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Downing-Rivers rescues No. 2 Cougars
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Updated: Feb 26, 2024, 6:08 PM
Published: Feb 26, 2024, 5:32 PM

Mozae Downing-Rivers' 8-foot kiss off the window in the waning seconds delivered Barton Community College's 70-68 Jayhawk Conference victory over Garden City Community College.

The lead exchanged hands 19 times including Kindre Kindell's 3-pointer on Downing-Rivers' ninth assist for a 64-63 Barton lead. Lajae Jones converted a pair of charity tosses before Garden City sank two free throws for a 66-65 lead.

Kindell's 3-ball missed, but Myles Thompson secured the offensive rebound. Kindell converted two free throws for a 68-65 lead with 18 seconds left.

Robinson curled off a screen for a lean-in 4th arc buster of the game tying it for the 8th and final time setting up a final nine seconds of dramatics.

Downing-Rivers found a seam putting up an 8-foot contested runner, kissing it off the glass for the game winner with 2.5 seconds.

Brody Robinson's half-court shot was too firm in banging off the backboard and side of the rim to the relief of the Cougar faithful.

The Cougars' record-breaking 17th consecutive league victory keeps Barton (26-1, 20-1) two games ahead Cowley (23-4, 19-3). Barton's magic number to clinch a berth in the 2024 NJCAA Tournament is two wins/Cowley/Hutchinson losses. Garden City drops to 17-11, 13-9 Jayhawk.

Barton plays Wednesday at Dodge City.

Downing-Rivers' distributed a game high nine assists, 20 behind Brandon Hughes third best 349 assists from 1994-96.

Kindell scored 16 points off the bench on 3-of-7 shooting beyond the arc and 3-of-4 free three throws.

Thompson added 15 points, grabbing four of his team high 9 rebounds on the offensive glass. He forced a late game Garden City player control foul as the Cougars held a plus-9 turnover advantage.

Jones added 14 points, eight rebounds with three steals. Cooper Jackson scored 11 points with three steals.

Garden City's Robinson scores 20 points including 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Jordan Frazier scored 19 points with Braxton Jones adding 10 points. Thomas Tut posted a 14 point, 10 rebound double-double effort.

Garden City led by eight-points and led 32-30 at halftime.

Garden City countered an  8-point Cougar run with an 11-0 spurt for a 4-point lead.

Barton picked up the win despite shooting just 37.9% on the afternoon as the Broncbusters finished up at 38.8%. The Cougars forced 15 turnovers resulting in a plus-18 point advantage and a six rebound edge leading an eight point margin on second chance points.

NOTES Barton sweeps the season series, snapping Garden City's two-game win streak at Barton. Barton leads the series 44-13 at home, 76-38 overall.

Garden City 32 36 — 68

Barton 30 40 — 70

GARDEN CITY (17-11, 13-9)—Robinson 4-13 8-8 20, Frazier 6-12 4-6 19, Tut 5-9 4-6 14, Jones 2-11 6-6 10, Chukwu 1-1 0-3 2, Roberts 1-3 0-0 3, Totals 19-49 22-29 68.

BARTON (26-2, 20-1)—Kindell 5-13 3-4 16, Thompson 7-15 1-2 15, Jones 3-11 6-8 13, Jackson 4-9 2-2 11, Downing-Rivers 3-9 0-0 6, Malith 1-4 0-2 2, Moss 1-3 2-4 4, Bowen-Webb 1-2 0-0 2, Totals 25-66 14-22 70.

3-pointers—GC 8-26 (Robinson 4-11, Frazier 3-8, Roberts 1-3, Tut 0-1, Jones 0-3); BC 6-19 (Kindell 3-7, Bowen-Webb 1-2, Jackson 1-3, Jones 1-4, Malith 0-2). Rebounds—GC 37 (Tut 10, Chukwu 10); BC 42 (Thompson 9). Assists—GC 10 (Robinson 4); BC 14 (Downing-Rivers 9). Steals—GC 2 (Frazier 1, Chukwu 1); BC 9 (Jones 3, Jackson 3). TO—GC BC 6.

JAYHAWK MEN

Barton 20-1 26-1

Cowley 19-3 23-4

Hutchinson 18-3 23-4

Butler 17-4 22-5

Cloud 14-7 19-8

Garden City 13-9 17-11

NW Tech 9-13 12-15

Dodge City 7-15 9-19

Coffeyville 7-14 11-16

Colby 5-16 9-19

Pratt 5-16 8-19

Seward 5-16 7-20 

Independence 0-21 1-26

2-24—Barton 70, Garden City 68; Hutchinson 74, Seward 59; Coffeyville 88, Dodge City 76; Butler 106, Indy 79; Cowley 79, Pratt 55; NW Tech 82, Colby 77

2-28—Barton at Dodge City; Cloud at Cowley; Coffeyville at Hutchinson; Pratt at Butler; Seward at Colby; Independence at NW Tech
Barton softball rolls to wins
SPT_LF_Karter Alvord DSC_22392.jpg
Karter Alvord - photo by Lori Farmer
Updated: Mar 11, 2025, 7:19 PM
Published: Mar 11, 2025, 6:12 PM
The Barton Cougars swept Dodge City 7-2 and 5-0 Sunday at home to stay unbeaten in Jayhawk League softball. The Cougars (11-5, 8-0 Jayhawk) have won eight consecutive league games. COUGARS 7, DODGE CITY 2 -- Laney Wood delivered a 3-run homer and drove home four runs to spark the Cougars to a 7-2 opening victory. Elina Bartlett delivered three hits. Chloe Enslinger, Aly Lawrence and Karter Alvord drove in runs. Cougar pitcher Meleia Ingram (6-2) struck out 11 batters. COUGARS 5, DODGE CITY 0 -- Cougar pitcher Brooklyn Angielski (4-2) threw a 3-hit shutout with five strikeouts. Morgan Thatcher drove in three runs. Enslinger drove in two runs. The Barton Community College softball team pounded out 35 hits Wednesday afternoon in a pair of run-rule shortened victories at Garden City Community College. Barton built a thirteen-run lead through three innings of the opener to win 17-2 before plating nine runs in game two's fifth frame to lock up the sweep 14-5. Garden City is 1-3 in league and 9-9 overall. Twelve of the Cougars' connections were for extra bases including five leaving the yard led by Chloe Enslinger's three round-trippers giving the sophomore five on the season. Enslinger, along with fellow sophomore Elina Bartlett, batted .833 on the day as each went 5-of-6 at the plate. Enslinger's big day started with a 3-for-3 performance with 5 RBI in the opener, belting her then-3rd home run of the season helping the Cougars get off to a 6-run first frame start. In game two the Cougars were in a dogfight with the Broncbusters until the fifth inning when Barton sent twelve to the plate breaking the contest open on a game clinching nine runs. Enslinger again led the big blows in the frame, following pinch-hitter Mollie Steiner's first collegiate hit leading off the inning with a two-run shot to center field. Following Barton putting another three tallies on the board, Steiner drove in a pair marking another collegiate first with Enslinger following with her second, 2-run dinger of the frame capping a 9-RBI doubleheader production. Allyson McDougal was close behind in batting at a .750 clip, going 6-of-8 with a pair of RBI extending her hit streak to seven straight games matching Laney Wood's consecutive streak as the freshman went 4-of-8 setting the table at the top of the lineup. Second behind Enslinger in runs produced, Peyton McCormick drove in 5 runs clearing the fence in each game, the first coming on a two-run shot in the third inning putting Barton up 13-0 with the nightcap's first inning blast for her 3rd of the season giving the Cougars the early 3-0 lead. With all the offensive fireworks, Barton received stellar starting pitching performances from reigning KJCCC pitcher of the week Meleia Ingram, releiver Alicia Goseland, and game two starter Brooklynn Angielski. Ingram improved to 5-2 on the year allowing just five hits with three strikeouts, Goseland closing out the final frame with a strikeout, and Angielski improving to 3-2 on 8 hits and fanning three as well closing out the sweep.
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