Pensacola Blue Wahoos Invited To Become Miami Marlins Double-A Affiliate
December 9, 2020
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos received a formal invitation from Major League Baseball to become the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins on Wednesday morning.
“We are very excited to be invited to partner with the Miami Marlins,” Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer said. “The Marlins franchise, fresh off a trip to the playoffs in 2020, boasts one of the top five Minor League farm systems in baseball. We look forward to completing the process to officially become an affiliate of the Marlins and to put an extremely talented, winning team in front of our fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Off the field, the Marlins share our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and bettering the community, and we look forward to being great partners to them both at the ballpark and away from it.”
When the license applications processes are completed, the Marlins will have their two highest-level affiliates located within the state of Florida, with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp making the jump from Double-A to Triple-A.
“We are excited to invite Pensacola to be the Miami Marlins’ Double-A affiliate,” Gary Denbo, the Vice President of Player Development for the Marlins said. “Pensacola is widely recognized as one of the top franchises in minor league baseball and we are pleased that our outstanding young players and Player Development staff will have the opportunity to continue their ascension to the Major Leagues in front of the great fans at beautiful Blue Wahoos Stadium.”
The invitation to join the Marlins farm system continues an exciting fall for the Blue Wahoos franchise. The team was recently awarded Baseball America’s Bob Freitas Award, given to the organization of the year at each level of the Minor Leagues, completing an impressive and historic triple crown of major awards for the team in 2020. Earlier in the year, the team was the recipient of the Ballpark Digest Best Double-A Ballpark award and Minor League Baseball’s Best Overall Golden Bobblehead, making the Blue Wahoos the first team in history to receive each of the three most prestigious awards available to Minor League teams in a single year.
The Marlins will become the third affiliate for the Blue Wahoos franchise. The team was previously a member of the Cincinnati Reds organization (2012-2018) and the Minnesota Twins (2019-2020).
“Our entire organization would like to pass along our gratitude to the Minnesota Twins for their partnership with the Blue Wahoos over the past two years,” Studer said. “On the field, they provided a playoff-caliber team for us. Off the field, they were excellent business and community partners, recently making a generous donation to hurricane relief efforts in our city. We wish the Twins nothing but the best.”
In a subsequent announcement, the Beloit Snappers were invited to become the Advanced-A affiliate of the Marlins. The Snappers, located in Wisconsin, are also managed by the Studers.
Tate Aggie Cheerleaders Open Competition Season With A Bid To Nationals
December 6, 2020
The Tate High School Aggie competition cheerleading team opened their first weekend of competition at the UCA National Qualifier in Tampa. Their performance earned them a top three finish and a bid to nationals.
Last year, the Tate Aggie cheerleaders won a state championship and placed fifth in the nation.
Photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.
5A Regional Semifinals: Baker County Tops Pine Forest
November 28, 2020
5A Regional Semifinals
(9) Baker County 28, Pine Forest 19.
The Pine Forest Eagles ended their season at 4-5.
Tate Softball’s Courtney Lundquist And Sophia Jones Commit To Northwest Florida State College
November 25, 2020
Tate High School Softball’s Courtney Lundquist and Sophia Jones have verbally committed to Northwest Florida State College.
“I am beyond blessed to receive this opportunity and I want to thank every coach, friend, and family member that has helped me reach this point in my life,” Lundquist posted in her announcement.
“I want to thank every coach, family member, and friend/teammate that have been here with me through my softball journey. I absolutely cannot wait to see what these years hold,” Jones posted.
Vernon Defeats Northview In Regional Semifinals (With Photo Gallery)
November 21, 2020
The Vernon Yellow Jackets defeated the Northview Chiefs 34-19 Friday night in the 1A regional semifinals.
“It was not what we were looking for. We had some chances, and it got kind of close, but we just squandered opportunities,” first year Northview head coach Wes Summerford said. “When you get a team like Vernon close like that….you’ve got to take advantage of that. We just let it slip away.”
The Northview Chiefs finished their pandemic shortened season at 7-2 overall.
Not exactly where Summerford wanted to be on a November night, but he said he would like back at the season knowing his Chiefs learned a little more than football this year.
“What we are trying to instill is the Northview way. We are going to take care of ourselves. I tell them all the time there is a lot more than just football, he said. “That’s what we are trying to build here. I think if we can get that going, that mentality that we are going to do the right thing all the time, the football will take care of itself eventually.”
“We’ll get there. We’ll get there, no doubt.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Falls Short In AISA State Championship Game
November 21, 2020
The Escambia Academy Cougars came up short Friday night in the AISA Class 2A state championship game at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The Cougars lost 36-34 to Chambers Academy of LaFayette, Alabama.
Bubba Nettles had five touchdowns for the Cougars and had 222 total rushing yards.
The Escambia Academy Cougars finished their season at 10-2..
Pictured: The Escambia Academy Cougars caeme up short inthe AISA Class 2A state championship game at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Photos by Andrew Garner/The Atmore Advance for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Night High School Football Playoff Scores
November 21, 2020
Here are high school football playoff scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
1A Region Semifinal
- Story, photos…]
- Baker 34, Freeport 22
3A Region Semifinal
- Florida University HS, 34, Pensacola Catholic 27
5A Quarterfinal
- Tallahassee Rickards 38, West Florida 16
- Pine Forest 21, Suwannee 20
6A Quarterfinal
- St. Augustine 48, Escambia 27
- Pace 23, Jacksonville Lee 21
7A Quarterfinal
- Buchholz 35, Navarre 21
- Niceville 42, Leon 0
ALABAMA
AISA Class 2A Championship
- Chambers Academy 36, Escambia Academy 34 [Story, photos...]
Tate High School Mens Soccer Senior Spotlight
November 19, 2020
Tate High School Mens varsity soccer opened their 2020 season with a 7-0 win over Pensacola High School.
And 2020 promises to be an exciting season for the returning senior varsity players.
Logan Tyree #7 is a four-year varsity starter. Tyree plays on the Gulf Coast Texans club team, as well as the Pensacola FC NPSL team.
Calen Arnevik #6 is also a 4-year varsity player. Arnevik once a Gulf Coast Texans player now plays for Bay Side as well as being the starting kicker for Tate Varsity football.
Owen Jacobs #2 has been in the program for 4 years. Jacobs plays for the Gulf Coast Texans and has already committed to playing soccer next season for Belhaven University.
Caleb Thompson #1 is another four-year veteran to Tate soccer and is goal keeper Caleb plays for the Gulf Coast Texans, Pensacola FC and has also committed to playing soccer next year at Belhaven University.
Nathan Bailey #10 brought his skills to the varsity team the year he arrived in Pensacola as a sophomore. Bailey too plays for both the Gulf Coast Texans and Pensacola FC.
Tate will host Pace High Friday. Junior varsity begins at 5:30 p.m., and varsity plays at 7:30 p.m. at Ashton Brosnaham Park. Click or tap here to purchase tickets.
Submitted information for NorthEscambia.com.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Gets Exciting 32-12 Playoff Win Over Chipley (With Photo Gallery)
November 14, 2020
The Northview Chiefs beat the Chipley Tigers 32-12 Friday night in the 1A regional quarterfinals.
Just two weeks ago, Northview handily beat Chipley 45-13.
After scoreless first quarter Friday night at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt, sophomore Kaden Odom scrambled on a quarterback keeper for a touchdown to put the Chiefs on the scoreboard first at 7-0 with 9:55 remaining in the second.
After a Chipley score, senior standout Jayden Jackson stepped in as QB and scored from 67-yards out to put Northview back on top 13-6.
With 1:07 to go in the half, the Chiefs snapped to Jackson again, and he was in from six yards out to make it 19-6. Jackson added another touchdown with 6:12 to go in the third, 26-6.
First year Northview High School head coach Wes Summerford stepped up to his team after the game and opened with “I’m excited”.
“I’m excited about the way they responded in the second half, you know had a little slower start which was kind of unusual as a late, but I loved the way they responded,” Summerford told NorthEscambia.com after the win. “I’m excited for these guys. I preached all week about the playoffs. I said you stick together, and you play together anything can happen.”
The Chiefs (7-1) will host the Vernon Yellowjackets (5-1) next Friday night at 7:30 in the regional semifinals. Summerford said he believes his team is ready, with just a little fine tuning needed to prepare.
“I think that we have a good defensive game and our offense has been rolling is it,” Summerford said. “We are just gonna touch up on the little things. We are always going to do what we do, but we’re gonna touch up on the fundamentals.”
The Northview Chiefs are in a unique position if they roll on with the wins. They will play the next three playoff games at home before the state championship game on December 12 in Tallahassee.
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Tate Drops Round One Playoff Game To Fleming Island
November 14, 2020
The Tates Aggies dropped Friday night’s round one 7A playoff game on the road at Fleming Island.
The Aggies were 1-5 headed into Friday night’s contest against the 6-2 Fleming Island Golden Eagles..
NorthEscambia.com file photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.