Ethan McDonald and his Jay teammates watched from the dugout late Saturday night as Holmes County celebrated a return to the state final four.
Already feeling the pain of a 9-7 extra-inning defeat, already heartbroken that the dream of winning this Region 1-1A title had been ripped away, watching another team wrapped up in a moment of pure joy was simply one more paper cut for the Royals on a hand already full of them.
The Jay Royals moved one step closer to a repeat as 1A state softball champions after rolling past Freeport 10-0 Thursday night at home.
The Royals were scheduled to play Northview Tuesday night for the Region 1-1A crown and the right to advance to the state tourney May 22-23 at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont.
Two weeks into spring practice, Milton head coach Kelly Gillis likes what he sees from his team.
There have been injuries to deal and some starters to replace due to graduation, but the Panthers have clearly taken steps forward.
Mallory Baker didn’t call game when she hit a three-run home run in the opening inning of a Region 1-6A quarterfinal Thursday night, but make no mistake about it, that big hit allowed top-seeded and No. 1 ranked Pace to settle into a comfort zone against eighth-seeded Niceville.
Baker rounded the bases with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step before being greeted at home plate by her cheering teammates as the Patriots surged in front 3-0 and grabbed momentum they never let go of in an 11-0 mercy-rule win.
The Jay Royals aren’t done playing baseball just yet.
Down three runs out of the gate, the Royals rallied, forced extra innings and then went off for five runs in the fifth to secure a 9-6 win in nine innings Wednesday night.
Hard hits. Big plays. A little trash talk. The intensity level rarely trailing off.
You’d swear Pace was playing a game in the fall on a Friday night under the lights rather than running plays in a spring practice on a sunny afternoon in mid-May.
Jackson McKenzie had his bag on his back and was headed out of the dugout late Wednesday night.
A senior just beginning to feel the sting of his high school baseball career coming to a close, McKenzie
didn’t need to say anything. His look and his body language told the whole story. His words told a little more after a 10-4 loss to Winter Springs in a Region 1-6A quarterfinal.
Wynton Holmes started working with his current Northwest Florida Warriors AAU team when the players on it were in second grade.
Now a group of seventh graders, the Warriors continue to thrive and that’s exactly what Holmes loves to see.
Football has been a family affair for Milton’s Cam McAllister. He has a lot of relatives who played the game. It was only natural that the Panther standout played as well.
“Football pretty much runs in the family,” McAllister said. “My dad played and all of my uncles played football and my cousin just recently committed to the Texas Longhorns.”
It’s playoff time for four area teams.
Pace’s softball and baseball teams are both hoping to make a run at a 6A state championship while the Jay Royals are hoping to repeat as 1A state champs in softball. Jay’s baseball team is also in the tournament.
