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.
Clerk Pauses Payments For Escambia Commissioners’ Discretionary Fund Spending
April 11, 2025
Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers says she is going to review the use of discretionary funds by commissioners, which are part of the overall annual budget. In the meantime, she is pausing payments for funds already approved by commissioners until her review is completed and her opinion is issued.
The budget includes $50,000 per year for each commissioner, with a rollover, as part of the general fund classified as aids to private organizations. An expenditure request by any one commissioner must be approved by the entire board. (See below for the most recent requests.)
The funds have been used for community festivals, sports teams that could not afford trips to a state championship and more.
Childers said taxpayer dollars must be spent in a manner consistent with the Florida Constitution, requiring a lawful public purpose.
“The public purpose for discretionary expenditures is not obvious when you allocated to private galas, picnics, benefits, church revivals, school softball teams, and golf tournaments,” she said. “Looking at this in a different way, taxpayers do not pay taxes for the county to make donations to private organizations of their own choosing to enhance the mission of that organization.”
She also said there is a specific provision in the Florida Constitution preventing revenue from being taken from the public treasury to aid any church or religious denomination. She said seeing discretionary funding for churches on the agenda raised her awareness of the issue.
“You are doing contributions to churches for their picnics or something they are having; I think that’s a violation,” she said.
“It’s certainly alarming and disappointing that we’ve done it for 10 years, and at this point we’re beginning to do review in which we’ve helped multiple organizations,” May said,’ that benefits the good of the community.”
Is it not a common good to feed people? Is it not a common good to buy hamburgers and hotdogs for children in the inner city that don’t have food to eat when we are feeding homeless people, when we are giving out money? We’ve got to define that,” May said. “For the common benefit, for the common purpose of making sure that Brownsville Assembly is feeding people. That has to be a common good for the community.”
“If you believe that is the county government’s responsibility,” Childers replied, emphasizing the word government, “then we will have a form. You will write that…while funds are being under scrutiny, this is a really good time to look at this.”
The commission is expected to review Childers’ finding and potential policies at an upcoming meeting.
These are the most recent discretionary funding requests totaling $18,000 by commissioners as reflected on agendas to date in March and April:
District 1 (Steve Stroberger) $6,000
- $1,000 for Legion’s Boy’s State Program
- $2,500 for Valerie’s House
- $2,500 for Golf Elite Track and Field Club
District 2 (Mike Kohler) $1,500
- $1,500 for First Tee Gulf Coast
District 3 (Lumon May) $3,500
- $2,500 for an Autism Pensacola gala fundraising event
- $1,000 for First Tee Gulf Coast
District 4 (Ashlee Hofberger) $3,500
- $1,000 for a Holes 4 Heroes Charity Golf Tournament
- $1,000 for First Tee Gulf Coast
- $1,500 for ReadyKids! Kindergarten, Here We Come!
District 5 (Steven Barry) $3,500
- $2,500 for the Tate Aggie Classic
- $1,000 for a Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church fall festival
Tate Aggies Honored As Blue Wahoos Beat The Biscuits (With Gallery)
April 11, 2025
Thursday night was a big night for the Tate Aggies as they watched the Blue Wahoos beat the Blue Wahoos 8-5 in Pensacola.
The Aggies baseball team had their season awards dinner on the party porch with a group of 160 people that was a combination of team members, parents and friends. All six Tate seniors on the team — Kaleb Posta, Brayden Beck, Tate Davis, Nate Ozuna, Zane Warrington and Sheppard Edgar — were all honored by throwing out ceremonial first pitches to Blue Wahoos outfielder Dalvy Rosario.
For a photo gallery of the Aggies at the Blue Wahoos, click here.
Tate head coach Brett McCullough said he thought a team outing at Blue Wahoos Stadium was the perfect setting for a season team event. The Aggies will be in the district post-season playoffs beginning next week.
Spohn, Sasaki Lead Two-Out Attack in 8-5 Wahoos Win
Harrison Spohn ignores any scenario with each at-bat to ensure a consistent approach.
“Just keeping things simple,” he said. “Pretending there’s no one on base, just so my brain doesn’t go crazy.”
He was perfectly focused Thursday, driving in three runs on three hits, including a go-ahead triple, as the Blue Wahoos used two-out magic for all their runs in an 8-5 victory against the Montgomery Biscuits on Pensacola Mullets Night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The team took on its alternate identity wearing Pensacola Mullets uniforms – a tradition that began years ago on each Thursday home game.
Spohn’s night was one half of the huge production from the bottom of the batting order. Centerfielder Shane Sasaki, robbed of a home run Wednesday night, had fate on his side this time, driving in four runs with two big swings. He doubled off the wall in left center in the second inning, then blasted a two-run homer that scored Spohn in the sixth inning.
Spohn also came up with the game’s biggest defensive play. The Biscuits were in position in the eighth inning with runners on second and third to again erase a Blue Wahoos lead. Matthew Etzel, who had driven in two runs earlier, scorched a line drive off reliever Ricky DeVito. But Spohn was in the right position for a big catch that resulted in an inning-ending double play. In the ninth, Dale Stanavich earned his first save by striking out Brock Jones with a sweeper pitch and two runners on base.
The Blue Wahoos (5-1) got eight runs on eight hits. That kind of offense was needed on this night.
“It’s always nice to get the season on the right start, but it’s a long season. We gotta keep it going,” said Spohn on the post-game stadium interview with the Blue Wahoos’ Carter Bainbridge.
Blue Wahoos starter Robby Snelling, the team’s highest-rated prospect, encountered difficulty but struck out a season-high nine batters. He gave up a pair of homers and four runs, while becoming the first Blue Wahoos starter to work into the sixth inning. Snelling seemed in command with a 4-1 lead through four innings. But a leadoff homer by Willy Vasquez in the fifth inning was followed by a pair of singles, then runners advancing into scoring position, when Mathew Etzel delivered a two-out, two-run single.
In the game-deciding sixth inning, Cody Morissette had a one-out single, then stole second. Spohn followed with his RBI triple.
“Just (looking for) something in the zone, right?” Spohn said of his approach. “That’s all you got to do in this game in Double-A.”
Sasaki then blasted a slider over the left center wall with a 106 mph exit speed to make it 7-4. In the eighth inning, Spohn’s RBI single with two outs scored Johnny Olmstead, who had reached on a two-base error.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Friday Thru Sunday.
GAME TIMES: Friday and Saturday games all start at 6:05 p.m. The game on Sunday starts at 1:05 p.m.
Game action written by Bill Vilona.
Sappington’s Hat Trick, Helmig’s Saves Power Tate Girls Lacrosse To 7-3 Playoff Win
April 11, 2025
submitted for NorthEscambia.com
Junior standout Tori Sappington recorded a hat trick and sophomore goalie Carly Helmig anchored a stout defense as the Tate Aggies girls lacrosse team defeated Milton in the first round of the 2A District 1Girls Lacrosse tournament at Tate High School.
Sappington was the offensive engine for Tate, finding the net three times on nine shots on goal. Her scoring prowess set the tone, but the offense featured contributions across multiple classes. Junior Taelyn Hubbard added a goal and the team’s lone assist, while sophomore Abigayle Keever, freshman Ashlee Edgar, and senior Hannah Keeler each chipped in with a goal apiece. Edgar and Keeler were notably efficient, converting their only shots of the game into goals. As a team, Tate registered 17 shots on target.
While the offense put up seven goals, the defense and goaltending were equally impressive. Helmig played the entire game in cage, turning aside 9 of the 12 shots she faced for a strong .750 save percentage. Her performance kept the opposition largely in check, allowing just three goals against.
The defensive effort extended to controlling loose balls, as Tate collected 26 ground balls throughout the match. Sappington led the way here as well, scooping up a team-high 5 ground balls. Sophomore Lily Meteiver contributed 4, while Hubbard and freshman Brooke Odom added 3 each.
Tate also found success on the draw, winning 7 draw controls, with Sappington again playing a central role in gaining possession for her team.
No. 4 Tate advances to the semifinals at 6 p.m.on Monday, April 14 at No. 1 Gulf Breeze.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Northview Softball And Baseball, Tate Softball Earn Wins Thursday Night
April 11, 2025
SOFTBALL
Northview 11, West Florida 1
The Northview Lady Chiefs dominated the West Florida Jaguars 11-1 on Thursday night in Pensacola.
In a complete game, Mikayla McAnally gave up two hits and one run while walking none and striking out 10 in a seven innings.
Avery Stuckey went 3-4 for the Chiefs, while Addysen Bolen and Jamison Gilman each had three RBIs. Bailey Burkette, Aubrey Hadley, and Daviona Randolph each had multiple hits.
Up next for the Chiefs is a trip to rival Jay on Tuesday, April 15.
Tate 4, Gulf Breeze 3
The Tate Aggies beat Gulf Breeze 4-3 Thursday night in Cantonment.
Peyton Womack earned the win for the Lady Aggies, surrendering eight hits and three runs in seven innings, walking four and striking out five.
Mykamia Padgett recorded two RBIs, going 2-3 for the night. Peyton Womack also had two hits for Tate. Kinzlee Biggs, Aubrey Jordan, Taylor Robinson and Carlyn Ham each added one hit.
Tate will host Navarre Friday at 6:30 for senior night.
BASEBALL
Northview 4, Baker 2
The Northview Chiefs earned a big 4-2 district win over Baker Thursday night in Bratt.
Braynt Mason earned the win for Northview, surrendering just one hit and no runs in five innings, walking one and striking out five. Jase Portwood and Grayden Sheffield pitched in relief for Northview. Sheffield allowed two hits and two runs while walking one and striking out two in one and two-thirds innings, while Portwood allowed no hits and no runs in the final third of an inning.
Northview will host W.S. Neal at 6:30 in their final regular season game of the season.
Northview 10, Baker 0 (JV)
NorthEscambia.com file photo.