Olympians Stun Whiteland, Advance to Sectional Semifinals

The Columbus East girls’ basketball team picked the perfect moment to notch their best performance of the season, upsetting Whiteland 57-51 in the opening round of the IHSAA Girls Sectional at Columbus North.

East entered as underdogs but played like seasoned contenders, with Krea Martin stepping into the starting lineup for the first time this season and delivering a breakout performance. The sophomore knocked down four clutch three-pointers, swinging momentum in East’s favor while Ella Anthis controlled the paint, scoring 21 points, including a game-changing three-pointer in the fourth quarter. Kimberly Carothers added 14 points and seven rebounds, ensuring the Olympians sealed the win at the free-throw line, going a near-perfect 19-of-21.

Whiteland made its push late, attacking the interior and briefly taking a 45-44 lead with just minutes to play, but East responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Anthis and Martin, sending the Olympians to their first sectional semifinal since 2022.

Now sitting at 2-20 on the season, East is playing with house money and a ton of confidence as they prepare to face crosstown rival Columbus North on Friday night in the sectional semifinals. Can they keep their postseason magic alive against the heavily favored Bull Dogs?