Columbus East High School

The Columbus East Olympian girls and boys swim teams were forced into an unexpected change Tuesday night, but still stepped up to compete as hosts against the Madison Cubs at the H2O’s Swimming Complex. Originally scheduled to take place in Madison, a pool issue on the Cubs’ end required a last-minute adjustment, shifting the meet to Columbus. Despite the sudden change, both Olympian squads moved forward with the competition. On the boys side, Columbus East battled down to the wire before falling just short in a 54–52 decision. The Olympians picked up several event wins, led by Josh Pendleton, who turned in a strong night with victories in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.67) and the 100 butterfly (56.65). Ryan Turner added a win in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.41, while Alex Stilson claimed the 100 backstroke in 1:03.14. Depth showed late for East as the Olympians closed the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay in 3:39.55, keeping the team score tight until the final event. Turner also placed second in the 100 freestyle, and Mason Bean earned a runner-up finish in the 200 individual medley. The Columbus East girls competed with a very limited roster and faced a challenging matchup, falling 102–5 to Madison. Baylee Benefield led the way for the Olympians, finishing third in the 100 freestyle and adding a fourth-place effort in the 100 backstroke. While the results favored Madison, the night reflected resilience from both Olympian teams—adjusting on short notice, racing through a full slate of events, and gaining valuable experience as the season continues to move forward.