Sports

Columbia’s Nate Walsmley finishes his clean and jerk during Wednesday’s meet against Buchholz. Walmsley won the heavyweight class with a 600-pound total. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s Nate Walsmley finishes his clean and jerk during Wednesday’s meet against Buchholz. Walmsley won the heavyweight class with a 600-pound total. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Columbia lifts past Buchholz; softball jumps into state poll

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Columbia won seven of 10 weight classes to defeat Buchholz 50-17 in a dual meet at home Wednesday evening. Nate Walsmley lifted a meet-best 600 pounds to win the heavyweight class.
Columbia shortstop Kade Jackson applies the tag late as Forest's Bradley White II slides safely into second base. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia shortstop Kade Jackson applies the tag late as Forest's Bradley White II slides safely into second base. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Forest run-rules Columbia in six innings; CHS softball & girls tennis, FW baseball pick up victories

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
A seven-run sixth inning did Columbia in Tuesday night as Forest won 12-0 in Lake City in District 2-6A action. Only six of those 12 runs came via RBIs as the Tigers made a bevy of errors to allow the Wildcats to roll to the run-rule victory in six innings.
Columbia forward Marcus Peterson (1) celebrates with guard Amare Ferrell (14) after the Tigers beat Daytona Beach Mainland in last Friday’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia forward Marcus Peterson (1) celebrates with guard Amare Ferrell (14) after the Tigers beat Daytona Beach Mainland in last Friday’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia prepares for Dillard big man Jalen Haynes in 6A semifinals

JORDAN KROEGER
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
There’s the 11-time state champions from Dillard. Then there’s little old Columbia from the small town of Lake City. The Panthers have the pedigree, the top-10 state ranking and the 6-foot-8, 210-pound terror down low in Jalen Haynes. But the Tigers aren’t afraid.
Columbia wrestler Alex McGuigan on the medal stand after winning the Region 1-2A title in the 138-pound weight class on Saturday. (COURTESY)

Columbia wrestler Alex McGuigan on the medal stand after winning the Region 1-2A title in the 138-pound weight class on Saturday. (COURTESY)

WRESTLING: Tigers tie a program record with five state qualifiers at the Region 1-2A Tournament

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, March 2, 2020
It’s been one of the best seasons in recent memory for Columbia. The Tigers won their first district title in nearly 30 years last week. Now they’ve tied a school record for most state qualifiers with five after their performances this past weekend at the Region 1-2A Tournament.
Columbia coach Steve Faulkner reacts as his team closes out a victory over Daytona Beach Mainland in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. The win sent the Tigers to their first Final Four since 1968. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia coach Steve Faulkner reacts as his team closes out a victory over Daytona Beach Mainland in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. The win sent the Tigers to their first Final Four since 1968. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Faulkner has made basketball matter at Columbia with run to Final Four

JORDAN KROEGER
Monday, March 2, 2020
Football has always come first at Columbia. Aside from the softball team’s state championship in 2013, football has reigned supreme. Columbia’s been a football school — simple as that. Well, not anymore.
Columbia will send five wrestlers to the Class 2A state meet next weekend. (COURTESY)

Columbia will send five wrestlers to the Class 2A state meet next weekend. (COURTESY)

PREP ROUNDUP: Columbia sends 5 wrestlers to state; baseball falls to Santa Fe

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Columbia finished fourth as team at the Region 1-2A Meet in Saturday and will send six wrestlers to state next weekend. Alex McGuigan won the team’s lone regional title in the 138 class while Ian McGuigan (132) and Matthew Smith (152) we’re both runner-ups.
Columbia’s Anissa Penniman (12) high fives Zoryana Hughes after Hughes scored the game-winning run on a passed ball against Lafayette on Friday. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s Anissa Penniman (12) high fives Zoryana Hughes after Hughes scored the game-winning run on a passed ball against Lafayette on Friday. (JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: CHS softball walks off against Lafayette; baseball rallies past Baker Co.

NEWS STAFF
Friday, February 28, 2020
Zoryana Hughes scored on a walk-off passed ball to lift Columbia to a 6-5 win over Lafayette at home Friday afternoon. Hughes was also 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and picked up the win in the circle, striking out five batters over the final 2.2 innings in relief.
Columbia guard Tray Tolliver celebrates after defeating Daytona Beach Mainland 70-65 in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia guard Tray Tolliver celebrates after defeating Daytona Beach Mainland 70-65 in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

COMMENTARY: Faulkner’s Tigers fulfill Hosford’s dream of state-tournament berth

ZACH ABOLVERDI
Friday, February 28, 2020
The Columbia faithful swarmed coach Steve Faulkner with hugs and high fives Friday after his Tigers beat Mainland to advance to the Class 6A state semifinals. In the midst of the post-game celebration came an embrace from CHS principal Trey Hosford.
Columbia’s basketball team celebrates with students after defeating Daytona Beach Mainland 70-65 in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia’s basketball team celebrates with students after defeating Daytona Beach Mainland 70-65 in Friday night’s Region 1-6A final. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

BOYS BASKETBALL: Columbia beats Mainland to clinch first berth in Final Four since ’68

JORDAN KROEGER
Friday, February 28, 2020
Kenney Gaines took only two shots and scored zero points in Columbia’s regional semifinal win over Lincoln. That wasn’t going to cut it in the Region 1-6A finals against Daytona Beach Mainland. So with a state semifinal berth on the line, Gaines took shot after shot to bury the Buccaneers.