Columbus East High School

The Columbus East boys volleyball team opened IHSAA Sectional play with a strong statement on Thursday night, sweeping Whiteland in straight sets—25-17, 25-12, 25-12—at Franklin High School. Coming into the postseason with two regular-season wins already under their belts against the Warriors, the Olympians left little doubt in their third matchup, controlling the tempo from the opening serve and rarely letting up. East set the tone early in Set 1, pulling away with a mid-set scoring burst that widened the gap to 19-9. Senior standouts Tyler Ernst and Alex Duncan powered the attack with a string of kills, while Ian Scholl added a key service ace during the run. From there, the Olympians never allowed Whiteland to get within striking distance. The second set followed a similar pattern. A seven-point surge highlighted by a service ace from senior Jack Smith gave East a comfortable 14-6 lead. Whiteland briefly slowed the momentum with a kill, but East’s balance and consistency proved too much, with Scholl sealing the set with a kill. Whiteland’s strongest push came early in the third frame. Trailing 11-2, the Warriors rallied with a 7-1 run, trimming the deficit to just three points. However, East quickly regained control, reeling off seven of the next eight points to reestablish a commanding lead. Kills from Ernst and Duncan, along with a final miscue by Whiteland, ended the match in dominant fashion. With the win, Columbus East advances to the sectional semifinal on Saturday, where they will face host Franklin Community, who rolled past Greenwood in their first-round matchup. The winner will move on to the championship match Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Olympians will look to carry their momentum into a tougher test against a red-hot #10 ranked Grizzly Cubs squad, aiming to extend their postseason run.