Week 6 Takeaways: What was learned Friday across Pensacola-area high school football landscape

While it wasn't one of the most competitive week, Week 6 of the 2023 High School Football season ended with some key emerging storylines.

Of the eight games involving 12 Pensacola-area teams taking place on Friday, only one was decided by one score. Aside of West Florida's crushing three-point home defeat against Walton, the average margin of victory in the other seven contests was 28 points.

For all the blowouts, several teams took key strides towards a postseason berth. Many of those teams did so against some of their toughest rivals in district battles. Meanwhile, others are scrambling for answers after taking an emphatic step back.

How did these scenarios take place? Well, these 16 takeaways below offer the insight you need. Found out what the biggest observations were from a jam-packed Week 6 slate.

Patriots break through: Pace shuts out Gulf Breeze in second half, sending Patriots to first victory over Dolphins in eight years

Week 6 Roundup: Pine Forest, Tate and Catholic return to win column, Jay suffers first loss

Gators extend streak: Stifling Escambia defense blanks Booker T. Washington, records third shutout in a row

Pace/Gulf Breeze

1. Pace’s run game is firing on all cylinders

If there was one thing working for Pace, especially in that second half, it was the run game. Forty-one of the Patriots’ plays from scrimmage were runs. That’s including a couple times where Simmons scrambled out of the pocket and gained a few hard yards.

It’s basically the polar opposite of a team like Gulf Breeze, who is a majority-pass team with Gierke’s schemes and Alberson’s talented arm.

“We just run it, and they throw it. You do what you’re good at doing. That’s what we do,” Pace head coach Kent Smith said. “And if you want to get up in the box, we’ll throw it over your head like we did a time or two.”

As a unit, five different players helped Pace run for over 250 yards. That group included Xakery Wiedner (two rushing touchdowns), Nick Simmons, Ben Tyner (one touchdown), Jaquavian Moore and Makeal Williams (one touchdown).

“I told the kids, everybody says we’re methodical and going to run it,” Smith said. “We’re just trying to score every play.”

Running around always didn’t mean positive yardage on the ground, however. A late play from Simmons saw him scramble around in the backfield for what seemed like minutes. He evaded several Gulf Breeze pass rushers, with a couple of them slipping, giving Simmons plenty of time to find a receiver.

Eventually, he got the ball off for Nash Pires for a 12-yard pass.

“Nick did a good job. They had it covered, what we had called,” Smith said. “He did a good job. And Nash Pires made a great catch.”

“It was crazy. It was a play we drew up on the sideline, on-the-go. (My first option) wasn’t open, so I looked left and came back right to try to make a play,” Simmons said. “We just had playmakers – and (Pires) got the ball.”

2. Brayden Gates stood out on defense; as did the Patriots' defensive line pressure

After giving up 24 points in the first half, Pace would allow no more the rest of the night. That was in part to a strong defensive core that came alive in the second half. Between two interceptions – including a pick-six – from Brayden Gates, plus a couple fumble recovery, the Patriots were just too much to handle for Gulf Breeze.

“Coach told me to stay over the top, I just stayed over the top. (Carson Lowe) hit it up and I took it,” Gates said of the pick-six play. “Defense was a big part (of the win), because (Gulf Breeze) did a lot of throwing – a lot.”

Gates almost had a third interception toward the end zone, but it just slipped out of his hands.

Even Gulf Breeze head coach Jeff Gierke had to tip his hat to the Patriots’ defensive line, who put pressure on Battle Alberson on what seemed like 95 percent of the Dolphins’ offensive plays. That included Tylon Lee, Jackson Ward and Parker Steele. Steele sacked Alberson at least once and recorded a forced fumble.

Lee and Ward were overpowering for a smaller Gulf Breeze offensive line – including players that were playing on both sides of the ball, Gierke noted.

“(Lee) is a dude. (Ward) is a dude. The rest of their defensive line, they could just pin their ears back because we couldn’t run the ball very well,” Gierke said. “I don’t care who you are. If you’re playing on the line of scrimmage every snap – especially against a physical offense like that – it’s going to wear on you.”

3. The Gulf Breeze defense got fatigued, then overwhelmed

Xakery Wiedner didn’t see too many rush plays. He only had five attempts for Pace during the game. But when he did get the ball handed off – or pitched – to him, he made the most of it. He scored on a 19-yard run and 16-yard run, and almost had a 12-yard rushing touchdown on a pitch play, but it was called back after the Patriots were called for holding.

With a few Gulf Breeze players on the field for virtually almost every snap, some players were feeling the wear and tear. That’s where the Patriots’ running game took full effect in the second half, especially when Wiedner started the second half with a quick 17-yard run that led to a 37-yard pass from Simmons to Nash Pires.

It wasn’t limited to the offense/defense side of the game, either. The Patriots also returned a 73-yard kickoff into the end zone thanks to Joseph Skipworth, who turned on the jets as he broke free from the Gulf Breeze kickoff squad.

“When they put all those guys in motion and they’re crisscrossing, coming back and kicking you out, you’ve got to be physical and disciplined,” Gierke said. “Guys have to make one-on-one tackles. Pace broke more than (our players) can make.”

Milton/Tate

4. Aggies capture a meaningful win five years in the making

Friday’s 45-7 win for Tate over Milton meant more than just any district win.

It was the Aggies’ first district win since 2018, back when Jay Lindsey was head coach and 6A football was still alive and well in the state of Florida.

“It was a big win for our school,” head coach Rhett Summerford said. “Some of the higher-level programs, that’s not a big deal. To win three games, for us, trying to build a program, that’s everything.”

The year 2018 was also the last season Tate posted a multi-win season, before 2023 at least. For the Aggies’ seniors who have been with the program since their freshman season, they have a combined record of 3-25 over the past three years.

For the program to match its win total through last three seasons, the Aggies’ confidence is “sky-high,” Summerford said. And it’s thanks to a strong senior class that has changed the standard of what Tate football is.

“Culture-changers. … If I had to have two words on them, they’re culture-changers. They just changed the culture of our locker room. They are teaching our whole program how to be winners,” Summerford said. “For them, it’s impressive to see some kids, ‘We’re tired of losing. We’re going to do it the right way.’”

Fort Walton Beach/Pine Forest

5. Same place, different sideline for Clayton, Vandervort

There was an emotional attachment for Fort Walton Beach head coach Bobby Clayton and Vikings’ assistant coach Ryan Vandervort Friday as they stood on the visitors sideline at Pine Forest’s Lon Wise Stadium.

Vandervort played for Pine Forest, then spent the last nine years as the Eagles offensive line coach. Clayton was Vandervort’s position coach at Pine Forest when the Eagles won the 2000 state title and spent eight seasons under long-time Eagles’ coach Jerry Pollard.

“This is my first time back,” Vandervort said before Friday’s game. “But it’s football. It is the same emotions every time. The kids I have now, they’re scrappy, they’re fighters and I have enjoyed coaching them.”

Following the game, the coaches and players mingled on the field.

Said Clayton: “This is really where I got my start in coaching under Coach Pollard and Ryan played for me on the state championship team. I know this is always a tough place to play and you have to bring your A-game when you come to this stadium.”

6. Restoring Vikings success

When he left Gulf Breeze after last season for Fort Walton Beach – a move that surprised the local prep football community – Bobby Clayton knew he had a big challenge to rebuild the football program.

The Vikings, however, do have a proud tradition that is headlined by former quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who led Fort Walton to the 1991 Florida Class 4A state title in an undefeated season, then won the Heisman Trophy and led the Florida Gators to the national championship in 1996 under Steve Spurrier, before six seasons in the NFL.

“It has been a lot more challenging than I thought,” Clayton said. “I’ve got some great kids, great coaches, a great administration and it’s a hard road to get something back to where it needs to be.

“But we are heading in the right direction. I’m not disappointed. We have some great players. And they have to grow up a little bit.. This thing will take off again.”

7. Well-disciplined game at Lon R. Wise Stadium

The first penalty in the game Friday was not called until late in the second quarter. All five first-half penalties were only five-yard infractions in a first half played in 59 minutes.

Following a lengthy halftime, due to the natural order of homecoming court presentations, the officiating crew did throw more flags in the second half and several 15-yard penalties were called.

But overall, this game was well-played on both sides. It’s something that new Pine Forest coach Tony Carter wants to see become a consistent element with this team.

“That is the first thing I am trying to get going. I am trying to change a negative image,” Carter said. “Because these kids are great kids and we love them. I want them to be successful in everything they do and not just football. And it’s going to show on the football field and in the classroom.

“And the winning is going to come and the consecutive wins and the state championships will come. That is my goal here. I have lofty goals for Pine Forest High School. We want to be the gem of Pensacola.”

8. Tony Carter has flashbacks to his son

The way Pine Forest senior Miequle Brock darts, eludes, bounces off tacklers gives coach Tony Carter some memories of how his son, Michael, shined at Navarre before rising all the way into the NFL as a 5-foot-8 running back.

“They are about the same size and they both refuse to go down after the first hit,” Tony Carter said. “And both catch the ball out of the backfield well. I tell Brock that all the time when I do get a chance to coach him.

“He is a sponge. He watches film with me. He says, ‘Coach, how do I do this, if this guy is stading here or there. How to do I make this guy miss or bounce from him.” He will call me on the weekend out of the blue and I’ll say, ‘Hey Brock, just let me watch college football today for a little bit.’

“But I love this kid. I love this opportunity to be here with all these young men.”

Booker T. Washington/Escambia

9. 'I know he is smiling down on us right now'

Andrion "Buck" Battle had possibly the highlight of the Gators' third-straight shutout.

The sophomore defensive lineman/linebacker bulled over a Wildcats offensive lineman, who fell into quarterback Jack Minard. Battle was responsible for a sack without touching the quarterback. The play created both cheers and laughs from the Escambia sideline, as well as a smile on the face of Mike Bennett.

However, when asked about Battle and that particular play, the head coach struggled to hold in his emotions.

The sophomore is the younger brother of Kaderrick "K.D." Teamer, who was a fatal victim of a double shooting on Oct. 1, 2022 in Bellview. Teamer was a dominant force on the defensive line for Bennett and Escambia back in 2019. That year, he helped the Gators reach the Class 6A state title game and finish with a 14-1 record.

Battle and Teamer share the same number: No. 10

"Buck getting a sack there, man, it was awesome," Bennett said through multiple pauses. "I just love Buck, and I love my defensive guys, but Buck reminds me so much of K.D.. Just watching him, it's unbelievable. I know he is smiling down on us right now, I'm sure he was really happy to see that sack."

10. Gators' might is too strong for many

As evident from Battle's bull rush, Escambia's front-seven is a handful.

Just ask Milton, Fort Walton Beach, and now Booker T. Washington. Through 12 combined quarters over the last three weeks, that trio did not crack the scoreboard.

So what makes possibly the area's best defense so hard to stop? Fellow defensive lineman Ryan McVay says it's the work he and his teammates have put in to be physically fit.

"I feel like us working out in the weight room and lifting weights real hard has helped," the senior said. "And with conditioning during practice, Coach Bennett runs the heck out of us. So I feel like our endurance and our strength is really what puts us ahead of others."

11. Wildcats in need of an offensive spark

An interception from an underthrow ball was enough for Booker T. Washington head coach Ryan Onkka to make a change. Late in the first half, Minard was pulled for Austin Smith.

The junior backup quarterback completed his first pass – an 11-yard out route to Daniel Landry. But his next pass, a deep shot down the sideline, was picked off by junior defensive back Ladarian Clardy. Smith returned for a second drive, but was sacked on the final play of the first half.

Minard returned and played the entirely of the second half. He marched the Wildcats down the field on a pair of positive possessions that did not result in any points. The team is scoreless in its last eight quarters.

"We're searching for answers, seeing what can click and seeing who's hot and who's not," Onkka said of the quarterback shuffle. "When you aren't scoring points the way we're used to, it's frustrating for everybody. But at the end of the day, you just have find ways to help us win. ... You're just trying to remind yourself as a team that you're young, you're getting better, but we're hoping that we can string some stuff together toward the end of the year."

Walton/West Florida

12. For better or worse, no team plays closer games than West Florida

If you are a casual fan and want your money's worth, head down to see the Jaguars. However, if you are a West Florida supporter that bleeds black, red and white, these past few weeks have been a crazy roller coaster.

Each of the team's last three games, all at home, have been decided by three points. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, the team is only 1-2 in that stretch, with its latest blemish handed out by Walton. And to add insult to injury, its latest crusher came district implications.

West Florida has a plus-2 point-differential through five games, the tightest margin of any area squad.

Pensacola/Pensacola Catholic

13. Tigers are on the board

A winless start to the season is a tough pill to swallow, but Pensacola can take some solace in being scoreless no more. The Tigers put up their first points of the 2023 campaign in the second quarter of their road loss.

14. Crusaders play 48 full minutes

What was just a eight-point game at the end of three quarters turned into an avalanche as Catholic was outscored 28-0 in the final 12 minutes of its loss last week to Prince Avenue Christian.

But even on a night where many reserves saw the field, the Crusaders put together a complete game this time around according to Catholic head coach Matt Adams.

"I'm happy that our guys played all four quarters," he said. "I thought the guys supported each other really well tonight. They played hard, played to the whistle and got the job done."

Jay/Destin

15. Morris injury limits Jay

While head coach Brian Watson is not one to make excuses, his offense sputtered without the services of Hayden Morris.

The junior starting quarterback suffered a quad contusion during the team's Sept. 15 victory at Baker. As a result of his absence, Jay put up its lowest scoring output of the season.

"We were really short-handed. We still moved the ball up and down the field, but just could not finish drives," Watson said. "I'm proud of our guys for what we did, we just didn't put points on the board when we had our drives going."

The Royals are host to Holmes County next week. Morris' status for that contest is uncertain.

Northview/Elberta (Ala.)

16. Chiefs have to find a way when it's winning time

In three of Northview's four defeats, the team has either led and was locked in a tie with its opponent in the third quarter. The Chiefs repeatedly have seen victory slip from their grasp.

Friday's loss added to the late-game frustration as the team was outscored by 19 in the second half after entering slim halftime with a lead.

"I think closing is the issue," Northview head coach Wes Summerford said. "There's points in the game where you got to have a play, and so far this year we haven't been able to produce those plays. That's something that we have to work on. We're learning some hard lessons right now, but we just have to get everyone back into shape."

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.

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.

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

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: High School Football: 16 biggest takeaways from Week 6 in Pensacola-area