Week 10 roundup: Offensive explosion leads Escambia past Tate, Pace rebounds against rival Milton
A roundup of Week 10 games involving Pensacola-area teams from Friday, Oct. 27
Non-district games
Escambia 52, Tate 19
In five of its first six games this season, Escambia had scored 30 or more points in each of those games.
With that in mind, Gators coach Mike Bennett posed a rhetorical question this week to his offense.
“Where is the offense of the first six games?” he said. “I know the Catholic game was a struggle (a 13-12 loss on Sept. 1), but where is the offense in all these other games.”
Message heeded. Search ended.
The Gators consistently produced big-play scores and long gains to set up scores, then got two defensive touchdowns on interception returns in a convincing victory against Tate on Escambia’s homecoming night at Emmitt Smith Field.
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The win ended a two-game losing streak and further improved the Gators' position to make the state playoffs in Class 3S.
“We showed it (Friday),” said Bennett, now in his eighth season at EHS. “That is the first time since I have been here that we lost two in a row this late in the season. We lost the first two games last year, then won seven of last eight games.
“But I also know we have played some really good teams.”
The Gators, who moved to a 6-3 record this season, did not punt in game where their offense scored touchdowns the first six times with the ball. Two other touchdowns were on interception returns.
Ladarian Clardy returned a third-quarter interception 95 yards for a touchdown. It followed a sequence when Tate got its second touchdown on a 3-yard run by Andre Colston to cut the deficit to 33-13. The Aggies then got the ball back when a batted pass behind the line of scrimmage was ruled a fumble and Tate recovered.
On a third-down play from the Gators’ 19, Clardy stepped in front of a pass from Taite Davis and took it all the way for game-sealing 40-13 lead with 5 minutes, 58 seconds left in the third quarter. The Gators got a 55 yard interception return from Taiylor Bradshaw later in the third quarter.
In the first half, Ja’kye Hopkins returned a third interception for a score, but the Gators where called for an illegal block on the return. No matter. On the next play, Hall hit Diego Dukes on a 16-yard TD pass.
“Any time you can score on defense it really helps,” Bennett said. “And it gave us a big boost.”
Tate (4-5) dropped a third-straight game since its homecoming win against West Florida High on Oct. 6. The Aggies will try and get a .500 season next Friday in the inaugural First City Bowl against Booker T. Washington at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It will be the first regular-season high school game ever played at the bayfront ballpark and will be televised by Cox Communications.
“We’re struggling, there’s no doubt,” said Tate coach Rhett Summerford. “We have struggled since Pace (a 41-13 loss on Oct. 13). “But (Friday) we have played hard. We still are a growing program. We’re going to get better.
“You’re going to go through some of these growing pains and right now we are the second half of the season and we have growing pains.
“Now, here’s the good news. We go play in a phenomenal venue (Blue Wahoos Stadium) next week. It is going to be great experience.”
With it being homecoming night, Escambia’s players were charged up from the opening coin flip and it showed.
The defense stuffed Tate on three plays. When the Gators offense took over on their own 30, they were in the end zone in six plays to start the game.
Hall connected on a 3rd-and-17 pass to Diego Dukes for a 29-yard gain to the Tate 13. On the next play, Hall hit Mason Moore for the touchdown.
The interception followed to set up Escambia’s next touchdown on the pass to Dukes. Tate answered and gained an emotional lift on a 58-yard scoring drive that was culminated by Andre Colston rushing in from the 5.
Dorrion White produced the first of his two scores to put the Gators up 19-7 on the ensuing series and from that point, the hosts dominated. They went on a near-six minute drive to go up 26-7 on Hall’s pass 5-yard pass to Clardy.
On the first possession of the third quarter, the Gators got a 50-yard completion from Hall to Santwon Burnside, then those two finished with a 3-yard touchdown pass. “I told our guys, we have to get over the hump on some of these good teams,” Bennett said. “We’re right there. We just have to make some players and we’re going to.”
— Bill Vilona
Jay 35, Wewahitchka 22
For the first time in five years, the Royals can celebrate a winning season.
Jay clinched its first winning campaign in five seasons following a two-score victory over the Gators from Gator Field in Wewahitchka.
Wewa is known for a ball-control offense, particularly in between the tackles, but the visitors stood up to the challenge.
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"It was a physical ball game. We haven't won a ball game like that in a couple years," Royals head coach Brian Watson said. "So it was just nice to get a tough, physical win on the road against a pretty good team that likes to pound the ball and tries to wear you down. But we held up and wore them down in the fourth quarter."
Jay entered the end zone on all but one possession.
The road team kicked off its scoring with a short touchdown pass from Hayden Morris to Brady Godwin early in the first quarter. Morris later found Grayson Shehan on a 47-yard scoring connection.
After the Gators took the lead at 16-14, the Royals snatched it back thanks to a 3-yard run from Stout. Shehan scored once more on a 13-yard run in the third before a Stout plunge from 6-yard out midway through the fourth put the game on ice.
With wins in its last two games, Jay has one more contest before the end of the regular season. The team is host to Blacksher (Ala.) at 7 p.m. Friday
— Patrick Bernadeau
District 1-4S
Pace 27, Milton 7
A district title may have been out of the cards, but the Patriots faced just the right opponent to get charged up for a bounce-back effort.
Behind four rushing touchdowns from quarterback Nick Simmons and a smothering defensive performance, Pace returned to the win column with a home win over the rival Panthers.
The two teams had split their previous eight games, seven of which were decided by seven points or less. But Friday night at Pace High School was no contest.
"It always feels good to win a rivalry game. (Milton's) kids played super hard and our kids played super hard," Patriots head coach Kent Smith said. "We were proud to get out of there with a win."
The home team enjoyed a 21-7 advantage at halftime. Pace pitched a defensive shutout as Milton's lone points was from recovering an onside kick and taking it back for a touchdown.
When asked if there were any standouts defensively, Smith said, "about all of them."
The Patriots (7-2, 3-1 District) close the regular season at 7:30 p.m. Friday at home against Hollis Christian Academy. Playing at the same time, the Panthers (2-7, 0-4 District) are host to Godby.
— Patrick Bernadeau
District 1-3S
Pine Forest 42, Booker T. Washington 6
Pine Forest is continuing to make a late push for a postseason run after a dominant performance at Booker T. Washington on Friday.
Miequle Brock Jr. continued his standout 2023 season with a trio of touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) while Omari Lampkins (rushing) and Zion Legree (receiving) both added scores as well.
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Brock is now up to 29 touchdowns on the year, and over 1,300 yards rushing.
“Miequle Brock did Miequle Brock things again,” Carter said with a laugh.
Marcell Thomas had a special teams touchdown off a blocked and recovered punt, Pine Forest head coach Tony Carter said.
“We played a lot of guys that don’t normally get to play. We actually had a couple guys that we moved up from JV to play special teams,” Carter said. “I think things are coming together well, and people are starting to understand what we’re trying to do here.”
Washington’s six points came off a pair of field goals.
The Wildcats (1-7) close out their 2023 campaign with a game against Tate at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Friday for the first “City Bowl.” Pine Forest (6-4), awaiting its postseason fate, has a bye week in Week 11.
“When we put all three phases of a game together, it’s going to be something to watch,” Carter said. “Once we get that going, I think we’ll ready to go in the playoffs.”
— Ben Grieco
District 1-2S
Walton 46, Pensacola 0
The Tigers were blanked for the eighth time in nine games after falling to the undefeated Braves at Jim Scoggins Stadium.
Harmed by two first-quarter fumbles, Pensacola trailed 23-0 at the end of the first quarter before falling into a 37-0 hole at halftime.
“Up front, we didn’t block very well, so it didn’t give us an opportunity to capitalize on any plays,” Pensacola head coach Martes Wheeler said. “Without blocking, we didn’t create a run game for ourselves.”
Wells Bettenhausen threw three touchdowns passes in the first half for the District 1-2S champions. Jacquavius Anderson, Corniulis McKenzie, Dalton Kolmetz and Cavion Adams also added rushing scores.
Falling to 0-9 this season, the Tigers play at 7 p.m. at Escambia.
“Sometimes things aren’t going to go our way, but every dog’s still got to fight until the end,” Wheeler said. “We’re going to fight, trust in each other and see what the outcome is.”
— Patrick Bernadeau
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com.
Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.
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: Week 10 Football: Escambia Pace, Jay cruise into win column
