Olympians Flip the Script, Dominate Bull Dogs in Sectional Rematch

Columbus East turned the tables on their crosstown rivals Tuesday night, delivering a dominant 64-41 victory over Columbus North in the opening round of the IHSAA Sectional 14 tournament. Just months after falling to the Bull Dogs in the regular season, the Olympians showed they had no interest in history repeating itself.

From the opening tip, East came out with a relentless defensive effort, forcing 10 first-quarter turnovers and jumping out to a 15-6 lead. Columbus North, riding a 12-game winning streak into the tournament, found themselves on the ropes early. By halftime, the Bull Dogs managed to claw back within five, but any thoughts of a comeback were quickly erased in the third quarter as East unleashed a 17-4 run, ballooning the lead to 18.

Keaton Lawson led the charge for the Olympians, filling up the stat sheet with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Former North player Judah Lewis added 14 points, making the most of his first chance to face his former teammates in a postseason setting. Carter Patterson chipped in 12 points as East’s balanced offensive attack overwhelmed the Bull Dogs’ defense.

For North, Austin Perry and Nate Enneking tried to keep their team in the fight, but the combination of turnovers and East’s defensive pressure proved too much to handle. North closes the season at 19-4, an impressive turnaround from last year’s 6-16 campaign.

With the win, Columbus East moves on to face Franklin in Friday’s semifinal at 7:45 p.m. The Olympians previously defeated Franklin 64-50 in the regular season and will look to repeat that success as they aim for a sectional championship.