-
Final
HAR
LOU3
13 -
Final
HAR
LOU1
13 -
Final
LOU
SH0
9 -
Mar 26, 6 pm
BAL
LOU
-
Mar 28, 430 p
LOU
OTT
-
Mar 28, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 2, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 4, 430 p
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 9, 430 p
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 11, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 16, 430 p
LOU
PIP
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
PIP
-
Apr 19, 3 pm
LOU
LAN
-
Apr 19, 430 p
LOU
LAN
-
Apr 22, 445 p
LOU
BV
-
Apr 25, 430 p
LOU
AC
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
LOU
AC
-
Apr 27, TBA
LOU
PV
-
Apr 27, TBA
LOU
CHA
-
Apr 30, 430 p
EUD
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
May 7, 430 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 7, 6 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 8, 5 pm
BL
LOU
-
Mar 25, 4 pm
FRON
LOU
-
Mar 25, 6 pm
FRON
LOU
-
Mar 26, 6 pm
BAL
LOU
-
Mar 28, 430 p
LOU
OTT
-
Mar 28, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 2, 430 p
SH
LOU
-
Apr 2, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 4, 430 p
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 9, 430 p
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 11, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 16, 4 pm
LOU
MAC QUAD
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
MAC QUAD
-
Apr 18, 6 pm
LOU
BVW
-
Apr 23, 430 p
FS
LOU
-
Apr 23, 6 pm
FS
LOU
-
Apr 25, 430 p
PIP
LOU
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
PIP
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
May 3, 4 pm
LOU
LAN
-
May 3, 6 pm
LOU
LAN
-
May 4, 12 pm
LOU
CHA
-
May 7, 430 p
LOU
PAO
-
May 7, 6 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 9, 6 pm
LOU
BAL
-
Final OT
LOU
LAN2
1 -
Final
LEAV
LOU1
2 -
Final
LOU
SA7
1 -
Final
LOU
TUR5
0 -
Mar 29, 630 p
LOU
SMN
-
Apr 1, 630 pm
AUG
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 11, 4 pm
LOU
BAL
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
CHA
-
Apr 23, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
BL
LOU
-
May 2, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
May 7, 6 pm
OTT
LOU
-
May 9, 6 pm
LAN
LOU
-
Final
BAL
LOU3
1 -
Final
LOU
OLW0
2 -
Final
LOU
DES0
2 -
Final
PIP
LOU2
1 -
Final
BUR
LOU0
2 -
Final
LOU
OTT2
3 -
Final
LOU
FRON INV1st
PL -
Final
LOU
BONSP3
0 -
Final
LOU
EUD0
3 -
Final
FS
LOU0
2 -
Final
GIR
LOU1
2 -
Final
LOU
LOU INV2nd
PL -
Final
PAO
LOU0
3 -
Final
LOU
SH0
3 -
Final
LOU
OTT INV1
4 -
Final
TONG
LOU1
3 -
Final
LOU
ATCH INV2nd
PL -
Final
WAM
LOU0
2 -
Final
OLN
LOU1
2
-
Final
TONG
LOU51
53 -
Final
LOU
BUR51
63 -
Final
AC
LOU37
44 -
Final
LOU
BAL42
60 -
Final
LOU
FRON57
46 -
Final
LOU
EUD46
53 -
Final OT
LOU
SH60
57 -
Final
BAL
LOU62
46 -
Final
NEK
LOU55
54 -
Final 2OT
GIR
LOU58
56 -
Final
LOU
WAM45
56 -
Final
BON
LOU45
53 -
Final
PAO
LOU16
47 -
Final
LEE
LOU71
46 -
Final
LOU
OTT52
62 -
Final
LOU
TONG45
40 -
Final
SH
LOU44
42 -
Final
EUD
LOU52
49 -
Final
LOU
PAO46
29 -
Final
HAR
LOU57
52
-
Final
TONG
LOU48
28 -
Final
LOU
BUR38
43 -
Final
AC
LOU35
31 -
Final
LOU
BAL23
42 -
Final
LOU
FRON48
55 -
Final
LOU
EUD37
56 -
Final
LOU
SH46
59 -
Final
BAL
LOU52
31 -
Final
NEK
LOU41
49 -
Final
CHA
LOU53
36 -
Final
GIR
LOU42
34 -
Final
LOU
WAM24
63 -
Final
BON
LOU35
40 -
Final
PAO
LOU38
42 -
Final
LOU
OTT29
45 -
Final
LOU
TONG40
39 -
Final
SH
LOU43
37 -
Final
EUD
LOU38
30 -
Final
LOU
PAO39
35 -
Final
HAR
LOU33
40
Wildcat soccer hopes to build off historic season
- Updated: August 28, 2017
Louisburg High School senior Grant Ryals changes directions with the ball during the team’s scrimmage Friday. Ryals, along with fellow senior Kris Light and Scott Murphy, were named team captains for the upcoming season.
The season for the Louisburg High School boys soccer team might have ended with a pair of losses, but even with that, the Wildcats had the best finish in program history.
Louisburg came in fourth in the Class 4-1A state tournament last season in Topeka and left a lot within the program feeling good about they accomplished.
That feeling has since faded as the Wildcats are more focused on making a second consecutive trip to state this coming season. The players know the road to state is going to be more difficult this time around.
“Last year has given us the confidence to get back there, but we have to fight for what we have,” senior Kris Light said. “Everyone else is going to come for us after placing at state, so we have to uphold what we had last year. Every game is going to be a challenge.”
The Wildcats lost seven seniors off of last season’s team, including a trio of all-state players in midfielder Noah Juarez and defenders Jacob Benne and Curran Conklin. Despite that, Louisburg will suit up 10 seniors this year, including several players who played big roles on last season’s team.
Despite the loss of Juarez, Louisburg hopes to form a strong midfield with seniors Grant Ryals, Raistlin Brewer, Christian Scholtz, junior Eric Vazquez, and sophomores Ryan Haight and Landon Johnson.
Ryals, who was named team captain along with Light and Scott Murphy, returns to lead the Wildcats after earning first team all-Frontier League honors last season and was named second team all-state. Johnson was also selected honorable mention all-league.
“I think this group has a chance to be very special, but unfortunately with injuries, there are going to have to be some changes,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “When healthy though, I think this group will be as good as any midfield that we go against. If these young men stay within themselves and play the system, I honestly feel that we will be a very, very dangerous team.”
Louisburg will also feature a lot of experience on the defensive side of the ball. Light and Murphy, both seniors, return to lead the Wildcat back line. Senior goalie Ambrose Stefan also returns for his second year as a starter in the net.
Light and Stefan both earned all-state and all-league honors last season. Seniors Kyle Allen, Jarod Rose and sophomore William Frank hope to fill the void left by Conklin and Benne and Conley knows his defense will be another strength the Wildcats can rely on.
“Unlike last year’s team, we are actually returning some defensive players,” Conley said. “Having some experience in the back definitely helps with the learning curve. We will also have several inexperienced players in the back so communication will be vital. I think losing Curran and Jacob are going to be really hard to replace because they literally shout the outside of the field down.
“With the young men we have filling those roles their work ethic is second to none. It will take some time for us to gel as a unit, but we will be a very determined and fit defense. The expectation is that Ambrose will be even better this year, after his breakout year last year.”
In his second year on defense, Murphy said his group knows what it will take to be successful this year.
“We lost some really good outside backs, but I think we have the kids to step up and take care of those spots,” Murphy said. “Communication is the most important thing. If we are not talking and organized, then we are going to give up goal after goal. I learned that my sophomore year. We didn’t talk a lot and we lost a lot of games because we didn’t know what was going on.”
Juniors Eli Minster, Brock Bila and Chris Williams will man the forward spot as the Wildcats begin their journey toward another state tournament appearance.
‘Making it to state was huge for this year,” Ryals said. “We actually saw a rise in attendance and we actually had to make cuts for the first time in a few years. We did lose a lot of seniors, but we also had a lot of juniors, sophomores and a freshman that started for us last year. It gives us a lot of confidence going into the season.
“If we could make it to state again for the second year in a row, I think that would be a huge accomplishment. Our goal is to definitely get a regional championship first, and after that, take it game by game.”
After leading Louisburg to its best finish in school history in just his first season with the program, Conley is excited to see what is in store for his second year.
“I think this team will have a big target on our back,” Conley said. “We will not be able to sneak up on anyone like we did last year. I expect each and every night will be a dog fight. I anticipate us to get everyone’s best shot. We will have a team goal of a regional championship. We will have some additional goals, but with the caliber of teams we play and that are in our league, we will have our work cut out for us.”
Louisburg opens its season Tuesday when it hosts Fort Scott. Junior varsity will play first at 4:30 p.m. and varsity will follow at approximately 6 p.m.