Northview Baseball Beats Flomaton; NHS Softball Tops Baker; Pace Over Tate Softball
April 5, 2022
Northview 10, Flomaton 4
The Northview Chiefs stormed past the Flomaton Hurricanes 10-4 Monday in Bratt.
Cason Burkett earned the win on the mound for the Chiefs, going three and a third innings while allowing three hits and one run while striking out four. Jamarkus Jefferson three two and two thirds innings, allowing three hits, three runs and striking out six.
Flomaton’s Will Smith gave up three runs and one hit in two-thirds of an inning. Caleb Silbernagel tossed five and a third innings, surrounding six hits, seven runs and striking out two.
Josh Landis and Kaden Odom led Northview at the plate with two hits each. Jefferson, Wyatt Scruggs and Trent Knighten each added one hit.
Nicholas Turner went 2-4 for Flomaton. Smith, Bradley Freeman, Will Rollin and C. Spann added one hit apiece.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
SOFTBALL
Northview 3, Baker 1
The Northview Chiefs beat the Baker Gators 3-1 Monday night in Baker.
The game was tied at one going into the top of the seventh when Northview’s Payton Gilchrist doubled on a 2-2 count to make it 3-1.
Jamison Gilman pitched a complete game for the Chiefs, allowing three hits and one run while striking out 10.
Kailyn Watson and Chole Ragsdale had two hits each to lead Northview at the plate. Gilchrist, Kaitlin Gafford and Gilman each had one hit.
Pace 6, Tate 0
Pace defeated the Tate Lady Aggies 6-0 Monday night.
Courtney Lundquist went seven innings for Tate, allowing six runs, 10 hits and striking out four.
The Aggies had no hits.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Anna Adams Named Miss NHS 2022 (With Photo Gallery)
April 5, 2022
Anna Adams was crowned Miss NHS 2022 at Northview High School.
Shelby Cotita was named first runner-up, while Presley Dortch was named second runner-up.
Other award winners were:
- Miss Congeniality: Anna Adams
- Miss Hospitality: Shelby Cotita
- Miss Physical Fitness: Anna Adams
- Miss Poise and Appearance: Nevaeh Brown
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top: Anna Adams (center) was named Miss NHS. Presley Dortch (left) was second runner-up, and Shelby Cotita (right) was first runner up. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Grad Jordan Chase Torrez’s Run On American Idol Comes To An End
April 5, 2022
Tate High School graduate Jordan Chase Torrez’s run on American Idol came to an end Monday.
He did not advance past Monday night’s episode and into the Top 24.
“When all this was going on I was in the darkest place of my life at the time and I prayed so hard for God to just give me a sign. I prayed so hard for God to give me someone that will honestly love me for me and truly believe in me and support me. And you know what God gave me he gave me a whole show FULL Of people who believe in me, love me support me, and they pulled me out of the darkest hole of my life I’ve ever been through,” Torrez wrote in a social media post Monday night.
“I didn’t audition for Idol to go in and win this whole thing I wanted to show the world the real Jordan Chase and showcase my style. And to meet amazing people so it sounds like a win to me.”
And during his American Idol journey, Torrez never forgot his hometown.
“I wanna say thank you to my hometown and my friends and family for pushing me and supporting me this far; you guys never let me down,” he said.
On Sunday night’s episode, platinum ticket winner Kenedi Anderson picked Torrez in American Idol’s “Duets Challenge” as they advanced to Monday night’s show.
Anderson said she picked Torrez because she was obsessed with his voice. The duo performed “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, and they received a standing ovation from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton’s Zeb Vickery Inks With UAB Football
April 5, 2022
Flomaton High School senior Zeb Vickery signed a letter of intent Monday to play football at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Vickery will play quarterback at UAB.
Vickery will become the third Flomaton Hurricane to actively play Division 1 football. Jackson Dullard is at Troy State, and Daquan Johnson is at Duke.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Killed In Fiery Highway 97 Crash
April 4, 2022
A Pensacola man was killed in a fiery high speed crash near Walnut Hill Sunday afternoon.
The 65-year old male driver of a black Dodge Challenger lost control while northbound on Highway 97 just north of Tungoil Road. The vehicle failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway. The vehicle hit a culvert, went airborne for about 180 feet before crashing into a ditch. The Dodge then collided with a large pine tree about 12 feet off the ground. The gas tank was ruptured, and the vehicle burst into flames. It was fully engulfed when first responders arrived on scene.
There were no other passengers in the vehicle.
Witnesses told the Florida Highway Patrol and NorthEscambia.com that the vehicle was being driven recklessly at a high rate of speed prior to the crash.
For additional photos, click or tap here.
Pictured above: A Dodge Challenger burns after a crash on Highway 97 Sunday afternoon, before the first fire engine arrived on scene. Pictured below: The first water on the fire. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Family Offer Thanks: Driver Slams Into Downed Tree After Last Week’s Storms
April 4, 2022
Early last Thursday morning, Jim Harrison of Walnut Hill was headed to work. Severe storms had passed through the area before daylight.
His wife, Amanda, said the family had prayed for protection from the storm the night before, and they had made it safely through the worst of the weather.
They did not know that high winds had downed a tree on Pine Forest Road, not far from Highway 97. Jim was unable to see the tree, blinded by headlights from a vehicle that was turning around. His GMC Yukon Denali crashed into the tree.
“He hit it and then sailed through the tree debris and into the ditch,’ Amanda said. “Thankfully he walked away with a busted lip and soreness from the air bag and that’s it.”
“The state trooper asked who was driving and Jim said, ‘I was at first but then Jesus took the wheel. Thank you God for your protection over him,” Amanda added. “It’s definitely a witness to the fact that God had him.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jordan Chase Torrez Teams With Platinum Ticket Winner, Advances On American Idol
April 4, 2022
Platinum ticket winner Kenedi Anderson picked North Escambia’s Jordan Chase Torrez in American Idol’s “Duets Challenge” as they advanced to Monday night’s show.
Anderson said she picked Torrez because she was obsessed with his voice.
The duo performed “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, and they received a standing ovation from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
American Idol, with Anderson and Torrez, will air locally Monday night 7-9 on WEAR 3.
North Escambia’s Jordan Chase Torrez and American Idol platinum ticket winner Kenedi Anderson. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Girls Lacrosse Team Gets Three Wins To Move Into Second Place In District
April 4, 2022
Tate High’s girls lacrosse team ended last week with three district wins, beating Navarre, Washington and Fort Walton landing them in second place.
Tuesday is Senior Night against Pensacola High, and Friday night will be the last game of the regular season against West Florida High.
The Tate High School girls lacrosse team is coached by Lee Jennings, Jason Strength and Candace Greenwell.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Announce Volunteers Of The Year
April 4, 2022
The Escambia County School District’s Office of Community Involvement has announced its volunteers of the year.
ECSD’s Outstanding Senior Volunteer is Kathleen Varner, who serves at Tate High School (pictured). She and her husband, Mike, taught for nearly 30 years in Escambia County. Soon after retirement, Varner contacted Tate High School to express her interest in volunteering. For the past five years, she has faithfully volunteered weekly during the school year to contribute her wisdom and advice to help transform the Innovation Center into a user-friendly, up-to-date place for students and teachers to experience.
William Belen, a volunteer at Beulah Middle School, is the Outstanding Adult Volunteer. To date, Mr. Belen has served 121 hours and 35 minutes volunteering at Beulah Middle School. He serves in various capacities, from greeting students in the morning, to assisting in Career and Technical Education classrooms, to reading to students. When he is not volunteering in a lab or innovation center he can be found assisting in supervision at lunch.
Mallory Scarfert, a 10th grade Escambia Virtual Academy student, is the Outstanding Youth Volunteer. Scarfert facilitates a group of about a dozen students in grades 3-5 to help them prepare for the Battle of the Books contest. She has created Kahoot quizzes for students to use during this preparation time for the contest. Lipscomb students are looking forward to competing against other students in the county because of Mallory’s guidance during practice time.
Nominated by Global Learning Academy, Pensacola Subwest Rotary has been awarded the ECSD Family and Community Involvement Award. Throughout the pandemic, Pensacola Subwest Rotary’s support of Global’s family involvement programs has not wavered. They have been instrumental in the successful execution of several initiatives, including donating funds to supply to-go dinners for all of Global’s curbside family events, assisting with set up, distribution of at home learning activities and food, and break down of curbside family events, a back to school luncheon at the Pensacola Yacht Club for tachers, and donating bicycles for all pre-K students at the holidays.
Pictured: ECSD’s Outstanding Senior Volunteer is Kathleen Varner, who volunteers at Tate High School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Declining; Pensacola Cheapest Metro Area
April 4, 2022
Florida gas prices are declining again after jumping 13 cents early last week. The state average briefly reached $4.24 per gallon last Tuesday. However, Florida gas prices have since declined a total of seven cents in the past five days. AAA says that downward trend is likely to continue this week, unless oil prices rebound.
On Sunday, the average price for gasoline in Florida was $4.17 per gallon. That’s five cents more than this time last week, 55 cents more than last month, and $1.32 per gallon more than this time last year. The state average is also 68 cents more than what drivers paid before Russia invaded Ukraine.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was nearly 20 cents lower at $3.98 — one of the lowest metro areas in the state.
A North Escambia low of $3.92 could be found Sunday night at a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. A low of $3.69 could be found Sunday night at a station on Highway 29 near Nine Mile Road.
“Gas prices are drifting lower now that oil prices are declining again,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price of oil dropped last week after President Biden announced plans to release 1 million barrels per day from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in effort to ease global supply concerns. The downward pressure was compounded by news that other countries are considering similar action. The oil price drop could enable gas prices to fall back below $4 a gallon in the next couple of weeks. That is unless something causes oil prices to rebound this week.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.