Sports

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.
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.”
FGC guard Joshua Cross calls out a play in a game against Pasco-Hernando State this past season. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

FGC guard Joshua Cross calls out a play in a game against Pasco-Hernando State this past season. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FGC point guard Joshua Cross headed to Kentucky State

JORDAN KROEGER
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Florida Gateway College is sending its first from the 2021 class to the next level. Point guard Joshua Cross verbally committed to Kentucky State University on Wednesday, a Division II school in Frankfort that plays in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer listens to a question during a press conference last Friday at TIAA Bank Field. (BOB SELF/Florida Times-Union/TNS)

Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer listens to a question during a press conference last Friday at TIAA Bank Field. (BOB SELF/Florida Times-Union/TNS)

NFL: Jaguars fire 4 execs who spent 66 years with team

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired four longtime scouting executives, including two who had been with the team more than two decades, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.