Wildcats come up big with Senior Night victory over Ottawa

Louisburg didn’t just win Friday night — the Wildcats proved they’re starting to find their stride.

Behind a punishing ground game from Blaise Vohs and a defense that came up clutch when it mattered most, the Wildcats held off Ottawa, 20-13, to notch their second straight victory on Senior Night.

“This was definitely a big win for us,” head coach Drew Harding said. “We’ve been getting better the past several weeks, and it’s nice to see it pay off on the scoreboard, not just in practice. I thought this was our best game of the year in terms of executing our game plan.”

Louisburg didn’t start fast, but it finished strong. Ottawa struck first with a 4-yard touchdown run from Aaron Blaine to take a 6-0 lead in the opening quarter. The Cyclones threatened to add more points early, but the Wildcats’ defense refused to let the game get away.

A key fourth-down stop midway through the second quarter flipped the momentum, and on the very next play, Louisburg running back Blaise Vohs provided the spark his team needed. Vohs broke free for a 72-yard run down the sideline, setting up his own 1-yard touchdown plunge moments later. His extra point gave the Wildcats a 7-6 lead at halftime, and from there, they never looked back.

In the third quarter, quarterback Max Amren capped another methodical drive with a 3-yard scoring run to make it 13–6. Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ defense continued to shine, creating turnovers that set up the offense with short fields. Louisburg picked off three passes — one each by Cole Heinrich, Gage Feldkamp, and Mathias Wright — and it was Wright’s 40-yard interception return in the fourth quarter that proved to be the dagger.

Moments later, Vohs found the end zone again from a yard out, giving the Wildcats a 20–6 cushion. Ottawa answered late with a 19-yard touchdown run by Armoni Velez, but was too little too late for the Cyclones..

Vohs was the engine that drove the offense, rushing 26 times for 212 yards — including several key runs that kept drives alive. Amren added 22 yards on the ground and completed 8 of 10 passes for 69 yards. John Guetterman led the receiving corps with six catches for 68 yards, while Feldkamp anchored the defense with 10 tackles. Guetterman also had nine stops in the win.

Harding praised both his defense and his senior leaders for setting the tone in a high-stakes game.

“We had some key defensive stops early in the game,” Harding said. “They had jumped out early and were in good position a couple of times to score again, but our guys kept battling and got some key stops to keep it close. I think this team has shown all year that they’ll continue to fight regardless of the situation.”

Vohs’s impact, Harding said, has been a major factor in the team’s recent surge.

“Blaise has been a huge boost for us offensively since he came back from injury,” Harding said. “He has a knack for breaking tackles and has the speed to make big plays. He made several big runs for us tonight, and we’re excited to see him continue to get better.”

The win was especially meaningful as it came on Senior Night, giving the Wildcats’ upperclassmen a fitting send-off as Johnny Hendrickson, Michael Foote, Ayden Spradling, Martin Soto, Rickey Giles, Blaise Vohs and Gage Feldkamp played their final home game.

“The seniors have put in a lot of effort and time into the program,” Harding said. “It was fun to get those guys a win on their senior night.”

With the victory, Louisburg improved to 3–4 on the season and now turns its attention to the final game of the regular season this Friday as the Wildcats travel to Spring Hill.

LOU       0               7               6               7 — 20

OTT        6               0               0               7 — 13

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

O: Aaron Blaine 4 run (kick failed)

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 1 run (Vohs kick)

Third Quarter

L: Max Amren 3 run (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

L: Vohs 1 run (kick good)

O: Armoni Velez 19 run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING – Blaise Vohs 26-212; Max Amren 9-22

PASSING – Max Amren 8-10-69

RECEIVING – John Guetterman 6-68; Braxton Eastland 2-21

TACKLES – Gage Feldkamp 10, John Guetterrman 9, Bryce Thompson 8, Lincoln Nielsen 7, Cole Heinrich 5, Will Norton 5, Johnny Hendrickson 5, Devin Goeman 5, Max Amren 3, Mathias Wright 2, Blaise Vohs 1, Braxton Koechner 1, Colin Schleicher 1

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