Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week nine of the fall sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

SPENCER MATTISON, JUNIOR, CROSS COUNTRY

The Louisburg cross country team sent 10 runners to the Class 4A state meet last Saturday in Wamego and junior Spencer Mattison made the most of his time. Mattison recorded a personal best time on a tough Wamego course in 18 minutes and 46 seconds.

Mattison qualified for state for the first time in his cross country career and took 63rd overall out of 101 runners. To qualify for state, Mattison finished 13th overall at the regional meet in Neodesha the week before.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous winners:

Week 1: Owen Marsh

Week 2: Caileigh Kilgore

Week 3: Maddox McGhee

Week 4: Blaise Vohs

Week 5: Evan Moreland

Week 6: Max Amren

Week 7: John Guetterman

Week 8: Adelyn Moore

NEODESHA — For the first time in program history, the Louisburg girls cross country team left a regional meet as champions.

On a rainy, muddy Saturday at Riverside Park in Neodesha, the Wildcats powered through the slick conditions to win the Class 4A regional championship with 39 points — seven ahead of runner-up Paola. The victory also secured a state berth for the entire Louisburg squad.

“It was awesome and emotional to see the girls leave Neodesha as regional champs,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “It has been a long time in the making as we have had multiple teams qualify for state but have never won a regional title. The rankings had us winning the meet, but those are just rankings. The girls showed up to compete and that is exactly what they did.”

It was a youthful lineup that led the Wildcats to history, featuring two freshmen, four sophomores and one junior — and the youngest runners set the tone. Freshman Karissa Williamson finished fourth overall in 22:40.26, just ahead of fellow freshman Maddox McGhee, who took fifth in 22:40.46. Sophomore Hailey Shelton placed sixth in 22:57, giving Louisburg three runners in the top 10.

Sophomore Reese Smith finished ninth in 23:50, junior Talen McMurray placed 16th in 24:16, and sophomores Felicity Allen and Annie Hornberger rounded out the lineup in 23rd and 27th, respectively.

“We don’t have a senior on the team and having two freshmen lead with four sophomores and a junior right behind them is amazing,” Reece said. “Our time gap between No. 1 and No. 5 is about 1:30, which is amazing — and that’s how you win championships.”

On the boys’ side, Louisburg qualified three individual runners for state. Juniors Titus and Truman Ellison — brothers — finished seventh and eighth in 19:29 and 19:36, while junior Spencer Mattison took 13th in 20:20. The Wildcats finished fourth as a team with 92 points, just six points shy of qualifying the full squad. Chanute won the boys team title with 25 points.

August Meyer took 26^th overall in a time of 22:31 and Matthew Lien was 43^rd in 24:25 to round out the Wildcat lineup.

“Titus, Truman and Spencer were more than determined to qualify for state,” Reece said. “It was fantastic to see them all finish in the top 15 to punch their ticket. It was bittersweet to finish fourth as a team and only miss by six points, which showed how well August and Matthew ran their races.”

Despite the tough course conditions — with standing water and muddy turns — Louisburg stayed focused.

“We controlled the controllables and did not let things we can’t control affect us,” Reece said. “The conditions were less than desirable, but we didn’t let that impact how we were going to race.”

Both teams will compete Saturday at the Class 4A state meet at Wamego Country Club.

“We’ve already run Wamego this year,” Reece said. “I look for them to improve upon their times and leave with a want to return next year and do even better. The next few years are going to be a lot of fun — we have no seniors to replace and great talent coming up from LMS.”

BALDWIN CITY — The Louisburg cross country teams turned in impressive performances at the Frontier League Championships on Oct. 16 in Baldwin, with the boys finishing third and the girls earning a strong fourth-place showing in one of the toughest leagues in Class 4A.

The Wildcat boys posted a team score of 83 points, trailing only league champion Spring Hill (30) and runner-up Eudora (49). Louisburg’s top four runners all placed in the top 16 and earned All-Frontier League honors.

Junior Levi Cotter led the way, placing ninth in 18 minutes, 29 seconds. Titus Ellison followed in 13th (18:48), while Spencer Mattison (19:07.02) and Truman Ellison (19:07.92) finished 15th and 16th. August Meyer placed 33rd in 20:53, and Matthew Lien rounded out the team’s scoring in 51st (24:01).

“The runners knew they could do well, but the boys’ third-place finish was amazing,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Levi really stepped up for the team and ran a solid race. Putting four in the top 21 to get all-league honors was fantastic.”

The Louisburg girls were equally strong, taking fourth overall with 98 points in a field that included several of the state’s top programs. Baldwin won the girls’ title with 39 points, followed by Eudora (65) and Spring Hill (81).

Freshman Maddox McGhee led the Wildcats with a breakout race, placing ninth in a personal-best time of 20:57 — the sixth-fastest time in school history. Karissa Williamson (17th, 21:33) and Hailey Shelton (21st, 21:59) also earned all-league recognition. Reese Smith finished 30th in 22:50, followed by Annie Hornberger (37th, 23:29) and Talen McMurray (44th, 23:45).

“Maddox continues to run well, and her teammates are right there with her,” Reece said. “Getting three all-league honors was great. Both groups are really displaying the team concept of cross country. If a teammate doesn’t have their best race, someone else steps up and helps them through it.”

Louisburg now turns its focus to Saturday’s Class 4A regional meet at Riverside Park in Neodesha. The girls’ race begins at 10:35 a.m., followed by the boys at 11:45.

“Regionals could be a special day for our program,” Reece said. “We’re going to Neodesha to make our mark and continue the ride all the way to Wamego. The course and weather will be interesting, but we’re ready to run.”

Both the Louisburg boys and girls cross country teams turned in strong performances at their home meet last Thursday, each finishing third overall at Lewis-Young Park.

The Wildcat girls scored 69 points to claim third at the Louisburg Invitational, doing so without one of their key runners, sophomore Hailey Shelton. Even with the lineup adjustment, Louisburg’s younger runners stepped up in a big way — led by freshman Maddox McGhee, who continues to make her mark on the program’s history.

McGhee placed eighth overall in 21 minutes, 37 seconds, a time that moves her to No. 7 on Louisburg’s all-time leaderboard. Fellow freshman Karissa Williamson also earned a medal, finishing 11th in 22:14.

“The girls team continues to amaze me,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “With not all runners there, we have to have the ‘Next Girl Up’ mentality to be successful and we did that. Maddox ran a great race to put herself on the top 7 all-time leaderboard.”

Sophomore Reese Smith just missed the podium with a 16th-place time of 22:55, while Annie Hornberger (18th, 23:21) and Talen McMurray (21st, 23:58) completed the team’s top five. Felicity Allen rounded out the varsity lineup in 30th (24:49).

Spring Hill won the girls crown with 34 points and Blue Valley Northwest was second with 56.

The boys team also brought home a third-place finish with 79 points, powered by four medalists in the top 15. Senior Truman Ellison led the way in 11th (18:12), followed closely by Titus Ellison (13th, 18:45), Levi Cotter (14th, 18:48) and Spencer Mattison (15th, 18:50).

“The boys are running great and look to continue improving as a team and individually,” Reece said. “Competition is second to their mindset as they are thriving within the team and good things will happen. This holds true for both boys and girls teams.”

Freshmen August Meyer (27th, 20:58) and Matthew Lien (33rd, 23:17) rounded out the Wildcats’ effort.

Spring Hill earned the boys crown with 24 points and Blue Valley Northwest was second with 38.

Louisburg now turns its focus to the championship stretch, beginning with the Frontier League Invitational on Thursday morning at the Baldwin Golf Course. Races are set to start at 10 a.m.

LA CYGNE — It was a dominant showing for the Louisburg cross country teams last Thursday at the Ramsey Invitational, held at Prairie View High School, as the Wildcat girls claimed the team title and the boys brought home a runner-up plaque.

Led by a strong pack of underclassmen and top-10 finishes from four runners, the Louisburg girls captured the team championship with 24 points, outpacing second-place Fort Scott, who finished with 52.

Freshman Karissa Williamson was the individual star of the day, winning the girls race in 21 minutes, 59 seconds. Fellow freshman Maddox McGhee was just steps behind in second place with a time of 22:04, giving the Wildcats a powerful 1-2 punch up front.

“On the girls side, we continue to improve individually which is really helping the team aspect of our sport,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “The girls are working together at the beginning of the race well and then moving when needed to improve our team place.”

Sophomore Hailey Shelton placed fifth in 22:40, and junior Talen McMurray crossed the line eighth in 23:30. Rounding out the team scoring were Reese Smith (13th, 23:50), Felicity Allen (14th, 23:55), and Annie Hornberger (17th, 24:34), giving Louisburg a deep and balanced performance that secured the victory.

The Wildcat boys also made a strong statement, finishing second overall with 35 points, just behind Jayhawk-Linn, who won the meet with 24.

“On the boys side, we are also improving individually, and our young runners are gaining experience and momentum as we move towards the end of the season,” Reece said.

Louisburg had four runners place in the top 10, led by Levi Cotter, who finished fourth with a time of 18:53. Truman Ellison (6th, 19:02) and Titus Ellison (7th, 19:05) packed in close behind, while Spencer Mattison rounded out the top 10 with a ninth-place finish in 19:41.

August Meyer placed 18th in 21:41 and Matthew Lien took 26th in 23:21 to complete the team scoring.

It was a successful day for the Wildcat program, with both squads earning hardware and showcasing the depth and potential that could make for an exciting postseason run.

“Even though this is a smaller meet, we performed very well,” Reece said. “Both teams earning a plaque was outstanding.”

Louisburg is back in action this Thursday as it travels to Topeka for the Perry-Lecompton Invitational. Events begin at 5 p.m.

WELLSVILLE — The Louisburg cross country teams continued to make strides last Thursday at the Wellsville Invitational, with the Wildcat girls turning in one of their strongest performances of the season.

Louisburg placed third overall in the girls team standings with 81 points, finishing just eight points behind meet champion Paola in a tightly contested race. Four Wildcat runners earned medals, led by standout freshman Maddox McGhee, who crossed the line in 10th place with a time of 22:21.

Another freshman, Karissa Williamson, wasn’t far behind, securing a 15th-place finish in 22:56. Sophomore teammates Hailey Shelton (19th, 23:22) and Reese Smith (22nd, 23:45) rounded out the medal-winning performances for the Wildcats.

“Maddox has been a force to bed reckoned with so far,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Both her and Karissa are crushing it. Even though we were a touch off on our race execution at Wellsville, she turned an awesome second and third mile to move well up in the standings and lead the team. All the girls worked hard and were rewarded with season bests or matched their best times so far.”

Annie Hornberger (35th, 24:37) and Talen McMurray (36th, 24:44) provided strong support in the team scoring, while Felicity Allen finished 40th in 25:05 to cap off the varsity effort.

“The girls’ team finish was a testament to their execution of the coach’s crazy plan to run a tempo type race as we had just raced on Saturday at Wamego,” Reece said. “A short turn around after Wamego is not ideal so we utilize the day to learn how we race instead of just racing again and hope for the best.”

On the boys side, the Wildcats had two individual medalists. Junior Titus Ellison led the team with a 23rd-place finish in 19:35, and junior Spencer Mattison was close behind in 25th with a time of 19:43. Junior Levi Cotter narrowly missed out on a medal, placing 26th in 19:47.

Freshman August Meyer finished 40th in 21:18, while junior Truman Ellison (48th, 22:15) and freshman Matthew Lien (56th, 23:23) also contributed solid performances for the boys’ squad.

“Some of the boys were working a tempo like the girls team and also showed positive results and medaled in the process,” Reece said. “Spencer was coming off of some illness and put in a great performance to get back in the groove. We put together all six runners to field a varsity team and we are proud of how the freshman boys, August and Matthew, stepped up and answered the call to the next level.”

Louisburg is back in action Thursday as it travels to the Prairie View Invitational. Races begin at 3:30 p.m.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week three of the fall sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

MADDOX MCGHEE, FRESHMAN, CROSS COUNTRY

Louisburg’s Maddox McGhee is off to a great start in her Wildcat cross country career. The Louisburg freshman has medaled in all three races so far this season and that continued last Thursday as she medaled 10th at the Wellsville Invitational in a time of 22 minutes and 21 seconds. She also helped the Wildcat girls to a third place team finish.

Earlier in the season, McGhee also medaled at the competitive Wamego Invitational where she took 39th out of 119 runners and opened the season with a medal at the Jerry Howarter Invitational in Garnett.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous winner:

Week 1: Owen Marsh

Week 2: Caileigh Kilgore

WAMEGO — Facing off against some of the toughest competition in the state, the Louisburg cross country teams made the trip west on Saturday to take part in the annual Wamego Invitational, held on the Kansas state meet course at Wamego Country Club.

Despite the deep and talented field, freshman Maddox McGhee rose to the occasion for the Wildcat girls, earning the team’s lone medal of the day. McGhee finished 39th overall with an impressive time of 22 minutes, 12 seconds, navigating the hilly course with poise in one of the largest meets of the season.

“Once again we went to Wamego and slayed the dragon,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “What a course it is. The girls ran a solid race and Maddox earning a medal was fantastic. Getting the opportunity to race the state course is a huge benefit if we make it back in November.”

Fellow freshman Karissa Williamson was the next Wildcat to cross the finish line, placing 57th in 22:59, while Reese Smith took 73rd with a time of 23:48. Rounding out the varsity squad were Hailey Shelton (87th, 24:34), Annie Hornberger (93rd, 24:54), Talen McMurray (101st, 25:32), and Felicity Allen (110th, 26:12).

On the boys’ side, Truman Ellison led the way for Louisburg, narrowly missing out on medal honors. The junior finished 45th overall in 18:48, holding strong in the second half of the race.

Juniors Titus Ellison and Levi Cotter weren’t far behind. Titus crossed in 65th place in 19:35, while Cotter followed closely with a 72nd-place finish in 19:45, capping off a solid showing for the Wildcat boys’ squad.

“The boys ran good races and looking at last year’s times, we are improving as a team and the future looks good,” Reece said. “Truman led the way but just missed a medal this year.”

While no team trophies came home, Louisburg gained valuable experience competing against elite programs, and several runners posted season-best times.

The Wildcats will look to continue building momentum as they head into the heart of the season today at the Wellsville Invitational.

GARNETT – The Louisburg cross country team — as a whole — may be young, but many of the Wildcats didn’t show it last Thursday during the Jerry Howarter Invitational at Garnett Country Club.

The Wildcats came home with seven medals, including four on the boys side, while the girls team finished fourth overall out of eight teams. Add in the fact that it was much cooler than normal for the first meet of the season and it was a successful night all around for Louisburg.

“The meet went well on Thursday,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Can’t ever remember an Anderson County meet with weather like we had. The runners did a great job on the day.”

Junior Truman Ellison paced the boys team as he finished 13^th overall in 18 minutes and 12 seconds and fellow junior, Levi Cotter, medaled 20^th in 19:05. Juniors Spencer Mattison and Titus Ellison also left Garnett with medals as they finished 23^rd and 24^th, respectively.

“The boys ran well and I was pleased with their level of competition that they brought to the meet,” Reece said. “Truman showed that summer running paid off as he ran a solid time to start the season. Our JV boys also ran well and we will look to put together a full team sooner rather than later.”

Louisburg also found success on the girls side as three Wildcats also brough home medals. As team, they finished fourth overall with 108 points. Baldwin won the meet with 39 points and Paola was second with 87.

A pair of freshmen led the way for Louisburg as Karissa Williamson finished 16^th overall in 22:38. Freshman Maddox McGhee was right behind her in 17^th with a time of 22:42.

Sophomore Hailey Shelton also ran away with a medal as she took 29^th in 23:49. Sophomore Reese Smith just missed some hardware as she took 31^st in 24:10 and junior Talen McMurray was 37^th in 24:42. Sophomore Annie Hornberger finished 48^th in 25:53.

“Karissa and Maddox crushed their first high school meet,” Reece said. “It is going to be fun to watch them progress this season. The other varsity girls ran well and we will be there at the end of the season vying for a team qualification for state.”

Louisburg will try and take another step forward Saturday as the Wildcats travel to the Wamego Invitational. Races begin at 8:30 a.m.

The Louisburg cross country team went into the 2024 season with a lot of inexperience overall.

Still, that season ended with a pair of runners at the state meet and growth throughout the roster. Although the Wildcats will be more experienced in 2025, they will still be young.

Louisburg has no seniors on this year’s roster as the Wildcats aim to return to the state meet in Wamego in late October. Juniors Truman Ellison and Levi Cotter represented Louisburg at state last season and will look to guide the Wildcats throughout the year.

Ellison, Cotter and fellow junior Spencer Mattison are the boys’ top three runners from a year ago and are taking more of a leadership role.

“We look to Truman and Levi to lead the team as well as Spencer,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Since we have no seniors, the juniors will be stepping up to be our leaders. Talen (McMurray) is setting a positive tone on the girls’ side.”

Along with those top three runners, newcomer Titus Ellison will also join the varsity boys, while Reece hopes August Meyer and Matthew Lien could join them later in the year.

On the girls side, McMurray, Annie Hornberger, Hailey Shelton and Anna Cotter will serve as the top runners to begin the season. Reagan and Reese Smith, Maddox McGhee, Karissa Williamson and Felicity Allen are also vying for varsity spots.

“We have several returners from last year that we look to make an impact,” Reece said. “All those girls are working well we look to them to round out a solid varsity team and challenge each other to be a top seven runner.”

The Wildcats begin their season on Sept. 4 as they travel to the Jerry Howarter Invitational at the Garnett County Club. Events are set to begin at 5 p.m.