Tall orders are, well, tall orders.
Perhaps a little David vs. Goliath mind-set could bode well for the Great Bend High School Lady Panthers volleyball team.
Seventh-seeded Great Bend (8-23 overall) plays No. 2 seed Newton (36-3) in a first-round match of the single-elimination Class 5A sub-state tournament on Saturday afternoon at Salina Central. The match is slated to start at 5, and the Lady Panthers are competing in Sub-State B, which also includes their first-match opponent, along with the Andover Central-Salina South matchup that will follow.
“We expected last week to either draw (top seed) Valley Center (35-2) or Newton, so that has been our main focus,” Great Bend head coach Kelsey Perry said. “We have seen Newton already this year and know that we have a big task ahead of us, but that is what is so exciting about postseason.
“Records are out the window and anybody can win on any given day.”
Senior leadership will play a large role for the Lady Panthers, whose last-year players include Katelyn Henning, Liz Kutina, Brandi Schneider, Rachel Harris and Kelsey Crosby.
Other key components are sophomores Tarynn Stueder and Brenna Haines.
“Seniors never want the season to end, so you see a bit more out of them this time of year,” Perry said. “Katelyn Henning has broken the career and the season dig record and will add to that on Saturday.”

CLASS 5A SUB-STATE
VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
Saturday
At Salina
Salina Central High School
Sub-State A
Semifinals
1. Valley Center 35-2 vs. 8. Andover 5-26, 1 p.m.
4. Salina Central 24-14 vs. 5. Hays 16-16, follows first match
Finals to follow

Sub-State B
Semifinals
2. Newton 36-3 vs. 7. Great Bend 8-23, 5 p.m.
3. Andover Central 26-11 vs. 6. Salina South 10-26
Finals to follow