Coach · Cross Country & Girls' Track and Field · CCHS 1982–2017 · 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee
Bob Fahl served as head cross country and girls' track and field coach from 1982 to 2017 and taught in Whitley County Consolidated Schools for 48 years. His cross country teams won six sectional titles and three regional titles and produced five team state qualifiers; his track and field teams won six sectional titles and qualified an individual to state in every event.
Under Coach Fahl's guidance, 16 individuals qualified for the IHSAA Cross Country State Finals and 72 individuals qualified for the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals.
Coach · Golf · CCHS 1965–2013 · 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee
James Thompson served as head coach for boys' golf from 1965 to 1989 and girls' golf from 1986 to 1988 and again from 1993 to 2013, compiling a career dual-meet record of 497–359. A five-time Conference Coach of the Year, he led Eagle golfers to 15 invitational titles, 7 conference titles, 6 sectional titles, 20 regional appearances, and a state finals appearance.
In 2006 he was inducted into the Indiana High School Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Coach Thompson also taught at Columbia City High School for 38 years.
Athlete · Basketball · CCHS Class of 2006 · 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee
A 2006 CCHS graduate, Zach Coverstone set school records in single-season and career field-goal percentage. During his varsity career the Eagles went 59–15, winning two conference titles, a sectional title, a regional title, a semi-state title, and a state runner-up finish. In 2006 he earned first-team Academic All-State and first-team All-Area honors from the Journal Gazette.
At Indiana Wesleyan University he was a four-time all-conference recipient and two-time NAIA All-American, and in 2010 was named MCC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American. He set Wildcat records for career blocks, blocks in a season, blocks in a game, and wins by a player, finishing with 1,839 points, 1,089 rebounds, and 289 blocks. During his career the Wildcats won three conference titles, were ranked in the national top 10 all four years, and compiled a 112–29 record. Zach later played professional basketball in Australia.
Athlete · Cross Country & Track and Field · CCHS Class of 2014 · 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee
A 2014 CCHS graduate, Samantha Coate was an eight-time letter winner in cross country and track and field and remains the school record holder in cross country and in the 1600-meter run. In cross country she was a sectional champion, two-time regional champion, three-time first-team all-state, and four-time state qualifier, placing as high as seventh, and helped lead the Lady Eagles to the 2010 sectional and regional championships and a 12th-place state finish. In 2011 she was named the Fort Wayne Track Club Runner of the Year.
In track and field she was a five-time sectional champion and three-time state qualifier, placing as high as fifth in the 1600-meter run. She went on to Indiana University on a cross country and track and field scholarship.
Athlete · Football, Basketball, Soccer & Track and Field · CCHS Class of 1995 · 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee
A 1995 CCHS graduate, Adam Goss was a varsity letter winner in football, basketball, soccer, and track and field. A two-time all-conference selection in football, he led the Eagles to their first sectional football title in school history in 1993 and was named an all-state quarterback. Adam remains on the top-10 all-time football leaderboards for single-season passing yards, career passing yards, single-season and career passing touchdowns, single-season and career completions, and single-game passing yards.
He went on to play football at Butler University. Adam continues to support Columbia City athletics through many years of contributions to the basketball and cheer boosters, among others.
