Columbus East and Columbus North will face each other in girls and boys basketball tonight at East and Friday at North, and a few special events will be held in conjunction with those games.
The Olympians and Bull Dogs will play a 10-minute Unified basketball game at the conclusion of tonight’s junior varsity girls game at East. The JV game starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Unified game at around 7:10 p.m. and the varsity at around 7:45 p.m.
On Friday, North will hold a chili supper fundraiser for assistant football and girls basketball coach Karen McCaa, who is battling health issues. Organizers are hoping to raise $20,000 at the dinner, which will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the North High School cafeteria.
Also Friday, the North Alumni Association is honoring former player and shoe legend Chuck Taylor with Chuck Taylor Night." The group will give away rally towels with Taylor’s name and photo and the words, "Columbus’ original All-Star." They are inviting fans to wear their blue or orange "Chucks."
Radio announcer Sam Simmermaker will read a brief history of Taylor prior to the game. One hundred years ago, Taylor of Converse All-Stars footwear fame was captain of the Columbus High School basketball team during his senior year, when games were played upstairs at the old City Hall at 5th and Franklin Streets. This activity is a part of the 150th Anniversary Celebration of Columbus High School/Columbus North High School.
The Indy Air Bears jump-rope team will perform at halftime of Friday’s varsity game, which will begin around 7:30 p.m. The JV contest is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Trainer is regional nominee
Veteran Columbus North athletic trainer Steve Souder has been selected as the regional nominee for the 2018-19 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award.
The Newell Award is a national award that recognizes athletic trainers for the service and leadership they provide to their local communities. Souder, who has spent the past four decades as a trainer at North, advances to join other regional nominees from across the nation to be considered for the award, which will be announced in the spring.
North junior commits to Marian
Columbus North junior infielder Sierra Norman has committed to play softball at Marian University.
Norman led the Bull Dogs with a .508 average and 17 runs scored and had six home runs and 21 RBIs as a sophomore this spring. She currently is playing basketball for North.
Christmas Classic canceled
The Christmas Classic swimming event in which Columbus North was scheduled to compete on Saturday at IUPUI’s Indiana University Natatorium has been canceled.
The Bull Frogs are off until a Jan. 3 meet at Bloomington North.
