Sports Archive

The weightlifting powerhouse that is Baker School boys weightlifting team took another district championship on Wednesday sweeping the Traditional and Olympic lifts. Baker won the Olympic style with 61 points, Jay finished second with 48, Northview was third with 21 and Catholic finished fourth with 14.

Laurel Hill and Paxton renewed their longstanding rivalry on the Laurel Hill baseball diamond on Thursday. The final score was pretty to the visitors from just across the Okaloosa-Walton county line. As for the Hoboes, they’ve seen better days on the diamond as the Bobcats took the 16-1 win

For the first time in more than 20 years the Crestview Bulldogs boys weightlifting team is the district champions. The Bulldogs traveled to Tallahassee on Thursday claiming the title in the District 2-3A Olympic Style lift. They finished third in the Traditional category.

A chilly spring evening at the Crestview High School baseball complex was didn’t stop the Bulldogs and Milton from locking horns in a very good high school game. Runs were at a minimal and pitching was at a premium. In the end, Crestview had a little more of each than the Panthers. When the final out was recorded it was the Bulldogs taking the 4-2 win.

As is the case with many people that grew up in Baker, Zane Steele’s life has been wrapped up in sports and outdoors activities as long as he can remember.

A 2021 graduate of Baker School, Steele played fullback and defensive end on the 2020 Gator state championship football team. He also was a member of the weightlifting team, which helped develop his 5-10, 200-pound body into a mass of muscle.

Crestview softball coach Michelle Howard lights up when talking about freshman pitcher/first baseman/designated hitter Julian Forest.

“I don’t know where to start, really,” she said. “Having someone who is so versatile, someone who can play defense, who can hit and who can pitch, is an amazing problem to have.

Jolee Sloan has been a starter on the Lady Gator varsity softball team since she was in the sixth grade. As a senior, she is now in her final weeks of her career.

A smooth fielder at shortstop, who has delivered timely hits throughout her career, Sloan has had to make her own way following in the footsteps of her older sister, Shelby, who might be the best softball player to come through the Lady Gator program.

Lady Gator softball pitcher Alaynah Smith is finishing her high school softball career where she first played middle school ball, at Baker School.

Smith attended Baker through her seventh grade year before transferring to Davidson Middle School for her seventh grade year and attended Crestview High School as a freshman and sophomore. But the road would eventually lead back down Highway 4 to her hometown.

Baseball can be the cruelest of masters and the greatest of games. Often it can be both in the same game. The Crestview baseball team will attest to that after beating Pine Forest 5-4 on Friday night.

A local fishing club is casting its lines out for more members to join in on the fun and monthly tournament adventures. “We want to grow the club and have more members,” said Colin Martin, club president. “More members mean more fun.”