Columbus East head football coach Eddie Vogel calls out a play during the season opener against Whiteland at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.
The Republic file photo
Columbus East and Columbus North showed for parts of last week’s season openers that they can play with some of the top football teams in the state.
Their goal now is to do it for an entire game.
Tonight, the Olympians and Bull Dogs will face each other at North’s Max Andress Field in the annual crosstown battle. Game time is 7 p.m.
“First and foremost is being able to play 48 minutes,” East coach Eddie Vogel said. “We talked to our guys after the game and also on Friday about our conditioning level. That’s on me and the coaches to make sure that they’re ready to play a full football game. I think that affected how we came off the ball and how we tackled. Conditioning level trickles over into every aspect of the game. We have quite a few guys that are playing a big role on both sides of the ball or special teams, and Whiteland really kind of wore us down. We weren’t ready, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready.”
The Olympians led Whiteland, which now is ranked No. 3 in Class 5A, 10-7 at halftime before giving up 21 unanswered points in the second half to fall 28-10. The Bull Dogs fell behind 5A No. 2 Decatur Central 14-0 early before rallying to within 14-12 and having a chance to take the lead in the second half and eventually lost 26-12.
Columbus North head football coach Logan Haston gives instructions for a drill during practice at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, July 14, 2022.
The Republic file photo
“I’m proud with the way that our guys continued to fight,” North coach Logan Haston said. “The way the game started out, it could have definitely gotten much uglier, but our guys kept their composure. Our guys clawed their way back into it. We just have to learn how to close out the game. I’m really proud of the way our guys fought. We just have to start the game a little faster.”
The Bull Dogs twice were stopped on fourth-and-1.
“Finishing drives is a huge point of emphasis in practice this week,” Haston said. “We had the ball third-and-goal at the 1-yard line and had two chances and couldn’t punch it in. We just have to clean up our pre-snap penalties. We know crowd noise is going to be a huge factor (tonight), and we have to sharpen up some of those things.”
North senior Zac Horn had a productive day in his first start at quarterback, completing 20 of 31 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown. Senior Damon Edwards caught seven passes for 96 yards, senior Cooper Horn had five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown and senior Tyler Blythe caught four passes for 67 yards and carried 15 times for 61 yards. Senior Osian Guest kicked a pair of field goals.
“They have a really balanced offense,” Vogel said. “They have playmakers in the backfield and playmakers out on the perimeter. I think between (Cooper) Horn and Edwards, they’re doing a good job of getting those guys the ball in different ways, and then Blythe is just a home run hitter every time he touches the football. So it’s going to be a challenge for us. We’re just going to have be fundamental and pursue and tackle. That’s going to be the key for us.”
East senior Ethan Duncan completed 8 of 20 passes for 88 yards and ran for a touchdown against Whiteland, with senior Chase Zapfe catching three passes for 52 yards. Senior Javeon Smith carried 17 times for 73 yards, and junior Tyler Weller had 12 carries for 61 yards.
“I think they have a veteran group, especially on the defensive side of the ball,” Haston said. “Their defense is physical, and we have to match that physicality. Offensively, they have a quarterback that can run around and make plays, so we have to contain him. It’s going to be an 11-man effort.”
Over the past 10 years, each team has won five games in the series. The Olympians won four in a row from 2012-15, the Bull Dogs answered with four in a row from 2016-19, East won at North in 2020 and the Bull Dogs responded with a 28-0 victory at East last season.
“Thinking back to last year, we didn’t take care of the ball really well,” Vogel said. “Ethan fumbled the ball early in the game that kind of took seven points away, and last year being a young team, the momentum swings of the game had a big impact. So we talked a lot to these guys in the offseason and in the preseason about being able to play the next play and not let those momentum swings and try to stay even-keel.”
While Vogel is in his second year as head coach at East following two decades as an Olympians assistant, Haston is in his first year as a head coach and his first year at North, meaning he be coaching in his first North-East game.
“The North-East rivalry is a huge thing that attracted me to the job in the first place,” Haston said. “I know it’s going to be a packed house and a huge environment. It’s not any other game. It’s a game that’s special, and I’m excited to be a part of it for the first time.”
