The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Columbia QB thriving, embracing comeback
Champagne was injured in Week 1 of sophomore and junior seasons
Andrew Champagne has been waiting patiently for his time to shine.
After Week 1 injuries in his sophomore and junior seasons — both of which he was slated to be Columbia’s starting quarterback — that time is finally here.
Through four injury-free games, Champagne — now a senior — is playing his best football. He has the Raiders at 4-0 with their preseason dream of winning the Lorain County League championship seemingly very real.
“It feels great being out on the field,” said Champagne. “It killed me to be on the sidelines watching the last two years. To be able to start and have the season start so strong for the team, it just feels good and it’s a lot of fun.”
Champagne leads one of the area’s top offenses as a passer and a runner.
His sophomore season started in what was probably an unexpected way. In just his second year on the team — after a freshman campaign that saw him throw for 29 yards and an interception in his only game action at quarterback —
Champagne was voted a captain.
Not only has he voted a captain, but he was also to be the team’s starting quarterback. In the Raiders’ opening game against Independence, Champagne left the game with a broken collarbone.
He returned eight weeks later in Columbia’s second-to-last game of the season.
In his return, a 41-22 win over Brookside, Champagne showcased the talents that made him a team captain and starting quarterback — he threw just four incompletions and totaled 190 yards and a touchdown.
It looked to be a solid foundation for what promised to be a breakout junior year. Again that was derailed as Champagne suffered a high ankle sprain early in the Raiders’ season opener against Firelands.
The injury kept him out until a Week 4 game against Wellington where he was a perfect 5 for 5 passing with 107 yards and two touchdown passes. Champagne’s workload — running and passing — was affected by the injury as he attempted just 35 passes and ran the ball 15 times in his remaining games.
Champagne hasn’t been limited in 2021, anchoring Columbia’s explosive offense. The Raiders’ quarterback has already thrown for 688 yards and five touchdowns in four games. He’s also added 72 yards and four touchdowns with his legs.
More impressive than Champagne’s ability to bounce back from the injuries themselves, has been
his mental toughness.
Champagne was hurt in Week 1 in each of his last two seasons, after offseasons in which he was preparing to not only lead his football team but to deal with the day-to-day life of a high school student.
“It hurts for anyone who plays this sport to have the feeling of letting people down and I think that was a big weight on him where he felt like he was letting people down,” said Columbia coach Jason Ward. “It takes its toll on a young man’s confidence and we saw that a little bit last
year even when he battled back and was close to being healthy.
“He just wasn’t right, mentally more than physically at that point. But to his credit, to his family’s credit and to our family’s credit he’s worked his way through it and now we’re the beneficiaries of what he has to offer.”
Three of Champagne’s rushing scores came in Columbia’s Week 4 playoff rematch against Black River. Champagne played arguably the best game of his high school career. He threw for 233 yards and
two touchdowns on three incompletions with an additional 72 yards coming on nine carries.
“It felt good. It was probably the best game of my career,” said Champagne. “It was a lot of fun, but it wouldn’t have happened without my teammates. The line did a great job opening holes for me and giving me all of the time I needed to find open guys when I was passing.”
Champagne has spread the wealth around as four different Raiders’ have scored on his five touchdown passes. His favorite target has been 6-foot-3 tight end Cody Davis, who has 17 catches for 342 yards and one touchdown.
Davis caught eight Champagne passes for 146 yards in the Columbia win over Black River in Week 4.
“It’s what we envisioned when he was a quarterback his freshman year,” Ward said. “We’ve always envisioned him leading our offense that way with his arm and with his legs. And just leading in general. He’s the only three-time captain we’ve had since I’ve been here. I’m just really happy that it all came to fruition.”
Champagne’s performance has Columbia thinking big, especially after it won its second-ever playoff game in school history last year.
The Raiders’ have also earned recognition as one of the state’s best teams in Division VI. In the first Associated Press Ohio High School football poll, Columbia ranked seventh. It’s the first time the Raiders have been ranked since 2015, when they were second in the poll.
Ward is keeping things in perspective though.
“We appreciate a seat at the table like that. But we also know that a lot of the people that vote on that haven’t seen us play,” he said.
Columbia will look to keep proving itself in Week 5 when they host Brookside in a conference meeting.