Columbus East High School

COLUMBUS, IN — Following a week of persistent rain, the Columbus East boys track and field team took advantage of a clear, pleasant Thursday night at Columbus North High School to compete in the 2026 IHSAA Track & Field Sectional. The Olympians put together a strong team performance, capturing 3rd place overall with 110 points and punching numerous tickets to next week's regional round. Under IHSAA rules, the top three finishers in all individual events and relays earn automatic advancement to the Bloomington South Regional on May 28. Thanks to a string of top-tier performances, East will be well-represented. Historic Night: Lawson Clears 6-7 to Break School Record The standout moment of the night came from senior Keaton Lawson in the high jump. Lawson cleared an exceptional 6-7 to win the sectional championship. The mark didn't just secure his spot at regionals—it shattered a Columbus East school record that had stood for 21 years. Lawson entered the night with a previous personal best of 6-5 last year and a season-best of 6-4 before hitting his record-breaking stride on Thursday. Championship Finishes on the Track The Olympians found great success in the sprint events, capturing two additional sectional titles: The 4x100-Meter Relay: The team of Brody Miller, Deonte Study, Blake Moss, and Keaton Lawson clocked a season-best 43.26 to take 1st place. The group dropped a full second off their previous time to claim the victory. 200-Meter Dash: Deonte Study earned an individual sectional crown, crossing the finish line first in the finals with a time of 22.92. Front-Runner Performances Lock Up Regional Spots Several Olympians secured their postseason advancement by placing second in highly competitive fields: 100-Meter Dash: Blake Moss secured an automatic regional berth by placing 2nd with a swift time of 11.33 . Hurdles: Luke Warren led the hurdles contingent with two runner-up finishes, taking 2nd in both the 110-meter hurdles (16.27) and the 300-meter hurdles (42.75). 4x800-Meter Relay: The distance squad set a strong tone for the night, placing 2nd overall with a time of 8:40.14 to secure their advancement. Complete Columbus East Performance Results Every student-athlete's effort contributed to the Olympians' 110-point total. The complete box score from Thursday night's sectional is listed below: Track Events | Event | Athlete | Place | Result | | **100m Dash** | **Blake Moss** | **2nd (Finals)** | **11.33** *(11.34 in Prelims)* | | 100m Dash | Caiden Talkington | 6th (Finals) | 11.63 *(11.65 in Prelims)* | | **200m Dash** | **Deonte Study** | **1st (Finals)** | **22.92** *(23.16 in Prelims)* | | 200m Dash | Robby Orgass | 11th (Prelims) | 24.40 | | 400m Dash | Ethan Glick | 6th (Finals) | 54.49 | | 800m Run | Cullen Fullerton | 14th (Finals) | 2:16.84 | | 800m Run | Eli Ostrum | 17th (Finals) | 2:22.53 | | 1600m Run | Norman Dickson | 5th (Finals) | 4:39.13 | | 1600m Run | Lorren Westerfeld | 10th (Finals) | 4:52.67 | | 3200m Run | Norman Dickson | 5th (Finals) | 9:47.26 | | 3200m Run | Elijah Clore | 8th (Finals) | 10:25.28 | | **110m Hurdles** | **Luke Warren** | **2nd (Finals)** | **16.27** *(16.56 in Prelims)* | | **110m Hurdles** | **Henry Eickmeyer** | **3rd (Finals)** | **16.45** *(16.32 in Prelims)* | | **300m Hurdles** | **Luke Warren** | **2nd (Finals)** | **42.75** | | **300m Hurdles** | **Henry Eickmeyer** | **3rd (Finals)** | **42.83** | | **4x100m Relay** | **Miller, Study, Moss, Lawson** | **1st (Finals)** | **43.26** | | **4x400m Relay** | **Relay Team** | **3rd (Finals)** | **3:38.88** | | **4x800m Relay** | **Relay Team** | **2nd (Finals)** | **8:40.14** | Field Events | Event | Athlete | Place | Result | | **High Jump** | **Keaton Lawson** | **1st (Finals)** | **6-7 (School Record)** | | **High Jump** | **Ryder Meek** | **3rd (Finals)** | **6-2** | | Long Jump | Luke Warren | 5th (Finals) | 19-5.5 | | Discus | Evan Simo | 4th (Finals) | 131-1 | | Shot Put | Eli Wright | 11th (Finals) | 38-5.5 | Up Next: The advancing Columbus East athletes move on to the IHSAA Regional Meet at Bloomington South High School on Thursday, May 28 / 6 p.m..