The Otis football team’s gauntlet to end the regular season began with a painfully-close 22-16 loss at Stratton last Friday.
The Bulldogs now host Idalia, No. 1 in the CHSAA 6-Man Selection & Seeding Index, Friday at 7 p.m. Otis, 6-1 overall, is No. 6 this week in the Index. After Friday, the Bulldogs close out the regular season at current No. 3 Peetz and No. 5 Eads.
Stratton is No. 2 in the Index with a 5-2 record, its losses coming against Idalia and No. 8 Caliche.
The Bulldogs gave the Eagles a great battle in a rare defensive gem in 6-man. Both teams scored 16 points in the second quarter, but it was Stratton that came up with one more touchdown in the third to pull out the win while shutting out the Bulldogs in the second half.
Otis had only 146 total yards, 93 rushing and 53 passing. Mitchell Stivers ran for 87 yards and a touchdown, and Cambric Klinzmann six yards. Austin Hornung completed three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, but had three interceptions. Klinzmann had three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown, and Tristen Stivers had one catch.
Klinzmann had an interception on defense, and Gracen Bechtle recovered a fumble caused by Klinzmann. Grady Bechtle and Klinzmann each were in on 13 tackles, M. Stivers 12, T. Stivers 11, Gracen Bechtle eight, Hornung six, and Gavin Price two.
ARICKAREE FOOTBALL
A challenging start to the season has now given way to a winnable path to the playoffs for the Arickree football team.
The Bison are 3-5 after last Saturday’s 59-7 romp at Cotopaxi. Next up is a home game Friday against Genoa-Hugo at 7 p.m. Arickaree is No. 13 in the CHSAA 6-Man Selection & Seeding Index, while Genoa-Hugo is 1-5 and No. 18. The Bison close out the regular season at home October 25 against winless North Park.
They had their way at winless Cotopaxi last Saturday afternoon. The Bison ran out to a 26-7 lead in the first quarter, and led 47-0 at halftime.
Austin Wright ran for 93 yards and five touchdowns on 11 carries, Jorge Ramos 76 yards and two touchdowns on six carries, Jaxson Cordell 19 yards, and Austin Fields 12. Cordell completed one pass to Wright for three yards.
Fields had an interception. Wright was in on 15 total tackles, Ramos eight, Keith Page seven, Cordell six, Colton Sperry five, Luis Machado four, and Fields three.
OTIS VOLLEYBALL
The Otis High School volleyball team has slipped a bit with a pair of losses last week.
The Bulldogs are 10-7 overall and No. 12 in the CHSAA 1A Selection & Seeding Index heading into Friday’s home match against a struggling Idalia squad in their only action this week.
Otis was at No. 5 Prairie earlier last week, enduring a painful five-set loss, 27-25, 25-11, then dropping three straight 12-25, 15-25, 3-15. Otis statistics were not available.
The Bulldogs were at No. 6 Stratton last Friday, losing in four sets. Set scores and Otis statistics were not available.
LONE STAR
The Lone Star volleyball team is staying above .500 and keeping pace in the race for a regional berth.
The Longhorns enter this week 10-7 overall and No. 18 in the CHSAA 1A Selection & Seeding Index. They host Briggsdale today, October 16 before playing in a tournament on Saturday.
Lone Star began last week with a 25-10, 25-19, 19-25, 25-15 win at St. Francis, Kansas, on Thursday. Paityn Forry had 12 kills, Jade Kuntz 11, Audrey Wade nine, Peytyn Kuntz four, and Grace Cochran four. Cochran recorded 23 setting assists. Serving was strong at 94 percent. Bryn Cook was 25-26 with four aces, P. Kuntz 13-14 with one ace, Forry 14-15, Cochran 13-13 with two aces, Wade 10-11 with one ace, and J. Kuntz 7-8 with two aces.
The Longhorns went 2-1 at the Stratton Bash on Saturday.
They opened with a 25-14, 27-25 win over Burlington. J. Kuntz had nine kills, Forry six, Wade five and P. Kuntz four. Cochran had 20 assists. Lone Star again was 94 percent serving. P. Kuntz was 12-12 with two aces, Forry 11-11 with three aces, Wade 7-8 with one ace, J. Kuntz 7-8, Cochran 7-8, and Cook 3-3.
Next up was a 17-25, 24-26 loss to No. 6 Stratton. Forry was 10-11 serving with one ace, Wade 7-8 with three aces, P. Kuntz 6-8 with one ace, Cochran 5-6, and J. Kuntz 3-3. J. Kuntz and Wade each had six kills, Forry five, and Cochran two. Cochran had 13 assists.
The Longhorns finished the day with a three-set win over Flagler, 18-25, 27-25, 15-6. J. Kuntz had 10 kills, Wade nine, Forry seven, Cochran three, P. Kuntz two and Katie Etl one. Cochran had 23 setting assists. Forry was 17-17 serving with three aces, P. Kuntz 15-16 with three aces, Cook 14-14, Cochran 4-5, J. Kuntz 3-4, and Wade two good serves with one ace.