Columbus East High School

EVANSVILLE, Ind. / Ford Center — In a field stacked with Indiana’s wrestling elite, the Columbus East Olympians didn't just show up to the Ford Center on Saturday—they battled, they clawed, and they punched six tickets to the IHSAA State Championships. Competing at the grueling Evansville Semi-State, East finished 4th in the team standings with 112.5 points, outperforming some powerhouse teams along the way. More importantly, the Olympians secured their second-highest number of state qualifiers since the 2018 season, sending a contingent of six wrestlers to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The team scores at the top told the story of the heavy competition, with Center Grove (210), Brownsburg (178), and Evansville Mater Dei (124) taking the top three spots. However, it was the "ticket round"—the quarterfinals, where a win guarantees a spot at State—where the Olympians truly shined. Headlining a day defined by grit, East wrestlers secured five of their six ticket-round victories in dramatic fashion, relying on overtime takedowns or critical scores late in the third period. It was a testament to a season’s worth of hard work manifesting on the mat when the pressure was highest. The State Qualifiers Three Olympians fought their way to the championship bouts, finishing as Semi-State Runner-ups. At 150 pounds, senior Caleb Kirkpatrick (36-6) exemplified the team’s resilience. He survived a thrilling Sudden Victory (OT) match in the quarterfinals, winning 4-1 over Evansville Mater Dei's Grant Voelker. He followed that up with a tight 2-1 decision over Center Grove’s Marcus Malone in the semis before falling to Brownsburg’s Thomas Gibbs in the final. At 175 pounds, junior Lincoln Cooper (38-2) was dominant early, pinning his quarterfinal opponent in the second period. He secured an 8-1 decision in the semifinals against North Posey before taking runner-up honors against Center Grove's undefeated Sean Breedlove. At 190 pounds, junior Colin McMahon (36-5) won a nail-biter in the ticket round, edging out Heritage Hills' Dalton Pledger 5-4. He cruised through the semis with a 9-0 major decision but fell to Boonville’s Sam Howard in the championship match. The Olympians also saw strong finishes in the consolation finals: 157 lbs: Senior Caleb Cooper (33-6) bounced back from a semifinal loss to claim 3rd place, defeating Franklin’s Micah Tonte by a 6-3 decision. 215 lbs: Junior Clayton Miller (34-7) also took home 3rd place, capping his day with a dominant 10-0 major decision over Mater Dei’s Caden Thacker. 285 lbs: Junior Hank Redman (35-6) punched his ticket with a gritty 6-3 quarterfinal win, eventually placing 4th in the heavyweight division. Team Effort While six move on, other Olympians contributed key points to the 4th place team finish. Ethan Poling (132), Cameron Cooper (144), and Aiden Miller (165) all secured pins in the opening round before falling in the quarterfinals. Ty Brueche (126) and Joel Smith (106) also competed for East on Saturday. Up Next: The State Finals The Olympians now turn their attention to Indianapolis. The IHSAA State Finals begin on Friday, February 20th, at 3:00 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Wrestlers must win their Friday night opening match to advance to Saturday’s medal rounds. Fans can tune in to the State Finals Pairings Show on Sunday, February 15th, at 4:00 p.m. EST to see the bracket draw for Friday’s first-round matchups. Semi-State Team Standings (Top 10) Center Grove (210) Brownsburg (178) Evansville Mater Dei (124) Columbus East (112.5) Franklin Community (99) Avon (77) Heritage Hills (50) Bloomington South (38) Boonville (34) Indian Creek (30)