FCA Challenger Awards Presented To Area Football Players
December 7, 2017
Area high school football players were honored Monday and Tuesday nights at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Challenger Award Banquet.
One Challenger Award is presented per team, chosen by a secret ballot with all players voting. The player must exemplify Christian values, sportsmanship and academic achievement.
Monday Night Winners (pictured above)
- Jason Fischer – Northview High
- Trae Melton -Tate High
- Connor McLemore – West Florida High
- Kwadetrius Fountain – Pine Forest High
- Caleb Ward – Washington High
- Isaiah Boyle – Escambia High
- De’Andre Thurman – Pensacola High
- Luke Selogy – Gulf Breeze High
- Patrick Richardson – Catholic High
Tuesday Night Winners (pictured below)
- Patrick McGhee – Escambia Academy
- Logan Hanks – Flomaton High
- Eric Godfrey – Jay High School
- Todd Watson – T.R. Miller High
- Justin Campbell — Milton High
- Sam Faulknet – Pace high
- Mike Beaudry – University of West Florida
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Wrestling Places At ‘Border Wars’
December 7, 2017
The Tate High School Wrestling Team had an outstanding weekend at Border Wars in Santa Rosa Beach with four wrestlers placing in the Top 4.
Jacob Cochran, 113 lbs — 1st place
Matthew Blalock, 132 lbs – 2nd place
Nate Golmon, 152 lbs — 2nd place
Juan Alvarez ,160 lbs — 4th place
Cochran was named the Outstanding Lightweight Wrestler of the tournament. Blalock and Cochran both achieved their 100th high school career win, breaking the school record held since the 1990’s.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Football Players, Cheerleaders Recognized At Banquet
December 6, 2017
Ernest Ward Middle School recently held their annual Football and Cheerleading banquet.
The following awards were presented:
EWMS FOOTBALL
Offensive Player of the Year- De’Marion Finley
Defensive Player of the Year- Noah Harigel
Most Improved- Luke Bridges
EWMS CHEERLEADING
Best Attitude-Carsyn Dortch
Most Improved-Elianna Morales
Most Determined-Megan McGhee
Best All-Around-Anna Adams
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF’s Pete Shinnick Named AFCA Region Coach Of The Year
December 6, 2017
UWF head coach Pete Shinnick has been named the Region 2 Coach of the Year as announced by the American Football Coaches Association on Tuesday.
Shinnick has led UWF to a 10-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II Semifinals in just the second year of the program’s history. The Argonauts have gone 6-1 away from Pensacola this season, marking the second-most road wins in the country.
Shinnick was hired at UWF on February 6, 2014. After 18 months of building the program from scratch, UWF opened play in 2016 and went 5-6, marking the most wins by a first-year Division II program in a decade. The Argonauts also collected the school’s first win over a ranked opponent, defeating No. 16 Florida Tech at home before a sellout crowd on national television. UWF played before capacity crowds at Blue Wahoos Stadium three times and ranked 18th in the NCAA with a 6,328 average.
2017 has been even more impressive. UWF went 7-3 in the regular season and tied for second in the Gulf South Conference at 5-3. The team earned votes in the top 25 on two occasions for the first time ever and became the fastest Division II start-up program to qualify for the postseason when the Argonauts grabbed the No. 6 seed in the Super Regional 2 bracket. Since that announcement, UWF has won three-consecutive road games over ranked opponents to win the Super Regional 2 Championship.
UWF will play at No. 1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania this Saturday in the national semifinals at 11 a.m. Central Time.
This marks the first time he has won the award. Shinnick has a career record of 118-55 and is 15-9 at UWF. He spent eight years – seven playing seasons – starting the program at UNC Pembroke prior to arriving in Pensacola and seven years as the head coach at Azusa Pacific.
The AFCA will announce the 2017 National Coaches of the Year winners in FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA at the American Football Coaches Awards, presented by Amway, broadcast live on the USA TODAY Sports Facebook page on Tuesday, January 9, at 8 p.m. EST. The Regional winners in each division are finalists for the National Coach of the Year.
The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.
Girls Basketball: Milton Cruises Past Northview
December 5, 2017
The Milton Lady Panthers defeated Northview in varsity and junior varsity basketball action Monday in Bratt.
Milton 43, Northview 8
The Milton Panthers defeated the Northview Chiefs 43-8 Monday night. Milton took a 5-0 lead in the first period and increased their advantage to 14-2 at the conclusion of the second period. The Lady Chiefs varsity (0-4, 0-2) will host Baker on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Milton 35, Northview 3 (JV)
In junior varsity play, Milton defeated Northview 35-3. Northview remained scoreless in the two periods, down 20-0 at the end of the second. The Chiefs scored three points in third period. The MV Lady Chiefs (0-3, 0-1) will host Baker on Thursday.
For more game action photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Present Cross Country, Golf Awards
December 4, 2017
The Northview High School Varsity Cross Country and Varsity Golf teams held their 2017 awards banquet recently.
The following Cross Country awards were presented:
- Jim & Jumni Ross Award: Oscar Rodriguez.
- Most Improved Runner: Bryce Korinchak
- Most Valuable Boys Runner: Tanner Levins:
- Most Valuable Girls Runner: Aurora McCann.
- Coach’s Award: Logan Doremus.
Tanner Levins and Aurora McCann were previously presented the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ‘Go the Distance Award’ for Cross Country at a banquet in Pensacola on November 6.
Varsity Athletic Letters were presented to the following Cross Country athletes:
- Addison Albritton
- Braxton Edwards
- Bryce Korinchak
- Cheyanne Johnson
- John Chivington
- Josiah Stilwell
- Keaton Brown
- Aurora McCann
- Logan Doremus
- Oscar Rodriguez
- Rebekah Amerson
- Samuel Bradley
- Tanner Levins
- Trevor Singleton
Seniors were presented with a framed athletic ‘N’ and medal.
The following Golf Awards were presented:
- Most Valuable Player – Emily Boutwell
- Most Improved Player – Jesse Powell
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes “Go the Distance Award” – Braxton Edwards and Meredith McGhee
Varsity Athletic Letters were presented to the following Golf athletes:
- Emily Boutwell
- Braxton Edwards (3rd award)
- Meredith McGhee,
- Jesse Powell
- Andrew “Drew” Shelly
- Jace Weber
Pictured top: Northview Cross Country seniors (L-R) Oscar Rodriguez, Logan Doremus, John Chivington, Braxton Edwards and Trevor Singleton. Pictured below: (L-R) Logan Doremus, Coach’s Award; Tanner Levins., Most Valuable Male Runner; Award winners Bryce Korinchak, Most Improved Runner; and Oscar Rodriguez, Jim and Jumni Ross Award. Photos for NorthEscambia.com click to enlarge.
UWF Argos Beat UWA, 28-21 To Head To National Semifinals
December 3, 2017
The slipper still fits for the UWF football team.
The Argonauts erased a 7-point deficit with a dominating 25-minute stretch of play on both sides of the ball before stopping a late push by the 17th-ranked and top-seeded Tigers for a 28-21 win in the NCAA Division II Super Regional Two Championship.
UWF (10-3) won its fifth-consecutive game in just its 24th game all-time to advance to next Saturday’s national semifinals against No. 1/3 Indiana University of Pennsylvania (13-0). The Crimson Hawks scored with just over a minute to play to defeat Assumption, 27-22, for the Super Regional One title. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium in Indiana, Pennsylvania is at Noon Eastern Time.
Freshman quarterback Mike Beaudry threw for 247 yards on 18-of-29 passing with two touchdowns. He was particularly effective in the second half, totaling 134 yards on 9-of-12 with both scoring strikes.
As it has done during the entire postseason, the UWF defense turned up the intensity when it mattered most, holding West Alabama to 20 yards in the third quarter and a combined three 3-and-outs and a 4-and-out while building the 14-point lead.
The Argos held the Tigers to a season-low scoring total, well below their average of 38.3 points per game. Johnathan Coleman led the defense with a career-high 16 tackles. He has 50 stops with six sacks in the last five games.
Freshman Ka’Ron Ashley had a career-high game, finishing with six receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown. His two biggest plays came on the fourth quarter drive that put UWF ahead 28-14. He out-jumped his man on a 26-yard third-and-11 play to keep the drive alive before grabbing a 43-yarder a play later that put the ball at the two. Chris Schwarz scored a play later to give the Argonauts a cushion with 6:27 to play.
For his part, Schwarz ran down hill for much of the second half, picking up 53 yards on 14 carries after the intermission. He ended the game with 68 yards on 20 rushes. UWF had 133 yards on the ground and a 3.8 yards per rush.
Freshman Anthony Johnson had 59 yards on eight carries. He sparked the comeback with a 40-yard touchdown run on UWF’s first offensive play of the second half. Earlier in the game, his 2-yard run in the first quarter tied it at 7-7.
West Alabama (10-3) ended with 331 yards of total offense. The Tigers had 86 yards on their final two possessions. Harry Satterwhite threw for 225 yards on 19-of-36 with two touchdowns. Both quarterbacks were sacked twice.
A Gulf South Conference team has now represented Super Regional 2 in 14 of the past 16 years. Prior to Saturday’s outcome, the GSC was the only conference with two teams remaining in the Division II playoff.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to
West Florida’s Dream Season Comes To Ends In The Final Four
December 2, 2017
It was an agonizing loss Friday night for West Florida High School as they fell 48-28 to Baker County, but also a night filled with Jaguar pride.
Friday night’s state 5A semifinal game, played at Woodham Middle School in Pensacola, was the end of the road for the Jaguars. It was the longest road West Florida’s football team has ever traveled as their first appearance in a state semifinal game.
And while the road ended with tears, it was paved with plenty of Jaguar pride in their 12-2 season record, the best ever in school history.
Keyshawn Helton scored a couple of touchdowns – 4 and 29 yarders — in the first quarter from. Junior Trevor Jordan added another Jag touchdown in the third quarter from 23-yards out, and Michael Redding scored on a 22-yard pass from Jordan in the fourth quarter.
Baker County will face American Heritage next Friday night at Camping World Stadium in Orlando in the 5A state championship game.
Pictured top: West Florida High School senior Kewuan Livingston reacts to the Jaguar’s agonizing state final four loss to Baker County Friday night. Pictured inset and below: The Jags best season in school history came to an end Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Bailey Seibert, click to enlarge.
ECMS Atmore Remains Undefeated With Win Over Ernest Ward
December 1, 2017
The Escambia County Middle School Eagles of Atmore remained undefeated Thursday night with a win over Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
Boys
Escambia County (AL) 72, Ernest Ward 39
Girls
Escambia County 40, Ernest Ward 21
Ernest Ward Middle will travel to Pollard McCall on December 5 before ending their regular season at Perdido on December 7. Girls being play at 5:00 and boys at 6:00.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Jesse Sherrill Signs With Gordon State College
November 29, 2017
Tate High School senior Jesse Sherrill signed a baseball scholarship Tuesday to play next year at Gordon State College in Barnsville, GA. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
