Northview High 2025 Prom King And Queen Named
April 13, 2025
Lacey Sapp was named prom queen, and Dee Jefferson was named prom king at the Northview High School 2025 prom Saturday night.
The prom court was Noah Goslee, Mary Catherine Hughes, Lacey Sapp, Dee Jefferson, Beau Daw, and Colton Criswell.
The prom, “Golden Hour” was held at the Sanders Beach Resource Center in Pensacola.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Alderman’s Bombs Power Wahoos To 10-5 Win
April 13, 2025
This week for the Blue Wahoos outfielder Kemp Alderman had not gone so well.
He changed that Saturday in a huge way.
Alderman clouted two home runs, part of a four-hit night with five RBI, as the Blue Wahoos blasted the Montgomery Biscuits 10-5 on a fitting Fireworks Night for the home team that delighted a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“I was just trying to help the team win,” said Alderman, who entered the game with just two hits in 12 at-bats in this series. “Get pitches to hit and then just going out there, having fun, and play the game.”
Alderman, a former Ole Miss star who played a big role in the team’s 2022 College World Series championship, spent time Saturday working on a couple mechanical elements, trying to drive more pitches to the opposite field.
The extra work resulted in his first multi-homer game as a pro, both over the right field wall. It led to the Blue Wahoos scoring the most runs of their first eight games.
“It means a lot,” said Alderman, the Miami Marlins’ second round draft pick in 2023, who has risen to the No. 11 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline. “Working on it (Saturday), I had been pulling off the ball, so I tried to make an adjustment and it worked for me.”
His homers were among a combined six clubbed by the teams Saturday. That was a prelude to the post-game fireworks.
The win improved the Blue Wahoos to 6-2 and provided a chance to win the series against the Biscuits (4-3) in Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. finale that wraps up a nine-game, two team homestand to start the season.
The Blue Wahoos started Saturday in a big way.
The scored five runs in their first at-bat, highlighted by Alderman’s 3-run homer that landed just over the right field wall into the grass berm area. Jared Serna had led off the game by reaching on a strikeout that got past Biscuits catcher Ricardo Genoves. The second batter in the first inning, Joe Mack, was hit by a pitch.
Alderman then delivered the first of his two bombs. Later in the inning, third baseman Josh Zamora hit a two out homer over the left-center wall.
In the third inning, Alderman led off with another right field shot, this one high and inside the foul pole that left the ballpark. He then had a broken bat single in the fifth inning and followed with a run-scoring single in the seventh.
The Blue Wahoos then sent eight batters at the plate in the eighth inning, scoring three runs to blow open the game.
On the mound, starter Dax Fulton had his most successful outing since May 2023, before an elbow injury led to missing the rest of the that season and the entire 2024 season.
Fulton, a lefthander ranked as the Marlins’ No. 14 prospect, finished 5.1 innings, throwing 84 pitches to earn his first win in two years. He allowed just two walks, four strikeouts in a solid performance. Three relievers followed with closer Josh Ekness finishing the game with a strikeout on a 97 mph fastball.
Every Blue Wahoos batter reached base in this game. Zamora and Nathan Martorella both had two-hit games.
GAME NOTABLES
— With three more stolen bases, the Blue Wahoos now have swiped 16 bags. They entered the game second in the Southern League in that category.
— The National Anthem was performed by Brooke Woods.
— There were three Pensacola area youth baseball teams participating in on-field recognition and team members running onto the field with Blue Wahoos players for the starting line. The teams were the Cantonment Reds with 124 total guests, Perdido Baseball and the Bill Bond Warriors.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Blue Wahoos Homestand Finale
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
Escambia Schools Honor Outstanding Career Academies, Students, Teachers, and Partners
April 12, 2025
Escambia County Public Schools have honored the best of the best in the district’s career academies, including Tate High School, Beulah Middle School, and Escambia County Farm Bureau.
At an event this week, the district presented the following career academy honors:
ECPS AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- Middle School Student of the Year
Sophia Nunn, Digital Discoveries Academy, Beulah Middle School - Middle School Career Academy Teacher of the Year
Jessica Steele, Cyber-IT Academy, Bellview Middle School - Middle School Career Academy of the Year
Digital Discoveries Academy, Beulah Middle School - High School Career Academy Student of the Year
Caleb Murphy, Energy Academy, West Florida High School - High School Career Academy Scholar
Ryan Reid, Flight Academy, Escambia High School - High School Career Academy Student Intern of the Year
Bethany Gurley, New Media Academy, Pine Forest High School - High School Career Academy Teacher of the Year
Nancy Barger, Health Science Academy, Booker T. Washington High School - High School Career Academy of the Year
Game, Simulation and Animation Academy, Tate High School
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY PARTNER AWARDS:
- Agriculture Business/Industry Academy Partner Award
Escambia County Farm Bureau (Scott Cunningham, Chapter President) - Communication Business/Industry Academy Partner Award
UWF Communication Department (Christian Garman, Instructor) - Culinary Business/Industry Academy Partner Award
UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program (Jolynn Peoples, Nutrition Educator) - Electrical Business/Industry Academy Partner Award
Casey Electric (Roger Casey, Owner) - Multimedia Business/Industry Academy Partner Award
WEAR ABC 3 News, Pensacola (Jack Canavan, Studio Manager)
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Lady Aggies Celebrate Senior Night (With Photo Gallery)
April 12, 2025
The Tate Aggies softball celebrated senior night on Friday night, honoring eight members of the team from the Class of 2005.
The seniors are Blakely Campbell, Carlyn Ham, Aubree Jordan, Ambuerleigh Laird, Tristen Showalter, Jordan Smith, Lacy Wilson, and Kara Wine.
For a photo gallery click here (game action is first, followed by senior night photos).
After being tied at four in the bottom of the eighth, the Navarre Raiders pulled out a 7-4 win over the Lady Aggies in nine-inning game on Charlene Varnell Field in Cantonment.
Smith took the loss for Tate, going nine innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on 11 hits while walking two and striking out five.
Peyton Womack, Madison Smillie, Campbell, Laird, and Smith each had one hit for the Aggies. Smith led with two RBIs, while Campbell also had a run batted in.
Up next, the Aggies will be at the Escambia Gators on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chiefs End Regular Season With 12-5 Win Over W.S. Neal (With Gallery)
April 12, 2025
The Northview Chiefs closed their regular season with a 12-5 win over the W.S. Neal Eagles 12-5 Friday night in Bratt.
Jase Portwood earned the win for the Chiefs. He gave up one hit and one unearned run in three innings, striking out four and walking none. Grayden Sheffield pitched three innings, allowing three hits and our runs while striking out two and walking three. Jayden White threw one inning of no-hit, no-run ball.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Sheffield went 3-3 at bat, while Braynt Mason had four RBIs as he went 2-3, and Luke Chavers went 2-3.
Up next, Northview will host Laurel Hill in the Rural District 1 quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Monday. The winner will head to the semis against the Royals on Tuesday afternoon in Jay.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Four Arrested In Atmore Drug Bust
April 12, 2025
A McDavid woman was among four individuals arrested during a drug raid carried out by the Atmore Police Department Special Response Team recently.
Authorities executed a search warrant at a residence on Highway 31 around 8:46 a.m., targeting 35-year-old Matthew McGhee of Atmore. McGhee was wanted on an outstanding warrant for escape first degree. After forcibly entering the home, officers took McGhee into custody and observed narcotics in plain view, prompting a second search warrant, according to APD.
During the subsequent search, agents uncovered several dozen grams of marijuana, methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, and various other unidentified substances, police said. Items commonly used to ingest narcotics, as well as a firearm, were also found according to Atmore Police.
McGhee was also charged with charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana first degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Among those arrested was Nina Simmons, 38, of McDavid, Florida, who faces charges of two counts of possession of a controlled Substance, possession of marijuana first degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also arrested were:
- Brian Ledkins, 43, of Flomaton – charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana first degree, certain persons forbidden to possess firearms, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Raven Hightower, 24, of Flomaton – charged with possession of marijuana first degree and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All suspects were transported to the Escambia County Detention Center. The substances seized have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for further analysis.
Pictured: (top row) McGhee, Simmons, (bottom row) Hightower, Ledkins.
Laskey Wows In Start, But Blue Wahoos Fall In 3-2 Loss
April 12, 2025
The Blue Wahoos have a promotional ice cream giveaway whenever a Pensacola pitcher first records three strikeouts in an inning.
Adam Laskey caused a reorder. Laskey struck out the first six batters he faced, and nine total over 4.0 innings, but the Montgomery Biscuits got enough big hits later for a 3-2 victory Friday night against the Blue Wahoos to even the week-long series.
A capacity crowd of 5,038 on watched an arms duel in this game, which was completed in just 2 hours, 14 minutes. The Blue Wahoos lost this game despite their pitchers racking up 14 strikeouts. The Biscuits countered with 11 punchouts and held the Blue Wahoos to six hits and few opportunities.
Laskey delivered near-perfection in the four innings he worked as a spot starter. The first Biscuits batter to put the ball in play was second baseman Willy Vasquez with a leadoff single in the third inning, but he was thrown out by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Mack trying to steal second. That proved to be the only time a Laskey pitch left the infield in his four innings. A former mid-draft (19th round) pick out of Duke University in 2019, Laskey was acquired by the Miami Marlins from the Chicago Cubs organization in December 2023. He appeared in 31 games for the Blue Wahoos last season, including six starts. He pitched in relief last Saturday in the Blue Wahoos sweep of the Biloxi Shuckers, allowing a run in three innings. His four-pitch arsenal – fastball, change-up, curve ball, slider – was on point in a noteworthy way Friday. He threw just 47 pitches in the specified four-inning start with 35 for strikes. He allowed no walks and faced just 12 batters.
When he exited, the Blue Wahoos had a 1-0 lead after Mack blasted a solo home run that hit the sidewalk behind the right-center berm area and bounced out of the ballpark. The cutter pitch exited Mack’s bat at 106 mph and traveled 437 feet.
The Biscuits got a tying run in the fifth off reliever Nigel Belgrave on a double by Brayden Taylor, one of the Tampa Bay Rays’ highest-rated prospects. By design, the Blue Wahoos had Evan Fitterer pitch the final four innings. After his strong performance as a starter last Saturday, Fitterer was touched up for two runs in the sixth inning on a RBI double by Homer Bush Jr. and Colton Ledbetter’s run-scoring single that proved decisive.
The Blue Wahoos attempted an eighth-inning rally when Jared Serna homered over the left field wall, followed by a Kemp Alderman single and Nathan Martorella walk. But reliever Alfredo Zarraga induced a hard grounder by Shane Sasaki that became an inning-ending double play. Zarraga then set the Blue Wahoos down in order in the ninth.
The teams will play their fifth game of the series on Saturday, a Fireworks Saturday, featuring the Blue Wahoos’ Dax Fulton making his second start of the season.
GAME NOTABLES
— — Escambia County Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Kelly Reed, a kindergarten teacher at Global Learning Academy, was honored during pregame activities. She led a parade of ECPS teachers in a lap around the field. Reed also threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
— Also part of the pregame activities were Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, who had five ceremonial first pitches and brought awareness to the local chapter of the national organization.
—— Bubba Watson, a co-investor in the Blue Wahoos and big supporter, posted an even-par round Friday at The Masters and is 1-under for the tournament. The two-time Masters champion made the cut for the first time in three years.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday
GAME TIMES: Saturday’s games starts at 6:05 p.m. Sunday’s game starts at 1:05 p.m.
All Escambia County Roads Reopened Following Flood Related Closures
April 11, 2025
All Escambia County roadways have reopened as of Friday morning following closures this week due to flooding April 6-7.
REOPENED
- Arthur Brown at Brushy Creek
- Barrineau Park Road bridge over Perdido River into Alabama
- Arthur Brown at Freedom Springs Branch
- Pine Forest Road (Walnut Hill) — North of Arthur Brown (paving is forthcoming)
- O.C. Phillips Road at Brushy Creek
- Pineville Road at Brushy Creek
- Rockaway Creek bridge over Rocky Branch (just south of Atmore)
- Nokomis Road between Albritton & Tullis — detour in place
- River Annex Road off Muscogee
NorthEscambia.com/submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Three Cantonment Men Charged With Theft, Sale Of Nearly Two Tons Of Phone, Copper Wire
April 11, 2025
Three Cantonment men have been charged with the theft and sale of nearly two tons of phone cables and other copper utility wire.
Frank Lee Johnson, 48, and brothers Chadwick Clay Dixon, 45, and Levy Bryan Dixon, 44, were each charged with first degree felony stealing copper or other metal interfering with communications utility.
Levy Dixon and Johnson are charged with additional felony counts of dealing in stolen property and operating as a secondary metal recycler.
The trio was allegedly involved with cutting down phone cables that each contained 200 to 400 pairs of copper phone lines as well as the theft uninsulated copper line. The wire was identified as belonging to AT&T and Pike Electric Company. Additional fiber optic lines were reportedly damaged in the process of cutting down the phone cables.
According to an arrest report, Johnson and Levy Dixon participated in the sale of 3,843 pounds of copper for approximately $12,000 to the High Cotton Scrap Yard in Frisco City, Alabama. The wires were first transported to their residence on Frank Ard Road and burned in a controlled homemade oven to remove the insulation. IT was then placed into a steel bowl on top of a burner before being sifted “so that it could not be identified in its original intended use”, an arrest report states and then transported 55 miles to the Frisco City scrapyard.
Johnson remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $255,000, while both Dixon brothers were being held without bond. Jail records indicate that Johnson is also wanted by the Monroeville Police Department.
Wildfire Sparked By Yard Debris Burn Consumes Four Acres In Molino
April 11, 2025
A wildfire burned about four acres in Molino on Thursday afternoon.
The fire was originally spotted about 3 p.m. by a Florida Forest Service (FFS) airplane in the area. According to Escambia County Fire Rescue, the blaze started as a yard debris fire that got out of control.
ECFR said that a lot of debris that included railroad tires, old buildings and broken-down cars helped to fuel the fire.
The Forest Service responded with two tractors and one brush truck, while Escambia County Fire Rescue responded with multiple units from stations including Molino, Cantonment and McDavid.
FFS contained the fire within a fire line.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
