Columbus East High School

SHELBYVILLE — Columbus East left no doubt on Friday night, putting together a complete, high-powered performance on both sides of the ball to dismantle the Shelbyville Golden Bears 47-7 in the semifinal round of the IHSAA Class 4A Sectional 23 tournament. The lopsided road victory secures the Olympians’ first sectional championship game appearance since 2020. From the opening snap, Columbus East set the tone with an explosive offensive attack. On their very first offensive play from scrimmage, quarterback Kam Combest connected with Jackson Miller on a deep strike for an early touchdown. That opening salvo sparked a career night for East's offense, which kept the chains moving through both an electric passing game and an unrelenting rushing assault. Combest delivered a remarkably efficient outing through the air, completing 14 of 18 passes for 225 yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception. Miller served as a prime target downfield, finishing with three receptions for 84 yards and two scores. Carson Gallion became Combest's go-to option in scoring territory, hauling in five passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns, while Connor Fudge added five crucial grabs for 75 yards to keep drives alive. Complementing the aerial attack was a dominant ground display led by Owen Hatfield. Running behind a physical and disciplined offensive front that consistently created wide running lanes, Hatfield carved up the defense for a career-high 258 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. Hatfield scored on runs of 9 and 12 yards during the second quarter before breaking free for a 17-yard touchdown scamper in the second half. While the offense piled up points, the Olympians' defense delivered one of its strongest efforts of the season. Shelbyville entered the contest with a capable offense that had consistently found the end zone all fall, but the East defensive unit completely neutralized the Golden Bears' game plan. Aside from a late second-quarter score, East kept the hosts entirely off the scoreboard, forcing turnovers on downs and shutting down big plays to hold Shelbyville scoreless throughout the entire second half. Holding a 20-7 advantage at halftime, the Olympians blew the game wide open with a 20-point explosion in the third quarter. Combest connected with Miller for a 32-yard score and later found Gallion on a 7-yard strike before Hatfield added his third rushing touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, Combest hit Gallion for a 10-yard touchdown to push the margin to 47-7, officially triggering the mercy-rule running clock and sealing the commanding victory. Columbus East now turns its focus to the Sectional 23 championship game on Friday, November 6. The Olympians will have home-field advantage as they host the East Central Trojans at 7 p.m. The Trojans travel to Columbus boasting a 9-2 record and high praise across the state, entering the matchup ranked No. 5 in Class 4A and No. 26 overall in the Indiana Sagarin ratings. Facing a formidable and battle-tested opponent, the surging Olympians will look to carry their semifinal momentum home in pursuit of a sectional crown.