Escambia Academy Student, Football Player Killed In Wreck
July 24, 2012
An Escambia Academy student and football player was killed in a two vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Crenshaw County, Ala.
Noah B. Allison, age 17 of Troy, was killed when his 2011 Chevrolet Camaro collided with a 1998 International semi truck hauling batteries that was driven by 61-year old James R. Barnett of Banks, Ala. Barnett was treated and released.
The accident happened about 4:45 p.m. on Highway 29 near Goshen Road in Crenshaw County, about three miles east of Luverne, Ala..
Allison recently transferred from Charles Henderson High School in Troy to Escambia Academy near Atmore, following EA’s new head football coach Hugh Fountain. Allison was a lineman last season for the Charles Henderson Trojans under Fountain’s leadership.
The accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
Penalties Hit Home For Northview Senior, Penn State Recruit
July 24, 2012
The massive penalties handed down against Penn State on Monday are hitting home for a local high school football player.
Neiko Robinson, a senior at Northview High School, made a verbal commitment to Penn State and coach Bill O’Brien back in early June. But ESPN reported Monday that he now says he will have to look at other options.
In the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, the NCAA fined Penn State $60 million, banned them from bowl games for four years, cut 40 scholarships over four years and wiped out all of the Nittany Lions’ victories from 1998 to 2011.
“It’s a good school,” Robinson said about Penn State shortly after his verbal commitment. “They are building their program again to be what it used to be in the past. I like where the coaching staff is going. They want guys that can be game changers, and I think I can do that on the defensive side.”
But for now, Robinson will continue to focus on what looks to be a winning season for the Northview Chiefs.
“I’m looking for the state championship,” Robinson said.
Robinson is transferring from the nearby Flomaton Hurricanes, where was part of last season’s 11-2 team. He racked up 93 tackles and returned three interceptions for touchdowns last year for the ‘Canes.
Chiefs Volleyball Attends Camp
July 24, 2012
The Northview High School varsity volleyball team recently attended the University of West Florida volleyball camp. The three-day camp focused on improving technique and skills with coach Kyle Peck from Gulf State Community College.
The Northview Lady Chiefs placed third in their tournament bracket.
Pine Forest’s Brown Sets School Pole Vault Record
July 23, 2012
A Pine Forest High School senior set a new school pole volt record Saturday during a street competition in Mobile.
Kelly Brown set the record of 13.9 feet during the 1st Annual Dauphin St. Street Vault event.
“I am happy to be doing so well and would like to eventually surpass 15 feet before the end of this school year,’ said Brown, who hopes to earn a track scholarship to the University of South Alabama.
Over 70 athletes took part in Saturday’s pole vault event in downtown Mobile in front of a crowd of several hundred people.
Pictured top: Pine Forest’s Kelly Brown prepares for a pole vault jump Saturday during a pole vault event on Dauphin Street in Mobile. Pictured inset: Brown’s winning vault. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Shut Out BayBears 1-0 To Take Series
July 23, 2012
Five Blue Wahoos pitchers combined to bewilder BayBears batters to just two hits, while right fielder Josh Fellhauer drove home shortstop Billy Hamilton from first in the eighth for the game’s only tally of the contest as Pensacola shut out Mobile 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
The win improved the Fish’s second half record to 18-12 to guarantee at least a share of first place in the Southern League’s South Division with the Montgomery Biscuits. Mobile fell to 13-17 since the Southern League’s All-Star Break. The win gave the Blue Wahoos their ninth series victory in their last ten series dating back June 7-10 at Birmingham and their ninth shutout victory of the year.
Both teams were held scoreless until the eighth, when Pensacola plated the only score of the contest. Hamilton reached on an infield single, his third base knock of the contest, before coming around to score from first on Fellhauer’s double down the right field line.
After yielding just three hits last night, the Fish held BayBears batters to just two base hits in the series finale. Pensacola starter Wirfin Obispo (5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 SO) allowed just three base runners, including only one hit while striking out six in his scoreless five frames in his second start of the year.
Blue Wahoos relievers Wilkin De La Rosa (0.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO), Drew Hayes (0.2 IP, 2 SO), Brian Pearl (1.0 IP, 1 H) and Curtis Partch followed Obispo by combining for the final scoreless innings. Pearl earned the victory to bump his record to 1-1 this year, while Partch notched his sixth save in as many opportunities by tossing the last two frames.
BayBears starter Derek Eitel (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 SO) also did not factor in the decision after giving up five hits in his six scoreless frames, while LHP Eury De La Rosa (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 3-2 after allowing the game’s only run.
Mobile’s biggest threats to score came in the first and sixth frames, when the BayBears stranded a runner at third. CF Evan Fry led off with a walk and moved to third on a groundout, before RF Alfredo Marte was retired to end the frame. Fry again walked in the sixth and stole both second and third, but Hayes came on and struck out the next two hitters to end the potential peril.
Hamilton (3-4, 1 R, 1 2B) recorded a game-high three hits in the victory, while CF Ryan LaMarre (2-4) and 2B Brodie Greene (2-4) also collected multi-hit efforts in the win. Hamilton has now reached base in all 11 of his contests with Pensacola, tallying hits in all but two of those games, while Greene finished the four-game series with a .500 average (8-16) versus Mobile.
Following an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos will return to action on Tuesday night to begin a five-game series with the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the bayfront stadium, with both teams’ starters not yet announced for the series opener.
Fans attending Tuesday night’s contest are asked to wear red to the ballpark in honor of Pensacola’s affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds. Several Reds top front office members are also expected to be attendance, including General Manager Walt Jocketty, while the Blue Wahoos will be wearing authentic Reds uniforms.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Wirfin Obispo fanned six and allowed just one hit in his five solid frames Sunday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Beat BayBears
July 22, 2012
Blue Wahoos center fielder Ryan LaMarre collected two-hits, including a solo homer in the fourth inning, while the bullpen trio of Drew Hayes, Josh Ravin and Justin Freeman combined for four hitless frames as Pensacola bested the Mobile BayBears 4-2 on Saturday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
With the victory, Pensacola improved to a 17-12 mark to guarantee at least a share of first place with Montgomery in the South Division’s second half standings. Mobile fell to a 13-16 record since the league’s All-Star Break with the loss. Once again, several busloads of Blue Wahoos fans were on hand, as the team offered a free trip with tickets to the contest for season-ticket holders.
The BayBears were held to just three hits in the contest, with starter J.C. Sulbaran (5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) giving up all three, in addition to two earned runs as he received a no-decision. The reliever triumvirate of Hayes (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Ravin (1.1 IP, 2 BB, 2 SO) and Freeman (1.2 IP, 1 SO) supported Sulbaran by shutting down the BayBears bats, totaling just two walks in their four hitless frames. Hayes earned the win, while Ravin was handed his first hold and Freeman notched his tenth save.
Mobile took an early 2-0 lead in the third thanks to the longball. After BayBears starting pitcher David Holmberg singled with two outs to extend the frame, 2B David Nick made the Wahoos pay with his two-run blast to left. It was the fourth roundtripper of the year for the infielder.
The Blue Wahoos however, would answer with single tallies in the fourth and fifth frames to even the contest at 2-2. LaMarre led off the fourth inning with his third big fly of the year to left, while RF Andrew Means reached on a fielder’s choice before scoring on Pensacola starter Sulbaran’s RBI triple to left-center.
The Fish would then take their first and only lead in the seventh. 2B Brodie Greene led off with a base knock and 1B Donald Lutz doubled prior to Barnhart’s RBI groundout, which plated Greene. Lutz subsequently scored on pinch hitter Billy Hamilton’s infield single to increase the margin to two.
LaMarre (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Greene (2-4, 1 R) both recorded a pair of base knocks in the game, while no BayBears batters tallied two hits or more in the contest.
Holmberg (8.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 SO) fired eight inning for Mobile and suffered the loss after yielding four earned runs on ten hits to fall to 2-3, while relief pitcher Bryan Woodall (1.0 IP, 2 SO) tossed a scoreless final frame and tallied two punchouts.
With Pensacola leading the series 2-1, the two teams will square off Sunday afternoon in the series finale, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. in Mobile. The Blue Wahoos are expected to send RHP Wirfin Obispo to the hill, while the BayBears are expected to counter with RHP Derek Eitel.
By Andrew Green
Photo by Chris Nelson for NOrthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mobile Evens Series With 6-2 Win Over Pensacola Wahoos
July 21, 2012
Mobile shortstop Chris Owings collected three base knocks and second baseman David Nick’s two-run double in the fourth proved to be the game-winner, while Pensacola shortstop Billy Hamilton recorded his 112th steal of the year as the BayBears defeated the Blue Wahoos 6-2 on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
The victory for Mobile evens the series at 1-1 and improves the BayBears to a 13-15 record in the second half, while the Fish fell to 16-12 with the loss. A large contingent of Blue Wahoos fans were in attendance, many season-ticket holders who took advantage of a free bus trip and tickets for them from Pensacola.
The BayBears began the scoring in the opening frame, taking an early 2-0 advantage. Nick drew a free pass and Owings doubled before Nick came across on a groundout, while Owings scored on a sacrifice fly to center from 3B Matt Davidson.
The contest would be drawn even in the third, when Pensacola plated two tallies. Hamilton led off with a walk and stole second, ahead of CF Ryan LaMarre reaching on a hit by pitch, which was followed by back-to-back RBI singles from 1B Beau Mills and LF Donald Lutz.
The theft was the 112th of the year for Hamilton, placing him alone in seventh for the highest total in a single-season as the speedster continues to chase Vince Coleman’s Minor League Baseball record of 145. It was also the eighth steal for Hamilton with Pensacola after swiping 104 with High-A Bakersfield before his promotion late last month.
Mobile however, would answer back in the bottom of the frame and by taking advantage of a pair of Blue Wahoos errors. Owings reached on a base hit and RF Marc Krauss’ walked before Davidson reached on an error, with Owings scoring on the play, while Krauss came plateward on a second fielding miscue.
Owings ((3-4, 2 R) and 1B Ryan Strieby (3-4) each collected three base knocks in the contest for the BayBears, while LaMarre (2-3, 1 R) and Mills (2-4, 1 RBI) each tallied multi-hit efforts in the defeat. Mills with his hits has now reached base in all 25 of his games with Pensacola this year since being acquired on June 22 from the Cleveland Indians organization.
BayBears starting pitcher Chase Anderson (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) earned the win after yielding two earned runs on six hits in his five innings of work. The bullpen trio of Frank Santana (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO), Eury De La Rosa (1.2 IP) and Evan Marshall (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) followed Anderson by combining to allow only one hit in the final four frames.
Blue Wahoos RHP Daniel Corcino (5.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 7-5 on the year, while relievers Wilkin De La Rosa (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) and Brian Pearl (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) combined to fire the final three scoreless innings in support of Corcino.
With the series even at 1-1, Mobile and Pensacola will face off again Saturday night, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. at Hank Aaron Stadium. RHP J.C. Sulbaran is scheduled to get the nod for the Fish, while Mobile is expected to send LHP Chase Holmberg to the hill.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Ryan LaMarre tallied two hits in the Blue Wahoos’ 6-2 loss Friday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Bratt Basketball Camp Next Week With Former NBA Coach
July 20, 2012
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp next week
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 23-27 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost $35 per student with scholarships available. For more information, contact Tim Hawsey at (850) 327-6529.
Pensacola Beats Mobile 8-6
July 20, 2012
Blue Wahoos right fielder Josh Fellhauer recorded three hits and drove in four runs, including three on a fifth inning homer to right, while second baseman Brodie Greene also totaled three base knocks to lead Pensacola to an 8-6 victory over the Mobile BayBears on Thursday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
The win propelled the Fish to a 16-11 record in the second to maintain their tie for first in the Southern League’s South Division. The defeat dropped Mobile to a 12-15 mark since the league’s All-Star Break.ankHank
Pensacola got the scoring started in the opening frame to take an early 1-0 lead. CF Ryan LaMarre doubled to left, before he was sent home on 1B Beau Mills’ RBI double to deep center to put the Fish ahead. Mobile would then tie it at 1-1 an inning later thanks to CF Alfredo Marte’s leadoff solo homer to left.
The BayBears then took their first and only advantage of the contest in the fourth. Marte began the inning with a free pass, moved to second on a walk and third on a wild pitch, prior to being plate on a sacrifice fly to center by C Rossmel Perez.
A four-run fifth frame then pushed the Blue Wahoos ahead 5-2. After Greene singled, stole second and moved to third on an error, starting pitcher Kyle Lotzkar bounced a grounder up the middle to bring home Greene. Following LaMarre’s free pass, Fellhauer brought in Lotzkar and LaMarre with his three-run blast.
Mobile however, would even the game with a pair of tallies in each of the fifth and sixth innings. RF Marc Kruass reached on a base-on-balls, while 3B Matt Davidson was hit by a pitch before Marte plated Krauss with a single to center. Davidson subsequently scored on an RBI single by LF Bobby Borchering.
Following Greene’s RBI double in the top of the sixth, the BayBears drew the count even at 6-6 thanks to a two-run homer off the bat of Krauss. It was the 15th longball of the season for the left-handed slugger.
Single scores from the Blue Wahoos would then put away Mobile for good. Fellhauer drove in his fourth run of the contest in the seveht after SS Billy Hamilton reached on a base hit and got to second on a balk, while it was Hamilton’s run-scoring single in the following frame that gave Pensacola an additional insurance run.
Along with Fellhauer (3-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and Greene (3-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI), Hamilton (2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) also recorded a multi-hit effort in the victory for Pensacola, while Marte (3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB) and C Rossmel Perez (2-4, 1 RBI) each tallied two or more base hits for Mobile. Mills reached base in the contest to extend his team-high on-base streak to 24 straight contests.
Pensacola reliever Josh Ravin (1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 SO) earned the win in his Blue Wahoos debut, striking out three in his 1.2 shutout frames, while Justin Freeman (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) notched his ninth save of the year. Mobile RHP Yonata Ortega (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-2 on the year after allowing two earned runs on two hits in his inning of relief.
The Blue Wahoos and BayBears will meet again Friday night in the second game of the series, with RHP Daniel Corcino slated to get the nod for Pensacola, while Mobile is expected to send RHP Chase Anderson to the hill. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in Mobile.
Argos 10U Team Wins Nations Elite World Series
July 19, 2012
The Argos, a local 10U travel baseball team, recently won the Nations Elite World Series at NEP ballpark in Pensacola.
The Argo came back from a No. 4 seed to bring home the championship. Due to weather delays, the Argos played and won five straight games on Saturday.
In the championship game, Trevor Norton pitched a no hitter as the Argos outlasted the FB Bulls from Sugar Land, TX, 8-0. From the Argos, John Pinette was named Offensive MVP.
Pictured: The Argos (front, L-R) Trevor Norton, Nathan Brewton, Hunter Smith, John Pinette, Christian Munoz, (middle) Cameron Bailey, Sam Shackle, TJ McCants, Chase Barcus, Jacob Bryant, Cole Mullins, and (top) coaches Torianno McCants, Mike Norton, Levy Bryant and Tim Mullins. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.