It took about an hour's drive to carry Columbia along Interstate 10 from Lake City to Jacksonville.
Now, the results from that trip will spread all across Florida's high school football landscape.
Jumping ahead with four Amari Green touchdown passes, the Tigers seized control of Florida High School District 3-4A and staked their claim for an Open Division berth, beating host White 42-22 in a running-clock game at Commander Stadium.
They did it on offense, including the latest round of highlights from Maryland-bound Kyren Caldwell. They did it on defense, with five more sacks and a game-changing pinball-style pick-six for Alfonso Curry Jr.
And they made the night a winner for head coach Brian Allen, who now surpasses Bobby Simmons as the all-time victories leader in Columbia history.
There are more to come. At 8-0, Columbia football is dreaming of new glory days in Lake City. Maybe in the Class 4A playoffs. Maybe in the inaugural Open Division.
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"All that working in the summer, in the heat, in the rain, we worked for these moments, man," defensive end Mikel Morgan said.
This story will be expanded.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Columbia football makes statement at Ed White. What's next for Tigers?
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