COLUMBIA (LAKE CITY) TIGERS (7A-District 2)
2014 RECORD: 8-3
HEAD COACH: Brian Allen (5th Year)
KEY PLAYERS: Roger Cray (Sr., CB), Michael Jackson (Sr., WR), Latrell Williams (Sr., WR), Laquavious Paul (Sr., LB), Davin Schuck (Jr., QB), Kamario Bell (Jr., RB), Robbie Moon (Jr., NT), Doug Johnson (So., LT)
2015 PREVIEW: The Tigers make the jump from 6A to 7A this year. While they are optimistic about the upcoming season, a new district and non-district games at Lincoln (Tallahassee), Bolles (Jacksonville) & Suwannee (Live Oak), plus a home game against 6A playoff team Escambia (Pensacola), will be challenging.
Senior CB Roger Cray (37.5 tackles, one sack, two INT and 6 passes defended) is one of the returnees on defense, while junior Kamario Bell (7 yards per carry, 5 TD’s), who played cornerback at times for the Tigers, will be counted on to take over for departed RB Lonnie Underwood, a second team all-state selection. Junior Davin Schuck, who played safety on occasion, was a part-time quarterback who passed for 594 yards with 9 TDs and three interceptions. He also rushed for 163 yards and 2 TDs.
Head coach Brian Allen’s team is in a five-team district with Fletcher (Neptune Beach), which reached the regional semifinals last year, First Coast (Jacksonville), which dropped from 8A where it was 12-1 in 2014 and lost to state champion Apopka in the regional finals, and Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville), which was 7-3. Lee (Jacksonville), which was in with Columbia the last two years in 6A-District 3 is also in the new 7A-District 2. Last year, the Tigers were routed by White (Jacksonville) at home, which cost them the 6A-District 3 title.
Columbia will open the season at home against Gainesville on Friday, August 28. The Tigers will also host Buchholz (Gainesville) on Friday, September the 11th, which is sandwiched around the trip to Lincoln.
2015 SCHEDULE
Aug. 28 – vs. Gainesville
Sept. 4 – at Lincoln (Tallahassee), 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 – vs. Buchholz (Gainesville)
Sept. 18 – at Lee (Jacksonville), 7 p.m.*
Sept. 25 – vs. Escambia (Pensacola)
Oct. 2 – OFF
Oct. 9 – at Bolles (Jacksonville)
Oct. 16 – vs. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville)*
Oct. 23 – at Fletcher (Neptune Beach), 7 p.m.*
Oct. 30 – vs. First Coast (Jacksonville)*
Nov. 6 – at Suwannee (Live Oak)
*District game
Columbia Tigers’ football website
“The Prep Zone” has been counting down to kick-off with a preview of high school football teams in the North Central Florida area. Past team previews:
July 20 – BELL BULLDOGS
July 21 – BELLEVIEW RATTLERS
July 22 – BRADFORD (STARKE) TORNADOES
July 23 – BRANFORD BUCCANEERS
July 24 – BRONSON EAGLES
July 25 – BUCHHOLZ (GAINESVILLE) BOBCATS
July 26 – CHIEFLAND INDIANS
July 27 – CITRUS (INVERNESS) HURRICANES
July 28 – COLUMBIA (LAKE CITY) TIGERS
July 29 – DIXIE COUNTY (CROSS CITY) BEARS
July 30 – DUNNELLON TIGERS
Aug. 1 – EASTSIDE (GAINESVILLE) RAMS
Aug. 2 – FOREST (OCALA) WILDCATS
Aug. 3 – FORT WHITE INDIANS
Aug. 4 – GAINESVILLE HURRICANES
Aug. 5 – HAMILTON COUNTY (JASPER) TROJANS
