Columbus East High School

The Columbus East girls swim team capped off their season Saturday at the IHSAA Swimming Sectional, held at Columbus North High School. The Olympians finished seventh in the 14-team field with a total of 112 points. Furnish Sisters Lead the Charge Sophomore Connelly Furnish and junior Cassidy Furnish delivered standout performances for Columbus East. Connelly placed second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:20.98, earning 17 points, while also securing third place in the 200-yard individual medley (2:19.44) for 16 points. Cassidy contributed with a seventh-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (2:12.38) and eighth place in the 500-yard freestyle (5:55.57), adding 23 points to the team total. Relay Teams Battle Hard The Olympians’ relay teams fought hard against tough competition. The 400-yard freestyle relay squad of Cassidy Furnish, Connelly Furnish, Baylee Benefield, and Madelyn Beyer placed seventh with a time of 4:19.02, adding 24 points. The 200-yard medley relay team of Savannah Burton, Madelyn Beyer, Hannah Dean, and Ella Thompson placed tenth in 2:25.22, earning 14 points. Diver Ainslee Shaw Scores for East- Freshman Ainslee Shaw represented Columbus East in the 1-meter diving finals, securing 11th place with a score of 207.05, which brought in six points. The Olympians put forth a strong effort in a tough sectional. While no East swimmers advanced to state, the team showcased resilience and progress throughout the season. With key contributors returning next year, the future looks promising for Columbus East swimming.