Navarre Welcomes Familiar Face

Navarre Welcomes A Familiar Face – Garrett Bagley is elevated to head coach right in tike for spring.

Larry Blustein March 20, 2024 @ 07:55 AM

There was a time last season – after an overtime loss to Pensacola Catholic – and a setback to power Pensacola Forest that Navarre felt pretty good about the season.   As head coach Jay Walls and his team would run off seven straight wins and grab the attention of football fans across the state.   The Raiders' downfall at the end of the season was the defense, which yielded 48 in a win against Gulf Breeze, but a regular season ending 63 to Niceville and 67 to St. John's Bartram Trail in the opening round of the state playoffs.   When the season ended, Walls, a longtime coach and figure in the region, decided to step down for a position in Georgia.   Waiting in the wings was Garrett Bagley, who had been on the staff for 18 years, going back to Larry Olson in 2006.   With the hire of Bagley, this program keeps a vital cog. Someone who not only led the girls' weightlifting program to seven state titles, but also has made the football program and other boys' sports better as a weightlifting coach as well.   As this team heads toward the spring, there is a feeling that plenty was learned last season, and with a returning class of rising seniors (2025), there is talent and plenty of leadership.   Among that group includes Braxton Barr (DL, 6-2, 230 – 3.5 GPA), Jacob Crowder (TE, 6-2, 183 – 3.55 GPA), Tyler Daniell (K, 5-10, 153), [player_tooltip player_id='1130785' first='Ezkiel' last='Gaska'] (LB, 5-9, 180 – 3.25 GPA), Jack Helton (TE, 6-0, 170 – 4.0 GPA), [player_tooltip player_id='275812' first='Connor' last='Mathews'] (RB, 5-8, 205 – 3.73 GPA), Will Payton (DE, 6-1, 201 – 4.66 GPA), [player_tooltip player_id='773168' first='Andre' last='Spence'] (LB, 5-9, 150 – 3.25 GPA), Vinny Villanova (LB, 5-10, 180 – 3.72 GPA), and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1132102' first='Josh' last='Wilson'] (5-8, 170 – 3.77 GPA).   WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE!   As gifted as this rising senior class appears to be, all eyes will be on the rising junior class (2026), where Jaedon Boatner (OL/DL, 6-1, 275), Ali Bryant (WR, 6-1, 160), Logan Hand (LB, 5-7, 152), Kyle Hughes (OL, 6-0, 270), Travynn Ippolito (WR/LB, 5-11, 152), and offensive lineman Zeavan Jones (5-10, 262) are ready to impact the program this spring and into the summer.   In addition, there are Roman Marshall (QB, 5-9, 152), Logan Pope (WR, 6-0, 155 – 3.24 GPA), Curtis Sanders (WR, 5-8, 147), Roan Strom (LB, 5-11, 194), and versatile Marquez White (WR/DB, 5-8, 151)   The Raiders also have 2027 rising sophomores Ezekial Burgess (DB, 5-11, 185), Payton Robinson (OL, 6-1, 284 – 4.0 GPA), and defensive end Bruce Wheeler (5-10, 203 – 4.0 GPA).   Statewide Coverage Daily. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a>   You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.

There was a time last season – after an overtime loss to Pensacola Catholic – and a setback to power Pensacola Forest that Navarre felt pretty good about the season.