Diamond Kings 6U Take First Place In Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament
April 20, 2025
The Diamond Kings 6U went undefeated the entire tournament to win first place in the Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament.
Caleb Moore slammed eight home runs over the weekend, the most of any player in the tournament. Hayes Fetsko earned the MVP for the Diamond Kings for his outstanding defense.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mack Homers, Pitching Dominates In 2-1 Wahoos Win
April 20, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Saturday night, beating the Columbus Clingstones in a game that featured only five total hits between the two teams.
Joe Mack gave the Blue Wahoos (10-4) an early lead with a solo homer in the first inning, his third of the year to tie for the Southern League lead, and Jared Serna delivered an RBI single with two outs in the second inning.
Pensacola was held hitless for the rest of the night, but four Blue Wahoos pitchers combined for a two-hitter to keep the Clingstones (6-7) from erasing the early deficit.
Both starting pitchers were shaky early, as Clingstones righty Jhancarlos Lara (L, 0-2) allowed five of the first eight men he faced to reach base. Blue Wahoos lefty Dax Fulton issued three walks and a hit batsman in his first trip through the order, but settled down and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning in his best start since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Fulton was lifted after 4.2 innings with two runners on base, and Josh White (W, 3-0) escaped the jam to preserve the 2-0 advantage. In the sixth, White stranded two more runners in scoring position with a pair of clutch strikeouts.
Columbus scratched a run across against Nigel Belgrave in the seventh with a Cal Conley RBI fielder’s choice, but Belgrave returned for a quiet eighth before Dale Stanavich (S, 2) picked up the ninth to earn the save.
Cody Milligan had both hits for the Clingstones, who have only five run-scoring hits through the first five games of the series.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. CT.
Photos: Logjam Blocked Perdido River At Barrineau Park Bridge (With Photo Gallery)
April 19, 2025
A foot or more of rain April 6-7 led to flooding on the Perdido River at Barrineau Park. The flooded river left behind a larger than normal logjam against the Barrineau Park Road bridge.
Most of the logs have since been removed.
The bridge was closed for several days by flooding. As the water receded, the logjam blocked any travel down the river until the logs were cleared.
The concrete construction Barrineau Park Road bridge spans the Perdido River from Escambia County, Florida, to Baldwin County, Alabama. While it crosses the state line, the bridge is owned and maintained by Escambia County.
For a photo gallery look back at last weekend, click here.
Pictured: The logjam on the Perdido River at the Barrineau Park bridge as seen on Sunday, April 13. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Receive At-Large Bid To Regional Quarterfinals
April 19, 2025
The Tate Aggies on Friday received an at-large bid in the FHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals next week.
The regional quarter finals will be a best-of-three series this year. No. 4 Tate will host No. 5 Fletcher for the first two games beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23. The third game, if necessary will move nearly 400 miles away to Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals April 30 against either No. 1 Buckholz or No. 8 First Coast.
In other 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals in the area, No. 2 Pace will host No. 7 Oviedo.
Looking ahead, the regional finals are May 7, the state semifinals on May 16 at the state championship on May 17.
Pictured top: Tate Aggies seniors were honored recently at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flags Fly At Half Staff In Florida Until Monday To Honor FSU
April 19, 2025
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday ordered flags to be flown at half-staff through Monday across the state to honor Florida State University.
Thursday, two people were killed and six people were wounded by a gunman on the FSU campus.
DeSantis ordered flags at half-staff “in memory of the lives lost in this tragedy and to recognize the bravery shown by the first responders.”
File photo.
Jay, Central To Meet In Rural Division Semifinal Series
April 19, 2025
For the second time since 2009, the Jay Royals won back-t0-back district championships and head into regional play.
In the regional rural division semifinals this week, No. 2 Jay will host No. 3 Central beginning at 7 p.m. on April 28. Regionals will be a best-of-three series this year. The first two games will be at Jay. If a third game is necessary, Central will host the third game.
The winner will face the winner between No. 1 Holmes County and No. 4 Chipley in the regional finals on May 5.
The Northview Chiefs, also in the rural division, were eliminated with a 2-1 loss to Jay on April 15.
FDLE: Suspected Escambia County Fentanyl Trafficker Arrested Friday
April 19, 2025
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested suspected fentanyl trafficker on Friday in Escambia County.
Christopher Alonse Cobb, Jr., 20, was charged with five counts of trafficking fentanyl.
The arrest is the result of a joint investigation by FDLE and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and with funding from Florida’s State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (S.A.F.E.) grant.
The investigation began in October 2024 after agents identified Cobb as a fentanyl distributer within a drug trafficking organization. Between October 2024 and April 2025, FDLE and HIDTA task force members reportedly witnessed Cobb selling fentanyl during five controlled drug purchases. Investigators said Cobb sold nearly a quarter of a pound of fentanyl during the controlled purchases operations.
An arrest warrant for Cobb was issued on April 14, and FDLE arrested him on April 16. FDLE and task force agents conducted two search warrants and seized a stolen 9mm Glock 23 pistol, a 50-round pistol drum, ammunition and multiple cellphones.
Cobb was booked into the Escambia County Jail and is being held without bond pending first appearance
FDLE Pensacola and the DEA HIDTA Drug Task Force are investigating the case. The Florida Highway Patrol assisted in the arrest
Homer Heroics Not Enough As Wahoos Suffer Wild Walk-Off
April 19, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
Nathan Martorella broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t hold the lead in a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Columbus Clingstones on Friday night.
Martorella’s homer, the first in the history of Synovus Park, marked the only offense of the night for the Blue Wahoos (9-4), who went 0-for-10 with men in scoring position. The Clingstones (6-6) were little better, only getting one at-bat with men in scoring position the entire game, but took advantage of several late Pensacola miscues to tie the game in the ninth and win it in the 10th.
The game’s two starting pitchers, Pensacola’s Adam Laskey and Columbus’ Ian Mejia, traded zeroes in the early innings. Laskey worked 4.1 quiet frames, giving him an active scoreless streak of 10.1 innings dating back to his first appearance of the year. Mejia was just as good, completing 6.0 innings with only a pair of infield singles and a bloop double allowed.
Martorella’s homer in the ninth against Rolddy Muñoz gave the Blue Wahoos the long-awaited first run of the game, but the Clingstones tied it up just as quickly in the bottom of the inning. Lane Ramsey, on for his third inning of relief, got some help from his catcher as Joe Mack threw out Cody Milligan trying to take second on a pitch in the dirt. Mack’s third throw-out of the night wiped away the potential tying baserunner, but Adam Zebrowski reached second on a pair of errors from shortstop Jared Serna and scored on two Ramsey wild pitches to tie the game.
After the Blue Wahoos were unable to bring their automatic baserunner home from second in the top of the 10th against Hayden Harris (W, 1-0), the Clingstones wasted no time walking it off against Justin King (L, 0-1). Mack committed an ill-timed passed ball to advance Ethan Workinger from second to third, and a King wild pitch moments later allowed Workinger to score the winning run.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Saturday night. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. ET/5:05 p.m. CT.
Escambia Man Indicted On Attempted Murder Of DEA Agent, Federal Drug And Firearms Charges
April 19, 2025
An Escambia County man faces a potential life sentence after a federal grand jury indicted him this week on a litany of serious charges, including drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession, and the attempted murder of a federal agent.
Austin James McCastler II, 35, was charged in the indictment announced Friday by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The charges stem from alleged drug distribution activities and a violent confrontation during an investigation.
According to the indictment, McCastler faces two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, attempted prevention of the government’s authority to take property during an authorized search and seizure, attempted murder and assault of a DEA agend, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
As law enforcement officers entered the house on a search warrant, they heard what wast “described as a muffled gunshot”, according to county documents. McCastler stated ‘I am locked and loaded! Get out of my house,’ or words to that effect,” a federal affidavit states.
“During the execution of the warrant, McCastler II fired shots at a DEA Special Agent,” court documents state. “McCastler II also barricaded himself inside the residence for a short time before fleeing out the front door on foot. McCastler II was then able to get into a vehicle parked near the front porch, and he fled the scene.” He was captured after his vehicle was disabled and a short foot pursuit.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton are prosecuting the case.
Historic Ernest Ward Middle School FFA, Agriculture Education Programs Are Here To Stay
April 18, 2025
The historic agriculture and FFA programs at Ernest Ward Middle School are not going away.
Rumors and social media posts were spread Thursday that the program is being terminated. But that’s simply not the case, according to Principal Tyvanna Boulanger.
“FFA and ag are, and always have been, a big part of what Ernest Ward has been and will continue be a part of Ernest Ward,” Boulanger said. “They are here to stay.”
The Ernest Ward FFA program has received several state honors.
Agriculture education has a long history at Ernest Ward, believed to date back to the construction of a one-room log school in the 1880s to two-room building that opened in 1909 and later to Ernest Ward School in 1921. The school later became Ernest Ward High School and then the building became Ernest Ward Middle School after the high school merged with Century High School to form Northview two decades ago.
The EWMS agriculture teaching job is currently posted and open only to current instructional employees of Escambia County Public Schools. Applications will open to persons that register for an upcoming ECPS Teacher Hiring Event on May 3 before being posted for open applications, Boulanger said.
Pictured: A 2024 appreciation breakfast held by the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
