Marsh’s 4-goal performance leads Wildcats past Bonner Springs

Looking to bounce back after a loss earlier in the week, the Louisburg boys soccer team roared back into Frontier League play.

The Wildcats got the start they were hoping for with an electric first half against Bonner Springs, powered by a four-goal performance from senior striker Owen Marsh.

Marsh wasted no time setting the tone, scoring all four of his goals in the opening 40 minutes. He opened the scoring by finishing off a long throw-in from Grant Cannon.

The Louisburg senior followed it up by converting a pass from Ryder Erickson, who sparked the play with a midfield recovery. A few minutes later, he struck again as Marsh curled in a free kick to complete the hat trick.

Marsh’s fourth goal came after he chased down a long ball from Brody Bovaird, outrunning the defense and slotting it past the keeper.

Louisburg entered halftime with a commanding 4-1 lead. But Bonner Springs battled back — converting a penalty kick after a handball and adding another goal to make it a close finish.

Despite the pressure, the Wildcats held firm to secure their first league win of the year and are now 2-1-1 on the early season.

Just days earlier, on Sept. 9, Louisburg suffered a narrow 2-1 loss to a Class 5A Pittsburg team, conceding the game-winning goal in the final 28 seconds of regulation.

The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Cody Courtney netted his first goal of the season. The play started with a long punt from goalkeeper Evan Moreland, which Courtney controlled and lofted over the onrushing keeper.

Pittsburg responded late in the second half after forcing a turnover in the midfield and threading a pass into the box for the equalizer. The winning goal came in similar fashion — a midfield takeaway followed by a long ball that found the back of the net in the closing seconds.

Louisburg will try and make it two straight wins on Sept. 16 as the Wildcats travel to Lansing for match, before returning home on the Sept. 18 against Eudora.