Sports

Columbia center Keturah Taylor fights for possession of the ball with Orange Park forward Nia Brown on Jan. 13. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia center Keturah Taylor fights for possession of the ball with Orange Park forward Nia Brown on Jan. 13. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SPORTS: Columbia girls jump back into playoff field in latest rankings

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Welcome back ladies. Columbia’s girls basketball team (6-10) was back in the playoff field this week thanks to the fifth highest strength of schedule in Class 6A, which has its rating at 7.231. That’s just high enough ahead of District 3-6A counterpart Fleming Island (13-6) at 6.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford gestures during Monday's wild-card playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals in Inglewood, Calif.. (JAE C. HONG/Associated Press)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford gestures during Monday's wild-card playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals in Inglewood, Calif.. (JAE C. HONG/Associated Press)

NFL: Stafford propels Rams past Cardinals in playoff rout

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, January 17, 2022
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Rams had a 20-point lead on Arizona with 4 1/2 minutes left at raucous SoFi Stadium. Matthew Stafford’s 13-year quest for his first playoff victory was all but complete after Los Angeles' dominant performance on both sides of the ball.
Suwannee’s Peyton Slaughter is the LCR’s Boys Swimmer of the Year. (COURTESY)

Suwannee’s Peyton Slaughter is the LCR’s Boys Swimmer of the Year. (COURTESY)

FALL ALL-AREA: Slaughter named LCR's Boys Swimmer of the Year

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, January 17, 2022
LIVE OAK — Peyton Slaughter had his mind made up. The Suwannee senior was going to qualify for state. That no SHS swimmer had ever qualified for the state meet before didn’t matter. That was the goal in front of Slaughter.
Columbia’s Casey Fair is the LCR’s Girls Swimmer of the Year. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)

Columbia’s Casey Fair is the LCR’s Girls Swimmer of the Year. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)

FALL ALL-AREA: Fair named LCR's Girls Swimmer of the Year

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, January 17, 2022
Casey Fair wanted to be a backstroker. Columbia head coach Shawn Rost had other plans. With last year’s top swimmer Mackenzie Conklin graduated, Rost needed someone new to compete in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. He saw Fair, even though she was a freshman, as the perfect fit to do so.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Jerick McKinnon, right, during Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Kansas City, Mo. (COLIN E. BRALEY/Associated Press)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Jerick McKinnon, right, during Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Kansas City, Mo. (COLIN E. BRALEY/Associated Press)

NFL: Mahomes leads Chiefs to wild-card romp over Steelers

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, January 16, 2022
KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Chiefs were going nowhere on offense against Pittsburgh early Sunday night, so coach Andy Reid had wide receiver Mecole Hardman take a shotgun snap and hand off to running back Darrel Williams on a trick play. Their exchange hit the ground, T.J.
San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner, left, celebrates with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) after the 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. (ROGER STEINMAN/Associated Press)

San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner, left, celebrates with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) after the 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. (ROGER STEINMAN/Associated Press)

NFL: 49ers hang on over Cowboys in chaotic wild-card finish

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, January 16, 2022
ARLINGTON, Texas — Kyle Shanahan walked onto the field with an emphatic nod, believing his San Francisco 49ers had beaten the Dallas Cowboys in a chaotic wild-card finish that left many not sure what was happening. The official word came a short time later.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, right, celebrates with wide receiver Mike Evans after Evans caught a touchdown pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Tampa. (MARK LOMOGLIO/Associated Press)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, right, celebrates with wide receiver Mike Evans after Evans caught a touchdown pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Tampa. (MARK LOMOGLIO/Associated Press)

NFL: Brady throws for 2 TDs, SB champions dominate Eagles

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, January 16, 2022
TAMPA — As the game clock expired, Tom Brady raised his arms in triumph along the sideline, whirled and tossed a football into the stands.