Play Ball! Saturday Was Opening Day At Century, NEP And Molino
March 10, 2024
Saturday was opening day for the spring ball season at several local ballparks.
NEP Ball Park, Century Baseball Association at Showalter Park and the Molino Ballpark all celebrated opening day on Saturday. Skies were cloudy for festivities and games, but the rain had cleared.
Northwest Escambia Bradberry Park will mark its opening day on March 16.
Pictured: Opening day at Showalter Park in Century. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Blanks L.E.A.D. Academy 15-0
March 8, 2024
The Northview Chiefs blanked L.E.A.D. Academy of Pace 15-0 in four innings Thursday night in Bratt.
Gage Harrison earned the win for the Chiefs, allowing no hits and no runs in one inning while striking out two and walking two. Jadyden White went for three inning in relief, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out five and walking two.
Jase Portwood went 2-3 at bat for the Chiefs. Dane King, Colby Pugh, Brady Smith, Rylan Minor and Grayden Sheffield each added two runs for the Northview Chefs.
The Chiefs are scheduled to be at Central Friday at 6:30 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Beat Catholic 14-0
March 8, 2024
The Northview Lady Chiefs defeated Catholic 14-0 in five innings Thursday night in Pensacola.
Jamison Gilman earned the win for Northview, pitching five innings while giving up two hits and no runs while striking out eight and walking just two.
At the plate, Riley Brooks went 3-4 for Northview, including a triple in the fifth inning, a double in the first and a single in the fourth. Daviona Randolph and Kylee Lanham both drove in three runs for the Chiefs, and Makayla Golson went 2-3.
Up next, Northview will host Baker at 6 p.m. Monday.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Pace Defeats Tate Lady Aggies 8-1
March 8, 2024
Pace defeated the Tate Aggies 8-1 Thursday night in Pace.
Jordan Smith took the loss for the Aggies, going six innings while giving up seven runs, 11 hits, striking out none and walking three.
Kara Wine went 1-3 for Tate with one RBI, and Peyton Womack added a hit for the Aggies.
The Lady Aggies are scheduled to be at Escambia Friday at 6 p.m.
File photo by Dellaina O’Donovan for NorthEscambia.com.
Tate Falls To Arnold At Wahoos Stadium
March 8, 2024
Arnold 3, Tate 0 (Varsity)
The Tate Aggies fell 3-0 to Arnold Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Gabe Harrison took the loss for Tate. He went for two innings, surrendering three runs on three hits while striking out two and walking two. Zane Warrington threw four innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out seven and walking one.
Tate had one hit each from Ketch King, Kaleb Posta, Connor Hassell, and Madox Land.
The Aggies are scheduled to be back in action at Blue Wahoos Stadium Friday at 7 p.m. against Paxton.
Tate 8, Catholic 7 (Freshmen)
Ashton Brosnaham Park To Host NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship
March 7, 2024
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced that it has selected Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park as its new home for the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship. The initial term of the agreement is two years and will conclude after the 2025 NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship in December and will be hosted by Pensacola Sports.
“We had a difficult choice ahead of us in the bid process, but Pensacola stood out amongst a very strong group of contenders,” said Austin Bennett, NAIA Director of Championships. “Pensacola Sports will do a tremendous job and will give our NAIA student-athletes a special championship experience at a first-rate facility.”
Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off 10 Mile Road is the current home to the SEC Women’s Soccer Championships and features a state-of-the-art layout that will be a great experience for teams and fans alike. Just last year, the facility underwent a large-scale upgrade that included a complete re-sod that was designed for high-level college soccer. This improvement, along with the addition of multiple locker rooms and flexible use space has made the facility an ideal location for the NAIA to crown a champion in the years to come.
“We are excited to crown champions in Pensacola and are hopeful for a long-term future there,” remarked Bennett.
“It’s the type of news that you hope comes when you make a commitment to a facility and a commitment to a tournament like we did with SEC women’s soccer that we’ve hosted a couple of times,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said Thursday night. “We’ve shown a commitment to the sport in hosting top shelf type tournaments.”
“It’s a great day in Escambia County to win hosting the NAIA Women’s Soccer national championships beginning next year. I want to thank Michael Rhodes, Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director, and Ray Palmer, executive director of Pensacola Sports Association, for their leadership and diligence in securing the partnership with the NAIA. There is a lot of momentum for great things at Ashton Brosanham and I can’t wait to see the next success involving one of our great amenities in District 5,” Barry added.
Pictured: The record-setting SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in October 2022. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sponsors Needed For March 22 Tate Softball Strike Out Cancer Game
March 6, 2024
Tate Aggie softball’s annual Strike Out Cancer Game is coming up on March 22, and sponsors are needed now.
The Lady Aggies will host the West Florida Jaguars at 5 p.m. for junior varsity and 6 p.m. on varsity..
Full concessions, fish dinners, egg rolls will be available for purchase. All gate fees, concessions and donations will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Last year, the Lady Aggies presented a $27,755 donation to the American Cancer Society.
For a sponsorship form and more informaiton, click here.
Pictured top: The Tate Lady Aggies Softball team presented their annual Strike Out Cancer donation last year. Pictured below: The Strike Out Cancer game March 31, 2023 at Tate High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Croom Throws A Dozen Stikeouts As Tate Beats Navarre 5-2
March 5, 2024
Tate 5, Navarre 2
The Tate Agies beat the Navarre Raiders 5-2 Monday night on the road.
Tate picther Neal Croom went a full seven innings, striking out 12 Raiders. He allowed six hits, two runs and walked one.
Clif Quinggins went 2-3 with three RBIs at the plate for the Aggies. Cole McNair had two hits for Tate, while Madox Land, Bray Touchstone, and Kaleb Posta added one each.
Up next, Tate will take on Arnold at 7 p.m. Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Tate, Navarre JV (Canceled- weather)
The junior varsity Tat at Navarre game Monday was canceled due to weather.
Tate 2, Navarre 1 (Freshmen)
In freshmen action, Tate downed Navarre 2-1 in Cantonment.
The freshment Aggies will be at Catholic at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Legendary Tate Football Coach Carl Madison Passes Away
March 4, 2024
Legandary high school football Coach Carl Madison passed away Sunday night following a long illness.
“His legacy lives on the players. He not only coached but was a father figure to many,” the Tate Quarterback Club said. ” You weren’t just a player…you were a son. He pushed you to be a better man than a better player. Please pray for his entire family. May God bring them peace and comfort.”
Arrangements have not yet been announced.
In October 2022, the football field at Tate High School was dedicated in honor of high school sports legend Carl Madison.
The field inside Pete Gindl Stadium is “Carl Madison Field” in honor of the man that led the Aggies to a 1980 state championship and is one of the all-time winningest high school coaches in the nation.
“The best advice you can give people is play clean and hard, and be ready to back the next day,” Madison said shortly before tossing the coin for the Aggies at that October game against Escambia.
Madison was surrounded at the ceremony by former players from his nearly five decades coaching, including members of the Aggies 1980 state championship team.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Madison, who turned 92 in January, sits at number two on Florida’s all-time football coaching victories list with a 326-129-7 record and is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
In addition to winning a state title at Tate, he took the Pine Forest Eagles to two state championships in 1987 and 1988. The 1988 Eagle team was named as national champions by USA Today, and Madison earned the title of the National High School Football Coach of the Year. All in all, he coached at five different Florida High Schools including Ernest Ward, plus three out of state schools.
His football days began early at Escambia County High School in Atmore where he played tailback under Coach Herbert Barnes from 1945 to 1947, making him one of Atmore’s semi-famous “Barnes Boys” with 30 straight wins. After a stint in the Army, from 1950 to 1952, Madison played college ball for Texas Tech and Troy State Teachers College in the mid-1950s.
Fresh out of college, Madison coached for four years beginning in 1957 at Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill. He moved to Milton High in 1961, coaching them to a state championship and 34 straight victories. He then took a coaching job at a Georgia High School, losing a state championship game in 1968.
Madison joined the coaching staff at Tate in 1971 on his way to winning that 1980 state championship. He left Tate in 1983, heading to Pensacola High for a couple of years. Then it was off to Pine Forest and those back-to-back state championships. He coached at an Albany, Georgia, school, another 10 years at Milton High and another short period at PHS during the period from 1989 until 2002.
In 2002, he took the head coach job at the small Jackson Academy in Alabama. The then 71-year old took over a team that had gone 0-10 prior to his arrival. He lost his first two games at Jackson, but he went on to win the state championship. The following year, Jackson was undefeated and won another state championship.
In 2009, Madison briefly came out of retirement to once again take to the field at Tate, this time as an offensive consultant.
For a photo gallery from the stadium naming, click or tap here.
Pictured: The dedication of Carl Madison Field in 2022. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
With Seven Home Runs, Tate Lady Aggies Go Undefeated in Panama City Tournament
March 3, 2024
The Lady Aggies went undefeated this week in the Florida-USA Softball Challenge in Panama City Beach.
The varsity scored 21 runs in three games, 29 total hits, seven home runs and four doubles.
Kara Wine has three home runs during the tournament. Olivea Latner, Blakely Campbell, Kate Balagbagan and Peyton Womack added one dinger each.
During the two-tourney, Tate beat Mobile Christian 3-2, Chiles 9-3, and Holmes 9-3.
Pictured: (L-R) Olivea Latner, Kara Wine, Blakely Campbell, Kate Balagbagan and Peyton Womack had seven total tournament home runs for the Tate Lady Aggies. Photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.