Mississippi’s Top 1A Team Defeats The Jay Royals (With Gallery)
September 5, 2015
The Jay Royals were defeated 12-0 by Resurrection Catholic Friday night at Merle V. North Stadium in Jay.
Resurrection Catholic is the top ranked 1A team in Mississippi.
Jay (0-2) will next host Wewahitchka Friday at 7 p.m.
Photos by Michele Gibbs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scores
September 5, 2015
Here is a look at Friday night’s high school football scores from across the area:
FLORIDA
Tate 17, West Florida 3 [Read more, photos...]
Resurrection Catholic 12, Jay 0 [Read more, photos...]
Choctaw 31, Pine Forest 28
Pensacola 40, Pace 10
Escambia 28, Niceville 24
Navarre 42, Washington, 0
Catholic 41, Gulf Breeze 24
Milton 27, Champagnat Catholic 20
Northview — OFF
ALABAMA
Washington Co. 27, Flomaton 12
Vigor 43, Atmore 0
T.R. Miller 7, Bayside Academy 0
W.S. Neal 15, Clarke Co. 0
Escambia Academy 49, Lancaster Christian (Smyrna, TN) 8
Woman Seriously Injured After Driver Runs Stop Sign
September 4, 2015
One person was injured in a two vehicle crash Thursday night in Cantonment after a driver reportedly ran a stop sign.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 67-year old Billy Cox of Pensacola was traveling north on County Road 97 in a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe when he ran a stop sign at Muscogee Road and collided with a 2008 Nissan Altima driven by 59-year old Melinda Fredrickson of Pensacola.
The right side of Fredrickson’s vehicle struck three road signs and a mailbox before coming to rest in a ditch. Firefighters were forced to use the Jaws of Life to free her from the vehicle. Fredrickson was transported by ambulance to West Florida Hospital with serious injuries.
Cox was charged with running a stop sign after troopers said multiple witnesses reported Cox ran the stop sign at a speed of “around 40 miles per hour”.
Pictured top: Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to free a woman following a Cantonment crash. Pictured inset: The driver of this vehicle was critically injured. Pictured below: The driver of this vehicle was cited for running a stop sign. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Poarch Creek Indians Win Alabama Gambling Challenge
September 4, 2015
An appeals court has ruled against the State of Alabama’s attempt to close casinos operated by the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by Alabama to block gambling at Wind Creek in Atmore and two other casinos owned by the tribe. The casinos operate electronic bingo games, which the state alleged were actually slot machines.
The federal appeals court upheld a district court ruling that the Poach Creek Indians have every right to run the casinos on tribal land in Alabama.
In a written statement, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said he does not intend to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The ruling was applauded by Tribal Chair and CEO Stephanie Bryan.
“The State’s lawsuit was an attempt to prevent the Tribe, the only federally recognized Indian tribe in Alabama, from operating our gaming facilities in the State on our lands that are held in trust by the federal government,” Bryan said. “The Appeals Court decision has confirmed what we have always known, that the State does not have jurisdiction over our gaming facilities. The Tribe has been attempting to negotiate a Tribal-State compact since 1991, to no avail. However, we continue to be ready and willing to discuss with the Governor how a compact would benefit the entire State.”
The Poarch Creek Indians are also partners in the Gretna parimutuel facility in North Florida.
To read the complete 42 page ruling, click here.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: Baker Defeats Northview
September 4, 2015
The Baker Gators defeated the Northview Chiefs in high school volleyball action Thursday in Bratt.
JV
Baker def. Northview 2-0
4-25, 7-25
Varsity
Baker def. Northview 3-0
11-25, 8-25, 14-25
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Amerson, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Gets 15 Years On Meth Charges
September 4, 2015
A Cantonment woman has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison for a active meth lab in her camper trailer.
Vanesa Sharp was convicted of trafficking in methamphetamine greater than 200 grams, unlawful possession of listed chemical anhydrous ammonia, unlawful possession of listed chemical pseudoephedrine, possession of controlled substance methamphetamine, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.
One March 22, 2014, Escambia County deputies responded to a narcotics complaint at 1400 Becks Lake Road in Cantonment. When Sharp answered the door of the camper trailer, deputies were met with a strange chemical odor.
During their encounter with Sharp, they observed a small amount of methamphetamine in Sharp’s purse.
Deputies discovered items in the camper trailer used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Deputies entered the camper trailer and confirmed there were no other occupants. Once a search warrant was obtained, narcotics investigators searched the trailer and found the following baggies containing methamphetamine, two plastic baggies containing marijuana, pseudoephedrine, coffee grinder and funnels both with pseudoephedrine residue, pipes, and an active one pot meth lab.
The meth oil inside the one pot tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed about 360 grams.
The one pot and other items were disposed of by a hazmat team.
Bense Reappointed As UWF President As Process Begins To Hire New Leader
September 4, 2015
Judy Bense, president of the University of West Florida since 2007, received approval Thursday to remain in the post as the Pensacola school moves through the process of hiring a new leader.
The state university system’s Board of Governors unanimously confirmed the reappointment of Bense — a move that came after the University of West Florida Board of Trustees voted to extend her contract through December 2016. In a June letter to the Board of Governors, University of West Florida trustees Chairman Lewis Bear said the university anticipates starting a search for a new president this fall.
Board of Governors Chairman Mori Hosseini praised Bense for making changes as the state has moved to more of a performance-based funding system for universities.
“Judy, you outdid yourself,” Hosseini said to Bense, who was at the board’s meeting in Gainesville.
by The News Service of Florida
Graffiti Bridge Goes Gold For Childhood Cancer Awareness
September 4, 2015
Pensacola’s iconic Graffiti Bridge has gone gold for childhood cancer awareness. The bridge was painted gold early Thursday to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
The bridge calls attention to several childhood cancer patients, including Bryant Cooper of Jay. His mother, Janet Cooper, has become a leading local advocate for childhood cancer awareness. Click here for more information on the Cooper family’s battle against childhood cancer and a special event to be held Saturday.
Photos courtesy Ashton Hayward on NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Maintain Divison Lead Despite Loss
September 4, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos struggles against perennial Southern League contender the Mobile BayBears continued Thursday.
Mobile, just an hour west of Pensacola, is now, 12-4, this season against the Blue Wahoos and 51-32 since the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate was established in 2012.
Pensacola managed three hits in a shutout loss, 3-0, against Mobile in front of 4,572 Thursday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Juan Duran, who had two of Pensacola’s three hits on two infield singles, launched a fly ball to dead center with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth inning but Mobile center fielder Evan Marzilli hauled it in with his back to the wall.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he knew Duran didn’t get all of the ball to drive it 400-feet over the center field wall.
“I knew he missed it,” Kelly said. “But he’s so strong he can miss balls and still hit home runs. It did go 395 feet.”
Pensacola is on a 1-4 slide in its last five games against the Jackson Generals and Mobile, but it has been lucky to stay on top of the Southern League South Division. The Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate the Mississippi Braves lost to the Jacksonville Suns on a walk off three-run home run in the 10th inning and fell to 35-30. Meanwhile, the Blue Wahoos also lost but dropped to 36-30 to remain a half-game ahead in the second half of the season.
Kelly said Pensacola was snake-bitten Thursday night, especially after Duran’s smash down the third base line in the second inning hit the umpire and bounced into Mobile third baseman Raul Navarro’s mitt in the second inning. Duran singled but the odd play seemed to rob Duran of a sure double.
Duran then threw a strike on a hit-and-run play from right field in the fourth inning that looked like it beat Mobile left fielder Socrates Brito to third base. However, according to Kelly who ran on to the field to argue the play, the third base umpire said Blue Wahoos third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean tagged the runner high.
Mobile ended up scoring three runs in the fourth with Brito and second baseman Garrett Weber hitting back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Pensacola starter Daniel Wright then walked right fielder Gabriel Guerrero and threw seven straight balls.
Mark Thomas, batting .163, came to the plate with one out and clobbered a double over Pensacola center fielder Beau Amaral’s head into the left-center alley to clear the bases and Mobile was ahead, 3-0.
“Everyone in the ballpark, including the runner, knew he was out,” Kelly said about the play at third on Brito.
Mobile, which has had six players from its 2015 team make their Major League debut this year with the Arizona Diamondbacks, got a strong outing from new pitcher Matt Koch, who earned his first win. He was making his first start for Mobile after a trade earlier this month between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets. He allowed two hits in 7.1 innings, walked four and tied his season-high with six strikeouts.
After Duran’s smash in the second inning, Koch settled down and retired the next 16 of 17 batters through the seventh inning. Koch allowed a runner to second base twice — once when Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth reached the bag in the fifth inning and again in the seventh inning when Duran earned an infield single up the middle.
Kelly only had praise for Koch’s slider and cutter.
“We knew he had good stuff,” Kelly said. “It’s hard when you haven’t seen the guy before.”
Pensacola is looking to make its first postseason appearance since its inaugural season in 2012 and end the longest drought of missing the playoffs by a Southern League Major League affiliate. The Cincinnati Reds last Double-A team to make the playoffs was Chattanooga in 2006.
“It’s one of five games,” Kelly said. “It tightens things up. It still comes down to winning this series. If we can win this series, they can’t catch us.”
Thursday Football: Ernest Ward Beats Miller; WFHS Bests Tate
September 4, 2015
Thursday night football scores:
Ernest Ward Middle 34, T.R. Miller 10
West Florida JV 26, Tate 0
West Florida Freshmen 48, Tate 6