On the brink of a sweep of Pensacola Catholic last Tuesday night, Navarre’s volleyball team found itself in a bit of a bind.

The Raiders trailed by a handful of points in the third set and it appeared as if perhaps this non-district match at home would go to a fourth game.

Tyrell Marshall worked all week in practice on being at his best on special teams, hoping at some point his chance would come to block a kick.

In the final minute of Navarre’s physical fight to the finish against Tate in the District 1-4S opener for both teams, the Memphis commit got his shot.

Energy flowed through the veins of Navarre’s volleyball team as the action grew more intense and the value of every point ramped up another notch against Gulf Breeze.

That was to be expected as the Raiders faced their rival in a tense and exciting rivalry match between two state-ranked teams Tuesday night, with Navarre searching for its first win over the Dolphins since 2007.

Hunter Pfiester ran down the field with no intentions of slowing down. He wanted the end zone. And he nearly got there. Navarre’s senior quarterback even shoved one Rickards defender out of the way for a few extra yards before being stopped short of the goal line.

Navarre and Pace finished first and second, respectively, in the overall team standings at a tri-meet with West Florida Tech Tuesday afternoon at the Pullum YMCA.

The Raiders had two individual first-place finishes on the girls side, with Alina Schorzman taking first in the 100 Freestyle (10:04.07) and Brynlee Kurtz recording the top time in the 500 Free (6:07.88).

Charlie Cottrell started at center for the first time last season. A lot of responsibility came with that role and it’s a role the Navarre Raider senior understands even more this season.

Rain began to fall hard as Navarre’s football team walked off the field stinging from a 40-17 loss to Pine Forest, the cold eyes of an 0-2 start staring right at them.

This wasn’t the way the Raiders had hoped their trip over to Pensacola would go here Friday night at Lon R Wise Stadium, especially a game against a team now coached by former long-time assistant Tony Carter.