Coastal Alabama Warhawks Baseball Coach Darrell Blevins Passes Away
September 1, 2021
Coastal Alabama Community College Warhawks head baseball coach Darrell Blevins has passed away. He was 53.
Blevins was entering his 16th season leading the Warhawks at the college’s Brewton campus and spent more than 30 years in organized baseball at the collegiate and high school levels. He also taught microcomputer applications full time as a faculty instructor.
“The three most important things in his life were his relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family, especially his boys Kyle and Craig, and baseball. He tried to use the game of baseball to teach lifelong skills to young men, that would help them be successful both on and off the field,” said his wife, Denise Blevins
“Darrell was a standup guy and a pillar in our community,” said Dennis Fuqua, director of Coastal Alabama Community College’s Brewton campus. “He was very respected both personally and professionally, and one of his greatest attributes was that he was a man strong in his faith and he was an extremely hard worker.”
As a coach, he helped more than 90 players get the opportunity to play baseball at the next level, including NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA.
Blevins is survived by his wife Denise and their two sons Kyle and Craig. The family attends First Baptist Church of Brewton, where Coach Blevins was a deacon who taught Sunday school classes.
Blue Wahoos Offense Stalls In 6-1 Loss To Montgomery Biscuits
September 1, 2021
Chris Chinea’s solo home run was all the offense the Wahoos could muster as they fell 6-1 to Montgomery on Tuesday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
Kyle Nicolas (L, 3-1) suffered his worst outing in his short tenure in Double-A. After going three starts without allowing a run, Nicolas surrendered a three-run home run to Ford Proctor in the bottom of the first, which set the Wahoos behind 3-0. He allowed another run in the fourth, after a walk and an RBI double from Niko Hulsizer, which made the score at the time 4-1. He was lifted from the game after four innings, which was the first time Nicolas was unable to pitch more than four innings since July 7th when he was still a member with the Beloit Snappers.
Pensacola had an immediate response from Chinea in the top of the second when he led off the inning with a solo home run against Jack Labosky. Chine finished the night 2-for-4. Despite his homer making it 3-1, Pensacola’s offense had no further response to combat the Biscuits. Pensacola was limited to four hits on the night and struck out 15 times.
Tuesday’s contest was the first game for the Wahoos in the past week. After a 1-0 win over Mississippi on August 24th, the rest of their series was canceled due to positive COVID tests, and a need for contact tracing. The Wahoos and Biscuits were the only Double-A South teams to play on Tuesday, with two series paused to allow for contact tracing, while Birmingham and Chattanooga were postponed due to rain.
With the loss, Pensacola sits three games back of Montgomery for the second and final postseason spot in the 2021 Double-A South Championship Series.
RHP Max Meyer (6-1, 1.97) will start Wednesday’s contest for the Blue Wahoos, and he will be opposed by RHP Jayden Murray (1-2, 2.36). Meyer’s ERA is currently the lowest in all of baseball, just ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers ace Walker Buehler (2.02). Firs
Bonus Photo Gallery: Northview, Flomaton Cheerleaders And Bands
August 29, 2021
Here is a bonus photo gallery with cheerleaders and bands from Friday night Northview at Flomaton game. Click here to view.
For a game action summary and photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Hurricanes Storm Through Second Half To Beat Northview 38-14 (With Gallery)
August 28, 2021
The Northview Chiefs and Flomaton Hurricanes were tied headed into the half Friday night in Flomaton, but the Hurricanes blew away the second half with 24 unanswered points.
Northview’s Jamarkus Jefferson had two touchdowns for the Chiefs. He was in from 17-yards out in the first and added a 3-yard TD in the second.
The Hurricanes’ Damerion Findley had three touchdowns Friday night of 9-yards, 4-yards and a kick off return for 60-yarder. Quarterback Zeb Vickery found William Rolin for a 59-yard touchdown, and Deontay Averette added a 52-yard touchdown.
The Northview Chiefs will host Lighthouse Christian Thursday night Bratt, and the Flomaton Hurricanes will be on the road at Southern Choctaw.
For a photo gallery, click here. (Look for a cheerleader and band photo gallery on Sunday.)
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Beat The PHS Tigers
August 28, 2021
The Tate Aggies opened their season with a 9-0 win over the Pensacola High Tigers Friday night at Pete Gindl Stadium.
The game was scoreless until 6:20 in the fourth quarter when senior Zane Repine sacked the Tigers quarterback deep in the end zone for safety, putting the Aggies up 2-0. The Aggies scored again with 2:36 to go in the fourth on a handoff to senior Warren Henke
The Tate Aggies (1-0) will host the Gulf Breeze Dolphins (1-0) next Friday night. Gulf Breeze is coming off a 35-20 win over Pensacola Catholic.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
Area High School Football Scores
August 28, 2021
Here Friday night’s North Escambia area high school football scores
FLORIDA
- Flomaton 38, Northview 14 [Details, photo gallery...]
- Tate 9, Pensacola High 0 [Details, photo gallery...]
- South Walton 42, Jay 6
- Gulf Breeze 28, Catholic 20
- University Christian 37, Washington 27
- Crestview 27, Milton 14
- Navarre 28, Fort Walton 6
- Choctaw 41, Pace 35 (Thursday p.m.)
- Escambia at West Florida (Canceled/COVID concerns)
ALABAMA
- T.R. Miller 36, Escambia County (Atmore) 6
- Escambia Academy 59, Glenwood 47
Pictured: Northview’s student section supports their Chiefs Friday night in Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
M-Braves Postpone Remainder Of Series Against Blue Wahoos
August 27, 2021
The Mississippi Braves have postponed their series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
The M-Braves said the following in a released statement:
“As we continue testing and contact tracing for members of our organization, we have postponed our games against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos through Sunday. We will continue to use caution, follow health and safety protocols, and listen to medical experts.”
There were no additional details provided.
Field Of Dreams: Greg Gibson Field Honors Late Youth Football Coach
August 25, 2021
If you build it, they will come.
Greg Gibson had a dream.
It was a field that was once cotton or peanuts and then overgrown with briars and weeds at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill.
But Greg Gibson saw something different.
With a tractor and bush hog, volunteers carved out a big rectangle to give the county guy an idea that a football field would fit. They agreed. But before the county guy came back to look again, Greg sent the volunteers out to make it bigger, hoping to get more space for the kids, and maybe bleachers and press box. A real field of dreams for youth football and youth cheerleading.
As president of Northwest Escambia (NWE) Chiefs Football and Cheer since 2013, Greg worked with Escambia County to see big improvements take shape over the past few months. There are bleachers, fences and a really nice scoreboard. Garnet and gold, you know, for Greg’s beloved NWE Chiefs. The “NWE” gold lettering glistens when the sun hits it just right.
It’s perfect.
This field is for the players. It wasn’t for Greg Gibson. It was all about his NWE teams and cheer squads.
But last week, for a short time, it did become about Greg Gibson. His funeral was held there after he passed away due to COVID-19, and it was forever dedicated as Greg Gibson Field.
There is probably just one remaining question to answer. Is this heaven?
No, it’s Walnut Hill. It’s where dreams will come true for the boys and girls that will play on that field.
But many would swear youth football on a Saturday in the south is probably almost as close as you can get. And most would betcha Greg Gibson will be looking down at that field from heaven.
“Touchdown Chiefs!”
This field, this game.
Ohhhh, people will come, Greg. People will most definitely come to your field of dreams.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Nicolas Hurls Gem As Wahoos Capture 1-0 Win Over M-Braves
August 25, 2021
Chris Chinea’s solo home run in the top of the fourth was the difference in Pensacola’s 1-0 win over the M-Braves, Tuesday night at Trustmark Park.
While the home run was difference maker, it was the pitching that stole the show for Pensacola in the club’s opening win as they embark on their 12-game road trip. Kyle Nicolas (W, 3-0) turned in his longest outing in Double-A with 6.2 shutout innings. The right-hander allowed a total of three hits and only one walk while striking out five. He has now dropped his ERA to 0.68 having allowed just two runs in 26.2 innings.
Spencer Strider (L, 2-6) was a tough-luck loser on Tuesday. Like Nicolas, Mississippi’s starter allowed three hits, but one of them was a solo home run to Chinea to start the fourth inning, which was all the offense the Wahoos needed. Strider struck out 10 in five innings, which is the fourth time this season that Strider has struck out at least 10.
Pensacola’s bullpen shined once again for the Wahoos. Andrew Nardi allowed one hit in 1.1 shutout innings. Colton Hock pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Wahoos, giving the closer his 15th save in 18 opportunities.
The series in Pearl continues tomorrow with RHP Max Meyer (6-1, 1.97) faces LHP Hayden Deal (3-2, 3.90) for Mississippi.
Conine Homers Twice In Blue Wahoos Series Finale Win
August 23, 2021
After hitting a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday, Griffin Conine belted a pair of home runs in Pensacola’s 9-1 win over Biloxi on Sunday afternoon.
In the bottom of the first inning with Peyton Burdick on first, Conine took Justin Bullock (L, 2-3) deep to left to put the Wahoos ahead 2-0. A couple of pitches prior, the players and fans were treated to a surprise airshow from the Blue Angels, as the six fighter jets flew in formation over the park before soaring over the bay.
The offense did not end for the Wahoos in the first, and Pensacola scored in each of the first four innings. After taking a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the third, Conine came to plate and once again homered off Bullock to the opposite field. For Conine, that was his third consecutive at-bat with a home run, dating back to Saturday’s game-tying heroics.
When the dust settled, the Blue Wahoos led the Shuckers 8-1 after four, and eventually cruised to a 9-1 victory.
Antonio Velez made his Double-A debut for the Wahoos and turned in a quality start. The southpaw allowed one run in six innings and only walked one while striking out five on five hits. Outside of the second inning when Tristen Lutz hit an RBI double, Velez’s start never seemed in peril. On the Lutz double, JJ Bleday picked up his 11th outfield assist when he rifled a throw to Demetrius Sims who in turn delivered a strike to Brian Navarreto to nab David Fry at the plate.
After Velez departed the game, three separate relievers pitched the final three innings in scoreless fashion. Other notable performances include Sims, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. J.D. Orr—who entered the game for Jerar Encarnacion after he was struck by a pitch in the fourth— also went 2-for-2 with a double.
Pensacola will now prepare for their series against first-place Mississippi, having captured their first series win since July 4th, when the club won five of six against the Shuckers. Montgomery and Mississippi also split a doubleheader earlier today, meaning the Wahoos are now 2.5 games out of the second and final playoff spot.
The Blue Wahoos will hit the road Monday in preparation of their first and only 12-game road trip of the year. The Blue Wahoos will take on the M-Braves for six games before their final trip to Montgomery for six against the Biscuits. RHP Kyle Nicolas (2-0, 0.90) will take the mound for the Wahoos on Tuesday,