Tigers sweep, set up Tuesday title tilt

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High School's volleyball team swept both its matches here Thursday night, setting up a Southeast Kansas League championship showdown at the FSHS gymnasium Tuesday night.

The Tigers defeated Osawatomie, 25-9, 25-10, in a non-league match and beat Pittsburg, 25-19, 25-16 in a Southeast Kansas League dual that ended the Purple Dragons' hopes of finishing in a tie for the championship.

"We played absolutely wonderful," Fort Scott head coach Carol Bingesser said. "It was the bomb! We were blocking machines against Pitt with 19 blocks, which was just the best. I haven't seen the girls play with this much enthusiasm and confidence. I just can't say enough."

The Tigers (5-0 SEK, 19-10 overall) are tied with defending SEK champ Chanute (5-0, 30-0), ranked No. 4 in Class 4A-Division I this week by the Kansas Volleyball Association, for the league lead. The Blue Comets swept Independence, 25-5, 25-8, and Parsons, 25-8, 25-8, at Chanute Thursday night. They have not lost since pool play in last season's Class 4A State Tournament.

Against Osawatomie, Brianne Lawrence and Ashley Cook each had 6 kills while Elisha Hasenplaugh recorded 5. Cook handed out 21 assists and served 4 aces. Ericah Shoemaker served 7 aces while Kourtney Harper served 4. Katie Gorman came up with 14 digs and Shoemaker and Maddi Allen each had 8.

In the Pittsburg match, Lawrence had 5 kills and Hasenplaugh had 4. Cook handed out 15 assists and was credited with 5 blocks. Jillian Lattimer also had 5 blocks and Hasenplaugh had 4. Gorman picked up 16 digs, Cook 7 and Shoemaker 6.

"Ashley Cook led the team with so much tenacity," Bingesser said. "She had the girls rolling. Our front row was just dominating with their hitting and blocking. Katie Gorman, Maddi Allen and Katie Jo Hull never let a ball hit the floor. And Ashley put the ball in the hands of our hitters and they finished."

Pittsburg defeated swept Osawatomie, 25-12, 25-19 and is in third place in the SEK at 2-2, 12-10.

Chanute and Fort Scott will face each other with the league title on the line Tuesday night at the FSHS gymnasium in the final match of a triangular which will also include No. 2 ranked Bishop Miege. The Lady Stags were 13-7 when the rankings came out this week but they play a schedule full of Class 6A and 5A teams. They are one of five state-ranked Eastern Kansas League schools along with Blue Valley-Stilwell (No. 1 in 6A), Blue Valley Northwest (No. 3 in 6A), Blue Valley West (No. 7 in 6A) and St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 3 in 5A).

Miege will square off against Fort Scott first at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening. Then Miege will battle Chanute in the second match at around 6 p.m. Then the league title will be decided in the final match at 7 p.m.