After two years of playing in Class 6A because of the IHSAA’s Tournament Success Factor, Columbus East football is moving back to 5A.
The Olympians will have a chance to renew an old rivalry with New Palestine after the teams were placed in 5A Sectional 14, along with Franklin and Whiteland. East and New Palestine split two 4A semistate games in 2013-14 and split two 5A sectional games in 2015-16.
The vacancy in the 6A sectional that East is leaving was not filled with a fourth team. Columbus North, Center Grove and Franklin Central will play in a three-team sectional.
The IHSAA announced its sectional alignments earlier this week for all fall and winter team sports for the next two years. Baseball and softball will be determined after this spring’s state tournaments.
Alignments for local schools in boys and girls basketball, volleyball and boys and girls soccer remain largely unchanged.
Dates announced for local sectional baseball, softball
Dates and times have been announced for most of the local baseball and softball sectional games later this month.
The Shelbyville softball sectional will begin on May 25 with Columbus East playing Bloomington North at 6 p.m., and Columbus North and Shelbyville to follow. The winners will play May 27 at 6 p.m., and the championship game is May 28 at 7 p.m.
The Rising Sun softball sectional will begin on May 24 with Hauser meeting the host Shiners at 6 p.m. The winner will play Oldenburg Academy in the second semifinal at around 7:30 p.m. May 25, and the championship will be at 6 p.m. May 27.
Edinburgh will open its softball sectional May 24 against Waldron at 5:30 p.m. The winner will meet Greenwood Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. May 26, and the championship will be at 5:30 p.m. May 27.
In the Bloomington North baseball sectional, Columbus North will play East Central at 6 p.m. May 26, with Columbus East and Shelbyville to follow. The winners will meet at 6 p.m. May 28, with the championship to be played at a time to be determined on May 31.
The Jac-Cen-Del baseball sectional semifinals and finals all will be played on May 31. Hauser will face Trinity Lutheran or Oldenburg Academy in the second semifinal at 2 p.m. that day, and the championship will be at 7 p.m.
North’s Ferguson picked for Student-Advisory Committee
Columbus North sophomore Ty Ferguson has been selected to next year’s IHSAA Student-Advisory Committee.
Ferguson, who plays basketball for the Bull Dogs, is one of nine incoming juniors who will join nine returning seniors beginning their second year with the group. They will receive hands-on leadership experience in various areas via several IHSAA-sponsored events and serve as a voice to the IHSAA staff.
Each year, the IHSAA receives nominations from school principals on behalf of student-athletes. From that group, 20 are selected for interviews by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee and returning members of the SAC.
Bull Dog bowlers make Indiana All-Star team
Two girls bowlers from Columbus North have been named to the Indiana All-Star Bowling Team.
Freshmen Lexie Jones and Ragan Mathis are among 55 girls to make the team. They will compete against the Kentucky All-Star Bowling Team June 12 in Louisville.
East, North to host Middle School Football Camp
Columbus North and Columbus East football coaches Tim Bless and Eddie Vogel and their staffs will host a Middle School Football Camp for current sixth- and seventh-graders who will be entering Grades 7 and 8.
The camp will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 17 and 19 at North and May 18 and 20 at East. This will not be a full-contact camp, and players will take part in drills stressing the safest, most fundamentally-sound techniques.
Cost is $50 and includes a t-shirt. Walkup registration will be available from 6 to 7 p.m. May 17 at North.
For more information, contact Bless at 812-376-4265 or blesst@bcsc.k12.in.us or Vogel at 812-376-4348 or vogele@bcsc.k12.in.us
North girls to hold free Youth Soccer Skills Camp
The Columbus North girls soccer team will hold a free Youth Soccer Skills Camp from 7 to 8 p.m. June 2, 9, 16 and 23 and July 7 and 14 at the new BCSC Soccer Complex for girls ages 7 to 13.
Each session will focus on individual skill development, through small-sided activities. Players will be coached by current and past North players.
For more information, contact North coach David Young at 317-902-5205 or coachdavid@ymail.com
East girls hoops to host Kids Basketball Camp
Columbus East Girls Basketball is currently taking registrations for its annual Kids Basketball Camp, which will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. June 7, 8, 10 and 11 for incoming sixth-through-eighth-graders.
The camp focuses on teaching the fundamentals and providing kids with drills they can continue to do after camp to improve Cost is $50, and all campers will receive a t-shirt. Other awards will be given to daily contest winners and Camper of the Week.
Registration is available at https://columbuseastathletics.org/main/adnews/ID/53478452
East seniors to sign with colleges
Two Columbus East seniors will sign in ceremonies next week to compete at the collegiate level.
Mikayla Frenzel will sign Monday to compete in track and field at Anderson University. Malachi Parks will sign Tuesday to play football at Hanover.
Both signings will begin at 3:15 p.m. in the school’s commons.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at tschultz@therepublic.com or 812-379-5628.
