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
Man Found Shot to Death On Century Sidewalk Early Sunday Morning
October 29, 2023
A man was found shot to death early Sunday morning in Century. The man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on a sidewalk along North Century Boulevard, near Ramar Street about 1:15 a.m.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide, and there were no suspects immediately known. Additional details were not available as the investigation continued.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Ashton Brosnaham Dog Park Closed Through November 5 Due To SEC Soccer Tourney
October 28, 2023
The dog park at the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Dr., will be closed during the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament, Oct. 29 to Nov. 5. The dog park will re-open Monday, Nov. 6.
Residents with dogs are encouraged to visit the Beulah Regional Park, located at 7820 Mobile Highway; Regency Park, located at 8245 Fathom Road; or Santa Maria Plaza, located at 199 Madrid Road.
Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Fatal Munson Highway Crash
October 28, 2023
Christopher Shane Ammons, 49, was traveling north on Munson Highway and turning into a private driveway just north of Lawler Lane when the crash happened Saturday morning.
As Ammons was turning, troopers said a a car traveling north behind Ammons on the roadway attempted to pass his truck, resulting in the collision.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the front of his pickup truck collided with the passing car driven by a 22-year old Milton man about 10 a.m. Saturday, causing the car to leave the roadway and overturn. The driver was partially ejected and pronounced deceased on the scene. Two other 17-year old passengers in the car received minor injuries.
Ammons was charged with DUI manslaughter and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.
Thousands Participate In Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
October 28, 2023
Thousands of people took part in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in downtown Pensacola Saturday morning.
An estimated 10,000 people took part in the walk, many walking to honor loved ones fighting breast cancer or those that have lost their lives.
At last count Saturday, the event had raised $216,000.
Pictured: The Tate Lady Aggies Softball team took part in Saturday’s event.
Pictured: The Tate High School softball team and friends took part in Saturday’s walk. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Plans Approved For Escambia County’s First Wawa Store At Nine Mile, Beulah Road Intersection
October 26, 2023
Wawa is headed to Beulah.
Plans were approved this week by the Escambia County Development Review Committee.
The popular convenience store chain submitted plans for a 6,119 square feet location at the corner of Beulah Road and Nine Mile Road.
Initial plans were filed with the Escambia County Development Review Committee for the store to be located on 17.37 acres. Plans show limited access only from westbound Nine Mile Road and full access from Beulah Road.
Another store is planned this year for HIghway 98 at North Blue Angel Parkway. Wawa said there are three or four additional locations in Escambia County still under consideration, with a goal of 6-10 locations by 2025.
Last April, Wawa announced they were actively looking for potential sites for new stores in the Pensacola area, along with Panama City, Tallahassee and Mobile. Current plans are for Wawa to open up to 40 stores in these markets beginning in 2024.
In 2022, Wawa marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of its first Florida store. The store opened July 18, 2012, in Orlando across from SeaWorld. Since then Wawa has expanded rapidly throughout the state and opened its 250th store in Florida last year. Today, Wawa employs almost 10,000 associates across the Sunshine State.
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
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- 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.
Escambia School Choice Expo to be Held Thursday, Nov. 2
October 26, 2023
This year’s Escambia County Public Schools School Choice Expo will be held on Thursday, November 2nd, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at Booker T. Washington High School.
Representatives from ECPS Career Academies and Choice Schools will be on hand to greet guests and answer questions about their programs. Typically, the Expo welcomes in excess of 1,000 guests. Tables for career academy displays will be set up inside the Booker T. Washington High School gym and cafeteria. Local vendors will provide items for gift bags for attendees.
“The school district is excited to once again be offering our School Choice Expo to the community,” stated Coordinator of Enrollment Services Chris McFarland. “This is a great opportunity for our students to experience all of the awesome programs and school choice transfer options available to our students in one venue. We look forward to once again seeing everyone there!”
The School Choice Expo precedes the middle and high school open enrollment period, which runs from October 30 – December 8, 2023. The open enrollment period for elementary schools runs from January 29 – March 8, 2024.
For questions about open enrollment, please contact Chris McFarland, Coordinator of Enrollment Services at (850)469-5580. For questions about career academies, contact Steven Harrell, Director of Workforce Education, at (850)469-5357. Families are encouraged to apply while attending the School Choice Expo, as technology to apply will be made available.
File photo.
Suspect Charged With Burglary Of Cantonment Mercantile
October 24, 2023
A suspect has been charged with the burglary of Cantonment Mercantile on Highway 29 just north of Muscogee Road
The burglary was discovered Tuesday morning and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office quickly developed 20-year old Ronnie Lee Graham of Cantonment as the suspect. He was charged with grand theft, burglary causing damage over $1,000 and resisting arrest without violence.
Graham was booked into the Escambia County Jail Tuesday evening with bond set at $5,600.
The business has about 50 independent vendor booths along with a bakery and more.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Molino Christmas Parade Returning For 2023
October 24, 2023
After an absence of several years, the Molino Christmas Parade will return for 2023.
The parade will travel West Crabtree Church Road to the Molino Ballpark on December 9 at 11 a.m.
Entries are being accepted now. The fee is $50 for vehicles, $30 for UTVs, $20 for horses. Register now at https://www.molinoballpark.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1438540 or call Felicanano Santana at (850) 393-5030. Proceed will got to a local family in need.
Pictured: The 2019 annual Molino Christmas Parade NorthEscambia.com photos click to enlarge.
