Ice Flyers Rout Fayetteville For Best Home Win Of Season
January 19, 2025
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent
The customary center-ice salute the Ice Flyers provide their loyal fans extended into a post-game, victory lap of thanks.
On a Saturday night when the arena was nearly filled, a hat trick was produced, fists were flying and goaltenders were fighting, the Ice Flyers were able to cherish their 7-1 victory against the Fayetteville Marksmen, which delighted a crowd of 7,798 at the Bay Center.
Complete with the annual Wiener Dog Race Night, this crowd surpassed the one on December 28 against Peoria (7,325) for the largest in franchise history on a non $5 ticket night weekend.
That game didn’t result in a win. This one became an Ice Flyers showcase.
“We have talked a lot behind closed doors about how blessed we are… with our (struggling) record and fact we haven’t been able to get the job done and to have the fans show up the way they have,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham.
“I have seen in countless hockey markets where (fans) just give up on you. And our fans have been there through thick and thin. They have been supporting the players. The guys deserve all the fans respect, because they are coming hard to work every day.
“Will we make mistakes? Absolutely, but I can tell you all their hearts are in the right place.”
This game started well. A 2-0 lead at first intermission on goals by Michael Herrera, who finished the hat trick with his third goal in a wild second period.
But it also ended well. Even with a 6-1 lead at second intermission, the Ice Flyers didn’t allow Fayetteville to get an early third period and got 18 saves from backup goaltender Cody Karpinski.
“I thought that was the best 60-minute game that we have had all year,” Graham said. “We were down to four defensemen. Bondo (Ivan Bondarenko) went back and played (defense) and (players) battled the whole way. Fayetteville kept coming, they kept competing and working.”:
All of which leads into Sunday’s weekend series finale against Fayetteville at the Bay Center. Fayetteville (18-12, 2 OT losses) began the night tied with Knoxville in third place in the SPHL standings.
The Ice Flyers (9-18, 4 OT losses) will be trying to get five points of a possible six from the weekend.
“Both teams are in good shape. I expect some fireworks,” Graham said.
There were plenty of such explosions Saturday. The second period featured five goals, including three in a span of less than a minute. It included Ice Flyers captain Jake Hamilton twice dropping the gloves at center ice. The period also had the rarity of a goaltender brawl between the Ice Flyers starting goaltender Brody Claeys and Fayetteville’s Mason Beaupit.
Normally, goaltender fights, rare as they are, don’t include game misconducts. Both were assessed that penalty, after they skated out to center ice and quickly tossed some punches.
In the final minute of that period, Fayetteville’s Ryan Nolen was assessed a match penalty for a cross-checking. That will bring a suspension.
These teams combined for 93 penalty minutes on 10 infractions apiece.
A quick recap:
FIRST PERIOD
With Michael Herrera leading the way, scoring a pair of goals, this became one of the Ice Flyers’ best opening periods.
At one point, they had a 17-4 edge in shots on goal, finishing with an 18-8 edge at intermission. Both of Herrera’s goals provided a delayed reaction.
His first one with 11:59 left in the period came from a bounce on the boards. As he entered inside the blue line with a defender trailing, he let a wrist shot go into the far corner of the net.
Six minutes later he was leading a rush with Sam Dabrowski taking a shot that Herrera perfectly deflected into the net.
There were only two minor penalties in the period, one by each team. It was saved for later.
SECOND PERIOD
Cayden Cahill scored the first of his two goals less than seven minutes into the second period. On the ensuing faceoff, the Ice Flyers Hamilton and Fayettville’s Elias Thompson squared off briefly at center ice, but the officials separated them after a punch or two apiece.
And then it was on. Eleven more penalties followed in a series of fights that included the goalies.
But the biggest moment on the scoreboard occurred when Fayetteville’s lone goal was answered just eight seconds later by Cahill to give the Ice Flyers a 5-1 lead with 4:19 left in the period.
“What I liked the most was we scored the next shift after they scored that goal,” Graham said. “That really set the tone. Because sometimes in that second period, we get a little bit of adversity, and we lose momentum.
“Bang! next shift and that’s when Cayden scored. That was the biggest shot of confidence through the whole group. It was the timing of the goal just to see the quick response.”
THIRD PERIOD
The Ice Flyers Lucas Jirousek scored his first pro goal at near midpoint of the period to cap the scoring. There were only two penalties in the period, enabling the game to end in just under three hours.
GAME NOTABLES
The Ice Flyers keep setting participation records with their annual Wiener Dog races. Saturday’s event attracted a record 125 dogs, requiring five separate heats to determine the final 20 in the championship race and the remainder in the consolation race.
Ivan Bondarenko recorded his 170th assist in the second period, pushing him into third place all-time points in Ice Flyers history, ahead of Adam Pawlick.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
Tate Aggies Cheerleaders Win Regional Title
January 18, 2025
The Tate High School Aggie cheerleaders won a regional title Friday.
The Aggies were named the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1 Competitive Cheerleading Champions following a competition at Port St. Joe High School.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Peanuts Night: Ice Flyers Fall To Fayetteville In 9-Round Shootout
January 18, 2025
Despite facing a 3-1 deficit heading into the final frame, the Ice Flyers mounted an impressive comeback to force overtime, though ultimately fell short in a 9-round shootout Friday night — Peanuts Night.
Alex Wilkins opened the scoring for Fayetteville, but the Ice Flyers evened the score when Matt Wiesner benefited from an unusual bounce in the first period.
Marksmen forwards Khristian Acosta and Dalton Hunter propelled Fayetteville to a 3-1 lead with back-to-back goals, scored just 12 seconds apart, to end the second period.
Jake Hamilton gave the Ice Flyers a boost with his sixth goal of the season, cutting the deficit. Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira tied the game 3-3 with a power-play goal to close out regulation.
Neither team managed to break through in the overtime period, sending the game to a shootout that would ultimately require nine rounds to determine a winner.
The shootout remained scoreless through six rounds until Ice Flyers forward Doug Elgstam finally broke through, sneaking one past Marksmen goaltender Ryan Kenney. However, the celebration was short-lived as Ryan Nolan quickly responded for Fayetteville to even things up. The marathon shootout finally came to an end in the ninth round when John Moncovich secured the victory for the Marksmen.
The Ice Flyers will host the Fayetteville Marksmen on Saturday for game two of their three-game series.
Scoring Summary
First Period
FAY 1, PEN 0
10:11 Alex Wilkins (1) – Unassisted – PP
Fayetteville capitalized on a power play to score the game’s first goal.
FAY 1, PEN 1
17:14 Matt Wiesner (6) – Cayden Cahill
A shot by Matt Wiesner ricocheted off the glass and bounced off the back of the Marksmen’s goalie, Ryan Kenney, to tie things up.
Shots on goal: FAY 11, PEN 18
Second Period
FAY 2, PEN 1
17:48 Khristian Acosta (3) – Alex Ambrosio, John Moncovich
Fayetteville took the lead with Khristian Acosta’s shot on a 2-on-1 rush.
FAY 3, PEN 1
18:00 Dalton Hunter (14) – Unassisted
12 seconds after Acosta’s goal, Dalton Hunter weaved around the Ice Flyers defense and sent a shot past Brody Claeys to extend the Marksmen’s lead to two.
Shots on Goal: FAY 10, PEN 15
3rd Period
FAY 3, PEN 2
13:05 Jake Hamilton (6) – Cayden Cahill
Jake Hamilton’s well-placed shot found its way through traffic and into the back of the net, giving the Ice Flyers the momentum boost they needed for their third period comeback.
FAY 3, PEN 3
15:05 Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira (5) – Nick Pryce
The Ice Flyers tied things up with Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira getting a much needed goal on a powerplay opportunity.
Shots on Goal: FAY 3, PEN 14
Overtime
None
Shootout
Ice Flyers – Doug Elgstam
Marksmen – Ryan Nolan
Marksmen – John Moncovich
Total Shots: FAY 30, PEN 52
Tate Lady Aggies Down Northview 56-37 (With Gallery)
January 17, 2025
The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs 56-37 Thursday night in Bratt.
Sam Williams led the Lady Aggies will 12 points, while Kaylie Mitchell added 11 and Amerie McGee had 10. Sarah Mitchell, Grace Best and Taylor Malone added six points each. Kahari Davis had three, and Brelynn Morris had two.
Stats for Northview were not entered Thursday night.
The Northview Lady Chiefs will travel to Laurel Hill Friday night at 6:00, and the Lady Aggies are next scheduled to be in action January 23 at Santa Rosa Christian.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Aggie Boys Top Elberta 62-57, Brelynn Morris Scores 22 As Tate Girls Win
January 14, 2025
Basketball
BOYS
Tate 62, Elberta 57
GIRLS
Tate 44 Elberta 15
Brelynn Morris scored 22 points and Sam Williams added 11 as the Tate Lady Aggies defeated Elberta 44-15 Monday at Tate. Amerie
Tate Cross County, Golf, Volleyball Named State Academic Team Champions
January 13, 2025
Several Tate High School teams were named to the Florida High School Athletic Association Fall Academic Team Champions lists.
The Aggies teams were:
- Boys Cross County – 3.317 GPA
- Girls Cross Country – 3.748 GPA
- Boys Golf – 3.358 GPA
- Girls Golf – 3.462 GPA
- Girls Volleyball – 3.493 GPA
The FHSAA Academic Team Champion recognition program honors teamwork not only in competition, but in the classroom as well. The program recognizes teams in each of the Association’s sanctioned and recognized sports based off GPA
Ice Flyers Rally In Final Period Falls Short In Weekend Series Loss To Macon
January 13, 2025
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
A weekend that began Friday for the Ice Flyers with such promise unfortunately ended with familiar frustration.
For the second straight night, the Macon Mayhem seized control of the game in the second period and Sunday held on for a 3-2 win against the Ice Flyers at the Pensacola Bay Center to claim the three-game series in three days between the teams.
“I feel bad for the guys,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “I thought they deserved a better outcome. I felt we out-chanced them and outplayed them, but again they were opportunistic with their chances.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Ice Flyers pelted Macon goaltender Dysen Skinner with 43 shots on goal, outshooting the Mayhem 43-29, but after giving up three second-period goals, the Ice Flyers couldn’t get an equalizer.
“For us it has been about scoring timely goals the whole season,” Graham said. “It doesn’t matter who is the lineup, who’s not, we get great chances and we just can’t find a way to put the puck in the net. I thought their goalie made some unbelievable saves in the third (period).”
The Ice Flyers opened with this trio of games with a 3-1 win at Macon on Friday. They were tied 1-1 after the first intermission Saturday, but Macon again scored three unanswered goals and won that game 5-1. On Sunday, a chance to finish the weekend by netting a two-point gain on Macon in the standings went awry.
The Ice Flyers (8-19, 3 OT losses) are now five points behind Macon and mired in the bottom of the Southern Professional Hockey League standings. The Ice Flyers will host fourth-place Fayetteville for three straight games beginning Friday at the Bay Center.
“There’s no excuses anymore. We are not proud of what the results have been,” said Ice Flyers defenseman and team captain Jake Hamilton. “Even if the effort is great, it’s not enough. We have to have wins.
“We’ve got to find a way to go the full 60 (minutes),” he said. “I feel like we outplayed Macon most of the game, but we’re not getting that puck luck.
“And honestly as a group I don’t think we’re desperate enough. All of us need to block more shots and we’re missing that last little bit of desperation to truly have that winning culture.”
Trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Ice Flyers got a lift when Michael Herrera scored less than five minutes into the third period. The Ice Flyers outshot Macon 15-5 in this period, just missing on several chances.
But any hope the Ice Flyers had of getting an extra attacker on the ice in the final minutes ended when Jonathan Bartuccio-Periera was whistled for a major (5 minute) boarding penalty that caused injury with 2:09. The Ice Flyers pulled goalie Brody Claeys with 1:06 remaining, but that only meant an even strength situation.
To their credit, the Ice Flyers generated two scoring chances despite the adverse circumstances.
“We put a face-off play on. and we still ended up getting Herrera — our best skater on the breakaway — so we got a scoring chance out of that,” said Graham, referring to Herrera’s chance from the side thwarted by Skinner.
“And Cayden Cahill, when we got (Claeys) pulled, he gets a Grade-A look and just missed it high and right, so we were still able to get two amazing scoring chances in that situation.”
The two back-to-back losses followed two consecutive road wins that had the Ice Flyers feeling they were on way to building a surge.
“We got three home games this week,” Graham said. “We have a tough opponent coming in. There are no easy games this year for the Ice Flyers until we find a consistent way of playing hockey.”
A quick recap:
FIRST PERIOD
The Ice Flyers Greg Susinski scored his first professional goal with 1:47 left in the period. He was in perfect position on a kick-save rebound from teammate Cahill’s slapshot inside the blue line and wristed the puck in the open net.
The teams were tied 9-9 on shots and there was only one penalty whistled.
SECOND PERIOD
Macon tied the game just 1:51 into the period on a breakaway finished by Hugo Koch, following a great pass on his stick from teammate Justin Kelly.
Ten minutes later, Justin Kelley rifled a shot past Clayes from outside the faceoff circle that traveled through some raised sticks.
“I don’t know if that second goal was a high stick,” Graham said. “We all feel like we got hosed in that situation, and we didn’t handle the adversity well after that and that’s how they got the third goal.”
The third goal was scored with just 1:56 left in the period on a shot through traffic.
THIRD PERIOD
Five minutes into the period the Ice Flyers had two chances in a scramble in the crease area. A Macon player moved in and blocked two shots with Skinner away from area.
Later in the period, Doug Elgstam was robbed on a deflection on a rush to the net situation that Skinner toward.
The late penalty then gave Macon its own power play of the third period.
“It was tough to see BP (Bartuccio-Pereira) get that five-minute major at the end,” Graham said. “We really felt like if we could get the goalie pulled, that we had the momentum, we really liked our chances on what we were doing, but it wasn’t in the cards.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday through Sunday. Friday-Saturday games start at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center.
Registrations Continue For Spring Season At Molino, NWE, Century, NEP
January 12, 2025
Registration is continuing for the spring seasons at the Century, NWE, Molino and NEP ballparks. As teams fill, the leagues are creating waiting lists for additional teams.
Molino Ballpark
Registration from the spring 2025 season will continue through January 25 for the Molino Ballpark. Register early — once a division is filled, prospective players will be placed on a waitlist.
Register at molinoballpark.com.
Draft will be January 27 – January 31, 2025. Practice being February 3, and opening day will be Saturday, March 8.
Northwest Escambia
Registration is underway for all new and returning players ages 4-16 through January 18 for Northwest Escambia in Walnut Hill. Cost is $100 for the first child, $75 for each additional child. $23 is due at registration with the remainder due on January 18. Opening day is March 29. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. The maximum number for an age group is reached, there will be waitlists for additional teams.
NWE offers:
- T-ball for ages 4-6
- Baseball for ages 7-16
- Softball for ages 7-16
Register at nwebaseball.com.
Century Baseball
The Century Baseball Association will be sanctioned with USSSA Alabama for the 2025 Spring season, allowing boys to have mid-season tournament as does softball. It also adds a 14U division. Softball will remain with GCGSA.
The registration fee is $95 and $75 for each additional player. Wee ball registration is $45. Uniforms not included.
Register at their website. Registration ends February 3.
NEP Baseball and Softball
Registration is underway for NEP baseball and softball at the park on Nine Mile Road through February 2 with late registration February 3-5. Baseball draft is February 8, and softball draft is February 9. Opening day will be March 8.
Register at their website.
FWC Aims To Make Florida Boating Safer With Free DECKEE App
January 11, 2025
For years, waterway users in Florida have had to juggle multiple sources of information to plan, prepare and navigate safely to enjoy their time on the water. Understanding weather forecasts, finding local boat facilities, official warnings and notices, waterway zones, and safety equipment requirements often required using several apps, websites and publications, leading to uncertainty about where and when to go, what to do and how to fully enjoy a range of water activities safely.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced a new initiative in collaboration with the National Safe Boating Council to pilot interactive safety content through a free mobile app called DECKEE. The app is designed to keep boaters safe and informed. FWC says the DECKEE app unifies everything Florida’s water enthusiasts need for their next day on the water.
Over 1 million boat owners in Florida now have access to the following benefits and safety features in the free DECKEE app:
Plan your next adventure on the water with detailed maps, facility information, official warnings, aids to navigation and community insights.
Access personalized equipment checklists, boating forecasts, regulations and resources from the FWC to ensure you are always ready for the ideal weather window.
Automatically log your activities while on the water and share your live location to give friends and family peace of mind.
The FWC and the National Safe Boating Council will collaborate on the pilot program to seamlessly integrate safety content into the DECKEE app. This will help boaters plan, prepare and enjoy their activities on the water, and gain insight into how the campaigns are influencing overall boater behavior.
The pilot program will introduce a personalized boating forecast targeted to the user’s watercraft and plans, which will give meaning to the information and help users make sense of it.
“Our goal is to create a safer boating environment for everyone in Florida,” said Brian Rewinkel, FWC Boating Safety Education Coordinator. “This pilot program will measure the effectiveness of delivering safety information directly to boaters in an engaging and accessible manner. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting our waterways and those who enjoy them.”
FWC encourages Florida boaters to explore the new safety capabilities in the free DECKEE app, available from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store
Northview Chiefs Family Mourns Passing Of Their Beloved Toby Weaver
January 5, 2025
The Northview Chiefs and local community are mourning the loss of Toby Weaver, a permanent fixture on the sidelines of football games for many years.
Thomas William “Toby” Weaver passed away Friday evening at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. He was 49.
He was the son of former Northview High School Principal Gayle Weaver and her late husband Tommy Weaver, an assistant coach who was honored with the dedication of Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in 2014.
Toby was big part of the Northview family, an avid fan always there for games, always cheering (or sometimes offering coaching critiques when needed).
When Northview won their first, and only, state football championship in 2012, Toby was there to celebrate the win with his team and bring the trophy back to the school in Bratt. He held the trophy practically the entire trip from Orlando, napping with it in the back of the car and keeping it overnight in his room.
“Many of my favorite memories include him on the sideline of every football game,” Northview 2012 championship team senior player Chad Smith said Saturday. “He cheered hard and loved harder. Rest in peace, old friend.”
He was also an avid fan of the Auburn Tigers, taking each loss personally. He loved his Atlanta Braves, being their biggest fan each year. He loved watching almost any type of movie, and he loved listening to almost any type of music, singing along for his own entertainment. His hobby was putting puzzles together. He loved to travel, even spending thirty days each on two trips to France.
“Toby has always been the love of our lives,” Gayle Weaver said on behalf of her and the late Tommy Weaver. “He gave so much more than he took.”
When the Escambia County School Board voted to name the Northview football stadium in honor of Toby’s father Tommy Weaver, affectionately known as “Papa Weave” to students, Toby had just one word to say about his dad.
“Proud,” Toby Weaver leaned into the microphone and said of his beloved dad.
Toby Weaver is survived by his mother, Gayle Weaver of Walnut Hill, his sister Tara Nikki “Sissy” Walden, and numerous other family members.
Funeral services for Thomas William “Toby” Weaver will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 6 at Petty-Eastside Chapel in Atmore. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow at Old Town Cemetery in Evergreen, Alabama.
For the complete obituary, click here.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
