Choctaw and Baker stand alone as the only remaining unbeaten teams in Northwest Florida.
Niceville and Mosley make statements with wins over Gulf Breeze and Milton.
Northwest Florida’s leading rusher exits game early with injury, Pace beats Crestview 34-8.
Barely two minutes into the game, off the back of an impressive kickoff return by Niceville WR Robert Oliver, RB Jakobe Gilyard scored his first of three touchdowns on the night, handing Niceville (3-3) a 56-6 win over Gulf Breeze (0-5).
For Niceville, Friday’s game was an impressive return to form, ending a two-game losing slide that included a devastating loss to the Crestview Bulldogs and a blowout loss to Choctaw.
As the first quarter came to a close, the Eagles were well on their way to a win, with a commanding lead of 35-0. As the game entered the second quarter, Niceville began to put the game away, even more so from a 98-yard touchdown pass from QB Deegan McCoy to Oliver.
Still, questions remain. While a 56-6 win is impressive, Gulf Breeze is not the team to use as a litmus test for how your team stands at any given moment. With games against Godby, Milton, and Mosley to finish out the season, Niceville’s playoff destiny is theirs to lose.
However, with a win over a district rival, Niceville is currently tied for first in the district standings with Mosley, who took that spot in a 27-14 victory over Milton. Niceville will host Mosley on Oct. 9 and Milton on Oct. 24.
For Gulf Breeze, their season is effectively over, as they fall to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in District 1-5A. They will visit West Florida Tech this week before traveling to Milton on Oct. 9.
Coming up next for the Eagles, they will host Godby on Homecoming Night on Oct. 3.
The Pace Patriots improved to 4-1, following a 34-8 win over Crestview on Friday night.
The major takeaway from this game focuses on the Pace Patriots, as Northwest Florida’s leading rusher, Makael Williams, exited the game early due to an ankle injury. Yet, that did not slow down the Patriots’ ground game.
After Williams went down, Pace RB Tagg Strickenburger took on the majority of the rushing duties on Friday night, gaining 104 yards on 10 carries, along with one rushing touchdown.
Pace QB Brooks Washington also eclipsed the century mark in rushing, having 149 yards on 17 carries for one rushing touchdown. Washington also went 4-for-6 for 81 yards through the air.
In total, the Patriots rolled on the ground, gaining 353 yards on 45 carries, which averages 7.8 yards per carry.
This game also marked the beginning of district play for both teams, with Pace’s win tying them with Tate at the top of the district, while Crestview is now tied for last with Navarre.
For Pace(4-1), they will now enter a three-game road stretch, visiting Madison County, Tate, and Pine Forest, before a two-game home stand against Navarre and Milton.
As for Crestview(1-3), while their defense is one of the most physical, and they have opened their season against three of the toughest teams in Northwest Florida, the Bulldogs look to rebound as they have winnable games coming up, with Pine Forest, Navarre, and Escambia on their docket.
For the fans (and reporters) who powered through a two-hour rain delay, you were able to see another exciting, yet short, chapter to the story that is Walton vs. South Walton, as the Seahawks improved to 4-1 after a 13-0 win over the Braves.
The game was forced to end early in the third quarter due to lightning in the area, resulting in a shortened game.
For South Walton, Friday’s game was a return to form after a week five loss to FSUHS. QB JD Brown continued to prove that he is one of the area’s best passers, going 14-for-24, passing for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Brown also had an interception and a fumble on the night.
South Walton WR Max Baker had two catches on the night for 50 yards, which netted both scores. With WR Grant Gilmore having 109 yards receiving on nine catches.
Defensively, South Walton looked stingy, forcing a turnover on downs with Walton in scoring position. For Walton, they also had bright moments, blocking an extra point and a field goal attempt.
As for District 1-2A, South Walton is now tied for first, along with Pensacola Catholic, who beat Freeport 58-17. South Walton will host Choctaw (6-0) before facing district rivals Freeport on Oct. 10.
For Walton, they fall to 2-3. Up next for the Braves is a visit to Panama City to face Arnold before hosting Pensacola Catholic on Oct. 10.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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