Columbus East High School

Bloomington, IN — The Columbus East wrestling team delivered a powerful performance Thursday night as they traveled to Bloomington to face the Bloomington South Panthers. The Olympians secured a decisive 41-26 team victory. The match opened with a strong start for Columbus East, as Ethan Poling (113 lbs) pinned Jaxsen Jean in just 2:53, giving East an early 6-0 lead. Although Bloomington South’s Cameron Meier (120 lbs) responded with a quick fall over Ayden Hamm in 1:14 to tie the score, Columbus East rebounded swiftly. In the tightly contested 126-pound match, Wyatt Behnke edged out Mark Hand with a narrow 4-3 decision. The momentum continued to build when Gage Rutan (132 lbs) secured a pin over Brian Conley at the 3:15 mark, adding another six points to Columbus East’s tally. Columbus East’s Caleb Kirkpatrick (138 lbs) dominated with an 8-0 major decision over Amrin Pratt, and Caleb Cooper (144 lbs) pinned Logan Deckard in 1:58. The team continued its winning streak with strong performances from Hank Redman (175 lbs), who defeated Denny Allgood 3-1, and Colin McMahon (190 lbs), who earned an 11-3 major decision over Oliver Piwoszkin. The Olympians closed out the upper weights with James Moss (215 lbs) defeating Mason Grubb 7-2, and Dominic Piper (285 lbs) securing a quick fall over Beau Badger in just 1:34. Bloomington South had wins by Fender’s (157 lbs) technical fall against Aiden Miller at 17-1 in 5:26. Evan Roudebush (165 lbs) also pinned Clayton Miller in 1:08. Despite these efforts, Columbus East’s depth made the difference, with additional competitive JV matches adding to the meet’s excitement. Adam Dye (165 lbs, Columbus East) earned a hard-fought 4-1 decision over Quincy Edwards in one of the extra matches. In other JV action, Connor Fudge (138 lbs, Columbus East) faced Nolan Langley (Bloomington South) and lost by fall. Rohan McWilliams (157 lbs, Columbus East) battled Carson Bohall (Bloomington South) but was edged out by decision. Additionally, Henry Eickmeyer (157 lbs, Columbus East) wrestled a tough match against Noah Webb (Bloomington South), ultimately falling by decision. The final team score of 41-26 reflected a balanced and hard-fought meet. Columbus East’s ability to secure critical pins and decision victories contributed to their commanding performance. The Olympians will look to carry this momentum into the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament this Saturday, January 18th at Floyd Central High School. Start time: 9 a.m.