Jackson McDonald wasn’t sure if he’d get to compete in the pole vault this season.
A football injury that he suffered in Milton’s second game of the year left his senior season in track and field hanging in the balance.
Ahead only 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth Tuesday night against Navarre, Pace needed to find a way to take control of the game.
The reigning 6A state runner-up soon did that, scoring six runs in the inning to pull away for a 12-5 win.
Lauryn Hatler wanted one final goal. She had already scored seven in what would be a 17-6 win over Washington on a Thursday night in late March, but it was the eighth one that mattered most.
It wasn’t that the Milton lacrosse standout was hoping to merely pad her stats, but rather it was about reaching the milestone of 100 career goals.
Jayson Alford had a scary moment at a meet last week, face planting on the platform after not bailing in time on a snatch attempt. It left him with a noticeable gash on his head.
“Instead of bailing, I tried to save it. I’m stubborn,” Alford said with a laugh. “But I was able to finish the meet. I’m glad I was OK.”
Playing on a minor league is a big deal. Just ask Jay shortstop Ethan McDonald.
He and his teammates had a chance to experience that last week when the Royals battled Northview in a 1A showdown at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola.
Don’t get Caleb Locklin wrong. He loves to run races.
But one might be surprised to learn the Central track standout might love the part of the sport that leads up to meet day even more.
Mallory Baker already has her college commitment lined up. The Pace junior is headed to Northwest Florida State to continue her softball career once she graduates.
Baker also seems to have things lined up well on the field this season for the unbeaten state- and nationally-ranked Patriot softball team.
The Milton Panthers are starting to find their way on the diamond. And that was evident last Tuesday night as a late-inning offensive surge led to a 14-6 victory over a Pine Forest team that is one of the best in the area.
Milton entered play with a 2-6 record. A rather young team with only six seniors, the Panthers are building chemistry with one another day by day. And they put the chemistry they have built on display.
It wasn’t as if Jay failed to create scoring opportunities in its softball game against Milton Tuesday night.
The Royals put runners in position to score early and often. The Panthers just didn’t let them cash in.
L.E.A.D. Academy baseball coach Chris Lyle points to an example during an interview of how competitive his team has become in 2023.
It’s a game against Paxton that he highlights. The Lions lost 6-1 to the Wildcats on March 9. A game like that wouldn’t have been nearly as close in the past.
