Pace’s boys basketball team is determined to turn things around this year after winning only four games a year ago.
While the Patriots went into Thanksgiving break still searching for their first win, there were signs of promise in a loss to Pine Forest on the final day of the EscaRosa Challenge in Milton.
Throwing down dunks. Drilling 3-pointers. Burying contested shots. Defending as if their life depended on it.
That was the Milton Panthers Tuesday night against Escambia in a 69-29 win to close out the EscaRosa Challenge at home on a high note.
Pace played basketball for the first time in a week when it took on Navarre last Monday night.
Despite the layoff, it wasn’t a bad night at all for the Patriots, who defeated Navarre 46-31 for their first win of the year.
Two Pace athletes signed national letters of intent on Nov. 13.
Tucker Ricks is headed to the University of West Florida to continue his baseball career while Kiiaana Gavere is headed to Lindsey Wilson College to wrestle at the next level.
Jay standouts Brady Godwin and Grayson Shehan are both headed to the next level to play baseball.
Godwin signed with Pensacola State on Nov. 13 while Shehan signed with Johnson University in Tennessee that same day.
Less than two minutes remained in the game and Buchholz had the ball back after forcing a turnover.
A season that began with a ton of potential and hopes of contending for a state championship was about to end for Pace in gut-wrenching fashion.
Almost every Pace fan that made the trip to Gainesville was on the field as Kent Smith talked with his heartbroken football team late Friday night.
Smith took a moment to acknowledge those fans for their support during a year to remember for Pace, which saw its season end in gut-wrenching fashion, a 34-24 Region 1-6A semifinal loss to Buchholz a tough pill to swallow on a chilly evening at Citizens Field.
Kelly Gillis is out as the head coach of the Milton Panthers after three seasons.
Gillis met with his team Thursday to let them know that he was resigning.
Pace’s football team went to Buchholz two years ago and fell just short of a win on the road in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Patriots lost that game 35-34 and are looking for revenge Friday night when they take on Bobcats in an FHSAA Region 1-6A semifinal at Citizens Field. Game time is 7 p.m. EST.
