Columbus North quarterback Zac Horn throws a pass during a football game against Bloomington North , Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind.
The Republic file photo
Sunday’s IHSAA football tournament draw couldn’t have gone much better for Columbus North.
For Columbus East, on the other hand, it was a tough draw.
While the Olympians drew a home game with Class 5A No. 4 Bloomington South, the Bull Dogs get to travel to 1-6 Jeffersonville, thus avoiding a first-round matchup with longtime nemesis and two-time defending 6A state champion Center Grove.
“We’re excited,” North coach Logan Haston said. “We truly respect everybody in our sectional, and when you get to the postseason, anything can happen. In that regard, it’s just another football game. We just have a great week of practice on a laser-like focus, no matter if it’s Jeffersonville or Center Grove. We have to go out and have a good week this week and then come back and focus on Jeffersonville.”
The Bull Dogs (4-4) finish the regular season Friday at Terre Haute South. All 6A and 5A teams have a bye week before beginning sectional play on Oct. 28.
If North gets past Jeffersonville, it would host the winner between 6A No. 2 Center Grove (7-1) and Franklin Central (3-5) in the Nov. 4 sectional final.
“We’ll dive into the film when the time comes, and we’ll start preparing,” Haston said. “When you get to the tournament, we can’t look past anyone. I’m confident our coaches will get them ready to have that kind of mindset.”
Columbus East’s Tyler Weller (22) looks for room to run during a game against Jeffersonville Friday Oct. 7, 2022, at Columbus East High School.
The Republic file photo
Meanwhile, East (4-4) will host Bloomington South (6-1) on Oct. 28.
“We saw them this summer, and they’re a talented group,” East coach Eddie Vogel said. “All we can do is control what we can control. We had a great game on Friday, and we’re going to have a great week of practice this week, and all we can do is control what we can control and get hot at the right time.”
If the Olympians can upset the Panthers, they would visit Seymour (6-2) or Bloomington North (4-4) in the Nov. 4 sectional final.
East finishes the regular season Friday at Bedford North Lawrence. The winner will earn a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference title, along with Seymour.
“We have a big one this week for a chance to share the HHC, which is a big one for our kids, and then we’ll have a couple weeks to prepare for Bloomington South, so we’re excited,” Vogel said.
In Class 4A, Jennings County (2-6) will host Silver Creek (3-5) in the first round on Oct. 21. A win likely would send the Panthers to 4A No. 4 East Central (7-1) for the semifinals on Oct. 28.
Brown County (0-8), which moved down from 3A to 2A this year, will host Brownstown Central (5-3) in the opening round on Oct. 21. A win likely would send the Eagles to 2A No. 7 Triton Central (6-2) in the Oct. 28 semifinals.
In Class A, Edinburgh (4-3) will host Knightstown (1-6) in the first round on Oct. 21, with the winner hosting Cambridge City Lincoln (0-8) on Oct. 28. South Decatur (4-4) will visit Milan (3-5) on Oct. 21, and a win likely would send the Cougars to Class A No. 4 North Decatur (8-0) for the Oct. 28 semifinals.
