The Milton Panthers had a tough 2023 season.
After finishing just 3-7, head coach Kelly Gillis is ready to move the program back in the right direction. That all begins in the spring, and it culminates in the annual Spring game.
Pace’s baseball team added a fourth consecutive District 1-6A title to its trophy collection last Thursday night, beating Gulf Breeze 4-0.
Tucker Ricks threw a six-inning complete-game shutout while striking out seven.
The Milton Panthers found themselves in an interesting spot entering the 2023 season. They were fresh off a disappointing 6-19 campaign and were looking for a new head coach to lead the program.
Enter head coach Joey Nieves, who not only turned the team around in just his first year, but he’s led his team to a District 1-6A final appearance after a dominating 66-43 win over Niceville Thursday night.
Pace’s boys soccer team has certainly had a roller coaster of the last week or so, to say the least.
From losing 10-2 to Booker T Washington on Jan. 4 and then having a game canceled because of weather, to Thursday night when they faced off at home against Pine Forest.
With just one game left to play, the Milton Panthers were searching for any way to end their year on a high note, especially after dropping six in a row.
Enter last Friday night against Godby, when Milton senior kicker Landon Pulliam trotted out with just 2.2 seconds left on the clock, looking to send the Milton faithful home happy on homecoming night.
Milton and Gulf Breeze combined for 115 points in a wild District 1-4S opener, but the Dolphins scored most of those points in a 73-42 win.
The festivities began with just over five minutes left in the first quarter when Ethan Diamond connected with his dynamic playmaker, Rayvon Cottrell, for a 40-yard catch and run that would set the Panthers up inside 5-yard line.
Milton’s volleyball team entered play against Tate last Thursday looking to improve on its 6-5 record. Unfortunately, the Aggies had other plans, beating Milton 25-21, 25-15, 25-13.
Milton topped Rocky Bayou for the second time this week, winning 26-24, 25-15, 18-25 and 25-19.
Both teams were well matched during the first set as neither team truly held a significant lead. It wouldn’t be until the end of the set that Milton would get the bounces it needed to win.
Milton is determined to right the ship after a 3-7 campaign in 2022, and the Panthers took a step towards that with a 24-7 win over Pensacola in a Kickoff Classic on the road last Friday.
The Panther defense stood out, forcing multiple turnovers. When asked if the defense’s newfound confidence was a point of emphasis over the summer, Gillis said it was.
Milton and Pace football fans alike began to fill the stands in Hurley Manning Field Thursday night as if it was a regular season game between the Panthers and the Patriots.
However, this wasn’t the case. This was just the beginning of a new season, and it all starts with the spring game.
