Milton and Central’s volleyball match Tuesday night ended with a little edge-of-your-seat drama.

The Panthers were on the brink of victory. The Jaguars had every intention of keeping hope alive and forcing a decisive fifth game.

Ashlyn Hines chased after the ball late in the third set of a tightly contested volleyball match against Pensacola Catholic last Monday night. She was able to bump it behind her as she ran towards the sideline, setting up an opportunity for Cambree Klein to throw down a kill and tie the score at 24-24.

On Christmas day, a few days before her fourth birthday, Briana Willis received her first set of golf clubs.

It wasn’t too long after that Willis found golf to be a sport she loved to play.

The margin might have been larger, but Jay High School football coach Brian Watson was happy to win the Royals’ season opener 20-13 against the visiting Vernon Yellowjackets.

“It feels good, our kids are happy,” Watson said after Friday’s game at Merle V. North Stadium in Jay. “It’s been a while since we’ve had an opening-season win. The kids are excited.”

It seemed fitting when, on a night that penalties canceled three Milton touchdowns, an offensive pass interference call against an Orange Beach receiver in the end zone sealed the Panthers’ 7-0 season-opening win in Alabama.

With pre-game fireworks and energy in the stadium, the Pace Patriots, coming off a 7-4 season, kicked off their 2023 season last Friday against Choctaw and prevailed 41-17.

After winning the toss and electing to defer, the Pace defense came out strong and blocked the Indians’ first try at a field goal.

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.

Week one of the high school football season gets rolling Friday in the north end of Santa Rosa County.

Pace hosts Choctaw, Milton travels to Alabama to play Orange Beach and Jay welcomes Vernon to town.

Nathaniel Lyons Jr. missed the first half of his sophomore season because of an injury he suffered in a car accident.

He finished strong, however, tallying 23 tackles and picking off a pass to help Pace produce a winning season.

His profile on Twitter says, ‘legend in the making,’ and if you know the story of Eddie Craig, the line fits.

Craig was one of the best track athletes in the state while at Pace and that success carried over to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas over the last two years.