Friday Night Football Finals
September 14, 2019
Here are Friday night finals from around the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
Baker 14, Northview 12 [Details, photo gallery...]
Tallahassee Leon 31, Tate 16 [Game details...]
Lake City Columbia 21, Pine Forest 13
West Florida 55, Arnold 14
Catholic 34, St. Stanislaus (Miss.) 26
Washington 35, Gulf Breeze 29
Choctaw 50, Pensacola High 22
Milton 21, Fort Walton Beach 7
Mosley 8, Pace 6
Tallahassee Lincoln 35. Navarre 20 (Thursday)
Jay – Off
Escambia – Off
*District game
ALABAMA
Escambia County (Atmore) 19, Hillcrest 15
Escambia Academy 38, Clarke Prep 0
Flomaton 30, Excel 8 [Details, photos...]
T.R. Miller 44, St. Michael Catholic 21
Clarke County 21, W.S. Neal 0
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate High Boys Golf Off To Strong Start
September 12, 2019
The Tate High School boys golf team is off to a great strong start to the 2019 season. The team has wins in its first three matches posting team scores of 180, 168 and 179. This week, the team finished fifth in a 17 team match. Ethan Beaver posted the lowest score shooting a 76 during the 18 hole event.
Other team members are Jackson Penton, JT Semple, Trent Callahan, Jace Anthony and Peyton Caslow.
Volleyball: Flomaton Hurricanes Defeat The Northview Chiefs
September 10, 2019
The Flomaton Hurricanes defeated the Northview Chiefs in high school volleyball varsity action Monday in Bratt.
The Chiefs will host Laurel Hill on Tuesday, while Flomaton will be Escambia County High School in Atmore on September 16.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall In Playoff Finale Against The Shuckers
September 9, 2019
The Blue Wahoos went the distance in their divisional playoff series against the Biloxi Shuckers.
But that didn’t make the heartache any easier to take.
The Blue Wahoos took their third lead in Sunday’s deciding game on an 8th inning homer from catcher Ryan Jeffers, only to have the bullpen give up a deluge in the bottom half of that inning, as the Shuckers rolled to an 8-4 win to take the Southern League South Division championship at MGM Park.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop the bleeding,” said Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego. “When you take a lead in a game like that, you are looking for pitching. You are trying to shut them down.”
“The game was right there. When you get to that point, you are looking for the pitching.”
In winning Sunday’s decisive fifth game, the Shuckers advance to the Southern League championship series against the defending champion Jackson Generals. Biloxi will seek to win the league title for the first time.
This became the third time in five years the Blue Wahoos were knocked out of the playoffs by their Gulf Coast neighboring rival. The Blue Wahoos had advanced to post-season for a fifth consecutive year, the first as a Minnesota Twins affiliate, which tied Pensacola with the Mobile BayBears for the second longest playoff streak in the 55-year history of the Southern League.
The Shuckers, however, have proven to be a playoff nemesis. But unlike the past two playoff losses – one in three games, the other in four – this one had opportunities for the Blue Wahoos to produce a different outcome.
They rallied with five runs in the ninth in Game 1 to stun the crowd and take a lead. But again the bullpen wasn’t able to hold on, yielding a tying run in the ninth, then a walkoff homer in the 10th for an 11-10 loss.
Trailing 0-2 in the series, after a 4-1 loss in the second game, the Blue Wahoos beat the Shuckers 3-2 Friday in their only game in Pensacola as the wild card team, then scored five times in the ninth to win 10-5 and force a deciding game.
With the pitching staff taxed, the Blue Wahoos activated lefthander Bryan Sammons, who had been sent down to Fort Myers, as the Game 5 starter. He produced a solid outing, working 4.2 innings. The only damage was a pair of solo home runs, but he struck out five and walked only one.
“He gave us what we needed,” Borrego said. “It was good to see. That was exactly what we wanted.”
He left in the fifth with a 3-2 lead. Jeffers, who went 3-for-4 in the game, started a two-run rally in the fourth with a double. He later scored on Mark Contreras ground out. Caleb Hamilton hit a two-out double to score Jose Miranda, who had walked.
In the sixth inning, Travis Blankenhorn narrowly missed a home run to the deepest part of MGM Park, but Shuckers centerfielder Dillon Thomas tracked the ball down at the base of the wall. With two runners on, Hamilton was then robbed of a sure RBI hit by Shuckers shortstop Luis Aviles Jr.
The Shuckers then tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.
In the eighth, Jeffers broke the 3-3 tie with his opposite field home run into the right field berm.
The Blue Wahoos called upon left-hander Stephen Gonsalves, who had pitched in games last year with the Twins. But from the outset, he was off in the bottom of the eighth inning.
“When you take a one-run lead with six outs away, we got to pitch, we got to execute,” Borrego said. “That was the difference.
Gonsalves gave up a leadoff single, walked the next batter, then created a scary situation when his pitch struck Thomas in the face as he squared around to bunt.
“The first batter he was wild, and you can see that, and then that pitch slipped right from his hand,” Borrego said. “That was scary. I hope that kid (Thomas) is doing good. That was unbelievable. I never expected it.
“It put us in a tough situation, but it’s the game some time… I know he is a better pitcher than that.”
With the bases now loaded, Borrego summoned Alex Phillips, who immediately gave up a sacrifice fly for one out and the tying run. He then gave up a couple more hits and suddenly the Shuckers had a commanding lead.
“We just couldn’t get the pitching,” Borrego said.
But the season provided plenty of memories. The Blue Wahoos played much of the second half with a trio of the Twins’ last three No. 1 draft picks – Alex Kirilloff, Royce Lewis and Trevor Larnach.
Lewis went 3-for-3 in first three at-bats and nearly had a fourth when a scorched ball was turned into a inning-ending double play in the seventh by third baseman Jake Gatewood.
Kirilloff, who homered in each of the first four playoff games and batted .381 in the series, was 1-for-4 Sunday and kept alive the ninth inning with his broken bat single. With two on, two out, Lewis struck out to end the game.
Larnach went 0-for-4 and struggled in the series, but had many big hits during the second half of the season.
“That was really special to see those guys together and for the fans,” Borrego said. “We won’t have that again, but we have good players who will be here (Pensacola) next year.”
Northview Volleyball Mini Camp Next Saturday
September 8, 2019
The Northview High School volleyball team will host a Volleyball Mini Camp on Saturday, September 14 from 8-11 a.m. in the school gym.
The cost is $35 per participant. Each participant will receive a t-shirt, snacks and free admission to the Gold Digger game benefiting the American Childhood Cancer Association.
The camp is for third grade and up. Each camper has a chance to win awards for “best hitter”, “best digs” and more.
Chiefs volleyball will host W.S. Neal for the Gold Digger game on September 17 at 4:30 for junior varsity and 5:30 for varsity.
11th In A Row: Flomaton Hurricanes Defeat The Jay Royals
September 7, 2019
The Flomaton Hurricane picked up their 11th win in row over the Jay Royals Friday night in a rivalry dating back to 1933.
The Hurricanes shut out Jay 40-0.
For a photo gallery, click here.
In the first quarter, Flomaton quarterback Vickery’s pass was intercepted by Jay senior Brenton Eister, but the Royals could not capitalize and were forced to punt it away. It was fielded by Da’quan Johnson for a 65 yard punt return, and Flomaton was up 6-0 on their home field. Johnson was in again in the first quarter from 35 yards out as Flomaton pulled out to a 14-0 lead.
Jate’vious Franklin added a 17-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to make it 20 to zip for Flomaton.
Travon Brown zigged and zagged pass numerous Jay defenders in a 30-yard touchdown run, and quarterback Zeb Vickery found Johnson with a 50-yard touchdown pass as Flomaton pulled out 34-0 advantage over the Royals.
With the win, the Flomaton Hurricanes improved to 2-0. They will travel to Excel next Friday night.
The Jay Royals fell to 1-2. The Royals are off next Friday night and will host Escambia Academy on September 20.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Finals
September 7, 2019
Here are Friday night finals from around the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Tallahassee Lincoln 43, Tate 0
- Flomaton 40, Jay 0
- Catholic 50, West Florida 14
- Escambia 23, Pine Forest 20
- Washington 38, Pensacola High 0
- Gulf Breeze 27, Choctaw 24
- Navarre 21, Milton 13
- Northview – Open
- Pace – Open
ALABAMA
- Escambia County (Atmore) 46, Monroe County 0
- Tuscaloosa Academy 20, Escambia Academy 19
- Flomaton 40, Jay 0
- T.R. Miller 12, Excel 7
- Hillcrest 47, W.S. Neal 0
Pictured: Flomaton shut out Jay Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Northview JV Beats West Florida Freshmen (With Photo Gallery)
September 6, 2019
The junior varsity Northview Chiefs defeated the West Florida Jaguars freshmen 32-20 Thursday night in Bratt.
Northview’s junior varsity will travel to Pine Forest on September 19 befort returning home to host Baker on September 26. West Florida’s freshmen will be at Pensacola High School on September 12.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Beats Snooks Christian
September 4, 2019
The 2019 Ernest Ward Eagles opened their regular season Tuesday in Walnut Hill with a 36-12 win over Snook Christian Academy of Foley.
Ernest Ward will travel to T.R. Miller on September 10 and Snook on September 24 before their next home game on October 1 against T.R. Miller.
Ernest Ward has the only middle school football team in Escambia County.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: Tough Tuesday For Northview, Tate
September 4, 2019
Northview
The Baker Gator defeated the Northview Chiefs in high school volleyball action Tuesday in Bratt. In varsity play, Baker beat Northview in three, 25-15, 25-20, 25-11. In JV play, Northview fell to Baker 25-17, 22-25, 10-15.
The Chiefs will host Central on Thursday. For more Northview junior varsity photos, click here.
Tate
In varsity action Tuesday, Gulf Breeze defeated Tate 25-20, 25-9, 25-18.
Pictured: Junior varsity action between Northview and Baker Tuesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
