Navarre opened district play Friday night on the road against the Tate Aggies. Things looked promising for the visitors after the first. With one out in the inning Michael Sandle lined a double to left center. Sandle advanced to third and then later scored on wild pitches from the Aggie starter. Jared Gonzalez retired the Tate batters without incident in the bottom of the frame and the Raiders led 1-0 after one.
The second inning was a disaster for the Navarre squad.
Two Navarre Raiders claimed first place finishes at the Wildcat Invitational Saturday in Pensacola. The team finished fifth out of 13 teams that competed. Alex Wattley won the 200M dash with a time of 23.11. Roman Speer won the pole vault clearing 12 feet.
Navarre 5, Gulf Breeze 2
Crystal Evans got a start in the Raider line-up against Gulf Breeze and made the most of it. The two teams were locked in a pitchers’ duel until Evans’ two out, two RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Navarre was well represented in the 2014 Subway Senior All-Star games Feb. 20 at Ashton Brosnaham soccer complex in Pensacola. Hannah Gullickson, Hunter Moorer, Ella Burkhardt, Bri Young, Gabby Armstrong and Jade Whitley joined other players from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties on the East squad. The West roster consisted of seniors from Escambia County high schools.
For the second time in the young season, Navarre traveled to Pensacola to face the two time defending state champions on their home field. The Raiders were unable to put an end to Pensacola Catholic’s 36 game winning streak.
The Navarre boys’ weightlifting team won their first dual meet of the season against Pine Forest at home Feb. 19 by a score of 59 – 31. For many of the lifters, the meet served as an educational opportunity. Coaches that doubled as judges made sure that each competitor understood any fouls detected and how to avoid them.
On a cold night in Crestview, Allison ‘Cat’ Pettigrew shutout the Bulldogs on one hit and the Raiders won their first district game, 7 – 0. The only hit against Pettigrew was a weak ground ball up the middle in the sixth inning. She struck out seven while walking three.
Sophomore Matt Cronin had two impressive relief appearances in Navarre’s pre-season games, but the results were not as good in his starting debut to open the 2014 regular season. Four walks, three stolen bases and two batters reaching base safely after dropped third strikes led to four unearned first inning runs for the Choctaw Indians. The Raiders never recovered. Jeff Rutledge relieved Cronin, but Choctaw added a run in the second on two singles, an error, and a stolen base.
Two Navarre soccer standouts have been invited to play for a newly formed Women’s Under 20 (W20) team that in northwest Florida. The Panhandle W20 team comes under the head coaching direction of David Kemp, the Director of Coaching at The Gulf Coast Texans.
