pnj
Pensacola News Journal reveals 2026 spring all-area teams See the full list of the best of the best in eight different spring sports from Escambia and Santa Rosa County.
- The Pensacola News Journal announced its all-area award winners for eight spring sports.
- Selections were based on production, postseason performance, and input from local coaches.
- Pace High School's softball and boys' weightlifting teams both secured state championships.
- Individual honors were awarded for Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and other categories in each sport.
All week, the PNJ has been releasing all-area award winners for spring sports across the Pensacola area.
We recognized the best of the best in baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, tennis, track and field, flag football and boys weightlifting.
Pace softball and boys weightlifting brought home state titles this spring, but this is all about the best individual performers across the Pensacola area.
Now its time to release the full all-area lists for the eight teams.
Below are the PNJs spring award winners and all-area teams.
Selections were made based on production, postseason performance and input from area coaches.
BASEBALL Player of the Year: Colton Guillot, Pensacola Catholic Guillot was dominant both at the plate and on the mound for the Crusaders.
He batted .398 with 16 doubles, five home runs, 23 RBIs, 36 runs scored and went 3-2 with a 2.14 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched.
He set Crusaders program records for career doubles (35) and most doubles in a season (16) and tied Auburn star Chris Remberts career home run record (21).
Guillot reached base in all but one of Catholics 27 games, helping his squad finish 16-11 and qualify for the Region 1-2A playoffs.
A four-year varsity starter, Guillot batted .352 with 35 doubles, 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 108 runs scored and recorded a 3.11 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings pitched for his career.
Guillot signed to play for the University of Virginia, where hes not sure if theyll use him in the field or on the mound.
Coltons got good problems to have, Crusaders head coach Cory Middleton said.
He plays everywhere and can do it at a high level." Hitter of the Year: Dax Brooks, Pace Just a sophomore playing his first full varsity season, Brooks set the tone for a Pace squad that remained the areas best.
Batting leadoff and playing shortstop every game, he hit.
375 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 31 RBIs, 34 runs scored and 13 stolen bases.
He also had a .469 on-base percentage, a .596 slugging percentage and hit .487 with runners in scoring position.
Brooks was brought up halfway through his freshman campaign, allowing him to play alongside his older brother, Glenn, who was first team all-area in 2025 and just finished his freshman year at Pensacola State College and was named to the all-defensive team.
Pitcher of the Year: Bryton McLellan, Tate The 6-foot-5-inch lefty went from a little-used pitcher as a junior to the areas best as a senior.
McLellan went 9-1 with a 1.01 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings pitched.
He pitched at least five innings in nine of his 12 appearances and only allowed more than two runs once.
McLellan also pitched a one-hitter against Southwest Christian School, Texas on March 5 and a no-hitter against Escambia on May 7.
Tate had its first 20-win season since 2022 due to the 1-2 punch of McLellan and Lance Brady on the mound.
McLellan will continue his career at Wallace-Selma Community College.
Newcomer of the Year: Harrison Vernier, West Florida Vernier went from a floater as a freshman to the Jaguars unquestioned ace as a sophomore.
He went 10-3 with a 1.82 ERA in 69 1/3 innings pitched and played second base when he wasnt pitching, batting .246 with 13 RBIs.
Known for his efficiency on the mound, Vernier never went above 82 pitches in any of his starts.
In a 1-0 win over Baldwin in the Region 1-3A quarterfinals, he needed just 61 pitches for a complete game shutout.
West Florida graduates just one starter, meaning Vernier will be part of a group with high hopes for 2027.
Coach of the Year: Jason McBride, Pace McBride repeats as Coach of the Year after keeping a program that lost 11 seniors from 2025 the Pensacola areas best in 2026.
Developing a gritty group that never stopped competing, Pace went 26-6 while playing one of the areas toughest schedules in the regular season.
The Patriots won their sixth straight district title and advanced to a second straight Region 1-6A final.
Pace had just one college signee in Emory Allen (Bishop State CC) but were still ranked No.
1 in 6A for much of the season.
Baseball First Team All-Area - P Lance Brady, Tate - P Bryton McLellan, Tate - P Aaron Muldowney, Pace - P Clayton Sanders, Escambia - P Harrison Vernier, West Florida - INF Caleb Bates, Escambia - INF Parker Boyd, Gulf Breeze - INF Dax Brooks, Pace - INF Colton Guillot, Pensacola Catholic - INF Presley Moseley, Gulf Breeze - INF Jase Portwood, Northview - INF Reed Rhodes, Pensacola Catholic - OF Braiden Cheshire, Pace - OF Boston Hanna, Gulf Breeze - OF Hayden Huntsinger, West Florida - OF Jalen Moton, Pensacola Catholic - UTIL Emory Allen, Pace - UTIL Bryant Mason, Northview Baseball Second Team All-Area - P Travis Bright, Booker T.
Washington - P Colton Deman, Navarre - P Landon Golden, Jay - P Bryce Hatton, Pace - P Cameron Hoeft, Gulf Breeze - INF Carson Baxley, Central - INF Nick Baxley, Jay - INF Connor Dethlefts, Tate - INF Peyton Fuller, West Florida - INF Sayler Melton, Milton - INF Javier Mercado, Gulf Breeze - INF Tyler Wilson, Escambia - OF Ben Bates, Pensacola Catholic - OF Garrett Gandy, Central - OF Evan Taylor, Tate - OF Jax Wheaton, Pace - UTIL Keelan Boyd, West Florida - UTIL Jax Lowery, Jay SOFTBALL Player of the Year: Hannah DeMarcus, Pace DeMarcus repeats as PNJ Player of the Year after dominating in the circle and leading Pace to the 6A state championship.
She went 20-2 with a 0.90 ERA and a state-best 315 strikeouts in 155 2/3 innings, pitching 14 complete games, 12 no-hitters and five shutouts.
She was even better in the postseason, going 7-0 with a 0.62 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched.
In two years, DeMarcus is 43-5 with a 0.59 ERA, 733 strikeouts in 330 2/3 innings pitched and a growing list of accolades.
Shes been named MaxPreps Florida Player of the Year and the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball this year and was named Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and Prep Softball National Player of the Year as a sophomore.
Hitter of the Year: Gracie Ueberroth, Pace The junior was the top hitter in a deep Pace lineup while transitioning from a middle infield role to catcher.
She led the Patriots in batting average (.515), hits (51), doubles (12), RBIs (37) and hit nine home runs.
The Georgia Southern commit continued to step up as the pitching got tougher throughout Paces state championship run getting the game-tying hit in the state semifinal win over Parrish Community and singling and scoring on Britten Kettlers two-run double as part of the Patriots' three-run first inning against Bartow in the state championship.
Ueberroth spent her freshman season at Milton and the last two seasons at Pace, and is batting .405 with 21 home runs and 88 RBIs in her varsity career.
Co-Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Jagar, Gulf Breeze Jagar went from PNJ Newcomer of the Year as a freshman to one of the states best pitchers as a sophomore.
The lefty went 7-3 with a 1.55 ERA in 149 innings pitched, and her 261 strikeouts were sixth best in the state.
She started the year with a 12-strikeout one-hitter in a 1-0 win over 5A state runner-up Niceville on Feb.
17 and struck out more than 10 batters in 15 of 24 appearances.
She also pitched a 12-strikeout no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Milton on March 10.
Jagar also played centerfield when she wasnt pitching, batting .305 with 13 RBIs.
She played a big role in Gulf Breeze advancing to the Region 1-5A semifinals, including allowing just a hit in six innings pitched in a regional quarterfinal win at Ponte Vedra.
Co-Pitcher of the Year: Mikayla McAnally, Northview The junior repeats as Pitcher of the Year after being the ace in the circle for another Northview Final Four run.
She went 9-2 with a 1.33 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched, including a perfect game against Milton on March 27.
She also didnt allow a run in her first four postseason starts, including a no-hitter against Jay in the Rural District 1 final and a one-hitter against the Lady Royals in the Rural Region 1 championship.
In two seasons as Northviews ace, McAnally is 18-3 with a 1.76 ERA and 299 strikeouts in 230 1/3 innings pitched.
Shell be back next year to help the Chiefs chase a state title.
Newcomer of the Year: Kennedy Franz, Pace The junior wasted no time becoming a key cog in the lineup for the 6A state champions, batting .394 with six home runs and 17 RBIs.
Franz helped the Patriots set a new single season home run record with 45 and had a couple key moments in the postseason.
She hit a home run to put Pace on the board in the District 1-6A final against Navarre, then sparked Paces go-ahead rally in the state semifinals with a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth.
Franz batted sixth in the lineup this year and could move up in the order next year with the Patriots graduating three starters.
Coach of the Year: Lexi Alexander, Pace Make it four seasons and four PNJ Coach of the Year awards for Alexander.
She guided Pace to a 27-4 record, helping the Patriots win a second state title in the last three years after falling short in the 6A final a year ago.
They also finished No.
1 in the states MaxPreps rankings for the second time under Alexander, who was also named the Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Coach of the Year.
Pace played the second toughest schedule in the entire state, according to the FHSAA, including five teams that advanced to the Final Four.
The Patriots' four losses were all to nationally ranked squads.
Pace has advanced to the state championship every year under Alexander, going 107-12 in the last four years.
The Patriots have now been to six straight Final Fours and won six straight district championships.
Softball First Team All-Area - P Kaleigh Atchley, Navarre - P Hannah DeMarcus, Pace - P Jessica Jagar, Gulf Breeze - P Mikayla McAnally, Northview - P Chloe Norman, Milton - INF Sally Alberson, Gulf Breeze - INF Mylee Frazier, Jay - INF Britten Kettler, Pace - INF Kaylie Mitchell, Tate - INF Kamryn Pierce, Pace - INF Nadia Rivera, Navarre - INF Gracie Ueberroth, Pace - OF Kylee Langham, Northview - OF Ashley Pickard, Pace - OF Daviona Randolph, Northview - OF Peyton Womack, Northview - UTIL Abbie Freeman, Escambia - UTIL Ashlyn Sutton, Milton Softball Second Team All-Area - P Abby Cogdill, West Florida - P Cadee Carroll, Jay - P Hannah Hollingsworth, West Florida - P Karsyn Riddle, Navarre - P Tenley Smarr, Central - INF Riley Brooks, Northview - INF Emily Moraes, West Florida - INF Kylie Reed, Pace - INF Natalia Taylor, Navarre - INF Leianna Wagner, West Florida - OF Natalie Blair, Central - OF Faith Cain, Milton - OF Kennedy Franz, Pace - OF Kaylee Gilbreath, Jay - OF Ava Scapin, West Florida - OF Madison Smillie, Tate - UTIL Haley Olivet, Pace - UTIL Shelby Zigler, Central BOYS LACROSSE Player of the Year: Pierce Hopson, Pensacola Catholic Hopson wraps up a standout career by winning the areas top award.
The son of Crusaders head coach Dan Hopson, the younger Hopson wreaked havoc at defender and the long stick midfielder positions, picking up 95 groundballs and causing 49 turnovers while being named the programs first ever USA Lacrosse All-American.
He was also a weapon in transition, recording six goals and an assist.
Hopson is a three-time all-area selection and finishes his career with 311 groundballs, 194 caused turnovers, 18 goals and eight assists.
Hell attend Florida State University, where he plans to study finance and play on the schools club team.
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Werrell, Gulf Breeze Werrell didnt miss a beat in his first varsity season.
He emerged as the Dolphins primary faceoff specialist early in his freshman season and finished the season winning 194 of 282 draws, coming out with the ball at a 68.8 percent clip.
He also picked 30 groundballs, scored five goals and dished out two assists.
Werrell excelled in the postseason too, winning 72 of 95 draws as Gulf Breeze won its third straight district title and advanced to its first ever regional final.
If this season is any indication, the Dolphins will continue have a possession advantage for the rest of his time at Gulf Breeze.
Coach of the Year: Erik Liberatore, Gulf Breeze Liberatore helped the Dolphins make history in his first and only season leading the program.
Gulf Breeze finished 12-8, winning its third straight district title and advanced to its first regional final in program history.
The Dolphins were the projected first team out of the Region 1-2A playoffs when the postseason began, before outscoring three District 1-2A tournament opponents 51-9 to roll to another district title.
They then avenged the 2025 regional semifinal loss to Nease with an overtime win over the Bears in the regional quarterfinals, then traveled all the way to Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville to edge Fletcher in the regional semifinals.
Liberatore helped Gulf Breeze break through after the program graduated 16 seniors in 2025, but his time leading the Dolphins will be a short one as he recently accepted another work opportunity outside of Florida.
Boys Lacrosse All-Area Team - A Salvatore Barranca, Navarre - A Ben Cozart, Gulf Breeze - A Leland Erickson, Navarre - A Wesley Morrill, Gulf Breeze - A Landon Pickrell, Gulf Breeze - A Jacob Smith-Gutenmann, Pensacola Catholic - M Elijah Busby, Navarre - M Mason Cawthon, Milton - M Caden Jasso, Pensacola Catholic - M Jax Lagergren, Pensacola Catholic - M Alex Sassi, Gulf Breeze - D Pierce Hopson, Pensacola Catholic - D Rylan Mapel, Navarre - D Graham Pennington, Gulf Breeze - D Mac Sherrill, Pensacola Catholic - LSM Ethan Rudick, Gulf Breeze - FOS Alex Werrell, Gulf Breeze - G Jack Sonntag, Gulf Breeze GIRLS LACROSSE Co-Player of the Year: Ella Adams, Pensacola Catholic Adams overcame two serious leg injuries in the past two years to once again be a force all over the field in her final varsity season.
She totaled a career-high 102 points, with 70 goals and 32 assists, won 58 draw controls, picked up 26 groundballs and caused nine turnovers.
Adams scored at least three points in every game, including an eight-point, three-assist outing in a loss to Greater Atlanta Christian on March 14.
This comes after breaking her fibula before her junior year, then breaking it again during the 2025 season.
The latter limited her to just eight games as a junior.
Adams finishes her varsity career with 211 goals, 92 assists, 254 draw controls, 105 groundballs and 36 draw controls.
Shell attend Florida State University, where she plans to major in biomedical science and possibly walk on to the Seminoles lacrosse team.
Co-Player of the Year: Kaleyah Bussing, Gulf Breeze Few teams had an answer for Bussing, who was a force for the Dolphins on both offense and at the draw.
She stuffed the stat sheet with 62 goals, 11 assists, 86 draw controls, 70 groundballs and 15 caused turnovers in her final varsity season.
Bussing recorded a point in every game this season, highlighted by a 10-point performance (nine goals, assist) in the District 1-2A championship against Navarre.
She also helped Gulf Breeze win at least 50 percent of draws in all but two games.
Bussing took steps forward every season and finished with 154 goals, 28 assists, 437 draw controls, 72 groundballs and 40 caused turnovers.
Shell attend the University of South Florida, where she may walk on to the schools womens lacrosse team.
Newcomer of the Year: Sally Hart, Pensacola Catholic One of several standout freshmen for the Crusaders this spring, Hart did a little bit of everything.
She totaled 26 goals, 12 assists, 27 draw controls, 15 groundballs and four caused turnovers.
Hart had 12 multi-point games, including two hat tricks against Pensacola, one against Tate and another at South Walton in the District 1-1A final.
Sally is a two-way player using both her right and left hands, dodges extremely well, moves well off ball, rides with her speed, and is quick to the ball on draws, Gulf Breeze head coach Ken McIlhenny said about Hart.
She possesses a strong IQ as a freshman and is smart on the field with older teammates.
Coach of the Year: Ken McIlhenny, Gulf Breeze McIlhenny led the Dolphins to their best season in his four leading the program.
Gulf Breeze finished 14-4, won its fourth straight district title and qualified for the Region 1-2A playoffs.
They also beat Pensacola Catholic for the first time since 2022.
McIlhenny is 52-24 in four seasons at Gulf Breeze, the latest stop in a 17-year coaching career.
He coached at Leonardtown High School in Maryland from 2009-18 and at Pensacola from 2020-22 before taking over the Gulf Breeze program in 2023.
Hes 216-68 overall, with 74 of those wins coming in northwest Florida.
Girls Lacrosse All-Area Team - A Rebecca Bradley, Pensacola Catholic - A Lainey Durden, Navarre - A Sally Hart, Pensacola Catholic - A Cooper Hinze, Gulf Breeze - A Ann Pair, Gulf Breeze - A Lacey Riley, Navarre - M Ella Adams, Pensacola Catholic - M Kaleyah Bussing, Gulf Breeze - M Caroline Creedon, Booker T.
Washington - M Marialys Dekom, Navarre - M Aria Goodpaster, Gulf Breeze - M Kerra Mavity, Navarre - M Rozlyn Palmer, Gulf Breeze - M Stella Watkins, Pensacola Catholic - D Melanie Borrell, Navarre - D Jill Lacour, Pensacola Catholic - D McKinley Larrieu, Gulf Breeze - D Ainsley Riddle, Navarre - G Morganne Whitesell, Gulf Breeze FLAG FOOTBALL Player of the Year: Avery Didion, Navarre Dont let Didions size fool you.
Despite standing just 5-foot-3, she was all over the field for Navarre this spring on both sides of the ball.
On offense, she caught 121 passes for 1,453 yards and 17 touchdowns, all team-highs.
On defense, she recorded a team-high 100 flag pulls and 11 interceptions, along with three sacks.
Didion finished with 100 receiving yards in nine games, including five straight to end the season, and interceptions in seven games.
She stuffed the stat sheet during her high school career, catching 249 passes for 3,049 yards and 47 touchdowns on offense and 222 flag pulls, 16 interceptions and eight sacks on defense.
Didion also completed 42 of 87 passes for 426 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 115 yards on nine carries.
Defensive Player of the Year: CariAnn Allen, Booker T.
Washington Allen blossomed into a star in her first varsity season as part of a tenacious Wildcats defense.
The junior recorded 37 tackles and 31 sacks, both team highs on a defense that allowed just 8.6 points per game and recorded four shutouts this spring.
She recorded six sacks against Pine Forest and Tate, nine against Pensacola as well as three sacks each in the Region 1-2A quarterfinal win over St.
Augustine and the Region 1-2A semifinal loss at Choctawhatchee.
Allen was a weapon on offense too, catching 21 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns.
Newcomer of the Year: Avery McBride, Pace A junior, McBride had to replace two-time PNJ Flag Football Player of the Year Amaya Pablo at quarterback and thrived.
She completed 413 of 599 passes for 4,190 yards, 52 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and ran for 333 yards and a touchdown on 50 carries.
McBride also set a Pace single game passing yards record when she threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns in a 32-6 win over Destin on April 15.
Pace advanced to the state playoffs for the fifth straight season and was District 1-3A runner-up.
The Patriots will graduate a couple key offensive playmakers, but McBride will return to try to improve on her stellar numbers from her first season at quarterback.
Coach of the Year: Drew Lafontant, Booker T.
Washington The Wildcats had their best season yet in Lafontant's third season as a coach.
After making the state playoffs a year ago for the first time since 2016, the Wildcats went 11-3 this spring and won their first ever state playoff game with a 7-0 win at St.
Augustine in the Region 1-2A quarterfinals.
Booker T.
is 30-12 in Lafontant's tenure and should continue trending up.
The Wildcats graduate just two seniors from this years squad.
Flag Football All-Area Team - QB Avery McBride, Pace - RB Dani Slattery, Booker T.
Washington - WR Josie Arthur, Pace - WR Avery Didion, Navarre - WR Berkley Lutz, Pace - WR Kenna Pacitti, Pace - WR Emma Sutton, Pace - WR Devani Williams, Booker T.
Washington - Ath (Off.) Lilah Jacobs, Gulf Breeze - Ath (Off.) Kamryn Hughes, Booker T.
Washington - LB Haley Dasinger, Pace - LB Lila Geus, Navarre - LB Rylee Henley, Pace - R CariAnn Allen, Booker T.
Washington - DB Angel Atkins, Booker T.
Washington - DB Sasha Gelsinon, Gulf Breeze - DB Sydney Steele, Pace - Ath (Def.) McKenzie Van Buren, Pace TRACK AND FIELD Boys Athlete of the Year: Khylen Eccles, Pensacola One of the top jumpers in the area, Eccles takes home the award after a standout performance at the 2A state championship.
The junior won the high jump (7 feet, 0.25 inches) in a new personal best and brought home the gold medal in the long jump (22-9).
He also finished sixth in the triple jump (44-10.75).
It was the culmination of a standout postseason, where Eccles won all three events at the District 1-2A championship then won the high jump, finished second in the triple jump and third in the long jump at the Region 1-2A championship.
Eccles previously finished second in the high jump and third in the long jump at the 2A state championship as a sophomore in 2025.
He finished his junior season ranked first in the Pensacola area in the long jump and high jump and third in the triple jump.
Eccles was also PNJ first team all-area in boys basketball in the winter.
Girls Athlete of the Year: Jaimee Tutton, Pensacola Christian The PNJ Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year every year since she was in seventh grade, Tutton ends her high school career by winning her first track and field all-area award.
Tutton finished seventh in the 1,600 meters (5:11.12), fourth in the 3,200 meters (11:13.12) and helped PCA finish 10th in the 4x800 relay (10:04.81) at the FHSAA 1A state championships.
She also won the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 4x800 relay at the District 1-1A championship to help the Warriors win the district title, then won the 1600 and 3200 at the Region 1-1A championship.
This was the first year Tutton won two individual medals at the state championships, and she finishes her track and field career with nine state medals.
Shell stay local to continue her education at Pensacola Christian College.
Coach of the Year: Everett Whiteside, West Florida Whiteside led a Jaguars boys squad that got better at every level in the postseason.
West Florida was District 1-2A runner-up, finished third at the Region 1-2A championship then tied for fourth at the 2A state championship, all despite having no seniors.
Junior Dane Elliott set a new school record in the 200 meters (21.37) at the state meet, and sophomore Donovan Carmichael did the same in the 1600 meters (4:26.75).
Elliott, Isaiah Simpson, Don Williams and Izaiya Rolle set school records in the 4x100 (41.38) and 4x400 (3:17.22) relays.
Junior Amani Bartholomew also took home a pair of medals, finishing sixth in the girls shot put and eighth in the javelin and senior Knaviah Badilishamwalimu finished eighth in the 400-meter hurdles.
Whiteside coaches distance runners, so wanted to make sure assistant coaches Valentino Espinoza (throws and hurdles), Donald Bates (jumps), Jalen Boyd (sprints) and Don Lopez (pole vault) got credit for their work.
Boys Track and Field All-Area Team - 100 meters: Dane Elliott, West Florida - 200 meters: Dane Elliott, West Florida - 400 meters: Jayden Jones, Navarre - 800 meters: Eric Dennard, Escambia - 1600 meters: Brody Bruce, Navarre - 3200 meters: Donovan Carmichael, West Florida - 110-meter hurdles: Anthony Gee, Pine Forest - 400-meter hurdles: Anthony Gee, Pine Forest - 4x100-meter relay: West Florida (Isaiah Simpson, Don Williams, Izaiya Rolle, Dane Elliott) - 4x400-meter relay: West Florida (Isaiah Simpson, Don Williams, Izaiya Rolle, Dane Elliott) - 4x800-meter relay: Navarre (Logan Pope, Tristan Mahowald, Brody Bruce, Moses Knox) - High jump: Khylen Eccles, Pensacola - Pole vault: Paul Arthur, Pace - Long jump: Khylen Eccles, Pensacola - Triple jump: Darian Blanks, Pine Forest - Shot put: Kade Rollins, Gulf Breeze - Discus: Keegan Dickerson, Pace - Javelin: Tate Jernigan, Pace Girls Track and Field All-Area Team - 100 meters: Layanna Banks, Tate - 200 meters: Layanna Banks, Tate - 400 meters: Ziyonna Carter, Pensacola Christian - 800 meters: Ashton Dahlem, Gulf Breeze - 1600 meters: Jaimee Tutton, Pensacola Christian - 3200 meters: Jaimee Tutton, Pensacola Christian - 100-meter hurdles: Synia Hughley, Pensacola - 400-meter hurdles: Synia Hughley, Pensacola - 4x100-meter relay: Tate (Nancy Clay, Niyana Wiggins, Camdyn Green, Layanna Banks) - 4x400-meter relay: Pensacola Christian (Zahara Carter, Jayln Johnson, Ziyonna Carter, Rezaria Carter) - 4x800-meter relay: Pensacola Catholic (Addison Garrett, Callie Howard, Natalie Jackson, Julianna Kerns) - High jump: Brianna Beacham, Booker T.
Washington - Pole vault: Daveigh Meredith, Tate - Long jump: Addison Manning, Pensacola Catholic - Triple jump: Orriyah Randall, Booker T.
Washington - Shot put: Amani Bartholomew, West Florida - Discus: ZaKhiya Shaw-Rease, Pine Forest - Javelin: Leighton Osborn, Pace TENNIS Boys Player of the Year: Cash Schweigert, Pensacola A junior, Schweigert was the only local player to qualify for the individual state championships.
He swept Eau Gallie freshman Dayish Raniga in the Round of 16 before falling in the quarterfinals.
Schweigert was also undefeated in regular season matches as the Tigers No.
1 singles player, going 6-0.
Girls Player of the Year: Maya Chavan, Pensacola Catholic The Crusaders No.
1 singles player, Chavan went 12-11 while helping lead her team to a district title and a regional runner-up finish.
After playing what head coach Geoff Watts called a tough schedule in the regular season, she was the District 1-1A singles runner-up and was doubles runner-up while playing with Emma Cage.
Chavan also won her singles match against Community Christian in the Region 1-1A semifinals and her doubles match with Cage.
While her high school tennis career is over, Chavan will attend Brown University in the fall.
Doubles Team of the Year: Eric Ormsby and Hudson Taylor, Gulf Breeze The pair were the only doubles team to qualify for the state championship, advancing to the 3A quarterfinals one year after winning the 3A state championship.
Ormsby and Taylor also rolled to the District 1-3A No.
1 doubles championship, allowing just eight points in six sets across three matches.
The pair also were Gulf Breezes top two singles players on a team that went 14-1, with Ormsby finishing second at the District 1-2A tournament in No.
1 singles and Taylor winning the No.
2 singles bracket.
While Ormsby has wrapped up his tennis career and is heading to Florida State, Taylor will return next spring for his senior season.
Coach of the Year: Geoff Watts, Pensacola Catholic Watts gets the areas top honor again after another successful spring.
The Catholic boys team won its 13th straight district title, while the girls won their 12th title in their last 13 years.
The boys team went on to win its first regional title since 2023, while the girls lost to Oak Hall in the Region 1-1A final.
Pensacola Catholic boys tennis has advanced to 14 straight regional finals, while the girls teams has advanced to 13 of the last 14 regional finals.
Boys Tennis All-Area Team - Rohan Chavan, Pensacola Catholic - Josh Grass, Gulf Breeze - Eric Ormsby, Gulf Breeze - Cash Schweigert, Pensacola - Hudson Taylor, Gulf Breeze Girls Tennis All-Area Team - Ella Cage, Pensacola Catholic - Maya Chavan, Pensacola Catholic - Julie Drost, Navarre - Quinn Dunne, Milton - Mikhaila Maroy, Navarre BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING Co-Weightlifter of the Year: Kollin Daniels, Pace Daniels repeats as a co-weightlifter of the year after taking home Olympic and traditional individual titles for the second straight year.
After winning both 129-pound titles as a junior, he bumped up to 139 pounds as a senior and had the same results.
He lifted 490 pounds (210 snatch, 280 clean and jerk) to win the Olympic title via tiebreaker, then 555 (280 clean, 275 bench press) pounds to win the traditional title.
Daniels also swept the 139-pound District 1-3A and Region 1-3A titles.
Co-Weightlifter of the Year: Chase Dooley, Jay Dooley went back-to-back, sweeping the 1A Unlimited Olympic (605 pounds, 280 snatch, 325 clean) and traditional (765 pounds, 325 clean, 440 bench) state championships for the second straight year.
A junior, Dooley won the Olympic title by 60 pounds and the traditional title by 85 pounds.
He also swept the District 1-1A and Region 1-1A championships, helping the Royals bring home the team titles in the latter.
Dooley lifted the most combined weight across all three events in the Pensacola area, and will return next year to try to make it a state sweep 3-peat.
Co-Weightlifter of the Year: Ryan Harrigill, Pace One year after bringing home just a third-place medal in the 154-pound traditional category, Harrigill won the Olympic and traditional state titles in the same weight class.
The junior lifted 565 pounds (245 snatch, 320 clean) to win the Olympic title by 40 pounds and 635 pounds (320 clean, 315 bench) to win the traditional title by 45 pounds.
Harrigill was also named the top 3A Olympic weightlifter regardless of weight class, meaning he was the best pound-for-pound Olympic weightlifter at the 3A state championship.
He also ranked second overall in the traditional category.
Boys Weightlifting All-Area Team - 119 Julian Smith, Pine Forest - 129 Tanner Martinez, Jay - 139 Kollin Daniels, Pace - 154 Ryan Harrigill, Pace - 169 Evan Hoffman, Pace - 183 Grady White, Pace - 199 Alex Gomez, Pace - 219 Jake Box, Pace - 238 Roan Strom, Navarre - Unlimited Chase Dooley, Jay.