July 2023 – Page 8 – Irish Bill's Twist on Sports

52 Days to Kickoff – Navarre Raiders

July 4, 2023 by irishbillsports

***HAPPY 4TH OF JULY***

52 days to kickoff of the 2023 Florida High School football season as the Navarre Raiders will host the Catholic Crusader on 25 Aug 2023 at the comfy confines of Bennett C. Russell Stadium.

52 games ago – Navarre 49, Niceville 47 (Playoffs – 2017)

Niceville…14 3 21 9 – 47
Navarre…14 7 21 7 – 49

The Raiders hosted the Eagles for the second straight week, this one with a lot more at stake in the first week of the State Playoffs.

Sage Chambers finished the night 19-24 for 380 yards, 4 TDs and a rushing TD. Dante Wright hauled in four receptions for 144 yards and four touchdowns (3 receiving/1 rushing). while Quinn Caballero contributed seven receptions for 107 yards. The 380 yards passing by Chambers is the second most yards passing in a single game in Navarre history (only behind Matthew Webb’s, 382).

Cade Taylor led the Navarre defense with nine tackles and Josh Carter added seven in the win.

1st Quarter
9:56 – 75-yard pass, Dante Wright from Sage Chambers, Kevin Taich kick (Navarre)
6:48 – 2-yard run, TJ Pope, Alex Connor kick (Niceville)
4:15 – 15-yard run, Wright, Taich kick (Navarre)
2:47 – 32-yard run, Jack White, Connor kick (Niceville)

2nd Quarter
9:58 – 25-yard FG, Connor (Niceville)
0:09 – 50-yard pass, Wright from Chambers, Taich kick (Navarre)

3rd Quarter
9:27 – 2-yard run, White, Connor kick (Niceville)
6:40 – 2-yard run, Josh Carter, Taich kick (Navarre)
5:41 – 6-yard run, Brooks Alexander, Connor kick (Niceville)
2:42 – 1-yard run, Chambers, Taich kick (Navarre)
2:27 – 78-yard pass, Ryan Romair from White, Connor kick (Niceville)
1:55 – 55-yard pass, Garren Harper from Chambers, Taich kick (Navarre)

4th Quarter
8:53 – 12-yard pass, Wright from Chambers, Taich kick (Navarre)
5:41 – 23-yard FG, Connor (Niceville)
1:20 – 35-yard pass, Jacob Edelman from White, 2-pt conv no good (Niceville)

52nd win in school history – Navarre 42, Gulf Breeze 12 (2009)

After starting the season with five straight losses, the Raiders won three of their last five games to finish up the 2009 campaign at 3-7.

Raiders that have worn #52:
OL James Kempton – Class of 2003
LB Asa Dalphone – Class of 2007 – serving in U.S. Marine Corps
DL David Vincent Wills – Class of 2010
LB Michael Lauber – Class of 2011
LB Marc Collins – Class of 2017
DL Grady Kelly – Class of 2021 – currently playing at Colorado State University
LB Paddy Freeman – Class of 2023

Statistics that involve #52:
52 – solo tackles in a career – Rocky Brock (1999-2000)
52 – assisted tackles in a career – Kevin Moore (1999-2000)
52 – assisted tackles in a career – Adam Hamilton (2007-08)
52 – assisted tackles in a season – Damontell Thompson (2013)
52.5 – tackle points in a season – Alex Todd (2013)
52 – solo tackles in a season – Bo Hering (2014)
52 – tackle points in a season – Dylan Main (2014)
52 – points scored in a season – Brady Hammel (2015)
52 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – Aaron Mitchell (2015)
52.5 – tackles points in a season – Dante Wright (2017)
52 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – James Segrest (2017)
52 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – Xayvion Thomas (2018)
52 – points scored in a season – Preston Penton (2019)
52 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – Mekhi Domino (2020)

Navarre is 37-15 in their last 52 games and leads the overall series against Niceville, 8-5.

53 Days to Kickoff – Navarre Raiders

July 3, 2023 by irishbillsports

53 days to kickoff of the 2023 Florida High School football season as the Navarre Raiders will host the Catholic Crusaders on 25 Aug 2023 at the comfy confines of Bennett C. Russell Stadium.

53 games ago – Navarre 42, Niceville 20 (2017)

Niceville…0 7 13 0 – 20
Navarre…0 14 14 14 – 42

Kevon Washington found green pastures as he returned an interception 28 yards to get the scoring going for the Raiders and Dante Wright added a 66-yard interception return to put Navarre up at the half, 14-7.

Wright also scored on a 39-yard run and a six yard reception, while Joshua Carter pitched in two touchdowns (10-yard rushing/25-yard receiving).

Cade Taylor led the Raiders defense with 12 tackles and Carter added nine tackles. Kevin Taich went 6-6 on extra points.

53rd win in school history – Navarre 14, Fort Walton Beach 0 (2010)

Fort Walton…0 0 0 0 – 0
Navarre…0 0 7 7 – 14

The Raiders defense held the Vikings to 173 total yards (161 passing/12 rushing) in the opening game of the 2010 season.

Raiders that have worn #53:
DL Clifton Becker – Class of 2003
OL Austin Lewis – Class of 2005
OL Troy Fletcher – Class of 2011
LB Luke Hines – Class of 2022
LB Hedwin Garcia – Class of 2024

Statistics that involve #53:
53 – assisted tackles in a career – Troy Rivera (2000-02)
53 – tackle points in a season – Dylan Main (2014)
53.5 – tackle points in a season – Everette Alford (2014)
53.5 – tackle points in a season – Tyson Brown (2016)
53 – solo tackles in a career – Tyson Brown (2015-16)
53.5 – tackle points in a season – James Segrest (2017)
53.5 – tackle points in a career – Alex Gilchrist (2017-18)
53.5 – tackle points in a season – Jordan Jefferson (2018)
53 – points scored against Washington (2018)
53 – points scored against Choctaw (2018)
53 – points scored in a season – Kevin Taich (2018)
53 – tackle points in a season – Xayvion Thomas (2018)
53.5 – tackle points in a season – Jordan Jefferson (2018)
53 – carries in a season – Jaden Rivera (2019)
53 – solo tackles in a career – Bailey Huston (2019-20)
53 – tackle points in a season – Devin Wright (2020)

Navarre is 48-15 in their last 53 games and leads the overall series against Niceville, 8-5.

54 Days to Kickoff – Navarre Raiders

July 2, 2023 by irishbillsports

54 days to kickoff of the 2023 Florida High School football season as the Navarre Raiders will host the Catholic Crusader on 25 Aug 2023 at the comfy confines of Bennett C. Russell Stadium.

54 games ago – Navarre 29, Gulf Breeze 23 (2017)

Navarre…0 21 0 8 – 29
Gulf Breeze…7 7 9 0 – 23

It was a blustery Publix Beach Bowl Cup, but the Raiders managed to score enough in both quarters that they had the wind at their back. Dante Wright sealed the Dolphins fate as he intercepted a Dylon Kelley pass late in the fourth quarter.

Sage Chamber completed five of nine passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown as well. Joshua Carter led the Navarre rushing attack with 108 yards on eight carries.

Carter and Cade Taylor paced the Raider defense with 16 tackles each and Nolan Garrett added 10 tackles.

54th win in school history – Navarre 42, Walton 36 (2010)

Walton…3 26 7 0 – 36
Navarre…7 6 9 20 – 42

Navarre found themself down to Walton 29-13 at the half after the Braves put up a 26-spot on the Raiders in the second quarter. Walton still led at the end of the third, 36-22, but it would be all Navarre in the fourth as they rallied for the victory.

Liam Miller (28-51, 422 yards, 4 TDs) and Corliss Stone (10 receptions, 219 yards, 2 TDs) led the Braves offense, but their inability to put a running game together was their downfall in the end.

Raiders that have worn #54:
LB Lloyd Heflin – Class of 2001
OL/DL Connor Bryan – Class of 2005
LB Ronnie Wesson – Class of 2009
LB Michael Venegas – Class of 2011
LB Aubrey Wesson – Class of 2015
OL Tim Elenz – Class of 2018
DL Roger Adams – Class of 2020
LB Fuller Judkins – Class of 2024

Statistics that involve #54:
54 – points scored against Gulf Shores (Week 9 – 2000)
54 – solo tackles in a career – Kris Metcalf (2000-02)
54 – points scored in a season – Luke Morton (2014)
54 – points scored in a season – Michael Carter (2015)
54 – points scored in a season – Michael Sandle (2015)
54 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – Marc Struck (2016)
54 – total tackles (solo/assists) in a season – Nolan Garrett (2016)
54 – solo tackles in a career – Nolan Garrett (2016-17)
54 – points scored in a season – Omari Green (2017)
54 – solo tackles in a season – Isaiah Heyward (2018)
54 – total points in a season – Taylor Gardner (2022)

Navarre is 39-15 in their last 54 games and leads the overall series against Gulf Breeze, 15-9.

55 Days to Kickoff – Navarre Raiders

July 1, 2023 by irishbillsports

55 days to kickoff of the 2023 Florida High School football season as the Navarre Raiders will host the Catholic Crusaders on 25 Aug 2023 at the comfy confines of Bennett C. Russell Stadium.

55 games ago – Navarre 28, Milton 7 (2017)

Navarre…0 14 14 0 – 28
Milton…0 7 0 0 – 7

Sage Chambers got the Raiders back on the winning track as he completed 13 of 19 passes for 217 yards and two TDs. His favorite target on the night was Dante Wright as he had five receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Wright added a 37-yard TD run as well.

Joshua Carter led the defense with 10 tackles and Cade Taylor added nine. Jordan Jefferson had two of Navarre’s seven sacks in the game.

55th win in school history – Catholic 42, Navarre 21 (2010)

Navarre lost the game on the field of play, but eventually was awarded a win when a Catholic player who had played in the game was deemed ineligible.

Raiders that have worn #55:
Joe Williams – Class of 2000 – first graduating class
OL Patrick Burch – Class of 2004 – walked on at Alabama as a TE
DL/LS James Segrest – Class of 2019 – playing at University of Louisiana
DL TJ Pemberton – Class of 2021
DL Kiohne Moso – Class of 2023

Statistics that involve #55:
55 – receptions in a season – Brad Leggett (2011)
55 – receptions in a season – Jordan Leggett (2012)
55 – tackle points in a career – Dylan Main (2013-14)
55 – points scored against FWB (Week 5 – 2015)
55 – assisted tackles in a career – Anthony “The Unit” Miller (2014-15)
55.5 – tackle points in a season – Jordan Jefferson (2018)
55 – solo tackles in a career – Xayvion Thomas (2018-19)
55 – assisted tackles in a career – Jeffery Mattox (2018-19)

Navarre is 40-15 in their last 55 games and leads the overall series against Milton, 13-9.