The mountain of playing Bishop Miege is always a tough one for public schools to climb, especially when it comes to football.

Miege, which has won seven state titles in the last 10 years, has never lost to a non-private school in the playoffs during that decade long of dominance.

Louisburg wanted to be the first team to hand it that loss Friday as the No. 2 seed Wildcats hosted the No. 15 Stags in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The Wildcats were so close to that mountaintop, but came up just short as they fell to Miege, 21-14, to end their season with a 7-2 record.

Louisburg was behind 14 points, only to rally and tie the game at halftime. The Wildcats had one final drive to try and tie it again late, but a Miege interception dashed the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset. 

“In this moment, the only word I can come up right now is proud,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “I am so proud of the team. Our biggest emphasis was we had to start fast and we didn’t. They got out to a 14-0 lead, and most times when you play teams like Miege that can snowball and get out of hand quick. Those guys just battled and were able to tie it up at halftime. Then for us to continue to fight and have a chance to tie it at the end — proud is all I can say about them.”

Bishop Miege got out to a quick start as they took a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown by Vinny George in the first quarter and then Stag quarterback Marco Rodriguez scored on a 4-yard run of his own to put Miege up 14-0 early in the the second quarter.

It didn’t get much better as the Wildcats found themselves on their own 2-yard line on their next drive. However, it was there when the game started to turn.

Louisburg made several big plays, including a 40-yard pass from quarterback Alex Saad to Rickey Giles, and the Wildcats drove 98 yards that ended on a 13-yard run by Ashton Moore to cut the Miege lead in half. Moore also had a 22-yard screen pass from Saad that set up the score.

“We had a negative play that set us up in a bad situation,” Harding said. “For them to battle through that, put a drive together and get a touchdown was great to see and 98-yard drives don’t happen very often, especially against a good defense like Miege. I think that drive was a good representation of what these guys did all night.”

The Wildcat defense then came up with a big play as senior Brayden Yoder recorded a sack on third down and force a Miege punt near midfield with under three minutes left in the first half.

Louisburg got its quick strike offense going as Saad connected with Myles Vohs on a 43-yard pass to get into Miege territory. That set up a 17-yard pass from Saad to Moore to tie it up with 40 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Wildcat offensive line of Yoder, Miles Meek, Xander Lucas, Nate Capuro and Johnny Hendrickson, along with tight ends Conlee Hovey and Erik Lien, opened holes for several big plays in the first half.

Hovey had a team high five catches for 78 yards to lead the Wildcats, while Vohs had 4 catches for 57 yards. Saad alluded pressure for most of the night as he completed 17 of 27 passes for 251 yards.

“Their confidence was high at halftime and they were feeling good about their situation, especially after being down 14 points and battling back,” Harding said. “Unfortunately we weren’t come out and put a drive together in the second half, but our defense played phenomenal all game and kept us in the game.”

Louisburg’s defense had one of — if not its best — game of the season. The Wildcats held a high-powered Miege offense to 21 points, despite being put in tough situations most of the night. 

They held the Stags to three field goal attempts, two of which were missed and the other was blocked by senior Lucas Swartz to keep it a one score game in the second half.

Junior Gage Feldkamp also had a big interception to keep the Stags out of the endzone. Senior Russell Wiseman had seven tackles, while Vohs and Yoder each had six to be among the team leaders in stops. 

“I would have to say this was our best defensive performance of the year,” Harding said. “We shut down their run game and made them throw it. We did a good job against that as well. They are a high-powered offense, so to hold them to 21 points, especially when they had good field position for most of the night, was really good.”

Moore had a big night for the Wildcats as he finished with a team-high 10 tackles. He also ran the ball hard on offense as he tallied 70 yards from scrimmage to go along with his two scores in his final game in a Louisburg uniform.

“Ashton was extremely motivated,” Harding said. “You could tell that by the way he was running the football. He was flying around on defense and he is a great player. We are extremely lucky that he is at Louisburg and he had a great career for us. I know he is going to have a great career moving on as well.”

Miege added a touchdown in the third quarter to take a 21-14 lead, but the Wildcat offense would stall for most of the second half, until one final drive in the fourth.

Louisburg’s defense forced a Miege punt with just under two minutes left in the game. 

Saad immediately hit Vohs on a leaping 16-yard catch to put the ball at the Miege 40 yard line. With 1:12 left in the game, Saad threw a pass toward the endzone that was tipped and Miege made a diving interception that all but ended the contest. 

“We were going to go for 2 for sure and go for the win,” Harding said. “I was really looking forward to having that opportunity. We got down there, but we had a penalty and couple negative things happen to where we couldn’t get it in the endzone.

“I don’t think we are into moral victories by any means, but I think every one of them can hold their heads high. They all put their best efforts into this and this was the most focused we have been all year in terms of preparation. They came out and played really well. They should be proud of everything they have accomplished.”

It marked the end to what was a special season for the Wildcats as they won their first seven games to start the year and just missed out on a third consecutive Frontier League title. 

It was also the last time 24 seniors will wear the Louisburg uniform as they gave everything they had in their final contest.

“To have a senior class that is this large is a great thing,” Harding said. “Every single one of them had a role on our team, and they did a good job playing that role. We are very lucky to have each and every one of them and they are going to be great individuals past high school and beyond football. I am proud of all their accomplishments.”

LOU 0 14 0 0 — 14

BM 7 7 7 0 — 21

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

B: Vinny George 4 run (kick good)

Second quarter

B: Marco Rodriguez 4 run (kick good)

L: Ashton Moore 13 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

L: Ashton Moore 17 pass from Alex Saad (Vohs kick)

Third Quarter

B: Teryn Jackson 33 pass from Rodriguez (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 14-32; Darby Van Eaton 2-18; Alex Saad 7-12

PASSING — Alex Saad 17-27-251

RECEIVING — Conlee Hovey 5-78; Myles Vohs 4-57; Ashton Moore 4-48; Rickey Giles 1-40; Josh Holtzen 1-12; Reid McCaskill 1-9; Darby Van Eaton 1-7

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 10, Russel Wiseman 7, Myles Vohs 6, Brayden Yoder 6, Conlee Hovey 5, Jimmy DeVary 4, Lucas Swartz 3, Gage Feldkamp 3, Logan Henry 2, Bryce Thompson 2, Erik Lien 2, Miles Meek 2, Rickey Giles 1, Reid McCaskill 1

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week nine of the fall sports season, sponsored by Edward Jones-Craig Holtzen.

EMMETT WHITE, SENIOR, SOCCER

Louisburg senior Emmett White scored the Wildcats’ lone goal last week, but it was a big one. White’s first half goal helped give Louisburg a 1-0 win over Chanute during the Class 4-1A regional semifinal game. It was White’s third game-winning goal of the season.

White, who battled a high-ankle sprain most of the year, ended the season with nine goals and had three assists as he helped the Wildcats to a 9-9 finish.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Week 6: Adelyn Moore

Week 7: Brayden Yoder

Week 8: Truman Ellison

BALDWIN CITY — There wasn’t a whole lot that went right for Louisburg on Thursday during the Class 4-1A regional championship game against No. 1 seed Baldwin.

The No 8 seed Wildcats saw their starting goalie get injured prior to the contest and Baldwin used a pair of second half goals to pull away for a 3-0 victory over Louisburg.

The loss ended the Wildcats’ season with a 9-9 record as Louisburg saw a big improvement from just four wins a season ago. 

“From last season to this season, it was a huge step forward for the program,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “It’s not just the skills we showed on the field; it was also the mindset growth that everyone experienced. We’ve improved in nearly every area — our defense tightened up and we gave up fewer goals, our possession was much better, and we really came together as a team. 

“Yes, it was a heartbreaking way to see the season come to an end, but that doesn’t change how proud I am of how far we’ve come and the foundation we’ve built for next year.”

Louisburg gave the Bulldogs a fight, especially in the first half. After playing them week earlier, in which the Wildcats lost 5-2, Louisburg found itself down just 1-0 at halftime.

Toward the end of the first half, the Wildcats had a chance to tie it up when senior Colton Blue crossed the ball to the box and it found the foot of senior Emmett White. His shot was knocked away by the Baldwin keeper and it was the best opportunity the Wildcats had all afternoon.

The Bulldogs doubled their lead five minutes into the second half and added another goal with 12 minutes remaining to pull away for the victory.

“It’s really tough to beat a team more than once in a season, but Baldwin made sure to get things done against us,” Bovaird said. “I thought we showed a great deal of heart and resilience, despite the loss. There were times in the game when we controlled possession very well and made some great offensive threats. While we were unable to capitalize on our chances, Baldwin made the best of their chances. Both teams fought like crazy, and while the game’s outcome didn’t go our way, we battled and never gave up.”

Louisburg faced some adversity early as starting goalie Evan Moreland suffered a leg injury during warmups and was unable to play.

Reserve goalie Carter Schneider took his spot and made five saves and had two blocked shots in what was his first, true varsity action. 

“I’d say that the key to being successful in so many situations is to expect the unexpected,” Bovaird said. “There was no way we could have seen Evan getting hurt like he did during warm-ups, but the great thing was that we had a player like Carter right there, ready to step up and fill a role. That shows the great mindset he had as a player, the depth of our bench, and the faith that the team had in him. 

“Evan has been a consistent presence for us in goal all season, and he has been such a vocal leader. I was really impressed with how Carter stepped up. He was thrown into a high-pressure situation, and he handled it with composure. It’s not easy to be called up like that, but he showed his potential and kept us competitive. I think he has a bright future ahead.”

It was also a tough ending for eight Louisburg seniors as White, Blue, Ethan Sharp, Dan Minster, Mika McKitrick, Will Showalter, Cole Clover and Jacob Brown all played their final matches for the Wildcats.

It was a group Bovaird had a chance to work with for several years at junior varsity level and then again as a varsity coach.

“We’ve been incredibly blessed to have had these eight guys leading our team this year,” Bovaird said. “They have been the heart and soul of the team, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of leaders. Many of them began high school soccer when they played for me on the JV team as freshmen, and then as sophomores they’ve been right there on the varsity team with me as their head coach. 

“They’ve shown incredible dedication, leadership, and commitment to the program. They’ve set a standard and created a culture that the younger players can look up to. It’s hard to put into words how much they’ve meant to the team—they’ve been great mentors and role models, and their legacy will last for years to come.”

Wildcats edge Chanute to reach regional title game

Before Louisburg had at the opportunity to play Baldwin for the regional title, the Wildcats first had to get past Chanute in the Class 4-1A regional semifinals on Oct. 29.

The Wildcats battled the Blue Comets and gusty winds to hold on for a 1-0 victory over Chanute. 

Senior Emmett White scored the game’s lone goal early in the first half on an assist from Colton Blue. The Wildcats controlled possession for much of the contest to get their ninth win on the season.

“Any time you’ve got the wind blowing straight up the field like it was last Tuesday, you’re going to see some adversity for either team,” Bovaird said. “Our game against Chanute was challenging, especially with the weather. Wind like that changes everything, and it forced us to adjust our game. Regardless, we did our best to adapt to things. We battled through all that and stayed focused. They didn’t let the conditions get the best of them and stayed tough from start to finish.”

Louisburg dominated play as the Wildcats outshot the Blue Comets, 17-3. White led the way with three shots on target, while Blue, Owen Marsh, Jacob Brown and Ryder Erickson each had one. 

ST. GEORGE — For the last two seasons, the Louisburg volleyball team ventured on the road and captured back-to-back sub-state championships.

This season the Wildcats found themselves in the same position and faced a tough task as they traveled to No. 1 seed Rock Creek. 

After a 2-0 victory over Independence in the sub-state semifinals, the Wildcats battled Rock Creek in the championship game in hopes of making it a third-straight trip to state.

Although they battled, Louisburg came up short in a 25-18 and 25-23 setback to the Mustangs on Saturday at Rock Creek High School. The Wildcats finished the season with a 20-16 record.

“The end of any season is always tough, and losing in the championship on Saturday was heartbreaking for sure,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Rock Creek is a great team, but we sure put up a great fight. In the first set I thought we wanted to compete, but let them score too many runs and get too many easy points from us. In the second set, I thought we really went for it and believed that that could be our game. 

“We stepped up every aspect of our game it felt like and we were in it right until the very end. We are very proud of the heart that our girls showed in that match.”

Rock Creek, which came into the tournament with a 32-4 record, provided a lot of challenges for the Wildcats. Mustang middle blocker Ayla Klingenberg was big at the net with 12 kills on the night, while setter Brynna Moeller had 17 assists.

“Rock Creek is a great team,” Willer said. “Their ball control is very solid, and (Moeller) is quite impressive. She is offensive-minded, very athletic and moves the ball around well to put their hitters in good positions. Klingenberg is a force to be reckoned with at the net and we knew it would be a challenge to stop her. 

“Additionally, they are just a strong team from every position. They are tall and strong at the net so they put up a good block, and they have girls that can swing aggressively from each position. As I said before, they are a very strong team and one that I imagine will do well at the state tournament later this week.”

Still, the Wildcats were able to put up a fight, especially in the second set. Louisburg was down 18-14 when McKenna Lohse tallied two kills and Addi Mallett added another to make it 18-17.

Rock Creek went up 19-17, but Lohse added two more kills to tie the match. The Mustangs went up 22-20, but Caileigh Kilgore answered with two kills of her own to tie the match again. 

It wasn’t enough as Rock Creek scored three of the next four points to take the set and the match. 

“We really did leave it all out there on the floor,” Willer said. “After the game, we talked about how we all should walk out of that gym with our heads held high knowing that we gave it our all and played what I think was our best volleyball of the season. The environment in the gym was great – I’ll give credit to the Rock Creek Student Section – they sure brought the noise. 

“That being said, our families, friends, and loved ones that made the trip out there to support us really brought the energy. It means a lot to our girls to be able to look up in the stands and see so much purple.”

Lohse and Kilgore led the Wildcats at the net with seven and six kills, respectively. Senior Evyn Richardson added five. On the day, Lohse tallied 13 kills and Kilgore had 11.

The players also fared well at the net defensively as they challenged several Rock Creek attacks.

“Our hitters did a great job at the net overall,” Willer said. “We minimized our unforced errors which helped us win the semi-final and compete in the championship. Kenna hit .500 on the day with 13 kills and only 1 error on 24 attempts. Caileigh hit .409 with 11 kills and only 2 errors on 22 attempts. 

“Our offense among the rest of our hitters was solid as well – those two just stood out the most for us. On the defensive side of things, I was proud of how well our team blocked against Rock Creek, especially considering they were the taller, bigger team. We played tough at the net and competed well all day.”

Sophomore setter Adelyn Moore had 20 assists, while senior libero Aspen Coulter led the team with nine digs. Moore and Mallett each had five. 

Against Independence, the Wildcats controlled the game from behind the service line and it started with Lohse. The Louisburg junior led the way with six aces in the Wildcats’ 25-19 and 25-14 win. 

In all, Louisburg had 12 aces in the semifinal match, including two from senior Jaden Bentz and junior Delaney Nelsen.

Moore ran the offense well as she recorded 23 assists against the Bulldogs, while Mallett and Lohse each had six kills.

Defensively, Coulter led the back row with six digs and senior Ally Brown had four. Another senior, Katie McKain, finished with a team-high two blocks.

The loss against Rock Creek also meant the final game in a Louisburg uniform for five seniors as Bentz, Brown, Coulter, McKain and Richardson all saw their Wildcat careers come to a close.

“These five seniors have been wonderful with the team this season,” Willer said. “As a group, they faced a unique challenge in the sense that our senior class last year was so big, and really only one of this year’s seniors came in with much varsity experience. That being said, this group didn’t miss a beat and stepped up to the challenge wholeheartedly. 

“I have been so impressed by this group of girls this season because of their selflessness and team first mentality. They walked in the gym every day willing to work hard and wanting to get better, and I think that showed on the court on Saturday. They gave so much of themselves to this team and our program and we are so lucky to have had them be a part of it. We will miss them so much next year.”

OVERLAND PARK — The season isn’t quite over for the Louisburg cross country team — Levi Cotter and Truman Ellison made sure of it.

Both Cotter and Ellison qualified for the state meet after each earned top 15 finishes at the Class 4A regional meet Saturday that was held at Blue Valley Southwest. 

“Levi and Truman ran great races,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “They had a controlled start and were able to move through the field as the race played out. They had to work hard the last 800 as they were in the mix of several runners and had to be top 15 to qualify.”

Prior to the season, the Kansas State High School Activities Association changed how a runner can qualify for state. Previously, it was the top three teams, then the top five individuals that weren’t part of the state qualifying teams.

This season, it is still the top three teams, but runners that are not on state qualifying teams must finish in the top 15. Cotter and Ellison beat out a pack of runners to earn that state bid.

Cotter led the Wildcats as he broke the 18 minute mark and took 12th overall in 17 minutes and 57 seconds.

“I felt like all of the work that I put in throughout the years for running has paid off,” Cotter said. “I felt like I was ready. During the warm-up I was feeling great, too. The course was amazing and I couldn’t have asked for an easier course than that.”

As for Ellison, he was right behind his teammate as he finished 14th overall in 18:02. Both runners earned their first state bid.

“Everyone on the team has been putting in the hard work,” Ellison said. “I’m grateful for my coaches that have pushed me since fifth grade, and it feels like the encouragement and work that I have put in is paying off.

“I feel like I ran an amazing race and was prepared, both physically and mentally. There were many great runners at the meet and the competition was very hard. At first the course was a little bit confusing, but after walking it before the race, I felt like I knew it well. The course had many ups and downs, but it was very fun to race.”

Another sophomore, Spencer Mattison, also ran for the Wildcats and he took 27th overall in 19:08.

On the girls side, the Wildcats had four runners compete and freshman Hailey Shelton led the way in 22:20 and took 31st. Freshmen Annie Hornberger (22:48) and Anna Cotter (23:13) finished 24th and 39th, respectively. 

Sophomore Talen McMurray rounded out the Wildcat lineup in 41st in 23:16.

“The girls did awesome,” Reece said. “All four of them ran PR’s to end their season and gained some great racing experience. We hope to take another step forward next year with such a young group of runners.”

Now Cotter and Ellison will prepare for the Class 4A state meet that will be held this Saturday at the Wamego Country Club. The 4A boys race is scheduled for 12:55 p.m.

“Having run Wamego earlier in the season, I look for them to compete well and leave state with a course PR and maybe an all time PR,” Reece said. “It is going to be a great day.”

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week eight of the fall sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

TRUMAN ELLISON, SOPHOMORE, CROSS COUNTRY

Louisburg sophomore Truman Ellison put together one of his better races of the season Saturday and picked the perfect time to do it. At the Class 4A regional meet on Saturday at Blue Valley Southwest, Ellison qualified for the state cross country meet as he took 14th overall with a time of 18 minutes and 2 seconds. He will join teammate Levi Cotter at state, who also qualified with a top 15 finish.

Ellison has medaled in several meets this season for the Wildcats and will try to do the same this Saturday when both Wildcats runners will travel to Wamego for the Class 4A state meet.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Week 6: Adelyn Moore

Week 7: Brayden Yoder

As the final buzzer sounded Friday at Wildcat Stadium, members of the Louisburg football team found themselves in uncharted territory.

For nearly three years, the Wildcats hadn’t lost a Frontier League game and had won 19 straight league contests going into Friday’s Senior Night game against Spring Hill. And just like the last three years, Louisburg’s final game with Spring Hill would decide the Frontier League title.

The streak, unfortunately, came to an end for the Wildcats as they suffered a 14-13 setback to the Broncos and lost their first game of the season, along with their No. 1 ranking in Class 4A.

“At this point, it is kind of hard to grasp on what we accomplished in the league and it is tough to see it come to an end,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We were two points away from continuing the streak and it is definitely a tough loss.

“I felt like we played pretty decent overall. We just had a couple errors and some penalties that kind of cost us. I don’t think we played bad by any means, I think they just played a little bit better.”

Prior to the game, the Wildcat team honored their 24 senior players and three senior managers with their parents. Russell Wiseman, Logan Henry, Josh Holtzen, Daniel Aponte Soto, Reid McCaskill, Conlee Hovey, Wyatt Crooks, Garrison Bloustine, Myles Vohs, Emmett White, Alex Saad, Ashton Moore, Lucas Swartz, Darby Van Eaton, Erik Lien, Aidan Meyer, Jacob Bentz, Roy Bauer, Brayden Yoder, Nate Capuro, Jimmy DeVary, Xander Lucas, Miles Meek and Aiden Kennedy were recognized, along with managers Jazzy Leach, Sami Lane and Liz Willming.

It was a defensive battle for most of the night, despite both teams scoring on their opening drives. Spring Hill (7-1) took the lead first on a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jordan Miller, then the Wildcats (7-1) answered when Ashton Moore found the endzone on a 1-yard run.

From there, opportunities to score were few and far between.

Louisburg junior Blaise Vohs gave the Wildcats the lead in the kicking game with a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter to put the Wildcats up 10-7 at halftime.

The lead widened with another Vohs field goal in the third quarter, this time a 26-yarder. Spring Hill, however, had an answer as it drove down the field and scored on a 3-yard run to go up 14-13.

“Spring Hill just made a couple more plays than we did,” Harding said. “I think we just made a few too many mental errors. We kicked two field goals in the redzone and that turned out to be the difference. If we could cash one or two of those in then it is a completely different game.”

The Broncos tried to extend its lead with a field goal of their own, but the 37-yard try was blocked by Conlee Hovey and gave the Wildcats some momentum with nine minutes left in the game.

Louisburg quarterback Alex Saad found Myles Vohs for a 39-yard diving catch to the Spring Hill 38-yard line. Then Saad hit Vohs again for another first down to the 25.

Then on third down at the 20-yard line, Saad’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by the Broncos with just under five minutes left. Spring Hill would run out the clock on the Wildcats’ hopes for a third straight league title.

“It was tough,” Harding said. “It was just a tipped pass and the kid made a heck of a play on the interception. It was unfortunate that it kind of happened that way.”

The connection between Saad and Myles Vohs was big for most of the night. Myles led the way with seven catches for 128 yards and Saad completed 11 of 17 passes for 153 yards.

However, the Wildcats were unable to get much going in the run game as they had just 59 yards on the ground and 41 of those came from Moore.

“Spring Hill was very physical and they did a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage,” Harding said. “It was tough for us to get any traction in the run game and that made it pretty difficult on us.”

Defensively, the Wildcats did their best to limit a powerful Spring Hill offense. Louisburg held Spring Hill to just one point off its season low and the Wildcats got a big performance from defensive tackle Brayden Yoder.

Yoder was all over the field as he led the Wildcats with 17 tackles on the night, including eight solo stops. Moore finished with 13 tackles and had six solo tackles.

Hovey was also big on the defensive line for Louisburg as he had 11 tackles, including two for a loss. Lucas Swartz and Erik Lien had eight and six tackles, respectively.

Louisburg will now begin its playoff run Friday as the Wildcats, who earned the No. 2 seed, will host No. 15 Bishop Miege (1-7). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

“We are playing on borrowed time right now and nothing is guaranteed,” Harding said. “Our mission from this point forward is just to prepare as best we can during the week and put us in a position to make our season last as long as we possibly can.”

LOU 7 3 3 0 — 13

SH 7 0 7 0 — 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

SH: Jordan Miller 7 run (kick good)

L: Ashton Moore 1 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 30 FG

Third Quarter

L: Vohs 26 FG

SH: Patrick Stumpff 3 run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 15-41; Alex Saad 8-20

PASSING — Alex Saad 11-17-153

RECEIVING — Myles Vohs 7-128; Ashton Moore 2-15; Conlee Hovey 2-10

TACKLES — Brayden Yoder 17, Ashton Moore 13, Conlee Hovey 11, Lucas Swartz 8, Erik Lien 6, Logan Henry 5, Russell Wiseman 2, Myles Vohs 2, Gage Feldkamp 2, Jimmy DeVary 2, Josh Holtzen 1, Bryce Thompson 1, Aiden Kennedy 1. 

BALDWIN CITY — It wasn’t an easy task for Louisburg in its regular season finale Thursday at Baldwin.

The Wildcats had to square off with a Baldwin team that is ranked No. 1 in the state and just clinched a Frontier League title. 

Early in the second half, the Wildcats had the momentum on their side and pushed the Bulldogs. Unfortunately for Louisburg, Baldwin eventually pulled away to hand the Wildcats a 5-2 loss.

“The boys showed a ton of grit and determination against Baldwin,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Sure, the end result wasn’t what we wanted, but at the same time, that was some of the best soccer I’ve seen this group play in the last two years. We’re getting ready for a run at state, and that means we have to look at each game one at a time.”

Baldwin took a 2-0 lead early in the second half, but the Wildcats responded with a pair of goals of their own to get right back in the match. 

Senior Colton Blue dribbled through the Baldwin defense off a throw in and found the back of the net to cut the Bulldog lead in half. A few moments later, the Wildcats struck again.

Sophomore Brody Bovaird was fouled in the box and Louisburg was awarded a penalty kick. Senior Emmett White converted the PK with 25 minutes remaining in the match and it was all tied up.

Louisburg continued its momentum on the defensive end a few minutes later. Baldwin was awarded a penalty kick of its own, but junior goalie Evan Moreland appeared to make a diving save.

However, the officials ruled that he left his line early and the Bulldogs were given another chance and they took advantage to make it a 3-2 contest.

“I’m at a loss regarding that PK,” coach Bovaird said. “At that moment in the game, we had tied up the score 2-2, and we were clicking on all cylinders. It’s tough to give up a penalty kick at any point in a game, but when Evan made the stop on the first one, that would have set a tone that Baldwin would have struggled to answer. Then, when the AR called it back, saying Evan had moved off the line prior to the kick, it had a very noticeable impact on the team.

“Everyone was working so hard defensively and offensively up until that point, but that subjective call definitely took a lot of our enthusiasm away. It was tough to bounce back after that.”

The Bulldogs tacked on two more scores to seal the win and the Wildcats finished the regular season with an 8-8 record.

It was the third straight loss for the Wildcats after falling to a Class 6A program in Blue Valley, 8-0, last Tuesday in Louisburg.

“Both games last week, despite them being losses that brought us to a .500 record, showed quite a bit about where we’re at right now,” coach Bovaird said. “Blue Valley is a much better team than their record suggests, and Baldwin is at the top of the 4A division. We made some great stands defensively against both teams, and our communication is definitely improving. We’re showing great movement off the ball, doing better at keeping possession as we transition to the attack. 

“At this point in the season, some guys are getting banged up, and the great thing is that our bench depth was a huge plus—players came in ready and kept up the intensity, which is going to be crucial for us in the postseason.”

The postseason begins this Tuesday as the Wildcats earned the No. 8 seed in the Class 4-1A regional tournament. They will host No. 9 Chanute in a 6 p.m. start.

The winner will square off with the winner between No. 1 Baldwin and No. 16 Parsons for the regional championship later this week.

“This group is fired up,” Bovaird said. “There’s a predator mindset that’s set in with each of them — they’re focused on their goals and shutting out the distractions. Ever since last season ended, there’s been a lot of work being put in so that we can prove that the 2023 season was a fluke. 

“I can’t quantify how many hours have been put in the weight room, on the practice field, and in giving attention to nutrition and health. This group has been studying the sport, they’ve been extremely coachable, and they are all determined to step up, give 100 percent, and leave it all on the field.”

OTTAWA — In what was the final game of its 3-game road trip, the Louisburg football team faced its toughest challenge to date.

The Wildcats traveled to Ottawa and went up against a 1-loss Cyclone team that had its eyes on a Frontier League title themselves.

Louisburg quickly dashed those hopes and showed why it is the 2-time defending league champion.

The Wildcat defense held the Ottawa offense to just seven points and Louisburg used two long drives that helped it to a 17-7 victory Friday.

Louisburg maintained its perfect season with a 7-0 record and is still currently ranked No. 1 in Class 4A.

“This was definitely a good game for us to experience,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We faced some adversity and they certainly had all the momentum there to start the second half. For the guys continuing to play through that and getting the win was good and hopefully this type of game will benefit us in the future.”

As much as the Wildcat offense has thrived this season, it was their defense that came through with its best performance of the year. Louisburg held Ottawa to its lowest point total of the season.

Ottawa’s previous lowest total was 21 points in a loss to Eudora and the Wildcats made a lot of big stops against the Cyclones’ high-powered offense.

“They played really, really well and playing to the scheme and knowing their assignment,” Harding said of the defense. “We did a really good job. We gave up a few big plays that we shouldn’t have, but this team is very explosive, and to hold them to seven points is a good performance.

“Ottawa has a good running back, some good wide receivers and a quarterback that can make some plays. Their offensive line is good too. They are a well-rounded team and they were 5-1 coming in for a reason, so to walk out with a win feels good.”

Louisburg got on the board first in the opening quarter as the Wildcats drove 97-yards to score the game’s first touchdown. On a fourth down and goal from the 1, senior Ashton Moore ran it in to put the Wildcats up 7-0.

Ottawa drove down near the redzone on its next possession, but senior Logan Henry picked off a pass in the endzone to prevent a Cyclone score. 

The Wildcats put together another drive in the second quarter that ended on a 41-yard field goal by Blaise Vohs and Louisburg took a 10-0 lead at halftime.

Ottawa came out with a vengeance after halftime. The Cyclones forced a punt on the Wildcats’ first drive of the half, and then scored on a 26-yard pass to cut the Louisburg lead to three.

After the Cyclones forced another Wildcat punt, Ottawa was on the move again, but the Wildcats got pressures from Lucas Swartz, Brayden Yoder, Erik Lien and Ashton Moore that forced three straight negative plays and an Ottawa punt.

The Wildcat defensive front created havoc most of the night and it was led by Yoder, who finished with seven tackles and a sack. Seniors Conlee Hovey and Miles Meek also had a sack.

“Defensive line played really well and we were able to put pressure on them,” Harding said. “Their quarterback is a tough guy to corral and bring down, but they were able to do it several times and really made it uncomfortable for him.”

Moore took care of the rest from the linebacker spot as he led the team with 10 tackles, including a tackle for a loss. He also created a big turnover as he took the ball away from a Cyclone receiver after a big catch and returned it more than 20 yards in the first half.

Moore carried the load on offense as the Wildcats featured a run-heavy attack. He carried the ball 34 times for 137 yards and had both touchdowns and was also the team’s top receiver with four catches for 41 yards.

“Ashton did take on a load,” Harding said. “We told him that he was going to be carrying the football a lot and we told him that we are going to need him defensively as well. Ashton stepped up to the challenge and just had a big time game.”

Several of those carries came on the game’s most crucial drive. The Wildcats started with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the third quarter, and Moore put them up by 10 on a 2-yard run with under five minutes left in the fourth.

The drive was 14 plays that covered 61 yards and took 8 minutes and 40 seconds. The Wildcats also got big conversions on third down on catches by Reid McCaskill and Hovey and runs from quarterback Alex Saad.

“Controlling the clock was one of our goals and we wanted to keep their offense on the sidelines,” Harding said. “A drive like that was exactly what we wanted to do.”

“All those guys played really well. We needed to convert on some third and fourth downs and Saad was able to get us a couple. Then Reid and Conlee had big catches for us as well. It was a team-effort for sure.”

Louisburg’s defense put together one more stop and were able to walk out of Ottawa with its perfect record intact.

The Wildcats will now try to secure their third consecutive league title this Friday as they host Spring Hill on Senior Night. The Broncos are 6-1 on the season as both teams are vying for the league crown.

“It will be a challenge,” Harding said. “They are a really good football team and they are a physical team that does a lot of good things. We will have to have another good week of preparation in order to come out and get a win. We are certainly excited to play at home for sure.”

LOU 7 3 0 7 — 17

OTT 0 0 7 0 — 7

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

L: Ashton Moore 1 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 41 FG

Third Quarter

O: Cole McGrath 26 pass from Haydon Hull (kick good)

Fourth Quarter

L: Moore 2 run (Vohs kick)

STATISTICS 

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 34-137; Alex Saad 5-45; Myles Vohs 1-5; Darby Van Eaton 1-2

PASSING — Alex Saad 10-17-94

RECEIVING — Ashton Moore 4-41; Conlee Hovey 3-33; Reid McCaskill 1-16; Myles Vohs 2-4

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 10, Brayden Yoder 7, Lucas Swartz 6, Logan Henry 5, Russell Wiseman 4, Conlee Hovey 4, Miles Meek 3, Myles Vohs 2, Erik Lien 2, Jimmy DeVary 2, Rickey Giles 1, Reid McCaskill 1, Bryce Thompson 1, Gage Feldkamp 1

WAMEGO — With the Frontier League schedule complete and the postseason right around the corner, the Louisburg volleyball team had two games remaining on its regular season schedule.

As far as the league standings and postseason schedule goes, the matches last Thursday didn’t mean much, but the Wildcats wanted to enter the postseason on a positive note.

Louisburg was able to accomplish that as the Wildcats defeated Wamego and Ottawa during a triangular at Wamego High School.

The Wildcats rallied to beat Wamego, 2-1, in the first match of the night and then took care of business against Ottawa in a 2-0 win. Louisburg finished its regular season with a 19-15 record.

‘It was great to go out to Wamego and get a couple of wins,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “We talked a lot about how it was important to us to finish the regular season on a positive note and having fun as a team. There were moments in both games that were touch and go as we had more errors than we would have liked, but each time we were able to turn it around and play at a higher level later in the game. 

“Both Wamego and Ottawa are scrappy teams that defended us well to start, but our girls did a good job at making some adjustments to end on a more successful note.”

After a tough start in a first set loss to Wamego, the Wildcats were able to rally in the 24-26, 25-13 and 25-19 victory. 

Louisburg served tough to help get back in it as the Wildcats tallied 12 aces, including three from seniors Aspen Coulter, Ally Brown and junior McKenna Lohse. They also had two from Addi Mallett and one from Delaney Nelsen. 

The middles also had a big night as Lohse and senior Evyn Richardson each had nine kills to lead the team, and junior Caileigh Kilgore had seven.

Sophomore Adelyn Moore had a team high 28 assists to help lead the offensive attack.

Defensively, senior Jaden Bentz and Coulter each had nine digs to lead the way and Moore had eight. Senior Ally Brown and Nelsen each had seven.

Against Ottawa, the Wildcats survived the first set with a 28-26 victory, but dominated the second set 25-10 to earn the sweep.

Mallett led the Wildcat attack at the net with seven kills, while Lohse finished with six. Moore also had 16 assists on the night.

Defensively, the Wildcats found a lot of success at the net with 10 blocks, including three from Lohse and two from senior Katie McKain, Moore and Richardson.

In the back row, Brown led the way with six digs and also had an ace, as did Nelsen. 

“Looking at the performances, one of the biggest positives in my mind is that all of our stats were well-distributed among every player,” Willer said. “We had 4 players with double digit kills on the evening, and 4 other players with double digit digs. We’ve been working on balance throughout the season so that was really good to see. 

“Both Kenna Lohse and Ally Brown stood out as Kenna led us at the net with 15 kills and 5 blocks. Ally had a great night in the back row as she led the team with 4 Aces and 13 digs.”

Now the focus will be on the postseason for Louisburg. The Wildcats are the No. 9 seed and will face off with No. 8 Independence at 3 p.m. Saturday during the sub-state tournament at Rock Creek High School. 

If the Wildcats win, they will advance to the championship where they will meet the winner of No. 1 Rock Creek and Labette Co./Fort Scott match.

“As we look ahead to the postseason, we are looking forward to putting in some hard work in the gym in our final guaranteed week of practices so that we are at our best by Saturday,” Willer said. “With the positive energy that this team can bring to the court, we know that we are capable of accomplishing some big things.”