By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A season of hard work is about to pay off for a handful of teams around the state. Cross country runners and volleyball teams head to post-season competitions today. Barton County will host three competitions.
Class 5A sub-state volleyball in Great Bend
The Lady Panthers are the favorites to advance to a third-straight state tournament. Shelly Duvall's Panther squads posted a 94-21 record in the previous three seasons, setting a pair of school records with 31 wins in 2023 and 35 wins in 2024.
In her first season with Great Bend, Tina Johnson has picked up where she left off in Hoisington several years ago. Johnson has led the 2026 Panther squad to a 32-3 record, and with a little success, could again reset the school record for wins in a season. Earlier this fall, Johnson recorded her 700th career win as coach.
Saturday's action begins at 2 p.m. at Great Bend High School. As the No. 1 seed, Great Bend will take on No. 16 seed Arkansas City. The winner will play either No. 8 Hays or No. 9 Emporia in the championship match.
The winner of the sub-state advances to the Class 5A State Volleyball Championship at AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park next week.
Class 5A Cross Country at Lake Barton
For an eighth straight season, Great Bend will host post-season cross country races at Lake Barton just north of town. For the first time, the school will host a sub-state consisting of four Class 5A regional races.
In all, 22 teams will compete Saturday at Lake Barton. Races begin at 10:30 a.m. The top three teams from each race qualify for state, as do the top 15 runners to cross the finish line in each race.
The Class 5A State Cross Country Championships will again take place at Rim Rock Farm outside Lawrence on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Class 5A boys will run at 10:35 a.m., and the 5A girls take off at 12:20 p.m.
Class 2A sub-state volleyball in Ellinwood
Smith Center and Phillipsburg have had their share of runs on the volleyball court in Classes 2A and 3A. Now, it's Ellinwood's turn. The Lady Eagles won the Class 2A title last year with a perfect 47-0 record. A 40-0 start to the 2026 season has bumped the win streak to 87 matches - the best active high school streak in the nation.
Saturday's action begins at 2 p.m. at Ellinwood High School. The Lady Eagles enter the bracket as the No. 1 seed opposite Republic County. The winner of that match will play the winner of the Smith Center/Phillipsburg match in the sub-state championship game.
The winner of the sub-state advances to the Class 2A State Volleyball Championships at the Tony's Pizza Events Center.