East Rolls Past Whiteland, Reaches Sectional Semifinals

The Olympians brought the heat and never looked back Thursday night at Franklin, as the Columbus East boys volleyball team made quick work of Whiteland with a dominant 25-17, 25-12, 25-12 sweep in the opening round of the sectional.

Columbus East, now 15-15, showed laser-sharp focus despite already owning two wins over Whiteland this season. Seniors Alex Duncan, Tyler Ernst, Ian Scholl, and Jack Smith made sure a third meeting was no different, combining power at the net with steady serves to keep momentum on their side all evening.

The victory vaults East into Saturday’s semifinal where they’ll face a red-hot Franklin squad on their home court. Columbus North also advanced and will play Shelbyville in the first semi at 11 a.m., setting the stage for a full day of volleyball and a 7 p.m. title match.