The road to state begins this week for a handful of area baseball and softball teams as regional tournament play gets rolling.
Pace (23-2) and Jay (14-9) are in for softball, with both teams seeking a fourth consecutive trip to state, while Pace (19-6), Jay (15-10) and Central (21-3) are all set to compete in regional baseball action.
Ethan McDonald knew exactly what to do to provide added motivation for Jay’s baseball team ahead of Thursday’s District 1-1A final against Northview.
“Me and Hayden (Morris), in the dugout last year, took video of them (celebrating) on our field, and sent it out in our group chat this morning. We said ‘hey guys, it’s our turn. It’s time to get them back.’”
Pace’s baseball team added a fourth consecutive District 1-6A title to its trophy collection last Thursday night, beating Gulf Breeze 4-0.
Tucker Ricks threw a six-inning complete-game shutout while striking out seven.
Jay’s softball team trailed Northview late in the action of its District 1-1A final last Thursday night, its streak of consecutive titles in jeopardy.
But this is a team that has experienced pressure-packed moments before, so it’s not as if the players were going to throw in the towel.
Another win is in the books for Pace’s softball team. The Patriots roll over the Navarre Raiders in five innings on a Tuesday night in late April, securing a 10-0 run-rule victory at home to advance to another district final.
Milton’s track teams competed at the District 1-3A meet Wednesday at Booker T Washington in Pensacola.
No one won a district title individually, but there was no shortage of standout performances.
With less than two minutes to play and the Pace flag football team on its way to winning a regional championship for the first time in program history, the only thing left for the Patriots to do was run out the clock.
And they did. Then they celebrated. A 31-13 win over Fletcher at home on Tuesday securing their ticket to the Elite Eight.
It was a high-scoring affair between Central and Paxton in their District 1-1A softball quarterfinal Monday night.
But three runs in the seventh by the Bobcats proved to be the difference in a 17-16 loss as the Jaguars’ season came to an end.
Baseball can be unforgiving , and it was for the Milton Panthers Monday night in a District 1-6A quarterfinal against Navarre.
Milton gave up eight runs in the first inning and never bounced back, its season coming to a close in a 10-0, mercy-rule loss to the Raiders at Bo Singletary Field in Milton.
Pace athletes put their effort on display at the FHSAA District 1-4A meet April 27 at Chiles in Tallahassee.
One district champ emerged for the Patriots as Rylee Henderson won the discus with a throw of 139 feet.
