Austin Perry scores 20 as Columbus North wins 52nd sectional title

Austin Perry, a senior, scored 20 points as Columbus North beat Whiteland 54-41 at Memorial Gymnasium to claim the Class 4A Sectional 14 championship, the program’s 52nd sectional title and its first since 2023. The Bull Dogs improved to 14-10 and will face THN in the regional, while Whiteland fell to 19-6.

Coach Paul Ferguson had urged a fast start during the week, and North answered with a 9-0 run to open the game, building an early lead they never surrendered. Columbus North outscored Whiteland 12-4 in the first quarter and led 25-12 at halftime before pulling away in the fourth with a 20-point period to seal the win.

Perry’s 20 points paced Columbus North’s offense and were complemented by Caleb Ferguson’s 19 points; the two combined for 39 of the Bull Dogs’ 54 points. Jack Whaley added eight points and Anderson Horn finished with two. For Whiteland, Joban Kalkot scored 16 points and Kyle Edwards had 14, including multiple three-pointers that kept the Warriors within reach through the third quarter.

“These are my boys right here,” said Caleb Ferguson, who was part of the 2023 team as a freshman. “Being able to compete with them, and to play a tough game like this and to come out on top and win, it’s been awesome.” Ferguson’s line and leadership on both ends reinforced why North is back in the regional for the second time in four years.

Three-point shooting shaped the contest: Whiteland hit nine 3-point goals, credited on the game page as Kalkat 4, Angerer 2, Edwards 2, Kunz, while Columbus North made two, listed as Perry and Kriesant. The Whiteland player appears in the box as Joban Kalkot with 16 points; the slight spelling discrepancy in the 3-point summary is noted on the game page.

Box score by quarter, as printed: Whiteland;4;8;11;18;—;41 Columbus North;12;13;9;20;—;54

Individual lines, as printed: Whiteland (19-6): Peyton Williams 1 0-1 2, Jordan Hendricks 0 0-0 0, Joban Kalkot 6 0-0 16, Tyler Angerer 2 0-0 6, Dane Kunz 1 0-0 3, Kaiden Lee 0 0-0 0, Josh Longwe 0 0-2 0, Kyle Edwards 4 4-5 14. Totals: 14 4-8 41.

Columbus North (14-10): Jack Whaley 3 2-2 8, Ibar Baker 0 1-2 1, Caleb Ferguson 9 1-2 19, Zach Fedor 0 0-0 0, Eli Wrightsman 0 0-0 0, Austin Perry 6 7-9 20, Anderson Horn 1 0-2 2, Ben Kriesant 0 0-0 0, Owen Coomes 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 12-19 54.

Photo from Memorial Gymnasium captured Anderson Horn (20) kissing the trophy after the final horn, Tommy Walker | For The Republic.

Beyond the box score, Columbus North’s victory underscores the program’s sustained dominance in sectional play and the payoff of cultivating players who return to key roles, exemplified by Caleb Ferguson’s progression from the freshman 2023 roster to near-20-point production in the title game. The Bull Dogs now shift focus to the regional matchup with THN, carrying momentum from a decisive fourth quarter and a defensive effort that limited Whiteland to 41 points.