left rear side of the school bus. The collision caused the school bus to overturn and strike a utility pole, coming to final rest on its right side.
The FHP is continuing their investigation. Any charges in the crash are pending.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Tonight’s HS Football FINALS
August 28, 2015
Here is a look at final scores from tonight’s high school football games:
FLORIDA
- Crestview 47, Northview 20
- Escambia 16, West Florida 7
- Tate 38, Biloxi 7
- Flomaton 55, Jay 26
- Choctaw 48, Gulf Breeze 32
- Navarre 57, Catholic 14
- Milton 20, Washington 14
- Pine Forest 41, PHS 30
- Pace 49, Fort Walton 28
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 55, Jay 26
- W.S. Neal 42. Escambia County (Atmore) 14
- T.R. Miller 17, Tallassee 14
- Autauga Academy 28, Escambia Academy 18
Extension Farm Field Day Held
August 28, 2015
An Extension Farm Filed Day was held Thursday at the University of Florida, West Florida Research & Education Center in Jay. Farmers from across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties and surrounding areas learned about numerous topics, including weed control for row crops, peanuts, cotton, soybeans and even sesame. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Fans ‘Meet The Chiefs’ (With Gallery)
August 28, 2015
Northview High School’s Quarterback Club held a “Meet the Chiefs” event Thursday evening, giving fans a chance to get to know the team prior to the start of the regular season Friday night. Fans also had a chance to meet the cheerleaders and dance team. The Chiefs will travel to Crestview Friday night to take on the Bulldogs in a non-district game.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Central, Northview Split Volleyball Games
August 28, 2015
In high school volleyball Thursday evening, Central defeated the Northview Chiefs in varsity action, 19-25, 20-25, 15-25.
In junior varsity play, the Northview Chiefs beat Central, 25-19, 21-25, 15-5.
Northview will travel to W.S. Neal on Tuesday with the JV playing at 4:30 and the varsity at 5:30.
Wahoos Rally, Up 1.5 Games In South Division
August 28, 2015
All second half of the Southern League season, left fielder Jesse Winker came through with a big hit when Pensacola needed it.
Winker’s last one — a double in the right field corner in the eighth inning — was the biggest and came under the most pressure.
It not only cleared the loaded bases by driving in three runs to catapult the Blue Wahoos back into the lead, 9-8, over the Mississippi Braves, it put Pensacola 1.5 games up on the Braves in the race for the playoffs in the second half of the Southern League’s South Division.
By the end of the eighth inning, Pensacola had scored five runs and beat Mississippi, 11-8, and received a standing ovation from its 23rd sellout of 5,038 Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Pensacola improved to 34-26 in the second half and remained in sole possession of first place, while Mississippi fell to 32-27.
With 10 games left in the season, this is the latest Pensacola has been in first place since July 22, 2012 in its first season.
Winker said he was looking for a fastball to hit deep and at least get a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Instead, he ripped a line drive to reach base all five times he came to bat. Winker was 2-2 with a double, four RBIs, three runs and walked three times. The last time he got on base five times was on June 11, 2014 for the Bakersfield Blaze.
“How sweet,” said Winker, who was drenched with water by his teammates after the game. “It was unbelievable with the playoff atmosphere, plus PK’s (manager Pat Kelly) birthday. It was real cool. It was a real fun game to be a part of.”
Winker has hit in 18 of his 23 games this month. He is hitting .367 (29-79) in August and .312 in the second half. The Cincinnati Reds top prospect currently holds the Pensacola Triple Crown, leading the team with 13 home runs, 53 RBIs and a .278 batting average.
In top of the fifth inning with Pensacola leading, 4-1, the video board flashed birthday wishes to Pensacola manager Pat Kelly, who turned 60 Thursday. One photo was him with a mustache during his minor league playing days and the other a shot from this season. He tipped his cap to the crowd and smiled.
However, Mississippi scored five runs after that in the fifth. Braves right fielder KD Kang came through with a three-run homer to left to knot the game, 4-4. Kang has reached base in 29 straight road games this year, the longest streak in the Southern League this season.
Then, the Braves second baseman Levi Hyams drove in two more runs on a line drive over the head of Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin to put Mississippi ahead, 6-4.
Mississippi added two more runs to go ahead, 8-4, in the seventh inning when Pensacola shortstop Alex Blandino threw wide of first base trying to turn a double play that allowed the Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz and catcher Matt Kennelly to score.
Pensacola entered the game 3-56 when trailing in the seventh inning.
“It was fantastic,” Kelly said of Pensacola’s rally in the eighth inning to win the game. “We were dead in the water. I thought, ‘Man, we are really in trouble.’”
But right fielder Juan Duran laced a low line drive single to centerfield with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning to bring home Blandino and Winker and pull the Blue Wahoos within, 8-6. He ended up going 2-4 with a three-run home run for five RBIs on the night.
Duran’s homer in the third inning was Pensacola’s 16th dinger in 24 games. After hitting just 25 home runs in the first half, the Blue Wahoos have clobbered 76 home runs on the season, which is third best in the Southern League.
Winker and Kelly both expressed optimism about making the playoffs with a series against the Jackson Generals in Tennessee and then its final homestand against Mobile at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
“We are all locked in on what we can do to win,” Winker said. “It’s something special to be a part of. I hope we go there (to Jackson) and take five.”
Kelly said beating Mississippi in a five-game series for the first time this season is huge.
“This puts us in a great position by winning it,” Kelly said. “It takes us to the Jackson series with some momentum. We’re going into that series in good spirits.”
Pensacola Soldier Among Two Casualties In Afghanistan
August 27, 2015
An Air Force officer from Pensacola was among two casualties in Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Forrest B. Sibley, 31, of Pensacola, and Capt. Matthew D. Roland, 27, of Lexington, KY, died of wounds suffered August 26 when the vehicle they were traveling in was attacked near Camp Antonik, Afghanistan.
They were at a vehicle checkpoint when two individuals wearing Afghan National Defense and Security Forces uniforms opened fire on them. NATO service members returned fire and killed the shooters.
“The losses of Matt and Forrest are a terrible blow to everyone who knew them,” said Col. Wolfe Davidson, 24th Special Operations Wing commander. “These two combat controllers were incredible warriors who not only volunteered to join our nation’s Special Operations Forces, but earned their way to the tip of the spear in defense of our nation.”
Roland was a special tactics officer at the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron here. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2010. Upon completing the rigorous STO training program in 2012, he was a team leader who supervised real-world combat preparedness training of a 35-member team. He deployed three times in his five years of service to multiple locations globally. He is survived by his parents.
Sibley was a combat controller at the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C. He was a four-time Bronze Star medal recipient, once with the valor device, and he deployed four times to sensitive locations around the world in his nearly seven years of service. He is survived by his parents.
Due to their extensive special operations training, both were military qualified static line jumpers, free fall jumpers, combat scuba divers, and qualified in joint terminal attack control.
Special Tactics Airmen integrate, synchronize, control air and space power to enable global access, precision strike and personnel recovery for special operations.
“The risks that these men and their teammates endured in combat and in training are all too well known to the Special Tactics community, but it does not make this great loss any easier to bear,” Davidson said. “We will honor Matt and Forrest for the legacy they left behind, embrace their families as our own, and thank them eternally for their ultimate sacrifice for American freedom.”
Both the 21st STS and 23rd STS fall under the 720th Special Tactics Group, 24th SOW, the only wing solely dedicated to Special Tactics in the Air Force.
Pictured: Staff Sgt. Forrest B. Sibley.
Tons Of Free Food To Be Given Away Friday Morning In Century
August 27, 2015
Tons of free food will be given away to those in need Friday morning in Century.
The food giveaway will begin at 9 a.m. at the Abundant Life Assembly of God Church at 8040 North Century Boulevard. Between 12,000 and 15,000 pounds of food will be distributed in cooperation with Pensacola Caring Hearts and the Bay Area Food Bank.
“There are no income or other requirements to meet”, said Ferlissa Finkley of Pensacola Caring Hearts. “The food is available to anyone that believes they are in need.”
Participants will not be required to show identification, and there are no residency restrictions.
Pictured: A July food giveaway from Pensacola Caring Hearts held near Monclair Elementary School. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDLE Arrests Man For Sex Offenses
August 27, 2015
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Pensacola State College Police Department, arrested Jorge Rafael Carias, 24, of Milton, Wednesday on charges of using a computer to solicit a parent or guardian for sex with a child, traveling to meet a child for sex, and transmitting harmful material to a minor.
This case was investigated by members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force including FDLE, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Okaloosa and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices, and Pensacola Police Department.
The investigation began in July when Carias engaged in a series of email and text messages with an undercover officer who Carias believed to be the parent of a 12-year old girl.
During the email and text exchanges, Carias solicited the undercover officer to have sex with the supposed girl in exchange for cash. He also sent a pornographic photo of himself and sexual messages to the supposed child before traveling to a local motel for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Carias was located at Pensacola State College and transported to the Escambia County Jail on a $60,000 bond. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 1st Judicial Circuit.