The first round of the high school football playoffs turned out to be quite a thriller for several area teams. The night ended with a heartbreaking overtime loss for Niceville. The Eagles trailed Milton 31-16 in the 4th quarter, only to rally for two late scores, the second coming on a blocked punt return for a touchdown. After Niceville turned in the two point conversion, the game was tied at 31. In overtime though, Milton scored a touchdown on it's possession then stopped the Eagles on 4th and goal from the two. So Niceville falls 38-31 in overtime.

On the 1A level, the Liberty Bulldogs scored on an 80 yard run by Alex Marlowe on their first possession and never looked back. They then converted two Bozeman turnovers into another two touchdowns, and led it 19-0 at the half, eventually winning that game 26-7.

Next up for Liberty is a rematch with district foe Blountstown. The Tigers went on the road and beat Holmes 10-0. A field goal by Andrew Bennett and a short td run by Hunter Jordan all the scoring in that one.

In Graceville, Freeport beat the Tigers by a final of 26-21. Morgan Hardy, Owen Cole with rushing touchdowns, Gabe Moore a 39 yard touchdown pass helping the Bulldogs to that win. Freeport will be on the road again in round two playing at district rival Northview who beat Cottondale Friday 57-6.

Highlights of the first four games is attached.

High School Football
Round 1 State Playoff Schedule

6A Region Quarterfinals
Niceville 31 Milton 38 F/OT

1A Region Semifinals
Bozeman 7 Liberty 26
Blountstown 10 Holmes 0
Freeport 26 Graceville 21
Cottondale 6 Northview 56

The final week of regular season play saw some teams tuning up for playoff competition next week, while others simply played for pride and for next year! Rutherford and Mosley battled it out at Tommy Oliver with the Rams coming away with a 31-23 win, so coach Dempsey ends his first season at 3-7. Coach Perry Brown meanwhile coaching his final game for Mosley. Brown in the state's retirement incentive program which now requires he sit out of the state system for one year.

Arnold fell on the road at FWB by a 42-6 score. Playoff bound Bozeman meanwhile winning big over playoff bound Cottondale 48-22. Perhaps the best team in this area not playoff bound, Marianna, finishing 8-2 on the season with a 35-0 win at Holmes.
And in the annual war between the Tigers, Graceville gets a 42-41 win over Chipley. The highlights of many of these games are attached, and all the finals from week 11 are below.

High School Football
Week 11 Schedule

Rutherford 31Mosley 23
Arnold 6 Ft. Walton Beach 42
Bay 7 Niceville 35
Cottondale 22 Bozeman 48
Blountstown 7 Lafayette 16
Chipley 41 Graceville 42
South Walton 37 Franklin 10
Freeport 41 Rocky Bayou 6
Marianna 35 Holmes 0
Port St. Joe 20 Sneads 6
Baker 42 Vernon 20
West Gadsden 15 Wewahitchka 34

Liberty, Walton, Choctaw, Crestview off

Several district titles and runner up spots were determined all across our region Friday night in week 10 of the high school season. Among those nailing down titles, the Liberty Bulldogs in 1A district 4, their 26-25 over Port St. Joe clinching that title. Blountstown claims the runner up spot in that league beating West Gadsden 27-0. In 1A-3, Holmes rallies with 30 unanswered points to beat Chipley, giving the Blue Devils that title. Bozeman by winning big at South Walton 46-27, clinches the runner up spot in that district. In 6A-2, Niceville wins at Crestview, and that combiend with Fort Walton Beach's win over Choctaw, gives the Eagles their district runner up playoff berth. In 4A-1, Marianna loses a heartbreaker to Taylor 26-25, ending the Bullodgs playoff hopes. And in 5A-1, Bay spoils Arnold's playoff hopes 21-7 at Tommy Oliver, but it didn't matter in terms of the district, since Gulf Breeze beat visiting Rutherford 45-15, clinching the runner up spot for the Dolphins.

High School Football
Week 10 Schedule

Choctaw. 31FWB 38
Niceville 42 Crestview 7
Mosley 13 Navarre 28
Bay 21 Arnold 7
Rutherford 15 Gulf Breeze 45
Taylor 26 Marianna 25
E. Gadsden 14 Walton 17
Bozeman 47 South Walton 27
Chipley 16 Holmes 38
West Gadsden 0 Blountstown 27
Port St. Joe 25 Liberty 26 F/OT
Sneads 41 Vernon 12
Graceville 41 Cottondale 14
Jay 7 Freeport 46
Aucilla Chr. 41 Rocky Bayou 0

Wewahitchka, Franklin off

Week 9 of the prep football season did not prove to be a good one for the Arnold Marlins. They simply ran into the buzzsaw known as the West Florida offense. The Jag's scored 24 first half points and added 28 more in the second half on the way to a 52-21 win at Gavlak. That leaves Arnold 1-2 in district play but not completely out of playoff contention. On the 6A level, Crestview came east and hammered Mosley at Tommy Oliver, leaving the Dolphins still winless in 6A-2 play. Navarre meanwhile nailed down that district title with a win FWB.
Blountstown got a big win over Franklin, so the Tigers will await the outcome of next week's St. Joe-Liberty matchup. If St. Joe wins that one, there will be a 3 way tie atop 1A district 4. If Liberty wins, they'll be champs, Blountstown the runner up. And the Bozeman Bucks won an out of district game Friday, scoring early and often against Wewa on the way to a 49-12 win. The Bucks are 6-2.

Week 9 High School Football Schedule

Thursday
Bay 14 Rutherford 20
Port St. Joe 57 West Gadsden 7

Friday
West Florida 52 Arnold 21
Crestview 39 Mosley 7
Gulf Breeze 35 Choctaw. 12
Ft. Walton Bch. 28 Navarre 44
Freeport 13 Chipley 39
Graceville 28 Jay 14
Liberty 48 South Walton 0
Wewahitchka 12 Bozeman 49
Franklin 0 Blountstown 51
Sneads 21 Cottondale 36
Walton 24 North Florida Christian 48
Vernon 0 Northview 40
Rocky Bayou 35 John Paul II 41

Marianna, Niceville, Holmes off

Friday night was a rather big night for district play across our region, with several teams taking big steps toward potential playoff berths, and others seeing their playoff dreams end.

Count the Bozeman Bucks in the former category, as they whipped Chipley 49-14 to even their mark in 1A 3 play. If the Bucks beat South Walton and Holmes beats Chipley, the Bucks are guaranteed a playoff spot. If Chipley beats Holmes, they'll all be 2-1 in district play which forces a 3 team playoffs. Mosley unable to get that first district win in a 6A-2 game at Choctaw, the Indians winning 31-20, so the Indians 2-2 in district play, the Dolphins 0-3. Niceville meanwhile gets the big win at home over Fort Walton Beach, so the Eagles now 2-2 in district, FWB also 2-1. Bay meanwhile no match for visiting Gulf Breeze, losing at Tommy Oliver by a 31-6 score, putting a big dent in Bay's playoff hopes. All the highlights of these games and more in the video attached.

Week 8 Schedule
Thursday Night
West Florida 38 Rutherford 6

Friday Night
Gulf Breeze 31 Bay 6
Mosley 20 Choctaw 31
Navarre 13 Crestview 8
FWB 3 Niceville 34
Marianna 42 Walton 7
Chipley 14 Bozeman 49
Holmes 46 South Walton 16
Blountstown 7 Liberty 20
West Gadsden 14 Franklin 16
Northview 42 Freeport 0
Vernon 6 Graceville 49
Wewahitchka 16 Sneads 55
FAMU 0 Port St. Joe 7

Rocky Bayou, Cottondale, Arnold off

WEEK 7
Week 7 of the high school football season turned out quite nicely for some Bulldogs, namely those of the Crestview and Marianna variety. Both those teams getting victories Friday, Crestview winning on the road over Choctaw 28-24 in a thriller at Etheridge Stadium. The Bulldogs now 1-1 in 6A district 2 play, Choctaw. is 1-2 in league play. Marianna getting a hard fought 14-6 home win over rival Blountstown.
Bay and Arnold both traveling east, the Marlins losing in Brevard County 21-0 to Satellite, and Bay falling 27-21 at Lafayette. Other winners Friday include Liberty, Holmes, Graceville and Wewahitchka. The finals are below.

High School Football
Week 7 Schedule

Arnold 0 Satellite 21
Bay 21 Suwannee 27
Bozeman 18 Liberty 27
Blountstown 6 Marianna 14
Crestview 28 Choctaw. 24
Cottondale 20 Jay 36
South Walton 7 Graceville 35
Holmes 36 Vernon 7
Rocky Bayou 10 Port St. Joe 42
Sneads 14 Baker 28
Walton 0 Catholic 26
West Gadsden 14Lafayette 45
John Paul II 28 Wewahitchka 44

Rutherford, Mosley, Niceville, Northview, FWB,
Freeport, Chipley off

WEEK 6
Friday Night turned into a big night for at least one area team in terms of it's district schedule. The Arnold Marlins able to hang on for a 10-7 win over visiting Rutherford. The Marlins scored a field goal on the first drive of the game. Neither team scored again until the second half, where they each added a touchdown. With the score 10-7 and a minute to go, the Rams were driving for the tying or possible game winning score, when Blaine McCrainie gets his second interception of the game, sealing the Arnold victory. So the Marlins now 2-4 overall, more importantly 1-1 in district play. The Rams 0-1 in district. Other winners in key district games Friday, FWB over Crestview, Graceville over Wewa, Cottondale a win over Vernon and Chipley getting a victory over South Walton. Video of several of those games are attached as part of Friday Night Overtime. All the scores are below.

High School Football
Week 6 Scores

Thursday
Niceville 42 Mosley 10

Friday
FWB 21 Crestview 14
Choctaw. 17 Navarre 21
Rutherford 7 Arnold 10
East Gadsden 47 Marianna 0
Freeport 41 Baker 34
Jay 14 Northview 62
Vernon 7 Cottondale 34
Graceville 46 Wewahitchka 28
South Walton 6 Chipley 37
Port St. Joe 56 Franklin 14
Liberty 34 West Gadsden 24
Sneads 0 Blountstown 21
Maclay 58 Rocky Bayou 0
Walton 27 Taylor 45

Bay, Bozeman, Holmes off

WEEK 5
Week 5 of the high school football season was good for Mosley, FWB, Choctaw, and Port St. Joe among others. The Dolphins getting a 14 point win over Bay at Tommy Oliver, the 'fins are now 2-0 over their county rivals, with Rutherford still to play. Speaking the Rams, they went west Friday and came up on the short end of a 37-18 score at Riggs Stadium, the Vikings taking their record to 4-1. Choctaw. won it's district opener against Niceville in a showdown thriller at Etheridge Stadium. The biggest shock of week 5 coming in Port St. Joe where the Sharks jumped out to a 21-0 lead and then held on to beat previously unbeaten Holmes 28-20. Marianna meanwhile, beating FAMU on the home field, making the Bulldogs our area's lone undefeated team. Coach Cokely and his Dog's now 5-0 thanks to a 36-14 win Friday. The video of many of these games and more atttached on Friday Night Overtime.

High School Football
Week 5 Scores

Rutherford 18 Ft. Walton Bch. 37
Mosley 28 Bay 14
Niceville 28 Choctaw 31
Baker 21 Bozeman 32
Cottondale 22 Chipley 38
Wewahitchka 26 Franklin 27
Graceville 7 Freeport 27
Godby 49 Crestview 14
Holmes 20 Port St. Joe 28
Liberty 49 Vernon 0
FAMU 14 Marianna 36
Northview 20 Gulf Breeze 44
Rocky Bayou 42 Peniel Baptist 0
Lafayette 35 Sneads 10
Jay 29 South Walton 6
Walton 16 Dothan Northview 34

Arnold, Blountstown, West Gadsden off

WEEK 4
Several area teams hit the field for their first district games Friday night, and among the winners on that front, Holmes, Graceville, Cottondale, Liberty and Fort Walton Beach. The Vikings getting 28-14 over visiting Mosley, so the Vikings 1-0 in district, the Dolphins start district play 0-1. Rutherford meanwhile, still out of district, getting the first win for new head coach Alvin Dempsey, beating Suwannee at Tommy Oliver, a blocked punt for a touchdown the key play for the Rams. Check out all the action in the Friday Night Overtime Video attached. Below are all the finals from around our area in Week 4.

Week 4 Scores

Mosley 14FWB 28
Navarre 35 Niceville 28
Arnold 14Gulf Breeze 42
Bay 0 West Florida 38
Suwannee 14 Rutherford 31
Bozeman 20 Holmes39
Sneads 26 Graceville 28
Cottondale 34 Wewahitchka 20
Franklin 6 Liberty 37
Blountstown 14 Port St. Joe 6
Marianna 42Chipley 14
Tishomingo OK 7 Choctaw 56.
Crestview 7 Catholic 28
Walton 42 Freeport 21
South Walton 7 Northview 34
Munroe 18 Rocky Bayou 41

Vernon off

WEEK 3
Week 3 of the high school football season turned out to be yet another good one for the Bozeman Bucks who remain unbeaten. Coach Tillman's squad taking care of business against visiting Vernon Friday night 47-12, so the Bucks are 3-0. It was also a convincing win for the Mosley Dolphins who traveled over to Gavlak and knocked off rival Arnold 42-14. Chris Childree with 3 scores in that one. Blountstown went on the road to Freeport to rack up their second win of the season, while Marinna took care of business at home beating Liberty. Bay meanwhile fumbling the ball with 29 seconds to go and watching Rodney Shipman go 90 yards the other way for the only score in a 7-0 Walton win. And kudos to Crestview who for the first time in the program's history, beat a nationally ranked opponent, beating Bolles at home 20-14 Friday. All the scores are below, and the video from Friday Night Overtime is attached.

High School Football
Week 3 Schedule

MosleY 42 Arnold 14
Bay 0 Walton 7
Vernon 12 Bozeman 47
Blountstown 37 Freeport 22
Chipley 29 Northview 50
Choctaw. 17 Washington 19
Franklin 14 Cottondale 54
Milton 24 FWB 17
Holmes 34 Baker 7
Liberty 7 Marianna 26
Pine Forest 14 Niceville 17
Escambia 21 Rutherford 10
Sneads 19 Jay 14
West Gadsden 3 FAMU 40
Monroe 8 Wewahitchka 38
Bolles 14 Crestview 20

Graceville, South Walton, Port St. Joe, off

WEEK 2
High School Football
Week 2 Schedule

Thursday Night
West Gadsden 0 Mosley 59

Friday Night
Amite 0 Arnold 44
Liberty 12 Bay 13
Port St. Joe 8 Bozeman 35
Chipley 28 Blountstown 31
Choctaw 21 Godby 28
Cottondale at Sneads ppd.
Crestview 35 Escambia 7
Graceville 19 Franklin 0
Freeport 41 South Walton 7
Fort Walton Beach at Tate
Jay 14 Holmes 52
Marianna 48 Northview 42 F/OT
Pace 28 Niceville 17
Rocky Bayou 33 Baker 55
Rutherford 3 Milton 31
Wewahitchka 6 Vernon 38
FAMU 0 Walton 41

WEEK 1
High School Football
Week 1

Mosley 10 Wakulla 44
Bozeman 35 West Gadsden 0
Bay 29 Jefferson 26
Arnold 6 Pace 45
Rutherford 17 Florida 48
Freeport 14 Fort Walton Bch. 48
East Gadsden 17 Niceville 51
Catholic 9 Choctaw. 7
Milton 14 Crestview 23
Holmes 20 Blountstown 0
Vernon 28 Chipley 35
Wewahitchka 8 Port St. Joe 46
Walton 0 Gulf Breeze 21
Liberty 38 Graceville 0
Franklin 14 Sneads 62
Baker 26 South Walton 21
John Paul II 0 Northview 60
Jay 67 Rocky Bayou 21