Sports

Columbia forward Ty’jahn Wright rises for a dunk against Pine Forest during the Region 1-5A quarterfinals on Thursday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia forward Ty’jahn Wright rises for a dunk against Pine Forest during the Region 1-5A quarterfinals on Thursday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia heads to Booker T. Washington with 'us versus everyone' mentality

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, February 20, 2023
Columbia head coach Steve Faulkner calls these kinds of games the “fun” ones. Just him and his team against everyone else in the gym. That’s how it’ll be tonight at Booker T. Washington in the Region 1-5A semifinals. The No. 3 seed Tigers (19-9) make the long trip west today to face the No.
Suwannee's girls weightlifting team won the Class 1A state titles in the traditional and Olympic on Saturday. (COURTESY)

Suwannee's girls weightlifting team won the Class 1A state titles in the traditional and Olympic on Saturday. (COURTESY)

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING: Suwannee sweeps Class 1A traditional & Olympic state titles

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, February 20, 2023
For the third straight year, the Suwannee girls weightlifting team hoisted a state title. On Saturday, though, the Bulldogs topped themselves as they brought home a pair of team titles, sweeping the Class 1A traditional and Olympic event titles at the RP Funding Center.
Columbia’s Trevis Johnson won the 400m at the Santa Fe Raider Open Classic on Saturday. (COURTESY)

Columbia’s Trevis Johnson won the 400m at the Santa Fe Raider Open Classic on Saturday. (COURTESY)

PREP TRACK & FIELD: Columbia wins 8 events to open season at Santa Fe Raider Open Classic

NEWS STAFF
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Columbia’s track & field teams had a nice showing to open the season at the Santa Fe Raider Open Classic on Saturday. Five boys won their individual events, including Jasper White (11.18 in 100m), Trevis Johnson (49.66 in 400m), Jose Rodriguez (2:04.46 in 800m), Thomas Walker (18.
Fort White pitcher Kadence Compton celebrates on her way to third base after hitting a home run against Union County during last season’s Region 3-1A championship. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White pitcher Kadence Compton celebrates on her way to third base after hitting a home run against Union County during last season’s Region 3-1A championship. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

SOFTBALL PREVIEW: 5 players to watch in 2023, plus a look at all 5 area teams

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, February 17, 2023
The high school softball season gets underway on Monday. Here are five players to watch this season, as well as a look at all five teams in the area.
Suwannee’s wrestling team won the District 2-1A IBT title on Thursday. (COURTESY)

Suwannee’s wrestling team won the District 2-1A IBT title on Thursday. (COURTESY)

PREP WRESTLING: Suwannee wins district IBT title, Columbia qualifies 7 for regionals

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 17, 2023
When the finals began Thursday at Wakulla, Suwannee wrestling coach John Wainwright had an inkling the district title was going to be decided at 170 pounds. So Wainwright turned to senior Dustin Wood and told him that his match was going to decide the title and he needed to deliver with a pin.
Columbia guard Jerome Carter is fouled in transition by Pine Forest during Thursday’s Region 1-5A quarterfinal. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Jerome Carter is fouled in transition by Pine Forest during Thursday’s Region 1-5A quarterfinal. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia doesn't get 'punked' by Pine Forest, pulls away in Region 1-5A quarterfinals

JORDAN KROEGER
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Pine Forest tried to bully Columbia. The Eagles threw elbows, swung forearms, got a technical foul for taunting, and even started a scrum amongst all 10 players on the court that took both coaching staffs and the officials to break up. But you don’t bully the Tigers.