Columbus East High School

Broad Ripple HS - The Columbus East Olympian girls wrestling team made a massive statement on Saturday, battling through a loaded 39-team field to secure a second-place team finish at the Purdue Poly Girls Invitational at Broad Ripple High School. Showcasing remarkable depth and top-tier talent against heavily ranked competition, the Olympians racked up 180.5 points, narrowly edging out Franklin Community (180) by a crucial half-point to claim the runner-up spot behind team champion Whiteland Community (289). The Olympians’ success was fueled by three dominant individual championships. Freshman Lexi Burns delivered a flawless performance in the 145-pound weight class, rolling to a 5-0 record on the day to improve her season mark to an unblemished 10-0. Burns amassed a team-high 33.5 points, opening with a technical fall before securing four consecutive first-period pins, culminating in a swift 1:07 fall over Avon's Sophia Waggoner in the title bout. Senior Tienica Dits struck gold at 110 pounds, utilizing two quick pins to reach the finals before surviving a high-scoring 18-12 decision over Shenandoah’s Karsyn Merritt to secure the championship. At 235 pounds, junior Kaydence Spradlin overwhelmed her bracket, earning three straight pins—including a dominant 1:05 fall over Hamilton Southeastern’s Layla Curles in the championship match—to take the top spot on the podium. Columbus East’s ability to secure the runner-up trophy came down to their immense strength in the consolation brackets, where four grapplers fought back to claim third-place honors. Freshman Ariella Pope (100 lbs) bounced back from a semifinal loss to record a 2:39 pin over Hamilton Southeastern's Charlotte Dragoo in her third-place match, finishing the day 4-1. Freshman Valerie Barrientos (105 lbs) mirrored that resilience, securing bronze with a 2:54 fall against South Dearborn’s Karaleigh Oles. At 170 pounds, sophomore Annabelle Redman put together a stellar 4-1 run, pinning Center Grove's Dakota Hester in 2:24 to win her consolation final. The 190-pound bracket saw two Olympians battling for placement points, as sophomore Ellenor Bliton edged out teammate Kyleigh Traylor in a tight 5-0 consolation semifinal. Bliton went on to take third with a hard-fought 6-3 decision over Edgewood's Ja'Mia Lewis, while Traylor rebounded in the fifth-place match with a quick 1:42 pin over Hamilton Southeastern’s Evelyn Loy. Senior Issabel Wakefield added crucial points to the Olympians' narrow margin over Franklin Community, battling through the 155-pound bracket to capture seventh place via forfeit in her final placement match. Freshman Kyleigh Branum also gained valuable varsity experience, competing hard in a challenging 110-pound field. With three individual titles, a slew of podium finishes, and a team trophy secured against a massive field of state contenders, the Columbus East girls have cemented themselves as a formidable force on the mats this season. Nice work Olympians!