Florida Sports Wire

Photo by Kyle Hess/Atlanta Falcons ATLANTA (SportsTicker) -   The Jaguars lost to the Falcons 28-12 Saturday at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta ending  their preseason 0-4. Quarterback EJ Perry played the entire game for the Jaguars. He completed 19 of 27 for 201 yards passing, with a pair of interceptions. Wide receiver Tim Jones caught three passes for 103 yards. “I think he did some good things. I did feel like maybe there were some things he tried to press a  little bit. Tried to make something happen, which sometimes young players can do that especially a quarterback," said Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson of Perry's day. "Overall, he made some really good decisions, good throws, played tough, played physical, took some shots during the second half.” Perry is projected to play behind starter Trevor Lawrence and veteran backup CJ Beathard. Perry's only TD pass was to Laquon Treadwell for seven yards with 12 seconds left in the first half to cut the Falcon

File Photo by Steve Meadows/Jumbo Shrimp JACKSONVILLE (SportsTicker) – Trevor Rogers tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp won 5-1 over the Norfolk Tides Thursday night at 121 Financial Ballpark. Rogers dazzled throwing six no-hit innings while tying a career-high with 12 strikeouts.  George Soriano locked the game down with two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and walking a pair to pick up his seventh save. Jacksonville (64-56) took the lead late after being held scoreless through the first five innings. Brian Miller led off with a double against Norfolk (54-65) reliever Denyi Reyes. Jordan Groshans flew out in the next at-bat and Miller tagged up for third.  On a ground ball to first, Miller scored ahead of the throw to give the Jumbo Shrimp a 1-0 lead. Bryan De La Cruz followed with a single and Jesús Sánchez advanced to third.  With runners at the corners, Erik González flew out to right and Sánchez scored on the sac fly for the inning’s second ru

J ACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) – The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Garret Cockerill for the 2022-2023 season.      Cockerill, 28, returns for a second stint in Jacksonville after recording 23 points (4g, 19a) in 41 games played last season with the Reading Royals.    Cockerill initially played for the Icemen during the 2018-2019 season collecting 14 points in 40 games.    The 6-0, 210-pound defenseman has totaled 111 points (23g, 88a) in 226 career ECHL games split between the Icemen, Reading Royals, Tulsa Oilers and Kalamazoo Wings.        Cockerill has also registered 19 points in 56 career AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters from 2017-2019.    Prior to his professional career, the Brighton, Michigan resident played four seasons at Northeastern University where he totaled 84 points (19g, 65a) from 2014-2018, while winning a Hockey East championship i

Ryan Blaney DAYTONA BEACH (SportsDay) - It all comes down to this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, this Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. If history is any indicator of what to expect this weekend, everybody has a shot at the win. With Kurt Busch’s announcement to withdraw his medical waiver into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, two Playoff spots are now up for grabs heading into this weekend, and they are currently held by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in 15th and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. in 16th in the Playoff standings outlook.  But 13 other drivers that are eligible for the postseason are facing a ‘Win or Go Home’ situation this weekend and will be vying for one of those last two postseason spots making Saturday night’s race that much more intense. Since the inception of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, Richmond Raceway hosted the regular seas

File Photo by Andreea Cardani/Jumbo Shrimp JACKSONVILLE (SportsTicker) – Despite a 6-3 loss in the resumption of Tuesday’s game, Jesús Sánchez smacked a walk-off single as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp won 7-6 in the second game of their de facto doubleheader on Wednesday with the Norfolk Tides at 121 Financial Ballpark. Jacksonville (63-56) took the final lead in game two in the bottom of the seventh. Willians Astudillo led off with a double and Luis Aviles Jr. entered as a pinch runner. Sánchez smacked a single with two strikes into the left field corner, scoring Aviles Jr. for the game’s winning run off Norfolk (54-64) reliever Beau Sulser (L 2-4). Norfolk jumped in front early in the top of the first. With one out, Jordan Westburg walked and two batters later Kelvin Gutiérrez (6) walloped a two-run home run to put the Tides ahead 2-0. The Jumbo Shrimp responded with a run in the bottom of the first. Erik González led off with a single and went to third on a single by Jordan Grosha

Photo by Nancy Beecher/Florida Sports Wire By Jeff Moeller JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) - The Jaguars’ first-team offense played four series in the opening half in the team’s 16-15 loss to Pittsburgh at TIAA Field Saturday night. They produced six points in just over 19 minutes holding the ball. So far this preseason, the Jags’ first-team unit has produced one touchdown in two games. Those two facts may be a little unnerving, but you must put everything in perspective. Look at the big picture here and think back to the days of Urban Meyer. It’s just a reminder that it is all about patience. This should be the real deal. New head coach Doug Pederson has been running a vanilla-type offense in the last three weeks, and you must figure there is more to come. Pederson will get it done. Lead running back James Robinson has clearly stated that he is taking his time to come back from his Achilles injury he suffered late last season. His consecutive 1,000-yard plus seasons verify his sta

Photo by Nancy Beecher/SportsDay By Mike Bonts JACKSONVILLE (SportsTicker) – The Nashville Sounds scored four runs in the first inning and went on to a 7-0 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the opening game of a doubleheader on Sunday. A crowd 5,249 fans saw Jordan Groshans blast a three-run home run as the Jumbo Shrimp won 6-3 in the second game of their doubleheader with the Nashville Sounds at 121 Financial Ballpark. In the opener, the Sounds peppered starter Jeff Lindgren with two doubles and three base hits and a 4-0 lead before recording their first out. Esteury Ruiz smacked a solo home run in the second to make it 5-0. More trouble for the hosts in the fourth. Will Stewart came on in relief. Two runs scored on Joey Wiemer’s single with the bases loaded and Patrick Dorrian’s infield out. Nashville’s Tyler Herb cruised through the seven-inning game, allowing five hits. Three by leadoff man Brian Miller. The righthander struck out five in picking up his fourt

Photos by Nancy Beecher/SportsDay By Mike Bonts SportsDay JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) – Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph threw a one-yard TD pass to Tyler Snead following the two minute warning as the Steelers upended the Jaguars 16-15 in a NFL preseason game at TIAA Bank Field. "There's still a lot of – I think there's a lot of good, positive takeaways from tonight with the starters and I feel good there. The young guys are going to learn. There were some good things that they did. But obviously sort of the obvious things are [that] we can't turn the ball over in the red zone," said head coach Doug Pederson. "We got points there again potentially. We've got to tackle better and things of that nature in the second half. But I think if you look at where we are at starters, I think we're right on track to where we need to be and where we want to be, and that gives us a lot of hope as we head into the regular season." Jacksonville quart

Photo by Nancy Beecher By Mike Bonts SportsDay JACKSONVILLE – It’s not how Miami Marlins’ pitcher Trevor Rogers wanted his first rehab start with the Jacksonville Shrimp to go. He surrendered five runs on seven hits over two innings to the Nashville Sounds in the first game of a doubleheader at 121 Financial Ballpark. Rogers struck out two and walked one. The Jumbo Shrimp rallied from six runs down but fell in the opener 6-5. Jacksonille dropped the second game 7-2. The big blow was Brice Turang’s three-run homer in the second inning scoring Matt Lipka and Sal Frelick to make it 5-0. Rogers’ first inning got off to a rocky start. The Miami lefthander gave up a base hit to Frelick. He went to third on Esteury Ruiz’s double to left field. They both scored on Turang’s single up the middle. Turang finished the game with five RBI. Luis Aviles’ solo home run in the sixth cut into the Nashville lead. Brian Miller would walk and eventually score on a force out for Jacksonville’s

JACKSONVILLE (SportsDay) - The Jacksonville Sharks announced today that former Columbus Lions head coach Jason Gibson will be the Sharks next head coach going into the NAL’s 2023 season.  Gibson spent 16 seasons with the Lions, amassing a 131-73 record as the team’s head coach and general manager. Gibson won three league championships between the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL), Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL), and American Indoor Football League (AIF).  Gibson and the Lions joined the National Arena League in 2017 as a founding member. During his time in the NAL, Gibson became the longest active NAL head coach serving as the head coach of the Lions in every NAL season (2017-2022).  The Lions became the only team in NAL history to make it to the playoffs in every single season of play while also playing in three championship games in five seasons Gibson coached against the Sharks in the NAL’s inaugural Championship game in 2017 where the thrilling game was decided on

JACKSONVILLE (SportsDay) – Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) has named Jerry Thor as its new athletic director.  Thor will provide leadership and oversight for the BlueWave Athletics Department which consists of seven competitive collegiate teams, five fitness centers, intramural events and the Outdoor Education Center. Thor has been a well-respected athletics administrator for 10 years, guiding teams and athletic departments to national success. He brings expertise in financial management, event management, NJCAA rules and regulations and data-informed strategic planning.  His career highlights include transforming three underperforming junior college tennis teams into Top 10 ranked programs with more than 100 players transferring to the next level, founding one of the first college esports programs in the country and leading the development of the Triton Esports Arena funded with a capital budget allocation and external fundraising.  He also developed the complete curricu

File Photo by Steve Meadows/Jumbo Shrimp JACKSONVILLE – Erik González’s early home run gave the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp an early lead, but the Nashville Sounds rallied late to take a 6-2 win Wednesday night at 121 Financial Ballpark. Nashville (67-45) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sal Frelick started the inning with a walk and Esteury Ruiz singled.  With two men on, Omar Narvaez hit into a double play and Frelick moved safely to third. Jon Singleton walked and with runners at the corners, Pablo Reyes smacked an RBI single to cut the deficit 2-1.  Singleton went first to third on the base hit from Reyes and then scored the tying run on a single from Brice Turang off Jacksonville (61-52) reliever Colton Hock (L, 1-1). The Sounds took their first lead in the top of the seventh. After two quick outs, Frelick and Ruiz smacked back-to-back singles.  Narvaez followed with a deep double off the right-center field wall, scoring both runners to give Nashville a 4-2 lead. Sin

TAMPA (SportsDay) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today signed outside linebacker Carl Nassib. Nassib (6-5, 275) returns to Tampa Bay for his second stint with the Buccaneers after previously spending two seasons with the team from 2018-19.  In that time, Nassib put forth the two most productive seasons of his NFL career, totaling 63 tackles (20 for loss), 25 quarterback hits, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery. Following his time in Tampa, Nassib spent two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders (2020-21).  He originally entered the league as a third-round selection (No. 65 overall) of the Cleveland Browns in the 2016 NFL Draft and went on to play two seasons in Cleveland (2016-17) before being acquired off waivers by the Buccaneers on Sept. 3, 2018. Over 86 career games, including 37 starts, Nassib has amassed 113 tackles (39 for loss), 53 quarterback hits, 22.0 sacks, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception.

  ORLANDO (SportsTicker) -  In the aftermath of the MLS All-Stars’ 2-1 victory over their LIGA MX counterparts, all eyes turn towards the home stretch of the 2022 MLS regular season. With 10 or fewer games remaining for all 28 MLS clubs, the stakes are higher for every match, and every minute carries more meaning. Twenty-four of the league’s 28 clubs enter this week in contention for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs by virtue of maintaining a place above the playoff line or by sitting within six points of a playoff spot.  Atop the Western Conference is the Los Angeles Football Club, which leads the league with 54 points as winners of their last six straight matches. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union (48 points) top the Eastern Conference, currently holding a five-point advantage over CF Montréal (43 points) and a six-point lead over defending MLS Cup champions New York City FC (42 points), who sit in third place on the strength of one of the league’s staunchest defenses. Teams closing in

JACKSONVILLE   -  The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 2022 season presented by FIS continues Tuesday, Aug. 16 with a six-game series against the Nashville Sounds, Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, that runs through Friday, Aug. 19 and after an off day on Saturday, Aug. 20, ends on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 121 Financial Ballpark.    Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 7:05 p.m. (Gates open at 6 p.m.)   Community First Credit Union Two for Tuesday:  Community First Credit Union members using their CFCU credit or debit card can receive two-for-one tickets at the box office, and non-CFCU members can learn more about memberships on the concourse.  Shrimp Coin Giveaway:  Join the Jumbo Shrimp on the blockchain as they enter the world the cryptocurrency. The first 500 fans through the gates will get one Shrimp Coin, which is the latest and hottest valueless coin on the market.  National Rum Day:  On National Rum Day, the Jumbo Shrimp will have rum specials at all bar locations, including Marlin & Ba