High School Football Scoreboard
November 2, 2023
Here are a high schoool football scores from around the North Escambia area.
FLORIDA
- West Florida 35, Gulf Breeze 32
- Tate 44, Washington 0
- Nicevile 63, Navarrre 34
- Walton 54, Northview 14
- Escambia 47, Pensacola 7
- Pace 35, Lafayette 7
- Catholic 34, JP 13
- Jay 41, Blacksher 20,
- Godby at Milton
- St. John Paul II at Pensacola Catholic
- BYE: Pine Forest
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 63 Marengo 0
- T.R. Miller 36, W.S. Neal 8
- Chambers Academy 55, Escambia Acacdemy 18
Tate, Washington Face Off Friday Night In First City Bowl At Wahoos Stadium
November 2, 2023
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos have always tried to seek ways to be innovative with special
events at their stadium outside of baseball season.
The inaugural First City Bowl game, presented by Cox Communications on Friday at 7 p.m. represents the latest one.
With its unique backdrop and configuration, the event is more than just a season-finale, high school football game between the Tate Aggies and the Washington Wildcats.
It’s the first time that Blue Wahoos Stadium has staged a regular-season, prep football game, utilizing both schools’ bands and other components to provide a different kind of experience. “I think this really meets our mission, which includes creating a community type of event like this game,” said Blue Wahoos president Jonathan Griffith, whose idea it was a year ago to bring two area high school teams for a game with a special name. “We thought it would be fun to name it the First City Bowl and get people excited about it and hopefully we will have many more of these games. “What you want is all these kids playing Friday to one day bring their own kids out to the stadium and say, ‘I played on this field.’ It’s another way to create those memories for life.”
The admission price, online ticketing, game operations matches the way all high school games are played in this area. The stadium will utilize all of its concession stands. The video board will have the game action. Cox Communications is providing a televised broadcast available on its YurView channel for Cox subscribers. With it being Washington’s home game, the Wildcats will be in the Blue Wahoos clubhouse and their band will perform pregame, along with both school bands performing at halftime. Tate will be in
the visiting team clubhouse at the stadium. “It’s been fun for me to see how open these two schools have been to this event,” said Shannon Hannah, the Blue Wahoos events manager. “They seem to be happy for the partnership. “Since we first announced in
ugust this game being played here and calling it the First City Bowl, the schools have been super responsive, excited and enthusiastic about to play the game here. “It’s a community experience,” said Hannah, who worked with both schools to handle logistic challenges. “We have never done this before and I think the kids are going to be excited to play here and have the experience of playing here.”
For both teams, the game represents a positive way to end the season. Washington won its season-opener, but has since lost the other seven games. “I think it was an easy trade (when proposal to was made months ago) on moving our home game to a professional baseball stadium that is one of the best in the country,” said Wildcats coach Ryan Onkka. “This will be our senior night moved to a new place. That will be a unique experience and a great first- time experience for these kids. “To us, it’s like our Super Bowl. That is how we will view it to build off and welcome it.”
Tate (4-5) will have a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2017. The Aggies have already made significant strides under head coach Rhett Summerford, working his second season at Tate. The Aggies had won just one game in each of the previous four seasons. “It’s huge,” Summerford said, after his team dropped its third consecutive game in a loss at Escambia. “I am so glad we are playing there (at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Because it gives our kids some excitement. “We need some excitement now. Our guys are still playing their tails off, but we’re just not doing some of the things we were doing earlier this year. “We are playing in a phenomenal venue. It’s a great way to send our seniors out. We are going to prepare and play as hard as we can to play our best.”
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
ADMISSION: $7.
TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com/tickets. Or stadium box
office.
INFORMATION: www.bluewahoos.com/firstcitybowl.
PROMOTION: Early-arriving fans will receive special light-up bracelets,
courtesy of Cox Communications. There is a limited number.
GAME INFO: Seating is general admission, no reserved seating. Both teams’
bands will perform at halftime. Other special activities will occur.
Late TD Gives No. 24 Valdosta State 31-28 Win Over No. 18 UWF
October 29, 2023
Never was the old axiom about winning everywhere but on the scoreboard more apparent than in No. 18 UWF’s heartbreaking 31-28 loss to Gulf South Conference rival No. 24 Valdosta State Saturday night.
By most measures, the Argos (6-3, 4-2 GSC) outperformed the Blazers (8-1, 5-1 GSC). Yet, in the final tally, both on the scoreboard and in the GSC standings, Valdosta State came out on top.
UWF held the Blazers to minus-3 yards rushing and 272 yards of total offense while racking up 444 yards of offense (248 rushing and 196 passing), but a series of miscues – a fumble inside their own 5, a pair of missed kicks, a handful of passes that were ever so slightly out of rhythm, a key missed fourth-down conversion, and a few defensive hiccups – added up to three points too few.
“We’ve got to clean up mistakes,” head coach Kaleb Nobles said. “I’m looking at the stats and we won a lot of stats and did some good things, but there are no moral victories. Our guys have got to know. We’ve got to execute on third downs better. We’ve got to get them off the field better. On defense, we can’t give up drive-extending plays, and we’ve got to be better on special teams.”
Early in the contest, the Argos seemed poised to run away with the game. They quickly went ahead with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Peewee Jarrett to John Jiles on UWF’s first drive and followed with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Jamontez Woods 1-yard run and a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
It was the first of two rushing touchdowns on the night for UWF as three players – Jarrett (120 yards), Woods (51), and CJ Wilson (70) – paced a strong ground attack.
Unfortunately, a second-quarter fumble on the UWF 3 resulted in a scoop-and-score for the Blazers and turned the game’s momentum.
“Those guys did a great job,” Nobles said. “I told the guys earlier in the week I wanted to run the football. We had good chances to run the ball. Peewee’s one of our best guys running the football. I gave him a lot of carries and he wants to do that. Best quarterback in the country in my opinion. He’s going to throw the ball well. He’s going to run the ball well.”
Nobles added, “I know everybody is going to focus on the fumble that flipped the momentum, but we are not in that game without CJ, Jamontez, Peewee, Jalen Bussey, those guys.”
In reality, the Argos shook off the fumble reasonably well. Indeed, after Valdosta State tied the game at 14, Jarrett connected with Jiles on a 33-yard pass to push to put UWF up 21-14.
The game would enter the break tied, though, after Blazers quarterback Sammy Edwards scored on a 6-yard run to cap a late-second-quarter drive that covered 77 yards.
Valdosta State didn’t hold a lead in the game until the 0:36 mark in the fourth quarter when Edwards connected on a 28-yard touchdown pass with Ted Hurst.
Jarrett guided the Argos to within field goal range with 1 second to play, but a 51-yard attempt by Griffin Cerra went wide right.
“Unfortunately, kicking is the toughest job on the team … because everybody’s watching you and everybody knows when you mess up,” Nobles said. “You can get covered up at other positions. Griff is going to know, because I am going to tell him enough this week, ‘Hey, it doesn’t change anything. You are our guy. You are the guy I trust, and you are the person we are going to put out there to go make plays … We trust Griff and we know he’s going to help us win games down the stretch.”
POSITIVE TAKEAWAYS NOT HARD TO FIND
Despite the disappointing outcome, there were plenty of positives for the Argos.
The defense, under first-year coordinator Kavell Conner, continued to impress, holding the Blazers to abysmal rushing numbers while keeping Edwards under duress most of the contest.
All told, the Argos sacked Edwards five times and registered seven quarterback hurries.
Junior defensive end Byron Puryear was a constant presence in the VSU backfield and ended the game with two-and-a-half sacks and four hurries to go along with six tackles.
“Get to the quarterback, that’s my job,” Puryear said. “Especially on third down. They brought me here to pass rush and that’s what I was trying to do.”
Senior linebacker Gael Laurent was the team leader in tackles with eight. Defensive tackles John McMullen (1½ sacks) Collin Shaw (1) accounted for the other tackles-for-loss on the Blazer quarterback.
Offensively, Jiles continued to rack up yards and touchdowns. His five receptions for 92 yards and two scores was a team-best and bumped his season tally to 49 catches for 1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Caden Leggett was again solid, hauling in three passes for 50 yards.
STILL MUCH TO PLAY FOR
After the game, Argos players and coaches expressed a mixture of emotions – frustration about a game that slipped away, but also optimism for a season in which a postseason berth is still within reach, although no longer a given.
“We literally don’t know what the future holds for the playoffs, so the best thing you can really do is win out,” Jarrett said. “If you win out, you put the ball in the NCAA’s hands.”
Puryear added, “We’ve still got to play two games for the rest of the season. Nobody is going to quit on each other. We are just going to try to win out and see what it holds.”
For UWF, whatever the future holds will be decided on what the Argos do on the road next week against Mississippi College, where a 2 p.m. Saturday showdown with the 3-5 Choctaws awaits.
Although he said he wanted his team to let the loss “sting”, Nobles stressed that the team putting the Blazers in their rearview mirror quickly would be key as would maintaining the strong character they’ve displayed all season.
“Coaching in the good moments is easy, but coaching in these moments is when you really find out who you are as coaches and as men,” Nobles said. “I told those guys, don’t lose your belief. Don’t lose the heart that you’ve got. Don’t change who you are just because we lose a game. We’ve still got a chance.”
UWF returns home on Nov. 11 for the regular-season finale, a Senior Day contest against Chowan.
by UWF/photo Emily Miller/UWF
2023 SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament Brackets Announced For Ashton Brosnaham Park Beginning Sunday
October 27, 2023
Last year, the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s soccer team won the SEC Championship at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, taking the cherished trophy home to Downtown Columbia. This year, 10 nationally ranked Southeastern Conference soccer teams will be competing for the title on the newly sodded pitch at Ashton Brosnaham. This year’s teams will also be the first to enjoy the new $2.7 million locker room facilities.
“This is so exciting for Pensacola to be able to host this storied tournament again,” said Pensacola Sports President Ray Palmer. “Now that the brackets have been released, there is an excitement building all over. And we can’t wait for the teams to experience the new locker room facilities — they are a game changer.”
Ten nationally ranked Southeastern Conference soccer teams will be competing for the SEC Championship title from Sunday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 5, at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in Pensacola, Fla.
Tickets are on sale here. All-tournament passes are $40. Individual session tickets for first round, quarterfinals and semifinals are $12 for adults and $7 for students/military. Tickets for the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 5, are $17 for adults and $12 for students/military. Taxes and service fees are included in the listed ticket prices. Kids 12 and under wearing a soccer jersey get in free with a paying adult on Sunday, Oct. 29, and on Tuesday, Oct. 31. A clear bag policy is in effect for this event. Free admission for children 4 and under at all games. Tournament pass sales end at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 27.
Join in the fun on Championship game day, Nov. 5, at the free Fan Fest from 11 a.m. until halftime of the championship game. There will be music, food trucks and interactive activities for all ages to enjoy.
This is the second year that Pensacola will host the tournament. Pensacola first hosted the tournament in 2022 and set SEC records for attendance. The city is scheduled to host through 2024 with an option to extend the agreement through 2026.
Over the last six years, the SEC has earned 44 NCAA Tournament bids – an average of more than seven per year – with all 14 member institutions making at least two appearances during that span. Eight different SEC teams have advanced to the Round of 16 since 2013 and the league has placed teams in the NCAA quarterfinals in each of the last nine seasons.
Last year, the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s soccer team won the SEC Championship at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, taking the cherished trophy home to Downtown Columbia. This year, 10 nationally ranked Southeastern Conference soccer teams will be competing for the title on the newly sodded pitch at Ashton Brosnaham. This year’s teams will also be the first to enjoy the new $2.7 million locker room facilities.
“This is so exciting for Pensacola to be able to host this storied tournament again,” said Pensacola Sports President Ray Palmer. “Now that the brackets have been released, there is an excitement building all over. And we can’t wait for the teams to experience the new locker room facilities — they are a game changer.”
Ten nationally ranked Southeastern Conference soccer teams will be competing for the SEC Championship title from Sunday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 5, at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in Pensacola, Fla.
Tickets are on sale here. All-tournament passes are $40. Individual session tickets for first round, quarterfinals and semifinals are $12 for adults and $7 for students/military. Tickets for the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 5, are $17 for adults and $12 for students/military. Taxes and service fees are included in the listed ticket prices. Kids 12 and under wearing a soccer jersey get in free with a paying adult on Sunday, Oct. 29, and on Tuesday, Oct. 31. A clear bag policy is in effect for this event. Free admission for children 4 and under at all games. Tournament pass sales end at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 27.
Join in the fun on Championship game day, Nov. 5, at the free Fan Fest from 11 a.m. until halftime of championship game. There will be music, food trucks and interactive activities for all ages to enjoy.
This is the second year that Pensacola will host the tournament. shton Brosnaham first hosted the tournament in 2022 and set SEC records for attendance. shton Brosnaham is scheduled to host through 2024 with an option to extend the agreement through 2026.
SEC National Championship Competing Teams
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Auburn
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- LSU
- Mississippi State
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Football Scoreboard
October 27, 2023
Here are Friday night football scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Escambia 52, Tate 19
- Pine Forest 42, Washington 6
- Walton 46, Pensacola 0
- Jay 35, Wewahitchka 22
- Gulf Breeze at Navarre
- Pace 27, Milton 7
- Pensacola Catholic 56,West Florida 35
- Baker 32, Pike Liberal Ars 24
- BYE: Northvew
—
- Flomaton 41, Monroe County 28
- Fort Dale Academy35, Escambia Academy 22
- Escambia County 28, at Orange Beach 15
- T.R. Miller 47, St. Michael Catholic 44
- Excel 39, W.S. Neal 46
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Football Schedule
October 26, 2023
Here is the schedule of high school football games from around the North Escambia area Friday night.
FLORIDA
- Tate at Escambia
- Pine Forest at Washington
- Walton at Pensacola,
- Jay at Wewahitchka
- Gulf Breeze at Navarre
- Milton at Pace
- West Florida at Pensacola Catholic
- BYE: Northvew
—
- Monroe County at Flomaton
- Fort Dale Academy at Escambia Academy
- Escambia County (Atmore) at Orange Beach
- T.R. Miller at St. Michael Catholic
- Excel at W.S. Neal
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview Boys Golf Advances To Regionals
October 24, 2023
The Northview High School Boys golf team placed third out of 15 teams at districts to advance to regionals. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Lady Bugs Win 8U Monster Bash Tourney
October 24, 2023
Coach Jonathan Weaver’s Molino Lady Bugs won the two-day 8U Monster Bash Tournament in Robertsdale, AL last weekend. The tournament consisted of 19 teams in the 8U Division alone.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Girls Golf Takes Second At Districts, Headed To Regionals
October 23, 2023
The Northview High School Girls Golf Team placed second at districts Monday. Anna Kunkel placed second place overall.
The team will travel to regionals in Jacksonville on Friday, and they are in need of sponsors to help cover costs. For more information, contact coach Amy Holland at the school
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge,
No. 16 UWF Stuns No. 5 Delta State
October 22, 2023
Since the start of summer, UWF knew Saturday’s game at Delta State would be a defining one for the entire football season.
After another remarkable, second-half comeback at DSU’s McCool Stadium, the Argos now have a signature win they needed.
Trailing 21-10 at halftime and struggling from their own mistakes, the 18th ranked Argos rallied with a pair of touchdowns and had their defense play lights out in the second half to pull off a stunning 24-21 upset of the No. 5 ranked, previously unbeaten Statesmen.
Another magic act at this stadium, another big-time comeback in UWF’s impressive road history, and a win that first-year coach Kaleb Nobles can cherish in his new role.
“I challenged them at halftime and told them, ‘Hey it’s a 60-minute game, okay? We have every reason to believe in ourselves and play at a high level.’ And I am proud of these guys because they answered the call. I am really proud of them,” said Nobles, who was part of some of UWF’s big upsets as a player, then assistant coach.
Think about this: In their last three games at Delta State, the Argos trailed 30-10 in 2021, 24-10 in last year’s NCAA Division II playoffs, then Saturday’s 11-point deficit.
And UWF won them all.
“That is testament to our players and how well they have played in these games and how well they played (Saturday),” Nobles said.
The comeback, pressure-packed win Saturday put the Argos (6-2, 4-1 in Gulf South Conference) in a position to control their destiny in the conference championship race. They can win the league by winning out in the final three games, beginning with next Saturday’s showdown with rival Valdosta State (7-1, 4-1) in Pensacola at Pen Air Field.
UWF would own the tiebreaker against Delta State (7-1, 5-1) if both win out. The same holds true against West Georgia (5-2, 4-1). That could also bring a home-field playoff game in mid-November.
UWF’s defense, which entered ranked No. 8 nationally in D-2 in scoring defense, 18th in total defense, held a Delta State team averaging 46.6 points to less than half of that output.
That is what essentially won the game, after the Argos followed a late third quarter touchdown with the go-ahead score on their next possession early in the fourth quarter.
Five of Delta State’s six offensive possessions in the second half either resulted in a punt or stop on downs.
“Our defense played well in the first half,” Nobles said. “I don’t know how many plays we played on offense, but a lot of this was testament to our defense and how well they played.”
The Argos overcame 15 penalties for153 yards, along with a fumbled punt in the first half that contributed to Delta State’s lead.
UWF quarterback Peewee Jarrett, who was sacked four times and under duress on other plays, completed 13 of 21 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed an astonishing 27 times for a net 63 yards.
C.J. Wilson led UWF with 70 yards on 19 carries as Nobles crafted a gameplan that was heavy on ball-control and knowing Delta State’s defense was set on trying to prevent big plays from UWF star receiver John Jiles.
But in the second half, Jiles made a terrific catch on a 19-yard TD pass from Jarett with 1:18 left in the third quarter that completed a 56-yard drive and trimmed the Statesmen lead to 21-17.
“We knew we had to come out and execute and that’s what we had to do in the second half,” Jiles said. “The offense did give an internal (halftime) speech, because we knew our backs were against the wall.”
When UWF got its next chance, the Argos drove 65 yards on 10 plays, capped by another 19-yard pass from Jarrett to Jiles into the corner of the end zone.
“I really just wanted the ball,” Jiles said. “I saw (Delta State) was in a cover two (defensive formation) and Peewee and I just did what we have done all season – make plays.”
The game-sealing sequence came when UWF got the ball at its own 33 with 3:49 left. The Argos had a pivotal third-down conversion pass from Jarett to Caden Leggett near midfield and were able to run out all but the final six seconds of the clock following a punt.
The Argos trailed 21-10 at halftime, after a first half where penalties and a fumbled punt led to 14 of Delta State’s points.
This first quarter began well for the Argos.
After going three plays and punt on their first possession, the Argos’ offense had its best sequence and finish the next time the group got the ball.
An 80-yard, 8-play drive ended with Leggett catching a short throw from Peewee Jarrett, breaking a tackle and diving into the end zone on a 26-yard scoring pass. It gave UWF a 7-0 lead midway through the quarter.
But from that point, the Argos had self-inflicted mistakes that proved costly.
On a Delta State punt that Virgil Lemons chose to try and catch inside his 10, the ball bounced off his shoulder pads and right into a diving Delta State defender at the Argos 8.
Two plays later, Statesmen quarterback Patrick Shegog connected with Jaylen Green on a 7-yard score with 1:06 left in the quarter.
That emotion turning moment led into another. On a third-down Delta State play that would have been an incompletion, the Argos were flagged for rouging Shegog on the pass.
With new life, Shegog then hit Jaylen May in stride on a deep route and with a UWF defender trailing, May finished a 56-yard touchdown play.
The Argos missed a chance to tie the game late in the quarter. Jarrett connected with Jiles for a 29-yard gain to the Statesmen 10. But on a second down play, the Argos committed a holding penalty. That led to Griffin Cerra’s 34-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 14-10 with 3:43 left.
Both teams exchanged possessions. After failing to convert, UWF punted. Delta State took over at its 20 with 1:14 left.
In less than 60 seconds, Delta State was in the end zone. A 44-yard completion from Shegog to Green set up a play where tight end Tycen Gray was left wide open in the end zone for 4-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left.
At that point, all of the emotion, all the game’s future seemed in Delta State’s favor. The Statesmen got the ball to start the second half, but UWF’s defense produced one of its many stops.
That was a moment that helped changed the game’s direction.
“A lot of self-inflicted wounds and that’s a really good team we just played,” Nobles said. “There was a reason they were undefeated.
“We know we have a lot of work left to do…a lot of football left… and we still haven’t’ played our best. But I know if it’s in our heart we can do it.”