Top-seeded Paola downs Tiger girls

SPRING HILL -- Just when it looked as though Fort Scott High's girls had gotten themselves back into the game, top-seeded Paola went on a 12-0 run to take control in the third quarter and went on to a 46-25 win in a Spring Hill Class 4A-Division I Sub-State Tournament semifinal here Friday night.

The Tigers (8-13) held Paola to five points in the second quarter and caught back up to within 5 points by halftime. Then Madison Cook started the fourth quarter by driving in for a layup to bring Fort Scott within 19-16.

The Tigers wouldn't score again until the start of the fourth quarter. The Panthers (17-4), ranked No. 6 in Class 4A-Division I by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, got a stickback from Rianna Lechner to start the rally. Maddie Morgan took a steal in for a layup to make it 31-16 at the end of the quarter.

Cook hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter. But Brayden Hanf scored to start another Paola run that increased the lead to 39-19 with 3:50 left in the game.

Lechner led all scorers with 12 points, including 3 3-point goals. Cook finished as Fort Scott's leading scorer with 7 points.

The Tigers scored first in every quarter. Skyelar Brown produced the game's first 2 points. But Chandler Carr hit back-to-back 3's as Paola went on an 11-0 run.

Lechner's 3-pointer made it 14-4 before Cook made two free throws to end the period. Brown also scored first to start the second quarter and Kelsie Nelson made two free throws to bring the Tigers within 4 points.

Paola scored just 5 points in the second quarter as they missed shots and the Tigers got the rebounds. Although Fort Scott didn't score another field goal in the half, they were able to catch up by going 6-for-6 at the free-throw line, two by Emily Hale bring the Tigers within 19-14 with 35 seconds left in the half.

Fort Scott made just 7 field goals in the game but went 10 of 13 at the free-throw line. They didn't get many chances in the second half to go to the charity stripe as the Panthers weren't called for their first foul of the second half moments into the fourth quarter.

Paola will face Spring Hill here tonight at 6 p.m. with a State tournament berth on the line. The Broncos (11-10) defeated 3rd-seeded Louisburg in the late semifinal Friday, 58-50. The Panthers, who have finished as State runner-up to Bishop Miege each of the last two seasons, are seeking their fifth consecutive trip to State.

NOTES -- DeSoto upset second-seeded Pittsburg in a Class 5A Sub-State championship game, 45-34, Friday night in Pittsburg. The season ends for the Southeast Kansas League champion Purple Dragons with a record of 15-7....

Parsons was eliminated from its own Class 4A-Division II Sub-State with a 60-49 loss to top-seeded Burlington. The Vikings finished the season with a record of 5-16. Burlington (16-5) plays Iola (13-8) tonight for the Sub-State championship....

At Independence, the Class 4A-Division I Sub-State host Bulldogs (15-6) will face top seed Labette County (16-5) for the Sub-State title. Independence rolled by Chanute Friday night, 55-25, while LCHS routed Coffeyville, 57-16....

(4) FORT SCOTT: Torres 0 0-0 0, J.Allen 1 0-1 2, Farmer 0 0-0 0, Brown 3 0-0 6, J.Denton 0 0-0 0, Hale 1 4-4 6, Stumfoll 0 0-0 0, Dwyer 0 0-0 0, H.Denton 0 0-0 0, Humble 0 0-0 0, Cook 2 2-4 7, Nelson 0 4-4 4. TOTALS: 7 10-13 25.

(1) PAOLA: Lechner 4 1-2 12, Morgan 3 2-2 8, Williams 0 2-4 2, Hanf 4 1-2 9, Carr 3 0-0 8, Edwards 0 4-6 4, Johnson 0 1-2 1, Caldwell 0 0-0 0, Hendrickson 0 0-0 0, Jones 1 0-0 2, Schindler 0 0-0 0, Heitzer 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15 11-18 46.

Paola.............. 14 5 12 15 -- 46

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 1 (Cook), Paola 5 (Lechner 3, Carr 2).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 17, Spring Hill 12. Fouled out: None.