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Tigers wrap up busy stretch with win
Fort Scott High School's varsity soccer team just completed a stretch of six days in which the Tigers played five games.
However, after beating Columbus 2-0 in Southeast Kansas League play at Ellis Park Tuesday night, the Tigers aren't going to complain too much.
Freshman Josh Buller scored both Tiger goals -- and the first one in the junior varsity game to boot -- as Fort Scott won its third game of the season.
All three of those wins have come in this six-day stretch. The Tigers started with a 2-1 win over these same Titans in the first game of the Tornado Tournament at Coffeyville Saturday. Fort Scott lost to Independence, 11-1, in the championship game later that day.
"When we were shaking hands at the end of game, the Independence guys were saying. 'We feel like we just lost this game because you guys are so happy'," Fort Scott head coach David Gray said. "'You guys act like you just won the game.' But these kids do have a good time playing."
Monday, the Tigers beat Riverton 5-4 in overtime. Tuesday, they lost at Spring Hill in a game delayed twice by lightning, 5-2.
By comparison, it will seem like an eternity before the Tigers get to play again -- 4:30 Tuesday against Ottawa at Ellis Park.
The Tiger defense contributed mightily to Thursday's win. Goalkeeper Brad Parsons was hardly tested, having to make just three saves in the shutout win, as Columbus started the game with a 15-minute stretch in which they advanced past midfield once.
"We pretty much controlled the tempo of the game," Gray said. "Our defenders did a really good job of keeping the ball in their end. Stephen (Buntain), his intensity was up and he was all over the place. Barry (Park) was marking their top scorer and he shut him down.
"Our midfielders did a pretty good job of getting back and helping things out. Luis (Ramirez) had a really good game. The best I've seen him play. Brad, he didn't get a lot of work, but when they got close, he stepped up."
Fort Scott got its first league victory in seven tries and improved to 3-10 overall after finishing 3-2 in this five-game stretch. Columbus fell out of a tie for second place and into third behind Pittsburg The Titans are 2-2, 5-6.
"We're stepping up and getting better all the time," Gray noted. "We're still improving. When we get to Regionals, I think Baldwin will be the only team we haven't played. So we know what to look for then."
Fort Scott outshot Columbus, 23-9. The Titans took just three shots in the first half.
JUNIOR VARSITY -- Buller scored the first goal, as we stated earlier, in the fourth minute of play. Max McAllister booted a corner kick into the goal square for him to use on the shot.
Allen Pearson scored the second goal in the 21st minute. Joe Tillman tallied Columbus' goal in the 23rd minute.
NOTES -- It was dangerously close to a four-goal day for Buller. He made a nice back heel tap toward goal in the third minute of the varsity game but Columbus goalie Dale Benedict recovered for the save....
Two Class 4A Regional brackets will be created from a pool of 10 schools at a seeding meeting that FSHS will host on Sept. 20.
The 10 teams will be seeded 1 through 10 and then split up so that seeds 1, 4, 5, 8 and 9 are in one pool and 2, 3, 6, 7 and 10 are in the other. Seeds 1 and 2 will act as host sites for their respective brackets.
The top three teams in each five-team bracket get a bye while a "play-in" game, so to speak, is played between the lowest two seeds at the higher seed's home field.
The 10 schools in the Regional pool are Baldwin, Coffeyville, Columbus, Fort Scott, Independence, Louisburg, Ottawa, Spring Hill and Riverton.....
| Team stats | Columbus | Fort Scott |
| Total Shots | 9 | 23 |
| Shots on goal | 3 | 9 |
| Saves | 7 | 3 |
| Fouls | 4 | 4 |
| Cautions | 0 | 0 |
| Corner kicks | 2 | 3 |
| Offsides | 3 | 4 |
Goalkeepers
C -- Dale Benedict (7 saves). FS# -- Brad Parsons (3 saves).
Scoring
FS -- Josh Buller (Jessie Brown), 25'.
FS -- Buller 2 (unassisted), 48'