The Uniontown Eagles faced the Southern Coffey County Titans in our last home game of the season. This game was also Senior Night, serving to honor our seniors (and their families) who participate in basketball, wrestling, and band. Both Varsity teams won, but the girls’ JV lost to the Titans by one point.
The Varsity girls beat the Titans 37 to 29. Karleigh Schoenberger and Danielle Howard once more lead with points, scoring 15 and 13, respectively. Schoenberger also had 3 rebounds, an assist, and 3 steals, while Howard had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. Gwenyth Fry scored 4 points and had 3 rebounds, and Sivanah McAnulty and Alie Fuhrman each scored 2 points. Sammie Hampton had 6 rebounds.
The Varsity boys also won against SCC, with a score of 61 to 28. Luke George and Hunter Schaaf scored 16 and 14 points, respectively; George also had 2 assists and 4 steals, while Schaaf had 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Jake Harvey had 9 points and 5 steals. Luke Perry and Cade Goodridge each scored 5 points, and the rest of the board is pretty even on scoring. Fan-favorite Kord Bowen sunk a 3-pointer in the last minute of the game, thanks in part to the great sportsmanship showed by the Titans. Coach Hays commented, “I’m really happy for our seniors tonight. They all played really well and capped off with a 3 pointer from Kord Bowen. These seniors are really good leaders for our team and, more importantly, great people. I’m excited for their future when they leave Uniontown High School.”
The Uniontown Eagles played the Altoona-Midway Jets once again, this time in a regular-season game instead of a tournament. Both Varsity teams, as well as the boys’ JV team, won their games. There was no girls’ JV.
The Varsity girls won their game against Altoona with a score of 54 to 24. Karleigh Schoenberger lead in points and rebounds, scoring 18 points and rebounding 7 times. Danielle Howard had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Sivanah McAnulty had 6 rebounds, Breleigh Harris had 4 steals, and Sammie Hampton had 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Many of our JV players got to play up for this game, including freshman Skyler Coulter, who had 2 points and 3 rebounds, and foreign exchange student Irina Otero. “Tonight, our team was able to experience one of the biggest reasons why we play the game,” stated Coach Miller. “Irina Otero stepped onto the varsity basketball court for the first time in her life tonight. Irina, an exchange student from Vilanova de Arousa, Spain, contributed to the Lady Eagles’ win with 4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. The win was great, but watching Irina meet her personal goals was even better.” I asked Irina what it was like playing for the varsity team. She replied, “We played as a team, even when we weren’t playing the best. We supported each other. Even when we missed, we cheered for each other. We had fun and enjoyed the game, which we don’t always do. We felt like a family.”
The boys’ Varsity team beat Altoona 64 to 32. Jake Harvey scored 18 points and had 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Hunter Schaaf had 12 points and 2 assists, and Clay Sutterby had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Luke George scored 9 points and rebounded 4 times. Drew Perry had 2 assists. “I thought we played one of our best games of the season tonight,” said Coach Hays. “I loved the energy and the unselfish basketball. Our shots weren’t falling from the perimeter, but we did a good job of attacking their zone and getting some good shots.”
The Bourbon County Government has taken possession of the former Mercy Hospital.
Officials Introduce Innovative Healthcare Model
Mercy donates building and 1 million dollars toward a sustainable approach to rural healthcare.
Bourbon County and City of Fort Scott officials are committed to improving the quality of life for each member of the community, increasing access to affordable quality healthcare, and remaining vigilant stewards of taxpayer dollars. For years Fort Scott, KS was renowned for its healthcare. Mercy Hospital was an integral part of our health system from primary care to community benefit to leadership involvement.
What remains today are the caring professionals, ambitious leaders, beautiful hospital campus, and the ingrained culture of ensuring community health needs are addressed appropriately.
Bourbon County Commission will be partnering with our community healthcare partners, The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and Ascension Via Christi, and higher education partner, Fort Scott Community College, in transforming our approach to rural healthcare. Bourbon County will be taking ownership of the previous Mercy Hospital Building.
With Ascension Via Christi and CHC/SEK occupying a portion of the facility, the county is working with other health service agencies to supplement the community’s health care needs by housing them in the remainder of the move-in ready space.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd., operates the clinic at the former Mercy Hospital building.
For the common good of the community, the building will be repurposed into a collaborative effort that will be here for decades to come.
Ascension Via Christi President, Randy Cason, states, “This is exciting news for Fort Scott and the surrounding communities. Ascension Via Christi is eager to continue working with our community partners here to help to find solutions for the healthcare needs of this more rural area.”
Ascension Via Christi operates the emergency department at the former Mercy Hospital building.
Mercy Health Southwest Missouri/Kansas Communities has submitted a draft donation agreement to donate the building and one million dollars to Bourbon County for use of building maintenance and operations. This donation allows healthcare entities to lease space in the healthcare mall at market-rate. A standardized market-rate lease has led to discussions with healthcare organizations to expand services not otherwise offered.
Administration from Bourbon County and The City of Fort Scott will work together, develop a regulatory board and long-term lease agreements moving forward.
“This project is much more than just saving a building,” Jody Hoener, Economic Development Director, “Preserving this asset allows our community to no longer be victims of circumstance, but to assume responsibility for our community’s healthcare destiny. It creates a sustainable healthcare model under one roof.” There is little doubt in the concept’s success with the right amount of support and will be used as a model shaping rural healthcare policy across the nation.
Contact information:
Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Development Director
10:30 Executive Session, Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship (Lynne Oharah, Jeff Fischer, Nick Ruhl and Justin Meeks)
