Tigers fight back, stun Titans

COLUMBUS -- Others may call it an upset but maybe Fort Scott High's girls are coming around and becoming the team they were expected to be at the start of the season.

The Tigers knocked off Columbus, which came into the game with only one loss on the season and the No. 9 ranking in Class 4A, by a 37-29 score here Tuesday night, playing much as they did in the final third of last season after Kori Page Rienbolt and then-senior Krista Goltra each suffered knee injuries.

The Tigers trailed 14-8 after one period of play as 6' 2" senior center Kayla Holding scored all but three of the Titans' points.

But in the second quarter, Fort Scott found a way to contain Holding and none of her teammates were able to step up.

"Defensively, we knew we needed to help on Holding," Fort Scott head coach Jeff Armstrong said. "She's real solid down in the post. The (Gracie) Winterhalter girl's solid from the outside and we didn't want to leave her too often. We knew Holding was going to get some points and she did. But we knew if we could contain the rest of the team, we'd be right in the game and that's what happened."

Holding led the Titans with 18 points as she made seven of 14 shots from the field. However, her teammates combined to go just two of 17.

Fort Scott, 3-1 in the Southeast Kansas League and 5-11 overall, led 6-2 after Jayci McKenney scored a layup 3 1/2 minutes into the contest. But the Titans, 2-2, 13-2, saw Holding score nine of the next 11 and Winterhalter capped the period with a three-point goal to make it 14-8.

The Tigers held Columbus to two points in the second quarter -- scored on a Holding layup -- and got within 16-13 when Joce Allen scored on a drive with two seconds to go in the half.

The Tigers scored six of the first eight of the second half, taking the lead when Ashley Russell snuck by Holding for a layup off a pass from Lauren Allen.

Holding was glued to the side of the lane closest to McKenney, the Tigers six-foot senior, on defense. So much so that you might have thought the Titans were playing four girls man-to-man and Holding in a zone.

"She wants you to go by her so she can block it from behind," Armstrong said. "But if you can keep her off balance, go to the opposite of the hoop or find the open girl, which we did really well -- we missed some open shots but we found the right people and that's encouraging because we'll hit those shots as the season goes along."

Fort Scott scored eight in a row to break a 20-20 tie as the period came to a close although Columbus' Bailie Hatfield did drive for a layup with seven seconds left in the period to keep the Titans within 28-22.

Holding was on the bench at that moment with three fouls and Hatfield's layup were Columbus' only points of the night scored without Holding on the floor.

Fort Scott didn't score a field goal in the fourth quarter but they didn't need one. Although the Titans closed within 29-26 on a turnaround jumper by Holding with three minutes to go, the Tigers were patient with the ball and forced Columbus to come out and get the ball.

In the final 2:37, the Tigers made eight of 14 of free throws. Two of those misses came with four seconds left and the game in the bag.

"When you have the lead and you have guard play like we do and players that are smart like we do, there's no point in rushing things," Armstrong said. "That was what we told them and they executed well. We didn't want to be passive and give up on offense. But we said it needed to be a wide-open layup, a foul or a wide-open jumper. The girls executed really well, got some fouls and hit our free throws. And when you're hitting your free throws at the end of the game, that makes it really tough for the other team."

Columbus made only three of its final 22 field-goal attempts and finished nine of 31. Fort Scott went 11 of 38 from the field but attempted only one field goal in the fourth period. The Tigers also held a 33-28 rebounding advantage.

McKenney finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers. Joce Allen added 10 points.

The Tigers moved into second place in the SEK, breaking a tie with Columbus and idle Parsons. The only team ahead of them is Labette County, which is 4-0 after beating Pittsburg Tuesday night.

"It's our first two-game win streak of the season, so we're awfully happy," Armstrong said. "We're not satisfied; we can always play better. Columbus was picked ahead of us in the league, so we're happy now to be in the driver's seat (near the) top. Labette, obviously, has no losses but you never know in this league. Somebody may sneak up on them and get a win, so we're in a good position and it helps us for Sub-State as well."

The Tigers host Chanute in SEK action Friday night. The Blue Comets, 2-1, 10-5, got by Iola, 38-36, Tuesday night.

JUNIOR VARSITY -- The Tigers took a 52-33 win over Columbus, outscoring the Titans 22-9 in the second quarter. Jolee Sharp led the way with 15 points while Katelyn Simpson added 14.

FRESHMEN -- There was no freshmen game as Columbus had to cancel its freshmen schedule due to a lack of numbers. The Tigers will play Chanute Friday night at 7:30 at Buck Run Community Center.