Olpe junior Kathryn Flott answered questions outside coach Jesse Nelson’s office on Monday night about facing rival Madison, and Nelson shouted a reminder from his office, “Be careful what you say.”
The ever-diplomatic Flott heeded her coach’s advice.
No need for bulletin board material. Flott and the Eagles have enough to worry about tonight as they travel to Madison for a battle between two of the top teams in the state and three of the best post players.
Flott, last season’s Gazette area player of the year, rarely faces anyone who can match her height and skill level, but she will face the closest combination against Madison seniors Morgan Stout and Shelby Buster.
“They’re two really solid players and it will be a challenge for our team against them,” Flott said.
Flott wouldn’t fess up to it on Monday, but she has reveled in the chance to face taller players in the past and tonight will mark the second straight game she’s gotten the chance. In the opener, Olpe played against Lebo, which has one of the most talented frontlines in the area outside of Madison and Olpe. Flott scored 26 points in a 63-47 Olpe win.
“This should bring out the best in her,” Nelson said. “She likes a challenge.”
Last season Olpe and Madison played once, with Flott’s Eagles winning 60-44. Flott scored 24 and Buster was nearly as impressive, scoring 19, while Stout added 10.
Stout will get the assignment to guard Flott tonight, a challenge that coach Glen Stout said she should embrace.
“You’re not going to stop Flott, contain her,” Stout said. “I told Morgan you’re going to go out there and you’re going to play her one on one most of the time. I said stay out of foul trouble. She’s going to get her points. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t try to double-team and leave girls wide open underneath the basket for easy two-foot shots.”
Flott will match up some against both Buster and Stout, but Nelson said he will use center Katelyn Henderson mostly against Buster and freshman Kylee Haag against Stout, who can also play from the perimeter.
Both coaches are also worried about the surrounding players. Olpe sophomore point guard Kendyl McDougald averaged 15 points last season. Nelson said Madison is improved this season all around and can put five good players on the floor at once.
“Their guard play is a little better than it was last year and they’ve just got a good complete team,” Nelson said.
Stout said the key for Madison (3-1) is limiting Olpe to one shot each possession because of Flott and Henderson’s ability to keep possessions alive with their offensive rebounding.
The Bulldogs, ranked fourth in the state in 2A, have the advantage of playing at home and also the motivation to try to knock off the top-ranked team in the state.
“They’re ranked No. 1 in the state and we’ve got a good enough team if we play good enough to compete with them,” Stout said, “to be able to go in there at home and stand a chance to beat them.”
Olpe (1-0) will only be playing its second game and it’s not the perfect time for the Eagles’ only scheduled meeting with Madison — they could meet again in the league tournament or substate — but Flott and the Eagles are always up for a challenge.
“We like to play good teams,” Nelson said. “This isn’t ideal for us. We would like to have some games under our belt to really get things going. We don’t really know what our strengths and weaknesses are yet. I would like for us ideally to have this week set up so early, but that’s just the way it falls.”