Sports Archive

It’s the first step on the road to a state title repeat as Pace’s boys weightlifting team dominated the FHSAA District 1-3A meet Monday at home, winning the Olympic and traditional crowns.

Navarre and Pace both had athletes compete over spring break at the Paul W. Bryan Spring Break Battle by the Beach Invitational Friday at Pine Forest.

Evan Beckham walked into the gym where his season ended a year ago. It was here in Navarre at a 3A regional that the Pace lifter scratched out in the clean and jerk and watched his dream of going to state for weightlifting slip away.

Navarre, Pace and Milton are set to compete in the District 1-3A weightlifting meet Monday afternoon in Pace.


The start time is 3:30 p.m. and lifters from those schools will be vying for a shot to move on to the regional.

Pace’s beach volleyball team is ranked in the top eight of the FHSAA Region 1-2A rankings.


The Patriots check in at No. 7 this week. The top eight teams qualify for the regional tournament.

Leahna Villagran and Hattie Lee have established themselves as standout athletes on the Milton track team.


And as seniors, the two are working to make this year their best season yet.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos principal owner Quint Studer was named a recipient of the Baldrige Foundation Leadership Excellence Award in early March.

Bryson Brown is a reigning state champ in the 139-lbs. weight class for Olympic.


But even if he hadn’t won a title last season, the Milton lifter would still approach each week of the season with the same mindset.

Pace and Navarre remain two of the top flag football teams in Region 1-6A. The Patriots are ranked second in the region this week while the Raiders are seventh.


The two teams have gone head to head once already this season, with Pace prevailing 34-0 on March 3. They are slated to play again on March 24 at Pace.

Nathaniel Lyons Jr. ran across the finish line in his first track meet of the year last month, taking first in the 100.


But the joy of that victory runs much deeper than what shows on the surface for the Pace senior when you consider Lyons was in a hospital bed fighting for his life six months earlier.