Tigers might need 'Plan B' at setter

Fort Scott senior Maddie Allen tries to block Aubrey Altic's spike during the Red & White Scrimmage at the FSHS gymnasium Friday afternoon. (Kenny Felt/Special to the Tribune)

Fort Scott High School head volleyball coach Carol Bingesser went into Friday's Red & White Scrimmage looking at her options at setter just in case sophomore Ashley Cook can't recover from a staph infection in time for Tuesday's season-opening triangular at Colgan.

Cook hasn't recovered enough from the infection to be able to practice yet and didn't take part in the scrimmage. So Bingesser looked at junior Abi Keating in the first two sets of the varsity/JV scrimmage and junior Meredith Hill in the third.

Having a good setter is roughly the same has having a good quarterback or point guard. And when the setter's out, the team dynamic is shaken up.

"We're still trying to work out the kinks with not having Ashley on the court," Bingesser said. "Ashley's going to be back Tuesday, we're 90-percent sure. But we've got to have somebody, in case something would happen to Ashley, who could step up and take her place."

The junior varsity played a respectable match against the varsity. But it wasn't solely due to the varsity's troubles at setter. Bingesser says a couple of the JV's players are very good blockers and middle hitters.

"I knew they'd be tough," Bingesser said. "With Jenna (Kakas) playing middle and Elisha (Hasenplaugh), they're two good middles. And both of them block real well. We scrimmage against them a lot in practice and I'll call them over and have them block, just so we can try to hit around them. It's actually an advantage to have some JV players who can come over and help us out."

Hill seemed to work better with the varsity offense as the setter in the third set. Regardless, Bingesser was pleased with the efforts of her hitters and passers.

"Katie (Gorman) got to every ball that she possibly could have," Bingesser said. "When we got a good set, we made some good hits. I saw some good things.

"Defensively, our right sides and left sides, we're working out the kinks there. Blocking, we're still working out some kinks. But that's what a scrimmage is for. It's to give me a chance to see them in a game-like situation."

While the varsity is at Colgan, with Chanute also taking part in a non-league match, on Tuesday, the JV will he at home against Independence, Columbus and Iola at 5 p.m. in the FSHS gymnasium

The freshmen season begins Thursday at Jayhawk-Linn with Parsons and Columbus also taking part.