QB taking Fort Scott to new heights

If you haven't looked lately, you might be surprised with who is sitting on top of the Jayhawk Community College Conference.

For those that haven't checked it out, the No. 1 team in the league with a perfect 5-0 record is Fort Scott, the nation's No. 19 ranked squad. And a big reason for that great start is the play of quarterback Greg Cross.

The 6-foot-2, 204-pound dual-threat quarterback is ranked by Rivals.com as a three-star prospect, and he's doing everything he can to help his team continue its hot streak.

The Greyhounds step out of conference play this weekend to host Air Force Prep, but next week it'll be a battle of the league's top two teams when Fort Scott travels to Butler County C.C.

"We've been getting better and better," said Cross, who is leading the conference in passing with 827 yards and eight touchdowns. "My teammates have been helping me stay confident play after play. I'm to the point where I'm just going out there and playing. I'm just laying it on the line. This year, I'm more confident and relaxed. Last year, I was a little jittery and scared to make mistakes.

"But I've grown as a person and as a football player. I know now that we're all human and we all make mistakes. It's how you react to those mistakes that makes you a winner. The game has definitely slowed down for me, and everything is coming a whole lot easier than it was last year."

That's already been proven as Cross also leads the conference in pass efficiency and total offense with 905 total yards. Fort Scott did lose one game earlier this season to Independence, but that game was later forfeited. It was the only blemish on what has been nothing short of an amazing season for the Greyhounds.

"We'll all excited about what we've accomplished so far," Cross said. "Coach (Jeff) Sims gets us going every day and every practice. I think we can be the best team in the conference if we continue to work hard and get better. We have this big game against Air Force this week, and we're not taking anything for granted even though they're a non-league team. We're not looking ahead to Butler County.."

When he does look ahead, Cross does think about where he will end up on the next level. He said he's leaving the recruiting at this point up to his coach and when the season is over, the December graduate will get serious about recruiting.

"My coach is doing most of the talking," Cross said.

"He's keeping me focused on the field and keeping me focused on graduating. I think it's fun to hear from him all the schools that are showing me interest, but I'm not worried about that. He just tells me, 'you'll be taken care of by somebody.' I don't worry about it.

"I know somebody is going to bless me with a great opportunity to play college football, and I trust coach Sims to make sure that he's helping me find the right situation."