2020 Senior Spotlight: Andie Masten
Louisburg Sports Zone will be running senior spotlights through April and May everyday (Monday through Friday) in an effort to honor seniors who had their seasons taken away due to the spread of COVID-19.
The sport of soccer and Andie Masten never really crossed paths – that is until late in her junior year.
Louisburg head coach Kyle Conley asked her if she would be a team manager and she agreed. Then as the season got closer, plans started to change.
“The first day of tryouts, he convinced me to just give it a shot,” Masten said. “I borrowed some cleats and showed up the next day. It wasn’t a part of my life at all, until Conley pushed me to tryout. He has a way of convincing people.”
To this day, she doesn’t regret the decision.
Masten played on junior varsity, but was a part of the Wildcat team that finished as the state runner-up last year at the Class 4-1A tournament in Topeka. It was a great experience for her to be a part of something special – but her favorite memory came a lot earlier in the season.
“It is definitely the first time I’ve ever scored a goal in a soccer game,” Masten said. “It was last year, in a JV game at Tonganoxie. The coaches told me to pull forward and go play up top. All of my teammates and coaches were cheering me on and it was just the greatest experience when I FINALLY kicked it in. Hearing all of them cheering and hollering was the best.”
Masten played in three varsity contests in 2019, including the regional and state championship games and was more than ready for her final season.
“Andie is a fantastic young lady who started out wanting to be a manager, but we convinced to actually play,” Conley said. “She started soccer her junior year and she worked as hard as she could to improve. She had a great attitude and always kept practice fun with her personality.”
She was a part of a 12-member senior class that had played together for several years and were a big part of the Wildcats’ three-straight state final four appearances. This year the Wildcats were ready for something special.
“I was very optimistic in what this season was going to hold for us,” Masten said. “This year’s team was something extremely special and I was looking forward to see how this season was going to pan out. Making it to state was always a goal and eventually a priority for us, and I was really eager to see how far we’d make it.”
Unfortunately, a harsh reality set in for the Wildcats, and teams across the state, as spring sports were canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. The opportunity of winning the program’s first state title was no more.
It was a crushing blow – not only to Masten – but to the rest of her team.
“I was extremely upset,” Masten said. “It was my only sport and I was looking forward to making great memories with the other girls and win some games. But if I’m being honest, my heart really goes out to the girls who have been preparing for this season, and soccer is their whole world. For some, it was their last season of soccer. Each day, it gets easier and we still have been reaching out to comfort one another.”
Even though Masten only got to play one official season of soccer, it was a time she will never forget and is thankful the Wildcat coaching staff gave her the opportunity to be a part of it.
“I’m not sure I can even put into words how special the soccer program is, none-the-less how fantastic the group of senior girls are along with my coaches,” she said. “When I decided to play last year, these girls were so welcoming and encouraging. I truly had no idea what I was doing, and still am unsure of how to actually play soccer. They were always patient and pushed me to be my best, as did the coaches, who are some of my all-time favorite people. I’ve never had a group of people truly believe in me like they have.”
Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Andie on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.
LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?
AM: It sounds so goofy, but truthfully I have been missing the silly things like water breaks with the team, and walking to and from practice. I miss talking to each and every one of the girls, making them laugh and working hard. It could’ve been the last time I will ever get to talk to and play with some of the girls.
LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?
AM: My most memorable moment as an athlete is definitely going to state for my first time, last year, and taking second. While the loss was disappointing and upsetting, it was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.
LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?
AM: It is very boring but I love to read. Quarantine has put me in the position where I have lots of free time and I’ve been flying through books!
LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?
AM: After graduation, I plan on attending Pitt State and hopefully pursue a degree in Occupational Therapy.
LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?
AM: I guess I would have to say that an accomplishment of mine would be my grades, as of right now. I try my best to take school seriously and work hard to maintain pretty good grades.
LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?
AM: I guess something a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m ambidextrous. I write with my left hand but switch it up on other things or tasks.
Andie’s Favorites
Pro athlete: Patrick Mahomes
Pro team: Texas Rangers
College team: Pitt State
Movie: Step Brothers
TV Show: The Office
Song: Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves
Band/Musician: Khalid
Pregame meal/snack: Rice Krispie treats before every game!
Class/subject: Spanish
Teacher and why: Definitely Mr. Hinkle (assistant principal), although he isn’t technically a teacher. I was his T.A. this past year and he and I just built a great relationship!
Previous Senior Spotlights
Anthony Davis – Track and Field