Sports

Oral Roberts guard Kareem Thompson, left, grabs a rebound in front of Florida forward Colin Castleton (12) during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Sunday in Indianapolis. (AJ MAST/Associated Press)

Oral Roberts guard Kareem Thompson, left, grabs a rebound in front of Florida forward Colin Castleton (12) during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Sunday in Indianapolis. (AJ MAST/Associated Press)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: No. 15 seed Oral Roberts stuns Florida to advance to Sweet 16

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, March 21, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — Dunk City, say hello to Max Abmas and the Golden Eagles of soaring Oral Roberts.  The fraternity of No. 15 seeds to reach the second week of the NCAA Tournament has its second member.  “It’s really just mind blowing,” said forward Kevin Obanor. “We're grateful.
Oregon State's Taylor Jones (44) looks toward the basket over Florida State forward Valencia Myers (32) during the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament at the University Events Center on Sunday in San Marcos, Texas. (STEPHEN SPILLMAN/Associated Press)

Oregon State's Taylor Jones (44) looks toward the basket over Florida State forward Valencia Myers (32) during the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament at the University Events Center on Sunday in San Marcos, Texas. (STEPHEN SPILLMAN/Associated Press)

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Florida State falls to Oregon State in NCAA Tournament opener

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, March 21, 2021
SAN ANTONIO — Aleah Goodman scored 24 points with five rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers, Taylor Jones added 18 points and eight boards, and No. 8-seed Oregon State beat ninth-seeded Florida State 83-59 on Sunday in the opening round of the women's NCAA Tournament.
Florida State's Balsa Koprivica (5) puts back a rebound for a basket during the second half of a first-round game against UNC-Greensboro in the NCAA Tournament at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Saturday in Indianapolis. Florida State defeated UNC-Greensboro 64-54. (DARRON CUMMINGS/Associated Press)

Florida State's Balsa Koprivica (5) puts back a rebound for a basket during the second half of a first-round game against UNC-Greensboro in the NCAA Tournament at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Saturday in Indianapolis. Florida State defeated UNC-Greensboro 64-54. (DARRON CUMMINGS/Associated Press)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Florida State outlasts UNCG in NCAA tourney without making a 3-pointer

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Saturday, March 20, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — RaiQuan Gray scored 17 points and No. 4 seed Florida State began what it hopes will be another deep NCAA Tournament run under coach Leonard Hamilton, holding off 13th-seeded UNC Greensboro 64-54 in the East Region on Saturday.
Fort White’s Kadence Compton smiles heading toward home plate after hitting a home run against Bronson while assistant coach Chad Padgett celebrates on Friday night. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White’s Kadence Compton smiles heading toward home plate after hitting a home run against Bronson while assistant coach Chad Padgett celebrates on Friday night. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Fort White is learning — and winning — on the fly as impressive start continues

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, March 19, 2021
FORT WHITE — Six sophomores, a pair of freshmen and even four eighth graders make up a majority of Fort White’s softball program. To some, an 8-3 start to the season may be surprising, but not for head coach Michele Padgett. This is exactly what she expected.
Florida guard Noah Locke (10) shoots against Virginia Tech in the second half of a first round game in the NCAA men's college basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday in Indianapolis. (MICHAEL CONROY/Associated Press)

Florida guard Noah Locke (10) shoots against Virginia Tech in the second half of a first round game in the NCAA men's college basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday in Indianapolis. (MICHAEL CONROY/Associated Press)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Short-handed Florida outlasts Virginia Tech in NCAA opener

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, March 19, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — Florida overcame playing short-handed most of the season after preseason SEC player of the year Keyontae Johnson was lost because of a scary medical episode.
Free agency feels a lot like recruiting to new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer. Watching film. Wooing players. Finding the right fits. Given Meyer’s penchant for landing five-star prospects at Florida and Ohio State, Jacksonville could be a popular landing spot for some of the NFL’s top free agents next week. It certainly should help that the Jaguars have more salary cap space (nearly $73 million). (AP FILE PHOTO)

Free agency feels a lot like recruiting to new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer. Watching film. Wooing players. Finding the right fits. Given Meyer’s penchant for landing five-star prospects at Florida and Ohio State, Jacksonville could be a popular landing spot for some of the NFL’s top free agents next week. It certainly should help that the Jaguars have more salary cap space (nearly $73 million). (AP FILE PHOTO)

NFL: Meyer laments limitations for wooing free agents

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, March 19, 2021
Urban Meyer never got a chance to recruit any free agents to Jacksonville, and he’s not happy about it. Because of NFL rules, Meyer had to agree to sign players without meeting them in person — a process he found troubling and far different from how things work in college.
Columbia coach Brian Allen looks on during a game last season. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia coach Brian Allen looks on during a game last season. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Brian Allen resigns as teacher but still Columbia's head coach

JORDAN KROEGER
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Brian Allen is stepping down as a physical education teacher at Columbia High School, but he will remain as the school’s football coach. Today is Allen’s last day at Columbia, where he taught two weightlifting blocks in the morning from the first bell at 8:56 a.m. to 12:12 p.m.
Branford’s Madyson Sikes bunts against Lafayette on Thursday night. (BRIAN LEWIS/Special to the Reporter)

Branford’s Madyson Sikes bunts against Lafayette on Thursday night. (BRIAN LEWIS/Special to the Reporter)

PREP SOFTBALL: Hornets sting Buccaneers late for district win

MIKE JONES
Thursday, March 18, 2021
MAYO — Branford went into Thursday’s district game with Lafayette with plenty of confidence at the plate. But the heavy-hitting Buccaneers couldn’t find a way to get the clutch hits against their rival. They stranded 10 runners in a 5-4 road loss to LHS.