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Good morning!
Choctaw baseball edged Escambia 9-8 in extra innings to claim its first district championship in 10 years, while Niceville softball rolled past Navarre 10-1 on senior night for its eighth straight win and the Lady Vikings softball team rides a six-game streak into the playoffs. Niceville, South Walton and Rocky Bayou baseball all punched their playoff tickets as well. Off the field, three teens face burglary charges at Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park in Destin, and a Shalimar teen built a pollinator garden at the Valparaiso Library for his Eagle Scout project. Also, four Destin homes for sale under $500K.
SPORTS
Niceville softball rolls past Navarre 10-1 on senior night for 8th straight win
The Niceville Lady Eagles made senior night a memorable one Thursday, dominating Navarre 10-1 to extend their winning streak to eight games and strengthen their case as a 5A state title contender.
- Chloe Bailey went the distance in the circle for Niceville, striking out six and allowing just three hits while scattering Navarre’s offense across seven innings.
“I’m just so happy for the seniors, but to have a good outing against a quality team and put up some good numbers,” Niceville head coach Danny Hensley said. “First couple innings we kind of struggled a bit, but we made some swings, defense is playing really well, made some plays. We’re getting good jumps on balls. That’s taking pressure off of Chloe pitching. She knows she doesn’t have to strike everybody out right now.”
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GAMES
WordroW: April 20, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
SPORTS
Baseball: Niceville, South Walton and Rocky Bayou all punch tickets to the playoffs
Three area teams are headed to the playoffs after claiming district championships this week, with Niceville and South Walton winning titles Thursday and Rocky Bayou clinching its crown Tuesday.
GIVING BACK
Shalimar teen builds pollinator garden at Valparaiso Library for Eagle Scout project
Nolan Henderson has spent much of his life inside the Valparaiso Community Library.
- Homeschooled since his family moved to the area in 2016, the 15-year-old from Shalimar said the library was where he took classes, checked out books and talked with people in the community throughout elementary school. So when it came time to pick a beneficiary for his Eagle Scout project, he said the choice was easy.
On Saturday, Henderson led a team of volunteers at the library from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to build a pollinator garden.
“The Valparaiso Library was a really big part of educating me and growing up,” Henderson said ahead of the build. “When it came time to my beneficiary for my project, the library became a no-brainer.”
Henderson’s family moved to the area when he was 6 years old. His mother, Natasha Henderson, is a former special education teacher in Texas who stepped away from the classroom to homeschool Nolan and his younger sister, Lila. He joined Cub Scout Pack 522 the same year the family moved and has since worked his way through the ranks with Troop 529B.
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PUBLIC SAFETY
Three teens charged with burglary at Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park in Destin
Three juveniles face burglary charges after Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an alarm overnight at Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park, the agency announced on Sunday.
When deputies arrived at the Destin waterpark, they reportedly encountered multiple subjects on scene who ran when they saw law enforcement, according to OCSO. Deputies locked down the area and deployed the agency’s Drone Unit to track the suspects.
Three juveniles, ages 15, 15 and 17, were located during the search. Investigators confirmed ice cream had been taken from the park, and OCSO said the burglary may have been recorded on a GoPro for possible social media content.
All three juveniles are being charged with burglary, according to the sheriff’s office.
SPORTS
Lady Vikings softball finds its stride, rides six-game win streak into playoffs
Repeating as state champions is rarely easy. It’s even harder when a program loses an impactful senior class that included the Emerald Coast’s best bat in Alyx Hall, when its leader in hits and one of its top returners transfers away, and when the schedule ahead features a slate of elite competition
- That was the reality facing Fort Walton Beach softball entering this season.
Hannah Isham transferred to Pace in the offseason, taking her bat with her. The schedule included three defending state runners-up in Niceville, Pace and North Bay Haven, playoff-caliber programs in Gulf Breeze, Navarre and Milton, and quality out-of-state opponents in Gulf Shores, Daphne, Springboro and Greenwood.
Viewed through that lens, the Lady Vikings’ 2-10 start makes sense.
Since then, though, Fort Walton Beach has looked like a different team. Following a loss to Greenwood on April 6, the Lady Vikings have won six in a row, including a victory over Navarre and a sweep of Milton.
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HOT LISTINGS
4 houses for sale in Destin under $500k
This week, we’re heading into Destin to highlight four homes that offer a range of options, right in the heart of the community.
- Known for its access to the harbor, local restaurants, and nearby beaches, Destin continues to be a top choice for those who want to live close to everything.
From fully renovated homes to flexible layouts with space for boats and RVs, these listings showcase the variety you can still find across this area.
SPORTS
Choctaw baseball edges Escambia 9-8 in extra innings to claim first district championship in 10 years
In a back-and-forth thriller that needed extra innings to decide, Choctaw baseball outlasted Escambia 9-8 on Friday to claim its first district championship in a decade.
Escambia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on a Caleb Bates three-run home run, but the Indians clawed back with a four-run fifth to take their first lead of the night. The game went back and forth from there, with Escambia taking an 8-6 lead in the top of the 10th that appeared to lock up a stunning upset.
They hadn’t.
With the bases loaded and a full count, Jack Marracco laced a walk-off double that scored three to deliver the win — and Choctaw’s third victory over Escambia this season.
With the district title and the No. 1 seed secured, the road to Fort Myers now runs through the Andy Snaith Baseball Complex. The Indians will have to wait until Monday when the brackets are released to learn their first-round opponent.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Monday. Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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