Northview High School Weightlifters Qualify For State
February 5, 2025
Two Northview High School weightlifters are headed to state after their performance at the 1A R1 Regional Championship.
In the 101-pound weight class, Maggie Stewart secured a 5th place finish with a total lift of 190 pounds.
In the 119-pound division, Aaliyah Fountain earned a 3rd place finish, lifting a total of 265 pounds.
Steward and Fountain both qualified for the upcoming tate meet.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Boys Advance In District Tourney; Northview Chiefs Out
February 4, 2025
The Tate Aggies advanced in the district playoffs with a win Monday night, while the season came to an end for the Northview Chiefs.
Boys 6A District 1
The No. 5 Tate Aggies defeated No. 4 Niceville 52-20 Monday night in the Boys 6A District 1 Quarterfinals at Niceville.
The Aggies move on to the district semifinals Wednesday night at No. 1 Gulf Breeze. Also Wednesday, No. 2 Crestview will host No. 3 Milton. Winners will move on to the district championship game is set for Friday.
Boys Rural Class District 1
Monday night, No. 3 Paxton defeated the No. 6 Northview Chiefs 60-24 in the Boys Rural Class District 1 quarterfinals on Wednesday, No. 1 Baker will host No. 5 Laurel Hill and No. 2 Jay will host Paxton. The district championship game will be played on Friday.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Ernest Ward JV Wins; Varsity Falls in Tight Match Against Beulah Middle (With Gallery)
February 4, 2025
The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles faced off against the Beulah Middle School Bears Monday night in Walnut Hill.
The Eagles’ junior varsity squad secured a hard-fought victory, winning in three sets –25-15, 21-23, 15-10. EWMS came out strong in the first set, but Beulah responded with a narrow win in the second. The Eagles regrouped in the deciding frame, taking control to seal the match.
For a photo gallery, click here.
In the varsity matchup, Ernest Ward started with a dominant 25-14 first-set win. However, Beulah battled back, winning the next two sets 25-17 and 15-13 to claim the victory.
NorthEscamiba.com photos, click to enlarge.
Basketball District Tournaments Begin Today For Tate And Northview
February 3, 2025
The boys and girls teams from both Tate and Northview will begin district tournament play next week.
Girls Rural Class District 1
- Quarterfinals, Tuesday, Feb. 4
- No. 6 Northview at No. 3 Central
- No. 5 Baker at No 4. Laurel Hill
- District Semifinals, Thursday, Feb. 6
- No. 1 Jay hosts Laurel Hill/Baker winner
- No. 2 Paxton hosts Central/Northview winner
- District Championship, Saturday, Feb 8
Boys Rural Class District 1
- Quarterfinals, Monday, Feb. 3
- No. 6 Northview at No. 3 Paxton
- No 5 Laurel Hill at No. 4 Central
- District Semifinals, Wednesday, Feb. 5
- No. 1 Baker hosts Central/Laurel Hill winner
- No. 2 Jay hosts Paxton/Northview winner
- District Championship, Feb 7
Girls 6A District 1
- Quarterfinals, Tuesday, Feb. 4
- No. 6 Tate at No. 3 Crestview
- No. 7 Gulf Breeze at. No. 2 Milton
- No. 5 Navarre at No. 4 Pace
- District Semifinals, Thursday, Feb. 6
- No. 1 Niceville hosts Pace/Navarre winner
- Milton/Gulf Breeze winner vs. Crestview/Tate winner
- District Championship, Saturday, Feb 8
Boys 6A District 1
- Quarterfinals, Monday, Feb. 3
- No. 5 Tate at No. 4 Niceville
- No 7 Pace at No. 2 Crestview
- No. 6 Navarre at No. 3 Milton
- District Semifinals, Wednesday, Feb. 5
- No. 1 Gulf Breeze hosts Niceville/Tate winner
- Crestview/Pace winner vs. Milton/Navarre winner
- District Championship, Friday, Feb 7
Pictured: The 6A Tate Lady Aggies took on the 1A Northview Lady Chiefs last month. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Cheerleaders Win Runner-up At State, Heading To Nationals
February 2, 2025
The defending state champion Tate Aggies cheerleaders took the FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading state runner-up spot on Saturday.
The Aggie cheerleaders will compete in nationals this week. They will depart Wednesday and being competition on Friday in Orlando. Both the junior varsity and varsity squads will complete n traditional and gameday at nationals.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ice Flyers Bounce Back For Saturday Night Win
February 2, 2025
Despite facing a 3-1 deficit heading into the final frame, the Ice Flyers mounted an impressive comeback to force overtime, though ultimately fell short in a 9-round shootout Friday night.
Alex Wilkins opened the scoring for Fayetteville, but the Ice Flyers evened the score when Matt Wiesner benefited from an unusual bounce in the first period.
Marksmen forwards Khristian Acosta and Dalton Hunter propelled Fayetteville to a 3-1 lead with back-to-back goals, scored just 12 seconds apart, to end the second period.
Jake Hamilton gave the Ice Flyers a boost with his sixth goal of the season, cutting the deficit. Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira tied the game 3-3 with a power-play goal to close out regulation.
Neither team managed to break through in the overtime period, sending the game to a shootout that would ultimately require nine rounds to determine a winner.
The shootout remained scoreless through six rounds until Ice Flyers forward Doug Elgstam finally broke through, sneaking one past Marksmen goaltender Ryan Kenney. However, the celebration was short-lived as Ryan Nolan quickly responded for Fayetteville to even things up. The marathon shootout finally came to an end in the ninth round when John Moncovich secured the victory for the Marksmen.
The Ice Flyers will host the Fayetteville Marksmen on Saturday for game two of their three-game series.
Scoring Summary
First Period
FAY 1, PEN 0
10:11 Alex Wilkins (1) – Unassisted – PP
Fayetteville capitalized on a power play to score the game’s first goal.
FAY 1, PEN 1
17:14 Matt Wiesner (6) – Cayden Cahill
A shot by Matt Wiesner ricocheted off the glass and bounced off the back of the Marksmen’s goalie, Ryan Kenney, to tie things up.
Shots on goal: FAY 11, PEN 18
Second Period
FAY 2, PEN 1
17:48 Khristian Acosta (3) – Alex Ambrosio, John Moncovich
Fayetteville took the lead with Khristian Acosta’s shot on a 2-on-1 rush.
FAY 3, PEN 1
18:00 Dalton Hunter (14) – Unassisted
12 seconds after Acosta’s goal, Dalton Hunter weaved around the Ice Flyers defense and sent a shot past Brody Claeys to extend the Marksmen’s lead to two.
Shots on Goal: FAY 10, PEN 15
3rd Period
FAY 3, PEN 2
13:05 Jake Hamilton (6) – Cayden Cahill
Jake Hamilton’s well-placed shot found its way through traffic and into the back of the net, giving the Ice Flyers the momentum boost they needed for their third period comeback.
FAY 3, PEN 3
15:05 Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira (5) – Nick Pryce
The Ice Flyers tied things up with Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira getting a much needed goal on a powerplay opportunity.
Shots on Goal: FAY 3, PEN 14
Overtime
None
Shootout
Ice Flyers – Doug Elgstam
Marksmen – Ryan Nolan
Marksmen – John Moncovich
Total Shots: FAY 30, PEN 52
Ice Flyers Rally Night Third Period Lead Evaporates In OT Loss Against Roanoke
February 1, 2025
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
The Ice Flyers gained a point Friday, but left with an empty feeling.
They carried a 2-0 lead into the third period, but gave up a power play goal in the first five minutes, then had Roanoke tie the game with 1:14 left and the Rail Yard Dawgs followed with an overtime goal on their first puck possession for a 3-2 win at the Pensacola Bay Center.
It was the Ice Flyers fifth overtime loss this season, matching the most in the league. But this one occurred after the Ice Flyers had seemed to withstand a barrage of Roanoke scoring chances earlier in the game.
The loss left a crowd of 4,140 exiting with disappointment on Rally Foundation Night, sponsored by Gulf Winds Credit Union, that raised thousands of dollars. The organization is part of Rally Gulf Coast, which helps children with cancer, along with their families, who live along the Gulf Coast region.
Wearing specialty jerseys designed by some of the children battling cancer, the Ice Flyers started strong.
Nick Pryce scored just 2:17 into the game, a split-second before the Ice Flyers power play expired. Midway through the period Ivan Bondarenko provided a 2-0 lead that stood all the way into the third period.
The teams will rematch Saturday at the Bay Center on Mardi Gras Night, which always attracts a mass crowd.
In one of the rare times this season, the Ice Flyers were outshot by a wide margin, 40-26, but Ice Flyers goaltender Brody Claeys came up with big saves throughout the first two periods and several in the third.
The Ice Flyers were seeking their first three-game win streak of the season. Instead, they settled for getting at least one point in six of their last seven games.
Here’s a quick recap.
FIRST PERIOD
Just 17 seconds into the game, the Ice Flyers had a power play. Roanoke’s Carson Gallagher was whistled for tripping.
As he was set to break from the penalty box, Pryce got a pass from Michael Herrera, made a great deke in the crease area and slid the puck on a backhand past veteran SPHL goaltender Austyn Roudebush. The 31-year-old Roudebush is playing his seventh season in the SPHL, five of those with Roanoke.
Gallagher, meanwhile, wound up being the game’s No. 1 star after he scored the tying and winning goal.
Later in this period, Houston Wilson was one of four Ice Flyers to hit a post with his shot and have the puck carom away.
With 10:47 left, Bondarenko worked past a Roanoke defender, moved in on goal and flicked a shot into the upper corner to give the Ice Flyers a 2-0 lead.
With 6:29 left, Claeys made a pair of big saves in the same sequence to keep the score the same.
SECOND PERIOD
No scoring, but plenty of action.
The biggest occurred with 8:22 remaining when Cayden Cahill was awarded a penalty shot when he broke free and was tripped by Bryce Martin with a clear path to the net. On the penalty shot, Cahill made a great move, but Roudebush stretched his leg and thwarted the tap-in shot with his skate up against the goalpost.
That play would prove decisive.
The Ice Flyers were whistled for two separate penalties in the final seven minutes of the period.
THIRD PERIOD
Roanoke’s Austen Swankler scored his first goal with the team on a one-timer during a power play that was perfectly set up with a cross pass from Nick Ford that Swankler blasted into the net with 15:28 left.
It was one of the few times the Ice Flyers have allowed a power play goal on home ice. Their 90.2 kill percentage entering the game was the best in the league.
The Ice Flyers killed another penalty with 4:19 left, but less than 30 seconds later with 1:44 left, Gallagher tied the game. It happened at the same time Roudebush was skating off the ice for an extra attacker.
That deflating moment led into another for the Ice Flyers. They gained the face off in overtime, carried the puck into the Roanoke end, but once the Rail Yard Dawgs gained possession, their chance proved decisive when Gallager rifled a shot into the net just 52 seconds into overtime.
GAME NOTABLES
The Ice Flyers wore specialty Rally Foundation uniforms with the jerseys designed by kids involved with the Rally Gulf Coast and Rally Foundation. There was a live auction after the game on the arena concourse with game-worn jerseys.
In a special scene, kids involved with Rally Gulf Coast and parents sat on the benches during warmups as players greeted the kids during their pregame routines.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
Tate Boys, Girls Basketball Earn Wins Wednesday Night
January 30, 2025
Boys
Tate 67 Washington 64
Girls
Tate 71 Escambia 37
The Tate Lady Aggies defeated Escambia 41-37 Wednesday night. Brelynn Morris scores a dozen points for Tate, while Amerie McGee added 11. Tylor Malone and Sam Williams each had eight points, while Sarah Mitchell recorded two points.
Tate Volleyball Honored With Philanthropic Award For Breast Cancer Research Benefit Games
January 29, 2025
Tate High School volleyball has been honored with the 2024-2025 Sideout Foundation Philanthropic Achievement Award.
The Aggies have raised over $10,000 for the foundation, which dedicates the majority of donations to their own metastatic breast cancer research. In addition to research, Side-Out allocates a portion of their funds to high-quality support services for cancer patients and their families, as well as college scholarships for students.
The Aggies have hosted a Dig Pink game for many years, last hosting the Pace Patriots in a Dig Pink game last October.
For a photo gallery for October’s game, click here.
Pictured above and below: The October 2024 Dig Pink game for the Sideout Foundation at Tate High School. Pictured inset: The award banner received by the Lady Aggies. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Drops Senior Night Games To Miller (With Gallery)
January 28, 2025
The Northview High School boys and girls basketball teams dropped games to T.R. Miller Monday night after the Chiefs celebrated senior night.
For a boys game action photo gallery, click here.
Northview girls basketball honored seniors
- Madeleine Atallah
- Aaliyah Fountain
- Taliyah Johnson
- Madison Levins
Northview seniors boys recognized were:
- Beau Daw
- Luke Diamon
- Demonte Ewings
- Tyler Gilmore
- Zykel Jones
- Robert Mitchell
- Brayden Reaves
- Zi’don Smith
- Brian Yoder
In boys action, Miller defeated Northview 55-14, while the Northview girls fell 64-18.
NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
