Cougar teams prevail

Fletchall notches 200th career victory, 99th at Barton

BY JOHN J. MESH

The Barton Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams bounced back from losses Saturday to post decisive wins Monday night at the Barton gymnasium.

The Barton men fought off a pesky Sterling College junior varsity squad 92-66 and the Cougar women beat the Friends University JV from Wichita 87-37.

The Barton men are 3-1 and the women are 2-1.

Barton men’s coach Craig Fletchall notched his 200th career victory at the collegiate level and his 99th at Barton Community College.

This is Fletchall’s fifth season at Barton and 10th overall.

The Barton men led by just 4 points in the first half and took a 44-35 lead in the locker room at halftime.

Colin Beatty led the Cougars with 24 points.

Caron Butler, who scored 36 points in an 84-74 loss to the Colorado Kings Saturday in the Seward Pepsi Classic at Liberal, added 15 points.

Kevin Smith added 18 points and Ronald Baker chipped in with 14.

Ryan Lawson led Sterling with 12 points. Matt Bartlett had 9 points and 10 rebounds. Tavis Leake had 7 assists.

“Sterling made a lot of plays and definitely gave us all we wanted an more,” Fletchall said. “We had a pretty good opening night against Bethany, but ever since the first game we’ve regressed. In the second half, we played with a little more heart.

“We understand that right now we are fighting a few things freshmen go through. We have a good group of kids, but they’re pretty quiet.”

Barton women 87, Friends JV 37 — The Barton women placed six players in double figures, led by Annie Kassango with 17 points.

St. John freshman Alisha Fanshier added 16, Raven Ward 14, Hannah Rotollo 12, Abbey McKenzie 12 and Kyndall Bownes 10.

Ginny Sanchez had 6 points. Tynisha McDowell did not score but had 4 points and 4 steals.

McKenzie pulled down 14 rebounds for a “double-double.” Rotollo added 8 assists and 6 steals.

Sara Loehr led Friends with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Christina Hubl had 8 points.

“We shot the ball a lot better tonight,” said Barton women’s coach Keith Ferguson.

“We were aggressive from the start. Alisha and Raven attacked the rim early for us. We had a little more confidence.”

Barton men at Liberal Pepsi Classic — The Barton men fought off Hesston 77-69 Friday before losing to the Colorado Kings Saturday.

Barton women fall to Fort Scott — The Barton women’s basketball team dropped a 62-59 decision at Fort Scott Saturday.

Barton men host Sunflower Bank Classic — The Barton men play Buckley Air Force Base Saturday and the Colorado All-Stars Sunday.

Barton women at Husky Classic — The Barton women women play Pac West at 5 p.m. Thursday, Otero Junior College, La Junta, Colo., at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sheridan College, Wyo., at 10 a.m. Sunday.