SEC Soccer Tournament Starts Today At Ashton Brosnaham Park
November 3, 2024
Escambia County is hosting the SEC SEC Soccer Tournament at the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off 10 Mile Road today though November 10, marking the county’s third consecutive year hosting the tournament. During the week-long event, the top 12 women’s soccer teams will compete for the championship title.
“We are incredibly proud to once again host the SEC tournament, and we look forward to welcoming the teams and fans to Escambia County,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “This is an exciting event not only for District 5 and Escambia County, but for all of Northwest Florida. I appreciate the continued partnership with Pensacola Sports and the SEC, along with the countless staff members and volunteers who work behind the scenes to make an event like this possible.”
Tickets are now one sale at pensacolasports.org. All-tournament passes are $45. Individual session tickets for the first round, quarterfinals and semifinals are $12 for adults and $7 for students/military. Tickets for the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 10, are $17 for adults and $12 for students/military. Taxes and service fees are included in the listed ticket prices. Kids 12 and under wearing a soccer jersey get in free with a paying adult on Sunday, Nov. 3 and on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A clear bag policy is in effect for this event. Admission is free for children 5 and under at all games.
Since 2022, the SEC tournament has drawn thousands of attendees to Escambia County and generated millions of dollars in local economic impact. The 2022 tournament broke SEC attendance records with more than 10,000 attendees, generating a $2.5 million economic impact, according to the county.
The tournament will air on the SEC Network.
The schedule is below for the first round on Sunday and the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Winner advance to the semifinals on Thursday and the championship on Sunday, November 10.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Photos: Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Saturday
November 3, 2024
The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola 2024 Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show wrapped up Saturday before a crowd of tens of thousands of people.
Visitors to the air station had the opportunity to see the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, and the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, The Thunderbirds, along with other aerobatic teams, perform during the six-hour event.
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NorthEscambia.com photos by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge.
Early Voting Ends With General Election Turnout Now Over 50%
November 3, 2024
Thirteen days of early voting ended Saturday in Escambia County with turnout for the general election already surpassing 50%.
As of Saturday, 112,710 Escambia County voters had voted, for an unofficial turnout of 52.5%. Of those, 80,506 voted early and one of 10 locations, while 31,771 vote-by-mail ballots had been received.
The busiest early voting location was the Bellview Branch Library (14,938), followed by Ashbury Place and Cokesbury Church (14,341) and the Escambia Extension Office on Stefani Road (14,643). The slowest was the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century with 883 early voters.
Countywide, there were 45,291 Republican early voters, 21,3698 Democrats and 12,221 with no party affiliation.
Voting precincts will be open Tuesday, November 5 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
For your Escambia County sample ballot, click here.
Pictured: The early voting location at the Molino Community Center. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Band Members Perform With USA Jaguar Marching Band
November 3, 2024
Six Northview High School Tribal Beat Band members had the opportunity to perform Saturday with the University of South Alabama Jaguar Marching Honor Band in Mobile.
The students were able to perform at halftime on the field with the JMB, play in the stands, meet new friends, and experience gameday as a member of the Jaguar Marching Band.
Pictured: (front, L-R) Kayleigh Young and Elizabeth Coleman, (back, L-R) Justin Kinley, Olivia Doyle, Delina Garcia, Brynlie Shaw. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ashton Brosnaham Dog Park Closed During SEC Tournament
November 3, 2024
The dog park at the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, located at 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Dr., will be closed during the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament this week. The dog park will reopen Monday, November. 11.
Residents with dogs are encouraged to visit the Beulah Regional Park, located at 7820 Mobile Highway; Regency Park, located at 8245 Fathom Road; or Santa Maria Plaza, located at 199 Madrid Road.
File photo.
A Rout for the Record Books As No. 21 UWF Rolls 70-0 Past Erskine
November 3, 2024
by Bill Vilona, Argos correspondent
The game’s outcome, of course, was never going to be in doubt.
Rather, it was the performance and the precision that mattered most to UWF’s football team. In that regard, it became record-setting.
In another milestone moment for a program only in its eighth season, the No. 21 ranked Argos demolished Erskine College 70-0 and gained a desired feel-good vibe heading into the defining final part of their schedule that will determine a post-season berth.
The point total and victory margin was one better than UWF’s 69-0 victory against Virginia-Lynchburg on Sept. 21, 2019 in Pensacola at Blue Wahoos Stadium – the season the Argos won the NCAA Division II national championship.
“”Obviously a really good performance in all three facets of the game,” said UWF coach Kaleb Nobles. “I’m excited that our guys played well. I don’t think we were perfect by any means, there are a lot of things we still have to clean up, but we played well. I’m excited our guys answered the challenge this game.”
UWF (6-2) attained its fifth straight win and produced this offensive show of force without top quarterback Marcus Stokes, who sat out of the game with a minor injury. Backup Tony Bartalo, a junior from Tampa, absolutely shined by throwing six touchdown passes.
He overcame an interception on UWF’s first possession to finish with 15 of 22 passing for 267 yards. His six touchdowns matched the school record first set by Nobles himself in 2016 against Missouri S&T, then tied by Austin Reed in the 2019 national title win against Minnesota State.
“Tony did a great job of trusting what we talked about all week, going through every bit of the read,” Nobles said. “We even had some plays where I was intending for another receiver to get the ball, and Tony read the play correctly and found the guy they left open. Marcus is dealing with a minor injury that we felt it wasn’t smart to put him on out there and put strain on his body. He’s not out for a long period of time, he should be good to go next week (in final home game vs. North Greenville). Both of those guys have to stay ready to play.”
Bartalo, who transferred before spring practice from Charleston Southern, was the No. 2 quarterback throughout preseason and was told Wednesday night he would be starting.
“Honestly, my mindset is the same every week… just be prepared like you’re the guy every week so you don’t have to change how you prepare,” Bartalo said. “I prepare every week like I’m the starting quarterback and I’m going to go out there and just do my job and just play football. Playing football is the easy part.”
The Argos are now in a playoff scenario the rest of the season. In addition to a must-win next Saturday in the home finale against North Greenville (2 p.m. kickoff) at Pen Air Field, they will likely need to win the season-finale at Valdosta State on Nov. 16 to attain a 8-2 record.
They played the kind of game Saturday they hoped to produce. Eight different players scored touchdowns. The Argos amassed 29 first downs and limited Erskine to just five the entire game.
Total yards were another eye-popping total with UWF outgaining Erskine 532 yards to just 17. With UWF’s defense totally throttling anything the Flying Fleet tried to do.
Javon Swinton, who caught a pair of touchdown passes, started the scoring frenzy by catching a 14-yard pass from Bartalo to cap a 90-yard, seven-play drive on UWF’s second possession of the game.
The Argos then produced three touchdowns in a four-minute span in the second quarter in blowing open the game before halftime.
Jakobe Quillen, a Florence, S.C. native returning to his home state, caught a 36-yard TD pass from Bartalo to cap a 71 yard, six-play drive. A little more than two minutes later, following another quick three-and-out sequence from UWF’s defense, receiver Zac Offord caught a 17-yard pass from Bartalo midway through the second quarter.
One minute, 52 seconds later, after another UWF defensive stop, Virgil Lemons returned a punt 57 yards for a score to continue what became a memorable performance.
Lemons returned seven punts for 198 yards.
“I’m excited how our players are playing on punt returns,” Nobles said. “Those are scoring points for us. I told our staff, right before we scored (on Lemons return), this is awesome, I think we might actually score on this one and we did.”
In the second half, UWF scored touchdowns all six times they had the ball. Quillen scored his second touchdown on the Argos first possession of the second half with a 21 reception from Bartalo. Jay Sharp followed with a 33-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass, Swinton scored his second TD, then the last three scores were first time TDs for three players.
Troy Coughlin, a former Gulf Breeze High star and redshirt freshman, finished the Argos scoring on an 11-yard run late in the fourth quarter and became the first Pensacola-area player to score for UWF since Navarre’s Quentin Randolph did so in the 2019 championship game.
His score was preceded by Luis Chafino catching a 14-yard pass from No. 3 QB Michael Rich Jr. The other score was redshirt freshman Keeshaun Glanton’s 7-yard run.
“You get in a game like that, you have a fine line between not trying to drive up the score and getting guys some reps that put a lot of work in,” Nobles said. “We put our backups in the entire fourth quarter, and they scored on all three drives which is awesome to see. We’ve had true freshman on the offensive line that did good. Great job by our running backs to make the most of their carries.”
Defensively, it was a compete dominating performance. The Argos held Erskine to 0.3 yards per-play, had 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss yards.
Freshman lineman Lorenzo Payne led the way with six tackles, including 3.5 for loss yards and was in on two sacks. His high school teammate from Orlando, Kevin Roberts also saw plenty of playing time and had three stops.
It was all part of a defensive effort where more than 25 players had a least one tackle.
“They played phenomenal,” Nobles said. “We’ve had some injuries with guys missing time, especially on the defensive line. We had two true freshmen on the defensive line start tonight that we recruited in February. They were high school teammates, Lorenzo Payne and Kevin Roberts, starting college games together. We know we have a couple challenging games coming up, but if our defense is playing well, we have a shot to win a game.The defensive line plays with relentless effort. All the coaches do well on the defensive side of the ball, we’re really playing well in all three layers of the defense right now.”
Photo/John Rose.
Cantonment Church Hosting Affordable CPR Class for Community
November 3, 2024
St. Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment is hosting a Red Cross CPR and First Aid class on November 9, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This training, which covers adult and pediatric CPR, usually costs $186, but St. Monica’s ministry is covering all but $25. The class is open to the public, though space is limited to 14 participants. Those interested can find more information at St. Monica’s website.
Located at 699 South Highway 95-A, St. Monica’s Episcopal Church serves the Cantonment and Molino communities through programs like “St. Monica Saves,” a ministry that offers essential life-saving skills. Now in its second year, this initiative has trained dozens of community members in CPR and First Aid.
The same day, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Monica’s will also host its annual Fall Market, featuring nearly 20 vendors and renowned barbecue. This family-friendly event showcases the church’s ongoing community outreach, which also includes a Beans and Rice ministry and a thriving children’s program. For further details, visit St. Monica’s website.
Tate Aggies Fall To The Escambia Gators (With Gallery)
November 2, 2024
The Escambia Gators defeated the Tate Aggies 34-14 Friday night in Cantonment to end the 2024 regular season.
The Aggies scored on 2-yard keeper from senior quarterback Taite Davis in the third quarter. Tate scored again on an 83-yard Carson Carson Secchiari touchdown run to tie it up 14-14 with 1:08 in the third, but the Gators battled back for the win.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“We got back in and got the momentum,” Tate head coach Rhett Summerford said. “We just couldn’t finish. ”
“I think we have a good enough team to be in,” Summerford said. “We didn’t who show it tonight. We’ve got to figure that out.”
The Tate Aggies, now at 7-3 were ranked seventh in the region heading into Friday night’s contest. It’s now a final wait and see to find out oi the Aggies are playoff bound with an at-large bid. Escambia (8-2) is guaranteed a playoff spot with the District 1-4A title.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Over 120,000 Attend Friday Blue Angels Homecoming Show (With Gallery)
November 2, 2024
With the U.S. Armed Forces premiere aviation demonstration squadrons performing together at the same show, more than 120,000 spectators experienced the first day of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola 2024 Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Friday.
Visitors to the air station had the opportunity to see the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, and the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, The Thunderbirds, along with other aerobatic teams, perform during the six-hour event.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Day two (Saturday, Nov. 2) of the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show is scheduled to feature the same, with the Blue Angels scheduled to perform their routine at 2 p.m., preceded by the Thunderbirds at 12:30 p.m.
As a reminder, everyone over the age of 18 is required to have a state-issued form of identification.
Additionally
- Admission to the event is free
- Both the Main Gate, at the south end of Navy Blvd., and the West Gate, at the south end of Blue Angels Parkway, are open to the public at 8 a.m.
- Absolutely no weapons – regardless of permit – are permitted onboard the air station
- No outside food or drink
- No drones
- No pets (not including service animals)
- No coolers
NorthEscambia.com photos by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge.
Saturday Is The Last Day Of Early Voting
November 2, 2024
Saturday is the final day of early voting in Escambia County.
Voters may choose any one of the 10 locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device. Each location is open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day through Saturday, November 2.
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, Molino
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse, 7500 N. Century Blvd, Century
- Escambia County Extension Service, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy, Bldg. 78, Room 136, Pensacola
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Asbury Place at Cokesbury, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street, Pensacola
Polls will be open on election day, Tuesday, November 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.