Countdown to Kickoff – Navarre Raiders – 26 Days

Marcus Jones
Cameron Thomas
Mekhi Domino
26 days to kickoff of the 2021 High School Football season for the Navarre Raiders as they will host Fort Walton Beach on 27 Aug 2021.
 
26 games ago – Navarre 26, Pine Forest 25 (2018)
 
Box Score
Pine Forest…6 6 6 7 – 25
Navarre….3 13 3 7 – 26
 
The Raiders (5-0) fell behind early as the Eagles Ladarius Clardy hit Eric Young on a 82-yard score just 59 seconds into the game. Navarre would finally get on the board when Dante Wright split the uprights from 29 yards out and the first quarter ended with Pine Forest on top 6-3.
 
Raiders took their first lead early in the second when Wright found the end zone from 11 yards out. The Eagles would answer back with 3:32 to go in the first half on a Clardy 28-yard run. But, Navarre took back the lead with 1:23 on the clock on a Chris Williams 12-yard run….16-12 Raiders at the half.
 
In a back and forth game, Clardy scampered in from 28 yards out six minutes into the third to put Pine Forest back in the lead, but the Eagles couldn’t convert on their third straight extra point. Three minutes later, Wright hit his second field goal of the night (30 yards) and the Raiders led after three, 19-18.
 
With the rain continuing to fall, Pine Forest reclaimed the lead when Anwar Lewis split the Raider defense for a 46-yard touchdown run and the Eagles led 25-19 with 4:25 left. Fear not though, as Navarre got the ball back and moved meticulously down the field getting down to the Eagles 10 yard line with under a minute to play.
 
The Eagle defense did their job and forced Marlon Courtney to throw a desperation pass on fourth down into the end zone, an Eagle defender was there for the interception, but the wet ball slipped off his hands into Tyler England’s in the back of the end zone for the win.
 
Courtney went 15-23 for 204 yards and a score and England had one of his best games in a Raider uniform with five receptions for 84 yards. On the ground, Chris Williams had a big night with 30 carries for 181 yards. Pine Forest’s Clardy completed 7-17 for 161 yards and produced 152 yards on 19 carries.
 
The Navarre defense had 11 tackles for loss, with Jordan Jefferson leading the way with three. Alex Gilchrist, Peyton Law and Xayvion Thomas each added a sack.
 
Just a few weeks ago, Ladarius Clardy was tragically killed in a shooting in Pensacola. He was a sophomore at Kennesaw State University, may he rest in peace.
 
Raiders who wore #26:
LB/RB Marcus Jones – Class of 2016
DB Cameron Thomas – Class of 2019
DB Mekhi Domino – Class of 2021 – Currently at North Carolina Wesleyan
 
Current Raider wearing #26:
DB Conner Black – Class of 2024
 
Statistics that involve #26:
26 – points scored in a game – vs. Milton (Week 5 – 2004)
26 – points scored in a game – vs. Choctaw (Week 6 – 2007)
26 – completions in a game – Dusty Jones (2011)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Will Robinson-Pettus (2012)
26 – points scored in a game – vs. Catholic (Week 5 – 2012)
26 – points scored in a game – vs. Gainesville (Playoffs – 2012)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Anthony Miller (2015)
26 – solo tackles in a season – Aaron Mitchell (2015)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Aaron Mitchell (2015)
26 – solo tackles in a season – Michael Sandle (2015)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Nolan Garrett (2016)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Jordan Jefferson (2017)
26 – solo tackles in a season – Cameron Thomas (2018)
26 – points scored in a game – vs. Pine Forest (Week 5 – 2018)
26 – solo tackles in a season – Xayvion Thomas (2018)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Xayvion Thomas (2018)
26 – solo tackles in a season – Mekhi Domino (2020)
26 – assisted tackles in a season – Mekhi Domino (2020)
26 – sacks in a career – Grady Kelly (2018-20) – Navarre Record
 
Navarre is 19-7 in their last 26 games and the all-time series against Pine Forest is tied at 4-4. The Raiders have been outscored in the series, 160-142.

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