Stories by Brian Lester

Rustom having fun as a collegiate weightlifter

May 26, 2023

Kamal Rustom was planning on just going to school. He had no intentions of lifting weights competitively after high school. And then a successful performance at the Navarre Invitational his senior year changed his course. Someone from Mars Hill connected with Raider head football coach Jay Walls and that set things in motion.

This date in sports history

May 26, 2023

On May 26, 1988, the Edmonton Oilers completed a sweep of the Boston Bruins with a 6-3 win, securing the Stanley Cup.

Sertoma Family Fishing Rodeo slated for June

May 25, 2023

The Sertoma Family Fishing Rodeo is set for June 3-4 at Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze. It’s the 33rd annual event and is Sertoma’s only major fundraiser of the year. All of the net proceeds from the rodeo are returned to youth charities and educational projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties that are supported by the Sertoma Club in Gulf Breeze.

This date in sports history

May 25, 2023

On May 25, 1981, Carl Yastrzemski became the fourth player in Major League history to play in 3,000 games.

Blue Wahoos lose in extra innings

May 25, 2023

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost 2-1 in extra innings to the Mississippi Braves Wednesday night on the road.

Adaptive PE kickball game ‘Fun for everyone’

May 23, 2023

Hudson Kwart runs the bases. His fifth-grade buddies, Marissa Puentes and Olivia Diamond are running right alongside him, cheering him on. Stats don’t matter here on a warm Friday afternoon on the playground at West Navarre Intermediate. Neither does the score. The focus instead is on inclusion.

Brian Out Loud

May 23, 2023

Rewind to the spring sports season in 2020. It seems like a lifetime ago in some ways because of how different the world was then in the midst of a pandemic. The current seniors who will receive their high school diplomas this week were only freshmen at the time. Their spring seasons were cut short just a few weeks in.

Madril forges partnership with Navarre United

May 22, 2023

Emily Madril spent a little time two summers ago working with players from Navarre United at a camp. She was still at Florida State at the time. Now the Navarre alum is in her first year as a pro with the Orlando Pride and is taking that connection with the local soccer club to another level.

Adversity hasn’t derailed Indelicato’s dream to play college baseball

May 22, 2023

Joey Indelicato had high hopes for his senior baseball season at Navarre. And then, in a preseason game at Pace in February, it all ended before it started.

Raider softball team poised to build on 2023 success

May 22, 2023

Navarre’s softball team put together one of its best seasons in 2023 and all signs point to that success continuing next year. While the Raiders are losing a strong senior class that helped the team reach its first regional tournament since 2019, a number of key players will return for the 2024 campaign.