Fort Scott ? Fort Scott High used a balanced offense Friday to defeat Baldwin, 24-12, in the first round of the Class 4A Division 1 football playoffs.

Fort Scott opened the scoring in the first quarter when senior quarterback Mason Knapp connected on 13-yard first-quarter touchdown pass to junior Marcus Stepps. Knapp threw a 29-yard fourth-quarter strike to senior Alan Fink, giving the Tigers a 24-6 lead with 8:50 remaining. In between, Fort Scott junior Joe Doherty scored on a 16-yard run.

Baldwin answered the Tigers’ first TD with a six-play, 61-yard scoring driving, which ended with a 29-yard pass from Joel Katzer to fellow junior Garrett Burkhart. The Bulldogs then moved the ball well between the 20s, but penalties and miscues kept them out of the end zone until they put together a 10-play, 85-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter, capped by a two-yard run by junior Jake Katzer.

Baldwin ended the season 6-4. Fort Scott moves on with a 8-2 record.

Fort Scott 24, Baldwin 12

Fort Scott 7 3 7 7 — 24

Baldwin 6 0 0 6 — 12

Baldwin scoring: Garrett Burkhart 29-yard pass from Joel Katzer (kick failed); Jake Katzer, 2-yard run (PAT failed)

Fort Scott scoring: Marcus Stepps 13-yard pass from Mason Knapp (Brody Southwell kick); Southwell 26-yard field goal; Joe Doherty 16-yard run (Southwell kick); Alan Fink 29-yard pass from Knapp (Southwell kick).