Wildcats fall to Bonner Springs, Eudora on Senior Night

Louisburg sophomore Michael Seuferling puts up a runner in the lane Friday during the Wildcats’ loss to Bonner Springs in Louisburg.

The Louisburg boys basketball team had a chance to close its home schedule with a pair of games last week, but the Wildcats didn’t get a chance to go out on the note they would have liked.

Louisburg lost both games last week, including a 72-52 setback to Bonner Springs on Friday. 

The losses were exactly memorable, however, the Wildcats still had a chance to honor its seniors — Isaac Guetterman, Carson Kern, Maverick Rockers, Hunter Rogers and Michael Seuferling — on Senior Night last Tuesday against Eudora.

It is a group that certainly left its mark on a Wildcat program as some of them were a part of last year’s state runner-up team.

“This is a great group of kids,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I know we all would have liked to win more games, but they have really battled this year. The Frontier League is a beast night in and night out, and with the mid-season tournament and Shawnee Mission South on the schedule, they’ve really played some great competition this year. 

“This group has put in a lot of hours to make themselves the best basketball players they could be. People show up and watch on game nights, but they have no idea how much time and commitment these kids have put in when the bright lights weren’t on. I’m proud of this group and I’m always proud of their effort.”

The Wildcats (4-14) battled against Bonner Springs, but had problems with the Braves’ athleticism. Bonner Springs was able to score 25 points off of Louisburg turnovers.

Louisburg also found itself down 17-6 at the end of the first quarter and the Wildcats couldn’t get enough offensive consistency to get back in it.

Rockers and Guetterman each scored 10 points to lead the Wildcats, while Seuferling and junior Colyer Wingfield each finished with eight. Newell led the way with a team-high 11 rebounds, while Seuferling had seven and four assists.

“We struggled to find consistency,” Pfannenstiel said. “We got down early which made it tough on us.  Bonner was athletic and really does a good job of getting out in transition. We just turned the ball over too many times early and gave up way too many offensive rebounds. We have to do a better job in those phases of the game.”

Louisburg will try to end the regular season with a win as the Wildcats travel to rival Paola for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

LOU 6 15 9 22 — 52

BON 17 19 15 21 — 72

LOUISBURG (4-14): Maverick Rockers 4-12 1-1 10; Isaac Guetterman 4-6 0-3 10; Michael Seuferling 3-11 2-3 8; Colyer Wingfield 4-8 0-1 8; Carson Kern 2-4 0-0 6; Mack Newell 2-5 1-4 5; Hunter Rogers 1-3 0-0 3; Nathan Parker 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 20-53 6-14 52. 3-point field goals: 6, (Kern 2, Guetterman 2, Rockers, Rogers)

Wildcats fall on Senior Night to No. 1 Eudora

Louisburg faced one of its more difficult tests of the season last Tuesday when it hosted No. 1 Eudora on Senior Night.

The Wildcats played Eudora even for three quarters, but the other ended up being Louisburg’s undoing.

Eudora held the Wildcats to six points in the second quarter and used that to hand Louisburg a 60-42 loss.

Despite being down 16 at halftime, the Wildcats battled back to cut the Cardinal lead to nine on a couple different occasions, but could get no closer.

“I thought we played pretty tough,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played well in the 1st quarter, but then struggled to score in the 2nd which allowed Eudora to stretch out their lead.I was proud of how we came out in the second half. We had it to single digits, but had a tough last couple minutes of the 3rd quarter which hurt us.  

“Eudora is a good team. There is very little margin for error when playing them, so we just needed to be a little more consistent. Overall though, I thought we played hard and shot the ball well from the perimeter.”

The Wildcats, despite only making six two-point baskets, knocked in nine 3-pointers on the night, including four from Maverick Rockers.

Rockers finished with a team-high 15 points and junior Colyer Wingfield had nine. Michael Seuferling had a team-high six rebounds and six assists.

LOU 10 6 16 10 — 42

EUD 13 19 18 10 — 60

LOUISBURG: Maverick Rockers 5-11 1-1 15; Colyer Wingfield 3-8 1-2 9; Michael Seuferling 2-12 1-4 5; Carson Kern 2-3 0-0 5; Isaac Guetterman 1-4 0-0 3; Hunter Rogers 1-3 0-0 3; Mack Newell 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 15-44 3-7 42. 3-point field goals: 9, (Rockers 4, Wingfield 2, Kern, Guetterman, Rogers)