30 days to kickoff of 2020 High School Football season as Navarre travels to Gulf Breeze in the Publix Beach Bowl Cup on 21 Aug 2020. Start of the season may be delayed due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19; but I will continue my countdown to the original start date.
30 games ago – Navarre 49, Pace 35 (2017)
Box Score
Pace…..14 7 7 7 – 35
Navarre..7 28 7 7 – 49
Not only did the Raiders (5-0, 1-0) have to battle their Santa Rosa County foe on this night, they had to deal with Mother Nature as rain saturated the playing surface at Bennett C. Russell Stadium. The Patriots jumped out to a seven point lead after one; but Navarre would answer with 28 points in the second quarter to take a 35-21 lead to the half. The Raiders would maintain that lead in the second half for their fifth straight win.
Navarre couldn’t get the passing game going, so they relied on the running game (boy did they ever). The Raiders had three individuals go over the century mark on the evening and averaged 13.5 yards per carry. Omari Green led the way with 139 yards on eight carries and 2 TDs; Dante Wright gained 132 yards on five carries and 2 TDs and Chris Williams added 125 yards on 13 carries and a score. Wright also had a 67-yard punt return and Sage Chambers contributed a rushing TD.
Damien Bivins led the ground attack for the Patriots with 42 carries for 195 yards and 3 TDs and Camaron Rohling hauled in five receptions for 113 yards and a score.
Joshua Carter had a career night in tackles with 16 (12 solo/4 assists) and Cade Taylor totaled 14 tackles (13 solo/assist/sack). Cameron Thomas pitched in 11 tackles (6 solo/5 assists) and Matthew Downey added 10 (9 solo/assist). Mitchell Hunt had two of the Raiders three sacks. Kevin Taich went 7-7 on extra points.
Raiders who wore #30:
DE Blake Miller – Class of 2003
LB John Blatz – Class of 2007
LB Chris Stapleton – Class of 2011 – played at Florida Tech – leading tackler in Panther history.
LB/FB Scott Mealer – Class of 2012
Current Raider wearing #30:
DB Matthew Feldner – Class of 2021
30 – points scored in a game – Pace (Playoffs – 2012)
30 – solo tackles in a season – Alex Todd (2013)
30 – receptions in a season – Cameron Mayweather (2014)
30 – assisted tackles in a season – Xavier Fernandez (2015)
30 – solo tackles in a season – Xavier Fernandez (2016)
30 – assisted tackles in a season – Xavier Fernandez (2016)
30 – solo tackles in a season – Cade Taylor (2016)
30 – carries in a game – Michael Carter (2016)
30 – carries in a game – Chris Williams (2018)
30 – points scored in a season – Marlon Courtney III (2019)
Navarre is 22-8 in their last 30 games and leads the series against Pace, 11-7.