Baseball: DeFuniak Beats NWE
June 29, 2010
DeFuniak Springs handed Northwest Escambia their first 9-10 year old All-Star loss Monday night, 11-1 in DeFuniak Springs.
NWE is 1-1 in the tournament, having beat Tri-County 9-8 Saturday afternoon.
Northwest Escambia will be in action again Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in DeFuniak Springs.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
Submitted photos by Sandy Brown for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE Downs Tri-County In 9-10 Year Old All-Star Tourney
June 27, 2010
The 9-10 year old Little League All-Star Tournament is taking place in DeFuniak Springs. In Saturday’s action, Northwest Escambia got past Tri-County 9-8.
NWE plays DeFuniak Springs on Monday at 5:30, and Tri-County will play again Tuesday at 7:30.
Members of the NWE 9-10 year old All-Stars include:
Dawson Brown, Jason Fischer, Chase Gifford, Trey Holder, Adrian King, Daniel Mascaro, Preston Milstead, Teddy Nelson, Hunter Spence and Samuel Stott. The team is coached by PJ Gifford and Cameron Horning.
For more photos from the game, click here.
Are you going to the tournament? Share your photos with our readers! Email your pictures to news@northescambia.com
Submitted photos by Ramona Fischer for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tri-County 11-12 Year Olds Fall To Defuniak
June 27, 2010
The 11-12 year old Tri-County All-Stars fell to Defuniak Springs Saturday in Panama City.
Tri-County will be in action again Tuesday at 5:30 against Niceville. With a win, they will play again Wednesday at 7:30.
Are you going to the tournament? Share your photos with our readers! Email your pictures to news@northescambia.com
Pictured: The 11-12 year old Tri-County All-Stars. Submitted photo by Neisa Terrell for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cost Of Some Hunting, Fishing Permits Headed Up; New Deer Permit Required
June 24, 2010
There will be an increase in the cost of some of Florida’s hunting and saltwater fishing permits, beginning July 1. If sportsmen act now, however, they can beat the price increase.
On July 1, 2010, the cost of a turkey permit will go up from $5 to $10 for Florida residents and from $100 to $125 for nonresidents. In addition, Florida waterfowl permits will increase as well, from $3 to $5.
The cost of two saltwater fishing permits also will go up July 1. The snook permit will increase from $2 to $10, and lobster permits will increase from $2 to $5.
Until July 1, though, sportsmen can buy all of these permits at the current prices, and all permits are valid for one year after the date of purchase.
There also is a new deer permit that will be required whenever hunting deer in Florida, beginning during the upcoming 2010-2011 hunting season. The permit will cost $5 and will not be available for purchase until July 1.
Those with a Sportsman’s License, Gold Sportsman’s License, 64 or Older Sportsman’s License, Military Gold Sportsman’s License, Lifetime Hunting License or Lifetime Sportsman’s License will not need to purchase the new deer permit because it has already been included in each of these licenses, even if they were purchased before July 1.
However, the deer permit is not included with a hunting license, combination hunting/freshwater fishing license, combination hunting/freshwater/saltwater license or a five-year hunting license. Anyone hunting deer with either of these licenses must also buy the $5 deer permit to hunt deer legally.
All permits and related licenses can be purchased at county tax collectors’ offices, retail outlets that sell fishing and hunting supplies, online at www.fl.wildlifelicense.com or by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356).
Former Century Resident Buck Showalter Could Manage The Orioles
June 22, 2010
Former Century resident Buck Showalter may be in the running for the manager’s job for the Baltimore Orioles.
Showalter, who is currently an analyst for ESPN, will meet with Orioles about the job on Wednesday, according to The Baltimore Sun. The Orioles dismissed Dave Trebley as their manager back on June 4; they are expected to announce their new manager by the All-Star break.
Showalter, who now lives in Dallas, had three different managerial stints in the majors with the New York Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Texas Rangers. Showalter first managed the Yankees from 1992-1995 for 581 games posting a 313-268 record finishing 45 games over .500 with a .539 win/loss percentage. He was voted 1994 AL Manager of the Year after the Yankees finished first in the AL East going 70-43. Unfortunately, there would be no post-season in 1994 due to the strike. He made it to his first post-season appearance in 1995, losing the divisional series 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners.
He moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he managed 486 games from 1998-2000 with a 250-236 record. His best season with the Diamondbacks came in 1999 when they finished first in the NL West going 100-62 and eventually losing in the divisional series 3-1 to the NY Mets. Showalter took over as Texas Rangers skipper in 2003-2006 posting a 319-329 record in 648 games. He was selected 2004 AL Manager of the Year with the Texas Rangers going 89-73 with a .549 win/loss percentage.
His father was a high school coach and principal, moving to Century in the late 1950’s. Showalter played Little League ball in Century in a thriving program. Century’s modern day Showalter Park is named after him.
Molino’s Parker Dominates Pro Kart Tour Races
June 22, 2010
A Molino teen picked up a couple of big kart racing wins this past weekend, dominating the Maxxix Pro Kart Tour at Beaver Creek Speedway in Toney, Ala.
Jarrett Parker, an incoming sophomore at Northview High School, won pole positions and three events in the Junior Gold Division.
Parker’s #46 Todd Miller-powered Icon kart dominated the Junior Gold division leading every lap of Gold Lite and Gold Heavy classes. In the Pro Gold race it was a duel to the end between three drivers from different states, and Parker triumphed with the win. Parker’s MB Motorsports teammate, Dee Pascal from Hawkinsville Ga., won four poles and four races in the adult division.
The Molino teen will next be off to a race in Mississippi. He is leading the points chase in the Junior Gold FH in Mississippi, and he is also in first place in the points chase in Alabama’s Senior Heavy class.
Parker, who has been kart racing since 2003, is the son of Scott and Tammy Parker of Molino.
Turn4LIVEProductions will stream a show from this weekend’s race beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday on turn4liveproductions.com.
Pictured top: Molino kart racer Jarrett Parker at the Maxxix Pro Kart Tour this past weekend. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tri-County Falls To Niceville
June 19, 2010
Tri-County held a 3-2 lead over Niceville-National in the sixth inning in their recent All-Star tournament game in Chumuckla, but they were unable to hold on for the win. Niceville-National came back for an 8-3 win in the Florida District 1 Little League game.
Members of the Tri-County team are Trevor Flower, Haley Watson, Slater Nash, Nathan Archer, Blayne Miller, Seth Killam, Zac Blackmon, Avarie Jackson, and Tanner Macks.
Submitted photos by Tiana Ivey for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Golf Tourney Raises $28,000 For Children’s Hospital
June 18, 2010
Emerald Coast Utility Authority employees raised $28,000 for Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.
ECUA Employee’s Golf Tournament organizers and Diamond Sponsor Gilbert Pump & Mechanical, presented a check for $28,000 recently to Dr. Henry E. Roberts, president of the Sacred Heart Foundation. The donation was the result of the 2010 tournament held at the Marcus Pointe Golf Course in April.
“Over the past 12 years, the ECUA Employees Golf Tournament has contributed over $108,000 in the hospital’s ministry with children,” said Dr. Roberts.
According to the ECUA Employees’ Golf Tournament event organizers Bill Ellis, Doug Gibson, Ron Doolittle, Tammy Clemmons, and Timothy Colley, “Over the past 12 years we’ve made the employees’ event a top priority. The money generated will contribute to the building and construction of the Children’s Garden and Playroom Renovation project to be located within the Purple Heart Kids’ Gang unit at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. In 2010, we pledged to exceed $100,000 in total contributions, and we surpassed that goal.”
“The tournament is successful because of the financial support we receive from sponsors such as Gilbert Pump & Mechanical, our 2010 Diamond Sponsor, and the other 132 participants. We’re dedicated to continuing this tradition and look forward to many more successful events,” said Ellis.
The ECUA Employees’ Golf Tournament contributions to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital have helped to make it a state of the art facility. It is Northwest Florida’s only Level III intensive care nursery, serving 14 counties throughout the region.
(Golf tournament winners are listed below their pictures at the bottom of this story.)
Pictured top: $28,000 in proceeds from the ECUA Employee’s Golf Tournament is presented to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Pictured are: (front, L-R) Brian Widman, Danny Gilbert, Doug Gibson, Cathy Laird, Dr. Henry Roberts, (back, L-R) Timothy Colley, Bill Ellis, Ron Doolittle. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
First place: Camp Dresser McKee — (L-R) Wes Malone, William Blocker, Casey Smith, Robert Hyman.
Second place: South Baldwin Plumbing — (L-R) Lain B. Cheney, Shain Cheney, Robert Barnes, Brian Alberson.
Third place: Baskerville Donovan, Inc. — (L-R) Jim Waite, Claude Duvall,Larry Goodwin.
Jay Varsity, JV Cheerleaders Win Top Honors At Auburn Camp
June 17, 2010
The Jay High School cheerleaders recently won top honors at a Universal Cheerleaders Association camp at Auburn University.
Both the varsity and junior varsity squads received superior scores for their cheer and dance routines. On the final day of camp, a “Camp Champs Competition” was held with about 30 squads.
The Jay junior varsity squad won first place in the JV Division for “Best Cheer”. The Royal varsity squad won second place in “Overall Best Cheer” and second in “Overall Best Dance” in the Large Varsity Division.
Tessa Hendricks, a member of the Jay varsity team, was named to the All-American Cheerleading Squad and received a pin for her leadership skills at camp.
Members of the Jay varsity cheerleading squad are: Katie Borders, Crystal Brown, Bethany Diamond, Camille Driver, Kyrah Dunsford, Ashton Edwards, Katheryn English, Tessa Hendricks, Sha Kinder, Morgan Lewis, Sierra Mills, Carly Owens, Meredith Owens, Jody Paramore, Abby Raney, Hannah Roberts and Summer Simmons.
Members of the Jay junior varsity cheerleading squad are: Kaitlyn Aguirre, Brittani Ashworth, Makenzie Bray, Launa Burkhead, Savannah Dubose, Kayla Flowers, Danielle Harrington, Summer Joyner, Leslie Kinder, Samantha Pearson, Alisha Roberts, Alaina Smith, Paige Smith, Brittany Tegenkamp, Brooke Tegenkamp, Jessica Thornton, Kendra Wells and Emily Wright.
FHSAA Creates Small School Rural Division: Jay In, Northview May Be Out
June 16, 2010
The Florida High School Athletic Association has approved a new rural school classification for schools like Jay High, but Northview may not be included.
Schools in the rural division would compete within their own division and have their own playoff series for boys and girls basketball, baseball, football, softball and girls volleyball, and boys and girls soccer.
“I’m very ecstatic,” said Jay Athletic Director Elijah Bell. “We’ve been working on this a long time in the pursuit of equality for small, rural schools.” Bell served on the FHSAA Urban/Rural Committee that drafted the proposal approved Tuesday.
An invitation to participate in the new rural classification will be extended to the 32 smallest schools that would be eligible — which would include Jay at number 13 but not Northview at number 39 by enrollment.
The FHSAA will next meet with the 32 small schools to determine which might choose to join the new “Division II” league. If any choose not to join, the next-smallest schools will be offered a slot to ensure the league has 32 teams as required for a state series. There are six school in line ahead of Northview that would have the option of joining the rural division.
“I hope we get in,” Northview Athletic Director Sammy Day said after learning the proposal passed the FHSAA board. If Northview does not make the division, it will create great hardship for the school, Day said.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Northview is rural,” Bell said, “as are other schools like Bozeman, Chipley and Perry. But we had to draw the line somewhere on the district, and that was the 32 (needed for a playoff series).”
Most of Northview’s past district opponents will be offered membership in the division — Jay, Sneads, Baker, Vernon, Holmes and Freeport. If they all become rural division schools and Northview does not, it will mean a lot of travel time for the Chiefs to play district teams.
“We may have a tough time unless we play much bigger schools,” Day said, adding the Chiefs would likely end up with schools like Catholic, Walton and Chipley on the schedule.
But Day is not giving up hope that Northview will make the 32-team rural Division II. Most of the schools on the list are in the Panhandle, while some are located much further south in Florida. Due to the travel time for those schools past Tallahassee, Day said he does not believe they will join the rural district. And some of those schools — like Peniel Baptist Academy just 44 total students — may not join the district.
“We will just have to wait and see,” he said.
Bell agreed that some of the schools on the small-32 list might not join the district. He cited Marathon High in Key West as an example. “It would be 200 miles on way for them to play a district game,” he said. “But we are still going to invite them to join.”
The FHSAA Division II for rural schools will be a pilot program for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons. The final list of 32 eligible schools will be based upon fall 2010 enrollment, Bell said.
Those numbers could make a difference for Northview. According to Day, Northview had an enrollment of 560 in the fall of last year, but that number was down to 525 by the end of hte year.
“We had to draw a line somewhere,” Bell said the list of 32 small schools. He said he had hoped to see a small and larger division in the rural district, but that was not possible this year.
“I certainly hope we can do the small and large in the near future, he said.”It’s not over; we still have work to do.”
For now, Bell said he is happy to see the Rural Division become a reality; he’s been advocating such a plan since about 1990.
Pictured top: Brandon Sheets tries to avoid Jay defender Chris Carrigan during last year’s meeting of two rural schools. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.