East, North likely to remain in separate football classes

It looks like a Columbus North-Columbus East sectional football matchup won’t be a reality next year, after all.

At the end of last season, it looked like the Bull Dogs, which were No. 28 in the state enrollment the previous classification cycle, might get bumped down from Class 6A to 5A with a few 5A schools gaining students and Fort Wayne Snider moving up because of the tournament success factor.

As it turned out, a few schools did overtake North in enrollment, but a couple dropped below, and the Bull Dogs now are No. 31 on the list released by the IHSAA earlier this week. With only Snider moving up because of the success factor, North likely will remain in 6A.

One of the schools that dropped below North in enrollment was a sectional opponent. New Albany fell from No. 31 to No. 42 and will now be in 5A.

The question now is, will Center Grove remain in a sectional with North and Jeffersonville and possibly a southside Indianapolis school? Or will North and Jeffersonville be paired with two southside Indy schools, with Center Grove moved in with westside Indy schools? North and Jeffersonville are the only projected 6A schools south of Center Grove.

The other big question will be, will East remain in a 5A sectional with New Palestine? Seymour is projected to move up from 4A to 5A, and with New Albany moving down, that gives southern Indiana two more 5A teams to go along with Floyd Central.

The IHSAA could pair Floyd Central and New Albany with Castle and Evansville North and pair East with Whiteland, Seymour, Bedford North Lawrence and/or Bloomington North and South. Or it could put the two Evansville area schools with Bedford and the two Bloomington schools and put East, Seymour, Floyd Central and New Albany — and possibly Whiteland — in the same sectional.

Either way, the Olympians’ chances of playing New Palestine in the sectional for the third consecutive year appear to be slim.

Wrestlers headed to state

Five Columbus East and two Jennings County wrestlers are headed to this weekend’s state finals, which begin with the first round at 6 p.m. Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

East sophomore Cayden Rooks (42-1) will face New Castle junior Trevor Ragle (42-6) in the opening round at 120 pounds. Rooks’ brother, junior Graham Rooks (42-0) will meet Garrett senior Dylan Demarco (36-12) at 126.

At 132, East junior Dawson Combest (42-1) will face Adams Central senior Anthony Mosser (32-4). East sophomore Jake Schoenegge (38-7) will meet Shenandoah senior Ryan Surguy (45-3) at 138.

East junior Corban Pollitt (34-11) will face Cathedral freshman Elliott Rodgers (25-13) at 145. Also at 145, Jennings County sophomore Brooks Wathen (43-7) will meet Southmont senior Boone Welliever (40-0).

Jennings senior Brendan Sutton (26-6) will face Eastern (Greentown) senior Evan Ellis (42-0) at 285.

Friday’s winners are guaranteed three matches on Saturday. The quarterfinals will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the semifinals and consolation round. The third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches will be at 5 p.m. Saturday, followed the championship matches at 7:30 p.m.

North hosting sectional

Columbus North will host a boys swimming sectional beginning with prelims at 5:30 p.m. today. Diving prelims start at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by swimming and diving finals at 1 p.m.

The Bull Frogs have two No. 1 seeds. Angel Torres Martinez has the fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle, and Nick Green is tops in the 500 freestyle.

North’s Sam Russell is seeded second in both the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly, and the Bull Frogs are second in all three relays. Evan Patterson is third in both the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle, and Adam Zhuang is third in the 100 breaststroke.

Columbus East is seeded sixth in all three relays. The Olympians’ top individual seed is Griff McGaha, who is ninth in the 100 backstroke.

The top eight in each event in tonight’s prelims qualify for Saturday’s finals, while the next eight in each event make the consolation heats.

Locals earn academic honor

Columbus North senior Ashlyn Huffman is one of four local players to be named to this year’s Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association Basketball Academic All-State team.

Huffman is joined on the first team by Jennings County’s Sidney Gerkin and South Decatur’s Stacy Fox and Mackenzie Kopplin. Trinity Lutheran’s Whitney Rogers is an honorable mention selection.

East senior picks UIndy

Columbus East senior Landon Miles will continue his soccer career at University of Indianapolis.

Miles had nine goals and three assists as a senior for the Olympians, who went 9-6-1. He was named the East’s Indiana Soccer Coaches Association Top Team Player.