Football Practices Open With New Contact Rules; New Coach For Northview
August 2, 2016
High school football practices opened across the North Escambia area Monday, with new practice rules for everyone and a new head coach for one school.
At Northview High School, it was the first practice under new head coach Derek Marshman, who was named to the position just last Friday following the resignation of Sid Wheatley. The Chiefs were the last team in Escambia County to bring home a state title, having won a state championship in 2012 under Wheatley and then-assistant coach Marshman.
Monday also marked the first day new Florida High School Athletic Association procedures that limit live contact at every member school in the state in an effort to improve player safety.
During the regular season, live contact will be restricted to 30 minutes per day and 80 minutes total per week. Live contact, defined as drills with game-like conditions where players are taken to the ground, will not occur on more than two consecutive days and may not exceed three practice days per week.
“Player safety has and will always be the number one goal of the FHSAA,” FHSAA executive director Dr. Roger Dearing said. “Protecting our student-athletes is paramount in growing the game of football and this administrative procedure is a step in the right direction.”
From day six through Monday of the first regular season game, live contact at all schools will be limited to 40 minutes each day, with no more than two straight days of live contact. During two-a-days, only one practice shall include live contact and it shall not surpass 40 minutes.
“The game of football will always come with some inherent risk, but we will never stop working to try and make one of the greatest team sports on earth safer,” FHSAA Football Administrator Frank Beasley said. “We will continue our efforts to educate and teach coaches on the Drive to December about how to run effective practices while using the limited-contact procedures.”
Pictured top: New Northview Coach Derek Marshman held practice Monday, just day after being named head coach. Pictured inset and below: The Chiefs open practice Monday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sparks Crushes Walk-off Homer For The Wahoos
August 2, 2016
Taylor Sparks hit his second solo home run in two games but this time it came in the 11th inning as a pinch hitter to give the Pensacola Blue Wahoos its franchise record ninth walk-off of the season.
Sparks is now 3-3 as a pinch hitter with two homers and a single.
“That’s fun right there,” said Sparks after the game whose seventh homer of the season gave Pensacola a 4-3 victory Monday in front of 3,943 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he “felt very comfortable” with Sparks, who is hitting .198 on the season, pinch hitting with one out.
“I did like Sparks in that situation,” Kelly said. “He’s a good looking player. Obviously, he’s got power. Those (walk-offs) are pretty amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team hit that many.”
Sparks, who is playing his first season in Double-A getting called up June 22, said he goes to the plate with a different approach when he’s pinch hitting.
“I walk up to the plate just trying to smash one,” said Sparks, who hit two homers in his Double-A debut. “It’s tough coming off the bench and swinging it. I waited for a pitch I could hammer. There’s no science to it.”
Pensacola, the first half Southern League South Division, improved its record to 18-19 in the second half and 59-48 overall. Mississippi is now 13 of 17 and leads the South Division in the second half with a 22-15 record and are 56-50 on the season.
Pensacola third baseman Alex Blandino sent the game into extra innings with his solo bomb that tied the score up, 3-3, in the bottom of the seventh inning. His deep fly ball cleared the left field fence just over the outstretched glove of Mississippi left fielder Dustin Peterson.
Mississippi had taken the lead, 3-2, in the seventh inning when catcher Joseph Odom ripped his first home run of the season over the left field wall in the top of the seventh inning to score two runs to tie the game, 2-2. Braves pinch hitter Carlos Franco hit a two-out single to drive in right fielder Stephen Gaylor, giving Mississippi a 3-2 lead.
“These are two pretty good clubs right here,” Kelly said. “They got a hanger and beat us last night and we got a hanger and beat them tonight (Monday).”
Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej, named Southern League Player of the Week earlier in the day, continued his hot hitting Monday. Vincej — batting .444 during his seven game hit streak — hit a chopper that squeezed between the third baseman and shortstop in the fourth inning to drive in left fielder Phillip Ervin, who doubled to start the inning. The run put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0.
Ervin then hit a grounder to shortstop and beat out the throw on a double play attempt by Mississippi, allowing center fielder Jeff Gelalich to score from third in the fifth inning to put Pensacola ahead, 2-0.
Pensacola starting pitcher Rookie Davis cruised through the first six innings against Mississippi, allowing only one hit and retiring 11 in a row.
Mississippi’s best chance to score against Davis came in the sixth inning when center fielder Connor Lien reached third base with two outs and shortstop Dansby Swanson at the plate. Swanson entered the game hitting .360 against Pensacola but Monday was 0-4. Davis, a 22-year-old righty, struck out Swanson, the 2015 No. 1 draft choice, to end the inning.
Davis ended up allowing three runs, though, in the seventh inning to the Braves. He finished the game throwing 6.2 innings, giving up four hits and two walks, while striking out four.
In his previous four starts, Davis has allowed three earned runs in 23.1 innings for a 1.16 ERA, while striking out 24. He has won his last three starts and the Blue Wahoos had won all four games that Davis started.
“Rookie (Davis) was terrific,” Kelly said. “He had a one-hitter going into the seventh. I told him real men play in the National League. You have to run the bases and pitch, too.”
Mississippi starting pitcher Jed Bradley had dominated the Pensacola lineup coming into the game going 3-0 in 10 appearances and throwing 15 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts.
After throwing three scoreless innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts Monday, Pensacola finally broke the lefty’s streak with Ervin’s run in the fourth inning.
Mississippi’s Bradley ended up lasting 5.2 innings giving up two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out a season-high eight batters.
The Braves gave up two runs on two hits both solo homers by Sparks and Blandino. Despite that, they have now allowed nine runs in 65.1 innings dating back to July 11.
Mississippi Beats The Pensacola Blue Wahoos 8-3
August 1, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos win 63.4 percent of the time at Blue Wahoos Stadium but the Mississippi Braves hit three home runs to take the opener of the five-game series, 8-3, Sunday.
Mississippi center fielder Connor Lien smacked two homers and drove in four runs, while the Braves No. 1 prospect Dansby Swanson hit a two-run blast in front of 4,502 Pensacola fans.
Pensacola had tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the sixth inning when third baseman Taylor Sparks crushed a solo shot to deep left center field, which was his sixth homer of the season.
But both of Lien’s homers came at critical times for Mississippi. His first one was a solo shot in the first inning and his second was a three-run blast in the seventh inning that put the Braves up, 6-3. He finished the game 2-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Lien injured his thumb in Mississippi’s first game and returned June 23. Pensacola last saw Lien in the opener when he had a strike out and a walk before going on the disabled list. Lien now has four home runs in the last eight games and 10 RBIs on the season.
“We saw him in one at bat for Mississippi,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “He’s obviously a big strong guy and he hit two balls pretty good.”
Pensacola starter Tyler Mahle rebounded from his first bad showing in Double-A when he gave up seven earned runs in 4.2 innings against the Montgomery Biscuits.
Against Mississippi Sunday, Mahle threw six innings giving up three runs, one earned on six hits and a walk, while striking out six. Mahle, who led the High-A Florida State League in strikeouts, has 38 strikeouts in 44.1 innings with Pensacola. He left the game, when it was tied, 3-3.
Kelly said he has been impressed with the 21-year-old Mahle, who threw a no-hitter for High-A Daytona before getting called up to the Blue Wahoos.
“I don’t think you can be perfect every time out,” Kelly said. “He gave us six good innings and kept us in the game. He’s shown maturity all the way through.”
The game was a seesaw battle until the seventh inning. Mississippi right fielder Joey Meneses laced a line drive deep into the left center gap for a stand-up double that drove in both Lien and Swanson to put the Braves ahead, 3-2.
Pensacola had gone ahead in the fifth inning, 2-1, when Eric Jagielo scored on a deep sacrifice fly to center field by center fielder Beau Amaral.
The Blue Wahoos tied the game, 1-1, in the third inning when second baseman Alex Blandino hit a grounder past a diving Swanson to drive in Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach. Blandino is hitting .343 in his last 10 games and has driven in six runs.
All month, Zach Vincej was hot at the plate, going 34-92 for a .370 average and driving in 11 runs, making July his best month, so far, this season. He went 3-3 Sunday with a double and walk and is hitting .289 on the year.
Wahoos Fall To The Montgomery Biscuits
July 31, 2016
The Montgomery Biscuits came back from a three-run deficit in the seventh inning to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 4-3, Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium.
Montgomery overcame Pensacola in its last at bat in the bottom of the ninth when right fielder Justin Williams led off with a double to center field. He then came around to score the winning run when DH Granden Goetzman bunted back to Pensacola reliever Abel De Los Santos, who threw the ball away.
The victory in the final game of the five-game series allowed Montgomery to capture the series, 3-2. The Biscuits improved 21-14 in the second half to lead the Southern League North Divison. Pensacola, dropped to 17-18 and starts a five-game series at 4 p.m. Sunday against the Mississippi Braves.
Pensacola could have won the game but had two runners thrown at home plate.
In the ninth inning, Blue Wahoos DH Eric Jagielo singled on a ground ball to center field and Brandon Dixon replaced him as a pinch runner. Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach bunted Dixon to second. Then, Pensacola center fielder Jeff Gelalich hit a line drive single to center field to Montgomery’s Braxton Lee who threw Dixon out trying to score the go-ahead run.
Again in the fourth inning, Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks struck out but reached first on a wild pitch and then stole his first base of the season to move to second. Blue Wahoos shortstop Zach Vincej then hit a line drive single to left field to Montgomery’s Cade Gotta, who came up throwing to Biscuits catcher Jake DePew to get Sparks out at home to end the inning.
Pensacola had gone ahead when it scored three runs in the seventh inning. The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases with two out in the inning when second baseman Alex Blandino stepped to the plate and delivered a line drive single to left field to drive in Vincej and first baseman Ray Chang for two runs. Pensacola scored another run when Wallach scored on a passed ball to make the score, 3-0.
But Montgomery came right back in the bottom of the seventh. The Biscuits’ Lee came to the plate with the bases loaded and hit a ground ball to Vincej, who got the force out at second base allowing Williams to score to pull the Biscuits within, 3-1. Montgomery’s Gotta then doubled in DH Granden Goetzman and Lee to knot the game at 3-3.
All three runs were charged to Pensacola reliever Evan Mitchell, who pitched 0.2 innings.
Montgomery’s comeback victory spoiled the start by Barrett Astin. Making his seventh spot start of the season, Astin pitched a season-high six shutout innings, allowing two hits, walking two and striking out eight.
Pensacola was led at the plate by Vincej, who went 2-3 with a walk and a run scored. He is now hitting a season best .359 in the month of July. Meanwhile, Blandino went 1-4 and drove in two runs to increase his RBIs to 27 this season.
Wahoos Beat Montgomery
July 30, 2016
All season long, Pensacola starting pitcher Sal Romano has worked hard to improve with Blue Wahoos pitching coach Danny Darwin.
That extra work paid off Friday when the 22-year-old pitched 6.2 perfect innings to help lead Pensacola to a 4-0 victory Friday over the Montgomery Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium. The series is now tied, 2-2, going into the final game of the five-game series Saturday.
Pensacola, the first half Southern League champions, improved its record to 17-17 in the second half. Meanwhile, Montgomery fell to 20-14 but still leads the North Division.
With two out in the seventh inning, Romano hit Montgomery shortstop Willy Adames to end his perfect game. The next batter, Biscuits first baseman Jake Bauers, singled on a line drive to right field to break up the no-hitter.
After Darwin visited the mound to calm the big righty, Romano struck out Montgomery left fielder Granden Goetzman.
Romano, rated the ninth best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization by MLB.com, struck out six batters total, which included striking out the side in the fifth inning. He didn’t walk any batters.
The last time Romano pitched a one-hitter was when he completed seven innings July 21, 2015, for the High-A Daytona Tortugas. Romano struck out six in that game, too, and walked none.
Romano improved to 4-10, winning three of his last four starts, and lowered his earned-run average to 3.98. It’s the first time his ERA fell below 4.00 since May 4
Rated the pitcher with the best fastball in the Reds system, Romano now has 106 strikeouts this season to lead the Southern League.
Pensacola reliever Carlos Gonzalez replaced Romano in the eighth inning and pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one more hit to Montgomery. He earned his seventh save for the Blue Wahoos this season.
The Blue Wahoos scored two runs with two outs in the eighth inning to go up, 2-0, when Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej doubled —his 17th of the season — to left field to drive in Ray Chang, who had doubled. The second run scored when DH Brandon Dixon reached first on an error by Adames that allowed Vincej to score from second base.
Vincej is now hitting .337 (29-86), so far, this month and has 11 RBIs in July — his highest monthly total.
Alex Blandino launched a two-run homer to center field in the top of the ninth inning to give Pensacola a 4-0 lead. It was his seventh homer this season and he now has 25 RBIs.
Pensacola did have two good chances to score earlier in the game. In the third inning, Chang came up with the bases loaded and one out and flew out to Montgomery right fielder Cade Gotta. Gotta then threw home to catcher Jake DePew to nail the Blue Wahoos’ Blandino at home.
Chang had been 3-3 with the bases loaded with a double and five RBIs when he stepped to the plate.
Again, Pensacola had runners at the corners with two outs when right fielder Jeff Gelalich doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch and Blandino walked. However, Pensacola center fielder Beau Amaral struck out to end the inning.
Montgomery starting pitcher Chris Kirsch also threw well. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowed four hits, walked one and struck out seven. He left the game in a 0-0 tie.
Northview Chiefs Name Dereck Marshman As New Head Football Coach
July 29, 2016
Northview High School has named Dereck Marshman as their head football coach.
Mashman has been an assistant coach for the Chiefs since 2010, except for a short stint in Tennessee. He was part of the coaching staff that led the Northview Chiefs to a state football championship in 2012. He said he expects his transition from defensive and strength coach into the head coaching position will be an easy step for a team he says is poised for great season.
“It will be seamless when we start practice on Monday. We have our assistant coaching staff already in place, and I have confidence in them. It will not be like we are starting over today.”
“We have a chance to be a pretty special team this year. The senior leadership is special this year; they have worked together for a long time and have proven themselves during very demanding summer workouts and in the weight room.”
Marshman said the Chiefs have a very touch regular season schedule in which they will play up several classifications against much larger schools, and he said he’s looking forward to a December trip to Orlando and the state championship game.
Northview Principal Gayle Weaver said Marshman was an easy and obvious choice to lead the Chiefs. He was offered and accepted the position Friday morning after interviews were conducted.
“He brings stability and consistency to the team,” Weaver said. “I have great hopes for this season.
Marshman will not take over as Northview’s head baseball coach as the position was originally to be advertised. Instead, Weaver said Marshman’s current job as In School Suspension coordinator will be advertised in conjunction with the head baseball coach position.
Former football and baseball head coach Sid Wheatley announced his resignation in late July to return home to a coaching position in his native Mississippi. He said he wanted to be closer to his family after 11 years away at Northview. He had a 50-31 record as Northview’s head coach.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Montgomery Beats The Wahoos
July 29, 2016
The Montgomery Biscuits bats came alive just in time to score three runs in its last two at bats to overcome the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 4-1, Thursday at Riverwalk Stadium.
Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Jackson Stephens had silenced the Biscuits’ bats by retiring 11 in a row before Montgomery catcher Armando Araiza singled to right field in the seventh inning to start a two-run rally that put the Biscuits on top, 3-1.
After Araiza’s hit, Montgomery got three more in a row to knock Stephens from the game. Araiza crossed home plate for the first run of the inning when Biscuits center fielder Braxton Lee singled on a bunt back to the mound. Montgomery second baseman Kean Wong then hit a groundball into left field to drive in first baseman Pat Blair.
The Biscuits padded that lead in the eighth inning when Araiza hit a grounder back to the mound that Pensacola reliever Jacob Ehret threw away, allowing third baseman Juniel Querecuto to score for a 4-1 Montgomery lead.
Montgomery had scored first in the bottom of the first inning to go up, 1-0, when DH Jake Bauers singled to right field to drive in Lee, who started the inning with a single.
Pensacola had knotted the score, 1-1, in the second inning when first baseman Ray Chang scored on a passed ball after leading off the inning with a walk. Chang led the Blue Wahoos at the plate getting two hits in three at bats and walking once to raise his average to .275.
The Blue Wahoos, though, went 0-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight Pensacola runners on base.
In the sixth inning, Pensacola loaded the bases with two outs but failed to score.
Stephens ended up working 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, giving up one walk, and striking out six. He fell to 6-10 with a 3.39 earned-run average.
Montgomery starter Brent Honeywell lasted five innings, and gave up one unearned run on four hits and two walks, while striking out six. He did not figure in the decision but his ERA now stands at 1.21.
Pensacola, the first half Southern League champions, dropped to 16-17 in the second half. Montgomery improved to 20-13 and lead the North Division.
Wahoos Over Biscuits 3-1
July 28, 2016
Four Pensacola pitchers combined to limit Montgomery to one run and Phillip Ervin delivered the clutch hit to help the Blue Wahoos win, 3-1, Wednesday over the Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium.
Pensacola starting pitcher Rookie Davis, who struck out the side in the second inning, ended up working 5.1 innings, allowing one run on a homer by Montgomery second baseman Paul Blair. He gave up five hits and two walks with six strikeouts total. He improved to a team-best 9-3 with and lowered his earned run average of 2.62.
Meanwhile, relievers Abel De Los Santos, Carlos Gonzalez and Alejandro Chacin threw 3.2 scoreless and hitless innings, while striking out four.
Like he has done all season for Pensacola, Chacin took over and tossed a scoreless ninth inning getting Montgomery out 1-2-3 with a strikeout to earn his 20th save this year, which leads the Southern League. He has struck out 49 batters in 44.1 innings.
Meanwhile, Pensacola left fielder Phillip Ervin stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on second and third in the fifth inning. In 87 previous at bats with two outs Ervin was hitting .195. He singled to center field in the fifth inning and drove in catcher Chad Wallach and center fielder Beau Amaral to put his team up, 3-0, over Montgomery.
His clutch hit made him 1-4 on the night. Six of the Blue Wahoos nine hitters got one hit Wednesday.
Pensacola scored first in the fourth inning when the hot-hitting shortstop Zach Vincej tripled in Brandon Dixon, who had singled to center field, with two out to put the Blue Wahoos up, 1-0.
Vincej went 1-4 and is hitting .346 and has an on-base percentage of .400 in July, which are both his highest marks this season. He also has 11 RBIs this month, which is highest total.
Montgomery did get on the board when Blair, who was batting ninth in the lineup and averaging .168, lifted a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull the Biscuits within, 3-1.
Chih-Wei Hu pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three. He fell to 3-7 with 2.34 ERA. Hu and two Biscuits’ relievers — Kyle Bird and Jordan Harrison — retired 12 in a row until Pensacola first baseman Eric Jagielo earned a walk in the ninth inning.
Pensacola improved to 24-27 on the road. The first half Southern League champions are now back to .500 at 16-16 in the second half and in third place 2.5 games behind the Mississippi Braves (18-13). Montgomery fell to 19-12 but still leads the North Division.
Montgomery Biscuits Roll To 10-5 Victory Over The Blue Wahoos
July 27, 2016
The Montgomery Biscuits welcomed the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium by jumping out to a 10-1 lead.
The Biscuits knocked out usually reliable starter Tyler Mahle by scoring eight runs against him in his 4.2 innings of work and went on to win, 10-5, Tuesday.
Montgomery benefited from two two-run home runs by right fielder Justin Williams in the third inning and shortstop Willy Adames in the fifth inning off of Mahle. Mahle fell to 5-2, allowing nine of Montgomery’s 11 hits, walking. two and striking out one.
Pensacola fell to 23-27 on the road. The first half Southern League champions are now 15-16 in the second half. Montgomery improved to 19-12 and leads the North Division.
Montgomery didn’t take long to start rolling. DH Cade Gotta led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and came around to score on shortstop Adames ground out to third base to put the Biscuits up, 1-0. Adames was 2-4, scored twice and knocked in three runs.
Biscuits left fielder Granden Goetzman doubled to start the second inning and reached third on a wild pitch. Montgomery Williams then smashed a homer to left center to bring in Goetzman for a 3-0 lead.
Montgomery center fielder Braxton Lee doubled and went to third on an errant throw by Mahle trying to pick him off. Second baseman Thomas Coyle then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Braxton and put Montgomery ahead, 4-0.
Pensacola finally got on the board in the third inning to pull within, 4-1, when catcher Chad Wallach singled to third base and then Alex Blandino singled to shortstop. Both first baseman Jake Bauer and Adames were charged with throwing errors on the play to make the run unearned.
It was the only run that Montgomery starter Taylor Guerrieri would give up to Pensacola in six innings to improve to 11-4 becoming the first pitcher in the Southern League to 11 wins. He gave up four hits, one walk and struck out five.
Montgomery tacked on another run in the fourth when Goetzman tripled and was driven in by Williams single to right field for a 5-1 lead.
The Biscuits extended its lead in the fifth inning to 7-1 on a two-run homer to left center by Adames that also scored third baseman Kean Wong. Williams then doubled on a pop up to left field that deflected off of Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej’s glove and scored Goetzman to go ahead, 8-1.
Vincej went 2-2 with a walk, and is now batting .333 in July, his best monthly average this season.
Montgomery scored two more runs in the seventh inning to make the score, 10-1. Williams smacked a line drive to center filed that scored both Adames and Bauers.
Pensacola finally broke out with four runs in the eighth inning to pull within, 10-5. Blue Wahoos right fielder Sebastian Elizalde singled in Blandino. Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks, who was 2-5, Tuesday scored on a wild pitch after a single to center. Blue Wahoos left fielder Jeff Gelalich singled to center to score Elizalde. The fourth and final run crossed the plate when DH Brandon Dixon, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch.
In the ninth inning, Pensacola loaded the bases with one out, but Montgomery closer Jeff Ames came in and faced Brandon Dixon, who popped out to the catcher, and Jeff Gelalich, who struck out, to end the threat. Batters are now, 0-10, against Ames with the bases loaded.
Tate Aggie Jake Henry Commits To Appalachian State
July 26, 2016
Tate High School Aggie wide receiver Jake Henry has committed to play for Appalachian State of the Sunbelt Conference. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.