Columbia’s perfect season ended Saturday as they fell to the Althoff Crusaders in the first round of the IHSA playoffs before a packed house at CHS field.

Althoff got on the board first on a 30-yard TD pass from quarterback Eric Mertens to wide receiver Keenen Young to put them up 7-0 with 1:34 to go in the first quarter.

Columbia answered right back early in the second quarter when Lou Isringhaus scored on a 2-yard run.

The Crusaders would open up a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter but Columbia kept fighting and closed the lead to 21-14 when quarterback Brock McGowan hit Cole Crissup for a 69-yard TD.

But Althoff proved too much in the end, scoring two more touchdowns to win 35-14.

“We fought hard today. We watched film on them and knew they were a good team,” Eagles head coach Scott Horner said after the game. “They made some plays and we made some plays but in the end they made a few more. Sometimes you have to tip your hat, they played a good game.”

Read more on this game in next week’s newspaper.