Familiar foes match up in Frontenac boys’ bracket

For the fourth time in as many seasons, Fort Scott High School’s boys will face Pacific, Mo., at the Frontenac Kansas National Guard Invitational this week. As was the case last season, the meeting will take place in Thursday’s first round.

Meanwhile, the girls will face one of four new teams in the tournament Thursday afternoon when they take on Providence Academy of Rogers, Ark.

Fort Scott boys (3-6), sixth here last season, will face second-seeded Pacific (10-3) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the old gymnasium.

Fort Scott and Pacific first met in the 2015 championship game with the Indians winning, 55-31. The next year, the Tigers claimed a 56-54 double-overtime win in the semifinals on their way to winning the tourney title as the No. 8 seed. The Indians won last year’s match-up, 65-50.

Seven of the eight teams on the boys’ side return from last season. Riverton has reentered as a replacement for Piedmont, Okla., which was the defending runner-up.

Fourth-seeded Webb City (5-7) opens the boys’ bracket by taking on Monett, Mo. (4-7) at 4 p.m. in the old gym. Nevada’s boys (12-2) — the defending champion and also the 2016 runner-up after falling to Fort Scott in the finals — faces Wichita Independent (1-7) at 5:30 Thursday in the new gym. Host Frontenac (2-6) plays No. 3 Riverton (4-3) at 7 p.m. in the new gym.

The girls’ side of the tournament will have a new champion as last year’s top three finishers, including champion Oklahoma City-Classen, runner-up Piedmont, and third-place finisher Blue Valley Southwest, opted not to return as did Neosho, Mo.

Second-seeded Nevada (9-4) takes on Kansas City-Turner (3-6) in the first game of girls’ play at 4 p.m. Thursday in the old gym. Frontenac (3-5) faces No. 3 Independence, Mo., William Chrisman (6-4) at 5:30 in the new gym. The game between the fourth-seeded Tigers (4-5), who finished fourth here last year, and Providence Academy (5-8) will take place at 7 p.m. in the old gym. Top seed Del City, Okla., Christian Heritage (11-0) will face Blue Springs, Mo., at 8:30 in the new gym. Heritage, Chrisman and Turner are also new teams in the field.

The tournament continues Friday with championship and consolation semifinals. Tiger girls face either Christian Heritage or Blue Springs at 4 p.m. Friday in the old gym if they lose or the new gym if they win. Fort Scott boys play either Riverton or Frontenac at 8:30 p.m. in the old gym with a loss or the new gym with a victory.

The placement games are Saturday. The girls’ championship is scheduled for 4 p.m. with the boys to follow at 5:30, both in the new gym.

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KANSAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD INVITATIONAL

at Frontenac

GIRLS

Thursday, Jan. 19

Kansas City-Turner (7: 3-6) vs. Nevada (2: 9-4), 4 p.m., old gym

Frontenac (6: 3-5) vs. Independence, Mo., William Chrisman (3: 6-4), 5:30, new gym

Rogers, Ark., Providence Academy (5: 5-8) vs. Fort Scott (4: 4-5), 7 p.m., old gym

Blue Springs (8: n/a) vs. Del City, Okla., Christian Heritage (1: 11-0), 8:30, new gym

Friday, Jan. 20

Blue Springs-Christian Heritage winner vs. Providence Academy-Fort Scott winner, 4 p.m., new gym

Blue Springs-Christian Heritage loser vs. Providence Academy-Fort Scott loser, 4 p.m., old gym

Turner-Nevada winner vs. Frontenac-Chrisman winner, 7 p.m., new gym

Turner-Nevada loser vs. Blue Frontenac-Chrisman loser, 7 p.m., old gym

Saturday, Jan. 21

Seventh place, 1 p.m., old gym

Fifth place, 4 p.m., old gym

Third place, 1 p.m., new gym

Championship, 4 p.m., new gym

BOYS

Thursday, Jan. 19

Monett, Mo. (5: 4-7) vs. Webb City, Mo., (4: 5-7), 4 p.m., new gym

Wichita Independent (8: 1-7) vs. Nevada (1: 12-2), 5:30, old gym

Frontenac (6: 2-6) vs. Riverton (3: 4-3), 7 p.m., new gym

Fort Scott (7: 3-6) vs. Pacific, Mo., (2: 10-3), 8:30, old gym

Friday, Jan. 20

Monett-Webb City winner vs. Independent-Nevada winner, 5:30, new gym

Monett-Webb City loser vs. Independent-Nevada loser, 5:30, old gym

Fort Scott-Pacific winner vs. Frontenac-Riverton winner, 8:30, new gym

Fort Scott-Pacific loser vs. Frontenac-Riverton loser, 8:30, old gym

Saturday, Jan. 21

Seventh place, 2:30, old gym

Fifth place, 5:30, old gym

Third place, 2:30, new gym

Championship, 5:30, new gym