Photos: Ransom, Ernest Ward Track
May 1, 2015
Ransom, Ernest Ward and Workman middle school met in a track meet Thursday afternoon in Cantonment. Results were not immediately available.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Baltimore Unrest, Fanless Game Cause Orioles Manager Showalter To Reflect Back To Century
April 30, 2015
The Baltimore Orioles beat the White Sox Wednesday in a empty stadium, the first even Major League Baseball game with no fans. The public was kept out of the game, which was required to keep the MLB schedule, due to safety concerns following this week’s rioting, and racial divide in Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter’s family moved to Century in the late 1950’s. His father served as a teacher, coach and principal at Century High School for 23 years. The thought of the silence from the stands brought Showalter back in his mind to Century prior to the game Wednesday.
In an interview with the New York Daily News, Showalter said he remembered the time his father emptied the gym at Century High for a basketball game because there were fights during a previous meeting between the Blackcats and the other team (which he did not name).
“So I come from a family that understands the kinds of quiet I am going to encounter (on Wednesday),” Showalter told the New York Daily news prior to the game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore.
Daily News write Mike Lupica turned to first person in his story.
“I have known him (Showalter) a long time and like him a lot, and asked him on this day about whether he sometimes worries that things are getting worse in this country instead of better,” Lupica wrote.
“You have to wonder about that sometimes,” Showalter said. “Don’t you?”
Read the entire NY Daily News story by clicking here.
Pictured: The Century Blackcat logo inside the old Century High School gym. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Tate, Jay, West Florida Earn Playoff Wins
April 30, 2015
Tate 2, Niceville 0
The Tate Lady Aggies beat Niceville 2-0 Wednesday night in the Region 1-7A semifinal at Tate.
Tori Perkins took the win for Tate on the mound, committing no errors, and allowing no runs. Hitting for Tate were: Tori Perkins 1-3, RBI, 2B; Hayden Lindsay 1-2, RBI, BB; Savannah Rowell 1-2, R. Rachel Wright 1-3.
Tate hits the road Friday to take on the Atlantic Coast Stingrays in Jacksonville in the Region 1-7A finals.
Jay 11, Franklin County 1
The Jay High School Lady Royals destroyed Franklin County 11-1 in six innings Wednesday in the Region 2-1A semifinals in Jay.
Destiny Herring pitched five for the Lady Royals with no errors and four strike outs. Hitting for Jay: Emily Dobson 4-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI; Destiny Herring 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR; Dana Blackmon 2-4, R, RBI; Riana Wolfe 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R; Avarie Jackson 2-4, 2 R; Michaela Stewart 1-4, 2 RBI.
The Lady Royals will host district runner-ups Chipley at 7 p.m. Friday. In the District 2-1A championship game, the Royals beat Chipley 7-6. The winner of Friday night’s game is headed to Vero Beach for the Class 1A tournament.
BASEBALL
West Florida 4, Taylor County 1
West Florida beat Taylor County 4-1 in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals Wednesday. The Jaguars will face Catholic in the semifinals next week.
Pictured top: The Jay Lady Royals after their regional semifinal win over Chipley Wednesday. Photo by Diann Tagert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
West Florida Eliminated From 4A State Playoff Series
April 29, 2015
The defending 4A state champion West Florida Lady Jaguars are out of the state playoffs. The Lady Jags lost to the Walton Braves Tuesday 6-0 in the Region 1-4A quarterfinal.
Farrah Nicholas pitched six innings for West Florida, allowing eight hits and six runs while striking out three. Hitting for the Lady Jaguars were Kayla Miller 2-3 and Ealon Pyle 1-2.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Split Doubleheader With Biloxi
April 27, 2015
A few days ago, reliever Layne Somsen learned he would get the start for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos against the Southern League South-leading Biloxi Shuckers.
His feeling? Relaxed.
Somsen threw five scoreless innings in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader that Pensacola won, 2-1. Biloxi won the first game, 2-1, to split the day at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Somsen pitched in front of a sellout crowd—the Blue Wahoos 109th in 210 home appearances and fifth sellout in its first six home appearances this season against the Shuckers.
Somsen laughed when asked if he has been miscast as a reliever during his professional career. He was a starter at South Dakota State when the Wahoos parent club Cincinnati Reds drafted him in 2013.
“You know, (starting) is a different mindset,” Somsen said. “You throw as many strikes as possible and go as far as possible. It’s a more relaxed feeling when you’re starting. In the bullpen, you try to go out there and blow guys away.”
Somsen started the game having pitched eight innings in three relief appearances, allowing one run and striking out 11 hitters. In Sunday’s start, he gave up two hits, a walk and struck out three in five innings.
Blue Wahoos Manager Pat Kelly laughed when asked if Somsen should be groomed as a starter, instead of a reliever. He likes Somsen’s curveball and cut fastballs.
“I think he’s a great swing man,” Kelly said. “He fits that role really good. He can do a lot of things with a baseball.”
The difference in the second game was a big two-out double down into the left field corner that came from pinch hitter Sean Buckley in the fifth inning that scored third baseman Ray Chang from second and put Pensacola ahead, 1-0. Ryan Wright, who went 3-7 Sunday, singled to right field to score Juan Silva for a 2-0 lead. Buckley was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
In the first game, Buckley had the chance to tie or win the game with a two-out hit in the seventh inning but grounded out to short to end the first game of the doubleheader. In the second game with two outs, he smashed Shuckers’ Jacob Barnes curveball to left.
“You want to be aggressive and get a good pitch,” Buckley said. “Hopefully, I made up for” grounding out in the first game.
The Blue Wahoos had the tying and winning runs on third and second with two out against the Shuckers in the seventh and final inning of Sunday’s first game. But Buckley grounded out. He had tied the game, 1-1, when his single scored Ryan Wright from second base.
That was the first run in eight innings that the Blue Wahoos managed off of Biloxi righty Brooks Hall (3-0) this season. Hall came into the game holding right-handed batters to a .069 batting average but Pensacola hitters managed to go 4-16 or .250 against him. Hall gave up all seven hits in his six innings of work Sunday.
The fourth game of the six-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers Double-A affiliate Biloxi Shuckers is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. RHP Daniel Wright (0-2, 5.68) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Shuckers RHP Tyler Wagner (3-0, 1.59).
Molino 16U Lady Jags Win Mid Season Tournament
April 25, 2015
Both of the Molino 16U Molino softball teams won championships in their mid-season tournaments.
The Lady Jaguars coached by Donnie Nicholson and Mike King advanced to the championship game undefeated. After concluding the day after a five-hour rain delay, the Jags lost the first game of the championship series 5-4 before coming back strong in the second game with an 8-5 win over the East Milton Buckshots.
Pictured: (front, L-R) Sky Gorum and Kaelyn Coffee, (middle) Ashley Ragsdale, Jasmine Crabtree, Trista Loranza, Mika King, Rena Banks, Jamia Newton, Abi Mansoso, (back) Coach Donnie Nicholson, Catherine Jerigene, Meredith Morgan and Coach Mike King. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Win District 1A Championship (With Photo Gallery)
April 24, 2015
The Northview Chiefs captured their first District 1A title as they destroyed Chipley 11-1 Thursday night in Bonifay.
Brett Weeks pitched six innings for the Chiefs, allowing just one run and striking out seven. Hitting for Northview were: Chasen Freeman 3-4, 2 runs, double; Thomas Moore 2-4, 5 RBIs, 2 doubles; Roman Manning 2-4, run, RBI, double; Bryan Cantrell 1-3, run, 2 SBs; Brodie Amos 1-1, run; Aaron McDonald 1-4.
Northview will next host the winner of Friday’s Bozeman vs. Liberty County game.
The Chiefs won a 2A district title in 2004.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
West Florida Lady Jags Win Regional Quarterfinal Over Florida High
April 24, 2015
The West Florida Lady Jaguars beat Florida High in Tallahassee 8-4 Thursday in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals.
Hitting for West Florida were Kayla Miller, 1-2; Emily Loring 2-2, RBI; Lauren Carnley 1-4, RBI; Kristin Gunter 2-3, 3 RBI; Jibrasha Moore 1-2, RBI; Bre Rogers 1-2, Farrah Nicholas 2-4. Nicholas pitched seven innings for West Floroida, allowing four funs, 10 hits and striking out one.
West Florida will play at Walton on Tuesday in the regional semi-finals.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
West Florida Jags Win Consecutive District Championship
April 24, 2015
The West Florida High Jaguars beat Catholic 5-2 Thursday night for a back to back District 1-4A titles, and the ninth overall under Coach Marc Conti.
Photos by Missy Reber for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Bates Signs With Baton Rouge Community College
April 24, 2015
Northview High School senior E’Layzha Bates has signed to play basketball with Baton Rouge Community College.
At Northview, she average 10 point and nine rebounds per game, and accounted for more than 75 percent of the team’s offensive output last season. She was also selected to play in the Pensacola Sports Association All-Star game.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.