Wildcats beat Parsons to start busy week, but finish 1-2
Louisburg’s Canton Klugman (left) and Cody Courtney try to get the ball away from a Baldwin player during the Wildcats’ road game last week.
The Louisburg boys soccer team experienced a mix of highs and lows over a busy three-game stretch last week, starting with an impressive 6-0 victory over Parsons on Oct. 6.
The Wildcats, unfortunately, suffered a pair of back-to-back one-goal losses to Baldwin and Tonganoxie later in the week.
“It was definitely a real mix of a week for us,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “The Parsons win was great — it took us a bit to find our rhythm, but the second half showed how well the team can adjust and finish strong, with multiple players contributing goals. Then, the back-to-back league games against Baldwin and Tonganoxie were tough. Those games challenged us physically and mentally, and we were dealing with some injuries and position adjustments.”
The Wildcats came out firing against Parsons, with senior Owen Marsh leading the charge by recording a hat trick. All three of Marsh’s goals were set up by Ryder Erickson, who also found the back of the net himself on a goal assisted by Parker Powers.
Cody Courtney and Ethan Kuhlman each added scores to round out the dominant offensive showing, while goalkeeper Evan Moreland earned the shutout in net.
Louisburg’s offense was held in check the following night against Frontier League champion Baldwin. The match remained scoreless deep into the second half until Baldwin’s Cooper Carr broke through with the deciding goal in the final three minutes, handing the Wildcats a tough 1-0 defeat.
Two days later, Louisburg faced another defensive battle against Tonganoxie. The Chieftains struck early and managed to hold off several Wildcat chances to secure a 1-0 win.
“Against Baldwin, we played to our standard, stayed disciplined, and showed a lot of resilience,” Bovaird said. “Against Tonganoxie, we faced a lot of adversity. Both games highlighted and reinforced areas we need to keep improving on, like finishing and defending set pieces, but the effort and focus were there throughout.”
The Wildcats now sit at 6-5-1 on the season and will look to bounce back today as they host Paola in a Frontier League matchup.
Overall, it was a week that highlighted both our strengths and the work ahead,” Bovaird said. “We’re still poised for a strong run here at the end of the regular season and getting ready for the postseason.”