PNJ Power Poll: Pine Forest stays at No. 1 while Tate makes biggest leap

Debate season continues as the third PNJ Power Poll of the 2023 high school season is now out.

Pine Forest retained its top spot following a convincing victory at Pensacola. Also claiming road wins were Pensacola Catholic and Escambia, who come in at the second consecutive week at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

From there, the rankings where turned upside down with changes from No. 4 to No. 10.

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So how did the rest of the list shake out? Take a look below to see what where your favorite team ranks.

1. Pine Forest (3-0)

The area’s best squad continues to put big numbers up on the board. The Eagles scored a season-best 53 points in a rout of Pensacola. They’ve surpassed the 40-point mark in each game this season. Much of the team’s offense has come from senior quarterback James Clark, who has thrown eight touchdown passes and just eight incompletions in 2023. Scoring won’t be as easy this week as Pine Forest faces district-foe Choctaw, the team that spoiled the Eagles’ perfect season and eliminated them from the postseason.

Last week ranking: 1

Next: 7 p.m. Friday at Choctaw

2. Pensacola Catholic (3-0)

The Crusaders’ season opener went into overtime. Their next game came down to the final seconds and was decided in the middle of a downpour. However, the team didn’t have to sweat out the end of its most recent contest, jumping out to a 24-0 lead before claiming a two-score victory at Fairhope (Ala.). Catholic has a bye next week. The team returns to action on Sept. 22 for its home opener against Prince Avenue Christian (Ga.).

Last week ranking: 2

Next: Bye

3. Escambia (2-1)

When they're clicking, the Gators are as explosive as anyone. That was proven to be the case in a runaway victory at Gulf Breeze. The two teams were tied 7-7 late in the first half before the visitors poured in the next 25 points to extend to a 32-7 cushion early in the fourth quarter. Like Pine Forest, Escambia hits the road for a District 1-3S showdown. It faces a much-improved Fort Walton Beach program under former Dolphins head coach Bobby Clayton. The Vikings are 2-1 in 2023 after going 1-19 over the previous two campaigns.

Last week ranking: 3

Next: 7 p.m. Friday at Fort Walton Beach

4. Pace (2-1)

The first change in this week’s poll comes by virtue of the best game that the 2023 regular season has offered thus far. In a matchup where neither team enjoyed more than a one-score advantage, the Patriots outlasted West Florida on the road thanks to a go-ahead 28-yard field goal by Caleb Nelson with two seconds left. As scintillating as it was, Pace can’t dwell too much on the victory as this week it welcomes Crestview to its house. The two teams have played one-score games of the last three seasons, the last two of which has gone in favor of the Bulldogs.

Last week ranking: 5

Next: 7:30 p.m. Friday vs. Crestview

5. West Florida (1-2)

While they fell behind Pace in the rankings, the Jaguars showed in their last 48 minutes of action that the difference between the two teams is hair splitting. In fact, West Florida, for a moment, was beating the Patriots at their own game. The Jags methodically marched down the field with a 15-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a Marquez Jones touchdown reception and milked 10 minutes off the clock in the third quarter. Following a bye week, West Florida will need to adapt to another tough opponent on Sept. 22 when it hosts Pine Forest.

Last week ranking: 4

Next: Bye

6. Navarre (1-2)

Navarre captured its first win of the season in emphatic fashion following a 45-18 home triumph over Rickards. Holding the visitors from Tallahassee to 0-for-8 on third downs, the hosts scored the game’s first 28 points before opening as much as a 45-6 cushion entering halftime. Leading the way for Navarre was Connor Mathews, who posted four touchdowns. Meanwhile, after suffering an offseason injury, Terence Marshall reached the end zone in his first game back. The reigning District 1-4S champions begin defense of their title against the team directly below.

Last week ranking: 7

Next: 7:30 p.m. Friday vs. Tate

7. Tate (2-1)

The Aggies have enjoyed the comfort of their home field through three regular games and a preseason contest. However, that shifts when they’ll hit the road for the first time with a trip to Navarre. Tate battled early, but was blown out by Pine Forest in its season opener. Over the following two weeks, the team outscored Pensacola and Northview by a combined total of 96-14. This week is not only a key game considering the district stakes, but it serves as a litmus test for an Aggies program pushing along on its rebuild.

Last week ranking: 7

Next: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Navarre

8. Milton (2-1)

Up two spots, no team made a greater leap in this week’s Power Poll than the Panthers, who captured their second shutout in three weeks following a 28-0 result at Booker T. Washington. The defense forced four turnovers while the offense neared 400 yards and was 8-for-13 on third down. The Panthers aim to keep the ball rolling when they play their home opener in a district contest against Gulf Breeze.

Last week ranking: 10

Next: 7:30 p.m. Friday vs. Gulf Breeze

9. Booker T. Washington (1-2)

The Wildcats dip three spots in this week’s Power Poll following a disappointing home opener against Milton. Booker T. Washington’s performances over its last two games has been marred by turnovers, coughing the ball up seven times during that stretch, including four times versus the Panthers. Banged up from a health standpoint according to head coach Ryan Onkka, the team will have two weeks to clean up the turnovers before returning on the road to face LeFlore (Ala.).

Last week ranking: 6

Next: Bye

10. Gulf Breeze (0-2)

It isn’t that the Dolphins haven't competed through portions of their two defeats to begin the regular season. The issue has been that they’ve struggled to stop the snowball from rolling before it gets too late. Gulf Breeze was outscored 21-7 in the second half of a season-opening loss to Crestview before giving up a 25-0 run the following week against Escambia. The Dolphins can begin to right the ship in a district tilt at Milton.

Last week ranking: 9

Next: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Milton

11. Jay (3-0)

The area’s remaining unbeaten teams are Pine Forest, Pensacola Catholic, and yes, the Royals, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2013. Jay is coming off its most impressive victory of the early season when it ripped off a running-clock performance over Franklin County. Brock Stout had three rushing touchdowns while Hayden Morris tossed two scores and ran back another on an interception return. In order to get to 4-0, the Royals will have to hit the road and break a 15-game losing streak to Baker.

Last week ranking: 11

Next: 7 p.m. Friday at Baker

12. Northview (0-3)

Three-straight road games to open the regular season have yielded frustrating results for the Chiefs, who fell into a 35-0 hole before falling 42-14 at Tate. Northview has only mustered 42 points this season. That’s compared to 119 points through its first three games in 2022. Finally set to play a game in front of their home fans, the Chiefs are host to Lighthouse Private Christian Academy on Friday.

Last week ranking: 12

Next: 7 p.m. Friday vs. Lighthouse Private Christian Academy

13. Pensacola (0-3)

Ravaged by injuries and limited by a small roster, the Tigers have yet to score this season. They will face a Bay team which has relinquished 114 combined points in losses over the last two weeks.

Last week ranking: 13

Next: 7 p.m. Thursday at Bay

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: PNJ Power Poll: Pine Forest, Pensacola Catholic, Escambia still on top