QUICK HITTERS: Panhandle Region – Week 5

We have come up with a new way to get the information that we wan to give to our Premium Subscribers in a much quicker and easier to read version. Welcome to Quick Hitters, giving you a quick rankings run down for each and the top five games. We might also include a few tidbits on what is going in the region as well depending on what it is about.

Here is this week’s Quick Hitters for the Panhandle Region for Week 5.

Quick Hits

So long, farewell
If there was ever a team that desperately needed a win it was Fort Walton Beach, who hadn’t won a game in two years.

Fort Walton Beach ended years of frustration with a 35-34 win over Rutherford, ending a pair of 12 game losing streaks on the way.

With the win the Vikings ended a 12 game consecutive losing streak dating back to a Week 2 win over Gulf Breeze last year and a 12 game home losing streak dating back to a win over Gulf Breeze two years ago.

Welcome back
It’s been anything but easy for the defending Class 1A state champs from Port St Joe.

In Week 1, the Sharks were scheduled to play arch-rival Wewahitcka but the game never started as the Sharks community was hit with a virus and the game was cancelled.

In Week 2, the Sharks won a dogfight 3-2 decision over Marianna to pick up their first win of the season.

In Week 3, the Sharks traveled to Trenton for a possible playoff preview and came home with an embarrasing 48-13 loss to the host Tigers.

Through two games the offense was struggling scoring 15 points, averaging 7.5 points per game.

They finally woke up leashing a lethal attack exploding for 8 touchdowns in a 56-7 win on the road at Bozeman.

Creeping on up

After three weeks, Vernon is quietly moving up the rankings and doing all the little things necessary to remain undefeated.

Through three games, the Yellow Jackets have outscored their opponents 112-30, beating up on FAMU (48-16), West Gadsden 34-14 and Cottondale 30-0.

Vernon will likely go into the last two weeks of the season 8-0 before playing Sneads for the district championship Oct 30 and a tough Blountstown team Nov. 6 to end the regular season.

Top 10 Rankings

1. Tate, 3-0
2. Navarre, 4-0
3. Escambia, 3-1
4. Niceville, 3-1
5. Choctawhatchee, 2-2
6. Vernon, 3-0
7. Walton, 4-0
8. Mosley, 3-1
9. Bay, 3-0
10. Milton, 4-0

Conference Standings

Bay County
County Overall
Bay 2-0, 3-0
Mosley 1-0, 3-1
Arnold 0-1, 1-3
Rutherford 0-2, 1-3

Emerald Coast
County Overall
Niceville 0-0, 3-1
Choctaw 0-0, 2-2
Crestview 0-0, 2-2
Fort Walton 0-0, 1-3

Escambia County
County Overall
Escambia 2-0, 3-1
Tate 2-0, 3-0
Pine Forest 1-0, 3-1
Pensacola 1-2, 2-2
Washington 0-1, 0-4
Catholic 0-1, 1-3
West Florida 0-2, 1-3

Santa Rosa
County Overall
Navarre 0-0, 4-0
Milton 0-0, 4-0
Pace 0-0, 2-2
Gulf Breeze 0-0, 1-3

Top Games

No. 3 Escambia (3-1) at Columbia (4-0): Escambia is coming of their first loss of the season and now must quickly adjust things to travel to the Jungle and take on a Columbia team on a role and moving up the state rankings.

No. 10 Milton (4-0) at Pine Forest (3-1): Who would have thought three weeks into the season this would be a huge game for both teams. Its a non-district game so there isnt anything on the line but both surprising teams would love to keep their mojo going.

No. 4 Niceville (3-1) at No. 1 Tate (3-0): Matchup of two of the best teams in the Pahandle should be a shootout between two offensive teams.