Sports

Suwannee's girls weightlifting team celebrates after winning the Region 1-1A titles in traditional and Olympic on Saturday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Suwannee's girls weightlifting team celebrates after winning the Region 1-1A titles in traditional and Olympic on Saturday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING: Suwannee leads area with 19 state qualifiers following regional titles

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
LIVE OAK — Suwannee’s regional dominance continued Saturday. The Bulldogs hoisted their sixth straight Region 1-1A traditional title in their home gym, while also adding their third straight Olympic regional crown too on a day where they had 19 lifters qualify for the state meet.
Columbia guard Mariah Cox dribbles up the court in transition after a steal against Middleburg in the District 2-5A quarterfinals on Monday night. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Mariah Cox dribbles up the court in transition after a steal against Middleburg in the District 2-5A quarterfinals on Monday night. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Cox's career night leads Columbia to blowout over Middleburg in District 2-5A quarterfinals

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, February 5, 2024
There were no surprises in the District 2-5A quarterfinals. Columbia took care of business. Now the Tigers turn their attention to Ridgeview as they try to win their way into the playoffs.
FGC

FGC

COLLEGE SOFTBALL: FGC splits two more doubleheaders to stay at .500

NEWS STAFF
Sunday, February 4, 2024
For the second straight week, Florida Gateway College split a pair of doubleheaders. The Timberwolves defeated East Georgia State College 9-0 but then dropped the second game 3-1 in a road doubleheader on Tuesday before following it up with a 4-1 loss and a 5-2 win over the school at home Saturday.
FGC forward Ty'jahn Wright looks to pass against Palm Beach State College on Jan. 17. (COURTESY OF FGC)

FGC forward Ty'jahn Wright looks to pass against Palm Beach State College on Jan. 17. (COURTESY OF FGC)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FGC rallies to top FSCJ, pulls within a game of first place in Region 8

NEWS STAFF
Sunday, February 4, 2024
JACKSONVILLE — Ty’jahn Wright scored 22 points, Antewan Webber had 19 points with five rebounds and five assists, and Oakley Lewis added 17 points to lead Florida Gateway College to a 103-94 come-from-behind road win over Florida State College at Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon.
Columbia guard Zamarion Jones rises to shoot against Suwannee on Tuesday night. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia guard Zamarion Jones rises to shoot against Suwannee on Tuesday night. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia loses tight contest to Kathleen at Mosaic Stinger Shootout

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, February 3, 2024
BARTOW — Columbia fell to Kathleen 47-45 in the Mosaic Stinger Shootout at Bartow High School on Saturday morning in its regular-season finale. Jeremy Nixon scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Rashard Kelly added 11 to lead the Red Devils (4-19) to a rare win this season.
Columbia forward Jalen Gaskins (middle) fights for a rebound with Suwannee guards Jamarcus Cherry (11) and Jhy Smith (2) during Tuesday’s game. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia forward Jalen Gaskins (middle) fights for a rebound with Suwannee guards Jamarcus Cherry (11) and Jhy Smith (2) during Tuesday’s game. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL: Playoff seeding, berths at stake in next week's district tournaments

JORDAN KROEGER
Saturday, February 3, 2024
District tournaments begin next week for boys and girls basketball. Here’s where, and who, the area teams will play and where they sit in their respective playoff races. BOYS DISTRICT 2-5A Quarterfinals at higher seed; semifinals and championship at Rickards Schedule: Feb. 6, quarterfinals: No.
Columbia forward Jolena Gardner drives past Fort White guard Jermauni Byrd (3) and forward Isreal Hart (14) on Friday night. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia forward Jolena Gardner drives past Fort White guard Jermauni Byrd (3) and forward Isreal Hart (14) on Friday night. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Williams gets honored, Columbia blows out Fort White on Senior Night

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, February 2, 2024
A Senior Night light on seniors didn’t stop Columbia from celebrating accordingly. Forward Hannah Williams, the lone senior on the Tigers’ roster, scored early in the first quarter and added another pair of buckets along the way in Columbia’s 56-20 blowout win over Fort White Friday.
Columbia guard Zamarion Jones dribbles up the court against Suwannee on Tuesday night. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia guard Zamarion Jones dribbles up the court against Suwannee on Tuesday night. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Santa Fe Catholic pulls away from Columbia in boys hoops

NEWS STAFF
Friday, February 2, 2024
BOYS BASKETBALL — Santa Fe Catholic 72, Columbia 39: The Tigers couldn’t keep up with the Class 3A No. 5 Hawks (ranked 26th overall in the state) in a blowout loss on the road Friday night.
Columbia's Ashlie Caballero battles with Clay's Sarah Cochrane during the District 2-5A semifinals on Jan. 26. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia's Ashlie Caballero battles with Clay's Sarah Cochrane during the District 2-5A semifinals on Jan. 26. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS SOCCER: Columbia misses playoffs, Lafayette draws University Christian

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, February 2, 2024
A mercy-rule loss to Clay in the District 2-5A semifinals ultimately cost Columbia a second straight playoff berth. The Tigers were left out of the 8-team Region 1-5A bracket on Friday, getting jumped by Choctawhatchee in the final rankings.