Yows looking to make one final imprint on Wildcat program

Two years ago, Braden Yows made his way to Louisburg High School not knowing really what to expect.

Yows transferred at the beginning of his sophomore year hoping to make some new friends and play the sport he loves — soccer.

Now, as Yows begins his final year with the Wildcat program, it is a bittersweet time for the Louisburg senior as he looks on what he has achieved the last two years.

He helped lead the Wildcats to their best finish in program history and broke the program’s assist record in the process. Still, Yows is excited to see what he and the rest of his teammates can accomplish.

“It’s never easy to move during your high school years, but coach (Kyle) Conley and the upperclassmen at the time made the transition easy,” Yows said. “We have a great senior class. Michael (Seuferling), Isaac (Guetterman), Hunter (Rogers), Aidan (Cannon) and I are looking forward to continuing the tradition of success that other senior classes have set for us.”

Yows moved that bar even higher last season as Louisburg finished third at the Class 4-1A state tournament. He was a fixture in the Wildcat midfield as he accounted for a team record 21 assists.

He was a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state selection, but even after all that, Yows wants more.

“Braden and his teammates have one goal this season,” Conley said. “They are going to push themselves to reach that goal. Braden is extremely motivated because this is his last season and determined to keep making school history as a team. 

“Last year, he told me he wanted our assist record, and he got it with 21 assists. This season he said he wants to win. I’m excited to see how rises to that goal. He is a fantastic players and is going to do great things in his playing career.”

Yows’ senior season has hardly begun, but it is already off to a great start.

Earlier this month, Yows committed to play soccer at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and became the first Wildcat player to commit to a Division I program.

More honors later followed as he was also named to the 2021 High School All-American watch list and was one of 14 players named across the state of Kansas.

“I set a goal to play after high school, so I’m happy to have committed to a great program like UMKC to continue playing,” Yows said. “I was lucky to have great coaches to help guide me through the process. I’m also happy that I’ll get to continue my soccer career close to home. Now with my commitment set, I’m fully focused on the season — with my eyes set on a state title.”

That state title is truly what the Wildcats are focused on for the 2021 season after falling to Bishop Miege in the state semifinals last season. Yows could care less about his accolades as long as the team accomplishes their goals.

“Braden is a young man who comes ready to go each and everyday,” Conley said. “He is a competitor and plays with a high motor. He leads by example, but does a fantastic job of teaching and uplifting his teammates! Best part is, he is coachable. He is always wanting to learn and be challenged.

“He is a special player. There is no doubt of his talents, but he worries more about his teammates than himself. One person won’t let our team reach our goals, he knows that and the team knows that. It’s going to take all 20 guys to put us in the position to achieve the team’s goals. He does play forward for his club team and for us he plays attacking midfielder. He will have some adjustment for our system, but he is very determined.”

Even though the Wildcats ended their season with a victory over Rose Hill to take third at state, there is one more thing Yows wants to accomplish.

“We went to state last year, and we were one of the only two teams to finish the season with a win. We finished third and had the best result in school history, but as a team we’ve set a goal to win state this year. We are working hard every day to achieve that goal. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”