Longtime Ernest Ward High School Coach Inducted Into Hall Of Fame
November 29, 2008
A former longtime North Escambia coach was recently inducted into the Atmore Area Hall of Fame.
Better known as Coach Latham, Joe Latham dedicated his life to sports, making his mark in in his 27 years at Ernest Ward High School. He coached basketball, tennis, baseball and football.
Coach Latham graduated from high school in Maplesville, Ala. in 1939. After serving in World War II, he graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1948. He was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams, then went to Detroit as a single-wing fullback before beginning his coaching career.
Coach Latham coached all sports but his favorites were football and baseball. He coached at Walnut Hill, Pass Christian, Miss.; Franklinton, La.; Orville, Ala.; and Wildwood, Fla. He dedicated 36 years of service to young people – 27 years at Walnut Hill. Coach Latham returned to Walnut Hill in 1960 after coaching in south Florida for two years.
He received a number of honors during his career.
He was named Coach of the Year for the Escambia River Conference in 1961, 1964, 1965, and 1971.
In 1965, Coach Latham was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, having played fullback there in the 1940s. He was assistant coach for the North All-Star Football Team in 1965.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at his alma mater in Maplesville, Ala.
To honor Coach Latham for his dedication, the Ernest Ward High School stadium was named for him in the 1980’s.
Article and photos courtesy Atmore News.
Pictured top: Coach Joe Latham. Pictured below: Members of the Latham family on hand for the Hall of Fame ceremony were (L-R front) Suzanne Rodgers, Kathryn Rodgers, Laura Latham, Mary Hunter Latham; (L-R middle) Cynthia Rodgers, Evelyn Latham, Carolyn Loggins, Jay Russell, Gary Loggins; (L-R back) Mark Rodgers, Leigh Ann Russell, Joe Latham Jr., Susan Latham. Submitted photos by Atmore News for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton’s Tony Ellis Is Finalist For Alabama’s Mr. Football
November 29, 2008
Tony Ellis from the Flomaton Hurricanes is one of the finalists for the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s 2008 Mr. Football title.
The Canes senior running back is one of 42 finalists for the award. The finalists were picked from 146 players that were nominated by ASWA members or or coaches.
Ellis is one of three back of the year finalists in Alabama 2A football. His high school career included at least 1,500 rushing yards per year for each of the last three years at Flomaton. Ellis, who is 5-fo-9, had over 5,000 rushing yards in his high school career with the Canes.
The Mr. Football award winner will be named in December.
Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography.
NWE Holds Football Banquet
November 22, 2008
The annual Northwest Escambia Football League held their annual football banquet Friday night.
The Mites, Mini-mites and midgets were honored, along with the Mini-mite and Mite cheerleaders.
The NWE Mite cheerleaders recently traveled to Pace to compete in the GCYFA Cheerleading competition. The girls competed in the non-mount medium category along with five other teams. Each team was given 2 minutes and 30 seconds to perform one cheer, one chant and a dance routine.
The talented young ladies from NWE took home the third place trophy for their performance that day. Jennifer Peebles, head coach, commented, “All of these girls worked very hard to make sure their motions, jumps, everything, were timed just right.”
Coaching along side Jennifer were Lisa Byrd, assistant coach, and Taylor Byrd, a J.V. cheerleader from Northview High School. The 2008 NWE Mite Cheerleaders are:
Memory Peebles, Kylie Brooke, Kristen Byrd, Danielle Robinson, Liberty Peebles, Jasmine Walker, and Jordan Parham.
Pictured above: The NWE Midgets. Pictured below: The NWE Mini-mites, Mites, Mini-mite cheerleaders and Mite cheerleaders. Submitted photos by Leah Gifford for NorthEscambia.com.
Flomaton Hurricanes Down Northview Chiefs Boys And Girls
November 21, 2008
Flomaton beat the Northview varsity girls Thursday by a score of 34-29. The Cane’s boys beat Northview 75-57.
Gabe Wesley and Timeka Marshall scored nine apiece for the Chiefs. Shakeria White sank half a dozen points. Brittany Thompson and Angela Rodriguez added a couple points ech and Saniqua Jones had one point for Northview.
Tara Gafford led the Hurricanes in scoring with 13. Sarah Steele had seven, and Lily Wright added four. Kaitlyn Hambrick and Brittany Mallet added three points each, and April Cayson and Allison Gafford had two points apiece for the Canes.
Northview player stats:
Shaniqua Jones 3 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Timeka Marshall 1 steal, 1 rebound, 3 assists
Brittney Thompson 4 rebounds
Gabe Wesley 3 steals and 2 assists
Shakeria White 2 steals
For a photo gallery from both the boys and girls games, click here. Photos courtesy Mike Newton.
Pictured above and below: Action from Flomaton versus Northview Thursday. Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Carver/Century Takes Two From Ernest Ward
November 21, 2008
The Carver/Century Middle School Blackcats swept to basketball games from Ernest Ward Middle School Thursday night in Walnut Hill.
The Blackcat girls were up 28-10 by the end of the third period. Carver/Century increased their lead in the fourth period to beat the Lady Eagles by a score of 40-15.
The Carver/Century boys had a two to one advantage by the end of the first half of play Thursday night against Ernest Ward. The Blackcats held a 30-15 lead by the end of the half. Both teams were about even on scoring in the third, ending the period 47-24.
The Blackcat boys went on to win 55-29 over the Eagles.
For a photo gallery from both boys and girls games, click here.
Pictured above: Carver/Century Middle versus Ernest Ward Middle action from Thursday night. Pictured below: The Lady Blackcats versus the Lady Eagles. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Northview Cross Country Runs
November 21, 2008
The Northview High School cross country teams recently participated in the Ross Memorial Run at Pensacola Naval Air Station and in the Dolphin Dash in Gulf Breeze.
Click here for a photo gallery from both runs.
The Ross Memorial Run is named for Major James G. Ross, 51, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in late August 2007 in north Santa Rosa County. He was Northview’s Naval sciences and ROTC instructor at Northview since 2002.
Pictured above: The start at the Dolphin Dash in Gulf Breeze. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Ernest Ward Boys, Girls Beat Pollard
November 20, 2008
Both the girl’s and boy’s basketball teams at Ernest Ward Middle School beat Pollard-McCall Tuesday night.
The boy’s team won by a score of 41-29. Leading the scoring for the Eagles was DaMichael Fountain with 14 points. Ladareus Franklin score hald dozen, and LaMichael Banks and Kevin Vaughan score five each.
The girl’s team beat Pollard-McCall 16-12.
Dazarae Turner and Danielle Steaham scored four each. Morgan Payne and Jazzlyn Franklin had three points each, and Kaitlyn Gunn scored two points for the Eagles.
Ernest Ward will take on Carver/Century Thursday at Ernest Ward. The girls tip off at 5:00, and the boys play at 6:00.
Northview Splits Basketball Games With Central
November 19, 2008
The Northview varsity girl’s basketball team beat Central High School Tuesday, and Central’s JV beat the NHS JV team.
The varsity Chiefs defeated Central 39-30.
Lanecia Gomez had two rebounds and one assist for the Chiefs. Shaniqua Jones had five steals and seven rebounds, while Timeka Marshall had seven steals. Angela Rodriguez had one steal. Brittney Thompson had six steals and nine rebounds on the night, and Gabe Wesley had six steals and a rebound. Shakeria White had six steals and two rebounds.
Marshall lead the Chief’s scoring, with 14. Wesley picked up 11 points. Jones had seven, and Thompson had three. White and Rodriguez both had a couple of points for Northview.
Northview’s JV team lost to Central, 27-16.
For the JV Chiefs, Naomi Cooler had one steal, and Christina Donald had three rebounds. Amber Francis had a rebound, while Kassandra Lett had one steal and five rebounds. Also for the NHS Chiefs, Sarah Kyles had a steal and a couple of rebounds. Shelly Reich had three steals, two rebounds and three assists.
Leading the scoring for Northview was Lett with nine points, Cooler with four and Reich with three.
NWE Names Little League Officers
November 18, 2008
The Northwest Escambia Little League has named its officers and directors for the upcoming season.
Steve Hanks (pictured left) was once again named as the group’s president.
Other officers are: Pam Brown vice president; Rebecca Presnall, secretary; Theresa Hanks and Jessica Cloud, co-treasurers; Paul Lee, player agent; David Bell, safety officer; Wendy Aliff, public relations; and Rebecca Presnall, information officer.
The league’s board of directors includes: DeWayne Brown, Byron Vaughan, Chris Chambliss, Amy Holland, Wayne Holland, Greg Green, Ryan Stabler, Bodie Tullis, Larry Gibson, David Preston, Jacob Maholovich, April Maholovich, T.J. Aliff, Ronnie Cloud and Jason Presnall.
Pictured above: NWE President Steve Hanks and last year’s closing ceremonies on June 7. File photo.
Ernest Ward Cheerleaders Win Regionals, Headed To Nationals Next Year
November 17, 2008
The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders are headed to Orlando next year to compete for a national title.
The EWMS cheerleaders took first place in the Universal Cheerleaders Association West Florida Regional this weekend at Tate High School. That qualifies the girls to head to Orlando for the national championships.
Members of the squad, pictured above are: (front row, L-R) Jessica Lowery, Hannah Gibson, Katelynne Calloway, Ali Martin, Ariel Holland, Mariah Albritton, (second row L-R) Lana Clayton, Morgan Ward, Raven Weaver, Reagan Bell, Angel Mitchell, Paeton Hadley, (back row L-R) Ashley Mooney and Madison Arrington. Not pictured: Coach Ashley Godwin. Submitted photo f0r NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.