No team played Jayhawk Conference champion Barton Community College tougher this season than Kansas City Kansas Community College.

After battling the Cougars to a 1-1 deadlock in Great Bend Sept. 9, the Blue Devils handed Barton (17-1-3) its only loss of the season, 2-1, at KCKCC Oct. 10.

It was a loss the No. 5 ranked Cougars didn't take lightly in the Plains Division I District semifinal playoffs Wednesday. Ignited by a 1-0 lead in the first 5:36 of play, the Cougars rolled into the championship game with a 6-1 win.

The loss ended the Blue Devils season with a 7-6-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Jayhawk with a 5-4-3 in conference play.

Lucas Constante scored twice in the first 15 minutes to give Barton a 2-0 halftime lead, and the Cougars made it 3-0 five minutes into the second period. KCKCC cut the deficit back to 3-1 when sophomore Ajay Stewart scored on an assist from freshman Noah Conover at 58:35, but Barton's Loic Kanku put the game out of reach with a goal at 76:35. Nicolas Galanis then scored twice in the final 11 minutes for the Cougars.

KCKCC was limited to just eight shots and only four on goal while the Cougars had 12 of 23 shots on goal, six of which were turned away by goalkeeper Franco Briani Brunoro. 

Barton will now take on Jayhawk runner-up Cowley (14-4-0) in the Plains District championship game to be played at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Johnson County. That winner will advance to the NJCAA Division I national tournament to be played Nov. 12-13 at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.