The matchup between Pace and Niceville on Thursday hardly resembled the 20-7 effort from their previous meeting. The Patriots lost to the Eagles at home by a 39-20 margin. The defensive woes were uncharacteristic for the Patriots, who until this game were averaging 14.38 points allowed.
Avery McBride
| 03/26/26 vs Niceville | 259 |
| 03/24/26 vs Navarre | 230 |
| 03/06/26 vs New Smyrna Beach | 202 |
| 03/12/26 vs Choctawhatchee | 201 |
| 03/07/26 vs Ponte Vedra | 197 |
When it comes to explaining why Pace lost, don't look at Josie Arthur. Despite the final result, she picked up 65 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Avery McBride was another key player, having thrown for 259 yards and three touchdowns.
Niceville's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Peyton Carter, who threw for 165 yards and three TDs. The team also got some help courtesy of Layla Hughes, who picked up 37 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Pace has been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 3-5 record this season. As for Niceville, the victory keeps them at an undefeated 8-0.
We've got plenty of inter-district action coming up soon. Pace is set to face off against their familiar foe Tate at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few points on average (the Patriots 14.4, the Aggies 15) so any points scored will be well earned. Meanwhile, Niceville will challenge rival Crestview at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few points on average (the Eagles 6.2, the Bulldogs 13) so any points scored will be well earned.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
