Jiles Overcomes Low Moment With Record Night In Leading No. 6 UWF Past NGU
October 1, 2023
In a span of 75 seconds Saturday, John Jiles went from the lowest point of UWF’s night to stamping the greatest, single-game receiver performance in Argos football history.
Oh, how they needed it, too.
Jiles willed his way with scoring catches, led sixth-ranked UWF to a fourth-quarter explosion that became a 48-24 victory against North Greenville and continued the Argos’ three-season, unbeaten streak in Gulf South Conference road games.
“This means a lot to me and obviously being back in the Carolinas, coming here, that was special, too,” said Jiles, a senior from Wake Forest, North Carolina, who transferred to UWF this year from Virginia Union.
Before Jiles finished the game with an astonishing 11 catches for 277 yards and three touchdowns – the fourth most yards by a receiver in GSC history – he had disaster strike.
Early in the fourth quarter, Jiles had the ball ripped from his arms as he was falling on a third-down conversion catch. North Greenville’s Jerrick Foster then headed the other way on a stunning, 33-yard, strip-and-score fumble return that cut UWF’s once-comfortable lead into 27-24 with 12:42 left in the game.
All the emotion, the momentum was suddenly on the Crusaders’ sideline at North Greenville’s Yount Stadium.
But Jiles instantly made amends. After the ensuing kickoff became a touchback, UWF quarterback Peewee Jarrett connected again with Jiles for a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 11:19 remaining.
“That was a very low moment for me and right after that play, I said, well, I’ve got to make a play, I gotta make up for it, I gotta make up for it,” Jiles said. “I kept pounding that in my head and it then presented itself and I just went out made a play.”
Just like that, UWF’s lead was 10 points again. The Argos (4-1) later faced a 3rd-and-10 situation from North Greenville 44. UWF head coach Kaleb Nobles called for a pass that Jarrett beautifully threw to Jiles for a knockout touchdown with 2:44 left.
“It was like the cherry on top… it was great to end the night,” said Jiles, whose record surpassed the 254 receiving yards produced by Quentin Randolph, a Navarre High grad, in the 2019 national championship game.
“I am super excited about those guys,” Nobles said. “I can see that happening and I am not surprised, because they’ve had a great connection all summer.”
The only player in college football this season at all levels with more single-game yards is New Hampshire running back Dylan Laube who produced 295 yards in a game against Central Michigan.
“Guys like John Jiles, Peewee Jarrett and all those wide receivers, the tight ends and running backs… they make my life a lot easier. I’m really excited about this offense,” Nobles said.
A minute later, following UWF’s third defensive interception, the Argos were going to run out the clock when Jalen Bussey busted through a gaping hole and went 57 yards to double the lead and create the final score.
“I am very proud of that O-line,” said Nobles, whose team had 607 yards total offense and average 8.8 yards per-play. “They played very well and our running backs were phenomenal.”
This was among the wildest wins in UWF’s conference road streak. And longest, too, after the game took 3 hours, 33 minutes to complete, because of various reasons.
“I am really proud of how our guys played overall, how our effort was the entire game,” Nobles said. “There are a lot of things we really need to clean up, but we are moving in a really good direction.”
Leading the checklist of clean-up is the multitude of UWF penalties. It has been a season issue.
“We have to get more disciplined,” Nobles said.
The Argos overcame a season-high 17 penalties with big performances from many players. Jarrett followed his strong game a week ago against West Georgia – playing only three quarters that night in a lopsided win – by completing 21 of 33 passes against North Greenville for 419 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.
The running game was led by C.J. Wilson with 68 yards, then Jamontez Woods with 59 yards and Bussey’s two carries that included one to the end zone.
Among Jiles’ receiver supporting cast, Caden Leggett had five catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. KJ Franklin had two catches, one for a touchdown.
The Argos defense was led by Walker Robinson, a Fort Walton Beach High grad, who had 10 tackles, 7 solo stops. Gael Laurent had nine stops. Quincy Milhomme had two interceptions. Ralph Ortiz had the other interception.
The Argos racked up six quarterback sacks.
After North Greenville drove to the Argos’ 2 yard-line on the game’s opening possession, settling for a field goal, UWF took command of the first half, leading 20-3 at halftime.
Jarrett’s scoring run made it 27-10 with 55 seconds left in the third quarter. But the Crusaders answered with two touchdowns in 13 seconds. They finished a 79-yard drive with a touchdown pass, then had the big-play fumble return to produce 14 points.
“We pulled away at the end, but obviously I would have loved for us to start out hotter in the third quarter,” Nobles said. “We played well in the first half, executed the two minute drill and had a chance to get points (before missing field goal).”
The win now leads into a defining October, which begins with UWF’s homecoming game next Saturday against Shorter. The Argos will then play West Alabama and Delta State on the road, before ending the month at home against Valdosta State.
by Bill Vilona
Tate Aggies Beat Milton 45-7 (With Photo Gallery)
September 30, 2023
The senior Aggies never had better than a one-win season during their first three years at Tate — until this year.
And it’s just getting better and better.
The Aggies notched win number three Friday night as they blacked-out the Milton Panthers 45-7. Is the first time the Aggies have won three games in a season since 2018.
“What a night for the senior class on our home turf,” head coach Rhett Summerford said of the district win. “The seniors worked really hard. It says something about them. It’s emotional. It’s just sweet tonight. That’s just the thing; it’s just sweet. We had a great crowd here and the student body was awesome.”
The Aggies were on the scoreboard early when junior quarterback Taite Davis found Christian Neptune on a 35-yard touchdown pass. The Aggies were up 7-0 with 10:34 in the first.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here. For a gallery with the band, fans, cheerleaders and mini cheerleaders, click here.
Also in the first, Carson Secchiari had a touchdown run, and kicker Jackson Clarke put a 35-yard through the uprights for a field goal to put the Aggies on top 24-0.
In the second, Tate’s Ward O’Brien added a touchdown run, and Secchiari had his second TD of the night to make it 31-0. Milton added a touchdown as time expired in the half, 31-7.
The Aggies had touchdowns in the fourth quarter from Andre Colston and Elijah West.
“We can’t make stupid penalties. We had them at third and long, and they get a big play. We can’t get a false start penalty,” Summerford said. “There’s a lot to still get improved on, but this team is growing. We’ve got a good young class. I’m proud of Tate High School right now.”
The Tate Aggies (3-2) will do homecoming — Glo-Co ‘23 — next Friday night as they host the West Florida Jaguars (2-4). The Jags are coming off a 35-31 loss to Walton Friday night.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here. For a gallery with the band, fans, cheerleaders and mini cheerleaders, click here.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Milton 45-7 Friday night in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 30, 2023
Here are Friday night football scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Tate 45, Milton 7 [Game story, photos...]
- Elberta 43, Northview 26
- Destin 22, Jay 6
- Walton 35, West Florida 31
- Pine Forest 35, Fort Walton Beach 20
- Escambia 35, Washington 0
- Baker 42, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 12
- Pensacola Catholic 51, Pensacola High 7
- Pace 55, Gulf Breeze 24
- Niceville 42, Crestview 21
ALABAMA
- Escambia Academy 32, Hooper Academy 12
- Escambia County (Atmore) 41, Monroe County 6
- Byes – Flomaton, T.R. Miller, W.S Neal
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Milton 45-7 Friday night in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Fans Asked To Black Out The Panthers; Free Student Pregame Tailgate Party And Shirts
September 28, 2023
The Tate High Aggies are asking fans to black out the stands Friday night as they host a district game against Milton.
There will be a tailgate event in the school courtyard at 5 p.m. Friday with free tailgate party food and drinks provided by Marcus Pointe Baptist Church. The church will also provide free blackout shirts to the first 250 students who attend.
Wahoos Johnston, Monteverde, Yan Named Southern League All-Stars; Randel Named Manager of the Year
September 28, 2023
Three Pensacola Blue Wahoos players were recognized for their outstanding 2023 seasons , as Troy Johnston, Patrick Monteverde and Jefry Yan were named to the Southern League All-Star Team. Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel was recognized by his peers as the Southern League Manager of the Year.
Johnston, who was named a Southern League All-Star for Pensacola in 2022, returned to the Blue Wahoos for a second season and had an even more impressive offensive year in 2023. As an everyday first baseman for the Blue Wahoos, Johnston led the league in OPS at .963 and established a career-high mark in home runs with 18. His 83 RBI broke a Blue Wahoos single-season record, and he continued to hit after an August promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville. His 116 RBI across two levels were the most in all of Minor League Baseball in 2023.
Monteverde enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him represent the Marlins in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in July. After a dominant start to the season that earned him Southern League Pitcher of the Month honors, the left-handed starter remained effective throughout 21 Double-A starts. He finished with a 10-5 record and a 3.32 ERA, striking out 114 batters in 114 innings and leading qualified Southern League pitchers in winning percentage.
Yan, back for his third season as a member of the Pensacola bullpen, was handed closer duties mid-season and ultimately picked up 13 saves in 14 tries. The lefty finished 3-3 with a 3.71 ERA with the Blue Wahoos, striking out an impressive 91 batters in 51.0 innings and holding opponents to a .201 average.
Randel becomes the first Pensacola manager ever to win Southern League Manager of the Year honors, and just the second Marlins Double-A manager to be recognized by his league (Carlos Tosca, Portland Sea Dogs, 1996). In his third year as Blue Wahoos manager, he led the club to its best winning percentage in franchise history (.581) and has followed up a championship season in 2022 with another appearance in the Southern League Championship Series. Despite balancing 63 different players who suited up for the Blue Wahoos in the regular season, Randel maintained a steady hand and saw the Blue Wahoos secure a winning record in all but one month.
The Blue Wahoos lost game two of the Southern League Championship Series Tuesday night, ending their season.
by Erick Bremer
Northview Defeates Blacksher 3-0
September 27, 2023
The Northview Chiefs defeated the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs 3-0 Tuesday evening.
Northview took straight sets on their home court, 25-13, 25-20, 25-23.
Northview (8-3, 1-2) will travel to Jay (8-4, 4-1) at 5 p.m. Thursday.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Blue Wahoos’ Season Ends 10-3; Smokies Win Southern League Championship
September 27, 2023
The Blue Wahoos’ acclaim-filled 2023 season, which included several club records, ended Tuesday one last feat short of complete.
Unable to contain the Tennessee Smokies’ power-laden lineup, Pensacola’s quest to repeat as Southern League champions was dashed in the Smokies’ 10-3 win to sweep the short series at Blue Wahoos Stadium and claim their first league title in 45 years.
A year after the Blue Wahoos celebrated on the field at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tennessee to produce their first outright championship, the Smokies got their turn in Pensacola.
After the Blue Wahoos’ Nasim Nuñez lined out for the final out Tuesday, a sensational leaping catch by Smokies second baseman Matt Shaw – the Chicago Cubs’ top pick of the 2023 Draft just three months ago – the players rushed from the visitors dugout.
They took a picture in front of the pitcher’s mound, then huddled in the dugout for simultaneous sprays of champagne before carrying the party into the visitors clubhouse.
Tennessee won the first game 8-4 Sunday with a similar hitting show. The Smokies’ bats stayed hot after the bus ride to the Gulf Coast. In both games in this best-of-three series, they jumped to an early inning lead and kept expanding it.
The last time Tennessee hoisted a championship trophy, the 1978 team was named the Knoxville Sox, the affiliation was with the Chicago White Sox and Tony La Russa was manager, before his Hall of Fame managerial career in Major League Baseball.
It was a long time coming for the Smokies and they lingered on the field to savor it.
But the Blue Wahoos had a season to remember as well.
Their 79-57 record in the regular season was the best winning percentage (.581) in the team’s 11-season history. It included a franchise record 10-game winning streak.
The team set club records in seven offensive categories, including batting average (.250) and home runs (163) — the seventh-most homers in league history.
But against the Smokies this year, the Blue Wahoos ran into a formidable foe.
The Smokies began the post-season with 14 of the Chicago Cubs’ top 30 prospects – many of whom were added in the final month of the season. That talent was reflected in how they swept two playoff series, outscoring Chattanooga and Pensacola by a combined 26-9.
Tuesday night, Smokies starting pitcher Cade Horton was as dominant as advertised. The Cubs’ No. 2 overall prospect, their top draft pick in the 2022 MLB Draft from the Oklahoma Sooners, twirled five strong innings to pick up his second postseason win.
The 22-year-old righthander, who started the 2022 season as the Sooners’ third baseman before leading Oklahoma to a runner-up finish as pitcher in the College World Series, continued his strong season.
He gave up just one hit and one run with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Horton is a finalist for the Minor League Baseball pitching prospect of the year.
After Blue Wahoos starter Luis Palacios retired the Smokies lineup in order in the first inning, he was hit hard the rest of way. It was reminiscent of Sunday’s first game, when Evan Fitterer struggled with location and the Smokies pounced for big hits and rallies for a quick knockout.
Palacios, who had been strong in the last several starts, including a playoff win last week against Montgomery, lasted only three innings, giving up six hits and four runs. The biggest blow was a 3-run homer in the third inning by B.J. Murray after the Blue Wahoos had tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Norel González in the second inning.
Murray’s homer left the bat looking like the a flyout, but with the wind blowing out to right field, the ball carried over the wall and the hit triggered more run production the next several innings.
Five Blue Wahoos relievers followed. The Smokies blew open the game in the sixth inning, getting four runs against Dylan Bice and from that point the outcome seemed a formality.
The Smokies had 13 hits, including five for extra bases. The Blue Wahoos had just four hits in the game.
Many of the fans stayed and clapped as the players left the dugout and began the off-season. The focus now shifts to spring training in February and the 2024 season, which begins at home on April 5 against the Mississippi Braves.
by Bill Vilona
SEC Soccer Championship Returning To Ashton Brosnaham; Tickets On Sale Now
September 27, 2023
Several nationally-ranked Southeastern Conference soccer teams will be competing for the SEC Championship title from Sunday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 5, at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex off East 10 Mile Road.
Tickets are on sale at secticketoffice.com All-tournament passes are $40. Individual session tickets for first-round, quarterfinals and semifinals are $12 for adults and $7 for students/military. Tickets for the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 5, are $17 for adults and $12 for students/military. Taxes and service fees are included in the listed ticket prices. Kids 12 and under wearing a soccer jersey get in free with a paying adult on Sunday, Oct. 29, and on Tuesday, Oct. 31. A clear bag policy is in effect for this event. Free admission for children 4 and under at all games. Tournament pass sales end at 11:59pm on Oct. 27.
Join in the fun on Championship game day, Nov. 5, at the free Fan Fest from 11 a.m. until halftime of the championship game. There will be music, food trucks and interactive activities for all ages to enjoy.
This is the second year that Escambia County will host the tournament, setting SEC records for attendance. Ashton Brosnaham is scheduled to host through 2024 with an option to extend the agreement through 2026.
“We are thankful to Escambia County and Pensacola Sports for providing a tremendous venue to conduct our SEC Soccer Championship,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “Their commitment to this event promises to provide lasting memories for our student-athletes and an outstanding experience for SEC soccer fans from across the region.”
Over the last six years, the SEC has earned 44 NCAA Tournament bids – an average of more than seven per year – with all 14 member institutions making at least two appearances during that span. Eight different SEC teams have advanced to the Round of 16 since 2013 and the league has placed teams in the NCAA quarterfinals in each of the last nine seasons.
Pictured: SEC soccer championship action in 2022 as Ole Miss shut out LSU and Mississippi State beat Texas A&M. NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
After Game 1 Loss, Blue Wahoos Seek To Repeat Past In Championship Series
September 26, 2023
After Sunday’s opening-game loss, the Blue Wahoos now hope to repeat their comeback from a year ago in the Southern League Championship Series.
But it’s going to take another impressive turnaround.
The Tennessee Smokies produced a quick knockout in Game One, scoring eight runs in the first three innings, including a 5-run third inning, powering their way to an 8-4 win at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tennessee, located near Knoxville.
It’s now a do-or-die scenario for the Blue Wahoos when the second game occurs Tuesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. A third game, if necessary, in the short series will be Wednesday in Pensacola. The Blue Wahoos traveled all night Sunday back to Pensacola and the series has an off-day Monday.
This is a rematch of the 2022 SLCS and the Blue Wahoos do have history and home field on their side. The Blue Wahoos dropped the first game in Pensacola last year, then won twice on the road against the Smokies to claim their first outright Southern League title.
The Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, are seeking their first outright championship in 45 years as a minor league franchise. They shared the 2004 Southern League title with the Mobile BayBears when the playoffs were cancelled due to Hurricane Ivan.
When the Smokies won in 1978, Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa was the Tennessee skipper and the team was called the Knoxville Sox as the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
The Blue Wahoos, who went 7-4 in the regular-season matchups against Tennessee, are trying to become only the seventh team in Southern League history to win back-to-back titles.
That quest got off to a rocky start Sunday. Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer struggled from the outset. He allowed leadoff batters to reach in the three innings he worked and couldn’t find a groove with his pitch command, which is something that has hurt him in recent starts.
He plunked Smokies’ leadoff batter Matt Shaw, the Cubs’ No. 1 draft pick in July, to start his outing. He then gave up a run-scoring double to BJ Murray, followed by a single to the third batter, Owen Caissie.
Fitterer then got a double-play ball that scored Tennessee’s second run, but helped him out of the inning. The scenario repeated in the second inning with a leadoff walk allowed, followed by a run scoring double by Ezequiel Pagan.
The Blue Wahoos bullpen was warming up in the third inning when Fitterer gave up another leadoff walk, a single and an RBI double by Haydn McGeary. Reliever Breidy Encarnacion was summoned with one out in the inning and he struggled as well.
After a walk to load the bases, Encarnacion hit the next batter to force home a run, then yielded consecutive RBI on a sacrifice fly and two singles to complete the explosive rally.
From that point, the Blue Wahoos relief corps of Jonathan Bermudez, Matt Pushard, Chandler Jozwiak and Caleb Wurster combined on five shutout innings.
Blue Wahoos shortstop Nasim Nunez drove in the team’s first run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly. He also played sensational defense, including a spectacular play in the seventh when he fielded a ball behind second, turned and threw across his body to first baseman Bennett Hostetler, who make leg split to record the out from a sitting position.
That play had the Smokies crowd of 3,382 applauding in appreciation. Nunez also scored the team’s second run in the top of the eighth when he walked, went to third on a single by Jose Mesa Jr. and scored on Paul McIntosh’s sacrifice fly.
The Blue Wahoos managed six hits – two from second baseman Cody Morissette – who temporarily spoiled the crowd celebration by hitting a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning.
The Smokies, who now have 14 of the Chicago Cubs’ Top 30 rated prospects, have won their past seven games and nine of their last 10, including a two-game sweep of the Chattanooga Lookouts – the Cincinnati Reds affiliate – in the Southern League North Division series.
They will send one of those top-rated players, righthander Cade Horton, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2022, on the mound Tuesday night against the Blue Wahoos’ Luis Palacios, who was superb in his last start to beat the Montgomery Biscuits in the first game of the South Division playoffs last week.
Horton, 22, was a former star at Oklahoma and was elevated to Double-A in August. He is a finalist for the Minor League Baseball pitching prospect of the year. He has risen to the No. 2 best prospect in the Cubs organization.
The game on Tuesday will start at 6:05 p.m., a half-hour earlier than the Blue Wahoos regular-season, weekday starting times. The ceremonial first pitches will begin at 5:45 p.m. followed by the actual first pitch of the game at 6:05.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Early Deficit Too Large As Wahoos Drop Game One Of SLCS
September 25, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dug themselves an early hole in Game One of the best-of-three Southern League Championship Series on Sunday evening, falling 8-4 to the Tennessee Smokies.
The Blue Wahoos will return to Pensacola, needing a win in Game Two on Tuesday night to keep their season alive and force a Game Three on Wednesday.
Evan Fitterer (L, 0-1) didn’t have his best command in his start for Pensacola, allowing six runs over 2.1 innings in the loss. He allowed the leadoff man to reach and score in all three innings in which he pitched.
In the first, he hit leadoff batter Matt Shaw on an 0-2 pitch before allowing an RBI double to BJ Murray and an RBI single to Owen Caissie. In the second, a leadoff walk to Pablo Aliendo came in on an RBI double from Ezequiel Pagan.
The Blue Wahoos got on the board with two singles and a Nasim Nuñez sacrifice fly against Brandon Birdsell (W, 1-0) in the top of the third, but the Smokies answered back with five runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach. Another leadoff walk was followed by an RBI double from Haydn McGeary before Fitterer departed.
Breidy Encarnación, who had worked 6.1 scoreless innings in his first taste of Double-A in the final weeks of the regular season, struggled to find the strike zone. After a bases-loaded hit batsman forced in a run, he allowed a Pagan sacrifice fly and RBI singles to Kevin Alcantara and Andy Weber to give the Smokies an 8-1 lead.
The rest of the Pensacola bullpen kept the Smokies off the scoreboard from the fourth inning on, but the Blue Wahoos were unable to get much going at the plate. Paul McIntosh lined a sacrifice fly in the eighth and Cody Morissette hit a two-run homer in the ninth, but it wasn’t nearly enough to erase the deficit.
After an overnight bus ride back to Pensacola, the Blue Wahoos will have Monday off and prepare for a must-win Game Two at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Tuesday night.
written by Erik Bremer/Blue Wahoos; photo Nick Grant/Smokies