2020 Senior Spotlight: Ashley Moore

By Andy Brown
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Updated: May 21, 2020

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.

Ashley Moore wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when she decided to join the Louisburg girls soccer team.

She had heard good things about the program, but Moore had never really played soccer much before high school. Still, it was a way for her to stay involved with something.

“I started playing soccer my sophomore year,” Moore said. “I just decided that I wanted to try something new and coach (Kyle) Conley had asked me to play.”

As it turned out, Moore has not regretted the decision since. Her faith in Conley and the rest of the Wildcat program allowed her to be a part of the state runner-up team in 2019.

Moore remembers the day vividly, as do many other members of the team.

The Wildcats were set to play Topeka-Hayden in the semifinals on a Friday, but torrential rains postponed it to Saturday. Louisburg went on to win the match in penalty kicks and would have to face defending state champion Bishop Miege just a couple hours later in the championship match.

“My favorite memory was state last year,” Moore said. “We all bonded so much, and even after a long day of playing two games, we never got tired of each other.”

It is that family aspect that Moore will treasure the most and it was something she was looking forward to for the 2020 season. She was one of 12 seniors on the team that was looking forward to breaking through and winning the program’s first state title.

They were already more than two weeks in, when the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like that, Moore’s senior year was ended prematurely.

**Louisburg senior Ashley Moore (left) was one of 12 returning seniors for the Wildcats this season.**

“We all look forward to senior year since freshman year,” Moore said. “Everything fun that goes with senior year happens during fourth quarter and it sucks that we have to miss out on it. We also don’t get any closure with the school we have known for four years, and the kids we have been with since kindergarten. Still, I think we have been handling it really well.

“I love this team and this family,” Moore said. “Going to practice every day and playing games with all my best friends was always the best time and I couldn’t wait to end it with the best season yet.”

Even though Moore had only played soccer for three years, she has grown to love her fellow senior teammates and she realizes what they have all meant to the program after the Wildcats to the state final four the last three years.

“This senior class was really going to do something so special this year,” Moore said. “Even though it was a short time, during this season we have all bonded so much and I think that is why it is so hard to be away from each other because we are family.”

Moore played in four varsity games in 2019 after spending a majority of the season on junior varsity, but Conley was anxious to see what Moore could do in her season year.

“Ashley was an athlete we recruited to give soccer a try,” Conley said. “She is a really good athlete and worked her butt off. Ashley was really fit and prepared to make an impact this season.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Ashley 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: I have just been missing being with my friends every day at school and seeing all my teachers.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

AM: My most memorable moment would probably be Friday night football games with all my best friends screaming as loud as we can.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

AM: Netflix

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

AM: I will be attending Pittsburg State University and my major is undecided.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

AM: I am proud of getting into National Honor Society at LHS because I work very hard for my grades and that was something I really wanted.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

AM: Something people might not know about me is that I love flaming hot Cheetos.