Sports

Columbia goalkeeper Logan Wheeldon makes a save against Suwannee on Dec. 1. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia goalkeeper Logan Wheeldon makes a save against Suwannee on Dec. 1. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Leon hands Columbia tight loss

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Logan Wheeldon made a pair of saves but let the match’s lone goal through as Columbia’s boys soccer team fell to Leon 1-0 on the road Wednesday night. The Lions (4-8) survived several close calls from the Tigers (7-6-3), including a two of shots off the crossbar from Angel Gomez and Peyton Palmer.
Columbia guard Shaheed White drives between The Rock defense for a layup on Tuesday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Shaheed White drives between The Rock defense for a layup on Tuesday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Fast start, balanced attack carry Columbia past The Rock

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Columbia has shown improvement offensively over the past couple of weeks and did so again Tuesday night against The Rock, despite some inconsistencies rearing their head late in the contest. Luckily for the Tigers, they had built a big enough lead to hold off the Lions.
Fort White honored seniors Jayden Jackson (1), Desean Lally (red shirt), Jhailynd Cooper (4), Darion Brinson (5) and Jonathan Bessent (12) for Senior Night prior to Tuesday's win over Bronson. (COURTESY)

Fort White honored seniors Jayden Jackson (1), Desean Lally (red shirt), Jhailynd Cooper (4), Darion Brinson (5) and Jonathan Bessent (12) for Senior Night prior to Tuesday's win over Bronson. (COURTESY)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 1/6/26

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Fort White, Suwannee, Branford and Lafayette were all in action in basketball and soccer Tuesday night. Here are scores and stats for Jan. 6.
Columbia's Josiah Hopkins tries to maintain possession as Suwannee's Aksel Perez gives chase on Dec. 1. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia's Josiah Hopkins tries to maintain possession as Suwannee's Aksel Perez gives chase on Dec. 1. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SOCCER: FHSAA rankings have Columbia squads on outside of playoff picture

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Time is running out for Columbia’s soccer teams to make a playoff push. As the calendar turns to 2026, there’s just two weeks left in the regular season and both CHS squads sit on the outside looking in on the Region 1-5A playoff picture.
The Columbia bench, alongside coach Steve Faulkner, reacts to a play during the Tigers’ 72-45 win over Suwannee on Dec. 12. CHS wrapped up its weekend at the Holiday Hoopfest in Fort Myers with a 2-1 record, beating Gateway Charter and Mater Academy Charter. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

The Columbia bench, alongside coach Steve Faulkner, reacts to a play during the Tigers’ 72-45 win over Suwannee on Dec. 12. CHS wrapped up its weekend at the Holiday Hoopfest in Fort Myers with a 2-1 record, beating Gateway Charter and Mater Academy Charter. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Holiday spirits lifted

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
FORT MYERS — Even a blowout loss wasn’t enough to dampen the post-holiday cheer for the Tigers. Columbia took two of three games at the Holiday Hoopfest, hosted by Bishop Verot High School.
Columbia guard Shaheed White, soaring in for a bucket against Suwannee on Dec. 12, leads the Tigers offensively heading into this weekend’s Holiday Hoopfest in Fort Myers. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Shaheed White, soaring in for a bucket against Suwannee on Dec. 12, leads the Tigers offensively heading into this weekend’s Holiday Hoopfest in Fort Myers. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Tigers eye consistency at Hoopfest

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, December 26, 2025
Steve Faulkner is looking for one thing, and one thing only, in his team’s upcoming “business trip.” Consistency. The Columbia coach said it’s been one of the missing ingredients in the early going of the Tigers’ season.
Suwannee lifter Felicity May strains as she competes Saturday at the Power of Christmas meet at SHS. May placed fourth in the 199 division. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

Suwannee lifter Felicity May strains as she competes Saturday at the Power of Christmas meet at SHS. May placed fourth in the 199 division. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING: Suwannee places eighth at Power of Christmas

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
LIVE OAK — Suwannee High’s Power of Christmas is about more than just lifting weights. The SHS girls weightlifting team’s annual December invitational is also about lifting up the community, donating proceeds from the meet to local organizations to give back. “That’s the No.
The Steve Claffey Memorial Game raises funds for the Steve Claffey Memorial Foundation, which provides a scholarship to a graduating Suwannee senior each year. The game was started in honor of a former middle school coach. (COURTESY)

The Steve Claffey Memorial Game raises funds for the Steve Claffey Memorial Foundation, which provides a scholarship to a graduating Suwannee senior each year. The game was started in honor of a former middle school coach. (COURTESY)

REC SOCCER: Suwannee hosting annual Claffey benefit tournament

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
LIVE OAK — A former Suwannee soccer coach’s memory will be honored again this holiday season. The 10th annual Steve Claffey Memorial Game will take place this weekend with events both Friday night at Langford Stadium as well as all day Saturday.