The Louisburg volleyball team is heading into the postseason on a hot streak.

The Wildcats capped their regular season with three straight victories, including dominant wins over Wamego, Ottawa and Baldwin, giving them momentum as they prepare for Saturday’s Class 4A sub-state tournament in Chanute.

Louisburg opened the final stretch on Oct. 16 at Ottawa with a 25-13, 25-18 sweep of Wamego. Senior Caileigh Kilgore led the attack with six kills, and junior Breck Nielsen added five. Setter Adelyn Moore finished with 16 assists and four kills, while libero Regan Williams paced the defense with six digs.

The Wildcats stayed sharp against Ottawa, rolling to a 25-18, 25-13 win. Kilgore again led the offense with eight kills, and McKenna Lohse added five. Moore recorded another 16 assists in the victory.

“We had a really good night against Wamego and Ottawa,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “Ottawa is a much better team than they were early in the season. Getting our block in the right position against their slide hitter was a challenge. Delaney Nelsen played a smart game and was able to score on tips frequently. Our middles, both Breck and Kenna, ran the quick attack consistently.”

Louisburg closed out the regular season Tuesday with a convincing 25-10, 25-21, 25-14 sweep at Baldwin. The Wildcats were dominant from the service line, collecting 12 aces — six from freshman Reagan Varns and three from Lohse. Kilgore finished with nine kills, Lohse added six and Delaney Nelsen chipped in five. Moore dished out 25 assists and added five kills, while Stella Bohnenstiehl and Ellie Vohs led the defense with nine digs apiece.

For the season, Kilgore leads the Wildcats with 308 kills, followed by Nelsen (200), Nielsen (190), Lohse (188) and Rylee Telken (185). Lohse tops the team with 53 aces, and Kilgore has 48. Moore is closing in on a milestone with 939 assists. Defensively, Williams has a team-best 298 digs, and Telken leads at the net with 43 blocks.

Louisburg (23-12) enters sub-state as the No. 8 seed and will face No. 9 Independence (18-16) in the opening round. The winner will advance to meet either top-seeded Chanute (35-1) or the Bishop Miege/Fort Scott play-in winner in the championship.

Brown said his team is focused on preparation and execution as it enters postseason play.

“I’m incredibly superstitious about looking ahead,” he said. “Postseason will be a challenge for us. We played Chanute early in the season and they ran us all over the place. They play great defense and are very smart. But truthfully, we can’t spend more than a minute preparing for anyone other than Independence. That’s who we’ll focus on this week.”

It is also the final postseason run for five Louisburg seniors in McKenna Lohse, Delaney Nelsen, Rylee Telken, Stella Bohnenstiehl and Caileigh Kilgore.

“This group has been starters or important subs for most of the last two years,” Brown said. “I was also lucky enough to coach them when they played JV also. I think they have been a foundation to the things we’ve accomplished the past two seasons. It will be strange next season not seeing them in the gym all the time.”

SILVER LAKE — The Louisburg volleyball team endured a tough, but competitive week on the court, capped by a 2-3 finish at the Silver Lake Invitational on Saturday.

The Wildcats earned hard-fought victories over Rossville (2-1) and Jefferson West, but suffered two losses to Perry-Lecompton (2-0, 2-1) and fell to Hays in a tight 2-1 match.

“Silver Lake was a very tough tournament with teams from the greater Topeka area in attendance,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “We don’t get a chance to see many teams from that area, so I like the fact that every opponent looks new to us. Like we continue to do, a lot of our matches went three sets and we wore out before the day was over.”

Despite the final record, Louisburg showcased strong individual and team performances throughout the tournament. Senior outside hitter Delaney Nelsen paced the offense with 38 kills, five aces and 29 digs, continuing her steady play on both ends. Fellow senior Caileigh Kilgore also had a standout showing, racking up a team-high eight aces while adding 33 kills and 36 digs.

The Wildcats’ front line received a boost from senior Rylee Telken, who recorded 31 kills and added eight blocks, while Breck Nielsen contributed 28 kills over the five matches. In the middle, McKenna Lohse was a key presence at the net, finishing with 26 kills and a team-best 10 blocks.

Defensively, junior libero Regan Williams anchored the back row with a team-leading 62 digs, and senior Stella Bohnenstiehl added 36 digs of her own. The offense flowed through senior setter Adelyn Moore, who orchestrated the attack with 135 assists.

“Our middle blockers were active for most of the day and that helps everyone out when we can use all parts of our offense,” Brown said. “We started out rough covering tips and made a few little adjustments that helped us later.”

Before their weekend tournament, the Wildcats had a pair of league matchups that showcased the team’s resilience and talent.

On Thursday, Louisburg went toe-to-toe with Frontier League foe Spring Hill on the road but came up just short in four sets: 25-22, 19-25, 25-19, 25-21. Kilgore led the attack with 13 kills, while Nelsen and Nielsen chipped in 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Lohse turned in a strong all-around performance with five aces and three blocks. Moore finished with 37 assists, while Nelsen led the defense with 17 digs.

“I wish we had found our groove going into the third set,” Brown said. “I know we will split sets with a lot of teams we face based on how consistent our serve receive is. Spring Hill did a good job keeping us out of system and we are still trying to find an answer for our troubles in that aspect of the game.”

Earlier in the week, on Sept. 30, the Wildcats earned a big rivalry win over Paola in four competitive sets: 26-24, 18-25, 25-16, 25-22. Lohse came up big for Louisburg with 15 kills to lead the team, while Kilgore added 12. Nielsen posted eight kills and three blocks in the win, and Moore dished out 39 assists. Kilgore also led the defensive effort with 17 digs.

It was also the Dig Pink night as the Wildcat team raised money for a local family battling cancer.

“I love the atmosphere whenever we get to play Paola,” Brown said. “I think the girls were looking forward to this one on the calendar. It was an exciting night as we were also honoring those who are affected by cancer.”

With several players stepping up in big moments, the Wildcats (17-10) continue to battle through a challenging stretch of the season, gaining valuable experience and chemistry along the way.

Five seniors will play their final home match tonight as the Wildcats host Tonganoxie for Senior Night. The Wildcats will honor McKenna Lohse, Delaney Nelsen, Caileigh Kilgore, Rylee Telken, Stella Bohnenstiehl and manager Morgan Latham prior to the start of the game. Varsity is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.

The Louisburg volleyball team delivered a strong showing at their home tournament Saturday, finishing third overall at the Louisburg Invitational with a 3-2 record in round-robin play.

The Wildcats picked up key wins over Basehor-Linwood (25-22, 25-21), Shawnee Mission South (25-18, 20-25, 26-24), and Shawnee Mission West (26-24, 15-25, 25-12), showing balance across the lineup. Their only losses on the day came against a tough Olathe North squad (14-25, 27-25, 25-14) and Shawnee Mission East (25-13, 26-24), both Class 6A programs.

“It was a long day, but we only have ourselves to blame for that,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “With such a small number of teams for our tournament, we have to avoid making our matches last three sets. We have trouble starting our second sets in most of our matches and it showed when we started our final match of the day against Shawnee Mission East.”

Setter Adelyn Moore was a catalyst for the offense, racking up 100 assists across the five matches and adding eight aces to her stat line. The junior playmaker consistently put her hitters in position to succeed.

Offensively, Caileigh Kilgore led the way at the net with a team-best 30 kills, while fellow seniors Delaney Nelsen and McKenna Lohse provided a strong supporting cast. Nelsen recorded 26 kills, seven aces, and 30 digs, while Lohse added 24 kills, a team-high eight aces, and seven blocks.

Junior Breck Nielsen and senior Rylee Telken were also key contributors, finishing with 22 and 21 kills, respectively. Telken chipped in defensively with six blocks.

On the back line, junior libero Regan Williams anchored the defense with a team-high 37 digs, while Kilgore added 32 to round out a strong all-around performance.

“Like everyone else in the world, we get comfortable playing our favorite style, whether that is where we go for coverage or what set we ask for as a hitter or where we like to place our tips,” Brown said. “The problem is other teams have scouted us well and know what our tendencies are. Our players started to figure that out in our afternoon matches and went to what would score for us, rather than what we thought were the safest plays.”

On Sept. 23, the Wildcats traveled to Eudora and left with a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals but rebounded nicely two days later.

Louisburg picked up a pair of wins against Fort Scott and Girard at Fort Scott High School. The Wildcats edged Fort Scott in three sets, 2-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-19), before sweeping Girard (25-19, 25-10).

Kilgore again led the offense with 17 kills and a team-high five aces, while Nielsen tallied 13 kills and Lohse added 11. Moore dished out 46 assists and added three aces, matching Telken and Lohse in that category. Nelsen led the defense with 13 digs.

“After the Eudora match, we talked a little bit about how well Eudora took us out of our style of play,” Brown said. “We were forced out of system over and over and the only way to change that is to get better at passing as a team. Against Fort Scott and Girard our passing was much better and we were able to do a lot more with our middle blockers getting attacks.”

With a 14-6 record, Louisburg returns home to host rival Paola today in a key Frontier League matchup.

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — The Louisburg High School volleyball team showed its toughness and depth last Thursday night, rallying on the road to defeat Harrisonville in a dramatic five-set match, 16-25, 25-20, 26-24, 18-25, 15-10.

After dropping the opening set, the Wildcats found their rhythm behind senior Caileigh Kilgore, who led the team in three statistical categories. Kilgore recorded a team-high 15 kills, fired in five service aces, and tied for the team lead with 14 digs.

“Harrisonville was our best match so far this season,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “Obviously we struggled at times and Harrisonville did a great job of making us adjust our play to cover our weaknesses. Five set matches are fun from the standpoint of looking at how a team can overcome adversity and stay focused on the long term goals.

“Early in the first set we made a bunch of unforced errors and it took a while to settle down. Midway through the fourth set, our serves started to fall inbounds and that gave us some momentum for the fifth set. I’m pretty sure I enjoyed the stress of the match more than our fans did.”

Setter Adelyn Moore was the engine behind the offense, finishing with an impressive 44 assists to go along with steady decision-making throughout the night. At the net, Louisburg had several hitters contribute to the attack: Rylee Telken and McKenna Lohse each posted nine kills, while Delaney Nelsen and Breck Nielsen added eight apiece.

Telken also had a strong night defensively, leading the Wildcats with five blocks. Lohse added three blocks of her own, helping slow down Harrisonville’s front line in critical moments.

In the back row, libero Regan Williams matched Kilgore with a team-high 14 digs and also served three aces. Nelsen and senior Stella Bohnenstiehl added 13 and 11 digs, respectively, helping Louisburg keep rallies alive and maintain control late in the match.

The win over Harrisonville capped off a strong week for the Wildcats, who also earned a straight-set sweep on Sept. 16 at Bonner Springs: 25-14, 25-21, 25-19.

“Bonner presented some unique challenges to us as far as playing at our pace,” Brown said. “The faster a match goes, the happier and more energetic we are. Our match tempo lagged and we are going to have to work on pushing the pace of the match in the future.”

Kilgore once again led the offense with 14 kills, while Moore tallied 33 assists in the win. As a team, Louisburg served up 13 aces, using aggressive serving to keep Bonner Springs off balance throughout the match.

Now riding a two-match winning streak, the Wildcats (8-3) will look to carry that momentum into their upcoming schedule as league play tonight at Eudora.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the fall sports season, sponsored by Dr Laura’s Orthodontics.

CAILEIGH KILGORE, SENIOR, VOLLEYBALL

Louisburg senior Caileigh Kilgore put together a big week for the Wildcat volleyball team as she helped the Wildcats to a 6-3 week, and one that ended with a second place finish at the Frontenac Invitational on Saturday. Kilgore, who plays all six rotations for Louisburg, contributed on both ends of the floor. She led the team in three statistical categories.

Kilgore finished the week with a team-high 85 kills and was also strong behind the service-line with a team-best 10 aces. Defensively, she was also strong in the back row with 66 digs. Along with the runner-up finish at Frontenac, the Wildcats also defeated Ottawa and Piper on the week and are now 7-3 on the season.

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.

FRONTENAC – By the time Louisburg reached the championship game of the Frontenac Invitational, the Wildcats were already pushed to the limit.

Louisburg played five previous matches to reach the title game against Chanute. The Wildcats put together their best effort, but fell short of the title to the Blue Comets in a 26-24 and 25-15 loss. In all, the Wildcats posted a 4-2 record on the day, which included a revenge win over Pittsburg in bracket play.

Those six matches were the end to what was as busy week for Louisburg as it played nine matches in a 5-day span.

“It was a major drain on the girls’ energy,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “Playing 6 matches in a day isn’t a usual experience in the high school setting. We definitely found out where we need to build our endurance if we plan to go full speed in the last match of the day.

“I think what excited me the most at Frontenac was the girls’ ability to bounce back after the pool play loss to Pittsburg. We played a long 2 set match and lost to them, but turned right around and played them again in the bracket. We ended up winning that match and got some immediate payback.”

Louisburg opened pool play against Girard and put together an easy 25-15 and 25-20 victory over the Trojans and followed that up with a 25-12 and 25-19 win over St. Paul. The Wildcats dropped their final match of pool play in a 2-0 loss to Pittsburg.

The Wildcats bounced right back as they downed Pittsburg in the quarterfinals of bracket play and advanced with a 25-22, 24-26 and 25-17 win over the Purple Dragons. Louisburg then met Riverton in the semifinals and won another 3-set match, 25-18, 19-25 and 25-22, before falling to Chanute in the championship.

“Overall I thought we played well as a team,” Brown said. “I had 9 players who wanted to stay on the court all the time. I like that attitude and hope their goals and my goals can coexist. Our ability to receive serve started to drop around the third match of the day, but we recovered and passed better in the fourth and fifth match.”

Junior setter Adelyn Moore ran the offense for the Wildcats to the tune of 150 assists and set up a lot of strong attacks. She also led the team with six aces on the day and had 35 digs.

“I liked the way Adelyn distributed the ball and was able to take advantage of the one -on-one matchups with the blockers,” Brown said. “Getting our hitters to run first tempo every play is essential to us winning against teams with experienced blockers.”

Moore had a lot of options to choose from as several Wildcats made impacts at the net. Senior outside hitter Caileigh Kilgore paced the Louisburg attack with 49 kills on the day.

Senior Rylee Telken and junior Breck Nielsen had 33 and 31 kills, respectively, while seniors Delaney Nelsen and McKenna Lohse had 30 and 23.

Defensively, Kilgore was also busy on the back row with 44 digs and senior Addi Mallett had 36. Junior libero Regan Williams had 24 digs, while senior defensive specialist Stella Bohnenstiehl finished with 22. Nielsen and Lohse both had six blocks to lead the way at the net.

The Wildcats (7-3) will look to continue their strong play on Sept. 16 when they travel to Bonner Springs for a Frontier League dual.

Louisburg gets road win over Ottawa

Ottawa hasn’t been the easiest place to play for Louisburg in recent years, but the Wildcats took care of business last Thursday against the Cyclones.

Despite dropping the first set, the Wildcats roared back to win the next three in the 24-26, 25-17, 25-19 and 25-23 victory and moved to 2-0 in Frontier League play.

“The loss in the first set falls fully on my shoulders as I was trying a different lineup to give a player some recovery time,” Brown said. “When I finally figured it out, we played with much more trust and cohesiveness the other three sets. Ottawa pushed us with their great defense and we won some points by outlasting them.”

Cailiegh Kilgore had a big night at the net for the Wildcats as she tallied a team-high 19 kills. Breck Nielsen and Delaney Nelsen each finished with nine, while McKenna Lohse had eight kills to go along with a team-best six aces.

Junior Adelyn Moore ran the offense well with 49 assists on the night. Defensively, junior libero Regan Williams tallied a team-high 17 digs and senior defensive specialist Stella Bohnenstiehl had 13 in the win.

Wildcats split with Wichita-Trinity, Piper

Louisburg hosted Wichita-Trinity and Piper on Sept. 9 and the Wildcats earned a split in the triangular.

After falling to Trinity in three sets (25-16, 23-25 and 25-22), Louisburg responded with a 25-14 and 25-16 victory over the Piper.

Senior Caileigh Kilgore paced the Wildcats with a team-high 17 kills and four aces on the night, while Rylee Telken and Delaney Nelsen had 13 and 11 assists, respectively. Setter Adelyn Moore led the way with 48 assists.

Defensively, Moore and Kilgore each led the way with 16 digs each and libero Regan Williams finished with 13. Telken led the way at the net with four blocks.

The Louisburg volleyball team has high hopes and goals this season and the Wildcats took their first step in accomplishing those on Sept. 2 when they hosted Baldwin in their season opener.

Despite a shaky start, the Wildcats took the match 27-25, 25-27, 25-20 and 25-17. Louisburg leaned on a balanced attack and a solid defensive effort to outlast the Bulldogs in a match full of momentum swings, especially early on.

“It was a nice win for us,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “Honestly, we were getting tired of playing against ourselves when we know all our tendencies. Making adjustments to the competition is going to be a necessary skill for this group if they want to succeed in the long run.

“I think having strong club seasons helped us keep the long-term goals in sight. With younger players, they might have put too much pressure on each point. I’m lucky I have so much experience with this group.”

Senior Caileigh Kilgore led the way for the Wildcats with a standout all-around performance. She tallied 10 kills, fired in five aces, and was second on the team with 15 digs.

“Caileigh got off to a rough start with some hitting errors because she puts a lot of pressure on herself to try and get kills every time she swings,” Brown said. “When she settled down for the third set, the blocks opened up and she let the game come to her. That’s a problem a lot of the girls had against Baldwin. We will get better at that as the season progresses.”

The Wildcats got strong production in the middle from senior McKenna Lohse and junior Breck Nielsen, who each finished with nine kills. Lohse also added four aces in a dominant showing at the net and behind the service line.

Senior Rylee Telken chipped in with seven kills, giving Louisburg a well-rounded offensive threat across the board.

Running the offense was junior setter Adelyn Moore, who dished out 38 assists and added three aces of her own. Moore also reached double figures defensively with 11 digs.

On the back row, junior libero Regan Williams anchored the defense with a team-high 25 digs, while Addi Mallett (12) and Delaney Nelsen (10) all reached double digits in digs to help frustrate Baldwin’s attack.

“I really liked the way our defense worked,” Brown said. “We looked like we had been playing together a long time and really understood our roles. I think we pursue out of system balls better than we did last year.”

With the win, Louisburg gains momentum heading into a home triangular on Sept. 9, where the Wildcats will host Piper and Wichita-Trinity. Matches begin at 4:30 p.m.

The Louisburg volleyball team found itself just one victory away from another trip to the state tournament last season before falling in the sub-state championship to eventual state runner-up Rock Creek.

However, despite losing a 5-member senior class, the Wildcats are loading up for another state run as they return six seniors under new head coach Rich Brown, who replaced former coach Leanna Willer.

It is an experienced group as five of the six played crucial varsity minutes a season ago and the Wildcats are excited for what the season has in store.

“I think we have a very experienced group this year, not just from playing in high school but also playing in some very high level clubs,” Brown said. “Some of the court responsibilities are different from what they experienced all winter, but they are accepting the necessary changes without complaint.”

Louisburg’s experience will show at the net as they return five hitters with varsity experience and it starts with seniors McKenna Lohse and Caileigh Kilgore.

Lohse was a starting middle blocker for the Wildcats and did several things well as she led the team in four different categories. She led the way with a team-high 211 kills, along with a team-best 56 aces and a hitting percentage of .236 and was tops in blocks in league matches.

Kilgore was another weapon at the net for the Wildcats as she was the top hitter from the outside and was second on the team with 205 kills. Both players were second team All-Frontier League selections a year ago.

Senior Delaney Nelsen will also return at the net after being limited to just back row play a season ago as she was recovering from an injury. Senior Addi Mallett, who played all six rotations at times in 2024, will also be a threat at the net for the Wildcats.

Another senior, Rylee Telken, will also see time on the right side as she returns for her second year on the varsity level.

“I am honestly struggling to get used to how well this group works together and celebrates each other’s success,” Brown said. “Caileigh and Kenna have been healthy and helpful to the rest of the group. Delaney is much better than last season and has had a little bit of a setback with an ankle injury last week. But she should be healthy again by the Frontenac tournament.

“Rylee has had a good summer and winter club ball where she has improved on her blocking and passing. It’s shown so far this season and I hope everyone will be able to see the difference in our matches. Addi has improved her consistency and we have been working with her on her defense as well.”

Along with all those returning hitters, will be an experienced returning setter as junior Adelyn Moore is back for her third year as a starter.

Moore earned second team All-Frontier League honors and will be one of the best in the league again this year. She led the Frontier League in assists a season ago with 743 and had 31 aces and 186 digs.

It is on defense where the Wildcats will see some new faces as they lost two starters from the back row a season ago, including a pair of all-league players.

Junior Regan Williams will step in to help lead the defense and serve as the team’s libero, while senior Stella Bohnenstiehl is the team’s defensive specialist. Junior Breck Nielsen is the team’s second middle blocker behind Lohse.

“Defensively, we are using Regan as libero and I’ve been happy with what I have seen from her this season,” Brown said. “The addition of Regan, Stella and Breck have been pretty seamless so far, I think because those 3, along with Addi sometimes, have been with me on JV and know my expectations.  We’ve emphasized playing a style of defense that is more aggressive than before. Hopefully that will pay off when game day gets here.”

Louisburg will open its season on Sept 2 when the Wildcats host Baldwin for a Frontier League dual. The Wildcats are hoping the mix of experience and new faces will help them take a step forward this season.

“We haven’t talked much about team goals and season expectations so far,” Brown said. “I think we will have to take a look at where we are after our Baldwin dual to see what our goals will be. I know these players were not happy how the season ended at Rock Creek. I hope I can do my part to get us into a better mental state when substate gets here.”

As Katie McKain got older, it became apparent to her that she wanted volleyball to become an important part of her life.

McKain wanted a chance to play volleyball in college and so she began the journey of making that happen. Her hard work and dedication to the sport presented her with an opportunity that she wasn’t about to pass up.

Earlier this year, McKain signed her letter of intent to play volleyball at Neosho County Community College and it was an eye-opening moment for the Louisburg graduate.

“I’ve wanted to play college volleyball ever since I was around 13-14 years old,” McKain said. “It was very surreal to be able to sign. I started playing volleyball when I was 7 years old, and I have loved it ever since, and it’s been a huge part of my life.”

McKain spent most of the winter trying to find the best landing spot for her, and after a few visits, it became apparent that Neosho was the play for her.

“The thing that stuck out to me here was the group of girls on the team that automatically became friends the second I talked to them,” McKain said. “Everyone was so welcoming, along with the coaches, and that’s not something I got from other schools I visited.”

She was a part of a Louisburg team this past season that reached the sub-state championship, before falling to the state runner-up in Rock Creek. McKain played the right side for the Wildcats and the coaches see her playing a similar role for the Panthers.

“When I first did a visit and practice with them the coach had me playing multiple different positions to just see where she wanted to put me, and she told me she sees me as a right side hitter,” McKain said.

McKain reported to the Neosho team in late July and practice has already begun for the upcoming season. She is excited to get going with her new team.

“My goals are to further my ability on the court and just see where these two years here take me,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for me.”

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