After a 10-0 start to the 2016 baseball season, the Fort Scott Community College Greyhounds were handed their first losses of the season in a double header Thursday in their first conference games of the year.

In their first game of the day, the Greyhounds were shut out, 2-0, by the Cowley County Community College Tigers in what became a pitchers’ duel as the starting pitchers combined for a total of 21 strikeouts.

Carson LaRue, now 4-0 for the season, pitched the entire game for the Tigers, allowing just one walk and four hits while striking out 12.

Ryan McCollough struck out nine for the Greyhounds, but could not escape the sixth inning, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits. The ‘Hounds greatest offensive threat came in the fourth inning with singles from Jacob Biller and Andrew Tanous, but a double play ended that threat. Two players were also left on base in the final inning.

The ‘Hounds’ offense revived for the second game of the day, but three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning was still not enough as they lost 10-9.

Greyhounds’ starting pitcher Justin O’Laughlin was chased from the game in the fifth inning after giving up nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits, including two home runs.

Down 9-0, the Greyhounds tried to overcome the deficit, scoring three runs in each of the fifth, sixth and ninth innings, with home runs from Jacob Biller, Jedd Andrade, Nick Banman and Malik Sams. But despite the solid, nearly five innings of relief pitching from Conner Leach and Boby Johnson and the sudden offense, the effort ended up falling short.

The ‘Hounds will have another chance to defeat Cowley in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

During the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, commissioner Lucas Cosens announced that he will resign from his position by the end of the month as his family prepares to move to Cleveland, where he will continue his education in medical school.

“It’s been an honor to serve all of you,” Cosens said when announcing that his final day would be March 22nd, with his last meeting being later this month.

For about three and a half years, Cosens has served the city of Fort Scott as a city commissioner, and fulfilled a dream of government involvement that began while he was in college and developed when he served as an intern in the State House in Topeka.

“I’m interested in helping people,” Cosens said in an interview with FortScott.biz after the meeting, saying that desire inspired his medical career and his position on the city commission of his hometown. “To fulfill a lifelong dream at a young age has been an honor.”

Cosens, a local chiropractor, said he has always had a desire to pursue traditional medicine and will pursue that goal by attending medical school at Kent State University, but said he hopes to one day again have the opportunity to serve a community as a commissioner or another role.

“We’re sorry to see you go but we’re excited for your future,” Mayor Cindy Bartelsmeyer said.

The commission approved the appointment of retired Dr. Randy Nichols to the commission upon Cosens departure. City Manager Dave Martin said Nichols had been approached and expressed his interest in the position as well as his understanding of it.

Other business of the meeting included naming the second lake of Gunn Park after the Gunn family, naming it Gunn Lake. The commission also approved giving $2,000 to help fund trees to be planted in the city.

Police Chief Travis Shelton also gave a report on the city’s municipal pound, reminding city residents to register their dogs so they can be returned easily if lost. Shelton also put to rest rumors that the pound has a high kill rate, saying the rate is low and the option is used only as a last resort. The pound—different from a shelter because it will not accept cats—will also go through some renovations to improve its appearance and efficiency.

Submitted by Amber Toth, Feb. 22

Another successful first place in Coffeyville this week.

In Public Forum Debate, Hunter Parker and Breana Mooney took second. In Lincoln Douglas, Zach Humble took second and Tristan Watkins took third. In Student Congress House One, Charlotte Hutchison was Presiding Officer and took second. Joe Adams took first. Isabella Provence took 6th. In House 2, Suzi Owen was the Presiding Officer and took 5th. Darby Toth took second and Sebastian Loyd took third. Autumn Warren-Rice took 4th. In novice house, Logan Hall was elected Presiding Officer and took third. Chloe Studyvin took second.

In informative, Rebekah Sweyko took first. In Humorous Interpretation, Seth Cross took first. Isabella Provence took second and Mary Schick took 5th. In Domestic Extemporaneous, Rebekah Sweyko took third and Sebastian Loyd took 5th. In International Extemporaneous, Joe Adams took second. In Original Oration, Darby Toth took first. In Impromptu speaking, Sebastian Loyd took first, Seth Cross took second and Joe Adams took 4th. In Dramatic Interpretation, Charlotte Hutchison took first and Suzi Owen took third. In Prose, Charlotte Hutchison took 7th. In Duo Interpretation, Charlotte Hutchison and Sebastian Loyd took 4th and Dalton Womeldorff and Logan Hall took 5th. And in poetry, Seth Cross took first and Darby Toth took third.

I am so proud of the team. We have brought home first every weekend but one. They have worked so hard all season and I couldn’t be more proud to be their coach.

During the six Fridays of Lent, the Knights of Columbus Council 796 will host the annual fish fry at the Kennedy Gym for anyone in the community interested in participating.

Joe Barr, financial secretary for the Knights organization of Catholic men interested in serving others, said the fish fry event began about 15 years ago, with about 100 people participating. But now the annual event brings in an average of more than 400 people each week, reaching a total of about 3,000 people over the six weeks in 2015 while serving more than 1,000 pounds of fish.

“Now it’s just a community event that everybody talks about,” Barr said, saying even those who are not Catholic and do not participate in Lent look forward to the event each year. “It’s for everybody.”

It is tradition for those of the Catholic faith to abstain from meat on Fridays during the Lenten period, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends before Easter Sunday, with the one exception being fish.

In honor of that, the fish fry provides deep-fried Cajun catfish as well as baked cod for the cost of a free-will donation or $5 for a take-out box. Other sides such as rolls, green beans, corn, coleslaw and baked potatoes are also provided as well as grilled cheese sandwiches and spaghetti for children. Desserts are also made by the ladies of the parish.

Barr emphasized that the event is for anyone in the community, not just Catholics, with the funding money raised during the six weeks being used to pay for use of the venue as well as to support local families, such as one who lost their home to a fire, and other organizations including Mothers to Mothers.

The 6^th Annual Dancing with Our Stars event drew a large audience to the Fort Scott Community College Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Saturday evening as 10 couples danced in an effort to raise funding for charities and organizations they selected to represent and support.

The Marriage Boot Camp Edition, and the largest fundraiser for the Rotary each year, featured couples of a range of ages who showed off the results of months of practicing, including waltzing, two-stepping, jiving, twisting, ballet, flipping, cart-wheeling and even jump-roping during their two-minute routines.

After each dance, judges Dave and Jara Martin and Bob and Jamie Beckham commented on what they enjoyed about that dance while emcees Tim and Deb Mckenney then introduced the next dancers and their chosen causes.

During the intermission, members of the audience voted for their favorite dancers by putting dollars into bowls located at booths set up by the dancers in order to share information on their respective causes.

Causes this year included Relay for Life, Circles of Hope NICU Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocate, the Alzheimer’s Association, Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter, the Sharing Bucket, 4-H, Friends of the Fort and the Tom W. Davis Memorial Fund.

Gary and Kylene Palmer, dancing for Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter, raised the most money at $4,349 and received the Charity of Giving Award. Nate and Bailey Lyons raised $2,753 for the NICU Foundation for second place, Wayne and Dee Young and Friends of the Fort received third place with $2,298, and Justin and Hannah Simpson raised $2,294 for Relay for Life for fourth place.

The total amount raised reached $16,937.

Gary and Kylene Palmer also received an award for the most technical performance, Heather Davis and Grant Hartman the most spirited award and Amanda and Lane Gray the judge’s choice award.

Other dancers included Steve and Susan Cole, David and Tina Lipe, Chad and Jayci Cosens and Abby and Trenton Stepps.

Submitted by Angela Bin, Feb. 15

“Modern poverty in the age of entitlement” is the design concept and message behind the Fort Scott High School Thespian spring production.

The play is a drama called “Missing” by Charles Way and will be performed at7:30 p.m., on Feb. 25 and 27 in the Fort Scott High School Auditorium.  The doors open at 7 p.m. and the $5 tickets are available at the door.  Funds raised will support the FSHS Thespian Troupe #7365.

The publisher says, “’Missing’ is a gripping story of a brother desperately searching for his missing sister in a sinister world of deceit and unknown peril. It is a modern day fairytale about two poor children surviving desperate circumstances through a rich mix of imaginative power, loyalty, love and sheer cunning.”

Due to the nature of story, parental guidance is suggested.

“The play is student-designed from the ground up,” said FSHS drama teacher and Thespian sponsor Angie Bin.  “Teams of students chose the costuming, sound, make-up and hairstyles, set design and lighting options for the show. They were also presented with an innovative script in which the lines of dialogue were not assigned to any particular character.  The cast, along with student directors senior Blaine Thompson and junior Mikayla Norris, chose which character would say each line in the show.”

Sophomore Kiel Hall makes his stage debut as the character of Hansel, freshman Brooklyn Lyons plays Grethel, junior Suzi Owen takes on the role of the Stepmother and senior Nate Mead plays the Father.  In supplemental roles, junior Hunter Parker is the role of the Cousin and freshman Daniela Belcuore stands in as Grethel’s imaginary friend.  Freshmen Hunter Adamson and Mary Gladbach, sophomore Xavier Watkins, and junior Clayton White serve as Narrators.

The play was originally co-commissioned by Theatr Iolo and Germany’s Theater Consol in 2009 to address the issue of ‘poverty.’

Playwright Charles Way said, “I began to address not the ‘issue’ of poverty, but the ’question’ of poverty. What is it in a country where almost everyone has their basic needs met? I then began to merge the story of Hansel and Grethel with several real life stories from across Europe where emotional poverty had led to dramatic incidents and ‘Missing’ came into being.”

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Contact:  Angie Bin, [email protected], 620-719-9622

*Photo opportunities are available at the 7:30 p.m. dress rehearsals on Feb. 22 and 24

Submitted by Heather Cutshall, Feb. 18

Fort Scott, Kan.—Fort Scott Community College Livestock Judging Team was designated the champion team at Dixie National Livestock Show in Jackson, Mississippi. The FSCC team also earned first place in the following divisions:

• Brahman cattle
• Continental cattle
• British cattle
• Steers
• Reasons

The students judged twelve classes of market steers, breeding heifers and performance bulls. They provided eight sets of oral reasons.

The team has competed in 11 competitions this year, receiving first place in eight contests and second place in one contest.

“Everyone has done an exceptional job, and the team continues to build on an incredible year,” said Ryan Page, FSCC Livestock Judging Team Sponsor.

Zane Ward earned first place in the overall individual division, second place in the Brahman division, first place in the continental division, second place in the steer division and fourth place in the reasons division. Ben Weis earned eighth place in the overall individual division, ninth place in the Brahman division, third place in the continental division and sixth place in the reasons division. Chase Gleason earned seventh place in the overall individual division and fourth place in the steer division. Kyle Vehige earned eighth place in the Brahman division and second place in the reasons division. Callahan Grund earned seventh place in the English division and tenth place in the reasons division. Tyler Jenkins earned sixth place in the Brahman division. Baxter Herrod earned fifth place in the steer division. Cara Comstock earned eighth place in the steer division.
For more information, please contact Ryan Page, FSCC Livestock Judging Team Sponsor, at (620) 223-2700 ext. 3290.