Sports

Columbia pitcher Truitt Todd (left) shakes hands with pitcher Philip Maddox as he exits the game in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s Region 1-5A quarterfinal against St. Augustine. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia pitcher Truitt Todd (left) shakes hands with pitcher Philip Maddox as he exits the game in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s Region 1-5A quarterfinal against St. Augustine. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP BASEBALL: Columbia tops St. Augustine for third time in Region 1-5A quarterfinals

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Truitt Todd has a tendency to follow a bad outing with one of his best. His best was on display for Columbia in Round 3 versus St. Augustine. Todd went 6 2/3 innings, allowed just one hit and struck out nine to lead the top-seeded Tigers to a 4-0 shutout over the No.
Columbia’s Seth Stockton won the Region 1-3A title in the triple jump on Friday, breaking his own school record with a leap of 14.50m. (DYLAN ASPENWELL/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia’s Seth Stockton won the Region 1-3A title in the triple jump on Friday, breaking his own school record with a leap of 14.50m. (DYLAN ASPENWELL/Special to the Reporter)

PREP TRACK & FIELD: Stockton’s regional title leads 17 area state qualifiers

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, May 9, 2022
Seth Stockton hasn’t exceeded expectations. Not quite yet, but he can do so with an elusive state title this Friday. Stockton won the Region 1-3A title in the triple jump this past Friday with a leap of 14.50m to clinch a spot in this Friday’s Class 3A state meet.
Columbia catcher Hayden Gustavson tags out St. Augustine’s Merrick Beamish during Thursday’s District 3-5A championship game. Beamish was ejected for throwing an elbow Toward Gustavson’s face. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia catcher Hayden Gustavson tags out St. Augustine’s Merrick Beamish during Thursday’s District 3-5A championship game. Beamish was ejected for throwing an elbow Toward Gustavson’s face. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SPORTS: 4 area teams make playoffs in baseball, softball

JORDAN KROEGER
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Columbia and Suwannee’s baseball teams, as well as Fort White’s softball team, were locks for playoff spots after winning their district titles on Thursday. Fort White’s baseball team, on the other hand, was left on the bubble after losing to Union County on Wednesday in the district semifinals.
Columbia quarterback Evan Umstead throws a pass during Friday’s practice. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia quarterback Evan Umstead throws a pass during Friday’s practice. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Umstead is QB1 for Columbia at spring practice

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, May 6, 2022
There’s no quarterback competition this spring at Columbia. With Kade Jackson set to graduate, Evan Umstead is the clear-cut starter. The job is Umstead’s as the Tigers get ready for their spring game against Bartram Trail on May 20, and he’s flashed his potential through two weeks of practice.
Fort White head coach Lee Dorsett instructs his offensive line during Monday’s practice. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White head coach Lee Dorsett instructs his offensive line during Monday’s practice. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Dorsett era underway this spring at Fort White

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, May 6, 2022
FORT WHITE — The newest Fort White head coach doesn’t have the highest expectations for his team. In fact, they can be measured in mere feet. Lee Dorsett has been with the Indians for a handful of practices so far.
Suwannee quarterback Bronsen Tillotson signals to a teammate during Wednesday’s practice. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Suwannee quarterback Bronsen Tillotson signals to a teammate during Wednesday’s practice. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Suwannee hands Tillotson the reins at QB

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, May 6, 2022
LIVE OAK — A quarterback competition that lasted throughout the 2021 season is over at Suwannee. As the Bulldogs go through spring practice ahead of their May 19 jamboree at Gadsden County that also will include St. John Paul II, one thing is clear: Bronsen Tillotson is the Suwannee signal caller.
Suwannee’s Malachi Graham celebrates with his team at home plate after hitting a home run against Wakulla during the District 2-4A championship on Thursday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Suwannee’s Malachi Graham celebrates with his team at home plate after hitting a home run against Wakulla during the District 2-4A championship on Thursday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

PREP BASEBALL: Suwannee tops Wakulla for first district crown since 2018

CONCEPCION LEDEZMA
Thursday, May 5, 2022
LIVE OAK  – After helping his team win its most significant game of the season, pitcher Matthew Gill couldn’t help but recall a statement his coach made back in February about Suwannee not being a home-run hitting team. Well, try convincing Wakulla of that.
Columbia’s Brent Howard raises the District 3-5A trophy after the Tigers defeated St. Augustine 11-2 on Thursday. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s Brent Howard raises the District 3-5A trophy after the Tigers defeated St. Augustine 11-2 on Thursday. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP BASEBALL: Columbia routs St. Augustine to win first district title since 2019

JORDAN KROEGER
Thursday, May 5, 2022
When Chris Howard was hired at Columbia, he felt like he was walking into a gold mine. The first-year head coach wasn’t wrong. The Tigers showed just how special they were on Thursday night, winning their first district title since 2019.
Fort White’s softball team poses with the District 6-1A trophy after defeating Branford 11-0 on Thursday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White’s softball team poses with the District 6-1A trophy after defeating Branford 11-0 on Thursday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Fort White run-rules Branford to win program's first district title

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Thursday, May 5, 2022
BELL — Chad Padgett had a simple message for his team in the middle of the fifth inning. “Five runs.” That’s all Fort White would need to end Thursday’s District 6-1A softball championship. Really, they only needed four, but what’s one more to the avalanche of scoring?