Tate Boys Tennis Ends Regular Season With Win Over Pace To Head Into Districts Monday
April 12, 2024
The Tate Aggies boys tennis team defeated Pace High 5-2 Thursday afternoon during a Pink Out match for breast cancer awareness. With the win, the boys finished their regular season at 12-2 to head into the district tournament on Monday.
The Aggie girls pushed through injuries this season and are hoping for an overall bid into districts
The district tournament begins Monday at Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ice Flyers Suffer Heartbreaker In Game 1 Playoff Loss
April 12, 2024
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
The Ice Flyers played the style they wanted, the effort they needed and got exceptional goaltending to be on verge of a stunning, playoff opening upset.
All of this, only to absorb a gut-punch with just 70 seconds left in the first, sudden-death overtime.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Peoria winger, Cayden Cahill, gained a fortuitous bounce off the boards, leading to a breakaway that he finished with a wrist flick into the net that gave the Rivermen a 3-2 victory in the delayed Game 1 of this quarterfinal series at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The game featured a combined 91 shots on goal and standout play from both teams’ goaltenders the entire game. That made the ending even more difficult for the Ice Flyers for their hopes in this short series.
“We talked before the game that the effort was the most important thing,” said Ice Flyers coach, Gary Graham. “When you go into the playoffs, I’ve always told my playoff teams this: You really want to look yourself in the mirror and know as a man that you gave everything you could.
“And I thought the guys did that (Thursday). The game is about bounces and you need a little bit of luck sometimes. I looked down and was getting ready to make a line change and I looked up and I didn’t see where the puck was at and I see two (Peoria) guys behind every one of ours.
“I’ve never seen that in overtime. They made us pay.”
More rough luck hit the Ice Flyers after Ivan Bondarenko tied the game less than three minutes into the second period. He later got hurt off a check and couldn’t play again.
“He was buzzing,” Graham said. “He was the best player on the ice until he got hurt and we lost him for basically two periods. And that hurt. He’s a big part of our team. But the guys still continued to work hard and gave the effort…
Earlier this week, tall and physical centerman Sean Gulka was hurt in practice.
“It has just been one of these weird couple weeks with guys dropping like flies,” Graham said. “But as long as the guys are giving a 100-percent and they are, we have a chance.”
Both teams left immediately after showering and dressing for an all-night, all Friday morning, 14-plus hour bus trip to Peoria, Illinois where the Ice Flyers will seek to keep their season alive on Saturday night in the second game.
A recap:
FIRST PERIOD
The Rivermen scored the game’s first goal less than three minutes into the game.
Jordan Ernst one-timed a centering pass from Braydon Barker, who set it up from the side boards, past Stephen Mundinger, who wound up stopping 44 Peoria shots in the game.
Two minutes later, the only power play of the period gave the Ice Flyers a tying chance after Chase Spencer was whistled for tripping. Peoria thwarted that opportunity.
The Ice Flyers tied the game when Dale Deon, who began the season with Peoria, rifled a shot through traffic from inside the blue line that got past Nick Latinovich and had the crowd dancing with 5:54 left in the period.
That energy surge was short-lived, however.
Peoria answered just 27 seconds later when Tristan Trudel, son of Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel, pounced on a loose puck amid traffic and wristed a shot into the net.
The period ended with the Ice Flyers having an 18-9 edge in shots on goal.
SECOND PERIOD
The best scoring chance of the period occurred less than three minutes into play, and Ivan Bondarenko didn’t miss on finishing a 2-on-1 rush.
He took a perfect pass from Mitch Atkins, skated alone on Latinovich and flicked a backhand shot into the upper corner to tie the game.
And that’s how the period ended.
But there were plenty of other opportunities for both teams. Peoria penalties four minutes apart gave the Ice Flyers an edge to take the lead, but it didn’t happen. Peoria then had two power play chances with Mundinger making saves and limiting rebounds.
The period ended after Peoria retiring captain Alec Hagaman was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct with 1:11 left, leading into a 49-second carry-over on the power play to start the third period.
The Ice Flyers carried a 25-24 edge in shots at the intermission.
THIRD PERIOD
No scoring, but plenty of big saves on both ends. The Rivermen thought they had a scored a go-ahead goal with 5:42 left, but the officials had blown the whistle to stop play and immediately waved off the goal.
After a video review, the officiating crew again signaled no goal.
Peoria then hit a goal post with a shot with 2:49 left.
OVERTIME
There were two sequences of off-setting minor penalties that made for 4-on-4 hockey and then the Ice Flyers had a power play with 3:27 left. They won faceoffs and had some open shots that were either thwarted by Latinovich or missed the mark.
GAME NOTABLES
After the first period, Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris presented a $32,000 check from the team’s foundation to Covenant Care and its “My Wish” initiative. The program provides those with a serious or terminal illness with a special event or activity to boost spirits.
The playoff game occurred exactly 10 years after the Ice Flyers set an SPHL record on this date with a nine-goal barrage in a playoff series opener against the former Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths.
The Ice Flyers will head to Peoria’s Carver Arena where the Rivermen compiled a 24-1 home-ice record with three OT losses in the other games. It is the highest home win percentage in SPHL history.
QUOTABLE: Ice Flyers Coach Gary Graham
“It’s a three-game series. They got the first one. We don’t focus on Sunday (potential deciding game), we don’t focus on the next round, you focus on what’s in front of you. You focus on a good first period, getting the team prepared and from there, once the puck drops anything can happen.”
WHAT’S NEXT
SCENARIO: Game 2 of SPHL Quarterfinal Playoffs
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Peoria Rivermen
WHEN: Saturday, 7:15 p.m.
WHERE: Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois
Escambia County Warns Of Sunpass Text Scam
April 12, 2024
Escambia County has received reports of fraudulent text messages targeting the public from persons claiming to represent SunPass. The messages are requesting prompt payment to avoid fees and contain a link to a fraudulent website in an attempt to collect information.
The county said do not click any links in the fraudulent text messages. These messages are not sent by SunPass or Escambia County.
SunPass does not ask customers via text to make a payment or to take immediate action on their account. Messages from SunPass will come from the following email address or text number:
Email: customerservice@sunpass.com or noreply@sunpass.com
Text: 786727
Escambia County does not send text messages to SunPass or Pensacola Beach Annual Pass holders seeking information or action regarding their account balances or fees owed.
$9 Million Donated For New UWF Football Stadium
April 12, 2024
The University of West Florida has received a $9 million donation to kickstart the construction of a 7,500 seat football stadium in the area of the current football field.
The announcement cam Thursday night as the college launched the public phase of the “Here for Good capital campaign,” the largest campaign in University history. President Martha D. Saunders announced the campaign at a gala held at the Field House on UWF’s Pensacola campus.
“The Here for Good campaign is a proclamation — a promise to expand the passion of our people and unleash the best of UWF,” Saunders said. “We are telling our community and our world that UWF is here today and here to stay.”
UWF enters the campaign already having raised $65 million and has a fundraising goal of $90 million. At the gala, Saunders announced a transformative gift of more than $9 million from Darrell and Debbie Gooden to break ground on the Darrell Gooden Stadium. This represents the largest gift from a living donor in the history of the University. The gift will help fund the construction of a football stadium. Darrell Gooden, a Pensacola native, studied accounting at UWF and said he attributes much of his professional success to his college education.
“I am thrilled and honored to be able to give this donation on the ‘Capital Campaign Launch’ and towards the new football stadium to be built on campus,” Gooden said. “Today is a fun and great time to be an Argo with the new football program and now our very own stadium. It is an honor to have the new stadium and field named after me, and I also would like to thank all the numerous people that have worked so hard in getting football to this point! Again, I am very blessed today to be able to give this gift to the University to give back what they have given me. Thank you and Go Argos!”
Guests heard remarks from Howard Reddy, vice president for the Division of University Advancement; James Hosman, UWF Foundation Board Chair; and Gail Dorsey, former UWF Foundation Board Chair. Inspiring videos played during the event and showcased how far UWF has come since 1967 while promoting its future success.
Key focus areas of the campaign include people, programs, place and community. UWF leadership shared how meeting the fundraising goal would impact each area of the campaign:
- People – Every undergraduate student at the University of West Florida would have access to a scholarship.
- Programs – UWF would bolster or create more high-impact programs for students and continue to earn national recognition for academic achievements, athletic accomplishments and groundbreaking research.
- Place – UWF would enhance its physical environment through named facilities and new technology.
- Community – UWF would make an even greater impact on Northwest Florida. With a successful campaign, UWF would have the opportunity to grow a larger footprint in the area such as expanding the UWF Historic Trust offerings, making more archaeological discoveries along the Gulf Coast and expanding the reach and resources of WUWF.
To make a gift, or for more information, visit uwf.edu/hereforgood.
Highway 29 Crash Slows Morning Commute Traffic
April 11, 2024
A Highway 29 crash slowed morning commute traffic Thursday.
The crash involving a car and pickup truck happened on Highway 29 near between Roberts Road and 10 Mile Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not released additional details.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Woman Crashes Into Pensacola Home
April 11, 2024
A Flomaton woman was not injured when she crashed her car into a home Wednesday night in Pensacola.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 22-year-old was traveling west on Lake Joanne Drive approaching 72 Avenue. She told troopers that she was unable to stop at a stop sign.
She crashed into a home on South 72nd Avenue.
The woman’s name was not released.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Woman Charged With Felony Child Abuse
April 11, 2024
A Molino woman was recently arrested on an outstanding warrant from a 2023 child abuse case.
Frances Maegan Thompson, now 32, was charged with felony child abuse without great bodily harm.
Thompson allegedly slapped the victim in the face three times, leaving red marks on the left side of his face. The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he and other children were playing on a ramp outside the home when a small child pulled up one of the broken boards on the ramp. A short time later, Thompson came over to him yelling and cursing at him before slapping him in the face three times, an arrest report states.
The age of the child was redacted from an arrest report from the State Attorney’s Office.
Thompson was release from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Free North Escambia Baby Shower Is Saturday In Century
April 11, 2024
The 2024 North Escambia Baby Shower will be held Saturday in Century.
Healthy Start and the Florida Department of Health will host the free community baby shower from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Century Community Center, also known as the Ag Building at the corner of Highway 4 and Industrial Boulevard.
The event is for families who are pregnant and or have just given birth within the last year. There will be multiple community organizations present including various programs from the Florida Department of Health, Baptist Hospital and much more. Essential baby gear and supplies will be distributed while supplies last, and prizes will be awarded.
Expert support and resources. will be available for questions about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, fatherhood and more.
Editor’s note: The North Escambia Baby Shower is not affiliated with, or sponsored by, NorthEscambia.com.
Photo Gallery: Storm Damage In Escambia County
April 11, 2024
UPDATE: The National Weather Service has determined the damage was caused by an EF-1 torndao.
Wind damage was reported Wednesday afternoon in Escambia County. Multiple trees and utility line were reported down in the area of Pine Forest High School, closing the intersection. A tree fell on a mobile home at the nearby Pine Forest Mobile Home Park.
That tree by the light fell right as I was turning,” Tee Randolph said. “It was super scary.”
For a reader-submitted photo gallery of Escambia County damage, click here.
Power outages were reported across in the area. There were no injuries reported.
A tornado warning was in effect at the time of the damage. The National Weather Service will work to determine if the damage was caused by a tornado or just strong winds.
Escambia County Schools were closed Wednesday, so there were no issues at nearby Pine Forest High School, Longleaf Elementary and George Stone Technical College.
Pictured top: Trees and debris in the roadway at Community and Longleaf Drives. School buses can be seen in the background at Pine Forest High School. The school was closed on Wednesday. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured below: Damage at Hillcrest and Green Bay avenues, near PFHS (courtesy Harmony Malone).
NorthEscambia Publisher Named One Of Escambia County’s Most Influential People
April 11, 2024
The Pensacola Independent News has released their 2024 Inweekly Power List — their ranking of the most powerful and influential people in Escambia County.
Only one person that works primarily in the North Escambia area was named to the list — NorthEscambia.com publisher William Reynolds for the 12th consecutive year.
University of West Florida President Martha Saunders tops this year’s list.
To view this year’s Inweekly Power List edition, click here.
Pictured: Martha Saunders was at the top of the 2024 Inweekly Power List. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.