There was so much energy on the field for the Columbus East football team Friday night that the scoreboard and the lights malfunctioned during the game.
The Olympians were off to an electrifying start and didn’t let up to send its fans home happy with a 41-13 victory against Floyd Central on homecoming.
The East defense did a nice job of shutting down one of the top running backs in the conference in Wenkers Wright, who was limited 71 rushing yards.
“The one thing I was proud of was that our defense did really well,” East coach Bob Gaddis said. “We kind of gave some stuff up in the passing game, but we were going to load up and stop the run. Their running back was the second-leading rusher in the state, and their quarterback (Tristan Polk) did a nice job throwing the football. The other hidden thing is kicking because they have a tremendous kicker (Cole Hussung). When we got us backed up there near the end zone, we got it out of there, and that was key.”
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Before the game, Gaddis was honored for his milestone career victory after defeating New Albany on the road Sept. 20. That victory marked his 200th win in his 19th year at East.
The Olympians (4-2, 3-0) started the game going up-tempo, and on the fourth play from scrimmage, Mark McDonald found the hole created by the offensive line and ran 61 yards for the score to give them a 7-0 lead following the Nathaniel Hedrick extra point.
The lead was further extended when Lance Griewe got the ball and found open space for the 24 yard touchdown tfor a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, two plays after a Highlander punt, Cole Gilley found Dalton Back wide open for an 85-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
Back looked to have his second receiving touchdown after a 72-yard strike from Gilley; however, a penalty was called to negate the touchdown. It didn’t matter because Back and Gilley connected on a 40-yard pass for a goal-to-go situation at the 5. Greiwe then punched it in for a 28-0 lead.
On the ensuing Floyd Central possession, Malachi Parks put the exclamation point on the first half with a 50-yard interception for the score to make it 35-0.
In the second half, the game went to a running clock. The Highlanders used a pitch to Wright for the 45-yard run to cut it to 35-7. On East’s next possession, Tryce Villarreal ran it in from 1 yard out to make it 41-7.
“For (our young guys) to go in under the lights with the new rule with kids getting six quarters makes a difference,” Gaddis said. “We kept some guys in the third quarter and took a few kids out to put some new ones in. It was like a fire drill in the fourth quarter. It’s just good to see those kids go into the game.”
