Iola High’s Fillies will have their work cut out for them Saturday, if they want to advance past the Class 4A substate volleyball playoffs.
On the bright side, they’ll get their shot on their home court.
The Fillies are the fourth seed, courtesy of their 14-16 record, and will play fifth seed Fort Scott (15-19) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the IHS gymnasium. The winner will then have 20 minutes before embarking in a semifinal match against top seed Chanute (16-9). On the other side of the bracket, second seed Ottawa (20-13) plays third seed Paola (18-12), with the two semifinal winners vying for the substate championship.
Tickets sell for $6 for adults and $5 for students. All spectators will be required to wear face masks, and must undergo a temperature check to enter.
In years past, the substate winners advanced directly to the state tournament for their respective classifications. Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the state tournament format is slightly different, with the quarterfinal round slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday. The winner from Iola’s substate bracket will travel to the school emerging from the substate bracket out of Altamont — which includes host Labette County, Coffeyville’s Field Kindley, Independence and Parsons — for a best-of-five match.
The winner goes to Hutchinson for the rest of the state tournament Oct. 30.
HUMBOLDT High’s Lady Cubs also have a loaded bracket standing in their way for a Class 2A state berth.
Even with its lofty 20-12 mark, Humboldt is relegated to the fifth seed in the Uniontown substate. The Lady Cubs will open against the combined Chetopa-St. Paul team at Uniontown’s West Bourbon Elementary School gymnasium. The winner advances to take on either top seed Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan, or the play-in game winner between Jayhawk-Linn and Southeast.
Uniontown, Erie, Pleasanton and Northeast make up the other side of the bracket. The substate winner will host the champion of the Lyndon substate at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the champion of the Lyndon substate tourney.
Speaking of which, Yates Center (7-23) is the seventh seed in Lyndon and will play No. 2 seed Olathe-Heritage Christian Academy (20-8) at 1 p.m. Saturday. The winner will face either Chase County or Mission Valley in the semifinal round. Northern Heights, Central Heights, Bishop Seabury Academy and Lyndon are on the other side of the bracket.
The Class 2A state tournament is Oct. 30 at Dodge City.
MARMATON Valley (17-11) is the top seed and Southern Coffey County (13-17) is seeded second in SCC’s Le Roy substate in Class 1A-II. Both schools will get a first-round bye. The Wildcats will face either No. 4 seed Marais des Cygnes Valley (7-21) or Hartford (6-19) in the semifinal round. Southern Coffey County takes on No. 3 seed Waverly in their semifinal.
Whichever school emerges will host the champion of the Burrton substate at 6 p.m. Tuesday in their state quarterfinal match.
Meanwhile, Crest (12-11) is seeded fifth in the Lebo substate in Class 1A-I, and will take on Rural Vista at 1 p.m. Saturday. The winner will take on top seed Burlingame (26-3) in the semifinal round. Lebo, Madison-Hamilton, Olpe and Oswego are on the other side of the bracket.
Whoever emerges will host the Centralia substate titlist at 6 p.m. Tuesday. That winner will go to Dodge City for the state playoffs Oct. 31 at Dodge City.
