Carter Brasell stands on the stage in the high school cafeteria and the music begins to play. He’s singing “Every Time We Touch,” a hit song by Cascada more than a decade ago. As the tempo of the music picks up, so does Brasell’s voice. He gets his teammates pumped up, raising his arms in […]
Elijah Melendez and a handful of his Navarre football teammates could have found something else to do on a Saturday rather than show up at a young boy’s birthday party. But when they learned there was a birthday party and none of 6-year-old Gavin Carter’s friends attended, they rose to the occasion much the way […]
It’s lunchtime in the meeting room of the Navarre football fieldhouse. Culver’s is the food of choice for veteran Raider head coach Jay Walls. He’s finally sitting down to eat after a two-hour meeting with his staff on the final Thursday of the school year. In the seven seasons the football program has been under […]
Dawson Higginbotham found himself in a backup role last season. He’s expected to be a starter this year for an offensive line that should be one of the biggest in the area. “The atmosphere of playing varsity last year was great,” Higginbotham said. “It was a big step up. It definitely makes you work harder […]
Preston Penton stood near the tee at Pen Air Field in Pensacola on a sweltering Sunday afternoon in July and prepared to drive his foot into the ball, hoping it would find its way through the uprights. The other 30 or so kickers on hand, as well as the University of West Florida football coaches, […]
Navarre defensive back Kobe Johnson relished the opportunity to showcase his skills at the University of West Florida football Friday Night Lights camp. After all, it breaks the up the routine of the summer, making it a little more interesting. “Every day in practice it gets boring sometimes going up against the same guys,” Johnson […]
In four seasons of covering Navarre Raider football, there are certain games that have stood out above others. With this fall marking my fifth season of covering the Raiders on the gridiron, it’s a good time to look back on five of the greatest games the Raiders have played since 2015. From the impressive playoff […]
Tyler England was an unknown entering last season. But he won’t fly under the radar going into the 2019 campaign with the Navarre Raiders. On the heels of a breakout junior season, the standout wide receiver is ready to build on what he accomplished a year ago when he caught 41 passes for 674 yards […]
Xayvion Thomas’ Twitter feed is filled with posts about the various college camps he’s been attending. They are seemingly nonstop for the past few weeks now. Invested in getting noticed by recruiters, he’s also putting forth the effort to mold himself into the best player he can be for the start of Navarre’s football season. […]
Liam Kelly was in class at Navarre High watching a movie when he found out he had landed his first acting gig. His mom shot him a text that included the email from his agent. “I just looked at it for a minute and said there is no way this is real,” Kelly said. He […]
When Jordan Williams landed a walk-on opportunity at Troy, he gave credit to Dwayne Carter. The night Quentin Randolph had his breakout game for the University of West Florida football team in its opener against Carson-Newman, he made sure to mention Carter in his post-game press conference. “When I read about what those guys said, […]
Jordan Jefferson found himself in elite company this past weekend. Navarre’s standout senior defensive lineman played in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Game in The Villages Saturday afternoon. He played on a defense that forced six turnovers and helped the North top the South 27-16. The North won for the first time since 2014. […]
Two minutes to go. An opportunity to steal the momentum. Navarre didn’t let it go to waste. A drive late in the first half turned the tide in its favor against Pensacola Catholic. Quinn Caballero caught a 34-yard scoring strike in the closing seconds to cap it. Navarre led 14-7 and went on to win […]
College football camps provide an opportunity for players to improve their skills and, if fortunate enough, make a lasting impression on coaches. Several Navarre Raiders seized the opportunity to do just that last weekend at the University of West Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp at Pen Air Field. “I was able to get some extra […]
Navarre running back Chris Williams said it best in providing a reason why the University of West Florida football camp was the place to be on a muggy summer night in July. “This isn’t just a regular team. They went to the (national) championship last year,” Williams said. “It’s a blessing to be a part […]
Darrell Hixon had no idea he’d be selected for scholar athlete of the year in football at the Pensacola Sports Association’s awards banquet earlier this month. “I was shocked they picked me,” Hixon said. “But it’s amazing. It feels really good to be recognized.” Hixon was one of 24 in the area to win a […]
At some point next week, Navarre football standouts Josh Carter, James Segrest, Jordan Jefferson and Quinn Caballero are expected to receive invitations to the National Combine. Scheduled in conjunction with the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the combine will be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio in January. Teammate Dante Wright […]
Navarre head football coach Jay Walls said he has seen more athletes diagnosed with concussions in the past two to three years than he has at any other time in his 18-year coaching career. Raised awareness and the steps that must now be followed when an athlete suffers a head injury have a lot to […]
Xavier Fernandez remembers what it was like the first time he played varsity football a season ago. He admits he was nervous and wasn’t sure how his year would play out. Turns out, he excelled, becoming an integral part of the defense, racking up a team-best 125 tackles. “I was surprised by how well I […]
Spring practice is nearing an end for Navarre’s football team. The Raiders will close it out Friday night with a 7:30 p.m. game against rival Gulf Breeze at Bennett C. Russell Stadium. It will be a nice change from a year ago when the Raiders had to settle for a scrimmage. “In the past we […]
A strong defensive performance and the explosive running game from Choctawhatchee’s running back John Hicks led to a 28-21 victory over Navarre in tonight’s District 2-6A Regional Semifinals. To read more, subscribe online or pick up a copy of the November 28 Navarre Press.