Sports Archive

Rivalries always mean a little more, and for the Milton Panthers, their rivalry battle with Pace on the first Friday of April had a little more meaning to it. Not just for the players, but for the coach as well.

Kirstyn Joiner, after all, played her high school softball at Pace. She’s now the head coach at Milton.

Jayden Heavener is closing in on a perfect game as well as her second no-hitter in a span of seven days.

She gets to the seventh inning of rivalry game against Milton on a Friday night in early April needing just three more outs to put the exclamation on the accomplishment.

Milton’s boys weightlifting team made school history last week, winning a district championship for the first time in program history.

The Panthers, who finished last at the meet a year ago, claimed the title by edging Gulf Breeze by two points Friday afternoon at Choctaw.

Riley Kirby will sometimes go back and look at the lacrosse film that she sent out to Alabama-Huntsville during her senior year at Milton.

It’s not pretty.

Ty Wise Jr. didn’t get a chance to contend for a district title last season. His opportunity was ripped away because of an injury he was still recovering from that he suffered during the football season.

Thursday afternoon at Navarre, the Pace senior finally got his shot to compete, and he made the most of it, wining District 1-3A titles in the snatch and traditional meets.

Tied game. Second overtime. It was a pressure-packed situation to say the least for Milton’s girls lacrosse program, which is now in its fourth year as an FHSAA-sanctioned sport.

The Panthers nearly came away with a win last Wednesday night at Hurley Manning Field in Milton, battling West Florida Tech right up until the end.

Pace stood tall at the end of the day at the Andrews Invitational Friday, with the boys team claiming the championship behind a handful of stellar performances that included one school record falling.

Sean Drummond set a new mark in the javelin with a throw 157-feet-inches while Jack Tyner won the 1600 and 3200.

Jayden Heavener doesn’t mind the pressure that comes with being one of the nation’s best high school softball players.

Rather, the Pace sophomore pitching ace rolls with it and just focuses on going out and doing her job when she’s called upon.

Coming off spring break and playing on a Monday night doesn’t always translate to success. Pace head coach Jason McBride will you as much.

But the Patriots embraced the challenge of getting back into a rhythm and owned, scoring three times in the first inning to set the tone for a 6-2 victory at home.

Look no further than Karyn Riley and Brianna Roley to catch a glimpse of the versatility Central’s softball team is working with.

On a Monday afternoon in early March, the seniors are in the midst of guiding the Jaguars to an 11-1 win over Pensacola at home.