Columbus East High School

The Columbus East girls' basketball team had their first encounter with a new coach, a fresh system, and some unfamiliar players during last night's scrimmage against their HHC opponent, the Jennings County Panthers, at The Orange Pit. Regrettably for the Olympians, the Panthers, who finished with a 16-6 record last year and have several key players returning this season, dominated both offensively and defensively in the first quarter, securing a 24-8 lead. The Olympians, featuring just one returning starter and a number of first-time starters, displayed some early nerves, revealing a team still in the process of adapting to a new coaching style and system as they began the new season. As the game progressed, the Olympians settled in, making the second and third quarters much more competitive. They narrowly lost the second quarter 14-13 but rebounded to win the third quarter 10-8. However, they fell short in the final varsity quarter with a score of 23-15. Leading the way for the Olympians were seniors Jenna Guse and Madelyn Poe, each contributing 11 points, while Messiah Trapp and Kenzi Cheek added six points apiece. The Olympians now have the chance to review actual game footage and address the issues that arose during the scrimmage as they prepare to kick off the regular season on October 31st against Purdue Poly Englewood. The JV game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m., with the varsity game set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. at The Orange Pit- CEHS.