JV: Catholic Defeats Northview (With Photo Gallery)
September 7, 2012
The junior varsity Catholic Crusaders defeated the junior varsity Northview Chiefs Thursday night in Bratt, 12-0.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Northview hosted Catholic in JV football action Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Beats Perdido (With Photo Gallery)
September 7, 2012
The Ernest Ward Eagles opened their middle school football season with a 44-6 win over Perdido Thursday night.
The Eagles took an early lead on a toss from Desmone Knight to Joshua English for a touchdown with 6:41 to go in the first. With a good two point conversion from Knight, EWMS was up 8-0.
Ernest Ward scored exactly five minutes later on a 15-yard touchdown run from Contraris Mitchell and a good two pointer from Knight, 16-0 with 1:41 in the first.
For a photo gallery, click here.
EWMS added another touchdown, this time a two yard quarterback keeper from Luke Ward, with 27.1 seconds to go in the first. After a flawless two point conversion from Dustin Bethea, Ernest Ward held a commanding 24-0 lead over Perdido headed into the second quarter.
With 6:01 on the clock in the second, Knight added another touchdown for the Eagles to make it 32-0. Then with 3:52 to go in the half, Mitchell was into the end zone for the Eagles. A missed two pointer, and it was 38-0.
Perdido added one touchdown from Dusty Baggett and missed the two point conversion, 38-6. Ernest Ward sealed the win with an English touchdown late in the game, 44-6.
Ernest Ward will host Elberta next Thursday night at 6:00 in Walnut Hill.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Desmone Knight picks up yardage for Ernest Ward Thursday evening against Perdido in Walnut Hill. Pictured top inset: Quarterback Luke Ward completes a pass. Pictured bottom inset: Dustin Beathea on the run for the Eagles. Pictured below: The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders. Pictured bottom: Kylie Brook on the piccolo in the Ernest Ward band. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: Central Downs Northview (With Photo Gallery)
September 7, 2012
The Northview Chiefs split varsity and junior varsity games with Central High School Thursday on the volleyball court in Bratt.
In varsity action, Northview fell to Central in five, 24-26, 25-8, 25-17, 22-25, 13-15.
Shelley Mothershed had three aces, two kills and six assists for the Lady Chiefs, while Misty Doran had two aces, eight kills, four block and two digs.
In junior varsity action, the NHS Lady Chiefs defeated the Central Lady Jags 23-25, 25-7, 15-11. Hope Coggins recorded four aces, one kill and one dig for Northview, and Kyndall Hall added five aces and five kills for the Lady Chiefs.
The NHS junior varsity will host a tourney Saturday at Northview. The varsity and junior varsity will travel to Pensacola High School on Monday at 4:30/5:30.
The Lady Jags will host Pace beginning at 4:30 on Friday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Varsity action from Thursday night as Northview hosted Central in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: Northview Wins First District Contest With Laurel Hill
September 5, 2012
The Northview Lady Chiefs defeated Laurel Hill Tuesday to win their first district match.
Misty Doran had seven kills, while Morgan Payne recorded five kills for Northview. Lilly Townsend and Shelly Mothershed added six assists each for the Lady Chiefs.
Northview lost their first game at Laurel Hill 25-23 but rebounded with wins of 25-16, 25-22, 25-19.
In junior varsity action, Northview defeated Laurel Hill 25-11, 25-18.
The Lady Chiefs will host Central High School on Thursday, with the JV taking the court at 4:30 and the varsity playing at 5:30 p.m.
Pictured: The varsity Northview Chiefs. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall 8-1 In Season Finale
September 4, 2012
Smokies catcher Anthony Recker drove home four runs, including a three-run blast to left in the seventh inning, as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to Tennessee 8-1 to close out their inaugural season in front of the 40th sellout crowd of the year on Monday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Smokies finished the second half of the 2012 season with a 37-33 mark , while Pensacola ended their first season of Southern League play with a 34-35 record in the second half, as well s a 68-70 mark overall. The capacity crowd was the 40th hosted by the club this year in 68 home openings, while the Blue Wahoos will finish atop the Southern League in both total (328,147) and average attendance (4,825).
Tennessee plated the game’s first run in the third, taking advantage of a pair of Wahoos fielding miscues. Starting pitcher Austin Kirk reached on an error, and then moved to second on a single, before heading home on the second Pensacola error of the frame to go up 1-0.
The Smokies would then score a trio of tallies in the each of the sixth and seventh frames. CF Rubi Silva drove home two with his single to right, while 3B Matt Cerda capped the sixth inning rally with a run-scoring infielder single, push Tennessee’s advantage to four. After a Blue Wahoos run in the bottom of the frame, the Smokies answered back with Recker’s three-run blast to left.
Pensacola got their lone run in the sixth frame. SS Billy Hamilton led off with a single and moved to second and third on walks, before coming plateward on 2B Brodie Greene’s RBI single to center. Hamilton was held without a steal in the contest, which puts the new single-season steals record at 155 for Hamilton. Before the contest, Hamilton signed both bases he stole to tie and break the previous record set by Vince Coleman, while also accepting his California League Most Valuable Player Award.
Recker (2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI) and Cerda (2-5, 1 RBI) collected two hits in the contest for Tennessee, while Greene led the Wahoos with three base knocks, in addition to multi-hit efforts from Hamilton (2-4, 1 R) and RF Josh Fellhauer (2-4, 1 2B). Fellhauer finishes the season with a .314 batting average, which puts him in contention for the Southern League batting title, pending how Mississippi OF Todd Cunningham and Montgomery INF Omar Luna fare later tonight.
Blue Wahoos starter Wirfin Obispo (4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss despite yielding just one run, which was unearned on just two hits in four innings of work. Tennessee LHP Austin Kirk (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory after giving up the lone earned run on just four hits in his 5.2 frames.
After finishing the year against the Smokies, Pensacola is slated to begin the 2013 campaign at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium on Thursday, April 4 against Tennessee for a five-game series.
By Andrew Green
Week One: Prep Football District Standings
September 3, 2012
There are winners and losers after week one of high school football in Florida, but none of the area teams opened their regular season with a district game.
In the Rural District 1-1A, three teams picked up non-district wins, while Freeport recorded a loss to Fort Walton. In District 1-6A, Escambia, Milton and Washington added one to the loss column. Tate, Pine Forest and Pensacola all had their season openers canceled due to Hurricane Isaac’s impact on competing teams. In District 1-5A, Arnold and Rutherford both had losses.
Here’s a look at last week’s results and this Friday night’s schedule:
Smokies Topple Pensacola Wahoos 7-3 In 15 Innings
September 3, 2012
Tennessee shortstop Junior Lake blasted a three-run homer as part of a four run fifteenth inning and drove home a total of four runs as the Smokies defeated the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 7-3 on Sunday afternoon in the longest game in the short history of Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The victory pushed the Smokies to a 36-33 record in the second half of the year, while the defeated dropped Pensacola to an even 34-34 mark since the league’s midpoint of the season. The game set team records for duration by innings played (15) and game time (4:48). The two clubs also combined for 25 hits and 27 runners left on base.
During the contest, the Cincinnati Reds announced they expect to promote Blue Wahoos LHP Tony Cingrani to the Major Leagues on Tuesday. Cingrani, who is expected to be promoted along with former RHP Pedro Villarreal on that day, would become the sixth Blue Wahoos alum to be promoted to the Big Leagues this year.
After both clubs were held scoreless through the first five extra frames, Tennessee power ahead with their big four-run frame. 2B Logan Watkins began the rally with a single and then took second on a sacrifice bunt, while 1B Justin Bour was intentionally walked to bring up Lake, who drove the 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to push the Smokies ahead 6-3. Tennessee added another insurance run in the frame after CF Rubi Silva tripled and was brought home on an RBI groundout.
Entering the seventh down 3-1, the Blue Wahoos forced extra innings by plating two tallies in the bottom of the frame. RF Josh Fellhauer singled before CF Bryson Smith sent Fellhauer in with a run-scoring triple to right-center field. Smith would subsequently score on an RBI double by 1B Beau Mills down the right field line.
Tennessee plated single scores in the first, sixth and seventh innings, with Watkins driving home two of those three runs. The second baseman lined a run-scoring double to left-center in the first and later recorded a second RBI with his sacrifice fly to right. The Smokies broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth when Lake lifted a sacrifice fly to center.
The Blue Wahoos answered Tennessee’s first tally with a score of their own in the first. Smith rached on a single and then advanced to a second on a wild pitch, before he came plateward on a run-scoring double by Beau Mills down the first base line.
LF Donald Lutz (2-6, 1 BB) joined Mills (2-7, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Fellhauer (2-5, 1 R, 2 BB) and Smith (3-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI) to record multi-hit efforts for Pensacola in the loss, while five Smokies hitters totaled two or more base knocks. 3B Matt Cerda (3-7, 1 R, 1 RBI) led Tennessee with three hits, in addition to two-hit games from Watkins (2-6, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI) and Silva (2-7, 1 R, 1 3B) , along with C Mike Brenly (2-5, 2 BB) and LF Jae-Hoon Ha (2-6, 1 R).
The Smokies and Blue Wahoos combined to use 12 pitchers, including starters, with Tennessee LHP Casey Harman (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) earning the victory to improve to1-4 in 2012. Pensacola RHP Michael Griffin (2.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB) suffered the loss to fall to 1-1. Relievers Chris Manno (0.1 IP), Curtis Partch (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO), Justin Freeman (2.0 IP, 1 H) and Wilkin De La Rosa (1.0 IP, 1 BB) together fired 5.1 shutout frames in relief.
During the contest a woman in a dog costume ran onto the field and took 2B Brodie Greene’s hat off between innings, before being caught by stadium security and escorted away. Though appearing random, it was actually a planned stunt to help raise money for a local individual with cancer. To find out more information, please contact Shelley Yates at SYates@BlueWahoos.com.
The two teams will face off in the final game of the inaugural 2012 season at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Blue Wahoos RHP Mark Serrano (7-4, 3.49) is scheduled to get the start, with the Smokies planning to give the nod to LHP Austin Kirk (1-0, 3.57).
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Beau Mills recorded two hits and drove home two runs Sunday afternoon. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Walk Off With 3-2 Win Over The Tenn. Smokies
September 2, 2012
Blue Wahoos left fielder Bryson Smith drove a single down the right field line to plate shortstop Billy Hamilton in the ninth to complete a three-hit game and propel Pensacola to a 3-2 walkoff victory over the Tennessee Smokies in front of another sellout crowd of 5,038 on Saturday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
With the victory, the Fish improved to a 34-33 record in the second half of 2012, while Tennessee fell to 35-33 since the midpoint of the season. The capacity crowd was the second straight and 39th overall this season in the club’s inaugural year at the bayfront stadium as the team continues to lead the Southern League in attendance.
Tied at 2-2 in the ninth, Hamilton drew a one-out walk and then stole second to set the stage for Smith. The University of Florida product would come through with a line drive down the right field line, plating Hamilton and cueing the celebration. The theft for Hamilton was his 155th of the year as he continues to extend his single-season steals record.
Pensacola also scored the game’s first score of the evening, taking a 1-0 lead in the third. Smith began the frame with a double and then was sent home on 1B Donald Lutz’s RBI single up the middle.
Tennessee however, countered with a pair of tallies in the fifth, thanks to their fifth longball of the series. RF Matt Szczur led off with a double and subsequently scored when 2B Logan Watkins left the yard with a two-run blast to right, his ninth of 2012.
The Blue Wahoos would then draw the game even at 2-2 in the following frame. 2B Brodie Greene started the game-tying rally with a single and moved from first to third on C Tucker Barnhart’s single to center, prior to coming across on pinch hitter Beau Mills’ sacrifice fly to left.
Smith (3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) led all batters with his three hits, while Lutz (2-4, 1 RBI) and Barnhart (2-4) also accumulated multi-hit efforts. Szczur (2-5, 1 R, 1 2B) was the lone Smokies batter to record two or more hits.
Pensacola closer Justin Freeman (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory after tossing the final 1.1 shutout frames, while Tennessee RHP Kevin Rhoderick (0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss. Smokies starter Eric Jokisch (5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) did not factor in the decision despite yielding a lone earned run on six hits while fanning five in five innings pitched.
The two teams are scheduled to face off again Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. at the bayfront stadium. RHP Chad Rogers (3-1, 1.73) is slated to take the mound for the Blue Wahoos, while RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (9-8, 4.95) is expected to get the ball for Tennessee.
Earlier Saturday the Cincinnati Reds, the Blue Wahoos’ parent club, announced several September call ups to the Major Leagues, including two Blue Wahoos alums. Former infielders Didi Gregorius and Henry Rodriguez were both promoted to the Big Leagues, while the club has also announced they will promote former RHP Pedro Villarreal from Triple-A Louisville later this week.
By Andrew Green
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Royals Easily Beat Rocky Bayou
September 1, 2012
The Jay Royals easily beat Rocky Bayou Friday night, 67-21 in Destin.
The Royals opened the scoring with a 64-yard run from Ricky Cofield. A good kick from Dakota Smith, and JHS was up 7-0. Jay scored again after QB Tate Upton fumbled but recovered for a 25-yard touchdown, 14-0.
Cofield scored again on a 4-yard run that followed a 26-yard QB keeper by Upton. Cofield added another touchdown, 33-0. And Cofield added yet another touchdown, this time a 55-yard run, to make it 40-0.
The Royals increased their advantage to 46-0 with a Brandon Boutwell touchdown.
The Jay Royasls will be on the road next Friday night against Holmes County High School.
Pictured: The Jay Royals beat Rocky Bayou 67-21 Friday night in Destin. NorthEscambia.com photos by Michele Gibbs, click to enlarge.
West Florida Hangs On To Top Escambia 9-7
September 1, 2012
The West Florida Jaguars won a hard-fought battle over the Escambia Gators Friday night, 9-7 at Emmitt Smith Field.
Lawrence Lee, who had seven catches for 100 yards, put the Jaguars on the board in the first quarter on a five-yard run. With a missed kick, the WFHS Jags were up 6-0 with 1:41 to go in the first quarter.
The Jags expanded their lead with a 32-yard field goal from Luke Jackson with 1:55 in the third. Escambia scored next, with an 80-yard run from Danikee Hollowell and a good kick by Patrick Mackovic.