-
Final
HAR
LOU3
13 -
Final
HAR
LOU1
13 -
Final
LOU
SH0
9 -
Final
BAL
LOU6
12 -
Final
LOU
OTT14
8 -
Final
LOU
OTT21
4 -
Final
SH
LOU4
5 -
Final
WEL
LOU1
14 -
Final
WEL
LOU2
10 -
Final
LOU
BONSP7
0 -
Final
LOU
BONSP5
1 -
Final
LOU
TONG9
4 -
Final
LOU
PIP19
15 -
Final
LOU
PIP5
7 -
Final
LOU
LAN5
4 -
Final
LOU
LAN5
4 -
Final
LOU
BV6
16 -
Apr 25, 430 p
LOU
AC
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Apr 25, 6 pm
LOU
AC
-
Final
LOU
PV19
3 -
Final
LOU
CHA6
10 -
Final
EUD
LOU5
16 -
Postponed
EUD
LOU
-
Final
LOU
PAO4
11 -
Final
LOU
PAO18
3 -
Final
BL
LOU10
4
-
Final
FRON
LOU11
0 -
Postponed
FRON
LOU
-
Final
BAL
LOU2
13 -
Final
LOU
OTT10
11 -
Final
LOU
OTT10
0 -
Final
SH
LOU13
2 -
Final
SH
LOU16
5 -
Final
WEL
LOU3
4 -
Final
WEL
LOU6
7 -
Final
LOU
BONSP4
1 -
Final
LOU
BONSP13
10 -
Final
LOU
TONG9
4 -
Final
LOU
TONG3
5 -
Final
LOU
MAC5
21 -
Final
LOU
EMP5
2 -
Final
LOU
BVW1
2 -
Final
FS
LOU12
0 -
Final
FS
LOU14
9 -
Final
EUD
LOU14
2 -
Final
LOU
LAN4
5 -
Final
LOU
CHAN0
10 -
Final
LOU
LAN1
3 -
Final
LOU
CHA1
6 -
Final
LOU
PAO9
2 -
Final
LOU
PAO12
3 -
Final
LOU
BAL10
0
-
Final
BAL
LOU3
1 -
Final
LOU
OLW0
2 -
Final
LOU
DES0
2 -
Final
PIP
LOU2
1 -
Final
BUR
LOU0
2 -
Final
LOU
OTT2
3 -
Final
LOU
FRON INV1st
PL -
Final
LOU
BONSP3
0 -
Final
LOU
EUD0
3 -
Final
FS
LOU0
2 -
Final
GIR
LOU1
2 -
Final
LOU
LOU INV2nd
PL -
Final
PAO
LOU0
3 -
Final
LOU
SH0
3 -
Final
LOU
OTT INV1
4 -
Final
TONG
LOU1
3 -
Final
LOU
ATCH INV2nd
PL -
Final
WAM
LOU0
2 -
Final
OLN
LOU1
2
-
Final
TONG
LOU51
53 -
Final
LOU
BUR51
63 -
Final
AC
LOU37
44 -
Final
LOU
BAL42
60 -
Final
LOU
FRON57
46 -
Final
LOU
EUD46
53 -
Final OT
LOU
SH60
57 -
Final
BAL
LOU62
46 -
Final
NEK
LOU55
54 -
Final 2OT
GIR
LOU58
56 -
Final
LOU
WAM45
56 -
Final
BON
LOU45
53 -
Final
PAO
LOU16
47 -
Final
LEE
LOU71
46 -
Final
LOU
OTT52
62 -
Final
LOU
TONG45
40 -
Final
SH
LOU44
42 -
Final
EUD
LOU52
49 -
Final
LOU
PAO46
29 -
Final
HAR
LOU57
52
-
Final
TONG
LOU48
28 -
Final
LOU
BUR38
43 -
Final
AC
LOU35
31 -
Final
LOU
BAL23
42 -
Final
LOU
FRON48
55 -
Final
LOU
EUD37
56 -
Final
LOU
SH46
59 -
Final
BAL
LOU52
31 -
Final
NEK
LOU41
49 -
Final
CHA
LOU53
36 -
Final
GIR
LOU42
34 -
Final
LOU
WAM24
63 -
Final
BON
LOU35
40 -
Final
PAO
LOU38
42 -
Final
LOU
OTT29
45 -
Final
LOU
TONG40
39 -
Final
SH
LOU43
37 -
Final
EUD
LOU38
30 -
Final
LOU
PAO39
35 -
Final
HAR
LOU33
40
Wildcats open season with runner-up finish at Fort Scott
- Updated: December 8, 2021
![](https://louisburgsportszone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/262238268_5194227680606000_7280886424485794035_n.jpeg)
FORT SCOTT — The first dual of the season didn’t go the way the Louisburg wrestling team had hoped it would Friday at the Fort Scott Dual Tournament.
However, it was the way the Wildcats responded that made the day all the more worth it.
After a setback to Blue Valley Southwest to start the day, Louisburg reeled off four straight victories to earn second place at the tournament and the Wildcats created some momentum moving forward.
“All in all, it was a pretty solid start to the season, and I’m proud of how the guys competed,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “If you look at our line-up compared to our opponents, we had a very young and inexperienced team. We had six freshmen and three sophomores, and four of the fourteen wrestlers are first- or second-year wrestlers. But we fielded a full team, top to bottom, for the first time in a long time, and because we had that depth and consistency, we were able to edge our a couple of teams in close duals.”
Louisburg opened the tournament against the No. 5 team in Class 5A, Blue Valley Southwest, and came away with a 54-27 setback.
The Wildcats then went up against Fort Scott, and found themselves down three points going into the last match, but junior Elijah Eslinger came through with a pin in the heavyweight match to give Louisburg a 42-39 victory.
That momentum carried over into the rest of the day as the Wildcats defeated Atchison County, 42-37 and Anderson County, 60-24. Louisburg ended its day with a 78-6 victory over team mixed with junior varsity wrestlers.
Senior Aiden Barker had a strong first outing as he ended the day with a 5-0 record and three pins. The No. 4 wrestler in Class 4A opened the tournament with a victory over a state qualifier.
“Barker definitely had a great day,” Bovaird said. “His first match was the biggest test — he wrestled a strong kid from Blue Valley Southwest who was a state qualifier two years ago in 5A and a part of a phenomenal and well-coached BVSW program. Barker showed a great deal of maturity, composure, and leadership in his matches throughout the day.”
Eslinger also had a big day for Louisburg. Along with his match sealing win over Fort Scott, he finished with a 5-0 record and three pins as well.
“One of the most exciting things about this sport is seeing the growth from year-to-year,” Bovaird said. “Elijah started off as a freshman wrestling varsity at 285 because we had no one else. In the past two years, he’s gotten tons more confidence and experience. Last year, he started being our true anchor — in a close dual, we knew he could seal the victory at the last weight. All of the matches in a dual are important, but it’s pretty exciting when a dual comes down to the final match. He’s done a great job showing composure and reliability in his position on the team, especially in the Fort Scott dual.”
Junior captain Kaven Bartlett had a successful day with a 4-1 record and two pins at 126 pounds. Freshman Ashton Moore was 4-1 with four pins at 170 pounds, while sophomore Noah Cotter (106) and freshman Colton Blue (113) were also 4-1.
Freshman Greysen Dixon (120), junior Jesse Murphy (152), freshman Lucas Swartz (160) and freshman Brayden Yoder (182) also had winning records on the day.
“Noah Cotter and Colton Blue had a lot of opens in their weights, but they’re going to have great seasons,” Bovaird said. “Both are hammers on the mat and have great work ethics. Kaven was very strong in his matches, and his lone loss on the day (5-3 overtime loss) was not without controversy. He controlled that match and wrestled his tail off from the first to the last whistle, and that goes for all of his matches. Ashton also had a great day, losing only to the No. 1 ranked wrestler in Kansas 5A.”
Louisburg will try and keep its winning ways going Friday when the Wildcats travel to Baldwin for another dual tournament. Matches begin at 4:30 p.m.