Wildcat Soccer Hopeful for Deep Postseason Run
- Updated: October 29, 2026
The Louisburg High School Wildcats are focused on the postseason, and they hope previous games will give them the experience to go deep in the playoffs.
Their recent stretch began with a 4-1 victory over rivals Paola High School, followed by a tight 1-0 defensive battle and home loss game against Lansing High School on October 14.
“The games last week against Paola and Lansing were hard,” said head coach Dawson Schoning. “The scores to both those games showed a little bit of that. As a team we have been physically dominant in almost every game we have played this year. This is especially true against Lansing and Paola.”
Coach Schoning also noted that closing games is an emphasis moving forward. “We have just struggled to finish the chances we create and we have not been able to keep a shutout since the Ottawa game. However we are creating a lot of opportunities to score which is a very good thing.”
Louisburg took complete control in their first match against Paola, largely thanking the team’s seniors for keeping the Panthers pushed back, and creating scoring opportunities for the Wildcats.
“Since June we have been practicing together as a group every week so I think we have built up just really good chemistry on the field,” said senior Cody Courtney. “We have a lot of experience this year as well, tons of players who have played at the varsity level for years.”
Courtney also mentioned that going deep into the postseason will be dependent on how well the team plays together. “The press we run is a team effort, everyone has to do their job for it to work and I think we have done that very well this year. Like I said earlier just consistent reps playing together shows on the field in the way we move and read each other’s movements.”
The following week, the Wildcats played a tough match against KC Washington, falling 2-1. Louisburg was able to come back on Thursday against Fort Scott, bringing home the win, 8-0. After a great season for the Wildcats, pressure going into regionals can get intense, especially because expectations are high for this team. Even so, Louisburg is handling the stress well.
“The boys understand it is game by game and we must show up and play whoever is in front of us, and I think the boys are excited to take on the challenge as well,” said Schoning.
Even while a loss last week was unfortunate, the Wildcats are using the loss to stay focused for this week. Of course, the team doesn’t want to end up falling during regionals, so using the loss as motivation is what will lead the team to success. “We don’t want to go out like that in the playoffs and I think that has created some confidence in them to do what we have to do to win these upcoming games,” Schoning said.
As the current Louisburg Boys Soccer team works for postseason success, a good run for the team will also help shape the future and direction of the program. The Wildcats have put in months of work to prove to their community, coaches, each other, and future players that they are capable of bringing home success.
“We put a lot of time and dedication into this season,even starting in the summer, it would mean a lot to the boys and the coaching staff if we were able to make a run,” Schoning said.
The Wildcats are still looking at things to change and improve in their game during the postseason. Finding ways to put away teams when they have the chance is the biggest adjustment they are making this week.
“There have been way too many instances where we had chances to put teams away early and we just could not seal the deal,” Schoning said.
It showed on Tuesday with a 8-0 win against Kansas City Christian. It was a collective effort, with Ryder Erickson scoring three goals, Mason Hull scoring two goals, and Brody Bovaird, Brayden Stringfield, and Parker Powers all adding goals of their own. Tonight, Louisburg will take on Ottawa High School at home at 6:00 PM.
– Will Leach, Addy Wiese
