Columbus East High School

On this day, November 30th, 2013, Columbus East Olympians defeated Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger 28-27 to capture the IHSAA 4A State Championship. This was Columbus East's, at the time, 2nd State football championship. In an intense IHSAA Class 4A State Final, Columbus East, the top-ranked team, clinched a hard-earned 28-27 victory over Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. The game took a dramatic turn as Columbus East, initially in control with a three-touchdown lead, orchestrated a spectacular 73-yard touchdown drive with just 3:42 left on the clock. Kicker Paul Baker's successful extra point sealed the triumph. Coach Bob Gaddis commended his team's resilience, stating, "They showed a lot of character. They responded well with a great deal of heart and character." The momentum shifted when Dwenger seized a 27-21 lead in the preceding possession with 9:10 remaining. Despite attempting a bold move by faking the conversion kick, the Saints' mishandled two-point conversion running attempt was stopped by Columbus East. Coach Chris Svarczkopf emphasized Dwenger's determination, asserting, "We came to win. If you question that, you question all the other calls that worked in the second half." Markell Jones, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound junior, played a crucial role for Columbus East, rushing 32 times for an impressive 197 yards and two touchdowns. Despite a fumble near the end of the third quarter, Jones took responsibility, stating, "I felt like I let us down. We were right there." He rallied his team, stressing the need to "get it done" in crucial moments. Jones described the decisive drive, saying, "It was either bring it home or don’t go home." Quarterback Alex Cowan scored the winning touchdown with a one-yard sneak. Coach Gaddis expressed unwavering confidence in Jones, emphasizing the importance of moving forward: "Markell’s a great player, and great players can forget that. We always talk to the kids about forgetting the last play and making the next play, and he did a great job." Dwenger's quarterback, Mike Fiacable, delivered an impressive performance, completing 20 of 27 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. His scoring strikes included throws of 15 yards to Gabe Espinoza and nine and 20 yards to Gus Schrader. The game concluded with a dramatic sequence as Dwenger attempted another rally. With 54 seconds remaining, the Saints faced a third-and-14 at the Columbus East 49. Fiacable, under pressure, fumbled after being strip sacked by Brock Patterson. Despite a recovery by teammate Nathan Niece, Columbus East defensive back Tyler Campbell executed a crucial strip, securing possession and allowing the Olympians to run out the clock.