Prior to 2018, Columbus East and Columbus North had only captured conference football titles in the same season once, with that coming in 2004.
Friday night, the Olympians and Bull Dogs have a chance to do it for the second time in three years when they host big conference matchups.
East can clinch at least a tie for the Hoosier Hills Conference title with a win against Seymour, and Columbus North can wrap up the outright Conference Indiana title with a victory against Bloomington North.
“It’s a big game Friday night,” Columbus North coach Tim Bless said. “If we take care of business, we take care of the Conference Indiana title, which is a huge goal of ours.”
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As the only remaining teams unbeaten in their respective conferences, the Olympians and Bull Dogs still can win at least a share of their titles if they lose this week and win next week. East plays at Madison, and Columbus North visits Terre Haute North to close the regular season.
But both teams are intent on wrapping things up this week.
“For us, it’s a championship game,” East coach Bob Gaddis said. “We want to stay on top.”
Seymour (3-4, 3-1) can win at least a share of the HHC title if it can beat the Olympians (5-2, 4-0) and Floyd Central (5-2, 3-1) the next two weeks. The Owls gave East its toughest conference test last season, a 14-7 decision.
“They played us awfully tough last year,” Gaddis said. “It was a heck of a good physical battle.”
Seymour quarterback Cody Ruble was the backup behind Trenton Kelly at Columbus North as a sophomore in 2018 before transferring back to his hometown the following summer.
“He’s a really good player,” Gaddis said. “He can run, and he can throw. They have a new offensive scheme and a new defensive scheme. They have a whole new staff, and it looks like their kids are buying in.”
The Owls also have a pair of capable running backs in Colin Greathouse and Chandler Drummond.
“They’re very sound,” Gaddis said. “They run the same defense we do, a 43. Then offensively, they give you lots of different formations. We’ve seen them on tape, and they’ve gotten better every week. They’re scoring a lot of points.”
Adding flavor to the matchup is that first-year Seymour coach Tyson Moore played for Gaddis at East. Moore’s sister Polly is the aunt of former Olympian quarterback Josh Major, and his other sister Hannah is East’s cheerleader advisor.
“The thing that’s an X-factor this week is that Tyson Moore is a family Olympian,” Gaddis said. “He has pretty deep ties to our school. Like I told our players, you need to understand there will be a lot of intensity on their side not just because it’s a conference championship, but because their coach played high school football here, so we have to match that intensity.”
Speaking of family ties, the Columbus North-Bloomington North battle will be another “Bless Bowl.” Tim Bless’ brother Scott, a former Bull Dog assistant, is the coach of the Cougars.
Like Seymour in the HHC, Bloomington North (3-3, 2-1) has a shot at the Conference Indiana title if it can beat Columbus North (4-2, 3-0) and Southport (1-3, 1-2). The Cougars won last year’s conference title.
Bloomington North’s Reese Lozano has completed 56 of 86 passes for 850 yards and eight touchdowns and has carried 49 times for 263 yards and seven scores. Cody Mikulich has 86 carries for 816 yards and eight touchdowns. Tight end Aaron Steinfeldt, an Indiana University recruit, has 13 catches for 285 yards and two scores, and receiver Bailen Murphy has 24 catches for 283 yards and four touchdowns.
“They’re possibly the most talented offense we’ve seen, especially because of their balance,” Tim Bless said. “They have a ton of talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball — Division I talent. Their rushing attack is really good, and with the athletes they have on the perimeter, they’ve had really good success in the throwing game. It’s a new cast of characters on the offensive line, but they play really aggressive.”
The Bull Dogs are coming off a 38-14 win at Bloomington South, the team that handed the Cougars their lone conference loss.
“I thought we played as good a football game as we’ve played all year in all three phases,” Tim Bless said. “Special teams made a big contribution, our defense was really good and our offense was balanced and scored a lot of points.”
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Seymour at Columbus East
Game time: 7 p.m.
Records: Columbus East 5-2 (4-0 HHC), Seymour 3-4 (3-1 HHC)
Last year: East won 14-7
Last week: East beat Bedford North Lawrence 63-20, Seymour lost to New Albany 42-35
Coaches: Bob Gaddis is 327-142 in his 42nd year, including 209-42 in 20th year at East; Tyson Moore is 3-4 in his first year at Seymour.
Prediction: Columbus East 49, Seymour 21
Bloomington North at Columbus North
Game time: 7 p.m.
Records: Columbus North 4-2 (3-0 Conference Indiana), Bloomington North 3-3 (2-1 CI)
Last year: Bloomington North won 27-7
Last week: Columbus North beat Bloomington South 38-14, Bloomington North lost to Roncalli 63-21
Coaches: Tim Bless is 151-99 in his 23rd year, including 139-90 in his 21st year at Columbus North; Scott Bless is 83-129 in his 21st year, including 68-99 in his 16th year at Bloomington North.
Prediction: Columbus North 42, Bloomington North 21
Friday’s other area games
Jeffersonville at Jennings County, 7 p.m.
North Putnam at Brown County, 7 p.m.
Rock Creek Academy at Edinburgh, 7 p.m.
Oldenburg Academy at South Decatur, 7 p.m.
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