Columbus East High School

Columbus East’s girls basketball team put up a resilient fight but couldn’t overcome Seymour’s late-game push, falling 60-41 in a Hoosier Hills Conference matchup on Thursday night. Despite being shorthanded, the Olympians remained competitive through three quarters, holding Seymour’s lead to single digits. The Owls’ largest advantage before the final period was 11 points. However, a decisive 12-0 Seymour run early in the fourth quarter widened the gap, ultimately sealing the victory. Columbus East displayed balanced scoring with three players in double figures. Ella Anthis led the Olympians with 15 points, 13 of which came in a strong first-half performance. Kenzie Cheek scored 14, contributing 10 points after halftime, while Kimberly Carothers added 10 points. The Olympians’ offense showed increased aggressiveness, focusing on attacking the paint and drawing fouls rather than relying heavily on 3-point shooting. They converted 7-of-11 free throw attempts. In contrast, Seymour capitalized on consistent free throw shooting, going 21-of-23 from the line - this was a big difference in the game. Despite the loss, the Olympians showed a lot of hustle and battled during the game for all four quarters. No matter the outcome, it's was a pleasure to watch the team get after it and the team showed some real improvement in defense and rebounding. Another setback for the Olympians: Sophomore starter Lola Watkins is out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery. The team was already shorthanded, with junior Brelyn Pool sidelined by a knee injury before the season began. Final Score Seymour 60 - Columbus East 41 Scoring by Quarters: Seymour: 11 – 19 – 12 – 18 — 60 Columbus East: 8 – 15 – 10 – 8 — 41 Individual Scorers for Columbus East - Kenzie Cheek: 14 - Ella Anthis: 15 - Kimberly Carothers: 10 - Lucy Ross: 2 3 pointers: Cheek - 2 | Anthis - 2 Columbus East continues to push forward with determined efforts despite injury setbacks this season.