Saige Stahl
The Columbus East girls basketball team celebrated senior night at Orange Pit Thursday night, but the game didn’t favor the Olympians to end the festivities.
Visiting Cathedral went on a fourth quarter push to go ahead by double digits and hand East a 62-47 loss to close the regular season.
Senior basketball players Leah Bachmann, Allison Craig, Heidi Murphy, Maeleigh Roberts, Saige Stahl and Brielle Stevens and team manager Bella Westerfeld were honored before the game.
For the seniors, it marked the final time they would play on their home floor.
“It was definitely really sad, but I’m so happy that I had my teammates by my side. I’ve been playing with a lot of them since I was in third or fourth grade,” Stevens said.
“I’ve been playing with Brielle and Allison and Heidi for many years on the Comets and other travel teams, so it was bittersweet to play with them in our last home game,” Roberts added.
Bachmann has been a starter for the Olympians since she arrived as a freshman.
“I’m sad, but I feel like everyone is sad,” Bachmann said. “I love this team and it’s been fun.”
Cathedral (11-12) jumped out to a quick 9-5 lead in the early stages of the first quarter. East (9-13) came right back, however, with 3-pointers from Stevens and Bachmann cut the deficit to 14-13. The Olympians grabbed the lead right before the end of the quarter with a long jumper from Bachmann to take a 19-18 lead after one.
East grew the lead to 23-20 following a tough shot from Stahl inside. Layla Gold helped the Irish to a 5-0 run to go ahead 25-23. Stahl then went on a 7-0 run herself, capped off with a 3-pointer, to put the Olympians up 30-25. East maintained its lead at 34-30 until the Irish finished the half on a 7-0 run to lead 37-34 at the break.
After Jenna Guse got a postup bucket for East to start the third quarter, Cathedral went on a 9-0 run to grow the lead to double digits at 46-36. Following a timeout, the Olympians made a charge with Guse and Bachmann combining on a 7-0 run to cut it to 46-43. Two free throws from Gold made it 48-43 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Irish went on a 14-2 run to start the final period and prevent an Olympians comeback. Gold finished with 20 points to lead Cathedral.
Stahl led the Olympians with 23 points, with 19 of them in the first half. Bachmann added 11.
Stahl, who has committed to play at Indiana State thanked all her teammates and coaches for helping her be the player she is today.
“These last four years have made me such an amazing player,” Stahl said. “I’m so happy that I decided to come to Columbus East. (Head) coach (Danny) Brown, coach Willie (Humes), coach Kylie (Weichman), I couldn’t have done it without them. They’re amazing coaches. I really look up to them, and it’s been amazing.”
“That’s a reason why I wanted to go out. I wanted to go out with them,” said Brown, who is retiring at the end of the season. “They’re a special group. They’re not only good basketball players, but they’re great student-athletes and great representatives of Columbus East High School. They’re going to be successful in life. I’m so happy to be blessed to be a part of this group. We’ve had some ups and downs this year, but we’ll learn from it. Our season is not over, yet. I’m just proud to be their coach.”
Cathedral 62, Columbus East 47
Cathedral;18;19;11;14;—;62
Columbus East;19;15;9;4;—;47
Cathedral (11-12): Catherine Cline 2 0-0 4, Layla Gold 6 4-4 20, Abby Beasley 1 0-0 2, Mya Huff 2 0-0 4, Beatrice Barle 0 0-0 0, Kamryn Smith 0 0-0 0, Jaeda Wilson 4 4-4 15, Taylor Lewis 8 0-0 16. Totals: 23 7-8 62.
Columbus East (9-13): Jenna Guse 2 1-1 5, Kimberly Carothers 0 0-0 0, Victoria Cuhadar 0 0-0 0, Allison Craig 0 0-0 0, Maeleigh Roberts 0 0-0 0, Heidi Murphy 0 0-0 0, Saige Stahl 8 6-6 23, Brielle Stevens 2 0-0 6, Leah Bachmann 5 0-0 11, Messiah Trapp 0 2-2 2. Totals: 17 9-9 47.
3-point goals: Cathedral 8 (Gold 4, Wilson 3, Beasley); Columbus East 4 (Stevens 2, Stahl, Bachmann).
