UWF Argos Roll Past North Greenville To Advance To Second Round Of NCAA Playoffs
November 23, 2025
The ninth-ranked Argos (AFCA coaches poll) flushed away the disappointment of their Nov. 15 overtime loss against Valdosta State and began the NCAA Division II playoffs with a surging 43-19 victory Saturday against North Greenville in their Super Region 2 matchup at PenAir Field.
UWF (10-1), which attained double-digit wins for the fourth time in the program’s nine-year history, provided reason for all team components to celebrate. The Argos amassed 479 yards of offense, had just one turnover, were often ferocious with their defensive pass rush, run-stopping and tackling, plus excelled in the kicking game.
The Argos played like a team making a point.
“That was my challenge to the guys,” said UWF coach Kaleb Nobles. “They were ticked off about the result last week. We didn’t feel like we did enough. So, we tried to answer the challenge and we got after it during the week of practice and I think we showed what we are capable of.”
This was only the second home playoff win in team history – the first for Nobles in this third season as head coach – and will enable the Argos to be home for Thanksgiving and their second-round playoff matchup Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. against No. 16-ranked Newberry (S.C.) College (10-1) at PenAir Field.
“That’s huge. When you get to this time of the year, there is so much extra advantage to playing at home and not getting on a bus for however many hours it would be,” Nobles said. “It’s not easy, especially during Thanksgiving week.
“You want to enjoy Thanksgiving and not have to get on a bus. We have no school this week, so it will be full focus on football within our 20-hour (mandated practice time) rule, which is exciting.”
The Argos produced numbers to excite. They rushed for 265 yards and held North Greenville to 24 yards. They had five quarterback sacks, caused three fumbles, nearly had a goal-line stand and answered every time North Greenville had a chance to get an emotional edge.
After a scoreless first quarter and a frustrating game-opening possession for UWF, the Argos expanded a 15-7 halftime lead by scoring on their first possession of the second half, then put the game away with an early fourth quarter touchdown.
“I loved how we got a little bit of adversity early in the game, but just really proud of our guys and how they played the whole game,” Nobles said. “It was hot, it was humid. We knew that, we talked about that. We wanted to be committed to run the football and control the line of scrimmage on both sides and I would say we did that.”
It was a far different kind of game that when these teams met Sept. 20 at North Greenville and the Trailblazers battled back with a chance to tie on the final possession before UWF held for a 25-17 win.
“We had a good plan going into the game and it didn’t turn out the way we wanted,” said North Greenville coach Nate Garner. “I felt pretty good going into halftime. The guys in the locker room were locked in and ready to go.
“They were fighting their tails off in the first half. They got us within a score there at the end of the half and I felt pretty good, pretty confident, coming out for the second half.”
Here’s how Saturday unfolded.
FIRST HALF
The Argos got a 71-yard return on the opening kickoff by Kendrick Watkins-Hogue to the North Greenville 27. But the Argos were called for a block-in-the-back penalty that instead placed the ball at the Argos 10-yard-line. They were whistled for three more penalties, two of which wiped out touchdowns.
After 14 players which consumed nearly seven minutes off the clock, the Argos’ were stopped on an incomplete fourth down pass.
Their next possession was one play, an interception by quarterback Marcus Stokes.
The Argos offense broke through when Stokes finished on an 8-play, 81-yard drive by bulling his way into the endzone on a 4-yard run with 5:14 left in the half. A penalty ensued on the play and UWF chose to go for the 2-point conversion, then converting for a 8-0 lead.
Watkins-Hogue then caught a 54-yard pass from Stokes, after the QB rolled out, avoided a sack and threw a pass on the run over top a defender that Watkins-Hogue caught and ran for the score.
North Greenville answered with its best possession of the game, going 75 yards in 48 seconds on six plays. It culminated when Trailblazers quarter Dylan Ramirez threw a 25-yard scoring pass.
SECOND HALF
A stunning start. UWF surprised with an onside kick, coming out of halftime, that kicker Tyler Patterson perfectly placed and Watkins-Hogue recovered at the Trailblazers 41. Five players later, running back TJ Lane scored the first of his two touchdowns on an 11-yard run that gave UWF a 22-7 lead.
“It kinda changed momentum and it was kind of hard to bounce back from that,” Garner said. “They had a good plan for us offensively and honestly we thought they were going to pass the ball (more) a little bit and they established the run game and kept it going.”
Nobles said the decision for the onside kick was made earlier in the week, finalized in the halftime locker room.
“We thought we saw something and we got it coached up at halftime and make sure our guys were good wit it,” Nobles said. “Our kicker was already outside practicing when we called him back in to make sure he knew. I love how we executed that.”
After North Greenville scored to trail by nine points, the Argos answered back when Stokes scored on 9-yard run to complete a 75 yard drive.
North Greenville again scored to get within 10 points, but UWF scored the final two touchdowns of the game on runs by Jay Sharp and Lane.
The Argos offensive line opened gaping holes in the second half and UWF’s three runners – Stokes, Lane and Sharp – did the rest.
“We challenged our O-line this week and they felt like they did a good job running the football last week, but we still left some stuff out there,” Nobles said. “We challenged them this week and said, hey we’re going to run the ball and push the ball behind you as much as we can.
“We felt we got a little too exotic on offense the first time we played these guys and we were really controlling the tempo in the first game,” Nobles said. “I said to our offensive staff this week, hey no gadgets. Our offensive line perked up when they heard no trick plays, we’re going to run the ball.
“We needed to be physical this week. And physicality when you make it to the playoffs is not an option, it’s mandatory.”
COACH NOBLES
“I don’t know if (first playoff win as head coach) has really hit me. It’s only because of how well the players played today and this is truly a team game. I do get a lot of credit for things, but I tell people, I didn’t play a single play. I didn’t do anything the players didn’t do on the field. They won the game. They did a great job of executing and listening to us as coaches. It is exciting to get a first playoff win in year three but it’s because of what the players did and they earned the result.”
Written by by Bill Vilona
Photo: Elijah Nall/UWF for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Peyton Womack Signs With Montevallo Softball
November 22, 2025
Northview High School senior Peyton Womack signed her national letter of intent Friday afternoon to continue her softball career at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.
Womack previously attended Tate High School, where she earned a spot on the varsity Lady Aggies as a freshman. She spent most of her travel ball career with Showstoppers Fastpitch of Pensacola. She intends to try out for the 2026 Northview Lady Chiefs team.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pace, WFHS, And W.S. Neal All Fall: High School Playoff Scoreboard
November 22, 2025
Here are Thursday playoff scores and Friday night matchups from around the North Escambia area.
FLORIDA
Region 1-6A
Mandarin (Jacksonville) 42, Pace 35
Region 1-3A
Raines (Jacksonville) 54, West Florida 0
Region 1-2A
Pensacola Catholic 34, South Walton 7
FIT 4A-7A Regional Final
Tate 21, Bartram Trail 19 (Thursday) [Read more, photos...]
FIT Rural Regional Final
Port St. Joe 37, Central 0
ALABAMA
AISA State Championship
Macon-East Montgomery Academy 34, Escambia Academy 14 (Thursday)
AHSAA 4A Third Round
Jackson 50, W.S. Neal 7
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Bartram Trail 21-19 Thursday night to advance in the Florida Invitational Tournament. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Win Nailbiter Over Bartram Trail To Advance To Tourney Semifinal
November 21, 2025
The Tate Aggies beat the Bartram Trail Bears in a 21-19 nailbiter in the 4A-7A Florida Invitational Tournament (FIT) regional finals Thursday night.
Tate took a 7-0 lead on a quarterback keeper—by sophomore Tanner Clark—as time expired in the first quarter. Clark added the second score on the night for the Aggies on another QB keeper with 31 seconds to go in the half.
With about a minute to go in the game, the Bears were inside the 12-yard line when the Aggies picked it off to seal the win.
For a photo gallery, click here.
*Look for a gallery with the cheerleaders, band, fans, and more coming soon.
Tate will host Chiles in the 4A-7A semifinals on Friday, November 28—the day after Thanksgiving.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
UWF Argos Seek First Playoff Win In Two Seasons On Saturday
November 21, 2025
Two months ago in Tigerville, South Carolina the University of West Florida football team walked away with a 25-17 win over North Greenville to improve their season record to 4-0. It was the first tight game the Argos had played in all season, needing a fourth quarter scoring drive to widen their lead to eight points. The Argos defense then needed a stop which they got by the graze of a knee in the redzone. The call was controversial at the time as NGU’s quarterback Dylan Ramirez found an open receiver in the back of the endzone to score what was thought to be touchdown, setting up a two-point conversion to tie the game. But the refs blew the play dead and credited Eli Webb with a sack to end the game.
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins for the Argos this season but they got the job done and faced some much needed adversity in a game to help the team march forward to a 9-1 record.
The Argos will now face that same North Greenville team at home on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. for the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The Trailblazers are coming into the game on a three-game win streak including a 34-20 win over UNC Pembroke to win the Conference Carolinas title. UWF is entering the game following a regular season finale loss to Valdosta State in overtime.
With a win-or-go-home mindset, coming off a loss and the adversity faced in the previous NGU matchup, the Argos are hungry and prepared to win their first NCAA playoff game in two years.
The first round game features two of the top quarterbacks in the country. Marcus Stokes is a legitimate Harlon Hill Award nominee and has led the Argos to a prominent offense all season. The redshirt sophomore was named the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year this week. He’s thrown for 2,886 yards and 28 touchdowns. Ramirez was named the Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year following a season throwing for 2,747 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Argos’ defensive front will be a major factor in the outcome of the game with getting pressure on Ramirez. UWF has registered 34 sacks this season – tenth most in NCAA DII. The defense also boasts the top run defense in the nation, allowing just 48.9 rush yards per contest. The defensive unit is led by GSC Defensive Player of the Year Ja’Kobe Clinton who led the conference in tackles for loss and sacks.
A victory on Saturday will head coach Kaleb Nobles first playoff win at the helm with UWF.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN + which does require a subscription to watch. Tickets to attend the game are still available.
Tate Aggies Open Season With Win Over Niceville
November 19, 2025
The Tate Aggies opened their season with a 75-66 win over Niceville Tuesday night at Tate.
Up next, the Aggies will travel to Pensacola High to take on the Tigers. The next home game for Tate is two weeks away on December 2 against the Escambia Gators.
NorthEscambia.com file image.
Northview Chiefs Basketball Opens Season With Wins
November 18, 2025
Northview Chiefs boys basketball teams opened the season on the road with wins Monday night.
The JV Chiefs beat J.U. Blacksher in Uriah 39-17, and the varsity Chiefs defeated the Bulldogs 49-39.
Up next, Northview boys basketball will lost T.R. Miller on Thursday and then travel to Orange Beach High School on Friday.
NorthEscambia.com file image.
UWF Argos Earn No. 2 Seed For NCAA Playoffs In Super Region 2
November 17, 2025
The University of West Florida football team has earned a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs receiving the No. 2 seed in Super Region Two which was announced during the selection show on Sunday.
UWF (9-1) will host North Greenville at PenAir Field on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. for the first round of the playoffs. The Trailblazers are the No. 7 team in the region and finished the year with a 7-4 overall record including winning the Conference Carolinas title on Saturday with a 34-20 win over UNC Pembroke.
The Argos and North Greenville already faced off once this season when UWF made the trip to South Carolina back on Sept. 20. The Argos walked away with a 25-17 win over the Trailblazers in a tightly contested game that came down a late defensive stop in the redzone by UWF.
The Argos were the No.1 team in the region leading up to the final home game of the regular season before dropping the regular season finale to Valdosta, 47-44 in overtime. Despite the loss, UWF and Valdosta share the Gulf South Conference title due to a loss being credited to the Blazers after using an ineligible player in a previous GSC contest.
No. 3 UWF Argos Fall In Heartbreaking OT Loss To Valdosta
November 16, 2025
The hopes carried by UWF’s football team Saturday to celebrate an unbeaten regular season and first outright Gulf South Conference title before a record home crowd were dashed in a stunning end.
After the No. 3-ranked Argos (9-1) tied the game in the final minute, they whiffed on an overtime possession and Valdosta State kicker Matt Rolader drilled a 37-yard field goal, giving the Blazers a walk-off 47-44 upset win at PenAir Field that will reshape the seeding and NCAA Division II playoff picture.
It was an emotion-numbing experience for UWF and the 5,754 fans who watched a wild, back-and-forth game of big plays, big mistakes and emotional swings.
“Obviously a little frustrated with how we played,” said UWF coach Kaleb Nobles. “We didn’t play our best, but we still gave them everything we had to take it to overtime. We’ll let this hurt for 24 hours and see how we respond. We still have a chance to make a run in the playoffs and we’ve got to get a lot better.”
In another riveting game in this rivalry, it featured a combined 948 yards total offense by the teams and five times when the score was tied.
The Blazers (6-4) won their fourth straight game and captured their 12th GSC title after starting the season 2-4. It was Valdosta State’s first overtime game since UWF beat the Blazers 32-31 in 2022. Each team has produced big wins on the other team’s home field.
On Saturday, UWF’s downfall was committing three turnovers, missing three field goals and an extra point. UWF also had some crucial penalties and could not get enough defensive stops in the final three quarters.
“I was on the players a bunch about it in the locker room and the nice thing is they are saying the same thing I”m saying now,” Nobles said. “We’ve got to get better, we gotta get more disciplined.
“We are going to get those things fixed. We’ll coach them up and if guys can’t do it, they won’t be on the playoff roster.”
Had they won, the Argos would have been the No. 1 seed in their eight-team Super Region bracket with a home-field advantage through the first three rounds. Now, it’s anyone’s guess how the pairings will shake out when the entire NCAA Division II playoff field is revealed at 5 p.m. Sunday on the selection show that will be live streamed on NCAA.com.
UWF is assured a first-round home game, but it gets dicier after that. Valdosta State was cited Friday by the GSC for using an ineligible player for its first eight games. That player did not play in the upset wins against Delta State or UWF in the final two games, but the Blazers’ win against West Alabama was declared a conference loss by the GSC.
It will be up to the NCAA football selection committee to determine how that affects the region pairings. Winning the GSC was set to bring an automatic spot in the playoffs.
“We’re in the playoffs and did our job getting that far,” Nobles said. “I know that we’re probably going to have to go on the road in the maybe the second or third round, but our guys have to be ready. Doesn’t matter about location, we have to be ready to play and I will do my job to get them ready to play.”
Here’s how Saturday’s game unfolded.
FIRST HALF
After missing a field goal on their second possession, the Argos produced a pair of touchdowns on a big play and a long drive to jump to a 13-0 lead.
Facing 3rd-and-12 from the UWF 40, quarterback Marcus Stones threw a deep pass under pressure that receiver Corey Scott outleaped a VSU defender for the ball inside Blazers territory and ran the distance for a 60-yard touchdown and the game’s first points.
After another defensive stop, the Argos scored again when Jayon Swinton caught a 21-yard scoring pass with 3:52 left in the quarter. But the extra point was blocked by the Blazers and returned for a 2-point play at the other end zone.
On their next possession, UWF was poised to expand the lead, but ball was punched loose. The Blazers recovered and this became a pivotal moment.
Valdosta State scored a pair of touchdowns less than two minutes apart, following another UWF fumble to take a 16-13 lead and turn the game into a back-and-forth battle the rest of the way.
The Argos tied the game on freshman kicker Brogan Woeber’s field goal and regained the lead on TJ Lane’s 10-yard score, following a big hit on VSU quarterback Jameson Holcomb and fumble recovery.
But the Blazers answered to tie the game with 1:55 left in the half.
Undaunted, UWF answered right back with Stokes finishing a 75-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Scott with 28 seconds left before halftime. It gave UWF a 30-23 halftime lead.
SECOND HALF
After UWF failed on a fourth-down conversion through a penalty, VSU tied the game with a 75 yard drive in three plays. A personal foul penalty followed a long pass completion and led to the tying score.
The Argos went up 37-30 after an interception by Chester Fearon and return to the Blazers 7. After Stokes’ run was nullified by a taunting penalty against him, he made amends two plays later with a TD pass to Tyree Holloway.
But this is where another big sequence unfolded. The Blazers reeled off more big plays to set up touchdown run and tied the game 37-37 with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
They took a 44-37 lead after Stokes threw an interception the end zone early in the fourth quarter, then another chance was missed when UWF smothered a botched punt at the Blazzers 27. UWF’s offense failed to deliver and Woeber missed a 44-yard field goal.
This time, VSU answered with six play drive where Holcomb made three big pass plays to set up the go-ahead scored.
The game reached its dramatic point in the final three and a half minutes.
UWF failed to convert a 4th-and-1 situation at the Valdosta 21 with 3:29 left when tailback Jay Sharp was ruled down inches short of the mark.
The Argos used their remaining timeouts, got a defensive stop and the ball back with 2:26 remaining at their own 43. They tied the game with 28 seconds left when Stokes connected with Holloway on a 35-yard pass that had the crowd screaming in delight.
Nobles signaled for a two-point conversion try and bold move to try and take the lead and win the game. But it never happened. The Argos were cited for a delay of game penalty following a late substitution and were forced to kick the extra point.
“We had a little miscommunication on something,” Nobles said. “I’m not going to go into detail about it, but we had played a lot of plays and I felt like (players) were tired on both sides, so I felt let’s go win the thing right now.”
OVERTIME
The Blazers won the coin toss. That proved pivotal. They elected to play defense first.
UWF lost a yard on its first play, after Lane was smothered on a running play. The next two plays were incomplete passes by Stokes. That forced a 41-yard field goal attempt by Woeber that was deflected and fell way short.
“Four bad plays in a row to end the game will definitely keep me up (Saturday night),” Nobles said. “Not very happy about it. We didn’t really do what we were supposed to do on any of those plays.
“So our guys have to improve on it, they have execute what we’re trying to do and we’ve got to do better as coaches in preparing them.”
The Blazers gained five yards on their possession from the 25, but had the ball right in the center of the field, easing the field goal attempt that split through the uprights to win the game.
Ice Flyers Continue Winning Ways With 4-1 Victory Over Marksmen
November 16, 2025
The Ice Flyers continued their winning ways on Small Dog Race Night sweeping the weekend series with a 4-1 victory over the Fayetteville Marksmen in front of 5,595 fans at the Hangar.
After a scoreless first period that saw both teams trade chances, Sam Rhodes broke through in the second to give the Ice Flyers a 1-0 lead. Tim Kent evened the score for Fayetteville midway through the frame, but Rhodes answered back late in the period to restore the Ice Flyers’ advantage. Tyler Burnie added another goal before the end of the second, sending Pensacola into the final period with a commanding 3-1 lead.
The intermissions brought their own entertainment as 96 dogs competed in races on the ice, with tons of cute chaos delighting the crowd throughout the night.
The second period featured multiple fights that electrified the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the game. Shane Bull capped off the night with the lone goal of the third period to seal the 4-1 win.
Rico DiMatteo was once again outstanding in net, following up his shutout performance from the previous night with a 31-save effort, stopping all but one of Fayetteville’s 32 shots.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
