Wildcats, Vohs win home invitational; Lady Cats take second

Louisburg senior Jaden Vohs cruises down the home stretch of the Louisburg Invitational on Thursday at Lewis-Youn Park. Vohs won the race in 17 minutes and 14 seconds.

The Louisburg boys cross country team made a little bit of history last Thursday, and did so right in its back yard.

The Wildcats hosted the Louisburg Invitational at Lewis-Young Park, and for the first time in event history, the Louisburg boys won the team title.

The team of Jaden Vohs, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Noah Cotter, Hayden Ross, Leo Martin, Landon Henry and Sawyer Richardson edged out Spring Hill by one with 39 points in the six team race. At the same time, Vohs also took first individually.

“The boys beating Spring Hill by a point was amazing,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “I felt like they ran their races to their best, and it paid off as a team.”

In the girls race, the Lady Cats also found a lot of success as they finished second in the team standings, just seven points behind Spring Hill with 32.

The Lady Cats also medaled four in the race, led by sophomore Emma Vohs, who finished fourth overall.

“The girls continue to run very well,” Reece said. “They are ahead of their times from last season and are setting themselves up for success in the postseason. I feel like a scratched record, but if we take care of what we can control, both teams are going to have a great end to their season.”

Jaden Vohs led the boys team once again as he recorded his second-fastest time of the season. Jaden won with a time of 17 minutes and 14 seconds, about 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up spot.

“Racing experience has allowed Jaden to progress as a runner,” Reece said. “He is learning how to be patient during the race and move past people when he feels them slow. This sport is so much different than track and there is a learning curve that has definitely straightened out for him.”

The Wildcat boys medaled four overall. Along with Vohs, Brings Plenty took fourth overall in 18:01. Cotter finished in eighth in 18:46 and Ross was 10th in 18:56.

Martin was next in 16th in 19:12 and Henry took 25th in 20:00. Richardson rounded out the team in 31st with a time of 21:09.

Emma Vohs continued her strong season for the Lady Cats as she finished fourth in 21:07. Piper’s Grace Hanson won the event in 18:55.

Sophomore Lola Edwards was right behind Vohs as she medaled fifth in 21:32. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy (22:00) and senior Reese Johnson (22:07) also earned medals as they took eighth and ninth, respectively. 

Junior Nova Ptacek was 16th with a time of 23:23 and junior Bree Gassman was 19th in 24:14. Sophomore Erin Apple rounded out the Lady Cat lineup in 23rd in 25:23.

Louisburg is now done with its regular season and begins it postseason slate this Thursday when it travels to Baldwin City for the Frontier League Invitational. 

It will be the first two of straight times of running on the Baldwin Golf Course as Class 4A regionals will also be held there next week.

League races begin at 4 p.m.