Sports Archive

When Cecil Purdue speaks, it’s barely above a whisper. But when he steps on the football field, the Crestview senior lets his play do the talking for him. Purdue is a Swiss Army Knife type player that can line up at receiver, running back, linebacker or safety. He’s a reliable member of the “hands team” when Bulldog coaches expect the opposition will try an onside kick.

It has been a rough year for the Vernon Yellow Jacket football team. The team’s head coach, Trey Pike, was killed in a boating accident in early August.

It seems like old times for the Baker School volleyball team. Or at least it might seem somewhat like 2020. That was the last time the Gators appeared in the Final Four. Baker is headed back to the Final Four thanks to a sweep of Chipley on Tuesday by scores of 25-20, 25-18, 25-16. The Gators will host Union County on Friday at 7 p.m. The winner of the match will play for the state championship on Nov. 11 against the winner of Liberty County-Williston.

The Okaloosa County Middle School Football Champion again resides in Crestview.

The Davidson Panthers claimed the title beating Pryor 36-12 in a game played on Oct. 20 at Choctaw High School’s Joe Etheredge Stadium. The win avenged a 32-0 loss to the Pirates earlier in the season.

A playoff spot is still a possibility for the Crestview football team as the Bulldogs travel to Fort Walton Beach on Thursday to take on the Vikings. Game time is 7 p.m. at Steve Riggs Stadium.

The game is being played on Thursday because there is a shortage of officials in the area and this is the only way games can be covered.

About the only way Leon could slow down the Crestview offense on Friday was by showing up late. The Lions didn’t arrive in Crestview from Tallahassee until 7:20 for a 7 p.m. game. By the time the teams warmed up, Crestview’s Homecoming 2022 was delayed by an hour.

It was business as usual as the Baker volleyball team hosted District 1-1A rival Central in the region volleyball semifinal on Thursday night. Powered by 15 kills from Maddie Mills the Gators swept the Jaguars in three sets by scores of 25-10, 25-11, 25-23.

The number might have been fewer than hoped for, but the memories were many as players, cheerleaders and coaches from the 2002 Crestview football team that was state runner up was recognized before Friday’s game with Milton.

Making the evening special had to be seeing the Bulldogs beat the Panthers 49-28.

Looking on paper at how the Crestview football team has done this year and comparing it to Friday’s Homecoming opponent, Leon, the Bulldogs should take care of the Lions fairly easily. Crestview has outscored Leon by 161 points (241-80). The Bulldogs have allowed 118 fewer points (322-204). But as any coach will quickly tell you, games aren’t played on paper. And Homecoming games can often be trap games with all the distractions of the week.

It was a red-letter day for Crestview golfer Alex Fagan on Wednesday at the Okaloosa County Championship. The Bulldog senior won the tournament shooting an 80 at the Links Course at Sandestin.

He finished three shots ahead of his closest competitor.