BOYS’ HOOPS: Floyd falls short of HHC championship; Bulldogs clinch outright title

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

COLUMBUS – Columbus East denied Class 4A No. 9 Floyd Central a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference championship Wednesday night at the Orange Pit. The Olympians recorded their season-high in scoring to knock off the Highlanders 79-64.

Floyd Central (18-4, 5-2 HHC) needed a victory Wednesday to tie for the conference title with Class 4A No. 2 New Albany. However, with the Highlanders’ loss, the Bulldogs (20-3, 6-1) clinched the outright HHC championship for the fourth consecutive season.

Floyd Central has not won at least a share of the HHC crown since 1989. In addition, Floyd had its 14-game winning streak snapped Wednesday.

Cobie Barnes led the Highlanders with 20 points. Teammate Trevor Apple chipped in 10.

Jonathan Foster was East’s leading scorer with 20 points, followed by the Olympians’ Matthew Frost with 16.

Wednesday’s game was the regular-season finale for Floyd Central. The Highlanders have received a first-round bye in next week’s Class 4A Seymour Sectional. They will face either Jeffersonville (14-9) or Seymour (8-13) in the sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. a week from Friday.

East (11-12, 4-3) will play Shelbyville (15-6) in the first round of the Class 4A Bloomington North Sectional at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

COLUMBUS EAST 79, FLOYD CENTRAL 64

Floyd Central     21 13 13 17-64

Columbus East   18 18 22 21-79

Floyd Central (18-4, 5-2 Hoosier Hills Conference): Cobie Barnes 20, Trevor Apple 10, Gabe Shireman 9, Tyler Kimm 6, Evan Nichols 6, Matt Weimer 6, Luke Gohmann 5, Brendon Hobson 2.

Columbus East (11-12, 4-3): Jonathan Foster 20, Matthew Frost 16, Tanner McFall 15, Thomas Myers 13, Max Nolting 11, Kyle Frost 4, Drew Johnson 0, Carson Whitehead 0.

3-point field goals: Floyd Central 6 (Shireman 3, Kimm 2, Gohmann 1); Columbus East 7 (Nolting 3, Foster 2, M. Frost 1, McFall 1).