Wildcat soccer ready to take another step forward in 2025

Although the 2024 season ended a win shy of a regional championship, the Louisburg boys soccer team made big strides as it improved by five games from the season before and finished with a 9-9 record.

As positive as that season was, the Wildcats will have some retooling to do on the pitch in 2025 as they lost four all-league players from that team, including their two leading scorers and three important pieces to that defense.

With that, the Wildcats do bring experience back as they have a 13-member senior class that will look to guide Louisburg to a winning season this year.

“It’s a big advantage,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Last year, we saw the difference a senior class with experience could make, and this group is going to bring us the same thing. They’ve been playing together for years — from LRC days through high school — and that chemistry really shows.

“Practice has been great. The guys put in a ton of work over the summer, and it really shows — from freshmen through seniors, the work rate and energy have been outstanding. Numbers are strong, competition has been high, and that’s been pushing everyone to get better every day.”

Louisburg has familiar faces returning on both sides of the pitch and it starts with Owen Marsh. The Wildcat senior tied as the team’s leading scorer as season ago as he finished with 12 goals and 11 assists from his forward spot and was an honorable mention all-league player.

Junior Brody Bovaird also returns, who was an honorable mention all-league player a season ago and will help in the attacking department. Seniors Caleb Feldkamp, Tanner LaBrie and underclassmen Cody Courtney and Ryder Erickson will also look to help fill the scoring void.

“Owen has been showing great leadership all summer,” Bovaird said. “He’s worked hard, and I think he’s going to see that pay off with a big season. We’ve also got several guys ready to step into bigger roles.”

The Wildcats also bring back some experience on the defensives side as well and it starts in between the posts. Senior Evan Moreland returns for his third season in goal and is one of the vocal leaders for the defense.

“He’s taller, faster, stronger, and now has the confidence that comes with being a senior,” coach Bovaird said. “Having that kind of anchor behind the defense is huge.”

Senior Renner Erickson will take the field as the team’s starting defensive midfielder and will be joined in the back by Connor Marsh, Grant Cannon, Ryan Barberich, Wyatt Guetterman and Wyatt Tharp.

“Connor brings in a ton of experience from his club seasons, and he’s already been a vocal leader for us in the back,” coach Bovaird said. “Grant stepped in as a defender in the offseason and has really embraced that role. Ryan is another veteran with lots of varsity minutes and he’s very solid whether he’s at center back or outside back, and he makes great runs forward that give us an extra man in the attack.

“Wyatt Guetterman and Wyatt Tharp are tough, hard-working defenders who are very coachable and dependable. Renner will be stepping up as our center defensive mid, and his vision of the field makes him key to starting attacks from the back.”

Louisburg will begin its journey toward a playoff run on Sept. 2 as the Wildcats host Basehor-Linwood for a 6 p.m. match. The Wildcats are hoping for a successful season and know they will need several different people to step up to make it happen.

“We have a next man up mentality,” coach Bovaird said. “We graduated a lot of starters, but that doesn’t change our goals or how we approach the season. Our theme this year is fortis et fidelis — ‘strong and faithful.’ We talk about being mentally and physically strong, and about trusting one another and trusting the process.

“Practice has been great. The guys put in a ton of work over the summer, and it really shows — from freshmen through seniors. The work rate and energy have been outstanding. Numbers are strong, competition has been high, and that’s been pushing everyone to get better every day.”

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