Volleyball retains lead in SEK

ALTAMONT -- Fort Scott High's volleyball team maintained a half-game lead in the Southeast Kansas League race with 2-1 victories over Independence and host Labette County here Thursday.

The Tigers are 4-0 in the SEK and 16-11 overall, a win ahead of Chanute, the only other unbeaten team in league play. The Blue Comets posted sweeps of Pittsburg and Coffeyville in Coffeyville Thursday to improve to 3-0, 21-2.

Fort Scott beat Independence (2-1, 19-4) in the first match, 25-22, 18-25, 25-21. Elisha Hasenplaugh led the Tigers with 9 kills while Aubree Altic had 8 and Ashley Cook was credited with 7. Cook had 15 assists while Abi Keating handed out 11. Katie Gorman registered 32 digs while Cook and Abby Denton each had 13 and Altic had 12.

As a team, the Tigers served 10 aces in the match, led by 3 each from Denton, Keating and Cook.

Fort Scott then beat Labette County (0-3, 5-14) in the second match, 25-18, 26-28, 25-22. Hasenplaugh had 13 kills while Cook had 11. Keating led in assists with 20 followed by Cook with 13. Denton served 3 aces. Gorman came up with 43 digs while Denton had 15.

In the finale, Independence swept LCHS, 25-11, 25-11.

Meanwhile, at Coffeyville, the Comets swept Pittsburg 25-14, 25-17 and Coffeyville, 25-14, 25-17. Pittsburg (1-2, 15-8) defeated Coffeyville, 25-12, 25-10. The Golden Tornado (0-4, 5-11) have lost their last 25 league duals, last winning against Columbus -- which is no longer a member of the SEK -- in November 2010. In fact, Coffeyville's last two league wins are against Columbus and the Nado haven't beaten a school that's still a league member since October of 2006 when they beat Independence.

Since 2005, Coffeyville is 4-68 in SEK duals and 25-239 overall. The Nado began this season by winning their first four duals.

Next Thursday, Fort Scott will host Pittsburg and Osawatomie while Chanute plays at Parsons along with Independence. Osawatomie is not a league member, so there's a chance Chanute can catch up with the Tigers at the top of the SEK ladder or even pass them. Labette County and Coffeyville will face each other in a triangular at former SEK member Iola in a battle between teams winless in league play.