Tate Varsity And JV Cheerleading Teams Earn Bid To Nationals
November 24, 2019
The Tate High School varsity and junior varsity cheerleading teams have both earned a bid to the 2020 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF Opens NCAA Playoffs With 38-17 Rout Of Wingate
November 24, 2019
The 20th-ranked UWF Argonauts scored 31 unanswered points and forced three turnovers to defeat fourth-seeded Wingate, 38-17, in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division II Playoffs Saturday.
Anthony Johnson, Jr. ran for 109 yards on 19 carries as UWF (9-2) advanced to the second round for the second time in as many appearances. The Argos rushed for 195 yards and outgained the Bulldogs 360-264 overall.
Austin Reed threw for 165 yards with eight completions and three of those going for touchdowns. Tate Lehtio led the team with five receptions for 81 yards a score.
Quentin Randolph followed last week’s career game with two more touchdowns on two catches Saturday. He has now caught five touchdowns in his last nine receptions.
After Wingate made a 24-yard field goal on its opening drive, the Argos capitalized on a muffed punt that setup a 37-yard boot of their own by Austin Williams.
Two possessions later, Reed found Randolph down the left sideline for a 56-yard touchdown. UWF got another score right before halftime when Johnson reached the blue and gold checkerboard end zone from five yards out as part of a 9-play, 60-yard drive in just 1:56.
Wingate received the second half kickoff and Andre Duncombe, Jr. intercepted Shaw Crocker’s third-down pass and returned it 12 yards to the 13. Two plays later, Reed connected with Tate Lehtio to put UWF up 24-3.
The Argonauts then began running the ball and consuming large chunks of time off the clock. Their next scoring drive was the longest all season and lasted 7:51, before Reed and Randolph connected again, this time on a 7-yard pattern with 4:11 left in the third.
The Bulldogs scored twice in the fourth quarter as they bookended a 16-yard Jaden Gardner run with 6:18 to play that extended the UWF lead to 37-10.
Wingate (10-2) managed just 131 rushing yards after entering the game averaging 199. Their 264 yards were the second lowest this season.
Henry Montgomery had a career-high 11 tackles to lead the UWF defense.
UWF opened its 2017 playoff run with a 31-0 win over the Bulldogs at Irwin Belk Stadium. Prior to Saturday’s outburst, that was the most points scored in playoff history for the Argos.
With the win, UWF advances to the second round where it will meet top-ranked and defending national champion Valdosta State (10-0) next Saturday in Valdosta, Ga.
T.R. Miller Knocks Off Defending 3A Champion Flomaton (With Photo Gallery)
November 23, 2019
The T.R. Miller Tigers knocked off the defending 3A state champion Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night.
The Hurricanes took a 12-0 lead, but could not hold on in the 3-A quarterfinals in front of a packed house in Flomaton.
For a photo gallery, click here.
T.R. Miller’s Blake Jernigan was dragged down by Flomaton’s Alex Cash, forcing a fumble on the Tigers’ first possession. Flomaton’s Nicholas Turner then returned it deep into Miller territory, setting up a Daquan “Money” Johnson touchdown from two yards out on third and goal (second photo at bottom). After a missed two-point conversion, the Hurricanes were on top 6-0.
In the second quarter, it was Travon Brown ended an 85-yard, 15-play drive with an eight-yard touchdown at the pylon for the Canes (pictured left). Another missed two-point attempt and Flomaton was up 12-0.
The Tigers answered with a six yard touchdown run from Narkavis Campbell. The Tigers made the extra point to cut the Hurricane’s lead to 12-7.
With 11 second to go in the second quarter, a T.R. Miller’s Miller Hart found Darius Webb in the air between two Hurricane defenders for a 29-yard touchdown (first photo below). A good kick gave the Tigers a 14-12 advantage.
Johnson ended the night with 124 yards on 22 carries and 11 yards to two passes. Brown had 13 carries for 57 yards
The Flomaton Hurricanes ended their season at 11-2 record. T.R Miller marches on with their first trip to the semifinals since 2008 next Friday night at Mobile Christian.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Falls Short Of AISA Title 23-6 To Autauga Academy
November 23, 2019
Escambia Academy’s fell short of an AISA Class AA championship with a 23-6 loss to Autauga Academy Friday.
It was the fourth straight meeting between the two teams for the state championship, and the third win for the Autauga Generals.
The Autauga Generals took a 7-0 lead before the EA Cougars answered. Sophomore quarterback Landon Sims threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to senior Ty Williams to bring the Cougars within one, 7-6 at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Troy University.
But the third quarter saw Autauga with two touchdowns in just 32 seconds, the second coming after a Cougar fumble.
“Defensively, we played probably about as good as we could play,” EA head coach Hugh Fountain said. “We had a few plays there at the end that gave them the points. But defensively I though we played really well.”
We just never could get into a grove on offense. We had so many penalties,” Fountain said of his Cougars, which were well north of 100 yards in total penalties. “It just kept killing any kind of a grove we could have to get into and move the football. I think really that’s what came back to hurt us.”
Escambia Academy’s season ended at 9-4 in the state runner-up spot.
The Cougars beat Autauga back in 2017 to win the state AA football championship, and EA also holds the AAA state football championship title from 2014.
Photos by Andrew Garner/Atmore Advance for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Football Playoff Finals
November 23, 2019
Here are Friday night football playoff finals from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
7A Regional Final
Edgewater 28, Niceville 20
6A Regional Final
Escambia 39, Lee 13
3A Regional Final
Florida High 21, Pensacola Catholic 14
1A Regional Final
Baker 21, Vernon 20
ALABAMA
Class 3A Quarterfinals
T.R. Miller 14, Flomaton 12 [Game story, photo gallery...]
AISA State Championship Class AA
Autauga 23, Escambia Academy 6 [Game story, photo gallery...]
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Tate High’s Chase Tolbert Signs With Bishop State
November 22, 2019
Tate High School senior Chase Tolbert has signed to play baseball at Bishop State Community College. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Lilly Locke Signs With Coastal Alabama Softball
November 20, 2019
Tate High School senior Lilly Locke signed Tuesday to continue her education and softball career at Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Six Area Teams In Football Playoff Action Friday
November 19, 2019
Here are the football playoff games Friday night in the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
7A Regional Final
Niceville (12-0) at Edgewater (11-1) 7:30 p.m.
6A Regional Final
Lee (9-3) at Escambia (12-0)
3A Regional Final
Florida High (10-1) at Pensacola Catholic (11-0)
ALABAMA
Class 3A Quarterfinals
T.R. Miller (8-4) at Flomaton (11-1)
The game is rematch of a regular season meeting that Flomaton won 20-12.
AISA State Championship Class AA
Autauga vs. Escambia Academy
The Escambia Academy Cougars will take on Autauga for the AISA Class AA State Championship at Troy University at 3:30 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos
UWF Football Receives First Round Playoff Bid
November 19, 2019
The UWF football team has received a bid to the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Playoffs as announced by the NCAA. The Argonauts will travel to Wingate for a Super Region 2 First Round game Saturday. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Eastern at Irwin Belk Stadium.
Both general admission and reserved tickets are available for purchase from the Wingate Ticket Office at here. Seats are $12 for adults and $8 for children in the visiting team section behind the UWF bench.
UWF finished the regular season at 8-2 overall and was second in the Gulf South Conference at 7-1. This marks the program’s second postseason appearance in the last three years and second in the four year history of the program. The Argos won four postseason games – all on the road – on their way to the 2017 national championship game in their previous appearance.
UWF is ranked 22nd in the country and averages 400 yards of total offense and 35.3 points per game. The Argo defense has been one of the stronger units in the country, yielding just 15.1 points per game. They are among the top five in the region in scoring defense, passing yards allowed, red zone defense, punt return defense and turnover margin.
No. 4 seed Wingate is 10-1 on the year and finished second in the South Atlantic Conference at 7-1, with their only loss coming to No. 2 seeded Lenoir-Rhyne three weeks ago. The 17th-ranked Bulldogs are 5-0 at home in 2019.
The UWF-Wingate winner will face No. 1 seed Valdosta State in Valdosta, Ga. on November 30. The other two first round games feature Carson-Newman at Bowie State and Miles at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Tate’s Ryleigh Cawby Signs With Southern Miss Softball
November 17, 2019
Tate High School softball senior Ryleigh Cawby signed with Southern Miss softball Friday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
