Emalee Overbay poses for a picture with Kansas coach Sam Ramirez following the Best of the Best USSSA All-State game. Overbay put up a four-hit performance to go along with a double and a pair of RBIs.

Emalee Overbay has played softball for almost as long as she can remember.

Her summers were always filled with nights at the ball park or countless hours of practice. However, her final summer before college turned out to be a memorable one.

Overbay, a 2017 Louisburg High School graduate, was selected to participate in the Best of the Best USSSA All-State Game and represent Team Kansas against Missouri on Aug. 6. She didn’t disappoint as she put together an all-star performance as she finished with four hits, a double, a walk, two RBIs and a run scored.

She was selected to the all-state contest due to her performance earlier in the summer with her team, KC Crossfire.

“It really was a great experience,” Overbay said. “It was an honor to be selected and I met several new friends that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. It was a great way to end the summer before I head off to school.”

Although Overbay, the team’s catcher, had a great day at the plate, she also had a learning experience as she caught several different pitchers that are moving on to the college ranks. One of those players was a pitcher from her KC Crossfire team, but she also had to adjust to working with pitchers she had never met before.

It was a useful teaching moment for her as she will have to do the same thing when she reports to her Bethel College team later this week.

“I definitely learned a lot from catching those different pitchers because each of them had their own tendencies and the way they liked to do things,” Overbay said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity and hopefully some of the stuff I learned will carry over to college.”

Overbay will report to Bethel College on Aug. 19 and the transformation into a college softball player will begin. With that will be some nervousness, but this summer provided Overbay with experiences that will keep those emotions to a minimum.

“I was fortunate enough to play in an 18-and-under league this summer and a lot of those girls I went up against had already played in a college for a year,” Overbay said. “I felt that I could hold my own against a lot of the girls so it gives me a lot more confidence as I get ready to play at the next level. I think I am more prepared as well.

“I am a little anxious about it, but I am excited to get to school and start another journey. I definitely couldn’t have done all this without the support of my family and friends and I just want to thank them for helping me along the way.”

Louisburg High School activities director Jeremy Holloway is looking forward to his new position as he starts his 17th year in the USD 416 school district. 

Growing up, Jeremy Holloway wasn’t one to stay in a place for too long.

Holloway spent most of his childhood and young adult life moving from place to place. He wasn’t the type of person who envisioned himself putting down roots.

“I was a constant migrant,” Holloway said.

That was until he moved to Louisburg with his wife Megan. Now instead of a migrant, Holloway is deep-rooted in a town he loves.

It made his decision, almost two months ago, an easy one.

Back in June, Holloway was hired as the new Louisburg High School activities director and assistant principal, following the resignation of former activities director Darin Gagnebin. Holloway, who has spent the last 16 years as a teacher at Louisburg Middle School, is ready for the new challenge.

“I am really looking forward to it,” Holloway said. “I have been here in Louisburg for 17 years. I never lived anywhere for more than four years in my life until I came to Louisburg. I never knew what it was like to be a part of a community and when I got here I just fell in love with the town. I was excited to become a part of it and Louisburg became important to me. The teaching was great and getting to know all the kids and see them grow up all the way through college was fun. Now I see some of my former students teaching in the building here and it is an amazing feeling. It just felt like home to me.”

Fate seemed to step in at the right time for Holloway. He entered the summer still planning to teach history at the middle school, but the dominoes quickly started to fall into place.

Holloway was well on his way to getting his administration degree this past school year as he was planning on holding on to it until something in Louisburg came open. He didn’t have to wait long.

“I had to get recertified, so I talked with my wife and I said why get an education masters if it is just going to move me on the pay scale,” he said. “Why not get an administration degree to have options? There are other places near here that are looking for people, but that isn’t what I want. The only move I would make is to stay in Louisburg. I happened to be down in Eureka Springs on vacation and I got a text in middle of night that Gagnebin had resigned. I had just got my diploma the day before we left. I applied and it turned out well and hopefully it was a good thing.”

Louisburg USD 416 superintendent Dr. Brian Biermann had to sift through more than 20 different applicants for the job, but he believes Holloway is going to do great things in the position.

“Jeremy has been a loyal and dedicated teacher and coach in our community for 17 years,” Dr. Biermann said. “Jeremy possesses many strong leadership attributes that will allow him to be a strong, instructional leader at Louisburg High School. He is passionate about education, has a strong work ethic and is committed to our community.

“Jeremy is all about building positive relationships with students, staff and the community. For 17 years he has been building these relationships. Now, he will be able to build upon his unique skill set in a leadership position in our district. I am excited to see the great things Mr. Holloway can contribute to our district and community in this new role.”

One of the first things Holloway wanted to do was to get to know his new coaching staff. Several new coaches were hired this past school year and he wanted to see what they were all about.

“I just want them to feel comfortable with me and let them understand that I am approachable,” Holloway said. “That relationship piece is huge. I am getting to know where they are from, how many kids they have and I want them to feel comfortable coming to me. We do lose some great experience, but we have gained some capable coaches and a lot of enthusiasm. I just want to be a positive impact for them.”

Since he started officially on July 24, Holloway has been hard at work in several different areas, but one of the bigger things going on now is the shuffling of the Frontier League.

The league, which will be at seven schools this year, will move up to nine starting for the 2018-19 school year. Bonner Springs, Tonganoxie and Piper will join the league, while De Soto will depart.

Baldwin, an original league member, is concerned the school will move down to Class 3A starting in 2018-19, thanks to changes in the classification system. If it happens, it will create scheduling conflicts for football.

“The biggest conflict right now is Baldwin is right on the edge of becoming 3A and they think it will happen,” Holloway said. “If Baldwin is in our league, which is what we plan on, they are required to play five district games for football, which only leaves them three league games. If only three league teams play Baldwin, then the rest of the league teams have to find another team to play. I have schools from Lansing, Independence, Coffeyville, Chanute and other schools calling me trying to lock up games. There are so many different scenarios so we just have to wait and see. That is one thing that I am really working on right now.”

With the activity season fast approaching, Holloway is excited for everything to get underway. He is also looking forward to getting to know the fan base more.

“I have always been highly impressed of Louisburg and the support of its teams and the turnout we will get, especially for football games,” Holloway said. “I encourage Louisburg to continue the tradition of being a class act. I think that every town has its own culture and a lot of it starts with the coaches. If your coaches are harassing refs, your players are probably going to start to learn that they can do that and that will trickle down to the parents and crowd. Without pointing fingers, there are certain places where that is the climate. I think Louisburg has been great. There are always going to be situations, but I would encourage fans and parents to support our coaches and let them coach.

“I am looking forward to an exciting year. We have great coaches, that are experienced and they are very innovative. They are organized and they all seem truly excited about what is going on. The community can rest assured that the coaches that are in place right now have the best interest of the kids and the programs.”

Mason Koechner, a 2017 Louisburg graduate, was a fixture on the offensive line for the East team on July 29 during the Kansas Shrine Bowl in El Dorado. Koechner enjoyed his week-long experience preparing, and playing, in the annual all-star game.

Mason Koechner and the East team may have lost its game in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, but he was a big winner when it came to the experience itself.

Koechner, who was one of several Kansas seniors voted to play in the annual all-star game, had an opportunity to make a difference in a lot of other lives. The 2017 Louisburg graduate took part in the contest on July 29 at Butler Community College in El Dorado and helped raise money for Shriners Hospitals for Children at the same time.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl, and events surrounding the contest, benefited the health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a non-profit charity raising funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The Shrine Bowl has been in existence since 1974, and since its inception, it has been promoting Kansas talent and the network of hospitals raising more than $2.5 million.

The purpose for the Kansas Shrine Bowl is to raise money every year for Shriners Hospitals across the United States. The Shrine Bowl generates close to $70,000 each year for the hospitals.

They provide pediatric specialty care, innovative research and teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.

“It was a lot of fun,” Koechner said. “I got to play with a lot of good players and made a lot of good friends in the process.”

Koechner spent the week prior to the game practicing with his East teammates, but he also had a few special moments away from the football field.

Several of Mason Koechner’s family and friends traveled to El Dorado to watch him compete in the Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 29.

The players had a chance to meet some of the patients from the Shriners Hospitals for Children and Koechner quickly realized the battles he has on and off the football field pales in comparison to what some of those children are dealing with on a daily basis.

“Meeting those kids was really inspiring,” Koechner said. “They can do everything we do, just in a different way. They overcome obstacles every day that I could never dream of having. It was really a great experience.”

Koechner reported to the Butler campus earlier in the week where he worked at left guard and played most of the game on the East offensive line.

It was the first time Koechner had put the pads on since the end of the 2016 season – one where the Wildcats earned a regional championship. He had knee surgery following his wrestling season and a spent a lot of time rehabbing.

All that hard work paid off as Koechner is healthy and he relished his time on the football field again.

“I enjoyed getting back into the pads and practices were fun,” Koechner said. “Going up against all those talented players made practices feel likes games, which was very competitive.”

Koechner and the East players rallied from a 14-point deficit to start the game and eventually took a 21-20 lead into the fourth quarter.

“With the players both teams had, you never knew when a big play was going to happen,” he said.

That big play came late in the fourth, as East was called for a penalty, which backed it up to its own 1-yard line. The West team then recorded a safety with a minute left in the game to secure the 22-21 win and left the opposite side a little disappointed.

Still, the experience was a positive one for Koechner that he will take with him to Garden City Community College, as he begins his collegiate football journey.

“I reported to Garden City the day after the game and I am really looking forward to playing at the college level,” he said.

Kody Cook, who played at Kansas State during the 2014 and 2015 season, will begin his career as a full-time coach this season with Hutchinson Community College – the school Cook signed with in 2011 when he graduated from Louisburg High School.

The last time Kody Cook roamed the sidelines at Hutchinson Community College was as a player as he led the Blue Dragons to a come-from-behind victory in the Salt City Bowl.

Five years later, he is back on the Hutchinson sidelines – this time as a coach.

Cook, a 2011 Louisburg High School graduate, was recently hired to be the tight end coach for the Blue Dragons after spending his last four years either playing or coaching at Kansas State University.

“It is kind of weird how it has come full circle,” Cook said. “It is a little ironic, especially after that last game gave me an opportunity to play football at my dream school (K-State). It put me on a path to having a successful career as a player and now hopefully I can do that as a coach as well.

“The opportunity came out of nowhere. Coach (Rion Rhodes) called me up and said there was a spot available if I wanted to apply for it. So I did and when he called to offer me the job I was really excited. I have already gotten to know a lot of the players and we have a good room here. We have a lot of talented players and I can’t wait to work with them.”

To know how truly dramatic the Salt City Bowl was, one would have almost had to have been there to believe it. The story is one Cook will never forget and one that put him back on track to reaching his dream.

After not practicing all season at the quarterback position, Hutchinson head coach Rion Rhodes put Cook, a starting wide receiver, in at quarterback in the second quarter after his starter left with an injury. Cook entered Hutchinson as a quarterback from Louisburg after he helped the Wildcats to a perfect season and state championship in 2010. He was moved to wide receiver later in his freshman year, where he stayed until his final game.

Cook quickly shook off whatever rust he had as he led the Blue Dragons to a 41-21 win over Iowa Central. He was named the bowl’s Offensive Most Valuable Player after completing 20 of 30 passes for 277 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for another and his six touchdowns was a bowl record.

That performance caught the eye of Kansas State assistant coach Dana Dimel, who offered Cook a preferred walk-on spot.

“The game gave me chance to play for a school I grew up rooting for,” Cook said. “It was a dream come true for me.”

Cook went on to redshirt at Kansas State in 2013, before playing, and eventually starting at wide receiver in 2014 as a junior.

His senior season was an exciting one, as like at Hutch, he was put in at quarterback against Oklahoma State in an emergency situation. All he did was complete 16 of 22 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats almost rallied to beat the nationally-ranked Cowboys.

On senior night in Manhattan later in the season, Cook was once again brought in at quarterback due to injury and he led the Wildcats to a comeback victory over West Virginia, which made them bowl eligible.

Cook then started at quarterback in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas, where he threw for 163 yards and a touchdown in a loss.

When his playing career was finished, Cook stayed on the Kansas State sideline for the 2016 season as a student assistant coach.

“I knew that when I was done playing football that what I wanted to do was be a coach,” Cook said. “I just love the game and being around it. It was a little weird not playing last year because I still have that itch to get out there, but I got a chance to be around former teammates and learn from some of the best there is on how to be a coach. I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Cook was fortunate to spend the last four years at Kansas State under hall of fame coach Bill Snyder and he knows there is no better person to learn from on how to be a good leader.

“Coach Snyder is a legend and such a great coach,” Cook said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better situation than to learn under him and watch how he does things. When I was playing, I watched how meticulous he was in his preparation and how he led young men like myself. Then I learned a little more when I was an assistant.

“I also got to learn from the best wide receivers coach in the country in coach (Andre) Coleman. Both of those guys have influenced me so much in my career and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in the coaching world.”

He hopes like in his playing days, that his position at Hutch could lead to even bigger things down the road.

“My goal is to keep coaching and doing my best at no matter where I am at,” Cook said. “Like anything else in life, you strive to get to the highest level you can in your job. One day I would love to be an offensive coordinator at a Division I program. To do that though, I have to keep working, learning and getting better.

“When it comes down to it though, I am not worried about all that stuff. I just want to enjoy all the friendships that come along the way. I just love being around the game and the energy that comes with it every Saturday. I just want to enjoy the ride and see what happens. The rest will take care of itself.”

Louisburg High School sophomore Riley Kallevig works on a passing drill during the Lady Cat team camp on July 13. The Lady Cats completed a busy summer that included a trip to the University of Kansas team camp.

The Louisburg High School volleyball team was just a match away from earning a spot at another state tournament last season.

The Lady Cats, which had won four straight substate championships before their loss to rival Paola in the substate title game last year, have been busy at work all summer in hopes of making sure they don’t fall short this time around. Whether it was at their team camp, summer workouts or in the weight room, they are ready to make another run at the state tournament.

It all started in June with open gyms and summer league action, followed up with its three-day camp that ended on July 12. Louisburg had approximately 38 girls out during the camp and 35 more during the middle school session earlier in the day.

“Overall camp week went well,” Louisburg coach Jessica Compliment said. “We are able to work on skills throughout the summer at open gym, but the three day camp gave us a chance to consolidate and concentrate on more specific skills and aspects of the game that we wanted to focus on. Because we have three groups playing weekly during the summer, we were able to focus on game scenarios that showed up during our matches.”

Despite the strong workouts, Compliment wasn’t able to get her full team together much throughout the summer, but it all changed when the Lady Cats traveled to the University of Kansas team camp that began on July 13.

Compliment took 22 players to the KU camp for three days and she got a chance to see her team all together for the first time and she liked what she saw.

“Summers can be very busy so the KU camp was the first time we had consistency among players, so I was able to work through a few potential rotations,” Compliment said. “By the end of the camp, the players were playing really well together and pulled off some big wins during the tournament. Hopefully the momentum and confidence from the KU camp will carry through to the season.”

Louisburg head coach Jessica Compliment gives some instruction during the Lady Cats’ team camp on July 13.

Each player got instruction from the Jayhawk coaches during their time in Lawrence and she saw her team take a big leap forward.

“They focused on team ‘practices’ and scrimmaged each evening giving the athletes a lot of court time and touches on the ball,” Compliment said. “It also gave them a chance to work with the KU coaching staff and practice with a variety of teams. Both of the ‘teams’ that traveled to KU saw big improvements from day 1 to day 3. It was a long week for those athletes, but they saw improvements and had a chance to bond. Between the three ‘teams’ for summer league, we had 36 participants and each ‘team’ saw improvement from the first match of the summer to the last match.”

The Lady Cats return most of their varsity roster from a season ago from a team that finished with a 23-17 record and featured a difficult schedule against a number of bigger schools.

Louisburg returns its top two hitters in Anna Dixon (Kansas State commit) and Sophie McMullen (Northwest Missouri State commit), along with setter Carson Buffington, hitters Haley Cain, Mikayla Quinn and libero Riley Kallevig as a good foundation to build on after all six players saw varsity time last season.

The Lady Cats are anxious to see what this coming year brings when they start practice on Aug. 14.

“We have a lot of work to do once the season starts, but I think the athletes are excited and ready to get the season underway,” Compliment said.

Louisburg’s Christopher Tyson swims the breaststroke for the Barracudas on Saturday at the South Suburban Swim League meet in Clinton, Mo. The Barracudas won their ninth straight league title as they racked up 618 points on the day.

CLINTON, Mo. – For the last eight seasons, the Louisburg Barracuda swim team has ended its year with a South Suburban Swim League title.

The Barracudas weren’t about to let No. 9 slip away from them.

Louisburg won its ninth consecutive title Saturday as it racked up 618 points to win the SSSL meet in Clinton, Mo. The Barracudas won the meet by an overwhelming margin as runner-up Harrisonville (Mo.) finished with 376 points.

Several individual swimmers also wrapped up a special season as they left the league meet with some hardware of their own.

Ashley Branine (9-10 girls) and Emma Prettyman (11-12 girls) each finished in first place in the high-point standings, while the Barracudas had seven other swimmers finish in the top three.

Casey Carpenter-Ross (8-and-under boys), Josiah McCaskill (9-10 boys), Remington Rice (13-14 boys) and Kadisyn Kircher (15-and-over girls) each finished runner-up in their respective divisions. Claire Brown (11-12 girls), Mable Graham (13-14 girls) and Cole Brown (13-14 boys) took third overall in the high-point standings.

Prettyman finished her season strong as she won all five of her races during Saturday’s league meet. She took first place in the 50-meter freestyle in 34.65 seconds, the 50 butterfly in 38.22 and 200 IM in 3 minutes and 21 seconds.

Prettyman also won a pair of relays with the help of teammates Abby Bradley, Tehya Harvey and Claire Brown. The group finished first in the 200 medley relay in 2:57 and 200 freestyle relay in 2:37. Bradley also won the 50 backstroke (44.10).

As for Branine, she recorded four victories on the day, including two relays. Branine, Jesse Faulkner, Ally Brown and Hannah Farrington touched the wall first in the 100 medley relay (1:42) and 100 freestyle relay (1:28).

Abby Bradley won the 50-meter backstroke Saturday at the SSSL meet.

Individually, Branine won the 50 breaststroke (53.0) and 50 backstroke (46.50).

In the 15-and-over girls division, Madelyn Prettyman also picked up four victories for the Barracudas. Madelyn, along with Kircher, Kaitlyn Lewer and Avery Graham won the 200 medley relay (2:32) and 200 freestyle relay (2:18).

Madelyn also captured first-place medals in the 50 butterfly (30.31) and 200 individual medley (2:39). Kircher won the 50 backstroke (35.93) for her third victory.

On the boys side, Carpenter-Ross, Samuel Johnson (9-10), Rice and Cole Brown each won three events.

Rice and Brown teamed up with Bridger Baus and Drake Burdine to win the 200 medley (2:49) and 200 freestyle (2:26) relays. Rice came in first in the 50 freestyle (30.43), Brown won the 50 breaststroke (50.20) and Baus won the 50 backstroke (39.22)

Carpenter-Ross hit the wall first in the 25 butterfly (22.72) and 200 individual medley (4:11), and later joined Colin Brown, Noah Sharp and Andrew Jamison to win the 100 freestyle relay (1:32).

Johnson, Colton Prettyman, Conor Aadland and McCaskill swam to victory in the 100 freestyle relay (1:19) for the 9-10 boys. Johnson later won the 50 freestyle (37.12) and 50 backstroke (44.5). McCaskill was victorious in the 50 breaststroke (49.81).

Josiah McCaskill won the 50-meter breaststroke Saturday in Clinton, Mo.

Other Barracuda results are:

Girls

8-and-under

100 medley relay: Ella Bockelman, Meg Johnson, Shylah Dowell, Talen McMurray, first, 2:03

25 freestyle: Bockelman, second, 23.75; Dowell, fourth, 24.03

25 butterfly: Macy Hughes, second, 33.0; Meg Johnson, third, 33.25

25 breaststroke: McMurray, third, 35.97

25 backstroke: Bockelman, first, 27.72; Dowell, second, 29.60; Vivian Goode, fourth, 32.25

200 IM: Hughes, third, 5:40

100 freestyle relay: Bockelman, McMurray, Johnson, Dowell, second, 1:48; Clara Bockelman, Hughes, Brooklyn Davey, Emily Klotz, third, 2:12

9-10

100 medley relay: Janie Harth, Lola Dubas, Madeline Hughes, Fiona Rose, fourth, 2:30

50 freestyle: Ashley Branine, second, 39.78; Jesse Faulkner, fourth, 46.44; Ally Brown, fifth, 49.13; Hannah Farrington, sixth, 50.04

50 butterfly: Farrington, second, 1:05; Faulkner, third, 1:06; Brown, fourth, 1:07

50 breaststroke: Dubas, fourth, 1:09; Hughes, fifth, 1:09

200 IM: Farrington, third, 4:27; Dubas, fifth, 5:56

100 freestyle relay: Dubas, Hughes, Rose, Harth, third, 1:52

11-12

50 freestyle: Abby Bradley, fifth, 38.22

50 breaststroke: Claire Brown, second, 46.50; Tehya Harvey, third, 51.44; Bradley, fourth, 52.25

50 backstroke: Brown, third, 46.37

200 IM: Brown, third, 3:26

Tehya Harvey swims the freestyle Saturday at the SSSL meet in Clinton.

13-14

200 medley relay: Mable Graham, Mary Grace McElyea, Alison Prettyman and Tae Ellison, second, 2:48

50 freestyle: Graham, second, 34.05

50 butterfly: Prettyman, fourth, 44.97

50 breaststroke: McElyea, first, 42.40

50 backstroke: Graham, first, 39.41; McElyea, fourth, 45.66

200 IM: Graham, third, 3:34; Prettyman, fourth, 3:39

200 freestyle relay: Prettyman, Ellison, McElyea, Graham, third, 2:37

15-and-over

50 freestyle: Kadisyn Kircher, second, 31.97; Avery Graham, fifth, 35.06

50 butterfly: Graham, third, 35.22

50 breaststroke: Madelyn Prettyman, second, 41.03; Kaitlyn Lewer, third, 45.50

50 backstroke: Graham, fifth, 44.56; Melia Rice, sixth, 45.69

200 IM: Kircher, second, 2:47

BOYS

8-and-under

25 freestyle: Casey-Carpenter Ross, second, 19.40; Colin Brown, fourth, 22.19

25 butterfly: Dominick Poetter, fifth, 31.87

25 breaststroke: Andrew Jamison, third, 30.19; Poetter, fifth, 36.82

25 backstroke: Jamison, second, 26.41; Brown, third, 27.09; Brayden Vohs, fourth, 29.40; Noah Sharp, sixth, 30.75

9-10

100 medley relay: Samuel Johnson, Josiah McCaskill, Ethan Sharp, Conor Aadland, second, 1:29

50 freestyle: Bryce Collins, fifth, 44.78; Aadland, sixth, 46.40

50 butterfly: Johnson, third, 46.91; McCaskill, fourth, 48.47

50 breaststroke: Colton Prettyman, fourth, 1:09; Aadland, fifth, 1:13

50 backstroke: Aadland, third, 55.0

200 IM: McCaskill, third, 3:43

100 freestyle relay: Collins, Sharp, Matthew Farrington, Vohs, fourth, 1:38

11-12

50 freestyle: Cooper Hipp, fourth, 35.91; Josh Holtzen, sixth, 37.03

50 butterfly: William Goode, fourth, 50.47

50 breaststroke: Holtzen, second, 49.95; Braden Branine, third, 50.06

50 backstroke: Henry Coolidge, first, 44.94; Goode, second, 46.22; Jordan Brown, fifth, 48.41

200 IM: Branine, fourth, 4:08

200 freestyle relay: Holtzen, Branine, Goode, Hipp, third, 2:46

13-14

50 freestyle: Bridger Baus, third, 35.43; Cole Brown, fourth, 35.47; Drake Burdine, sixth, 39.30

50 butterfly: Remington Rice, second, 36.50; Baus, fourth, 41.97; Burdine, fifth, 43.28

50 backstroke: Burdine, second, 47.94

200 IM: Rice, second, 3:30; Brown, third, 3:39

15-and-over

200 medley relay: Gareth Baus, Christopher Tyson, Davy Brock, Josh Holtzen, fourth, 2:54

50 breaststroke: Tyson, fifth, 46.18

50 backstroke: Brock, fourth, 40.0; Baus, sixth, 42.75

200 freestyle relay: Baus, Brock, Tyson, Jordan Brown, fourth, 2:30

Ottawa University coach Kevin Andres instructs Louisburg seniors Ryan Adams (left) and Tucker Batten during the Wildcat advanced camp on July 13 at Louisburg High School.

When the Louisburg High School wrestling team gathered together for its week-long camp, it was a little different than in year’s past.

The camp had a family atmosphere that brought past, present and future Wildcat wrestlers together for a week that began in Louisburg and ended on a mat in Topeka.

Louisburg head coach Bobby Bovaird held a beginners and advanced camp that had approximately 60 wrestlers out between the two sessions that went from July 10-14.

“I think that it was the biggest one we’ve done since I’ve been at Louisburg,” Bovaird said. “Without a doubt, we had great regular attendance and the support from the youth wrestling club was incredible. At each session, we had plenty of support from the Wildcat Wrestling Club coaches, and it would not have been as successful a camp without them.”

In the advanced session, Bovaird brought in Ottawa University head wrestling coach Kevin Andres to run the five-day camp and work with each of the athletes. Bovaird was happy his wrestlers had the opportunity to learn some new things from the college coach.

“While it was a huge burden taken off my shoulders to have Kevin come and work as our featured clinician, it was even more beneficial to the wrestlers to have the chance to learn from one of the best coaches in the state,” Bovaird said. “He brought in techniques that reinforced what I’ve been showing these last few years, and he also showed the team lots of new trends in the sport. I think the biggest benefit was the introduction of techniques the aligned well with our program’s philosophies as well as collegiate styles.

“I asked Coach Andres to come in and work with leg-riding techniques. Recently, we’ve had several wrestlers wanting to take their leg-riding skills to the next level and to make them more efficient on the mat, and this was a great chance to help them out. Coach Andres also showed some key points with takedowns and top work.”

Many of the Wildcat wrestlers had a chance to take what they learned from the camp and use that to compete in the Sunflower State Games in Topeka on July 15 at the Kansas Expocentre.

Wrestlers – young and old – fared well as several of them finished in the top four of two different competitions. Coaches from the high school and youth programs also entered the competition to show off some of their skills

In the folkstyle tournament portion, Kaden Allen (10-and-under), Sam Kratochvil (14-U), Ryan Adams (high school), Garrett Caldwell (high school) and Bovaird (19-29-year-old division) each came in first. Bronc Noll (10U), Brayden Yoder (10U), Aiden Barker (14U), Brandon Doles (14U), Brandon Ott (19-29), Scott Ballard (30-39) and Adam Noll (40-49) each finished runner-up.

LHS senior Garrett Caldwell was one of five Louisburg wrestlers to finish first in folkstyle at the Sunflower State Games on July 15 in Topeka.

Owen Ebenstein (8U), Traden Noll (12U), Cade Holtzen (high school), Chris Turner (19-29) and Shea Cox (19-29) took third. Braddock Tharp (8U), Xander Auth (8U), Bo Ballard (8U), Camren Ebenstein (8U), Jay McCaskill (12U), Kyle Allen (high school), Shawn Crossley (19-29) and James Auth (30-39) finished fourth.

Louisburg had four wrestlers take home top honors in the takedown tournament. Owen Ebenstein, Kaden Allen, McCaskill and Kyle Allen each took first place, while Doles and Holtzen finished runner-up.

Yoder, Barker and Adams came in third overall, while Bo Ballard and Camren Ebenstein brought home a fourth-place medal.

“One of the best things about how we set up camp as a lead-in to the Sunflower State Games was that the boys had a chance to put what they learned to the test,” Bovaird said. “It’s one thing to learn a bunch of things at a camp in the middle of summer, working them on familiar faces. It’s completely different to be able to take these new techniques and experiment with them in live wrestling against unfamiliar opponents, to see what works and what doesn’t. I saw lots of our guys trying these new techniques in their matches at the Sunflower State Games.

“I had a blast getting back on the mat. Every few years, I put my shoes back on to compete, and the older I get, the more I question my sanity when I choose to do this. This year, however, was a pretty good experience. I love the fact that we had so many alumni talking about getting back on the mat, and so many of them followed through. At a tournament like this one, you’ll see a good number of ‘old timers’ getting back on the mat and competing. We had high school coaches, club coaches, recent alumni and wrestlers’ dads give it a go.”

Eighth-grader Brandon Doles earned a pair of second-place honors at the Sunflower State games.

It has been a busy summer for the Wildcat wrestlers as they have had the opportunity to participate in several open mat sessions, along with different clinics and camps outside of Louisburg.

Bovaird has tracked his wrestler’s participation by offering an Ironman Award, which is given to every wrestler who accumulates 100 points over the summer. The program, which is in its second year, has seen the winners double in size from the year before as the Wildcats had 10 wrestlers earn the honor.

LHS senior Kyle Allen racked up the most points over the summer with 195 and Kaden Allen was second with 184. Cade Holtzen (166), Garrett Caldwell (116), Bo Ballard (105), Brandon Doles (105), Ryan Adams (104), Aiden Barker (100), Collin Hamilton (100) and Nathan Hamilton (100) also earned the award.

“The summers are getting busier than ever before. Kids have baseball, football, other sports camps, family vacations, work and all sorts of obligations. I try to offer several opportunities for them to get back on the mat, even if it is just once a week. The Ironman Award is in its second year, and the guys who won it last summer all made huge strides that were evident this past season — state medalists, state qualifiers, and major improvements. The thing is, they’re making efforts to get on the mat. The Ironman Award is an element of positive reinforcement. Instead of punishing the kids who don’t come in, I’m trying to reward those who do. There’s only so much that I can do to motivate them, however. The true motivation has to come from them. If they want to get their name on a shirt, then so be it. If they want to improve from last season, even better. The more they wrestle, the better it is for the program and the community.

“Kids have been coming to open mats each week, our team camp, and special clinics I’ve offered. I had several go to other local camps, and we had 16 kids wrestle at the Sunflower State Games. I know that five guys are attending the Penn State camp hosted at Baker, and that will be a great way to wrap up the summer. At the start of August, all the guys who earned at least 100 points will get their names printed on the Ironman Award shirt. It looks like we’re going to have a solid number of names to add, but in the bigger picture, it’s a major investment in our performances next season, whether it’s high school, middle school or club wrestling.”

The Louisburg Wildcats, a 10-and-under softball team, recently finished first in the ‘C’ division of the Olathe Girls Softball Association  with a 12-2 record and the players were awarded their trophy on July 18. Members of the team are (front row, from left) Ashley Bell, Brooklyn Harmon, Jenna Cauthon, Katie McKain, Ashley Moreau, Ally Brown; (back row) Sami Lane, Rylee Hickey, Addy Stohs, Ava Halbert, Izzy Moreland and Kate Frederick.

A group of 10-and-under softball players from Louisburg recently took the Olathe Girls Softball Association (OGSA) by storm.

The Wildcats, who competed in the 10-and-under ‘C’ division, won the league title with a 12-2 record as they wrapped up their OGSA campaign. Louisburg picked up its first-place trophy during the OGSA awards ceremony on July 18 in Olathe.

It was a culmination of what was a busy season for the Wildcat girls.

“When we decided to take these girls two years ago, we promised a couple things – they would have fun and they would get better,” head coach Dustin Harmon said. “This year I expected a lot out of them because we started practice in February and didn’t let up.  Our goal was to win league which we dominated the league, and to win tournaments. We played against some great teams in Kansas City and these girls would not back down from a fight.

“They always gave the effort and hustle that we wanted out of them. I’ve coached a lot of teams in different sports, but this team was on top of the list. The friendships and dedication these girls are developing is special. I’m looking forward to watching them to keep growing and being successful.”

Members of the Wildcat team are Ashley Bell, Ally Brown, Jenna Cauthon, Kate Frederick, Ava Halbert, Brooklyn Harmon, Rylee Hickey, Sami Lane, Katie McKain, Ashley Moreau, Izzy Moreland and Addy Stohs.

The Wildcats were coached by Dustin Harmon, Brandi Hickey, Adrianne Lane, Amber Moreau and Scott Cauthon.

The team, which is made up of upcoming fifth and sixth-graders in Louisburg, also played in three tournaments throughout the season. Louisburg posted a 10-4 mark in those tournaments and had a total record of 21-6 on the season.

In the spring, the Wildcats competed in the ASA Spring Fling tournament in Lee’s Summit, Mo., where they finished third in their bracket.

Louisburg fared well in their final two tournaments of the year. In the ASA Summer Kickoff tournament in Lee’s Summit in May, the Wildcats advanced to the top bracket and finished second overall.

The Wildcats did the same in the ASA Summer Sizzler tournament, which was held at the OGSA Complex in Olathe. Louisburg finished undefeated in pool play and advanced as the No. 2 seed in bracket play, before falling in the championship game and took second.

If your summer team had a lot of success, and you would like them featured on Louisburg Sports Zone, please email me at louisburgsportszone@gmail.com for more information.

The Louisburg High School boys soccer team wrapped up their week-long team camp on July 14 as the Wildcats had close to 36 athletes out a day during their five sessions.

The Louisburg High School boys soccer team couldn’t have asked for a much better year than they had during the 2016 season.

All the Wildcats did was make program history and advance to the Class 4-1A state semifinals for the first time and finished fourth in the state. It was a season worth celebrating.

However, all that celebrating had to be put to the side with the start of summer as the Wildcats geared up for the 2017 campaign. Louisburg recently held its week-long team camp that ended on July 14 as the Wildcats had anywhere from 34-36 players show up each day as they prepare for what they hope is another trip to the state tournament.

“I felt camp started off a little sluggish, but we ended playing very well,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “It was important for the boys to understand that we needed to do even more this year, because we will have a target on our back and we won’t sneak up on anyone.”

The Wildcats have done a lot of conditioning work since the beginning of the summer period and have also conducted practices several times a week.

Raistlin Brewer and the rest of the Wildcats had to deal with the heat during their week-long team camp earlier this month.

With all the work the Wildcats have put in on the field, the weight room and in conditioning, the hope is they will be ready to go once the first day of practice starts on Aug. 14.

“My expectation is that summer practice is used to develop our base skill set, familiarize them with some of the core drills, develop team chemistry and let them get use to my expectations and standards,” Conley said. “I felt we did a very nice job in each of these categories, in regards to my expectations/standards.

“We worked a lot on our technical ability and speed of play. Playing quicker and faster on the ball. We also focused on our communication and our off the ball movement. I felt we struggled with this at the beginning of the summer, but by the end of camp we were starting to play pretty solid and pretty clean.”

Conley also had his players do something a little bit different this summer. The Wildcats traveled to Paola on a couple different occasions to scrimmage the Panthers on their home field and it gave the players a chance to look at where they need to improve.

The Wildcats lost seven seniors off of last season’s team that finished with a 14-6-2 record, but Conley wanted to use the summer to make sure this year’s group sets their own goals for what they want to achieve this year.

Kyle Allen works on a passing drill during the Wildcats’ team camp on July 13.

“I think the boys understand how special last season was,” Conley said. “I was a little concerned at the beginning of the summer because we were just going through the motions, but after a few coaching moments, they got refocused and worked really hard. They understand how fantastic last season was and they now know it isn’t something that is untouchable. They are determined to get back there this year.

“We have to avoid comparing this team to last year’s team. It is essential this team set their own expectations. We will have a standard of play, but as this team grows and develops, anything is possible. I think it’s vital that these young men play within themselves and do their individual jobs to help with the overall team success. With losing as many seniors as we did, we will have the mentality of next man up. We will do what we can to fill those voids that were left by the 2016 seniors.”

Louisburg’s Bailey Belcher was one of five Wildcats to be named to the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association all-state team Thursday. Belcher earned first team honors for the second consecutive year.

It may have taken a little longer for the all-state girls soccer team honors to be released, but for Louisburg, it was well worth the wait.

The Kansas Soccer Coaches Association unveiled their all-state team Thursday and the Wildcats were well-represented. Louisburg earned five spots on the Class 4-1A squad, including three on the first team.

Bailey Belcher, Mackenzie Scholtz and goalie Shay Whiting were each named to the first team, while Madisen Simpson and Camdyn Clark were selected to the second team.

The Wildcats are coming off a special 2017 campaign as they reached the Class 4-1A state tournament and finished fourth overall in just their second year as a program.

“These young ladies had terrific season and it is a fantastic honor to receive this acknowledgment from coaches around the state,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “This is just another reason that solidifies how special our program is. The girls that are members of the soccer team are doing big things here in Louisburg and I couldn’t be more proud of these young ladies.

“Also, none of these individual awards could not be possible without their teammates pushing them and then supporting each other throughout the season. Well done ladies and next year can’t get here fast enough.”

Belcher was selected as a first-team midfielder as she finished the season with 29 goals and 12 assists on the season as a junior. As for Scholtz, she finished her freshman season with 27 goals and a team-high 18 assists to earn a first-team spot as a forward.

In goal, Whiting also had a big year for the Wildcats as she finished the season with nine shutouts.

As for Simpson, she earned her second-team midfield honor as she was responsible for marking some of the opposition’s best players and also had a goal and six assists.

Clark was also one of the Wildcats’ top defenders as an outside back and made it tough on the opposition.

It is the second straight season that Belcher, Whiting and Clark earned all-state honors.

CLASS 4-1A

First team

Forward—Kayla Crowder, sr., Maranatha Academy; Gaby Crowell, jr., Maize South; Aislinn Hughes, jr., McPherson; Mackenzie Scholtz, fr., Louisburg; Berkley Sharp, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Sophia Stram, fr., Bishop Miege; Kayla Vitztum, jr., Thomas More Prep.

Midfielder—Evelyn Alejandre-Olivas, so., Bishop Miege; Bailey Belcher, jr., Louisburg; Hayden Burnett, sr., Maize South; Ally Henderson, sr., Trinity Academy; Paige Ledesma, sr., Maize South; Lanie Mannebach, jr., Bishop Miege; Alayna Wallace, sr., McPherson.

Defender—Avery Green, sr., Maize South; Laiken Hein, jr., McPherson; Avery Higgerson, so., Bishop Miege; Megan Homoly, jr., Bishop Miege; Mariah Moore, sr., Maize South; Fallon Russell, so., Bishop Miege.

Goalkeeper—Deonna Wellbrock, sr., Thomas More Prep; Shay Whiting, jr., Louisburg.

Offensive Player of the Year—Sophia Stram, fr., Bishop Miege.

Defensive Player of the Year—Megan Homoly, jr., Bishop Miege.

Goalkeeper of the Year—Deonna Wellbrock, sr., Thomas More Prep.

Coach of the Year—Nate Huppe, Bishop Miege.

Second team

Forward—Brooklyn Barclay, sr., Trinity Academy; Anna Burnett, fr., Baldwin; Kaylen Dawson, sr., Spring Hill; Claire Hedlund, fr., McPherson; Ashley Ostrander, jr., Thomas More Prep; Patrica Thomas, jr., KC Piper; Anna Watson, jr., Spring Hill.

Midfielder—Mallory Borgan, jr., Maranatha Academy; Caitlin Countryman, so., Baldwin; Aubrey Koenigsman, jr., Thomas More Prep; Megan Koenigsman, sr., Thomas More Prep; Gabrielle Rodriguez, jr., KC Piper; Madisen Simpson, sr., Louisburg; Mallory Smith, so., Spring Hill; Ana Waren, sr., Maize South; Emily Wilson, jr., KC Piper.

Defender—Josie Boyle, fr., Baldwin; Camdyn Clark, so., Louisburg; Heidi Myers, sr., McPherson; Lauren Snodgrass, sr., Trinity Academy; Kassidy Wackerly, sr., Andover Central; Sara Watson, jr., Spring Hill.

Goalkeeper—Anita Eckhardt, fr., Maranatha Academy.