Jessi Farrer swung fast and swung hard, the ball zipping into the outfield. Cailyn Cooke scored off the clutch hit. So did Natalia Taylor.
In that joyous moment, a moment buzzing with energy and excitement, Cooke jumped up and down and got pumped up near home plate as the Raiders breathed new life into their hopes for an upset of the No. 1 team in the state Wednesday night in a District 1-6A final.
One final out closed the door on a season, that, while not championship worthy, it wasn’t sunflower seeds on the dugout floor either.
Once left for dead after a seven-game losing streak a few weeks into the year, Navarre found new life as the season progressed. But the road ended here in Pace late last Tuesday night, the Raiders walking off the field after a 13-0 loss to the host Patriots.
On a wind-swept Monday in May, the dust on the practice field kicked up often as offensive and defensive linemen battle in the trenches and running backs and receivers make plays, Navarre’s football team is back at it with the start of spring football.
Navarre and Milton played like two baseball teams not wanting their seasons to end Monday night.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, three hours after the first pitch, Jayden Smith ended the game with a clutch home run and kept Navarre alive in the District 1-6A tournament for at least one more day.
In the warm-up line before her first collegiate game last November, Rachel Leggett couldn’t shake the nerves the way she shook off defenders so often during her prep career at Navarre.
“Oh man, I was so nervous,” Leggett said.
At least based on how things have gone since the 2022 season came to a close for the Navarre Raider football team, head coach Jay Walls has reason for optimism heading into the spring.
David Durden is headed to the NFL.
The University of West Florida wide receiver signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Dallas Cowboys on April 29.
With the ups and downs of the regular season in the rear-view mirror, area teams now gear up for the district tournament, harboring hopes of playing beyond the first week of May.
Baseball and softball teams from Navarre, Pace, Milton, Jay and Central are all in action this week, starting with opening round action Monday night.
Evan Fitterer had a successful Double-A debut. He threw six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated Montgomery 5-0.
Renee Harris-Toliver wasn’t all in with track as a freshman, admitting she didn’t take it too seriously.
But there was a sense of obligation to compete in the sport because of a gift from her mom.
