Pace, Navarre and Jay are all top five teams in the state in the first set of FHSAA regional rankings.
The reigning state champion Patriots are atop Region 1-6A while the Raiders are second in the region. The two teams are second and fourth-respectively, in the state.
Fueled by strong performances across the board, including championship efforts by three lifters, the Navarre Raiders earned a runner-up finish as a team in Olympic and traditional at the FHSAA District 1-3A boys weightlifting meet Monday at Pace.
Josh Wilson, Roan Strom and Yalal Mustafa all secured individual championships in their respective weight classes while a host of other Raiders placed in the top three.
Rachel Leggett has entered the transfer portal.
Leggett announced the decision over the weekend after playing basketball the last three seasons at NCAA Division I South Alabama.
As Bo Shipley plays his senior season of high school baseball at Navarre, his dad, Jess, has a front row seat as one of the team’s assistant coaches.
As a father who knows these moments at the ballpark with his son are winding down, Jess is doing his best to make them all count.
Navarre’s boys lacrosse team went into spring break with a little momentum, winning two of three, including a 24-1 win over Pensacola on March 13.
With a 4-6 record, the Raiders have matched last season’s win total and are two wins shy of matching the program record for wins in a season.
Navarre, Pace and Milton are set to compete in the District 1-3A weightlifting meet Monday afternoon in Pace.
The start time is 3:30 p.m. and lifters from those schools will be vying for a shot to move on to the regional.
Eddie Love Jr. is back at Navarre, the place it all started for him in high school, and he’s spending his final months as a high school athlete running track for the Raiders.
“To come back, it’s like friends and family. It feels like home. I definitely enjoy being back,” Love said.
Pace and Navarre remain two of the top flag football teams in Region 1-6A. The Patriots are ranked second in the region this week while the Raiders are seventh.
The two teams have gone head to head once already this season, with Pace prevailing 34-0 on March 3. They are slated to play again on March 24 at Pace.
