BayBears Beat Pensacola
August 30, 2013
Bradin Hagens continued his dominance of the Blue Wahoos with seven superb innings, leading the Mobile BayBears to a series-opening 2-1 win over Pensacola at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. Mobile has now won 15 of the 21 meetings in the Bay-to-Bay series this year.
Hagens (W, 11-8), who entered the contest having given up just five earned runs in 24 innings in four starts against Pensacola, escaped trouble in the first two innings before settling in and cruising through seven. Tucker Barnhart drove home the only run of the game for the Wahoos with a two-out single in the first after an error prolonged the inning. Overall, Hagens gave up just the unearned run on six hits to go along with four strikeouts.
Mobile tied the game up in the last of the third on a solo homer from Dustin Martin, which stayed just fair inside the right field foul pole to tie the game at one. That was the only run Pensacola starter Carlos Contreras gave up in his final start of the 2013 campaign. The right-hander allowed three hits with two strikeouts and four walks in 5.1 innings.
Parker Frazier (L, 2-3) entered to get the final two outs in the sixth inning, but ran into trouble in the seventh as he gave up an RBI single to Mike Freeman to give the BayBears a 2-1 advantage. Willy Paredes and Jake Barrett (S, 14) got the final six outs to nail down the win for the BayBears.
The series continues on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. Daniel Renken (6-8, 3.66) gets the ball for Pensacola opposite Mobile’s Archie Bradley (11-5, 1.98).
Douglas, Aggies Look Toward Winning Season
August 29, 2013
First year Tate High School Coach Ronnie Douglas started off the 2013 football preseason with a 25-7 victory over Gulf Breeze in two-quarter jamboree last Friday night. This week, the Aggies face a very strong West Florida High School Jaguars team.
“They have six or seven Division I football players over there, and they are a very, very good team,” Douglas said. Expectations are high around Tate, and this week will defiantly test all aspects of the Aggies team.
Douglas said he will depend heavily on senior linebackers Deonte Nicholson and Jesse Samuel this week against the Jags.
Nicholson had an interception and several key tackles last week, but he was most proud of a pass he tipped that was intercepted for a touchdown and a block for the quarterback on a long run for a touchdown. Samuel said he was proud to be able help the team last week.
The Aggies have shown some big improvements over last year when they went 1-8 and won their first game since 2010. But Douglas and his Aggies are looking to put the first of many wins on the books this Friday night against West Florida. Friday night’s game kicks off at 7:00 at Woodham Middle School.
Story by Darryl Singleton
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Leading Rusher Long Has Some Giant Wofford Shoes To Fill
August 29, 2013
Tate graduate and leading rusher Lorenzo Long is expected to be a stats leader for Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, this season, after the graduation of their all-time leading rusher Eric Breitenstein.
In fact, Long will wear the same No. 7 jersey, despite some belief that the Terriers would not issue that number, a sentiment that grew when it was absent during training camp.
Long said he was well-aware of the significance of No. 7 when he arrived on campus earlier this month.
“A lot of people were telling me about it and that I had big shoes to fill,” Long said. “I’m just going to do my best to get the job done. I’m not going to feel too much pressure. It’s just a number.”
If someone is to wear No. 7, perhaps it’s best that it be a freshman who never saw Breitenstein play. There were no returning players who offered to switch. And it also seems fitting that Long would be that one to wear it.
“He’s a young talent with a lot of potential,” said Donovan Johnson, who is taking over as the starting fullback in an offense that ranked second in the country last season. “He runs really hard. He’s going to be a good one in years to come.”
Long (5-foot-9, 205 pounds) was the second-leading ground gainer in a recent scrimmage, going for 30 yards on four carries. Like Breitenstein, he has powerful legs that just keep churning and it takes a gang to make the tackle.
“Lorenzo is not afraid to drop the hammer on you,” Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said. “If you’re coming to tackle him, you’d better bring it because of the way he runs.”
“If there is a hole,” Long said, “I’ll try to accelerate through there. But if somebody is in my way, I’m going to have to give it to him.”
Long left Tate as the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,227 yards and also scored 37 touchdowns. He was all-state for two years. A mixture of power and speed, Long also lettered four years in weightlifting and in track as a 100-meters runner and long-jumper. He also played three years of soccer as a goal-scoring forward. Add brains and leadership, too. Long was senior class president.
“He’s going to be a special guy,” Ayers said. “He’s got tremendous quickness, he’s got a burst, and he’s very, very strong. He’s a guy who muscles up to contact. When you tackle him, he’s going to make you pay. He also has very good lateral speed, excellent hands and blocks really well.”
“It was a little tough in the beginning,” Long said. “I feel more comfortable now with the playbook and how to run the plays. It’s pretty exciting.”
Breitenstein finished with 5,730 career rushing yards with 65 touchdowns. He owns three of the top four seasons in program history. Last year, he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to most outstanding player at the FCS level.
“Eric was his own guy. He had his own way,” Ayers said. “Lorenzo is also a guy who can play. He’s also a high character guy. He’s soft-spoken but a competitor, just like the No. 7 we had last year.”
No. 7 Wofford opens their regular season this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Baylor on Fox SportSouth. Lorenzo Long is the son of A.J. and Clara Long.
Story by Todd Shanesy, Spartanburg-Herald Journa, GoUpstate.com. Reprinted with permission.
Pictured top: Wofford fullback Lorenzo Long, in a No. 4 jersey during preseason, will take over No. 7 when the season starts. The No. 7 previously belonged to Wofford’s leading career rusher. Photo by Alex C. Hicks, Jr., Spartanburg-Herald Journal for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Neiko Robinson No Longer With Penn State Football Team
August 28, 2013
Northview High School grad Neiko Robinson is no longer with the Penn State football team, the Nittany Lions announced Tuesday.
“Neiko is not here. Basically, what I’m going to tell you on that is what happened there is between Neiko and myself,” head coach Bill O’Brien said during his first weekly press conference of the season. “Neiko is a fantastic kid. It had nothing to do with discipline, nothing. This kid is a fantastic kid. It just didn’t work out here at Penn State.”
The true freshman’s arrival at Penn State was delayed in June due to “confusion” with his Northview High School transcript, forcing him to stay back home and finish a class, according to a pennlive.com report. O’Brien said at the time that the situation was related to “all the clearinghouse and NCAA deals”. O’Brien gave no indication Tuesday that the transcript error led to Robinson’s departure from the team.
O’Brien had nothing but praise for defensive back Robinson during Penn State’s media days.
“He’s athletic. He’s got to put some weight on. He’s got a long way to go to be able to play for us, but we’re sure glad that he made it here,” O’Brien said August 8 about Robinson. “We’re happy to have him. Good, bright eyed kid.”
Penn State opens their season Saturday at 3:30 ET against Syracuse in a game scheduled to be televised on ABC/ESPN2.
Excel Downs Ernest Ward Eagles
August 28, 2013
The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles lost their football season opener Tuesday night to the Excel (AL) Panthers, 28-26.
The EWMS Eagles will be at home September 5 as they host Escambia County Middle School from Atmore.
Reader submitted photos by Carrie Winingar-Fisher for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Barons Beat Wahoos 5-4
August 28, 2013
Dan Black belted a solo homer in the top of the seventh inning breaking a 4-all deadlock to give the Birmingham Barons a 5-4 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the final home game of the 2013 season at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The game was played in front of the 31st sellout crowd of the year as the Wahoos ended up drawing 307,094 fans over 66 home dates.
Black’s homer was his 17th of the season and came off Wahoos reliever Chris Manno (L, 4-4) after Pensacola had rallied for three runs in the last of the sixth inning. Pensacola got an RBI single from Devin Lohman, a sacrifice fly from Brandon Short and an RBI double from Ray Chang to erase what was a 4-1 deficit against Barons reliever Henry Mabee (W, 1-0). He was eventually credited with the win thanks to Black’s homer.
Robert Stephenson got the start for Pensacola and didn’t last past the fifth, allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Cody Puckett tagged Stephenson for a solo homer two batters into the game, giving Birmingham a 1-0 lead. Stephenson ran into trouble in the fourth, yielding an RBI double to Chris McMurray before giving up a pair of runs on a two-run double to Mike Blanke, knocking the right-hander from the game.
Pensacola knotted the game at one in the last of the third on a bases loaded sacrifice fly from Yorman Rodriguez against Birmingham starter Chris Bassitt, who ended up going five-plus frames for the Barons, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
The Wahoos had a chance to tie the game in the last of the ninth as Ray Chang doubled with one out against Birmingham closer Cody Winiarski (S, 3). However, Winiarski battled back to strike out Ryan LaMarre and get Mike Costanzo to ground out to end the contest.
Pensacola will wrap up the season with a five-game series in Mobile starting on Thursday night at Hank Aaron Stadium at 7:05. Carlos Contreras (3-2, 2.92) gets the call for the Wahoos opposite the BayBears’ Bradin Hagens (10-8, 3.64).
NWE Eagles Soar In Preseason Action
August 27, 2013
The Northwest Escambia Eagles had a mostly winning day Saturday in preseason youth football jamborees at W.S. Neal in East Brewton.
The NWE Freshmen (ages 4-6) lost 13-7 to Poarch and Beat Baker 27-0. Kaden Dove, Zyonne Wesley, Liam Hatcher and Jackson Simmons all scored. The team had about 170 yards rushing against Baker, and Wesley contributed a 35-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The NWE Sophomores (ages 7-8) beat host W.S. Neal 16-0. Kaden Odom scores two touchdowns and Nolin Godwin scored a couple of two-point conversions. In their second scrimmage of the day, the NWE’s 7-8 year olds beaet Baker 6-0. Kaden Odom scored the only touchdown for NWE, and the two-point conversion was stopped short.
The Northwest Escambia Juniors (ages 9-10) beat Poarch 16-0. The Eagles defense held Poarch to negative yardage, with NWE touchdowns fromJayden Jackson and Jaheem Durant. Jackson and Durant each scored a two point conversion. The Juniors also beat Baker 16-0. Jackson stripped the ball from Baker and returned it for an Eagles touchdown. Jaheem Durant and Jaden Cunningham also added a TD. Jaden Cunningham completed a pass to Dariontae Richardson for a two-point conversion and Michael Merchant added a two-point conversion on a quarterback sneak.
The Eagles Seniors (ages 11-12) lost to W.S. Neal 6-0. Trent Kite had a touchdown called back against Neal. And the NWE Seniors beat Baker 22-0 with one touchdown from Kite and two TD’s from Seth Killam. Killam was 2-3 on extra point kicks.
During the preseason events at W.S. Neal, each team played two 20 minutes games with running clocks.
NWE will travel to Baker High Saturday, with the Freshmen getting the action started at 2 p.m., followed by the Sophomores at 3:30, Juniors and 5:00 and the Seniors at 7:00.
Pictured top: Michael Merchant (#15) scores for the Juniors. Pictured below: Kaden Dove adds a touchdown for the NWE Freshmen. Pictured inset: The NWE Seniors celebrate their victory over Baker. Pictured bottom: The NWE Sophomore cheerleaders. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Stun Barons With 5-Run 8th Inning
August 25, 2013
Down by four runs headed to the last of the eighth inning, the Penascola Blue Wahoos erupted for an improbable five-run comeback to knock off the Birmingham Barons 5-4 in front of the 28th sellout crowd of the year at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The win proved to be crucial as the Wahoos gained a game on first place Jacksonville, who was no-hit on Saturday. Pensacola now sits three games out of first with eight games to go.
The Wahoos offense scattered seven hits in the first seven frames before finally breaking through against reliever Kevin Vance (L, 2-6) in the eighth inning. Ryan LaMarre started things off with a triple to right-center and scored two batters later on a single from Yorman Rodriguez. Mike Costanzo followed with an RBI double to make it 4-2 before Vance hit Tucker Barnhart and was pulled from the game.
Jarrett Casey entered for Birmingham and fired four straight balls to Travis Mattair to force in a run before walking Devin Lohman to tie the game at four. Corey Wimberly became the first out of the inning, but it was a productive run as his sacrifice fly to left scored Barnhart to give Pensacola their first lead of the game at 5-4.
Trevor Bell (S, 17) came on in the ninth for Pensacola and mowed down the Barons in order to pick up his franchise record 17th save of the year, moving the Wahoos to within three games of first place.
The epic comeback made a winner of Chris Manno (W, 4-3) who struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning. Daniel Renken got the start for Pensacola and posted a quality start, allowing three runs on eight hits in six innings.
Birmingham jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Renken in the third inning on a Trayce Thompson RBI infield single while another run scored on a throwing error by Lohman. In the sixth, Keenyn Walker drove home David Herbek with a single to make it 3-0 before Brandon Jacobs added a fourth run in the seventh on another infield single.
Barons starter Scott Carroll kept the Wahoos at bay through his five innings, allowing just five hits to go along with four strikeouts and a walk.
Winners of seven of their last eight, Pensacola will look to continue its playoff push on Sunday at 4 p.m. Jon Moscot (2-1, 4.95) gets the ball for the Wahoos against the Barons’ Chris Beck (0-2, 5.54)
1A Champ Chiefs Compete Tough Against 5A Bay In Tied Preseason Game (With Gallery)
August 24, 2013
The Northview Chiefs walked away from a preseason classic game Friday night with a tie on the scoreboard against Panama City Bay, but it might as well have been a win for the defending Class 1A state champions.
“I like the way we competed tonight,” Northview coach Sid Wheatley said about how the Chiefs handled the much larger 5A Bay Tornadoes. “”As a confidence standpoint, I know they’ve got to feel good coming out of here, at least score-wise, and the way we did compete. It has to instill some confidence.”
The first half of the game in Bratt was a varsity on varsity scrimmage that ended in a 0-0 tie. Despite the score, the varsity teams showed a depth that impress Wheatley, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
“I love the way the defense competed. They bent at times, but they didn’t break. They played hard,” he said. “”Offensively, we’ve got to go to work on our mistakes. We were able to make plays at times, but the thing was it was third and 28.”
But overall, Wheatley saw the great potential within his Chiefs.
“Those guys, they are going to be OK,” he said. “Physically, I think we have a chance to be pretty good up front. It’s just a maturation process. They are going to be better Tuesday, and better the following Tuesday. But they’ve got to kind of grow into that role. And mentally, that’s a big part of it right now.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
For cheerleaders, mini-cheerleaders, band, dance team and NJROTC photos, click here.
The second half of the game was scheduled to be junior varsity and reserves only. But 5A Bay rolled on with varsity starters against much younger, smaller and less experienced JV and reserve Chiefs.
“They competed; they played tough,” Wheatley said of his JV and reserves, stacked up against a much larger Bay that continued to play starters in the second half. “They just got after them.”
Northview freshman quarterback Luke Ward, moving up from an almost perfect season last year at Ernest Ward Middle, led a late Chiefs drive to tie the game. At third and goal, he found junior Hunter Sherouse for a two-yard touchdown with 37.3 seconds on the clock. With the score tied 6-6, the extra point kick by the Chiefs was no good.
Then the Chiefs were able to set up a 30-yard field goal as time expired, but the kick was far wide to the left as the clock rolled to zeros.
“It was a little drama there at the end,” Wheatley said with a laugh.
Next week, the Chiefs will look at Friday night’s film, looking for the areas that need improvement. “We have inexperienced guys; hopefully we are going to be able to look at the film and correct those mistakes,” he said.
The Chiefs will host Bozeman next Friday night at 7:00 in Bratt.
For a photo gallery, click here.
For cheerleaders, mini-cheerleaders, band, dance team and NJROTC photos, click here.
Pictured top: Northview senior Neino Robinson breaks away from a host of Panama City Bay defenders Friday night in Bratt. Pictured top inset: Northview quarterback Daulton Tullis gains yardage for the Chiefs. Pictured bottom inset: Northview coach Sid Wheatly watches his Chiefs under the Friday night lights. Pictured below: A Bay Tornado pass was too long, almost resulting in a Chiefs interception. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Baker Downs Jay (With Photo Gallery)
August 24, 2013
The Jay Royals lost a trio of preseason matchups Friday night to the Baker Gators.
The Royals and Gators will meet again on October 18 in a regular season district game. Meanwhile, the varsity Jay Royals will begin their regular season with a non-district game next Friday night, August 30 at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile. The Royals will play their first home game of the regular season on the following Friday, September 6 as they host Rocky Bayou.
For a photo gallery from Friday night’s action, click here.
Pictured: Jay and Baker met Friday night in preseason classic game. Photos by Michele Gibbs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
