Tate Varsity Sweeps West Florida In Straight Sets, JV Fall To The Lady Jags
September 6, 2025
The Tate Aggies varsity swept three straight from West Florida Friday night at Tate, while the Aggies JV slipped to the Jags.
Tate 2, West Florida 0
The Tate Aggies varsity volleyball team secured a commanding clean sweep against the West Florida Jaguars on Friday night at Tate. After a slow start, the Aggies found their rhythm in the first set, winning 25-16. They continued their dominance in the second set, holding off a late Jaguars push to win 25-20. The third set was a masterclass in teamwork and execution, with the Aggies taking a convincing 25-11 victory to seal the match.
Next week, the Aggies will travel to Escambia on Monday, Choctawhatchee on Tuesday, and Pace on Friday.
West Florida 2, Tate 1 (JV)
After a tough first-set 13-25 Aggies loss to West Florida in junior varsity action, Tate rallied with a thrilling 27-25 victory in the second set. The JV Aggies carried that momentum into the deciding third set, but West Florida held on to win 16-14 to take the match.
ECSO Hosts Coffee With A Cop In Davisville
September 6, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held “Coffee With A Cop” Friday morning at the Rustic Rooster on Highway 97 in Davisville.
Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office’s work in the community. It is a great way for Escambia County deputies and community members to come together, build relationships, and, of course, drink coffee.
Click here for a photo gallery.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Foundation and sponsors provided free coffee during the event. Organizers said the event was a huge success.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Schomberg Flirts With Perfection In Second Straight Wahoos Shutout Win
September 6, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
In just his second career Double-A start, Will Schomberg took a perfect game through 6.2 innings and led the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a 5-0 victory over the Biloxi Shuckers on Friday night.
Coming on the heels of a combined one-hit shutout from three Pensacola pitchers on Thursday, Schomberg (W, 1-1) picked up right where his teammates left off. From the fifth inning of Thursday’s 2-0 win into the seventh inning of Friday’s contest, the Blue Wahoos retired 34 straight Biloxi batters.
Though his perfect game bid was broken up by a Blake Burke bloop single with two outs in the seventh inning, Schomberg recovered to strike out Zavier Warren on his 100th pitch to walk off the mound on a high note. His 7.0 innings marked a professional career high, and his 10 strikeouts tied a career high last set in July with the Beloit Sky Carp.
The Blue Wahoos turned 12 singles into five runs throughout the night, providing Schomberg the run support he needed to focus on his attempt at history. RBI singles from Gage Miller and Emaarion Boyd put Pensacola ahead 2-0 in the second inning, and an infield error in the fifth was followed by a Payton Green RBI single to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 edge.
Shuckers starter Jaron DeBerry (L, 2-1) departed after allowing a Connor Caskenette RBI single in the sixth inning, but the Blue Wahoos had already secured more than enough support for their dominant pitching staff. Schomberg was relieved by Jesse Bergin and Josh Ekness, both of whom worked around a pair of singles in an inning of work to finish off a five-hit shutout.
Pensacola’s back-to-back shutouts marked their ninth time blanking an opponent in consecutive games in team history, and their first since accomplishing the same feat in Biloxi on May 28 and 29, 2024.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos kept pace with first-place Montgomery in the second half South Division standings, trailing by 5.0 games with 8 to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Saturday.
Escambia County Felon Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug And Firearm Charges
September 6, 2025
An Escambia County man has pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges.
John Cody Hawthorne, 32, pleaded to charges of possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Court documents show that Hawthorne, who was on state probation at the time, was in possession of multiple firearms as well as illegal narcotics. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hawthorne’s residence and located seven firearms in his bedroom, one of which was a short-barreled rifle, as well as over 400 live rounds of ammunition, marijuana, methamphetamine, ballistic body armor, and several thousand dollars.
Hawthorne faces up to 15 year is prison on the possession of firearm by convicted felon count, up to 10 years on the possession of short-barreled rifle count, and up to 20 years imprisonment on the drug possession charge. He will be sentenced on November 13 at the federal courthouse in Pensacola.
“I applaud the excellent work of Sheriff Chip Simmons and our federal law enforcement partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida John P. Heekin.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Man Rescued After Becoming Trapped Under Farm Equipment
September 5, 2025
A man was trapped under a piece of farm equipment Friday morning northeast of Walnut Hill.
The man was working under a hay cutter in a field on Miller Road off Rockaway Creek Road near the Florida-Alabama state line. The hydraulic system that kept the machinery off the ground reportedly failed, causing it to fall across the man’s legs and pin him underneath. He was able to call a relative who then called 911.
A firefighter from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was able to use a jack and an airlifting bag to lift the equipment off and free the man.
LifeFlight responded; however, the man was transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Atmore Fire Department and multiple Escambia County Fire Rescue units were dispatched to the call, but most were canceled prior to arrival.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Faces Felony Charges For Alleged Shots Fired, Robbery At Local Gas Station
September 5, 2025
A Cantonment man faces multiple felony charges following a domestic violence incident at a local gas station that included a robbery and shots fired.
Anthony Antonio Purifoy Jr., 30, was arrested on August 30 after deputies responded to a complaint of shots fired at the Valero Gas Station at 210 South Highway 29, across from International Paper.
According to a report from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began when Purifoy entered the gas station and allegedly snatched $60 in cash from his ex-girlfriend. The report notes that the two had been in a relationship for approximately three and a half years and had recently separated.
Following a verbal altercation inside the store, the argument continued outside, where the victim stated that Purifoy ’snatched’ her glasses from her face. As she got into a vehicle with her family, Purifoy allegedly became irate, banging on the vehicle and making verbal threats. Witnesses stated that Purifoy then discharged a firearm into the air several times while in close proximity to his ex-girlfriend. She reported that while he did not point the gun at her, she feared for her life, noting that he had threatened violence in the past, but this was the first time a firearm was involved.
Deputies arrived on the scene and located two .22 caliber shell casings on the ground. Several witnesses, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, identified Purifoy Jr. as the shooter.
Deputies attempted to locate Purifoy at the Black Diamond club next door to the gas station, where multiple people were coming in and out of the doors.
“However, when they approached (Black Diamond), several people started shouting for others to lock the door; therefore, deputies were unable to get inside,” the report states.
Purifoy was found hiding in the woods near the gas station, where he was apprehended.
After being read his Miranda warnings, Purifoy Jr. denied firing a weapon or having a girlfriend and claimed he was in the woods to urinate and was not trying to hide. Deputies noted scratches on his face, which Purifoy Jr. attributed to the thorn bushes. A criminal history check revealed Purifoy had a prior felony conviction in Florida.
Deputies noted that he had a large sum of cash in his possession at the time of his arrest, including three $20 bills that were allegedly snatched from the victim.
Purifoy was booked into the Escambia County Jail on August 30 on charges of battery in a domestic violence situation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a domestic violence situation, robbery by sudden snatching, possession of a weapon by a convicted Florida felon, and discharging a firearm in public. He was released from the Escambia County Jail the following day on a $40,000 bond.
The victim was not injured and refused EMS.
Tate High School Graduate Ashley Saba Named FloridaWest Director of Business Development
September 5, 2025
Tate High School graduate Ashley Saba has joined the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance as its new director of business development.
In this newly created role, Saba will focus on recruiting new industries to Escambia County while assisting with a strong marketing presence, strengthening investor relations, and advancing FloridaWest’s mission of long-term economic growth.
Saba was raised in Escambia County, where she attended Ransom Middle School and graduated from Tate High School in 2005 before attending both Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida.
She was named the 2025 Woman of the Year in Marketing – Medical in Scarlett Magazine. She was an InWeekly Rising Star and United Way of the Emerald Coast’s 40 Under 40 in 2024. She is also a proud graduate of Project LEAD in Okaloosa/Walton counties (Class of 2025), Leadership Pensacola (Class of 2023) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s “Excellence Academy in Leadership” in 2021. She also serves on the board of directors for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Foundation, specifically supporting their programs that positively impact local youth, as well as serving on the Board for the South City Foundation in Tallahassee for Purpose-Built Communities. She was honored as Santa Rosa County Schools Partner of the Year in 2015.
“I am honored to join FloridaWest and contribute to the economic growth of Escambia County. My passion has always been centered on creating opportunities that strengthen families and communities, and I believe one of the most impactful ways we can do that is through expanding access to high-wage jobs,” Saba said. “By working alongside the FloridaWest board, the Board of County Commissioners, and the City of Pensacola, I look forward to helping attract new industries and investments that will ensure long-term prosperity for our residents.”
“As FloridaWest continues to position Escambia County as a competitive business location, Ashley’s knowledge of the area and her strong business experience will be critical in attracting new companies, bringing more capital investment and high-wage job opportunities to our community,” said FloridaWest CEO Chris Platé. “Her passion for our community combined with her strong skillset creates a dynamic advantage for our organization as we compete on the global stage.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies’ Unbeaten Streak Continues With Senior Night Rout Of PHS
September 5, 2025
The Tate Aggies celebrated Senior Night on Thursday with a 41-0 rout of the Pensacola High School Tigers at Pete Gindle Stadium.
The Aggies hit the scoreboard with 8:27 left in the first quarter when sophomore quarterback Miles Delarosa handed off to Tanner Clark, who punched it in for a touchdown. After a kick that ricocheted off the goalpost, the Aggies were up 6-0.
With 3:56 remaining in the first quarter, Delarosa found Elijah West for another Aggies touchdown. With a successful two-point conversion from Noah Calderon, the Aggies were up 14-0. The PHS Tigers drove down to the one-yard line but were pushed back by the Aggies defense on fourth-and-goal with about a minute left in the first quarter.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Aggies struck again with a long touchdown pass to West just after the start of the second quarter — Tate 21, PHS still 0. Tate added another touchdown on a Delarosa pass to Laquarius Bradford and an Aggie Shack end-zone touchdown to make it 28-0 with 34 seconds to go in the half.
Now 3-0, the Aggies have outscored opponents 110-20 so far in a three-game home opener. Tate will head to Milton on Friday night, September 12 at 7:30 p.m. Milton, now also 3-0, defeated Washington 14-13 on Thursday night.
*Look for cheerleader, fan and other photos later on NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Arrested For Boot Store Theft
September 5, 2025
Two suspects are now jailed in connection with alleged retail thefts from The Boot Store in late August.
Deputies said 50-year-old LaCarter Millionder and 49-year-old Angel Scott were caught on video taking merchandise from the store on August 22, and they were booked into the Escambia County Jail on Thursday afternoon without bond.
The store alleges that $1,000 in boots were stolen from the business on Pine Forest Road.
Deputies said Milloder already had active warrants for thefts and violation of community control, while Scott was already wanted on three active warrants for petit theft, which have now been upgraded to felonies.
The Boot Store originally alleged in a social media post that a third individual was involved in the thefts, but the ECSO said Tuesday that she was not involved and had committed no crime.
“Upon reviewing the store’s video surveillance, it was determined that the white female previously posted to The Boot Store social media page as a ‘potential suspect’ was not involved in any theft and did not appear to be working in conjunction with Millionder and Scott,” the ECSO said in a statement.
From Trunk Or Treat To Christmas, Century Chamber Planning Seasonal Events
September 5, 2025
The Century Area Chamber of Commerce is continuing to plan for several upcoming seasonal events.
The chamber met Thursday to discuss events including:
- Trunk or Treat on October 24
- Veterans Day Cookout on November 11
- Christmas Tree Decorating Contest in connection with the Flomaton Chamber
- Caroling, Tree Lighting and Open House on December 5
- Christmas Parade and Movie on December 12
More details on each of event will be published later on NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.