Tate Opens With Win Over Choctaw (With Photo Gallery)
August 25, 2018
The Tate High School Aggies opened their 2018 regular season with a 28-21 win over Choctawhatchee of Fort Walton.
“I thought they played hard, you know. I thought our effort was good. The biggest thing we talked about was we didn’t start the game good and we didn’t finish it well,” Tate head coach Jay Lindsey said. “We can always work on that type of stuff. It’s the first game of the year, we have a lot of new faces you know. I am pleased we’ve got a lot to work on but we will always take a win against a very well respected program.”
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The Indians jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with 5:06 to go in the first, but the Aggies were not going to end the quarter scoreless. With 47 seconds on the clock in the first, Tate tied it up 7-7 when senior quarterback Hunter Riggan found Timothy Lockhart with a 24-yard touchdown pass.
Early in the second, Riggan connected with Patrick Palmer, back from a knee injury last year, with a 78-yard touchdown pass, Tate 14-7. A couple of minutes later, the Indians unsuccessfully attempted a field goal.
With just 26 seconds go to in the half, Riggan had another touchdown pass, this one to senior Spencer Ruiz for a 21-7 Aggie advantage before heading to the lockers.
Tate and Choctaw were scoreless in the third.
Another touchdown early in the fourth to put the Aggies up 28-7. But the Indians were not going down without a fight — scoring two more touchdowns in the fourth for a 28-21 final.
Lindsey said Riggan showed maturity in his first regular season game.
“He threw the ball really well,” Lindsey said. “We had some good playmakers. They are really stopping the run pretty well, so we were able to take some deep shots down the field but you know, hats off to those guys. I though our defense played well for three quarters.”
The Tate Aggies (1-0) will host the West Florida Jaguars (0-1) next Friday night at Pete Gindl Stadium. The Jags are coming off a 23-20 loss Thursday night to the Escambia Gators.
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Northview Chiefs Open With A Really Big Win In A Really Long Game
August 25, 2018
The Northview Chiefs opened their regular season Friday with a really big win over Lighthouse Private Christian Academy of Pensacola in a really long game.
Coach Derek Marshman and his Northview Chiefs came out on top 46-20 in game that ended about three and a half hours after it’s 7:00 start time at Victor Randall Stadium at the Brent Athletic Park. The Lighthouse Christian Stingsrays do not have their own stadium.
The game did not go into overtime…it progressed slowly due to penalties and an unusual amount of time between plays.
The Northview High School Chiefs (1-1) will host the Flomaton Hurricanes (1-0) next Friday Night at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt. Flomaton is coming off a big 27-0 shutout of the Jay Royals.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Friday Night Football Final Scores
August 25, 2018
Here are high school football scores from around the area Friday Night:
Florida
- Tate 28, Choctaw 21 [Read more...]
- Northview 46, Lighthouse 20 [Read more...]
- Flomaton 27, Jay 0
- Pine Forest 27, Pensacola 6
- Milton 38 Washington, 15
- Navarre 35, Pensacola Catholic 7
- Gulf Breeze 41 Pascagoula, MS 15
- Pace 30, Fort Walton Beach 20
- Escambia 23, West Florida 20 (Thursday)
Alabama
- Flomaton 27, Jay 0
- Escambia Academy 63, Snook Christian
- Escambia County (Atmore) 16, T.R. Miller 7
- W.S. Neal 17 Southern Choctaw 7
Wahoos Drop Opener To The BayBears
August 25, 2018
The Blue Wahoos postseason hopes took another hit on Friday as they dropped the series opener, 9-4 to the BayBears at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
After a promising first inning from Seth Varner (L, 8-3), things quickly turned south. Varner allowed six runs over the next three innings was pulled from the game with the Wahoos trailing 6-0. Nick Howard replaced him in the fifth and the BayBears tacked on two more runs to take an 8-0 advantage.
Former Blue Wahoos Joe Hudson, in his first game at Blue Wahoos Stadium as a visiting player, tied his career high with four RBI after going 4-for-5 at the plate. Hudson doubled and homered in his first two at-bats, and fell a triple shy of the cycle.
Pensacola scored their four runs in the final two innings of the game. Connor Justus mishandled a groundball from Taylor Featherston, which allowed Shed Long to score. Luis Gonzalez followed with a fielder’s choice, which allowed Crook to score after he singled earlier in the inning. Pensacola brought two more runs home in the ninth innings thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from Crook and Featherston.
Unfortunately for the Wahoos, the rally was too little, too late. Pensacola had runners on base in every inning and wound up leaving 13 men on base after going 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position. The Wahoos now trail the BayBears by 1.5 games in the wildcard, and after Biloxi’s loss to Mississippi, trail the Shuckers by 1.5 games in the second-half standings.
RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (9-10, 4.15) will try to get the Wahoos back on track in the second game of the series. The BayBears have yet to disclose who will start for them on Saturday.
Lady Chiefs Lose Season Openers To Baker (With Gallery)
August 24, 2018
The Northview High School varsity and junior varsity volleyball teams fell in their season openers Thursday night.
The varsity Lady Chiefs lost a district match to Baker 7-25, 12-25, 7-25. After winning their first set 25-22, the junior varsity Lady Chiefs were defeated by the JV Lady Gators 9-25, 13-15.
Up next, the Northview Lady Chiefs will host a district match against the Jay Lady Royls on Tuesday. The junior varsity takes the court at 5:00; the varsity follows at 6:00 in Bratt.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Biloxi Completes Sweep Of The Blue Wahoos
August 24, 2018
Biloxi completed the five-game sweep at MGM Park Thursday night as the Wahoos dropped a heartbreaker, 3-2.
It was a promising start for the visitors when Jose Siri homered on the first pitch of the game from Cameron Roegner to give Pensacola a snappy 1-0 lead. For Siri, it was his 12th second-half home run, adding to the franchise record that he set earlier this year.
Wyatt Strahan (L, 7-11) started the game strong for the Wahoos. Strahan faced one over the minimum through the first five innings of his start. In the sixth, Cody Ponce’s (W, 7-6) one-out double marked the first time the Shuckers had a runner in scoring position against Strahan. It was also his first professional hit. After a flyout by Corey Ray, Troy Stokes Jr walked and Keston Hiura singled to tie the game at one. Lucas Erceg followed with an RBI single and the Shuckers jumped ahead 2-1.
In the seventh, Biloxi added one more run off of MLB-rehabber Rookie Davis. After a leadoff double by Luis Aviles Jr., a pair of flyouts moved and eventually scored Aviles from second.
Pensacola clawed their way back into the game with a run in the eighth. Malik Collymore led off the frame with a pinch-hit single, and after a walk to Siri, both runners advanced on a sac bunt from TJ Friedl. Mitch Nay brought home Collymore with a sac fly and the Wahoos were only down 3-2. After Brad Kuntz walked Scott Schebler to put runners on the corners, Mike Guerrero brought in his closer, Nate Griep (S, 33), and he struck out Gavin LaValley to end the inning.
In the ninth, Taylor Featherston led off with an infield single. After Luis Gonzalez moved Featherston to second with a sac bunt, Griep walked the next two batters to load the bases. Griep worked around the threat by inducing Siri into a foul pop out and Friedl into a comebacker to the pitcher to end the game.
This is the second time this season Pensacola has been swept. As it stands, Pensacola is outside of the postseason, trailing the BayBears by a half game in the wildcard standings. If Pensacola cannot overtake Biloxi in the second-half standings, the team with the best overall record in the South Division will claim the other postseason berth.
LHP Seth Varner (8-2, 3.13) will take the hill to open Pensacola’s most important series of the season. The Blue Wahoos will welcome the BayBears for the final five games at Blue Wahoos Stadium this season. Mobile is expected to send RHP Alex Klonowski (9-3, 4.28) on the bump for the visitors.
Biloxi Beats Pensacola Again
August 23, 2018
The Biloxi Shuckers handed the Wahoos their fourth consecutive loss with a 6-3 win on Wednesday to knock the Pensacola Blue Wahoos out of first place in the second-half standings.
Zach Davies (W, 1-0), on a Major League rehab assignment was excellent over six innings for the Shuckers. Pensacola did not register their first hit until Gavin LaValley belted his 13th homer of the season, and his second of the series.
By that point, the Wahoos had dug themselves in a hole. Troy Stokes Jr. homered in the first inning off Daniel Wright (L, 6-10) to put the Shuckers up 1-0. In the third, Corey Ray led off the inning with a solo homer, his league-leading 27th of the year to give the Shuckers a 2-0 edge. The next batter reached on an error, and after a single by Lucas Erceg, Biloxi had runners on the corners with nobody out. Both runs would eventually score and Biloxi led 4-0 after three.
After LaValley’s homer made it 4-1, Biloxi scored two more in the bottom of the fifth, which increased their lead to 6-1. Pensacola’s final push came in the seventh, when Chris Okey crushed a two-run shot off Nattino Diplan to bring the Wahoos within three. However, Miguel Sanchez pitched the final two innings in scoreless fashion to secure Biloxi’s fifth win in a row.
The Wahoos, who sat in first place for 57 days, now trail Biloxi by a half game in the second-half standings. Fortunately for Pensacola, the BayBears split their doubleheader with Mississippi meaning that the Wahoos and BayBears are still tied in the wildcard standings. If the Wahoos can earn a win in the series finale, Pensacola will leapfrog ahead of Biloxi for first place once again.
The Wahoos will send RHP Wyatt Strahan (7-10, 4.19) in a pivotal series finale against the Shuckers. LHP Cameron Roegner (0-1, 6.39) will try to complete the series sweep for Biloxi.
Home Run: Blue Wahoos Rehab Fields At Century’s Showalter Park
August 22, 2018
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos teamed with area businesses and organizations Tuesday to renovate the little league fields at Showalter Park in Century.
They worked to overhaul the infield clay, weed, mow and bring the fields into game-ready shape for the youth of the Century area. The were joined by several community members and young Century Little League players.
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Wahoos Lose 2-1 To Biloxi
August 22, 2018
Corey Ray and Trent Grisham belted solo home runs as the Wahoos fell to the Shuckers 2-1 Tuesday afternoon at MGM Park.
Ray delivered his league-leading 26th homer on Tony Santillan’s (L, 4-2) first pitch of the game to make it 1-0 Shuckers. Grisham led off the second inning and took Santillan deep to the opposite field to double Biloxi’s advantage.
After that, Santillan was exceptional. He allowed one hit over his final five innings and left the game in the eighth after retiring 11 consecutive Shuckers. Santillan is the tough-luck loser for the Wahoos and has now suffered defeats in back-to-back starts.
The Wahoos had no answer for Trey Supak (W, 4-6). The Texas-native held the Wahoos to three hits over six shutout innings and did not allow a runner to reach scoring position. Pensacola’s best chance for a comeback was in the eighth inning. Gavin LaValley led off with a home run off Jeff Ames to cut the deficit to one. Cassidy Brown doubled before Narciso Crook earned a pinch-hit walk to setup first and second with nobody out. Unfortunately, the Shuckers bullpen retired the next three Wahoos in order and Pensacola stranded the tying run at second.
Nate Griep (S, 32) for the second-consecutive night closed out the game in scoreless fashion. After a leadoff walk, he retired the side in order to earn his league-best 32nd save of the year. Pensacola has now lost nine of their past 11 games, and their lead in the second-half standings have shrunk to a half game.
The Wahoos will get right back to work for the penultimate game of the series tomorrow night. RHP Daniel Wright (6-9, 4.19) hopes to give the Wahoos a win in Wednesday’s contest. The Shuckers have not yet announced who will take the bump for them.
West Florida’s Wiley Commits To Faulkner University
August 21, 2018
West Florida High School senior Kenzi Wiley of Cantonment has committed to further her education and play softball at Faulkner University, a four year NAIA school in Montgomery. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.