Grizzly Cubs Overpower Bull Dogs and Olympians to Capture Sectional Crown

The boy’s volleyball sectional at Franklin saw a wild ride come to a close for both Columbus North and Columbus East, as the host Grizzly Cubs roared through the bracket to take the title. Franklin, boasting serious height at the net with a front row stacked with 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7 hitters, proved too much for both local squads.

Columbus East, fresh off a sweep of Whiteland in the opening round, couldn’t find an answer to Franklin’s size and pace in the semifinals. The Olympians fell in straight sets, 25-13, 25-15, 25-11, wrapping up their season at 16-17. Despite the loss, East showed grit throughout the year, highlighted by 11 seniors who helped establish a strong culture under first-year head coach Kailey Smith.

Later in the evening, Columbus North entered the championship round without three key players—Kota and Yuta Kondo, who were on a family trip, and Juan Jose Salcedo Calderon, out due to other obligations. Despite missing the heart of their rotation, the Bull Dogs still advanced to the final after sweeping Shelbyville 25-15, 25-15, 25-12 in the morning semifinal.

In that match, Leo Iorio exploded with eight kills and eight aces, while setter Ramu Alagappin dished out 24 assists. Yoki Murabayashi had seven digs, and contributions from Salcedo Calderon, Hank Lin, and Parth Shah helped keep the Dogs in control.

The title tilt, however, told a different story. Franklin’s depth and precision overwhelmed the shorthanded Dogs 25-12, 25-14, 25-13. Iorio still managed seven kills, and Alagappin added 16 more assists. North wrapped up their season with an 11-19 record, but showed massive growth as younger players like Anyu Gong and Vitor Doi stepped into bigger roles when called upon.