Wildcats return after long layoff to roll Bonner Springs

Louisburg sophomore Colin McManigal races toward the goal Saturday during the Wildcats’ game against Bonner Springs.

After having to sit out for almost two weeks due to a quarantine for a positive COVID-19 result, the Louisburg boys soccer team was back in action Saturday.

The Wildcats hosted Bonner Springs and didn’t seem to show much rust from that layoff. Louisburg scored five first half goals on its way to an 8-2 rout of the Braves to move the Wildcats’ record to 3-0 on the season.

The team was eligible to return to practice Thursday and had just two days to prepare for Bonner Springs, but the Wildcats picked up right where they left off.

“It was fantastic to have the boys back and for them to come out and play like they did was really well done,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “I think we did a fantastic job setting the tone early and capitalized on a lot of our early opportunities.”

Louisburg dominated possession and never let up as the Wildcats took 30 shots in the game, compared to just seven for Bonner Springs.

Three of those goals came thanks to the foot of senior Logan Faulkner, who recorded the hat trick, with his final one coming on a penalty kick in the second half.

“Logan made the most of every opportunity,” Conley said. “He played hard and made great runs to make sure he was in the right sport at the right time. I was really proud of his effort and how well he played.”

Junior midfielder Braden Yows was also a big part of the Wildcat attack as he finished with three assists and senior forward Treston Carlson had two goals and an assist.

Sophomores Ethan Ptacek, Cade Gassman and Colin McManigal also scored for Louisburg, while junior Isaac Guetterman finished with two assists and Ptacek added another.

“I felt the boys played really, really well,” Conley said. “We possessed the majority of the game and did a very nice job executing our scouting report. I like how aggressive we played and how we took what they gave us. The boys played with a lot of emotion and played for each other. It was really good to see.”

Carlson and Faulkner opened with back-to-back goals to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead and the scoring continued. McManigal, Faulkner and Gassman each followed it up to give Louisburg a 5-0 advantage at halftime and it never gave it back.

Faulkner converted a penalty kick to begin the second half to put Louisburg up six, and after a Bonner Springs goal, Ptacek found the back of the net to put the Wildcats up 7-1.

Bonner Springs would answer with another goal before Carlson sealed the victory late in the contest with another score.

“I felt we did a nice job all over the field,” Conley said. “We got on them early and didn’t let up in terms of how we played, regardless who was in the game. It is also really nice to be able to play 22 different guys. I love how much this team has bought into what we are doing and trying to make sure we play to our standard.”

It is the start of a busy week for the Wildcats as this was their first of four games that are to be played over a span of six days. Louisburg will host Baldwin today and Paola on Wednesday in a varsity only contest. The Wildcats will finish it up Thursday in a home game against Ottawa.