Week 7 of high school football is in the books in the Pensacola area. Booker T. Washington reclaimed the Mayor’s Bowl with a 30-20 win over Pensacola to lead the area slate. You can find extensive coverage of that game on our website.
Here’s how the other local teams in action fared on Friday night.
Escambia 29, Navarre 19
The Gators have now won two games in a row following an 0-4 start.
The Raiders jumped out to a lead they couldn’t hold for the second straight week when Jacob Bishop intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown early in the second quarter
Escambia’s James Simpson answered with a 10-yard rushing touchdown and Billy Dunn hit Daniel McDaniel for a 41-yard touchdown to put his team in front.
The Gators got the ball soon after following a Cashon Downs interception and Dunn found McDaniel for another touchdown and a 20-7 halftime lead.
Navarre quarterback Roman Marshall found Curtis Sanders for a 31-yard touchdown to cut the Escambia lead to 20-13 with about three minutes in the third quarter, then Jacob Bishop stopped the next Escambia drive with an interception.
Gators senior Andrion Battle all but put the game away by running for a 31-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Marshall connected with Connor Hamblin for a 12-yard touchdown with about two minutes left, but the Raiders failed on a two-point conversion that would’ve made it a one possession game.
Up next: Escambia (2-4) will host Pensacola on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. Navarre (0-6) will play at Crestview on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a District 1-6A game.
Pace 20, Madison County 18
Two years and two heart stopping wins for the Patriots over the defending rural state champions.
Pace ran for the game-winning touchdown with under a minute left and has now won five straight after a season-opening loss to Mary G. Montgomery, Alabama.
Up next: Pace (5-1) will play at Tate on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a District 1-6A game.
Jay 47, Central 7
The Royals rolled past their Santa Rosa County rival, leading 41-7 at halftime.
Cam Pierce ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and Weston Salter added 56 yards and a touchdown. including Jay’s first in the opening frame to take a 6-0 lead. Jaylen Youngblood completed all three of his passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, including a 28-yard strike to Bryson Morris in the second quarter.
Pierce put Jay on the board a two-yard touchdown run with about eight minutes to go in the first quarter. Central’s Greyson Locklear returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, but it was all Royals after that.
Pierce answered with a 41-yard touchdown run, then Rylan Williams recovered a fumble and finished off the ensuing drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Landon Stuart returned a punt for a touchdown and Dolan Eflinger added a one-yard touchdown with 10 minutes to go in the second quarter. Salter scored Jay’s lone second half touchdown on a seven-yard scamper with about 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Up next: Jay (2-4, 1-2 Rural District) will play at Northview on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a rural district game. Central (0-6, 0-3 Rural District) has a bye week.
Baker 22, Northview 19
The two teams went back and forth, with Baker getting the last laugh.
Northview took its first lead on a rushing touchdown with about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter to go up 19-14. The Gators quickly responded, running for a touchdown and the two-point conversion before holding off the Chiefs to move to 7-0 for the first time since 2020.
Up next: Northview (1-5, 1-2 Rural District) will host Jay on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a rural district game.
Pensacola Catholic 45, Destin 0
The Crusaders forced a running clock for the third straight week. Jaylin Brown threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. Ethan Crandall ran for two touchdowns. Caden Jasson, Jonathan Showers and Geno Cunningham all caught touchdowns. Keller Brown kicked a field goal.
Up next: Pensacola Catholic (6-1) will play at Walton on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a District 1-2A game.
West Florida 35, Gulf Breeze 6
The Jaguars surpassed their 2024 season win total in Wes Summerford’s first year leading the program.
Up next: Gulf Breeze (0-6) will play at Milton on Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in a District 1-5A game. West Florida (4-2) will host Bay on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a District 1-3A game.
Crestview 33, Pine Forest 8
The Eagles had little answer for Zy Tassin, who helped the Bulldogs build a 33-0 lead. Pine Forest got on the board with a passing touchdown with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter.
Up next: Pine Forest (1-4) will play at Booker T. Washington on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a District 1-4A game.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola area high school football week 7 recap include Escambia, Pace victories
Reporting by Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
