Wildcats bounce back with home win over Independence

The Louisburg boys soccer team picked up its first win of the season in convincing fashion last Thursday night, rolling to a 3-1 victory over Independence after what was a tough home opener earlier in the week.

Louisburg earned a 1-1 tie over Basehor-Linwood on Sept. 2, but bounced back to get in the win column at home last Thursday.

“It was great to see the guys earn their first win of the season,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “We showed toughness and discipline, and it was a strong team performance from start to finish. We controlled possession much better, created a lot of chances, and really kept the pressure on Independence. I thought it was a good step forward, especially after the way we battled earlier in the week. After the Basehor game, we were having to navigate some injury concerns.”

The Wildcats controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, showcasing strong possession and sharp passing throughout the match. Louisburg had 21 shots in the match, while the Wildcats held Independence to just three shots on target.

Senior Owen Marsh led the way offensively, finding the back of the net twice — including a calmly converted penalty kick — to fuel the Louisburg attack.

Marsh also played a role in the team’s third goal, assisting senior Tanner LaBrie, who helped ice the match and extend the Wildcat lead. Ryder Erickson also notched an assist in the contest, helping Louisburg maintain pressure on the Independence defense.

“Against Independence, we did a better job keeping possession and stringing together some longer passes, which is something we’ve been working on,” Bovaid said. “We created 21 shots and forced their keeper to make a lot of saves. Defensively, our back line limited them to just three shots on target, which says a lot about how well our guys communicated and stepped up.

“Owen definitely had a strong game — he scored twice, including the PK, and also set up Tanner’s goal. He’s been a constant offensive threat and really helped lead the attack.”

The win followed a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Basehor-Linwood on Tuesday in the season opener. In that match, LaBrie opened the scoring for the Wildcats off a long pass from Renner Erickson, but Basehor-Linwood answered later in the half with a goal off a set piece to level the score.

“That match was definitely a battle,” Bovaird said. “We created plenty of chances, out-shooting them 21-18, but we didn’t take care of the ball the way we needed to. At times, we got caught playing their style — more long balls instead of possessing and making crisp passes — and that’s something we’re continuing to improve on. Still, the effort and intensity were there, and the guys showed a lot of grit pushing through two overtimes.

Now 1-0-1 on the season, Louisburg will look to keep the momentum going when they travel to Pittsburg for a road matchup on Sept. 9.

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