Season Ends at Home: Olympians Fall to East Central in Sectional Opener

Columbus East High School girls' basketball team's season comes to a close with a loss to East Central in the first round of the Class 4A sectional tournament.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 6:15am

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The Columbus East High School girls' basketball team's 2025-26 season came to an end on Tuesday night with a 53-16 loss to East Central in the opening round of the Class 4A sectional tournament. East Central built an early double-digit lead and never looked back, controlling the tempo and limiting the Olympians' scoring opportunities throughout the game. Despite the lopsided final score, the night held deeper meaning for Columbus East, as three senior players - Brelyn Pool, Ella Anthis, and Kenzie Cheek - checked out of the game together for the final time as Olympians.

Why it matters

The loss marks the end of the season for the Columbus East girls' basketball team, which had shown steady progress over the course of the year, more than doubling its win total from the previous season. While the Olympians were overmatched by a strong East Central squad, the experience gained by the team's young roster, including five freshmen who saw significant varsity minutes, is expected to pay dividends moving forward as the program continues to rebuild.

The details

East Central set the tone early, building a double-digit lead in the first half through disciplined defense and efficient offense. The Trojans controlled the pace of the game, limiting the Olympians' clean looks at the basket and turning defensive pressure into transition scoring opportunities. For Columbus East, the night held deeper meaning, as seniors Brelyn Pool, Ella Anthis, and Kenzie Cheek checked out of the game together for the final time as Olympians, closing a chapter that bridged coaching eras and helped establish the foundation of the program's current rebuild. Ella Anthis led the Olympians with seven points, while several underclassmen gained valuable varsity experience in a sectional tournament environment.

  • The final buzzer sounded on Tuesday night at Columbus East High School.
  • The game was the opening round of the Class 4A sectional tournament.

The players

Brelyn Pool

A senior player for the Columbus East Olympians girls' basketball team.

Ella Anthis

A senior player for the Columbus East Olympians girls' basketball team, who led the team with seven points in the loss.

Kenzie Cheek

A senior player for the Columbus East Olympians girls' basketball team.

Natalie Stenger

A player for the East Central Trojans girls' basketball team, who scored a game-high 17 points in the win.

East Central

The girls' basketball team from East Central High School that defeated Columbus East in the sectional opener.

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The takeaway

This game marks the end of the 2025-26 season for the Columbus East Olympians girls' basketball team, but the experience gained by the team's young roster is expected to benefit the program as it continues to rebuild and improve in the coming years.