Nine Wildcats earn all-state football honors

Louisburg’s Jase Hovey, Ashton Moore and Nathan Vincent were selected first team all-state by at least one publication earlier this month.

Several publications spent the month of December releasing their respective all-state football teams and several Louisburg players made those lists.

Nine different Wildcats made at least one all-state team, while senior defensive back Jase Hovey was the lone Louisburg player to earn all-state honors from all four publications.

Hovey was selected the Kansas Football Coaches Association all-state first team after leading the Louisburg secondary with 58 tackles to go along with two interceptions, including one for a touchdown earlier in the year against Paola. 

The Louisburg senior was an honorable mention selection in Sports in Kansas, the Wichita Eagle and KSHSAA Covered.

Senior Nathan Vincent earned two first team selections by both Sports in Kansas and the Wichita Eagle as an offensive lineman. Vincent also thrived as a defensive end as he finished the season with with 80 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.

Sophomore Ashton Moore also racked up several honors for the Wildcats. Moore was a first team selection by Sports In Kansas, along with KSHSAA Covered. 

Moore was also an honorable mention selection by the Eagle and was also named to the All-Simone Team by 810 Varsity. He led Louisburg with 114 tackles on the season, including 12 stops for a loss and 59 solo tackles.

Junior Quarterback Declan Battle, senior running back Riley Van Eaton and senior lineman J.R. Rooney were honorable mention selections by Sports in Kansas, Wichita Eagle and KSHSAA Covered.

Senior kicker Layne Ryals was an honorable mention by Sports in Kansas and the Wichita Eagle, while Senior receiver Mason Dobbins, tight end Mack Newell were honorable mention selections by Sports in Kansas.

Offensively, Battle led the Wildcats as he finished the season with more than 1,700 yards of total offense. Battle threw for 1,027 yards and eight touchdowns and he also rushed for 709 yards and 10 touchdowns.

On the outside, Dobbins was one of Battle’s favorite targets. Dobbins led the team with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. 

The Wildcats were also successful on the ground thanks to Van Eaton. He carried the ball 172 times for 1,043 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 188 yards receiving out of the backfield.

Rooney, along with his play on the offensive line, finished the year with 36 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as a defensive tackle.

In his first year of varsity action, Newell was a big part of the Wildcat offense at tight end. Along with helping the offensive line, he also finished with nine catches for 93 yards.

As the team’s kicker, Ryals converted 5 of 7 field goal tries this season, with his longest coming from 43 yards. He was also 38 of 39 on extra points.

ALL-STATE FOOTBALL

SPORTS IN KANSAS 

First Team: Nathan Vincent, Offensive Line; Ashton Moore, Linebacker; Jase Hovey, Athlete

Honorable Mention: Riley Van Eaton, Running Back; Declan Battle, Quarterback; Mason Dobbins, Wide Receiver; Mack Newell, Tight End; J.R. Rooney, Lineman; Layne Ryals, Kicker/Defensive Back

KFBCA

First Team: Jase Hovey, Defensive Back

WICHITA EAGLE

First Team: Nathan Vincent, Offensive Line

Honorable Mention: Declan Battle, Quarterback; Riley Van Eaton, Running Back; J.R. Rooney, Defensive Line; Ashton Moore, Linebacker; Jase Hovey, Defensive Back; Layne Ryals, Kicker

KSHSAA COVERED

First Team: Ashton Moore, Flex

Honorable Mention: J.R. Rooney, Lineman; Nathan Vincent; Lineman; Declan Battle, Quarterback; Jase Hovey, Defensive Back; Riley Van Eaton, Running Back; 

ALL-SIMONE TEAM

Ashton Moore, Linebacker