UWF Defeats West Alabama 36-24 On Senior Day
October 30, 2022
The UWF football team rushed for 293 yards and got a school-record five field goals from Griffin Cerra to defeat West Alabama, 36-24, at Pen Air Field on Saturday.
UWF (7-1, 5-1 Gulf South) extended its winning streak to five games and completed its home regular-season with a 4-1 mark.
Peewee Jarrett passed for just 93 yards but ran for a game-high 114 yards – also a UWF quarterback record – on 15 carries with a touchdown to keep the Tigers potent run defense at bay much of the game.
“Peewee used his legs extremely well tonight and we needed it,” UWF head coach Pete Shinnick said.
Additionally, CJ Wilson rushed for 86 yards on 10 carries and Ra’veion Hargrove totaled 50 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown.
On Saturday, the Argonauts fell behind 10-7 early in the second quarter before getting three Cerra boots and a 23-yard touchdown run by Hargrove to go ahead 23-10 midway through the third.
UWA stopped the skid with a Bry Webb score from a yard out but it would be a very short celebration for the visitors.
CJ Wilson broke off a 27-yard run on first down before Jarrett went deep to David Durden on a dead sprint in the back of the end zone for a 48-yard bomb over the top that put the Argos ahead 30-17.
“I thought that throw and catch was spectacular,” Shinnick said. “We needed that. We had just had a CJ Wilson run prior to that so a two play, 75-yard drive was huge.”
The Tigers scored two minutes later, converting a double pass when Demetrius Battle found Darius Nalls in open space for a 57-yard touchdown that cut the UWF lead to 30-24.
But the Argos got Cerra field goals of 36 and 31 yards while chewing up a combined 9:58 off the clock in the final quarter. In between, the Tigers had a 3-and-out that halted any chance of momentum they might have had.
UWF had tremendous field position all game, with an average starting spot on its own 43 yard line. Durden had 94 of his 142 all-purpose yards on punt returns, including two huge returns of 38 and 21 yards that setup the Argos on the UWA side of the field. The ensuring Argo possessions both resulted in field goals as UWF regained momentum.
Cerra’s career day saw him tie the GSC record for made field goals, matching six previous kickers, including Colin Karhu of North Greenville last week against UWA. Cerra scored a career-high 18 points.
Cerra and Durden were just the tip of the iceberg for the UWF special teams on Saturday. Steve Dawson punted twice for a 48.5 average and Da’quan Bailey-Brown had kickoff returns of 51 and 21 yards.
UWA (4-5, 2-4) finished with 421 yards of total offense with 255 through the air. Tucker Melton was 14-for-27 for 198 yards with an interception.
UWF will now hit the road for its final two regular-season games, beginning next Saturday at Valdosta State (4-5, 2-4). Kickoff at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia is at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Photo: Morgan Givens
Northview Cruises To 9-0 With 57-14 Rout Of Atmore (With Gallery)
October 29, 2022
The Northview Chiefs powered to a 57-14 senior night win over the Escambia County Blue Devils of Atmore Friday night in Bratt.
With the win, Northview is 9-0 as they look for that elusive perfect season next week. In 2006, the Chiefs went 9-1 overall under coach Cody Keene, dropping the final game of that season at home 20-14 to Chipley. In 2012 when they won the only football state championship in school history, the Chiefs opened at 1-1, losing their second game to Marianna. They finished 2012 at 11-3.
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The Chiefs were a little slow out of the gate as the lead teetered back and forth, but they soon floored it on the way to the win.
“We’ve to fix that,” head coach Wes Summerford of the slow start. “When we get to the playoffs, we can’t make those mistakes. We’ve got to start fast.”
He said the offense “didn’t miss a beat”.
The Blue Devils were first on the big board at 8-0 with a 40-yard pass with just under 10 minutes to go.
A couple of minutes later Northview QB Kaden Odom found Wyatt Scruggs from 48-yards, and Odom was in for the two point conversion and an 8-8 ballgame. Northview moved on top with an 11-yard run touchdown rush from Jamarkus Jefferson.
ECHS returned the kickoff for a 72-yard touchdown, and Jefferson added another touchdown to round out the first quarter with a 22-14 Chief lead.
In the second quarter, Jefferson had touchdowns of 35, 34 and 2-yards. In the third, the Chiefs scored when Odom hit Scruggs for a 29-yard score, and Odom was in from 6-yards out. Kicker Brandon Ferguson was 7-7 on point after attempts Friday night.
The Escambia County Blue Devils season came to an end at 4-6.
The Chiefs (9-0) will host Bay next Friday night.
“It’s not going to be much different than Atmore,” he said.
The Chiefs will likely out the first week of the playoffs with a bye before starting their postseason trip toward Tallahassee on November 18.
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The Legend: Tate Football Field Dedicated As ‘Carl Madison Field’
October 29, 2022
Friday night, the football field at Tate High School was dedicated in honor of high school sports legend Carl Madison.
The field inside Pete Gindl Stadium is “Carl Madison Field” in honor of the man that led the Aggies to a 1980 state championship and is one of the all-time winningest high school coaches in the nation.
“The best advice you can give people is play clean and hard, and be ready to back the next day,” Madison said shortly before tossing the coin for the Aggies Friday night game against Escambia.
Madison was surrounded at the ceremony by former players from his nearly five decades coaching, including members of the Aggies 1980 state championship team.
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Madison, who turns 92 in January, sits at number two on Florida’s all-time football coaching victories list with a 326-129-7 record and is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
In addition to winning a state title at Tate, he took the Pine Forest Eagles to two state championships in 1987 and 1988. The 1988 Eagle team was named as national champions by USA Today, and Madison earned the title of the National High School Football Coach of the Year. All in all, he coached at five different Florida High Schools including Ernest Ward, plus three out of state schools.
His football days began early at Escambia County High School in Atmore where he played tailback under Coach Herbert Barnes from 1945 to 1947, making him one of Atmore’s semi-famous “Barnes Boys” with 30 straight wins. After a stint in the Army, from 1950 to 1952, Madison played college ball for Texas Tech and Troy State Teachers College in the mid-1950s.
Fresh out of college, Madison coached for four years beginning in 1957 at Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill. He moved to Milton High in 1961, coaching them to a state championship and 34 straight victories. He then took a coaching job at a Georgia High School, losing a state championship game in 1968.
Madison joined the coaching staff at Tate in 1971 on his way to winning that 1980 state championship. He left Tate in 1983, heading to Pensacola High for a couple of years. Then it was off to Pine Forest and those back-to-back state championships. He coached at an Albany, Georgia, school, another 10 years at Milton High and another short period at PHS during the period from 1989 until 2002.
In 2002, he took the head coach job at the small Jackson Academy in Alabama. The then 71-year old took over a team that had gone 0-10 prior to his arrival. He lost his first two games at Jackson, but he went on to win the state championship. The following year, Jackson was undefeated and won another state championship.
In 2009, Madison briefly came out of retirement to once again take to the field at Tate, this time as an offensive consultant.
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Escambia Gets Past Tate 38-31 (With Photo Gallery)
October 29, 2022
The Tate Aggies fell to the Escambia Gators 38-31 Friday night on the newly dedicated Carl Madison Field.
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The Aggies were first on the board when Taite Davis found Diego Dukes for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Aggies a 7-0 advantage with 6:50 to go in the first quarter. Escambia was back with a score of their own to tie it up 7-7 with 4:13 on the clock in the first.
Andre Colston was in for the Aggies, 14-7 with 10:17 remaining in the second. In about a minute, the Gators answered for a 14-14 ballgame. With another touchdown, the Gators were on top 38-31 at the half on their way to the win.
The Tate Aggies (1-8) will round out their season next week as they host Washington (4-5).
Related: The Legend: Tate Football Field Dedicated As ‘Carl Madison Field’
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High School Football Score Recap
October 29, 2022
Here are Friday night football scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Northview 57, Escambia County (Atmore) 14 [Story, photos...]
- Escambia 38, Tate 31 [Story, photos...]
- West Florida 38, Pensacola Catholic 14
- Pine Forest 50, Booker T. Washington 0
- Walton 45, Pensacola High 35
- J.U. Blacksher (Uriah, Ala.) 41, Jay 20
- Pace 42, Milton Milton 35
- Navarre 28, Gulf Breeze 24
ALABAMA
- Fort Dale Academy 35, Escambia Academy 19
- Flomaton 56. Marengo County 0
- T.R. Miller 29, W.S. Neal 0
Pictured: Northview beat Escambia County (Atmore) 57-14 Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Seeks Comments On Proposed Rule Changes
October 28, 2022
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is soliciting feedback on proposed rule changes for 2023-24 hunting seasons and FWC-managed lands.
To provide input, click or tap here.
Proposed statewide rule changes include shooting hours for dove and changes to the approval process for setting the annual number of limited entry and special-opportunity quota permits and antlerless deer permits.
In the Escambia River Wildlife Management area, the rule changes will establish an additional 3-day wild hog-dog hunt each month from May – September; establish a trapping season opening Dec. 1 and closing March 1; and close the general gun season during the 2-day family hunt to allow hunting with dogs throughout the area during the 2-day family hunt.
In the Blackwater WMA, the rule changes will expand the field trial area (FTA) using a portion of newly acquired acres; extend the archery season in the FTA by allowing archery hunting during the general gun season dates (except during existing FTA quota hunts); prohibit take of antlerless deer and wild turkey during the proposed extended archery season dates; and increase the antler point restriction in the FTA from 3 points or a 10-inch main beam on a side to 4 points or 14-inch main beam on a side.
Tate Football Field To Be Dedicated As ‘Carl Madison Field’ Friday Night
October 26, 2022
The football field at Tate High School will be officially dedicated Friday night as the “Carl Madison Field” in honor of the legendary coach that led the Aggies to a 1980 state championship and is one of the all-time winningest high school coaches in the nation.
The event is slated to begin on the field at 6:30 p.m., just before the Aggies take on the Escambia Gators. The ceremony will feature Madison, his family and former players from Tate, Pine Forest, Milton, the former Ernest Ward High, and Jackson (Ala.) Academy.
In addition to winning a state title at Tate, he took the Pine Forest Eagles to two state championships in 1987 and 1988. The 1988 Eagle team was named as national champions by USA Today, and Madison earned the title of the National High School Football Coach of the Year. All in all, he coached at five different Florida High Schools including Ernest Ward, plus three out of state schools.
The Escambia County School Board officially voted to name the field in Madison’s honor in January 2021, and the name took effect immediately.
“Coach Carl Madison taught his players about the game of life, how to compete successfully as a team, and ultimately, how to win,” stated the school board resolution. “His teams were successful in part because of the vision he cast for his players. The fruits of his labor cannot just be measured in the games won, football championships or the players fortunate to earn scholarships, but in the lives of the players, turned men, he coached over the years; men who have established and grown businesses, led corporations, developed into successful high school and college coaches, schoolteachers & administrators, lawyers, community difference makers, charitable leaders and professionals from all walks of life.”
Pictured top: Carl Madison was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in September 2021. Picture below: Carl Madison. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Anthony Pleasant Defines Success For The Northview Chiefs
October 25, 2022
The Northview Chiefs are motivated as they are just two games away from an undefeated season with their eyes set on state championship rings.
But there’s something about wearing that football uniform and holding two Super Bowl rings that provides extra motivation.
Two-time Super Bowl champion and Century native Anthony Pleasant spoke to the Chiefs Monday in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt as they passed around his rings. Pleasant, a 1986 graduate of Century High School, played defense for the New England Patriots when they won two Super Bowls.
Pleasant told the Chiefs that it does not matter that they attend a small school and live in small towns. He said success in football — and life — is about a willingness to work hard and be dedicated.
“No matter what background you come from, from the suburbs, from the hood, wherever you come from,” he said, “didn’t have a dad, grew up in poverty, rich. At the end of the day, it’s how can we come together at one time to win a championship. That’s all that matters.”
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“If you want to be successful in life, hang around with successful people,” he said.
But he was quick to caution the Chiefs about how they measure success.
Pleasant said he was deemed successful with two Super Bowl wins and a career in the NFL because he was on national TV and in the media for years.
But just as successful in life, he said, is a man like Anthony Robinson of Century who also present for Monday’s event.. We introduced you to Robinson last week as the Century Blackcats youth football program is looking to provide their players with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education during the off season.
“He was an electrical engineer,” Pleasant said about Robinson. “He’s also from Century, but he’s successful. You see me being successful because of what the media puts out there, but you don’t see what he’s doing.”
“He made it; well then we all can make again. Again, what I just do for a living is glorified is because you see me on national TV. But this man right here he coached a little league football; what they don’t see is that that he’s preparing those young kids to play for the coach right here to make this job easier,” he added, pointing to Northview head coach Wes Summerford.
“So, no matter what you do in life, you are doing something positive, no one may not see it but you may not get the attention but you are also successful because you’re doing something positive to give back to the community. It’s now you’re making a difference.”
Anthony Pleasant’s visit with the Northview Chiefs football team was facilitated by NorthEscambia.com.
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Tate Baseball Holds Fall Halloween Costume Game
October 25, 2022
Tate Baseball held their annual Fall Baseball Halloween Game Monday evening.
Kids were able to trick or treat with the players before watching them compete in costumes. Kids also had a chance to compete in games for prizes between innings.
There was also plenty of food and sweet treats.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
McElhaney Wins Century Lions Club Cross Country 5K (With Results)
October 24, 2022
James McElhaney won the Century Lions Club Cross Country 5K recently with a time of 17:23.
Top finishers were:
- James McElhaney — male runner — 17:23.0
- Jeff Word — male runner — 28:44.7
- Alan Ash — male runner — 30:45.6
- Audrey Hammac — female runner — 33:39.6
- Miles Hammac — male runner — 33:40.0
- Steve Campbell — male runner — 38:37.0
- Michelle Criswell — female walker — 39:32.1
- Susan Campbell — female runner — 41:19.8
- Dale Ash — female walker — 41:30.0
The 5K was held at Anthony Pleasant Park as a fundraiser for the Century Lions Club
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