by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Garden City will be the opening Region VI playoff opponent for Kansas City Kansas Community College in the Blue Devils’ first ever home playoff Thursday night. The kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Garden City will come into the contest on a four-game winning streak including a 5-0 blanking of Hesston Tuesday that clinched a playoff berth for the Broncbusters.
Third in the Jayhawk West with a 6-6 conference record and a 7-9 overall, Garden City is the No. 3 seed out of the West while KCKCC is the No. 2 seed out of the East. The Blue Devils were 6-3-1 in regional play this season and 8-3-1 overall.
“Any team that makes the playoffs has to be tough,” KCKCC coach Ruben Rodriguez said. “Although we’re seeded higher and are at home, you can never underestimate a team in this region. We know we’re going to be in for a real dogfight and need our best effort of the season.”
In other first round games Thursday, East champion Neosho County (14-3-1) will play host to Northwest Technical College (8-7-1), the No. 4 seed out of the West; West champion Cloud (13-2) will play host to No. 4 seeded Johnson County (8-9-1); and West runnerup Barton County (12-5-1) will be home to No.3 Cowley College (9-4-2).