Croom Throws A Dozen Stikeouts As Tate Beats Navarre 5-2
March 5, 2024
Tate 5, Navarre 2
The Tate Agies beat the Navarre Raiders 5-2 Monday night on the road.
Tate picther Neal Croom went a full seven innings, striking out 12 Raiders. He allowed six hits, two runs and walked one.
Clif Quinggins went 2-3 with three RBIs at the plate for the Aggies. Cole McNair had two hits for Tate, while Madox Land, Bray Touchstone, and Kaleb Posta added one each.
Up next, Tate will take on Arnold at 7 p.m. Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Tate, Navarre JV (Canceled- weather)
The junior varsity Tat at Navarre game Monday was canceled due to weather.
Tate 2, Navarre 1 (Freshmen)
In freshmen action, Tate downed Navarre 2-1 in Cantonment.
The freshment Aggies will be at Catholic at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Legendary Tate Football Coach Carl Madison Passes Away
March 4, 2024
Legandary high school football Coach Carl Madison passed away Sunday night following a long illness.
“His legacy lives on the players. He not only coached but was a father figure to many,” the Tate Quarterback Club said. ” You weren’t just a player…you were a son. He pushed you to be a better man than a better player. Please pray for his entire family. May God bring them peace and comfort.”
Arrangements have not yet been announced.
In October 2022, 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 at that October 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.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Madison, who turned 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.
For a photo gallery from the stadium naming, click or tap here.
Pictured: The dedication of Carl Madison Field in 2022. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
With Seven Home Runs, Tate Lady Aggies Go Undefeated in Panama City Tournament
March 3, 2024
The Lady Aggies went undefeated this week in the Florida-USA Softball Challenge in Panama City Beach.
The varsity scored 21 runs in three games, 29 total hits, seven home runs and four doubles.
Kara Wine has three home runs during the tournament. Olivea Latner, Blakely Campbell, Kate Balagbagan and Peyton Womack added one dinger each.
During the two-tourney, Tate beat Mobile Christian 3-2, Chiles 9-3, and Holmes 9-3.
Pictured: (L-R) Olivea Latner, Kara Wine, Blakely Campbell, Kate Balagbagan and Peyton Womack had seven total tournament home runs for the Tate Lady Aggies. Photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Lady Chiefs Go 2-3 In Weekend Tourney
March 3, 2024
The Northview Lady Chiefs went 2-3 overall at the Florida-USA Softball Challenge in Panama City Beach Friday and Saturday.
Northview shut out Altha 11-0 and defeated Port Saint Joe 11- 3 Saturday after falling to Liberty County 6-1 on Friday.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs Port Saint Joe 11- 3 Saturday. Image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ice Flyers Secure Back-to-Back Wins (With Photo Gallery)
March 3, 2024
by Bill Vilonam, Ice Flyers correspondent
The Ice Flyers took on their alter identity Saturday as the Pensacola Bushwackers, then continued a recent trend of being a different team.
All in a good way.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the four minutes into the second period, the Ice Flyers grinded out a 2-1 victory against the Fayetteville Marksmen for their first back-to-back home weekend wins since December 1 and 2 when beating Peoria twice.
“I think we’re all jelling,” said Pensacola goaltender Stephen Mundinger, who made 34 saves – many of them creating reaction from the Bay Center crowd of 5,202.
“With every winning team, you just have to get hot before the playoffs and I think that’s the direction we are going,” Mundinger said. “Guys are buying in, doing all the right plays. It’s a whole different feel in the (dressing) room in my opinion. We are going into games confident.
The win pushed the Ice Flyers (21-20, 3 OT losses) above .500 for the first time in a long while and with 45 points.
The players were attired in the Bushwacker uniforms that were so popular a year ago and that was part of a theme of other activities in the game.
FIRST PERIOD
The Ice Flyers delivered on their first power play chance. Joseph Widmar finished a perfect pass from Garrett Milan, who was fed the puck by Andy Willis. The classic “tick-tac-goal” was wristed by Widmar into the net with 13:34 remaining.
Mundinger made a big save midway through the period. The Ice Flyers finished with a 16-9 edge in shots.
SECOND PERIOD
Mitch Atkins gave the Ice Flyers a 2-0 lead less than four minutes into the period on an assist from Ivan Bondarenko. He finished a shot from the slot area and the Ice Flyers were seemingly on their way.
But the game got tight. Fayetteville got their goal with 10:17 left in the period.
Taylor Egan then got the crowd going when squaring off in a fight against Fayetteville’s Ty Proffitt. Both players landed punches, but Egan won the fight with a flurry at the end that got Proffitt on the ice.
THIRD PERIOD
No scoring, but plenty of end of game drama.
Mundinger made of one of his biggest saves of the game with 8:09 left on a point-black shot by Fayetteville right in the slot area.
The Ice Flyers then got a power play opportunity with four minutes left when the Marksmen were called for too many men on the ice. They had a few shots, but nothing led to a goal.
With 1:15 left, the Marksmen pulled goaltender Ryan Kenny, who made 35 saves.
NOTABLES
Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris presented a $25,000 check to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida.
The team honored front office executive Brenden Arney, who worked his 100th game Saturday night.
QUOTABLES
Ice Flyers Coach Gary Graham:
“It was good. We’re slowing trying to build some momentum. The captains had a good meeting this week to set up some long-term goals. We had 14 games left, now we have 12 games left and we’re kind of breaking it up in a couple seven game segments with some goals to achieve each game. I thought it was a great idea. They are really leading right now.
Guys are stepping up right now. I thought it was a playoff style game. Both goalies played really well. Both teams checked well and both teams clamped down defensively, reminiscent of more what a playoff game would look like.”
NEXT FACEOFF
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Peoria Rivermen
WHEN: March 8-9
WHERE: Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois
Gilman Homers, But Chiefs Fall To Liberty County In PC Tourney
March 2, 2024
The Northview Chiefs fell to Liberty County 6-1 Friday at the Florida-USA Softball Challenge in Panama City.
Jamison Gilman opened the scoring for the Chiefs in the Panama City Tournament with a solo home run to center field in the first inning, her first career home run.
Gilman went four and two-thirds innings in the circle for Northview, giving up eight hits and six runs while recording three errors and six strikeouts while walking two. Mikayla McAnnally went two and a third innings, giving up two hits, no runs, striking out two and walking one.
Gilman and Avery Stuckey had two hits each. Keeli Knighten, Chloe Ragsdale, Mary Clayton Dawson, Makayla Golson and Daviona Randolph each added a hit for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs tournament night game Friday against Marianna was rained out.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Campbell Homers As Tate Downs Mobile Christian In Panama City Tourney
March 2, 2024
The Tate Lady Aggies defeated the Leopards of Mobile Christian 3-2 Friday afternoon in Florida-USA Softball Challenge in Panama City.
Blakely Campbell homered to center field in the bottom of the first.
Jordan Smith earned the win for Tate, giving up two hits and two runs in seven innings, striking out eight and walking one.
Blakely Campbell doubled to score one run and give Tate the lead in the bottom of the third. Campbell and Kara Wine had two hits for the Lady Aggies.
Garrett Milan Sets Ice Flyers Franchise Goal Scoring Record In Dramatic OT Win
March 2, 2024
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
Garrett Milan won a dramatic, overtime game and became the Ice Flyers all-time, goal-scoring leader on a shot he didn’t take.
But therein lies the beauty of it all.
Milan’s determination and some deft moves around net led to a sequence that resulted in a Fayetteville player’s attempt to wrist away a shot becoming an own-goal that lifted the Ice Flyers to a 5-4 victory Friday night at the Pensacola Bay Center.
“You’re never going ask how you do it, as long as it goes in, and that’s kinda all that matters,” said Milan smiling, after his 86th career goal for the Ice Flyers surpassed Adam Pawlick, who was a lead part of the Ice Flyers run of championships.
In a fitting salute to his record, Milan was named as all three stars of the game.
Before a crowd of 4,456 on Small Dog Race Night, the Ice Flyers rallied three times to tie the game, after twice giving up goals less nearly immediately to start a period.
The Marksmen (25-15, 4 OT losses) entered the weekend in fourth place in the SPHL standings, but just a point behind defending President’s Cup champ, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, for third place. The Marksmen our on the verge of clinching a playoff spot.
The Ice Flyers (19-20, 3 OT losses) know they still have some work to do. But this was a best desired way to start a back-to-back set of games against a top tier team in the standings.
Fayetteville was 17-1-1 in prior games when scoring first. That changed Friday night.
The game recap:
FIRST PERIOD
The Ice Flyers had two of the best shots early in the period, but Fayetteville got the game’s first goal.
Adam Keyes slid home a rebound midway through the period, after Ice Flyers goaltender Eric Dop made an initial save.
Four minutes later with 5:58 remaining, the Ice Flyers Joseph Widmar got the first of his two goals to tie the game by flipping a backhand shot in the crease area as he rushed the net on a shot by Andy Willis.
The Ice Flyers then had a defensive breakdown which led to Fayetteville’s John Moncovich providing the Marksmen a 2-1 lead at intermission on his goal with 2:55 remaining.
SECOND PERIOD
The Marksmen took a 3-1 lead just 62 seconds into the period on a power play goal. It was the kind of scenario that often led to an Ice Flyers defeat.
Not this time.
A little over two minutes later, Widmar got a great pass from Ivan Bondarenko and buried his shot to get energy back in the crowd. It was followed by a tying goal by Malik Johnson just two minutes after that one. Johnson was set up with a great pass from Lucas Herrmann and his one-timer shot soared past Fayetteville goalie Ryan Kenny.
THIRD PERIOD
This started badly for the Ice Flyers. The Marksmen took advantage of a lapse and scored just 11 seconds into the period.
The scored stayed that way until the Ice Flyers scored on their third power play chance in a five-minute span. The charm on this one occurred when Sean Gulka was in front of the net and had a wrist shot by Jordan Henderson deflect off his leg into the net with 3:58 left in the game.
Milan just missed seconds later on a rush and Widmar just missed a game-winning hat trick with a breakaway chance.
OVERTIME
The Ice Flyers controlled play in the 3-on-3 sequence. Fayetteville never got a shot on goal. By keeping the puck mostly in the Marksmen zone, Milan made a play with some spin moves, worked free in a crease area, then flicked a pass attempt that a Marksmen player mistakenly wristed into his own net with 2:56 left in overtime.
QUOTABLES:
Ice Flyers Coach Gary Graham:
“Garrett said it best in the lockeroom…had if it were probably four or five weeks ago, we lose that game probably 4-1. We just don’t have (past tense) that sense of belief where we can come from behind. I think what we have shown over the last month is the team is starting to get more confident and belief that we can score goals in critical times.
On Garrett’s Goal: “I’m sure he didn’t want his (record) goal to be like that, but I wanted it to be like that. Let me tell you why, I’m very superstitious. And we’ve had crap luck the entire season. We’ve had so many stupid goals go on our team and lose games off bounces of a guy’s butts in the net, skates in the net. We’ve had barely any puck luck this year. And so we have been due. And I told Garrett, it’s funny your record goal is this ugly goal that basically they score on their own net…. we’re going to take it.
Ice Flyers Captain Garrett Milan
“I think it’s huge for not only the morale, but the confidence in the locker room that we came back from one goal, then came back from 3-1 and obviously at the end. I think that is huge moving forward and we’re a whole different team now with confidence going into this final stretch here.”
NOTABLES –
— Before the game, Ice Flyers’ long time radio broadcaster Paul Chestnutt was welcomed into the team’s locker room by invitation from Gary Graham to read the starting lineup and speak to the team. He received a loud cheer by the players for his recent induction into the Pensacola Sports Hall of Fame. Chestnutt was also honored by the Ice Flyers on the video board during a timeout in the second period, eliciting a loud applause from the crowd.
— Like always, the small dog races were a big hit with numerous preliminary heats, a consolation and championship race in the second intermission sponsored by Olive Branch Pet Hospital.
— Always a fan favorite, the “Kiss Cam” Friday night came with a marriage proposal when a gentleman in the crowd got down on one knee in the seats and proposed to his girlfriend, who was attired in an Ice Flyers specialty jersey.
NEXT FACEOFF
WHO: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Ice Flyers.
WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
The Night The Lights Went Out In Bratt: Northview Varsity Postponed, JV Defeats JUB
March 1, 2024
On the night the lights went out in Bratt, the Northview junior varsity Chiefs defeated J.U. Blacksher of Uriah, Alabama, 15-1 and the varsity game was postponed due to a lighting failure.
Varsity (Postponed)
J.U. Blacksher was up 3-2 over the Northview Chiefs in the first inning Thursday night in Bratt when the lights went out for an unknown reason. The game was postponed when no one was able to get the field lights back on.
Jackson Bridges pitched that first inning for the Chiefs, allowing no hits and three runs while striking out two and walking one.
Grayden Sheffield and Wyatt Scruggs both recorded hits for the Chiefs.
Northview 15, J.U. Blacksher 1 (JV)
The Northview junior varsity chiefs beat J.U. Blacksher 15-1 on a chilly afternoon in Bratt.
For more JV photos, click or tap here.
Gabe Harrison earned the win for Northview JV, giving up no hits and one run in four innings, striking out nine and walking one.
Harrison and Strawbridge had two hits and two RBIs each for the JV Chiefs. Nate Jones went 1-1 with three RBIs. Luke Chavers, and Tyler Gilmore both added a hit.
Pictured: Northview JV beat J.U. Blacksher 15-1 on a chilly afternoon in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Beat Pace 8-6
March 1, 2024
Tate 8, Pace 6 (Varsity)
The Tate Aggies defeated Pace 8-6 Thursday night at Tate.
Zane Warrington earned the Aggies’ win on the mound, giving up three hits and four runs in four innings while striking out one and walking one. Gabe Patterson started for Tate, surrendering one hit and two runs in three innings, striking out seven and walking three.
Conner Hassell went 3-4 with 2 RBIs for Tate. Madox Land, Bray Touchstone, Clif Quiggins, and Nate Ozuna each added a hit. Ozuna was 1-3 on the night with three RBIs.una each added a hit. Ozuna was 1-3 pm the night with three RBIs.
Tate improved to 3-0 on the young season while Pace dropped to 0-4.
Up next, Tate will travel to Navarre on March 5.