Each year, the calm waters of Lake Seminole are transformed into a high-octane arena as the Sneads Showdown drag boat races roar to life.

The Malone Tigers are turning the page to a new era as former standout Antwain Johnson takes the reins of the boys’ basketball program following the departure of longtime head coach Steve Welch. Johnson, a 2015 graduate of Malone School, is no stranger to the court or to the legacy of the Tigers' storied basketball tradition.

Aaron Davis, a proud 2016 graduate of Graceville High School, is returning to his alma mater in a leadership role, this time as head football coach. Davis, who played defensive end for the Tigers during his high school years, is determined to restore the program’s tradition of grit, effort, and relentless play.

Merritt’s Millpond is to Jackson County what Disney World is to Orlando. 

Marianna High School is welcoming a familiar face to a new role this year as Joy Hand steps in to lead both the court and beach volleyball programs.

In the small, tight-knit town of Malone, where basketball is more than a game, it's a heritage—few names have become as interwoven into the legacy of the orange and navy blue as that of Coach Steve Welch.

The Cottondale Darlings swept through the district and were named District Champs for the first time in Cottondale Rec Ball history. The next step was to prepare for the next step which was a state championship in Belleview.

Jackson County is indeed fortunate to have rec parks all over the county. The granddaddy of them all is located in Marianna. If you ask the young athletes who gravitate to the rec park on Caverns Road week after week through football, soccer, softball, and baseball seasons, they will quickly tell you, “We’re headed to “M.E.R.E.” That name has stuck from the day it opened.

The Marianna Ozone All-Stars saw their season come to an end last weekend.

The Sneads Darlings took the runner-up spot in district play, having played in the blazing sun in Blountstown June 13-15. The feisty little team didn’t walk away with the district championship but they did earn a bid to play in the Darlings State Tournament scheduled to be held in Belleview. Opening ceremonies will be at a banquet Thursday, June 26 with games starting Friday, June 27.