12 days to the original kickoff of the 2020 HS Football season as Navarre would have been traveling to Gulf Breeze on 21 Aug 20. The season originally was scheduled to start on 27 Jul 20 (practice); but has now been delayed until 24 Aug 20.
12 games ago – Navarre 50, Escambia 22 (2018) – Playoffs
Box Score
Escambia…0 7 15 0 – 22
Navarre…..14 6 23 7 – 50
The Raiders (11-1) avenged their only loss of the regular season against the Gators. Marlon Courtney III scored on Navarre’s first possession at 10:10 with a 15-yard run; then he found Fernando Gomez for a 19-yard score…14-0 after one.
Escambia cut the lead to seven early in the second when Av Smith hit Chris Hale on a 75-yard strike. Kevin Taich would stretch the lead to 13 in the second quarter as he connected on two 37-yard FGs…Raiders up 20-7.
The scoring was early and often in the third quarter and Chris Williams got it going with a 38-yard run and Navarre had their biggest lead of the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Escambia’s Patrick Sanders broke free and returned the kick 92 yards for a score to cut the lead to 27-14. Raiders would score the next 10 on a 6-yard run from Joshua Carter and Taich’s third FG of the night. Gators Frank Pesant found the end zone from three yards out to get Escambia within 15 at 1:38; but Navarre would answer right back on Dante Wright’s 63-yard run…43-22 Raiders.
Jaydin Antonio would put the final touches on Navarre’s win with a one yard run at 6:14. Taich finished the night, 5-6 on extra points and went 3-3 on FGs; his best night as a Raider.
After throwing for over 300 yards in the first meeting, Navarre didn’t have to rely on their passing game as much, as Courtney completed 9-18 for 116 yards and a TD. Raiders turned to the running game and Williams led the way with 145 yards on 16 carries and Wright added 93 yards on three carries. Navarre finished the night with 343 yards on 46 carries.
On defense, Carter led the way again with 11 tackles (7 solo/4 assists) and Isaiah Heyward pitched in with 9 tackles (4 solo/5 assists/sack). The Raiders defense forced three turnovers on the night (interception/2 fumble recoveries) and also recorded a blocked FG.
Raiders who wore #12:
QB Seth Clark – Class of 2004
RB Derek Nelson – Class of 2007 – serving in U.S. Marine Corps
DB Noel Cook – Class of 2010
DB Nick Benton – Class of 2013 – played at Jacksonville University
DB/WR Michael Sandle – Class of 2016 – playing baseball at South Alabama
WR Sam Register – Class of 2018
DB/RB Evan Gourley – Class of 2019
Current Raider wearing #12:
LB Connor Eastwood – Class of 2021
12 – sacks in a season – Andrew Garcia (2010) – 2nd all-time
12 – tackles for loss in a career – Johnny Robinson-Pettus (2010-12)
12 – receiving touchdowns in a career – Jordan Leggett (2010-12)
12 – tackles for loss in a season – Bo Hering (2016)
12 – receiving touchdowns in a career – Tyler England (2018-19)
Navarre is 7-5 in their last 12 games and leads the series against Escambia, 7-3.