Early National Signing Day: Pensacola-area athletes put pen to paper on letters of intent
Here's a roundup of the National Letter of Intent signing ceremonies held by Escambia County and Santa Rosa County high schools on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.
Cast your vote: Who should win PNJ Athlete of the Week for Oct. 31-Nov. 5?
Area roundup: Pace boys golf takes 14th at state, Class 1A and 2A swim pushed back
State Roundup: PCA xcountry earns top-five finishes, Booker T. Washington boys swim take fifth
Gulf Breeze
Dixie Farish
Sport: Beach Volleyball
College: University of California, Davis
The skinny: Switching from the hardwood to the sand, the senior right-side hitter is headed west after helping Dolphins to a fabulous 2022 campaign. The team won its fourth-straight district title and finished with a 25-4 record after making a regional final appearance. Playing in 75 sets, Farish contributed 95 kills with 36 digs and nine total blocks.
Navarre
Cailyn Cooke
Sport: Softball
College: Gulf Coast State College
The skinny: The senior catcher had a team-bests of five home runs, 33 hits and a .398 batting average to help the Raiders to a 16-9 record. Cooke added 22 RBIs, six doubles and an OPS of 1.102.
Jessica Farrer
Sport: Softball
College: Bishop State Community College
The skinny: One half of a strong Raiders duo in the circle, Farrer put up solid numbers as a junior. The right-handed pitcher recorded a 5-5 record with a 3.16 ERA through 16 appearances. She produced 80 strikeouts and a .249 opponent's batting average.
Payton Provo
Sport: Cheerleading
College: Faulkner State Community College
Harmony Stafford
Sport: Softball
College: Bishop State Community College
The skinny: Stafford will join Farrer in Mobile. The shortstop was the team's leading run producer with 24 RBIs. She also added four home runs, nine doubles and 18 runs while batting .350.
Pace
Jackson McKenzie
Sport: Baseball
College: Mississippi State University
The skinny: A valuable piece to the Patriots' run to the state championship game last season, McKenzie was instrumental to the team's success both on the mound and as a first baseman. The lefty had a 7-0 record with a 1.38 ERA through 13 appearances. He recorded 74 strikeouts while giving up just 18 walks. Batting second in the Patriots lineup, McKenzie hit .272 with four home runs, 16 RBIs, six doubles and 21 runs scored.
The senior signs with the Bulldogs after committing to the program as a freshman.
Quote: "Honestly, it felt amazing. I have been waiting for this day for over three years now and I am happy to make it official."
Pensacola Catholic
Will Barter
Sport: Baseball
College: Tulane University
The skinny: Ranked fourth in the state at his position by Prep Baseball Report, Barter has been one of the area's most productive catchers since arriving on the scene during the COVID-shortened 2022 season. He has a .325 career batting average.
Quote: "It was such a relief to finally get it done after three years. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment and I’m glad it’s here. I’m excited about this next chapter with such a great coaching staff and prestigious school. Roll Wave!"
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828 or pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Early National Signing Day: Pensacola-area athletes ink their LOI