As a first grader, Vance Smith was the water boy for the Pace Patriot football team. At that time, his dad, Kent, was an assistant under then head coach Mickey Lindsey.


Smith grew up in the program. He was a ball boy in middle school and played football for the Patriots when he got to high school.

Vance Smith is the next head coach of Pace’s football team, filling the void left by his father, Kent, who retired earlier this month after nearly a decade at the helm.

Pace’s Judah Talley and Cailyn Bailey signed letters of intent Dec. 11 at the high school media center.


Talley will play golf at Coastal Alabama South. Bailey is headed to LSU Alexandria.

Lexi Hawthorne still has her senior season left to play at Milton, but soon enough, the softball standout will be taking her talents to Coastal Alabama South.

Pace’s baseball program is accustomed to producing talent, sending countless players on to college and even the pros.


Four more were officially added to that run of success Dec. 11 as Grant Walters, Glenn Brooks, Nash Pires and Madox Land all signed their national letters of intent.

One night after crushing Robertsdale by nearly 60, Milton’s girls basketball team knew it was going to be nothing short of a battle against Navarre Tuesday night.


Head coach Keith Cone tried to prepare his team for what was ahead. Nothing came easy, but the Panthers did prevail, winning 39-34 on the road in overtime.

“Closing Time” blares over the speakers as the second night of the EscaRosa Challenge wraps up, the Milton boys basketball team hammering Escambia 69-29 for their third win of the year.


Two hours earlier, the Panthers were introduced during a spotlight introduction that energized the team and the crowd ahead of the game.

Hayden Bowman put in a lot of work over the summer, taking shots and lifting weights. The senior Pace standout did whatever he could to be ready to go for his senior season.

Rashaun Elzy has embraced the opportunity to be a leader on the floor for the Milton Panthers.


And it’s working out well so far for the senior guard.

Autumn Boutwell is known for her 3-point shooting ability. But the 1,000th point of the Central standout’s high school career was reached at the free-throw line.