Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools were back in session last week, which means high school sports is once again full steam ahead.
Soccer is entering the final week of the regular season, with area teams trying to continue to build momentum heading into district tournament play.
Basketball is in the final weeks of the regular season, with both Booker T. Washington teams continuing to build momentum and the Milton boys and Navarre girls picking up key wins.
The Wildcats boys team has won eight games in a row, while the girls team has won seven in a row.
The Panthers boys squad went 2-0 at the Sun Bash tournament in Jacksonville, getting a Zi Hudson buzzer-beating three to squeak past Bishop Snyder 32-30 on Jan. 9 before blowing past Nease 69-42 in a potential regional playoff preview the next day.
The Raiders girls team topped Niceville 61-51 on Jan. 5 to establish themselves as District 1-6A title contenders.
We also had the first winter sports postseason event in the area last week, with Pace capturing its first District 1-2A wrestling title since 2022. The Patriots beat Gulf Breeze 44-21 in the final.
Pace will host Gulf Breeze, Lincoln and Middleburg for the Region 1-2A duals on Jan. 15.
Somehow, spring sports are already starting up too. Baseball, tennis and boys weightlifting can all start practicing this week.
But the focus remains on winter sports for week 20 of the Florida Power & Light PNJ Athlete of the Week.
Last week was a Gulf Breeze wrestling sweep for the second time in three weeks, with the Dolphins’ John Delvecchio winning the boys award and Sophie Collazo winning the girls award.
Delvecchio captured 60.04% of the vote, while Collazo won 46.77% of the vote.
Voting closes at 11 a.m. Saturday Jan. 17, and the winners will be announced each Monday after the poll closes. Each weekly winner will be awarded a PNJ Athlete of the Week shirt provided by BSN SPORTS. An athlete can only win one time per season.
Nominees will be accepted via phone or email, but the poll is decided by PNJ staff. Send nominations by Sunday night.
Basketball
Khylen Eccles, Pensacola: Eccles averaged 21.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the Tigers three wins last week. PHS beat West Florida 70-58 on Jan. 6, lost to Tate 68-63 on Jan. 8, then beat Escambia 60-45 on Jan. 9.
Tanner Mandell, Jay: Mandell finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals in the Royals 51-48 win over Graceville on Jan. 5
Ta’Navion Richardson, LEAD Academy: Richardson totaled 27 points, 11 rebounds and four steals in the Lions 65-42 win over West Florida Baptist Academy on Jan. 6.
Soccer
David Bailey, Pace: Bailey scored a hat trick and dished out two assists in the Patriots 9-2 win over Escambia on Jan. 6.
Atticus King, Pensacola Catholic: King scored two goals in the Crusaders 4-1 win over West Florida on Jan. 6.
Collin Porto, Booker T. Washington: Porto scored two goals in the Wildcats 3-2 win over Choctawhatchee on Jan. 8.
Wrestling
Bowen Iorg, Pace: Iorg went 3-0 at 175 pounds during the District 1-2A dual championship on Jan. 6, winning all three of his matches via bonus points.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida Power & Light PNJ Boys Athlete of the Week, Jan. 5-10
Reporting by Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
