Cardinals Set the Tone Early
From the opening kick, Columbus looked unstoppable. Wyoming commit Grayson Rigdon capped the first drive with a 14-yard sprint into the end zone. Minutes later, Rigdon added a one-yard score to make it 14-0 before Edna could find its footing.
Then came the knockout punch. Rylan Carruthers forced a strip sack, and Cade Neumann fell on it deep in Edna territory. On the very next snap, Adam Schobel, the TCU-bound quarterback, tossed a 16-yard strike to Cooper Osborne. By the end of the first quarter, Schobel had already thrown two touchdowns—his second to Camdon Pitchford—and Columbus held a commanding 28-0 lead.
Rigdon Runs Wild
Edna’s defense had no answers for Rigdon. Early in the second quarter, he broke free for a 70-yard touchdown sprint that brought the Columbus sideline to its feet. Later in the half, he bullied his way in for a fourth touchdown from four yards out, stretching the margin to 42-0.
Edna finally responded with a short touchdown pass from Braylen Harris to Hunter Buehring, but the failed two-point try left the Cowboys staring at a 42-6 halftime deficit.
Finishing the Job
Any hopes of a comeback evaporated quickly. Schobel and Pitchford linked up again in the third quarter, this time for their second touchdown connection of the night, and Columbus slammed the door with a running clock finish.
A Historic Night
Rigdon finished with four touchdowns and more than 100 yards on the ground, while Schobel added three touchdown passes in a near-flawless performance.
With the win, Columbus not only snapped a decades-long semifinal drought but also claimed its first-ever berth in the state championship game. The Cardinals will now square off with defending champion Malakoff for the 3A Division I crown Thursday night in Arlington.
