Wildcats shutout Turner to advance to title match

By Andy Brown
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Updated: March 28, 2024

***Louisburg junior Riley May scored one of the team’s five goals Wednesday in the Wildcats’ win over Turner.***

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Offense wasn’t a problem in its first two games of the Turner Invitational as Louisburg won back-to-back matches to earn a spot in the championship game.

The Wildcats’ latest win came Wednesday in the semifinals as Louisburg scored four second half goals en route to a 5-0 win over Turner. Five different players scored for Louisburg in what was a balanced effort.

“Fitness wise we are good, but we were coming off a game the night before, and we were a little tired, but we played good defense,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “We struggled a little offensively, but once we got in after a halftime, we figured some things out and it got a lot better. We worked the ball around and played a more possession game and it opened up and we had a lot more opportunities in the second half.”

Louisburg (4-0) opened with a goal less than two minutes into the contest, but Turner packed its defense in around the goal and the Wildcats struggled to get good looks.

That all changed in the second half as the Wildcats scored four times to pull away for the victory. Louisburg was also strong defensively as senior goalie Macy Lemke earned the clean sheet.

Several different players got in the scoring column for Louisburg as Lexi Hampton, Bailiegh Johnson, Rowan Yows, Mena Fercho and Riley May each found the back of the net.

“A lot of people had chances and everyone was getting shots,” York said. “We need to work on our shots from the outside, but it was good to see everyone get involved and I thought the girls played well, esepcially in the second half.”

It was the second game in two days for Louisburg as the Wildcats opened the tournament Tuesday with a 7-1 victory over Sumner Academy. The Wildcats got a big game from Hampton as she finished with four goals.

Johnson added two goals in the victory and senior Hailey Sword added another. Louisburg jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead and scored five more times in the second half.

“Sumner got after it and made it an open game,” York said. “We just couldn’t make that final pass to our forwards in the first half. Once we figured that out in the second half, we played a lot better. We got in behind several times and the goals looked easy. It took awhile to get going and that will be what this team is for a little bit.”

Louisburg is now in the championship match as the Wildcats will face off with Shawnee Mission North at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Turner High School.

“They are very excited about it,” York said of his team playing in the championship. “Some of the younger girls don’t get the gravity of it yet, but this has like a postseason feeling with it being a championship game. I think that will amp the girls up a little and hopefully we can play strong and physical because North is a very good team.”