Wildcat defense comes up big in shutouts of Harmon, Eudora

Louisburg defender Trinity Moore looks to dribble past a Harmon player Wednesday during the Wildcats’ home contest at Wildcat Sports Complex. Moore and the rest of the Wildcat defense shut out Harmon in a 5-0 victory.

 

A year ago, the Louisburg High School girls soccer team walked off its home field feeling a little deflated after losing to Harmon.

The Wildcats made sure it wasn’t going to happen a second time.

Louisburg scored three first half goals and the Wildcat defense took care of the rest as they shutout Harmon, 5-0, on Wednesday at Wildcat Sports Complex. It was the second consecutive victory for the Wildcats after they defeated Eudora, 3-0, on the road Monday.

“The first half we were a little hesitant and we were going through the motions a little bit and starting to figure it out,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “In the second half, I think we just dominated them. I know they had some wind-aided long balls, but I thought we just killed it out there. We had some really good opportunities, but we just couldn’t quite execute. Still, we were really good and did some nice things.”

A lot of those nice things came on defense where the Wildcats entered the game shorthanded as starter Hannah Straub had to sit out with an injury. Junior Kaitlyn Lewer moved from her outside back spot to fill in at centerback and sophomore Skylar Bowman played Lewer’s outside back spot.

It all seemed to come together for Louisburg as Bowman, Lewer, sophomore Trinity Moore and junior Camdyn Clark frustrated the Harmon offense in the back and allowed for the Wildcats to dominate possession. Goalies Shay Whiting and Carson Buffington then combined to earn the clean sheet.

“Kaitlyn played centerback and filled in for us there with Hannah being out,” Conley said. “That is where she played all last year so I think it worked out alright. She filled a void there and helped us out. With her and Trinity back there, I don’t think anyone is going to run by those two. Skylar shifted over to help outside and she did a good job. It is all about when someone goes down, who is going to be the next one to step up? That is the way we have been playing. I don’t think we have had our full squad at all this year except for maybe one game.

“They are doing a good job staying marked up for the most part. They are playing hard and playing pretty well back there. We are not gambling on things and playing as unit. Avery Barber stepped in a little bit for us tonight as did Skylar. They are a good group and they feed off each other. The chemistry is starting to come together.”

Offensively, the Wildcats got on the board quick thanks to senior Bailey Belcher, who returned after missing a week due to injury. Belcher scored the game’s first two goals, including one five minutes into the match off a rebound.

Belcher then took a shot from close to 20 yards out that found the back of the net and gave Louisburg a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz added to the Wildcat lead with a goal late in the first half.

A pair of other Wildcats got into the scoring in the second half as sophomore Erin Lemke took a shot in the box that hit off the top of the post and crossed the line to give the Wildcats a four goal lead.

Moore iced the game for Louisburg (6-3) as she took a penalty kick, but after the shot was saved, scored off the rebound to put the Wildcats up five goals. Lemke and Leia Shaffer each added an assist in the Wildcat victory.

Louisburg will try for its third consecutive win at 6 p.m. tonight when it hosts Basehor-Linwood.

“Basehor is a good team,” Conley said. “They are offensive minded and it will be hard for us. We need to move and defend as a unit and organization is going to be key for us. They have some really good players up top and we just have to do a good job of feeding the ball through and keeping the pressure on them and attack. We need to make it a high intensity game and see where it goes from there.”

 

Louisburg blanks Eudora on the road

It was slow-going at times for Louisburg when it visited Eudora on Monday for the team’s first ever meeting as Eudora is competing in its first season.

The Wildcats took a one-goal lead into halftime, but created a little more cushion for themselves in the second half as they came away with a 3-0 victory.

Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz opened the scoring for Louisburg with a goal in the first half, and then followed it up with another goal in the second half. Fellow sophomore Erin Lemke also notched a goal to help seal the win for Louisburg.

Scholtz, Lemke and freshman Olivia Barber each had an assist in the win, while senior goalie Shay Whiting earned the shutout.