Sports

Suwannee High’s Ryan Donaldson (right), pictured with Columbia High’s Karlee Gainey at the district tournament, was added to the Class 2A state qualifiers list Friday after mistakenly being left off Thursday. (COURTESY)

Suwannee High’s Ryan Donaldson (right), pictured with Columbia High’s Karlee Gainey at the district tournament, was added to the Class 2A state qualifiers list Friday after mistakenly being left off Thursday. (COURTESY)

PREP GOLF: Columbia girls, Suwannee boys qualify for state

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Columbia High region champion Karlee Gainey will have company at the Class 2A state tournament next week. The CHS team qualified for the tournament, receiving one of eight at-large bids, the FHSAA announced Thursday.
Columbia receiver Zamarion Jones runs into the end zone for a touchdown against Ridgeview last Friday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia receiver Zamarion Jones runs into the end zone for a touchdown against Ridgeview last Friday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Columbia travels to Vero Beach for final regular-season test

JORDAN KROEGER
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Vero Beach was a late addition to the schedule when Brian Allen returned to coach Columbia earlier this year. Allen could’ve kept Week 11 open and given his team a second bye week to rest up for the playoffs, but that’s not how he rolls.
Suwannee running back Marquavious Owens stiff arms a Wakulla defender last Friday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Suwannee running back Marquavious Owens stiff arms a Wakulla defender last Friday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Suwannee faces tall task in undefeated Bradford

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
LIVE OAK — The challenge is much the same for the Suwannee Bulldogs. For the second straight year, Suwannee closes out its regular season against an undefeated, rarely challenged and barely scored upon foe in Bradford. The Tornadoes (9-0 and ranked No.
Columbia swimmer Casey Fair at Tuesday’s Region 1-3A meet. (COURTESY)

Columbia swimmer Casey Fair at Tuesday’s Region 1-3A meet. (COURTESY)

PREP SWIMMING: Fair places 19th in 100 butterfly at regionals

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Columbia swimmer Casey Fair placed 19th in the 100 butterfly at the Region 1-3A meet on Tuesday at Morcom Aquatics in Tallahassee. Fair finished in a time of 1:07.58 to wrap up her junior season.
Branford players and coaches celebrate with fans after defeating Union County to win the Region 3-1A championship on Tuesday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Special to the Reporter)

Branford players and coaches celebrate with fans after defeating Union County to win the Region 3-1A championship on Tuesday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Special to the Reporter)

PREP VOLLEYBALL: Branford tops Union County to win Region 3-1A title

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
BRANFORD — Buccaneers head coach Mendy Sikes wasn’t afraid to say it: She was nervous coming into Tuesday night’s regional final. After all, it was the culmination of another season of hard work, not to mention the opponent she and her girls would face.
Columbia head coach Sherman Reed (left) shakes hands with Columbia golfer Connor Williams (right) after Williams won the Region 1-2A title on Tuesday. (COURTESY)

Columbia head coach Sherman Reed (left) shakes hands with Columbia golfer Connor Williams (right) after Williams won the Region 1-2A title on Tuesday. (COURTESY)

BOYS GOLF: Columbia golfer Connor Williams earns redemption with Region 1-2A title

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
PENSACOLA — One year after two putts cost him a regional title, Connor Williams wasn’t going miss his biggest pair 12 months later. Last season saw Williams enter the 17th hole tied for the lead only to fall behind with a bogey before missing a birdie putt on No. 18 that would’ve forced a playoff.
Columbia golfer Karlee Gainey poses with her Region 1-2A championship trophy on Tuesday. (COURTESY)

Columbia golfer Karlee Gainey poses with her Region 1-2A championship trophy on Tuesday. (COURTESY)

GIRLS GOLF: Gainey wins Region 1-2A title for Columbia, Suwannee's Donaldson places third

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Chet Carter walked past Karlee Gainey on Tuesday morning and said a few words to his granddaughter before Columbia took the course for the Region 1-2A tournament at Quail Heights. “I said, ‘Karlee, 68,’” Carter recalls. “I just told her 68 as I walked by. And she just kinda said, ‘OK papa.