Eleven years ago, I was a nervous wreck.

I had just been laid off from my newspaper job, one where I had spent seven years covering Louisburg. Like so many others in this profession, I suddenly found myself staring at an uncertain future as newspapers continued to disappear. Jobs were scarce. Stability was gone. And I had a family to support.

I knew I was probably going to have to take a job I didn’t want — something far from journalism — just to make ends meet.

Then an idea hit me.

With news media shifting more and more online, I wondered: Would Louisburg support something like this? Would the community care enough about local sports to follow an independent site dedicated solely to their athletes?

As it turned out, the answer was an overwhelming yes.

Because of the relationships I had built during my first seven years here, there was an appetite from local businesses to support the idea — and many of them never wavered. Eleven years later, a lot of those same businesses were still standing beside Louisburg Sports Zone, believing it was an important piece of the community.

They were right — and I couldn’t agree more.

This past decade-plus has been some of the best years of my life. Through Louisburg Sports Zone, I formed incredible relationships with coaches, athletes, administrators, parents and community members. Even as a graduate of rival Paola, the Louisburg community adopted me as one of their own.

For those of you around my age or older, this might resonate.

I often felt like Norm from Cheers.

Every time I walked into a gym, stadium or field, I’d hear, “Hey Andy!” or “Thanks for coming!” or “We appreciate you.” So many people knew my name — even people I didn’t know — simply because they appreciated what I did.

Instead of an icy cold glass in my hand, I carried a camera. My barstool wasn’t at a counter — it was on the sideline, capturing moments as they happened. And there were plenty of them.

State championships. State tournament appearances. Individual champions and medalists. Record-breaking performances.

I was lucky enough to see it all.

But my favorite part was always watching kids grow — seeing freshmen mature into seniors and leave as confident, capable young adults. That transformation never got old.

My very first event as Louisburg Sports Zone was a home basketball game. I was only a couple months removed from being laid off and still unsure if this idea would work or if anyone would even care.

Those worries disappeared quickly.

As I walked into the gym, Natalie Moore, Kirstin Lowry and Kallie O’Keefe stopped their warmups to smile and wave. Coach Shawn Lowry walked clear across the court to shake my hand and welcome me back.

More than a decade later, I still get those same smiles from athletes and handshakes from coaches and parents alike. Those connections are what made this decision so difficult.

Six months ago, I was offered a position with KSHSAA Covered and the Kansas High School Activities Association. Honestly, I never thought I’d have another writing job outside of Louisburg Sports Zone. I fully intended to keep doing this until the appetite for it simply wasn’t there anymore.

But the opportunity was too good to pass up — and it was the right move for my family.

I knew the connections wouldn’t be the same. Starting over is hard, especially when you know what you’re leaving behind. My favorite part of this job was feeling the appreciation from the community and knowing I was giving people something positive to read.

I wasn’t perfect. I made mistakes along the way. But this community allowed me to grow — as a writer, photographer and a person. I always tried to do the best I could and to cover every sport as fairly and equally as possible.

The last five or six years put me in an interesting position, as my own kids were playing varsity sports. How do you balance being a supportive dad and a journalist at the same time? I hope I did it right.

One of the biggest perks of this job was getting to write about my kids — their first varsity goal, first basket, first shutout or a big volleyball performance. I know how lucky I was to experience that.

None of this would have been possible without my family — especially my wife, Jennifer. I wasn’t home much in the evenings, especially with young kids, and that wasn’t easy. She never stopped supporting me.

To my kids — Jordan, Ally and Carter — thank you for understanding the crazy hours and for supporting me even when I couldn’t be at everything like other parents. I love you more than you know.

I also want to thank all of my advertisers, past and present. Louisburg Sports Zone doesn’t exist without you. Craig Holtzen and Edward Jones, Dixon Contracting Services, White’s Automotive, Prime Accounting Services, Amborn Stone, Wildcat Vet Clinic, Dr. Andy Hill, Destination Fun Travel, Vance Brothers, Go Brolly, First National Bank, First Option Bank, Landmark Bank, Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics, IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Louisburg Family Dental, Vohs Pharmacy, Elliott Insurance, Magnum Equipment, Louisburg Athletic Club, Louisburg Library, Tri-County Pest, Midwest Collision — and so many others along the way.

I also wanted to give a big shoutout to a Louisburg graduate – Kenneth Sweeney. He has been my “web guy” this whole time. He helped design the site and has also been there to help me troubleshoot what problems have come up since then. I couldn’t have done it without him.

Thank you to every coach I’ve worked with. Getting to know you and promote your programs has truly been an honor. I appreciate you enduring my countless emails that I send out every week. You have helped make Louisburg Sports Zone what it is as well. I will miss you all.

And finally, the student-athletes — you are the reason this worked. Thank you for letting me into your lives and giving me so many incredible stories to tell. And consider this a long-overdue apology to anyone I ever did “dirty” with an unfortunate action photo.

So here I am, 11 years later, feeling some of those same nerves as I move into something new. The last six months with KSHSAA Covered have been great, and I’ve been welcomed with open arms.

Still, walking away from something I built was not easy.

I only hope that Louisburg Sports Zone has been as much of a blessing to you as it has been to me. These have been some of the best times of my life — and I will treasure them always.

Thank you, Louisburg.

Louisburg watched a late lead slip away last Friday as Leavenworth used a decisive fourth-quarter run to pull out a 50-37 win in a non-league matchup at Louisburg.

The Wildcats carried a 30-25 advantage early in the fourth quarter, but the Pioneers caught fire from the perimeter, knocking down four 3-pointers in the final period after shooting just 1-of-17 from beyond the arc through the first three quarters. Leavenworth outscored Louisburg 25-7 over the final eight minutes to seal the win.

Turnovers also proved costly for Louisburg, which committed 23 miscues. Leavenworth capitalized with 20 points off those turnovers.

McKinley Harmon led Louisburg with nine points and three steals. Kinley Scott added seven points and five rebounds, while freshman Tatum Battle made a strong impression in her varsity debut, scoring seven points and collecting a team-high three steals. McKenna Lohse chipped in six points for the Wildcats.

“The Leavenworth game was a hard game to lose, they made some big shots down the stretch and we could not finish in the fourth quarter,” Louisburg head coach Adrianne Lane said. “The girls have been practicing hard and we are getting better. I’m excited for this week to see how we do against two more league teams.”

Louisburg fell to 1-3 on the season with the loss.

Earlier in the week, Ottawa jumped out to an early lead and never looked back last Tuesday night, handing Louisburg a 66-37 home loss.

The Cyclones led 15-4 after the first quarter and continued to build their advantage behind a dominant performance from Leah Askins-Dieterich, who finished with 28 points, 10 steals and four assists.

Louisburg was led by Kinley Scott, who turned in a strong all-around effort with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Scott was efficient around the basket and played aggressively on both ends of the floor.

“Kinley had a great game against Ottawa scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds,” Lane said. “I thought she did a good job finishing in the lane, and she played super hard.”

Ella Bockelman added six points, while Ellia Gibbons scored five for the Wildcats. McKinley Harmon chipped in four points as Louisburg continued to gain experience against a tough schedule.

Despite the loss, Lane said the Wildcats are showing signs of improvement as they prepare for upcoming league contests.

LOU                         11            11            8               7 – 37

LV                              5               13            7               25 – 50

LOUISBURG (1-3): McKinley Harmon 3-8 1-2 9; Tatum Battle 2-6 2-2 7; Kinley Scott 1-5 5-8 7; McKenna Lohse 3-5 0-0 6; Ellia Gibbons 1-6 1-2 4; Ella Bockelman 1-7 0-0 3; Talen McMurray 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 11-42 10-16 37. 3-point field goals: 5, (Harmon 2, Battle, Bockelman, Gibbons)

LOU                         4               12            11            10 – 37

OTT                          15            16            20            15 – 66

LOUISBURG: Kinley Scott 6-13 4-4 16; Ella Bockelman 3-5 0-0 6; Ellia Gibbons 2-5 0-0 5; McKinley Harmon 2-4 0-0 4; Morgan Latham 1-3 0-0 2; Maddie Yoder 0-5 2-6 2; Talen McMurray 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 15-45 6-10 37. 3-point field goals: 1, (Gibbons)

The Louisburg girls basketball team opened its season in convincing fashion last Tuesday, using a dominant second quarter to pull away from Wellsville Eagles for a 51–29 win in the Wildcats’ home debut.

The Wildcats trailed 10–9 after the first quarter but erupted for a 15–3 run in the second, fueled by strong interior play from Kinley Scott and McKenna Lohse. Scott finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Lohse added 13 points and eight boards of her own as Louisburg controlled the paint throughout.

Head coach Adrianne Lane said her team’s togetherness set the tone early in the year.

“The girls played great against Wellsville, they played together and did a great job executing,” Lane said. “We ran the floor really well and played great defense. The girls deserved that first win — they played together and battled every possession.”

Louisburg shook off early jitters before taking command as Wellsville got a lot of second chance points to take a one-point lead going into the second quarter.

“We all were a little nervous to start, but once we got started I felt like the girls played with confidence and played together,” Lane said. “Kenna and Kinley both did a great job running the floor and finishing in transition.”

Ella Bockelman and Maddie Yoder each scored seven points, with Yoder knocking down the Wildcats’ lone three-pointer. Morgan Latham added six.

Louisburg outscored Wellsville 27–16 in the second half to secure the season-opening victory.

LOU       9               15            12            15 – 51

WEL       10               3            10            6 – 29

LOUISBURG: Kinley Scott 5-10 4-9 14; McKenna Lohse 6-11 1-1 13; Ella Bockelman 3-4 1-2 7; Maddie Yoder 3-5 0-0 7; Morgan Latham 2-8 2-2 6; McKinley Harmon 1-7 0-0 2; Emersynn Deere 0-2 2-2 2. Totals: 20-50 10-16 51. 3-point field goals: 1, Yoder

Wildcats stumble in league opener at Tonganoxie

Three days after its strong start, Louisburg hit early offensive struggles on the road in its Frontier League opener, falling 47–14 to Tonganoxie on Friday.

Tonganoxie’s defensive pressure — led by standout duo Addy Schooler and Alyssa Schoeneck — forced the Wildcats into difficult shots all night. Schooler posted 14 points and six rebounds, while Schoeneck filled the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds and eight steals.

Louisburg managed just six first-half points and was held to two baskets in the second half. Ellia Gibbons led the Wildcats with four points, while McKinley Harmon hit the team’s lone three-pointer.

Lane said Tonganoxie’s speed and physicality dictated the game.

“Tonganoxie is a tough team, they play super fast and they are super physical,” Lane said. “They have several players who played great minutes, I feel like Tongie will be a very tough team to beat in our league this year.”

Louisburg struggled to match the pace but remains focused on growth.

“We had a hard time with the pace of the game — they played super fast and super aggressive,” Lane said. “All we can do is learn and get better after the tough loss, and I know this group of girls is up for the challenge.”

The Wildcats return to action this Tuesday when they host Ottawa in another Frontier League matchup.

LOU                         6               3               2               3 – 14

TON                         15            12            19            1 – 47

LOUISBURG (1-1): Ellia Gibbons 2-7 0-0 4; McKinley Harmon 1-3 0-0 3; Kinley Scott 1-7 1-2 3; McKenna Lohse 1-6 0-0 2; Talen McMurray 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 6-39 1-4 14. 3-point field goals: 1, Harmon

After graduating seven seniors and navigating a difficult Frontier League, the Louisburg girls basketball team enters the 2025-26 season knowing it will have a different look to it.

The Wildcats finished 5-16 a year ago and return just two varsity players in senior forwards Morgan Latham and McKenna Lohse, both of whom were steady contributors in the post. Latham averaged close to six points and five rebounds per game, while Lohse added five points and four boards.

Louisburg head coach Adrianne Lane said the group has embraced the challenge of starting fresh.

“Practice has been great so far. This group is working very hard and they are very coachable,” Lane said. “Since we do not have a lot of returning varsity players, the girls have been very willing to learn new things and very willing to put these new things into action.”

Experience will be one of the Wildcats’ biggest hurdles.

“The biggest challenge will be lack of experience on the varsity level,” Lane said. “But I do feel that this group is willing to put in the effort and hard work to be ready for the varsity level.”

Even so, Louisburg believes it can lean heavily on its post players. Junior Kinley Scott, who saw varsity action last season, joins Latham and Lohse to give the Wildcats one of their most reliable areas.

“Having Kenna and Morgan back this year is huge for our program. They are doing a great job working with the younger girls and helping them learn the new plays,” Lane said. “Getting Kenna and Morgan touches in the lane will be very important. Most of our offenses revolve around the bigs, and I think Kenna and Morgan and the other bigs are ready.”

Lane also expects Scott to make a significant leap.

“Kinley has been playing very well in practice and I am excited to see how she does in the games,” Lane said. “She is a huge threat with the basketball and I think we will see a lot of offense out of her this year.”

But if the Wildcats are strong inside, the guard spots will feature fresh faces. Juniors Maddie Yoder and Ellia Gibbons, who received limited varsity time last season, are set to anchor the backcourt. Yoder will run the offense at point guard.

“Maddie Yoder will play a big part this year. She will be the point guard and she does a great job taking care of the basketball,” Lane said. “She is very fun to watch and makes some great passes.

“Ellia is another returner, she works very hard and plays hard. She will bring some excitement to the floor as well as hustle.”

Juniors Ella Bockelman and McKinley Harmon will also see extended minutes on the wings as Louisburg builds a new rotation.

The Wildcats open their season tonight at home against Wellsville, tipping off at 6 p.m., and Lane believes the foundation is in place for steady growth.

“This group is willing to put in the effort and hard work,” she said. “I’m excited to see how far they can go.”

Ashlyn Kuhlman has played basketball for most of her young life and isn’t ready to slow down anytime soon.

The 2025 Louisburg High School graduate has played a big role on the Wildcat girls basketball team for the last two seasons and is ready to continue that at the collegiate level. It didn’t take her long to find the right landing spot.

Earlier this year, in front of friends and family, Kuhlman signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Avila University and is looking forward to the opportunity of helping out the Eagles’ program.

“It has been a goal of mine to play in college since I was really young,” Kuhlman said. “When I started playing club I knew that I would want to continue for as long as I could. It felt so special seeing my dream become reality on my signing day with the support of my friends and family.”

Kuhlman knew Avila well and that was before any official visit. Her sister, Brianne, played for the Eagles last season and the two will get a chance to share the court together this winter.

Having the chance to share time with her sister, along with everything Avila had to offer, made for an easy decision for Ashlyn as she achieved her dream of playing college basketball.

“I started playing basketball when I was in first grade and it has been a huge part of my life with countless hours being put into it,” Ashlyn said. “The environment of Avila really stuck out to me. When I stepped on the campus to watch my sister play for the first time, I knew it felt like home.”

However, her sister won’t be the only familiar face on the Avila roster. She will also join Louisburg graduates Madilyn Melton and Ava Baker on the team that will now feature four former Wildcat players.

“It is so nice to have others on the team that are from Louisburg because it helped me feel like I could fit in quicker,” Ashlyn said. “Also I am so excited to be able to play with my sister and share my first year of college experience with her. I believe that having all these people I know around me will help the transition because they all are very supportive and have taken me in already.”

Kuhlman had a pair of successful seasons for the Wildcat basketball program as she earned honorable mention all-league honors the last two years.

She averaged 10.3 points per game to lead the Wildcats and recorded a team-high five rebounds a contest. Kuhlman, who played mainly the guard spot, also tallied a team-best 41 blocks.

As for what the future holds, Kuhlman is just willing to help the team in any way she can.

“I hope to fit in well with the team and be able to play with my sister this year,” she said. “I am very excited for everything that is in store for me.”

Press Release from the Kansas High School Activities Association

TOPEKA, Kan. – The KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament format and sites have been selected for the next two seasons. In 2026, the 1A Division I semifinals and finals will be played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. The 2A and 1A Division II semifinals and finals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia while 3A and 4A semifinals and finals will be played at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College.

In the largest school classifications, 5A and 6A semifinals and finals will be played at Koch Arena at Wichita State University. This will mark the first time since 1953 when state championship games of multiple classes were played at the same place. 

In 2027, both Divisions of 1A semifinals and finals will be played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Class 2A and Class 4A semifinals and finals will be played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The 3A semifinals and finals will be played at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. The 5A and 6A semifinals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia.   

“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships.” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games.  With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.”   

The state tournament begins with the quarterfinal round which will be hosted at seven venues in five cities. To advance to the semifinals and finals sites, teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games which will be played at United Wireless Arena, Tony’s Pizza Events  Center in Salina, Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University, Koch Arena, Garvey Center at Friends University, White Auditorium, and the Kansas City Kansas Community College Fieldhouse in Kansas City.  

2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule: 

6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals – March 10 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals – March 11 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

The quarterfinal round games are determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be placed as close to home as possible in the 28 quarterfinal round games across the state.  If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals. 

“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski.  “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.  Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”   

The dates of the quarterfinal games are March 10-11, 2026 and March 9-10, 2027.  The dates of the semifinals and finals are March 12-14, 2026 and March 11-13, 2027.  

Two years ago, the membership expressed desire through the October Regional Administrator Meetings to combine classes at the state basketball tournament. Each class individually supported this concept. Working with the host sites to ensure top level tournament management, it was determined that the best course of action is the final four in each class advance to the site of the semifinals and finals with state quarterfinal games being played in proximity to the higher seed at neutral/college sites. 

As her basketball season was nearing an end, Ally Brown thought her Louisburg playing career was as well.

Brown, a senior, was a starter on the volleyball and basketball teams and was preparing for her life after sports. However, something happened that changed all of that.

At the time, Louisburg soccer coach Jordan Roquemore asked Brown if she would consider trying out for the soccer team — more specifically — goalie. It left her a little taken aback.

“I laughed at first and told him I’d think about it, fully intending on saying no,” Brown said. “Then the other soccer seniors kept talking to me about it and my parents said I should take the chance and do it. So I did and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

That decision turned into a fourth-place state medal as she helped the Louisburg program to a state final four appearance. It was a memorable ending for Brown in her Wildcat career. She was the lone senior athlete to play three sports, which led her to earn the 2025 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year award.

The award was given based on a vote by Louisburg High School coaches as Brown was recognized for her achievements on the volleyball and basketball courts, along with her time with the soccer program.

“Being honored with Female Athlete of the Year means so much to me,” Brown said. “I truly see it as an honor because there are so many amazing female athletes around me. It fills me with a sense of pride knowing that four years of hard work got me to this moment. The support of my family and friends through my athletic journey allowed me to succeed so this award is not only for me, but all of the people who helped me along the way.”

On the volleyball court, Brown was a first-year varsity player this year and was one of the top defensive players — not only on the team, but in the Frontier League. 

As a team captain, Brown was an honorable mention all-league defensive specialist and was second on the team with 228 digs and was also second in aces with 47. She also led the team in serve attempts and points scored while serving. 

“Ally was largely the heart and soul of the volleyball team as a really strong leader, and I have no doubt that she helped lead her teammates in other sports the same way,” former Louisburg volleyball coach Leanna Willer said. “She is the girl who always shows up for her teammates. She is reliable, dedicated, and she truly understands the balance of encouraging/motivating her teammates and holding them accountable. She works her butt off and made some incredible plays in each season. Her dig numbers were right up there close to a lot of the Liberos while only being on the court half the time, and that speaks volumes about what she was able to do for our team.

“She is the voice of reason that we all turn to in times of trouble, and she is also the one who hypes up every single one of her teammates. Ally took on her roles in each sport this year with pride and made the most of every opportunity. Each of our three teams were undoubtedly better because she was a part of them.”

As a member of the basketball team, Brown did a little bit of everything. She was a starter for the Wildcats and averaged four points a game. She also led the team in assists (35) and steals (24).

“Ally is a very hard worker, she always has a positive attitude, and she is a great role model to the younger players,” Louisburg basketball coach Adrianne Lane said. “This season I felt that Ally stepped up her game. She had a streak in the middle of the season where it seemed like she didn’t miss a shot. I know whatever Ally chooses to do in life she will be great at.”

Then came the soccer program, where she started in goal for the Wildcats. In her first year playing high school soccer, Brown thrived as she helped Louisburg to a No. 1 seed in the state playoffs and a fourth-place state finish.

As the team’s starting goalie, she made a big impact in the back of the Wildcat defense. She finished with 12 clean sheets and had 91 saves on the year. For that effort, she was named to the All-Frontier League second team. 

“For a first time goalkeeper, that save rating is exceptional,” Roquemore said. “She faced far fewer shots than the average keeper because of our team defense, but when she does get them, she does a great job.

“Ally has always been a humble leader, a voice of reason, a positive influence, and has a determined work ethic. She balances a good sense of humor with a focused and sincere way of approaching athletics. She’s hard on herself but never gives up and is constantly willing to take feedback and apply it. I can’t imagine this season without her.”

Although it was a successful experience for her, it was about more than just wins and losses for Brown. 

“Yes I got a fourth place state medal out of it, but I got so much more than that,” Brown said. “I gained girls who will be sisters for life and a sense of girlhood that is unmatched. I will never forget my one year in the LHS girls soccer program and will be forever grateful that I chose to take a chance.”

In her four years at Louisburg High School, Brown was a 3-sport athlete in two of them. Playing multiple sports in high school is something she believes was an important and rewarding experience for her.

“Playing sports in Louisburg is such an exciting experience,’” Brown said. “The feeling of the Louisburg community rallying behind you while you’re on the court or field is indescribable. You are playing next to the same girls that you grew up with. Even you are doing the horrible weights and conditioning, it’s ok because the girl next to you is making you laugh. Playing competitive high school sports isn’t easy, but at Louisburg when you have people rallying around you every step of the way, succeeding is that much easier.”

Previous winners:

2018: Isabelle Holtzen

2019: Carson Buffington

2020: Reilly Ratliff-Becher

2021: Alyse Moore

2022: Delaney Wright

2023: Adyson Ross

2024: Hailey Sword

For the eighth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. Then I sent the nominations back to the coaches and they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes. The recipient will be announced in the coming days.

(Editor’s Note: Normally, the coaches send me their votes and I tabulate the winner. However, due to a conflict of interest, I handed those duties to LHS AD Ty Pfannenstiel this year and he graciously gathered all the votes from the coaches and I was not a part of the process.)

Below are the three finalists for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.

Ally Brown – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer

Ally was a 3-time letterwinner this past season in volleyball, basketball and soccer. In volleyball, Brown earned honorable mention all-league honors for her work as a defensive specialist as she helped the Wildcats to the sub-state championship game. She finished with 228 digs, which was second on the team and was also second in aces with 47. She led Louisburg in serve attempts and points scored while she was serving.

On the basketball court, Brown was a starter for the Wildcat basketball team and averaged four points a game. She also led the team in assists (35) and steals (24).

Brown joined the Wildcat soccer team for the first time in the spring and made the most of her opportunity. She started in goal and finished with 12 shutouts on the season as she helped the Wildcats to a fourth-place finish at the Class 4-1A state tournament and finished with a 16-5 record. Brown was also named second team All-Frontier League goalie as she had more than 80 saves on the year and had an 87 percent save percentage.

Sabra Brueggen – Senior – Basketball, Swim

Sabra was a letterwinner for the Louisburg basketball and swim team this year. On the basketball court, Brueggen was a starter for the Lady Cats as she was third on the team with 85 rebounds on the year and averaged five points a contest.

Brueggen really made her mark in the pool as she earned two medals at the Class 5-1A state swim meet this spring. She medaled sixth in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke. Throughout the season, Brueggen earned state qualifying times in all of the individual events and she also qualified in three relays.

She swam in two of those relays at the state meet as she helped the 200 freestyle relay to victory in the consolation finals and finished ninth overall. Brueggen also swam the 400 free relay as they took 13^th. Overall, Brueggen earned at least one state medal in each of her four years with the program.

Addy Stohs – Senior – Basketball, Softball

Addy was a letterwinner for the Louisburg basketball and softball teams. It was in softball where Stohs made her biggest mark. The Louisburg senior was named to the All-Frontier League first team after strong season as the team’s first baseman.

Stohs had a big year at the plate for Louisburg as she had a .435 average, which included 27 hits, four doubles and a home run, to go along with 13 RBIs. Stohs also had a .950 fielding percentage and only had 3 errors on the year.

On the basketball court, Stohs was a forward for the Wildcats as she had 23 rebounds on the year to go along with 10 blocked shots.

It was a tough season at times for the Louisburg basketball teams, but one Wildcat did get recognized by the Frontier League coaches.

All-Frontier League lists were released Sunday following the conclusion of the state tournament and senior Ashlyn Kuhlman earned a spot among the league’s best.

Kuhlman was an all-league honorable mention selection for the second year in a row as she led the Wildcats in three different statistical categories. 

The Louisburg senior averaged 10.3 points per game to lead the Wildcats and recorded a team-high five rebounds a contest. Kuhlman, who played mainly the guard spot, also tallied a team-best 41 blocks.

Baldwin led the way with five all-league spots. Spring Hill, who finished second in the Frontier League and fourth overall at the Class 5A state tournament, had four selections. Frontier League champion Eudora had three all-league honorees.

Spring Hill senior Sydney Buscher and junior Isla Herman, Eudora sophomore Brynn Deterding and freshman Avah Dye, along with Tonganoxie’s Alyssa Schoeneck were all named to the all-league first team.

As for the boys, Louisburg did not have a player selected to the 18-member all-league team. 

Ottawa, who took third at the Class 4A state tournament and was the Frontier League champion, led the way with four all-league selections.

Baldwin juniors Cooper Carr and Leo Schoenberger, Ottawa junior Aiden McCullough and sophomore Caleb Hepner, Bonner Springs junior Kelan Bruver and Spring Hill sophomore Jackson Bruce were all named to the first team. 

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Isla Herman, Spring Hill, junior

Brynn Deterding, Eudora, sophomore

Avah Dye, Eudora, freshman

Alyssa Schoeneck, Tonganoxie, junior

Sydney Buscher, Spring Hill, senior

SECOND TEAM

Leah Askins-Dieterich, Ottawa, sophomore

Brylynn Wicker, Paola, senior

Izzy Brunkow, Eudora, sophomore

Chloe Neufeld, Baldwin, junior

Nya Anderson, Bonner Springs, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Addy Thompson, Bonner Springs, junior

Chasitee Sambol, Bonner Springs, junior

Emmerson Nigh, Baldwin, sophomore

Lauren Berg, Baldwin, senior

Natalie Price, Ottawa, sophomore

Peyton Wright, Baldwin, sophomore

Addie Bond, Spring Hill, senior

Amaya Burris, Bonner Springs, junior

Aubrey Meder, Spring Hill, junior

Ashlyn Kuhlman, Louisburg, senior

Audrey Searl, Baldwin, sophomore

Addy Schooler, Tonganoxie, sophomore

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Cooper Carr, Baldwin, junior

Leo Schoenberger, Baldwin, junior

Kelan Gruver, Bonner Springs, junior

Aiden McCullough, Ottawa, junior

Caleb Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Jackson Bruce, Spring Hill, sophomore

SECOND TEAM

Jason Jones, Bonner Springs, junior

Carter Hepner, Ottawa, senior

Caden Cohee, Paola, senior

Ryan Osburn, Eudora, sophomore

Cash Schneider, Eudora, freshman

Lachlan McRae, Tonganoxie, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Colton Collum, Baldwin, junior

Jaiden Jones, Bonner Springs, freshman

Errol Siemon, Eudora, senior

Jayce Mourning, Ottawa, sophomore

Micah Sanders, Paola, senior

Talon Langford, Tonganoxie, senior

EUDORA — The task was never going to be an easy one for the Louisburg girls basketball team.

The Wildcats, the No. 15 seed, had to travel to Frontier League champion, Eudora, for the first round of sub-state action. Louisburg held strong in the first half, but a difficult third quarter ended the Wildcats’ season in a 56-26 loss to the Cardinals. 

Eudora went on to defeat Wamego for the sub-state championship Saturday and advanced to the state tournament.

“Eudora is a great team and I wish them the best of luck at the state tournament,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I felt like we played hard against them and we never gave up.”

Louisburg battled in the first half, despite getting down 11 after the first quarter. The Wildcats were outscored just 12-9 in the second period and trailed 27-13 at halftime.

“We face-guarded two of their players and I thought the girls who face-guarded played their roles well,” Lane said. “The other 3 girls who were not face-guarding did a great job helping and playing man to man on the remaining players. Overall the girls did a great job playing a different defense and played together.”

Eudora found a way past that defense in the third quarter as it outscored Louisburg 20-4 to all but seal the win. The Cardinals helped get that lead thanks to their defense.

Eudora forced 20 Wildcat turnovers and turned those mistakes into 22 points. The Cardinals also shot 47 percent from the floor compared to just 25 for Louisburg.

Louisburg senior Ashlyn Kuhlman led the Wildcats in scoring with nine points to go along with eight rebounds. Junior Morgan Latham finished with six points.

It was also marked the end for seven Wildcats seniors as Jillian Asher, Ally Brown, Sabra Brueggen, Ashlyn Kuhlman, Sami Lane, Addy Stohs and Shylar Whiting all played their final game in a Louisburg uniform.

“This season was a fun season for the girls and our program,” coach Lane said. “I thought we played hard and battled in every game. Losing 7 seniors will be tough moving forward, but I know the seniors will all work hard to in their futures and I am excited to see where they go in life.

“The underclassmen I know will put in the work this summer and next fall to be ready to battle next year. I am excited to see what next year brings and excited for the younger girls to show their skills.”

LOU 4 9 4 9 — 26

EUD 15 12 20 9 — 56

LOUISBURG (5-16): Ashlyn Kuhlman 3-8 0-0 9; Morgan Latham 2-5 2-2 6; Sabra Brueggen 2-6 0-0 4; Ally Brown 1-7 0-0 3; McKenna Lohse 1-4 0-0 2; Sami Lane 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 10-39 2-2 26. 3-point field goals: 4, (Kuhlman 3, Brown)