Sports

Branford’s softball team celebrates after defeating Hilliard 6-1 in the Region 3-1A semifinals on Thursday. It was the first playoff win in program history. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Branford’s softball team celebrates after defeating Hilliard 6-1 in the Region 3-1A semifinals on Thursday. It was the first playoff win in program history. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Branford & Taylor County meet for fourth time in Region 3-1A final

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, May 10, 2021
BRANFORD — Taylor County looked like the better team in the regular season, sweeping two games against Branford. But the Buccaneers won when it mattered most two weeks ago. They played their best game of the season in a 9-0 shutout to beat the Bulldogs for the District 6-1A title.
Columbia sprinter James Williamson is pictured with his two medals after placing third in the 100m and fourth in the 200m at the Class 3A state meet on Friday at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. (COURTESY)

Columbia sprinter James Williamson is pictured with his two medals after placing third in the 100m and fourth in the 200m at the Class 3A state meet on Friday at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. (COURTESY)

PREP TRACK & FIELD: Williamson DQ'd in 200 after placing fourth, following a third-place finish in 100 at 3A state meet

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, May 7, 2021
JACKSONVILLE — James Williamson capped off his high school career with some hardware and broke his two school records in the process. All on a sore hamstring too. Or so he thought.
Branford’s coaches and athletes at the Class 1A state meet on Friday at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. Pictured are boys coach Tim Clark (from left), Justin Hernandez, Evan Dowdy, Bruce Criggall, Seth Humphries, Zamaria Granado, Nathalia Veal and girls coach Erin Clark. (COURTESY)

Branford’s coaches and athletes at the Class 1A state meet on Friday at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. Pictured are boys coach Tim Clark (from left), Justin Hernandez, Evan Dowdy, Bruce Criggall, Seth Humphries, Zamaria Granado, Nathalia Veal and girls coach Erin Clark. (COURTESY)

PREP TRACK & FIELD: 3 Bucs take home five medals at 1A state meet

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, May 7, 2021
JACKSONVILLE — Since qualifying for the Class 1A state meet, Branford junior Seth Humphries and Michelle Richards, the Buccaneers’ distance coach, focused on one area for improvement: strategy.
Branford third baseman Madyson Sikes strolls into home plate and celebrates with her teammates after hitting one of her two home runs against Hilliard during Thursday’s Region 3-1A semifinal. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Branford third baseman Madyson Sikes strolls into home plate and celebrates with her teammates after hitting one of her two home runs against Hilliard during Thursday’s Region 3-1A semifinal. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Sikes homers twice as Branford beats Hilliard for program’s first playoff win

MIKE JONES
Thursday, May 6, 2021
BRANFORD — Branford made history Thursday night. A pair of home runs from Madyson Sikes and an 11-strikeout performance from pitcher Laila Arnold led the Class 1A No. 5 Buccaneers past Hilliard 6-1 in Thursday’s Region 3-1A semifinal and to the first playoff win in program history.
Columbia outfielder/catcher Bryant Green is pictured with his family after signing his letter of intent with Trinity Baptist College on Thursday afternoon. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia outfielder/catcher Bryant Green is pictured with his family after signing his letter of intent with Trinity Baptist College on Thursday afternoon. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP BASEBALL: Columbia OF/C Bryant Green signs with Trinity Baptist College

JORDAN KROEGER
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Bryant Green picked up a bat and glove as a kid and never put them down. From little league to high school, Green knew he wanted to play college baseball. He needed just one school to give him a shot and Trinity Baptist College answered the call.
FGC forward Layton Veon rises on a fast break for a dunk against Pasco-Hernando State during the Region 8 championship game on March 27. Veon committed to Coastal Georgia on Thursday after finishing up his two years with the Timberwolves. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

FGC forward Layton Veon rises on a fast break for a dunk against Pasco-Hernando State during the Region 8 championship game on March 27. Veon committed to Coastal Georgia on Thursday after finishing up his two years with the Timberwolves. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FGC forward Layton Veon commits to Coastal Georgia

JORDAN KROEGER
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Florida Gateway College is becoming a pipeline to Coastal Georgia. Forward Layton Veon committed to the Mariners on Thursday, becoming the third FGC player to join the NAIA school in the past two seasons. Veon links back up with guards Kenny Brown Jr.
Columbia running back Jaelin Brown watches practice from the sideline last week. Brown is recovering from a torn ACL suffered at the end of last season. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia running back Jaelin Brown watches practice from the sideline last week. Brown is recovering from a torn ACL suffered at the end of last season. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Brown’s torn ACL has left Columbia’s backfield depleted this spring

JORDAN KROEGER
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Sitting on the sideline isn’t easy for Columbia running back Jaelin Brown during spring practice. With his senior season on the horizon and no college offers to his name, Brown is itching to return to the field with his teammates. But he’ll have to wait until September.
Suwannee basketball coach Malcolm Pollock looks on during a game in 2020. Pollock stepped down as the school’s coach to take a job in North Carolina. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

Suwannee basketball coach Malcolm Pollock looks on during a game in 2020. Pollock stepped down as the school’s coach to take a job in North Carolina. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Special to the Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Pollock leaving Suwannee for job in North Carolina

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
LIVE OAK — It was just an opportunity that Malcolm Pollock couldn’t pass up. Pollock, a Jasper native, resigned last week as Suwannee’s head coach to pursue coaching and administrative duties in North Carolina. Pollock publicly announced the move Tuesday “to go ahead and rip the bandage off.