Sports

Pinson, the area’s first Game Changers, talks skateboarding with the Littles, right, on March 1 at Main Beach. Photo by Beth Jones/News-Leader

Pinson, the area’s first Game Changers, talks skateboarding with the Littles, right, on March 1 at Main Beach. Photo by Beth Jones/News-Leader

Pinson named a Game Changer

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida recently launched a new initiative, and its first Game Changer is Fernandina Beach skateboarder Poe Pinson.
Victoria Rushing at the net Tuesday in the Lady Pirates’ season opener at Main Beach. This is the second season for beach volleyball at Fernandina Beach High School, and the first for Yulee High School, which will also play its home matches at Main Beach. Photo by Penny Glackin/Special

Victoria Rushing at the net Tuesday in the Lady Pirates’ season opener at Main Beach. This is the second season for beach volleyball at Fernandina Beach High School, and the first for Yulee High School, which will also play its home matches at Main Beach. Photo by Penny Glackin/Special

Beach volleyball season opens

The Lady Pirates opened the season Tuesday, their second season of beach volleyball. Fernandina Beach High School hosted Clay County, and the hosts were victorious. The Lady Pirates won 4-1. “We had a great first match against Clay,” said Brian Evatt, head coach at FBHS.
Vic Garvin (father of the late Patrick Garvin, a member of the team who wore No. 24), coach Jon Anderson, players Tai Alford and Terin Dallas, coach Shane Talbert, players Jake Brogdon and Carlos Holcey, team scorekeeper Jim Corbett and head coach Matt Schreiber. Photo by Penny Glackin/Special for the News-Leader

Vic Garvin (father of the late Patrick Garvin, a member of the team who wore No. 24), coach Jon Anderson, players Tai Alford and Terin Dallas, coach Shane Talbert, players Jake Brogdon and Carlos Holcey, team scorekeeper Jim Corbett and head coach Matt Schreiber. Photo by Penny Glackin/Special for the News-Leader

A blast from the past

The 2008-09 Fernandina Beach High School boys basketball team, the last team to win a district championship for the school, was honored Jan. 31 before the Pirates’ matchup with Yulee. The Pirates upset top-seed Ribault in the district championship game in 2009.
Front row from left, Kyleigh Golden and Ava Martyn (softball at Edward Waters University), Peyton Tharp (softball at South Georgia State College), Ethan Myers (football at Hutchinson Community College) and Braelyn Jones (football at St. Thomas University). They are pictured with their coaches and athletic director, back row from left, John Kent, Cristyn Gaynor, Chris Hicken, Casey Erb, Josh Burch, Jamari Rauls and Kyle Dougherty. Photo by Beth Jones/News-Leader

Front row from left, Kyleigh Golden and Ava Martyn (softball at Edward Waters University), Peyton Tharp (softball at South Georgia State College), Ethan Myers (football at Hutchinson Community College) and Braelyn Jones (football at St. Thomas University). They are pictured with their coaches and athletic director, back row from left, John Kent, Cristyn Gaynor, Chris Hicken, Casey Erb, Josh Burch, Jamari Rauls and Kyle Dougherty. Photo by Beth Jones/News-Leader

5 Hornets sign to play on college level

Five Hornets will leave the nest after graduation, and on Wednesday, they chose where they will land. Yulee High School celebrated its latest round of student-athletes signing national letters of intent to play in college. Three will be playing softball.
Coco, Primrose and Marigold Waldo in Arizona. Submitted photo

Coco, Primrose and Marigold Waldo in Arizona. Submitted photo

Skateboarders compete

Fernandina Beach was represented by three young skateboarders who competed Saturday and Sunday in the fourth annual Competitive Amateur Skateboard League National Championship at the Lake Havasu Skatepark in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Photo by Erin Mahoney/Special

Photo by Erin Mahoney/Special

Pirates wrestle Fletcher Senators

The Pirates faced a formidable foe on Jan. 7. The Fernandina Beach High School wrestling team fell to the Fletcher High School Senators 60-15.
Pictured are 28 of the 33 sailors who competed in the annual Ice Bucket Challenge. Submitted

Pictured are 28 of the 33 sailors who competed in the annual Ice Bucket Challenge. Submitted

Club holds Ice Bucket Challenge

The Amelia Island Sailing Club held its first race of the 2025 racing season on Jan. 18. The cold weather front and forecasted rain held off, resulting in a delightful sailing day.
Pirate wrestlers, clockwise from top left, Ethan Shiver, Crew Richter, Cael Kubatzke and Felix McDuffy. Photos by Stormy Kubatzke/Special

Pirate wrestlers, clockwise from top left, Ethan Shiver, Crew Richter, Cael Kubatzke and Felix McDuffy. Photos by Stormy Kubatzke/Special

Kubatzke first, McDuffy second at Border Wars

The Pirate grapplers competed in the Border Wars tournament Dec. 6-7 at South Walton High School in Santa Rosa Beach. The Fernandina Beach High School wrestling team finished 14th out of 23 teams.
The Fernandina Beach Middle School varsity girls basketball team takes on visiting Yulee on Tuesday night. Lady Pirate Sara Drawdy, top left, and FBMS’s Amelia Johnson and Lady Hornet Elena James, top right. Yulee’s Harlow Smith and Drawdy, above left. Yulee’s Sophia Mondares with FBMS’s Natalie Weiser and Johnson, above center. Yulee’s Danae Moncrieffe dribbles down the court, above right. Photos by Beth Jones/News-Leader

The Fernandina Beach Middle School varsity girls basketball team takes on visiting Yulee on Tuesday night. Lady Pirate Sara Drawdy, top left, and FBMS’s Amelia Johnson and Lady Hornet Elena James, top right. Yulee’s Harlow Smith and Drawdy, above left. Yulee’s Sophia Mondares with FBMS’s Natalie Weiser and Johnson, above center. Yulee’s Danae Moncrieffe dribbles down the court, above right. Photos by Beth Jones/News-Leader

YMS Lady Hornets defeat Lady Pirates

The Lady Hornets headed east Tuesday night to take on the host Lady Pirates. The Yulee Middle School girls basketball teams defeated their hosts in both the junior varsity and var-sity games.
PHOTO BY PENNY GLACKIN/SPECIAL

PHOTO BY PENNY GLACKIN/SPECIAL

5 Pirates pen to play, swim

Five Fernandina Beach High School seniors will continue to compete on the college level, and they put it in writing Wednesday in the media center. “It’s a great day,” said Mike Woodard, athletic director.