Wildcat girls qualify for state in 12 events after record-breaking regional

By Andy Brown
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Updated: May 28, 2025

***Louisburg junior Kendall Crossley takes off in the final leg of the 4×400-meter relay on May 22 at the Class 4A regional meet in Louisburg. Crossley qualified for state in four events.***

It was a memorable showing for the Louisburg girls track and field team in many ways on May 22 during the Class 4A regional meet at Louisburg High School.

Records were broken, personal bests were set — but more importantly — tickets were punched to the state meet.

The Louisburg girls qualified for state in 12 events and will send 11 athletes to the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships on May 30-31 at Wichita State University.

“The team performed well on Thursday,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “They did what they needed to do to qualify for state and taking 11 girls is awesome.”

Louisburg had one regional champion on the day and it came in the field events. Junior McKenna Lohse took gold in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet, 4.25 inches.

Lohse currently has the third best throw in Class 4A at just under 39 feet and will be vying for a spot on the state podium later this week.

“Kenna threw well and winning the regional championship was fantastic,” Reece said. “She has set herself up for a chance at being the best girl in the shot put in 4A.”

***Louisburg junior McKenna Lohse won the regional title in the shot put with a throw of 37-4.25.***

Also in the field events, sophomore Adelyn Moore had one of her best outings of the season in javelin. Moore finished second in a competitive field with a throw of 122-1 to qualify for state for a second consecutive season.

Junior Kendall Crossley put together a special regional meet performance as she qualified for state in four events and was a part of a new school record in the process.

Crossley, along with Mackenzie Rooney, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel, broke the school record in the 4×100-meter relay as they took second in 49.01 seconds. Coffeyville-Field Kindley won in 48.89 seconds.

They broke the old record of 49.26 that was set in 2023 by Rooney, Dansel, Crossley and Emma Lohse.

***The Louisburg girls 4×100 relay team (from left) of Suzanna Dansel, Addi Mallett, Kendall Crossley and Mackenzie Rooney broke the school record in the 4×100 relay on May 22 at the regional meet.***

Rooney, Mallett, Breck Nielsen and Crossley also qualified in the 4×400-meter relay as they finished third in 4 minutes and 18.13 seconds.

Crossley punched her ticket to state in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, which both featured some of the top competition in the state. She was fourth in the 100 in 12.72 seconds and fourth in the 200 in 26.25.

“Kendall had a day,” Reece said. “She ran impressive individual races in both the 100 and 200 and the relays really ran well. She has been the rock all season long and has not backed down from any challenge this year. She has done everything we have asked of her.”

Sophomore Caroline Apple also qualified for state in multiple events. She will compete at state in both hurdle races and in the high jump.

***Louisburg sophomore Caroline Apple qualified for state in three events on May 22, including the 100 hurdles.***

Apple took third in the 100-meter hurdles in a season-best time of 16.79 seconds and later finished third in the 300 hurdles in 50.10 seconds. To begin the day, Apple also took third in the high jump after she cleared 4-10.

It will be a busy upcoming weekend for Apple, as not only will she compete for the Wildcat track team, but is also a part of the Louisburg girls soccer team that will compete in the state tournament this Saturday in Wichita.

“Caroline had a great day both on the track and in the field,” Reece said. “We knew we had to jump well, and clean, to have a shot at State and she rose to the occasion. She ran two great hurdle races as well and qualifying in three events is outstanding.”

***Louisburg freshman Ellie Vohs broke the school record in the 1,600-meter run during the regional meet on May 22.***

The Wildcats also qualified in three distance races, including one that broke a school record.

Freshman Ellie Vohs, who was running on a bad ankle, not only qualified for state in the 1,600-meter run, but set a new school record in the process. Vohs took fourth in 5:34, which broke the old record of 5:35 that was set by Emma Vohs in 2022.

Vohs, Marissa Vallejo, Annie Hornberger and Moore also qualified in the 4×800-meter relay in a season-best time of 10:33.94. Vallejo later went on to punch her ticket to state in the 3,200-meter run as she took third in 13:04.

“Ellie is a tough athlete,” Reece said. “Not only did she better the school record in the 1,600 by a second, she gave the 800 a try despite her ankle really hurting. Hopefully her ankle gets better this week and she improves again in the 1,600.”