Sports

Columbia guard Jerome Carter drives to the basket against Impact Christian Academy on Jan. 19. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Jerome Carter drives to the basket against Impact Christian Academy on Jan. 19. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia faces road tests at top-5 ranked Hawthorne, Santa Fe

JORDAN KROEGER
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Two road games against two top-five teams in the state couldn’t come at a better time for Columbia head coach Steve Faulkner. It’s the perfect test to see if his team is ready to rise to the challenge of a playoff atmosphere with the district tournament less than two weeks away.
Branford’s girls weightlifting team won the District 7-1A titles in the traditional and Olympic on Wednesday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Branford’s girls weightlifting team won the District 7-1A titles in the traditional and Olympic on Wednesday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING: Branford repeats as district champs; Griffith sweeps titles for Fort White

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
BRANFORD — The Branford girls weightlifting team lifted a pair of district titles Wednesday, again. For the second straight year, the Buccaneers swept the team titles at the District 7-1A meet at BHS, edging Chiefland in both the traditional event, 55-51, and the Olympic event, 71-63.
CHS, FWHS, SHS, BHS, LHS

CHS, FWHS, SHS, BHS, LHS

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 1/24/23

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
BOYS BASKETBALL — Fort White 67, Branford 31: Najeeb Smith scored 17 points and had five steals, while Brandon DeMartino had 16 points, seven rebounds and five steals to lead the Indians (13-4) past the Buccaneers (16-6) at home Tuesday night.
Columbia’s Skyler Ziegaus pushes the ball up the field against Middleburg during Tuesday’s District 2-5A quarterfinal. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s Skyler Ziegaus pushes the ball up the field against Middleburg during Tuesday’s District 2-5A quarterfinal. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS SOCCER: Columbia keeps season alive, downs Middleburg in district quarterfinals

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Skyler Ziegaus really tried. Even with the game well in-hand, Columbia’s junior forward still attacked the ball with all she had at the edge of the 18-yard box, stumbling to the Tiger Stadium grass as she hit a shot wide of the goal.
Madison County guard Janiyah McKnight makes the game-winning shot at the buzzer over Columbia guards Ryann Potter and Eriel Baker on Tuesday night. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Madison County guard Janiyah McKnight makes the game-winning shot at the buzzer over Columbia guards Ryann Potter and Eriel Baker on Tuesday night. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

GIRLS BASKETBALL: McKnight, Madison County sink Columbia at buzzer

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Jolena Gardner drove baseline and banked in a floater that sent Columbia’s bench into celebration with 7.1 seconds left. But the celebration was short-lived.  Madison County inbounded the ball out of a timeout and went the length of the court, finding go-to scorer Janiyah McKnight.