Columbus East High School

NEW ALBANY, IN - Friday night’s trip south to New Albany proved to be a marathon for the Columbus East high school football team. After taking an hour-long bus ride down for a scheduled 7:00 p.m. kickoff against Hoosier Hills Conference opponent New Albany Bulldogs, severe lightning in the area forced a massive delay lasting over 90 minutes. The unexpected weather break stretched the first half late into the night, pushing halftime to around 10:30 p.m. However, the lengthy delay did not cool off the high-powered Columbus East offense, as the Olympians dominated from start to finish in an impressive 54-14 HHC victory. Columbus East set an aggressive tone early on the opening drive when quarterback Kam Combest connected with Carson Gallion on a 25-yard touchdown pass. The running game quickly built on that momentum, as Asher Scott punched in a short touchdown run and Owen Hatfield added a 10-yard touchdown sprint. Those quick scores gave the Olympians a 20-0 lead with under two minutes remaining in the first quarter before safety protocols forced players off the field due to lightning. IHSAA rules dictate that each flash of lightning sets the delay clock back twenty minutes, even if the timer is at 19:59 since the last flash of lightning. When play finally resumed after the long pause, Columbus East picked up right where it left off. Combest hit Gallion for a second touchdown on a 42-yard strike, scrambled into the end zone on a 3-yard run, and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Miles Broaddus right before the break. By the time halftime arrived at approximately 10:30 p.m., the Olympians held a commanding 40-14 advantage. The second half was all about complete control. While the Columbus East defense pitched a shutout across the final two quarters, the offense continued to deliver. Daelyn Diaz powered into the end zone on a 5-yard run early in the third quarter to stretch the lead. Late in the third quarter, Dallas Dykstra broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run with 2:26 on the clock. Dykstra’s touchdown pushed the margin past 35 points, triggering a running clock for the remainder of the game and closing out the victory. Columbus East produced dynamic numbers across the stat sheet. Combest led the aerial attack by completing 18 of 28 passes for 327 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. Gallion posted a stellar performance as the top target, hauling in seven receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while Connor Fudge contributed 89 yards on five catches. Hatfield spearheaded the ground game, rushing 17 times for a team-high 96 yards. The blowout win marks the third straight victory for Columbus East after an 0-2 start to the season. The Olympians now stand at 3-2 overall and remain undefeated at 2-0 in Hoosier Hills Conference play as they gear up for another key road test next week (9/25) when they face another HHC opponent in a very strong Floyd Central Highlander team who currently sit 5-0, only allowed a total of 38 points this season after five games, and currently sit at #5/#6 (IFCA/USA TODAY polls) in the class 5A.