PNJ Top Performers: Catholic's Nettles, Pace's Comes and Simmons highlight Week 3's best
Week 3 of the area's 2022 High School football season was the wildest week yet because of inclement weather, sometime the entire state lamented while trying to catch the action on the gridiron.
Of the five Friday games played in either Escambia or Santa Rosa counties, only Northview's 34-25 victory at Tate did not feature a weather delay as several contests ended just before midnight. Milton and Booker T. Washington's contest began Friday evening and ended Saturday evening.
As for the play on the field, things weren't particularly close, with the average margin of separation being 22 points. Among the area's eight games in Week 3, Escambia's 12-10 home win over Gulf Breeze was the only contest decided by one score or less.
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Week 3 Football: Pace, Escambia, Northview, Catholic, Navarre among winners in the rain
Whether they played in a blowout or a game that came down to the wire, there were a number of spectacular efforts to highlight. With that said, here are Week 3's top performers:
Defense
Caden Barnes, Tomas Ravendo, Grayson Shehan, Jay
Barnes and Ravendo each pulled down a sack while Shehan had an interception during the Royals’ shutout win at Franklin County.
Ashton Bryans, Trevion Killette and Lejon Williams, Escambia
As the Gators defense held Gulf Breeze to 10 points, Bryans and Williams each racked up a pair of sacks while Killette pulled down an interception. Williams finished with a team-high 11 tackles. Bryans added nine tackles, including an Escambia-best four tackles for loss.
Dwyane Clark Jr., Navarre
The senior linebacker notched a fumble return touchdown during the Raiders’ convincing victory at Rickards.
Brandon Comes, Brayden Gates and Jackson Ward, Pace
The Patriots were overpowering up front in their blowout win over West Florida, with Comes putting up a team-high 3.5 sacks. Ward and Gates each had an interception and tied for the team lead with seven tackles. Ward added a sack.
Zack DeJesus, Latrell McGhee, Ja’Bril Rawls, Xavier Thompson, Pensacola Catholic
During the Crusaders’ home win against St. Stanislaus (Miss.), DeJesus collected a team-best 11 tackles, nine of which were solo. Rawls and Thompson each had an interception while McGhee forced a fumble.
Elijah Douglas, Has’shawn Hackworth, Trey Hunter, Pine Forest
The Eagles starters held Pensacola without a point before being pulled in the second half. Douglas and Hackworth each had a sack. Hunter finished with a team-high 10 tackles.
Matthew Farrar, Milton
The senior defensive back ended the Panthers’ first win of the season with a 92-yard interception return touchdown on the final play of the game against Booker T. Washington.
Jaylen Lewis, Booker T. Washington
The senior linebacker had a pair of fumble recoveries deep in the red zone during the Wildcats’ loss at Milton.
Gavin Quenneville and Shamane Walker, Gulf Breeze
During the team’s defeat at Escambia, Walker led the Dolphins with 11 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Quenneville chipped in 10 tackles.
Offense
Aidan Byrd, C.J. Nettles, Ja’Bril Rawls, Jayvion Showers, Pensacola Catholic
Through three games this season, no area running back has produced more yards in a single game than Nettles. The sophomore tailback had 22 carries for 289 yards and three touchdowns during the team’s victory against St. Stanislaus. Byrd tossed four touchdown passes, with Rawls and Showers catching two scores apiece.
Andre Colston, Tate
Recording two touchdowns, the junior running back rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries during the Aggies’ loss against Northview.
Troy Coughlin, Gulf Breeze
The senior running back recorded his third 100-yard rushing effort in as many games, carrying the ball 21 times for 103 yards and a touchdown at Escambia.
Donielle Hayes and Tierra Wilson, Pine Forest
Hayes pulled down four catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson was on the other end of those connections, as the senior quarterback added a touchdown on the ground.
Tyree Haynes and Emory Williams, Milton
Haynes gashed Booker T. Washington to the tune of 172 rushing yards on just 26 carries. The senior running back scored twice while Williams accounted for four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing).
Jamarkus Jefferson and Kaden Odom, Northview
Scoring all five of Northview’s touchdowns Friday night, Jefferson, the area’s leading rushing, piled up 214 yards on 32 carries. Odom was the perfect complement to Jefferson’s performance, adding 128 rushing yards on 15 carries.
B.J. Jenkins, Booker T. Washington
Jenkins is the first wide receiver to crack to the 200-yard mark this season. The senior finished with six catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Eddie Love Jr., and Jadon Reese, Navarre
Love Jr. and Reese were the Raiders’ two best offensive options against Rickards. Love Jr. had 22 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. Reese only caught two passes, but each went for touchdowns and totaled 92 yards.
Cameron Newman, Jay
On a night where his team finished with 298 yards on the ground against Franklin County, Newman led the Royals with 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Nick Simmons, Pace
The area’s touchdown leader had five total scores against a West Florida defense that had not allowed an offensive touchdown in its two prior games. Simmons had 26 carries for 122 yards and three rushing scores. He only completed three of his eight passes, but two reached the end zone.
Ammiel Steele and Akeem Stokes, Escambia
Steele was efficient during a rainy night at Emmitt Smith Field. The senior quarterback completed 16 of 23 passes for 217 yards. Thirteen of his passes were completed to Stokes, who finished with 187 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Special Teams
Raymond Cottrell, Milton
The senior wide receiver blocked a potential game-tying field goal with less than two minutes remaining of the Panthers’ victory against Booker T. Washington.
Taylor Gardner, Navarre
The senior place kicker went 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts and nailed a 35-yard field goal during the team’s win against Rickards.
Malachi Gilbert, Booker T. Washington
The senior had a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown during the first half of the team’s game against Milton.
Reice Griffith and Jackson Ward, Pace
Griffith produced touchbacks on each of his seven kickoffs. He was also perfect on his six extra-point attempts. The senior had four punts, averaging 44 yards per punt. Meanwhile, Ward blocked a Jaguars punt to set up a Patriots touchdown late in the first half.
Tomas Ravendo, Jay
On the opening kickoff, Ravendo got his hands on a Franklin County onside kick and took 51 yards into the end zone for the first points of the game.
Tyrese Thomas, Pine Forest
The senior defensive back weaved through the Pensacola special teams for a 58-yard punt return touchdown.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Football: Catholic's Nettles, Pace's Comes, Simmons unstoppable in Week 3
