Milton’s girls lacrosse team lost two of the best players in the area to graduation.
Lauryn Hatler and Amber Barnes were the scoring leaders for the Panthers last season.
North Santa Rosa County represented itself well at the FHSAA state weightlifting meet three weeks ago at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Pace won two state 3A championships, including a three-peat in traditional, while Milton and Central both made an impact in the 3A and 1A, respectively.
Milton’s softball team isn’t heavy on experience this year. There are only three seniors on the roster.
But that doesn’t mean the Panthers aren’t ready to compete day in and day out.
Milton’s baseball team finished with a winning record last season and hope to build on that success this year.
The Panthers are off and running so far, with three wins in their first four games.
Winning is the norm for the Pace baseball team. And the Patriots hope to keep that trend rolling this year.
They certainly have the experience and talent to do it, especially with five of its players already committed to a college.
Jay baseball standout Grayson Shehan signed with Johnson University in November to continue his baseball career.
And he’s in a good place as the Tennessee-based school is known for success on the field. The Royals won 24 games last year and are off to a 7-2 start this season.
Pace’s softball team won a 6A state championship a season ago. The Patriots will look a little different this year, losing two of the nation’s best players to graduation, but the drive to win again is still strong.
Jay’s softball team has a reputation for being one of the top programs in the area and that isn’t expected to change this season.
Sure, the Royals lost some talented players to graduation, including Ella Nelson and Brett Watson, but the cupboard isn’t bare.
Before going into the locker room, Presley Hawthorne stood on the court for a moment and watched through her tear-filled eyes as Holmes County’s celebration unfolded a few feet away.
For 32 minutes on a Tuesday night in mid-February, Hawthorne and her Jay teammates poured their heart and soul, and every ounce of effort they had, into being the team that was celebrating at the end of this Rural Region 1 championship game.
