Sports

Columbia third baseman Ayden Phillips (right) heads to home plate after being congratulated by head coach Chris Howard following a home run against St. Augustine on Tuesday night. The game was postponed in the fourth with the Tigers leading 10-2 due to the lights in the outfield going out. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia third baseman Ayden Phillips (right) heads to home plate after being congratulated by head coach Chris Howard following a home run against St. Augustine on Tuesday night. The game was postponed in the fourth with the Tigers leading 10-2 due to the lights in the outfield going out. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SPORTS: Biggest takeaways from the first set of baseball, softball FHSAA rankings

JORDAN KROEGER
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
When the FHSAA released the first set of playoff rankings Tuesday, Columbia baseball coach Chris Howard was admittedly surprised. Sitting there in the No. 7 seed in Region 1-5A despite a 5-7 start were his Tigers. “I’m really shocked we’re ranked,” Columbia head coach Chris Howard said.
Columbia pitcher Laila Arnold winds up to pitch against Columbia on Feb. 22. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia pitcher Laila Arnold winds up to pitch against Columbia on Feb. 22. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 3/26/24

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
BASEBALL — Lafayette 8, Madison County 7: The Hornets (10-1) had to rally back for a home win with three runs in the bottom of the seventh after the Cowboys (6-4) scored six in the top of the inning.
Columbia catcher Emily Delgado dances down the third base line as he head to ward home plate after hitting a 2-run home run during the Tigers’ 13-run fifth inning against Lafayette on Tuesday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia catcher Emily Delgado dances down the third base line as he head to ward home plate after hitting a 2-run home run during the Tigers’ 13-run fifth inning against Lafayette on Tuesday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Special to the Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Columbia explodes for 13-run fifth inning to run-rule Lafayette

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
MAYO — A relatively close pitcher’s duel quickly turned into a blowout thanks to a monstrous late inning from Columbia.
Branford's Mallory Blue swings at a pitch against Columbia on Feb. 22. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Branford's Mallory Blue swings at a pitch against Columbia on Feb. 22. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 3/25/24

NEWS STAFF
Monday, March 25, 2024
BASEBALL — Fort White 22, Ocala Christian 0: Kenton Haase went 4 for 4 with five RBIs while Hayden Adams, Ben Bullard and Garrett Depaola each drove in two runs to lead the Indians (5-6) to a run-rule victory over the Crusaders (2-10) in three innings on the road.
Columbia’s Grant Bowers makes contact with a pitch against St. Johns Country Day on March 1. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s Grant Bowers makes contact with a pitch against St. Johns Country Day on March 1. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP BASEBALL: Bowers, Phillips lead Columbia past First Coast

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, March 23, 2024
Grant Bowers and Ayden Phillips combined to throw a 3-hitter while Bowers also went 3 for 3 at the plate with four RBIs to lead Columbia to a 6-1 win over First Coast at the Fernandina Beach Tournament on Saturday.
Fort White guard Tafari Moe is the LCR’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year. (BREGAY HARRIS/Special to the Reporter)

Fort White guard Tafari Moe is the LCR’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year. (BREGAY HARRIS/Special to the Reporter)

WINTER ALL-AREA: Fort White guard Tafari Moe named LCR Boys Basketball Player of the Year

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, March 23, 2024
FORT WHITE — Tafari Moe remembers the feeling in the locker room. Down 11 at the half against Hawthorne in the Region 3-1A semifinals, there wasn’t much to say. Sure, head coach Elven Sheppard went about his business, trying to fire guys up with talk of accountability and grit.
Columbia forward Jolena Gardner is the LCR’s Girls Basketball Player of the Year. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia forward Jolena Gardner is the LCR’s Girls Basketball Player of the Year. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)

WINTER ALL-AREA: Columbia forward Jolena Gardner named LCR Girls Basketball Player of the Year

JORDAN KROEGER
Saturday, March 23, 2024
If you’ve spoken with Columbia coach Anthony Perry over the past three seasons, there’s one player in particular he’s always said has the potential to take his team to another level. That player is forward Jolena Gardner. And this season, she began to prove him right.
Suwannee

Suwannee

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 3/22/24

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 22, 2024
BASEBALL — St. Joseph Academy 5, Suwannee 4: The Bulldogs (5-4-1) tied things up in the fourth inning but the Flashes (9-3) answered with a run in the fifth before holding on for a win at home.
Columbia pitcher Bynton Edge pitches against Creekside on March 12. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia pitcher Bynton Edge pitches against Creekside on March 12. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 3/21/24

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, March 21, 2024
BASEBALL — Episcopal 10, Columbia 9: The Tigers (4-7) coughed up a seven-run lead in the final three innings, falling to the Eagles (7-3) at the Fernandina Beach Tournament.