Columbus East High School

COLUMBUS – Revenge was sweet, but the Columbus East Olympians made sure it was also decisive. In front of a raucous, standing-room-only crowd at the Orange Pit, the Olympians overwhelmed their crosstown rivals, the Columbus North Bulldogs, with smothering defense and a patient offensive approach, cruising to a 64-41 victory in the opening round of the Class 4A IHSAA Sectional #14. The win avenged East’s early-season loss to the Bulldogs, when they struggled to generate offense in a 42-point outing back on Dec. 20. From the opening tip, East dictated the pace, forcing turnovers and making life miserable for the Bulldogs. Columbus North managed just six first-quarter points as the Olympians pounced on loose balls, pressured passing lanes, and turned defense into instant offense. Sophomore Judah Lewis set the tone early, dropping 11 of his 14 points in the first quarter, while Keaton Lawson, who was just getting warmed up, added six. East closed the first eight minutes with a commanding 15-6 lead, sending the Orange Pit into a frenzy. North responded in the second quarter, finding some rhythm offensively and cutting into the deficit slightly. While East only managed nine points in the period, the Olympians still took a 24-19 advantage into the locker room. Despite leading scorers Lawson and Carter Patterson combining for just 11 points in the first half, there was a sense that the dam was about to break. And in the third quarter, it did. Just as they had to start the game, the Olympians ratcheted up the defensive intensity to begin the second half, forcing turnovers that quickly translated into buckets. Lawson, a strong candidate for the Indiana Junior All-Star team, took control, pouring in 15 of his game-high 21 points after halftime. The Olympians spread the wealth in the second half, with Mason Reeves (7 points), Patterson (7 second-half points), Danny Coriden (6 points), and Alex Duncan (4 points) all contributing in key moments. Duncan’s emphatic third-quarter dunk brought the home crowd to its feet and put an exclamation point on a dominant stretch. By the end of the third quarter, East had ballooned its lead to 46-28, and there was no doubt about the outcome. The Bulldogs, held to just 41 points—one of their lowest-scoring nights of the season—had no answer for East’s relentless pressure. With the game well in hand, both teams went to their benches in the final minutes, but the Olympians never let up, securing the wire-to-wire 64-41 victory. Next up, East faces a familiar foe in the sectional semifinals: Franklin Community. The Olympians got the better of the Grizzly Cubs in mid-December, winning 64-50, but as East learned firsthand against North, past results mean little in March. Expect Franklin to bring its best shot when the two teams collide Friday night in the 2nd game of the semifinal round. East Central plays Whiteland in the first semifinal game, staring at 6 p.m. on Friday. Olympian Scoring Breakdown: Keaton Lawson – 21 points (8 FG, 1 3PT, 2-6 FT), led team in rebounding Judah Lewis – 14 points (3 FG, 2 3PT, 2-2 FT) Carter Patterson – 12 points (4 FG, 1 3PT, 1-2 FT) Mason Reeves – 7 points (2 FG, 1 3PT) Danny Coriden – 6 points (2 3PT) Alex Duncan – 4 points (2 FG, including highlight-reel dunk) The Olympians made a statement on their home court—now, they look to take one step closer to a sectional title. We hope to see the Olympian faithful PACK THE PIT FRIDAY NIGHT and be Loud and Proud!