Road Construction Remains On Hold Through Monday
September 3, 2017
To promote safety and reduce congestion over the Labor Day weekend, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has suspending normal road construction activities on all major roads in Northwest Florida. There will be no work on state roads requiring lane restrictions from Friday through Monday. Work on projects requiring lane closures will resume Tuesday, September 5. All major roads will be open to normal traffic.
If an emergency situation occurs during holiday weekend that requires a lane closure, repairs will continue until that lane is reopened to the traveling public and all safety issues related to the traveling public have been addressed.
Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through work zones around barricades and equipment on current projects. Travelers can access Florida’s 511 service from cell phones, landlines, and at www.FL511.com to receive updates on travel in the area.
UWF Gets Late Stops To Preserve 20-16 Season-Opening Road Win
September 3, 2017
On a night when the UWF offense wasn’t as prolific as it had been a year ago, the defense came up huge with multiple ‘bend but don’t break’ stops and two turnovers to secure the season-opening 20-16 road win over Missouri S&T at Allgood-Bailey Stadium Saturday.
The Argonauts got a huge break at the start of the fourth quarter when S&T kick returner Rod Chapman fumbled a punt that gave UWF the ball at the 19-yard line. Three plays later Mike Beaudry connected with sophomore Gage Krull inside the five before Krull carried a defender into the end zone that gave the Argos a 20-13 lead.
The Miners got four first downs on the ensuing drive but were stood up inside the 10 and had to settle for a 25-yard Ben Styron field goal – his third of the game.
Both teams traded 3-and-out possessions before the Miners made a push across midfield into UWF territory. Sitting at the 44, Tyler Swart went for a home run ball but graduate transfer Josh Marshall went up and intercepted it at the eight.
The Miners got the ball back again 59 seconds later and drove to the 8-yard line with less than a minute to play. Deshawn Jones found a seam up the middle and was hit at the three, where he launched towards the goal line but saw the ball slip out of his hands inside the one when sophomore Martes Wheeler hit him, allowing sophomore Trent Archie to recover it for the Argos and clinch the victory.
UWF (1-0) finished with 265 yards of total offense. Beaudry, a redshirt sophomore who missed last season while rehabbing a foot injury, was 20-of-31 for 192 yards and a pair of touchdown passes in his first college game. Sophomore Grey Jackson was 5-of-8 for 32 yards.
The Argonauts rushed for just 41 yards, with sophomore Chris Schwarz gaining 34 on 19 carries. He had 10 yards on five trips with a 1-yard score late in the first quarter that put the Argonauts ahead 6-0.
On defense, UWF sacked S&T’s Tyler Swart five times and limited the rushing attack to 65 yards. Wheeler led the defense with nine tackles and junior Marvin Conley added eight.
Missouri S&T (0-1) had 422 yards with 357 through the air, but committed three turnovers in its final five possessions.
The Miners held their only lead at 7-6 following a 65-yard Swart touchdown pass early in the second quarter. The Argos regained the lead with six seconds to play in the half when Beaudry found Rodney Coates in the end zone on a 25-yard pass that ended a drive that covered 75 yards on seven plays in 1:45.
UWF will return home for three-consecutive games at Blue Wahoos Stadium, beginning next Saturday, Sept. 9 against No. 24 Midwestern State (1-0).
Three Consecutive Life Sentences For Child Sexual Abuse
September 3, 2017
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for child sexual abuse.
Brian Lee Brown was convicted of capital sexual battery on a victim under 12 years of age and three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 15 years of age. Circuit Judge John Miller sentenced Miller to three three consecutive life sentences for each sexual battery county and three 15 year sentences consecutive to each other for the lewd or lascivious battery counts.
In September 2016, a child disclosed that he was sexually abused by Brown over a seven year period.
Wahoos Win Over Jacksonville
September 3, 2017
In his sixth start since spending a month on the disabled list for shoulder tightness, Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Austin Ross finally looks 100 percent healthy.
The 29-year-old Ross allowed one run in six innings to snap Pensacola’s two game losing streak with a, 3-1, victory Saturday over the second half Southern Division champion Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Ross improved to 9-0 with a 1.87 ERA, allowing just five hits, no walks and striking out six.
Ross loaded the bases with one out in the second inning but struck out the final two batters of the inning to escape that scoring threat and blanked Jacksonville the first five innings.
However, with two outs in the sixth inning Jumbo Shrimp right fielder John Norwood his 16th double of the year. Jacksonville third baseman David Vidal followed with a single to center to drive in Norwood to trail Pensacola, 3-1. On the play, Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson threw Vidal out trying to take second base on the throw home.
The Blue Wahoos scored all its runs in the third inning benefitting from two Jacksonville errors to go ahead, 3-0. Pensacola shortstop Blake Trahan reached second on a throwing error by Jacksonville’s Vidal. Trahan scored the first run when Jumbo Shrimp first baseman Justin Bour committed an error on a grounder by Pensacola third baseman Arismendy Alcantara. Pensacola went up, 2-0, when second baseman Shed Long doubled to drive in Ross. Guerrero then grounded out to third, allowing Alcantara to score for a 3-0 Pensacola lead.
Long was 3-for-3 in the game with the double, walk and RBI to lead the Blue Wahoos. He is 5-for-11 in the first three games of the five-game series against Jacksonville with two RBIs and a run scored.
Pensacola reliever Zack Weiss entered the game in the seventh inning and threw two scoreless innings, striking out four. Weiss has now thrown 6.2 shutout innings and has not allowed a hit, while striking out four over his last four appearances.
Blue Wahoos closer Tanner Rainey picked up his third save in his last three appearances. Like Weiss, the flame throwing Rainey has not allowed a run or hit in his last five appearances, getting 12 strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Jacksonville starter Trevor Richards, picked up the loss to fall to 5-7 on the year, but also pitched a good game. The 24-year-old righty worked six innings, allowing three unearned runs, five hits, walked none and struck out seven.
Jacksonville leads the series, 2-1.
Because Pensacola won the first half, its Southern League record fourth in a row, the two teams meet again Sept. 6 at Blue Wahoos Stadium in a best of five series in the Southern Division playoffs.
Only the Tennessee Smokies have also won four straight halves between 2009 and 2011.
More Charges Filed Against Cantonment Man That Crashed Into Sacred Heart ER
September 2, 2017
A Cantonment man is facing additional charges for crashing his Jeep into the Sacred Heart Hospital Emergency Room.
Pensacola Police said 25-year Kevin Pryor of Cantonment purposely drove his Jeep through the doors of the ER after a domestic violence incident in Cantonment. Pryor’s girlfriend, who was a passenger in the Jeep at the time, said the incident was purposeful.
She told police that Pryor said, “I’m going to go through the doors” before driving into the ER. Witness said Pryor exited the seat of the vehicle after the crash and began to act erratically and tried to run into another patient’s room.
Video surveillance showed that the crash slowed the vehicle, but Pryor purposefully accelerated further into the building, according to an arrest report. Damage to the building and two wheel chairs was estimated at $80,000.
Pryor’s girlfriend said the couple had smoked marijuana prior to the incident. Blood tests show Pryor had multiple controlled substances in his system, including cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, the arrest report states.
Pensacola Police charged Pryor with driving under influence with property damage and felony criminal mischief with property damage greater than $1,000. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $3,000 bond.
Pryor was previous arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for a domestic violence incident in Cantonment. He was charged with battery by strangulation and released on a $5,000 bond before being re-arrested by Pensacola Police.
The victim told deputies that she and Pryor were involved in a verbal argument when he became agitated and grabbed her by her arm. Pryor then took her car keys and attempted to get the victim into a vehicle, according to an arrest report. She said she struggled on the ground with Pryor at which time he choked her until she lost consciousness.
She told deputies she agreed to get into the Jeep with Pryor to calm him down, and he drove from Cantonment to Sacred Heart Hospital and through the doors of the emergency room.
The victim, according to an arrest report, told deputies that she believed Pryor was possibly trying to harm himself and her by driving through the building.
Pictured: A Cantonment man crashed his Jeep into the Sacred Heart Emergency Room August 17 in what police said was a domestic violence incident. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Students Selected For Take Stock In Children Scholarship Program
September 2, 2017
Take Stock in Children recently introduced 25 new scholarship recipients.
There are now a total of 126 students in grades 7-12 in Escambia County’s program. Students will receive a college scholarship upon graduation from high school, as long as they maintain good grades, attendance and citizenship, remain crime and drug free, and meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
The newly selected students include:
- Bailey Middle – Emili Campbell, Avery Leventhal, Kendall Poston
- Bellview Middle – Ty’QuJuan Stallworth, Aiden Wilson
- Brown Barge Middle – Kelsey Bolling, Michael Dorsey, Kiana Hollis, Efrain Escarfullett III
- Ernest Ward Middle – Johnnie Howell Jr., Loghan Zellers
- Ferry Pass Middle – Abbie Brunson, Rafeal Goodwin II, Jayla Rudolph, Trinity Weaver
- Ransom Middle – Calvin Brewer, Alonna Brown, Shelby Lewis, Kiara Mullins
- Warrington Middle – Eunique Crosby, Kylie Williams
- West Florida High – De’mayla Jenkins
- Woodham Middle – Malik Williams, Stacey Miller
Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization that provides “scholarships, mentors & hope” to deserving young people selected through a need-based application process through the public middle schools at the end of their 6th grade year. Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students successfully graduate from high school.
West Florida Topples Tate (With Photo Gallery)
September 2, 2017
The West Florida Jaguars came from behind to defeat the Tate Aggies Friday night 41-28.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Two touchdown passes by Tate junior quarterback Hunter Riggan on the Aggies’ first two drives made it 13-0 after just four minutes of play. The Aggies were back on top late in the second quarter on a short Shermari Jones touchdown run to make the score 22-14. The Aggies saw their lead cut to 22-20 by halftime.
Early in the third quarter, West Florida junior quarterback Trever Jordan and Ko Burrell linked up for another aerial touchdwon. West Florida converted the 2-point try for a 28-22 lead. The Jaguars held the lead the remainder of the game.
The Aggies (1-1) will host Gulf Breeze (2-0) next Friday night at 7:00 while West Florida (2-0) will hit the road to take on D’Iverville, MS.
Look for more photos to be posted by Tuesday on NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Beats Northview, 41-14 (With Gallery)
September 2, 2017
The Northview Chiefs were beat at home Friday night by the Escambia Academy Cougars, 41-14.
“They were better than us tonight in every facet of the game. They fought better, they tackled better, they ran better. They ran routes better, they covered better…every facet of the game,” Northview head coast Derek Marshman said. “There were some positives. We had some young guys step up. We had freshman and sophomores on the field. We’re a young team. I mean this is like a JV team playing a varsity team age-wise. So in the grand scheme of things we had some young guys really step up and fight but overall they just out performed us tonight.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
The running-clock loss will serve as one of those character building, a team building lessons in life for the Chiefs.
“To see competition like this you know, No. 3 (Fred Flavors) and No. 7 (Trey Turner) are just helluva football players. You get competition like that and you see there speed it helps, it really does, but overall like I said, it’ll help us because we had young guys stepping up, and that’s what matters. We are a young football team and our leaders are young guys,” Marshman said.
Turner had three touchdowns on the night, including a 55-yarder, for the Cougars, while junior Patrick McGhee had two touchdowns.
Escambia Academy held a 28-0 lead at the half, with Northview coming back to outscore EA 14-13 in the second half.
Northview scored with a 70-yard touchdown run from Jaden Jackson and a 5-yard run by Aunterrio Minor.
Next week, the Chiefs (1-1) make the trek to South Walton (1-1) while Escambia Academy will host Pickens Academy.
“Next time we go to South Walton and they got moved up to 4A so it’s going to be a challenge for us. They are going to throw the ball around and they are going to do some really good things in the spread so it’s going to be a little different type of look for us,” Marshman said.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Look for cheerleader, band and other photos to be posted by Tuesday on NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Thompson Road Paving Project Continues
September 2, 2017
Thompson Road near Century is expected to remain closed for about two more months for drainage upgrades and paving.
Thompson Road is closed between Crary Road and North Century Boulevard (Highway 29), with traffic detoured along Highway 29 to Byrneville Road and Crary Road.
The roadway closure is expected to remain in effect for the duration of the construction, which is expected to last through fall 2017. County officials said every effort will be made to expedite construction efforts to reopen the road on or before November 9, 2017.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scores
September 2, 2017
Here are week two high school scores from around the North Escambia area Friday night:
FLORIDA
West Florida 41, Tate 28 [Read more...]
Escambia Academy 41, Northview 14 [Read more...]
Cottondale 28, Jay 27
Navarre 27, Washington 12
Gulf Breeze 38, Catholic 25
Pensacola 40, Pace 14
Milton 27, Choctaw 13
Pine Forest (OFF)
Escambia at Archbishop Shaw (LA) – Saturday
ALABAMA
Escambia County 8, Wilcox Central 0
Escambia Academy 41, Northview 14
Flomaton 53, Billingsley 7
T.R. Miller 54, Opp 0
Tallasee 28, W.S. Neal 13
Pictured: Tate hosted West Florida Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photo by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.