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.

Carey Locklin was back on the bench Tuesday night, coaching volleyball at Jay for the first time in a couple of seasons.

She saw some encouraging moments, but there were also times that reminded her this team still has plenty of room for improvement.

Jacquelyn Ruffini started swimming at a young age and has never looked back.

“My older brother got me into swimming and then I started swimming, too,” Ruffini said.

Pace has a tradition of success in swimming. And the Patriots expect that to continue this year.

One of the keys to that success has nothing to do with what’s done in the pool.

Daisy Eddins has been pleased with the work her team has put in this preseason in the pool despite the brutal heat and humidity that refuses to let up.

A familiar face will be back on the bench for the Jay volleyball team this season.

Carey Locklin returns as the head coach after a year of not coaching. She had been the head coach the three years prior to the 2022 season and knows the team well, having taught most of the players in middle school.

Central’s volleyball team ended last season with six consecutive losses, including a regional tourney defeat at the hands of 1A state runner-up Baker.

But with practice in full swing and the season underway, the Jaguars, who only five matches in 2022, are determined to turn things around.

Jan Cupp is back in a familiar role with the Milton volleyball team. She has returned to being the head coach of a program she coached for four years, including the 2020 season when her program won a district championship.