Columbus East High School

The Columbus East boys soccer team kicked off Hoosier Hills Conference play in strong fashion Thursday night, battling back to earn a 2-1 win over Seymour at Seymour High School and bringing home the “O” Cup. The Owls struck first with an early goal, but the Olympians responded before halftime. Farid Garcia Renteria netted the equalizer off a setup from Emilio Quintero Aguirre, and just minutes later Quintero Aguirre found the back of the net with an assist from David Sylva to give East a 2-1 advantage at the break. Neither team scored in the second half as the Olympians held firm defensively to secure the conference-opening victory. Head coach Sam LaVelle credited the team’s composure after falling behind and praised the energy provided by substitute Amelizon Adeus. “Amelizon’s defensive pressure and work rate up top really pushed us over the edge tonight,” LaVelle said. “He played a big part in our success.” The JV Olympians also picked up a win, topping Seymour 2-0 behind a pair of goals from Miguel Ferrer. East will look to carry the momentum into another Hoosier Hills matchup when they host the Jeffersonville Red Devils on Saturday at the BCSC Soccer Complex. Match start time: 10:30 a.m.