School District To Insure Student Athletes For Free
July 22, 2009
All Escambia County student athletes will have free accident insurance complements of the school district during the upcoming school year.
The bill for $55,820 blanket insurance policy will be paid out of the Escambia County School Districts $9 million reserve fund. The board voted 3-2 Tuesday night to provide the insurance, with Patty Hightower and Gerald Boone voting against the plan. Boone and Hightower instead supported a plan requiring all student athletes to purchase a policy from the school system at $12 per high school student and $6 for each in middle school.
The new insurance plan will be at no cost to student athletes in any sport regardless of their current insurance status. If a child is already insured, the school district policy will serve as secondary coverage, covering additional expenses like co-pays on the primary policy.
During the last school year, if a student provided proof of at least $25,000 in insurance, they were not required to purchase a district policy. If they opted for the district policy, it last year’s cost was $54 for football players, $20 for soccer players and $9.50 for other sports.
The district current has about 5,500 total student athletes.
Two Benefit Softball Tournaments Planned
July 22, 2009
Two different benefit softball tournaments are planned in North Escambia during August — one to help with a local resident’s medical expenses and one to benefit the Northview High School Quarterback Club.
Benefit Tournament for Marty Green
A coed softball tournament to benefit Marty Green will be held beginning at 8 a.m. on August 1 at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill. The coed softball team must consist of seven men and three women, double elimination. There is a $200 entry fee. For more information, contact Bodie Tullis at (850) 327-6788 or (850) 327-6722, Theresa Hanks at (850) 327-6722 or Pam Brown at (850) 327-6155.
The tournament is sponsored by Northwest Escambia Little League and Northwest Escambia Football, with all proceeds going toward Marty Green’s medical expenses.
Benefit Tournament For NHS Quarterback Club
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will host a coed softball tournament on Saturday, August 22 at Showalter Park In Century beginning at 8 a.m. The entry fee is $200 per team.
The proceeds will benefit the football program at Northview High School. For complete details and contact information, click here (pdf).
Pcola Pelicans Enter All-Star Break With 8-6 Win
July 20, 2009
The Pelicans’ spirits were soaring after sweeping the Saints on Sunday. Kyle Middleton earned his fifth win, Hunter Davis took his fourteenth save, and Adam Darby went deep in an 8-6 victory at Pelican Park.
The Saints took an early lead by scoring Jason Cooper in the first inning. After reaching on a fielder’s choice, Cooper moved to second when Brent Krause was hit by a pitch. Josh Alley took advantage of the situation by scoring Cooper with a base hit.
St. Paul added to their total with a big third inning. Cooper reached first again, though on an error by the first baseman that allowed him to take second as well. Krause walked and Alley followed with his second RBI-single that scored Cooper. Andrew Schmiesing scored Krause with a single, and Scott Knazek put down a suicide squeeze that brought Alley home to put the Saints’ lead at four.
The Pelicans lessened the lead with a run in the bottom of the third. Adam Darby hit a single in his first at-bat, moved to second when Antoin Gray walked, and touched third when Francisco Leandro reached on a force-out to second. Marcos Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly to left that brought Leandro in for the Pelicans’ first run.
Pensacola went on a tear in the fourth inning when Lou Palmisano led off the bottom frame with a base knock. Rafael Alvarez walked and both runners moved up a base after Adam Deleo put down a sacrifice bunt. Dallas Christison scored Palmisano with a base hit, and Adam Darby brought the remaining runners in with a three-run bomb to right. Darby hit his second home run in as many days to bring his season total to three and the Pelicans took a 5-4 lead.
The Saints pulled even again when Brent Krause scored on a Jake Butler sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, but the Pelicans went up by two in the bottom of the inning. Palmisano again led off with a hit, this time a double. Rafael Alvarez thanked him with a base hit to bring Palmisano back to the dugout. After Deleo singled, Dallas Christison reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Alvarez and the Pelicans took a two-run lead.
The Pels added insurance in the eighth, as Francisco Leandro tapped the third single of his birthday. Leandro promptly stole second, and Rodriguez provided the icing on the cake with a single to bring him in.
Cooper tried to close the gap with a triple to begin the ninth inning, but after he scored on a groundout by Krause, the Saints’ scoring was over and so was the game: the Pelicans won 8-6 to sweep the Saints heading into the All-Star break.
Kyle Middleton picked up his fifth win in the Pelicans’ third straight, pitching seven innings. He gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks. Middleton struck out five to improve his league-leading total to 83. Aaron Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth, yielding a hit and notching a strikeout to setup Hunter Davis’ fourteenth save of the year. Davis picked up the save while allowing an earned run on a hit with a walk.
The Pelican bats were alive and well in a game that saw Adam Darby go yard, and both Rodriguez and Palmisano hit a double. Darby finished the evening 2-4 with two runs scored and three RBI; Rodriguez went 2-4 as well. Palmisano joined Francisco Leandro in going 3-4, as Leandro swiped a base.
Most of the Pelicans will take an All-Star break, while Davis, Middleton, Burch and Gray will represent the South Division in the All-Star game to be played July 21 in Grand Prairie, TX. Antoin Gray will be the starting second baseman, and both he and Chase Burch will partake in the Home Run Derby before the game. NewsRadio 1620 will carry the game that’s slated for 7:35 p.m. Central Time.
The Pelicans return to action July 23 as they take on the Explorers in Sioux City. The 7:05 p.m. game can be heard on Pelicans flagship station NewsRadio 1620, or online via SportsJuice.com.
The Pelicans will conclude their seven-game road trip by returning home on July 31 to host the Fort Worth Cats. The Woodstock Weekend will be filled with grooviness for all, and all are assured a far-out time. Tie-dying and music from the era will cap off the themed home stand. Tickets are on sale now at Pensacola-area Circle K locations, or online at www.pensacolapelicans.com. Phone orders may be placed by calling (850) 934-8444.
Northwest Escambia All-Stars Headed To State After Sectional Win
July 19, 2009
The Northwest Escambia All-Stars are headed to the state tournament after winning the 11-12 Year Old Major League All-Star Sectional Tournament championship Saturday in Destin.
NWE beat Chairs-Capitola 3-2 in the first game of the tourney. Mallory Ryan pitched six, striking out two and giving up just two walks. Reagan Bell scored one for Northwest Escambia, and Madison Arrington added a couple.
Arrington had an impressive in-park home run for NWE.
NWE took game two of the series for the championship, 10-0.
Mallory Ryan pitched three innings for Northwest Escambia, striking out four and giving up no walks. Courtney Peebles finished the game on the mound for NWE.
Arrington, Darby Randolph, Addy Lee and Ryan scored one each for Northwest Escambia. Courtney Peebles and Kyndall Hall picked up two each for NWE.
Northwest Escambia will travel about 650 miles to the state championship tournament in Coconut Creek, Fla., which is just north of Fort Lauderdale. Brackets for the eight-team tournament are not complete.
The NWE 10-11 Year Old All-Stars with their championship banner Saturday afternoon in Destin. Pictured middle: (L-R)Danielle Steadham, Addy Lee, Kyndall Hall, Kendal Cobb, Courtney Peebles, Darby Randolph, Reagan Bell, Cheyanne Schoonover. Pictured front: Mallory Ryan and Madison Arrington. Pictured back row: Manager Jerry Mason and Coach David Arrington. Pictured below: Mason and Arrington accept the team’s championship plaque. Submitted photos by Kim Ryan for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pelicans Return To Winning
July 18, 2009
The Pensacola Pelicans earned a victory as the Saints came marching into Pensacola Friday night. St. Paul put up two runs early, but Pelicans’ starter Randy Beam shut down the Saints through the eighth inning. Hunter Davis picked up his thirteenth save by pitching a scoreless ninth as the Pelicans scored five runs in the game to win.
Josh Alley singled in the top of the first and then stole second base. With one out, Jake Butler hit a base knock as well, and Brent Krause followed with a double that scored both runners.
Pensacola cut the Saints’ lead in half with a run in the bottom of the third. Antoin Gray led off with a single, and Francisco Leandro hit one too that moved Gray to third. Mark Moriarty hurled a wild pitch that allowed Gray to score and the Pelicans were on the board.
The Pelicans tied the game and more in the bottom of the fifth. Chase Burch hit his team-leading thirteenth double on the year to lead off the frame. He moved to third on a groundout to the shortstop by Marcos Rodriguez, and scored when Luis Guance hit a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Pelicans used a two-out rally to take the lead when Rafael Alvarez walked and scored on a Lester Contreras two-bagger. Adam Deleo followed with a base hit to score Contreras and the Pelicans led 4-2.
Pensacola added another run in the bottom of the eighth. Former Major-Leaguer Kerry Ligtenberg allowed Adam Darby to reach first and second base on an error by the first baseman. Darby was held at third on a single by Francisco Leandro, but scored on a sacrifice fly by Chase Burch.
Randy Beam pitched eight innings, allowing both earned runs on five hits, striking out six and yielding just two walks. Hunter Davis walked one and struck out one in the top of the ninth.
The Pelicans had three batters collect multiple hits, as Leandro and Burch went 2-3, and Adam Deleo finished the evening 2-4. Burch and Contreras each hit a double, and Luis Guance stole two bases. Alvarez and Darby also had a swiped-base each.
The Pelicans and Saints return to action on Saturday, as the 6:05 p.m. first pitch will pit LHP Jason Navarro against the Saints’ RHP Tom Buske. After Saturday’s game is concluded, the Pelicans will host a fireworks extravaganza above Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park. Tickets are available at Pensacola-area Circle K locations and start as low as $7. Tickets are also available online at www.pensacolapelicans.com, and in-person at Pelican Park on the day of the game.
Sid Wheatley To Be Northview’s Head Football Coach
July 17, 2009
Sid Wheatley is the new interim head football coach at Northview High School.
Wheatley will fill the position left open when Cody Keene announced earlier this week that he was resigning to take a head coaching job at Hooper Academy in Montgomery. He has served as Keene’s assistant coach since the 2005 season, most recently coaching the offensive line and defensive backs last season.
Wheatley has served as Northview’s baseball team since 2005, and he also teaches history at the school. Wheatley attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he received a Bachelor’s degree in coaching and sports administration.
This is not the first time Wheatley has served as a head football coach — he led Loyd Star High School in Brookhaven, Miss. from 2002 to 2003. He’s also served as an assistant football coach at various other schools in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
Captains Beat The Pelicans In Five
July 17, 2009
The Captains swept the Pelicans with the aid of rain on Thursday night, winning the final game of the series 3-2 in five innings. An hour and two minute rain delay occurred after the end of the fifth inning, ultimately ending in the game being called due to weather. Antoin Gray hit a two-run bomb for the Pelicans’ runs in the top of the third inning, his ninth round-tripper of the year, but Shreveport-Bossier scored two to tie in the bottom of the fourth. The Captains’ lone run in the bottom of the fifth would end up deciding the contest, as the Captains have now won eight straight games.
The Pelicans tapped the scoreboard first in the third inning. Luis Guance led off with a double, and came home when Antoin Gray hit his ninth homerun of the year. The Pelicans took a two-run lead, but the Captains would tie it in the fourth.
With one out, Andres Rodriguez hit a triple off the centerfield wall in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jose Torres followed with a walk, and Rodriguez scored when Dwayne White hit a sacrifice fly. Jonathan Reynoso batted next and hit a single, scoring Torres to tie the game at two apiece.
Adam Brandenburg made his third start for the Pelicans, pitching two outs into the bottom of the fifth. He walked Dan Williams to start the bottom-half of the fifth, Brandenburg’s third base on balls. He allowed his sixth and final hit on the next batter, as Bryan Sabatella put down a bunt single. After catching a pop-up from Richard Paz and recording his only strikeout with Chris Garcia, Brandenburg left his third earned run up to Joey Wedner. Wedner gave up a RBI-single to Andres Rodriguez and the Captains took a 3-2 lead. Torres followed and struck out, ending the fifth inning with a 3-2 Captains lead.
An hour and a two-minute rain delay followed, ending in the game being called and the Captains claiming victory. Brandenburg took the loss, and Ronald Lowe earned his fifth win of the year.
The Pelicans drive to Pensacola overnight to host the St. Paul Saints Friday through Sunday. Friday’s game begins at 6:35 p.m. and will be followed by a Boy Scout Campout on the field of Pelican Park. Tickets are available now at Pensacola-area Circle K locations, online at www.pensacolapelicans.com, and at the park on the day of the game. Saturday’s game will be followed by fireworks, and Sunday will be a Kids Day, with all Kids Club members gaining free admission while wearing the Kids Club t-shirts. For more information, please call the Pelicans at (850) 934-8444.
Pictured above: The rains came during the Pensacola Pelicans game Thursday night. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pelicans Fall To Captains
July 16, 2009
The Pelicans jumped out to an early lead, as Antoin Gray scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning. Gray reached first and second on a throwing error by the third baseman. After a Chase Burch walk, Marcos Rodriguez hit a single that scored Gray and the Pelicans led 1-0.
The Captains would score all the runs they would need in the bottom of the fifth. Kevin Griffin led off with a single and moved to second on a Dan Williams sacrifice bunt. Richard Paz picked up a base hit and a RBI to tie the game, and then scored on a Chris Garcia double to take the lead.
Shreveport-Bossier added insurance in the bottom of the seventh, scoring twice. Dan Williams reached on an error by the second baseman, and moved to second when Garcia walked. Andres Rodriguez followed with a double that scored both runners, and the Captains had a 4-1 advantage.
A combo of Jakob Cunningham and Justin Dowdy kept the Pelicans off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings to preserve the Captains’ win. Dowdy blanked the Pelicans in the ninth to pick up his tenth save of the year.
Jimmy Heard picked up his fourth win of the year, pitching through the sixth inning. Dane DeValk took the loss (3-2), pitching five innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Ron Hill pitched the sixth and seventh while yielding two runs, Aaron Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth.
The Pelicans will try to fend off the sweep tomorrow, as they pitch LHP Adam Brandenburg against LHP Ronald Lowe. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and can be followed on NewsRadio1620, or online via SportsJuice.com.
NWE, Tri-County Out Of Junior And Senior Baseball Tourneys
July 16, 2009
Bad news for local Junior and Senior All-Star baseball teams — both Northwest Escambia are Tri-County are out of contention for state playoff positons.
Niceville-Valparaiso beat Tri-County 9-5 Wednesday night in Niceville for the District 1 Senior Baseball tournament title. It was Tri-County’s second loss to Niceville-Valparaiso. N-V beat Tri-County Monday night 5-0.
The District 1 Junior Baseball tournament crown went to Defuniak Springs Wednesday night in Walnut Hill. Defuniak beat Shalimar 10-5 for the championship.
The host Northwest Ecscambia All-Stars weres knocked out of that tournament with a Monday night loss to Shalimar 6-21 and a Saturday night loss to Niceville-Valparaiso 6-3.
FHSAA Recinds Policy; High School Games Return
July 16, 2009
The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted unanimously yesterday to rescind a new policy that would have reduced the number of games played in most high school sports.
The policy would have reduced varsity games by 20 percent and junior varsity games by 40 percent in most sports in an effort both to alleviate the financial crisis facing school districts and provide a uniform solution across the state. Varsity football was the one sport spared by cuts announced last April, with the schedule the next two years remaining at 10 games per year.
Since sports involving female athletes were all cut, many called foul, with a lawsuit claiming the policy amounted to gender discrimination under a law called Title IX. On Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department and Department of Education filed a motion to join the lawsuit. Title IX prevents discrimination based upon gender in public schools.
The FHSAA was made aware of a possible Title IX violation and litigation in June, and worked diligently to be in compliance with Title IX. Since no compromise could be reached, a recommendation was made to hold a Board meeting to consider rescinding the amendments to the policy, the FHSAA said in a news release.
“I believe what we did in April was the best thing for the membership then, and given the situation, what we did today was in its best interest now,” said Board of Directors President Greg Zornes.
“I know there have been a lot of blogs and news articles about the FHSAA and this particular issue regarding gender equity. In actuality, the FHSAA is recognized by its peer members from other states as leading the nation in terms of providing equal and equitable opportunities for both boys and girls in high school,” said FHSAA Executive Director Roger Dearing. “We were yesterday, are today, and will be tomorrow, advocates for both boys and girls equally in creating life experiences that will make them healthier, happier and more competitive, while at the same time creating memorable experiences they will have for a lifetime.”
A temporary injunction meeting in the lawsuit is still scheduled for Friday, July 17. What impact, if any, the Board’s decision will have on that meeting is unknown.
The new policy would have seen baseball, basketball, softball and volley ball cut from 25 games to 20 allowed per year. At the JV level, those sports would have been cut from 25 maximum games per year to just 15. Junior varsity football teams would have been allowed to play six games rather than eight, while varsity football teams would have remained at 10 games per year.
The maximum number of games in other sports, such as track and field, golf and cross country, were also cut.
Pictured above: Sarah Killam, member of Northview High School’s Cross Country team, rounds the corner toward the finish line in a race last September. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.