Eight seniors finish third straight state trip with Columbia Academy's first boys basketball title

MURFREESBORO — For Columbia Academy's eight seniors, no feeling was worse than the prior two Class A state tournament appearances that saw the Bulldogs eliminated in 2017 and 2018.

It was Harriman in the semifinals two years ago and Loretto in the quarterfinals last year that ended Columbia Academy's seasons short of their ultimate goal.

"That was our rally cry after each practice and each game — it was One Goal," senior guard Carson Cary said.

All of that heartache was wiped clean behind the Bulldogs' deadly shooting from the 3-point arc Saturday and an offense that finished the game with a shooting percentage north of 60. And when the final horn sounded, it was Columbia Academy's first boys basketball state championship, beating Humboldt 76-60 at MTSU's Murphy Center.

"It's still unreal, the feeling," said Cary, who was 4-for-4 from the 3-point arc and helped his team drain 10 of them for the game. "It's all surreal. All of the work we've put in as seniors in the course of our careers has finally paid off. It kind of feels like a dream."

Saturday's game was only the second time the Bulldogs have played in the state title game. The Bulldogs lost to Perry County in 1997. But this team went 10-of-12 from beyond the arc for 83.3 percent as Cary finished with a team-high 23 points.

Columbia Academy started the first, second and third quarters with 3-point bombs and never trailed in the game.

The Bulldogs start five seniors in Cary, Sky Polk, Eli Hyle, Tyler Smelser and Copeland Esslinger. Three others come off the bench. But all eight share a connection that began as little league football players in Columbia.

"It makes all those days of conditioning, all the times we didn't want to work out, run miles or run hills ... it makes it all worth it," Polk said after finishing with 16 points Saturday. "We've been chasing this thing for three years. And we finally get it."

Cary said his team didn't talk about a possible state title when it arrived in Murfreesboro. It was part of the team's discussion when the season began, and the program's swan song in Division I ends on a beautiful note as it transitions to Division II next year.

"The first couple of years we were here it was overwhelming," Cary said. "But as seniors, for all of us, to go out like this — it doesn't get any better. It really doesn't."

Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.