Columbus East’s Chase Harrison (34) sets up for a play at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
In his first three years as a starter at Columbus East, Chase Harrison was a physical, run-stopping force.
But the senior middle linebacker knew he needed to get a little bit quicker this season to become a better pass defender. So he lost 15 pounds in the offseason and now is down to a solid 225 pounds.
“It’s been run stopping, playing physical, putting shoulders on people and hitting hard,” Harrison said. “What I’ve improved the most on is probably pass coverage. It’s just getting out and covering guys and staying with people and being competitive.”
Harrison still hasn’t lost any of his ability to bring down ball carriers. He has recorded double-digit tackles in each of the Olympians’ first two games and is tied with senior outside linebacker Caaden Gault for the team lead with 21 tackles.
“Chase has played a lot of snaps for us defensively,” East coach Eddie Vogel said. “He came in as a freshman when we had some injuries and we actually pulled him up, and he started at middle linebacker for us a couple of games. He just played where we needed him. He just wanted to be able to contribute (as a sophomore) and help our football team out, so we asked him to go down and play D-end, and he did a really good job. Then, we needed a linebacker that next year, so he stepped in there kind of where he left off. It’s nice as a defensive coach to have somebody you can count on in the middle, and he’s done a good job.”
Columbus East’s Chase Harrison (34) moves in to help teammate Devon Tekulve (8) tackle Columbus North’s Damon Edwards at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Vogel, who has spent the past 20 years as the Olympians’ defensive coordinator and is in his second year as head coach, calls his middle linebacker the quarterback of the defense.
“He has to get guys lined up,” Vogel said. “Chase has kind of developed throughout the years and gotten better and better at that communication part. He really is an intelligent football player and understands what the offenses are trying to get done. So I think he’s gotten better at being able to diagnose, based off of our scouting report, what the offense is going to do and communicate it to the defense. I think he’s really progressed in those two areas.”
Harrison’s brother Parker also was a standout linebacker at East. Parker also was a star baseball player and now is a sophomore baseball player at Wright State.
Chase gave up baseball after his sophomore year to concentrate on football.
“I just wanted to focus on football, focus on getting stronger and trying to help the team the best way I can,” Harrison said.
“He’s put some time in the weight room and kind of tried to thin down a little bit and really get his body in better condition, which I think is going to help,” Vogel added. “He’s always been a physical kid, a good run stopper, but he’s taken on more of a leadership role the last two years, trying to be that quarterback of the defense for us.”
Columbus East’s Chase Harrison (34) and teammate Devon Tekulve (8) break up a pass intended for Columbus North’s Cooper Horn at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Chase, who hopes to play football in college, said he has learned valuable lessons from watching Parker while growing up.
“He taught me how to stay disciplined and be a hard worker,” Chase said. “The best way to get better in sports is to work hard at them.”
East will be looking for its first win of the season on Friday when it opens Hoosier Hills Conference play at home against Seymour, the team that snapped the Olympians’ 98-game conference winning streak last season.
East has been competitive in the first half of its first two games, but has faltered in the second half against Class 5A No. 2 Whiteland and Columbus North. Harrison and his teammates are intent on changing that pattern on Friday.
“Honestly as a whole, it’s been a little disappointing,” Chase said. “We’ve been coming in hot and playing really well in the first half and then, we just having been coming out as hard in the second half. We just have to come together as a team and play a complete 48 minutes, and I think we’ll be all right. We want to win the conference and bring back the streak.”
