Winds don’t hinder Wildcats en route to Osawatomie Invite title
Louisburg junior Sam Frederick watches his tee shot Tuesday during the Osawatomie Invitational. Frederick earned a medal and helped the Wildcats to a team title.
OSAWATOMIE — Winds were gusting more than 40 miles per hour Tuesday at the Osawatomie Golf Course — not exactly ideal for shooting your best scores.
The high winds didn’t seem to bother Louisburg much as the Wildcats put together their best team score of the season as they won Osawatomie Invitational. The Wildcats shot a 335 to win the tournament by three strokes.
Louisburg edged out Lansing, which finished as the runner-up with a 338, and Basehor-Linwood shot a 343 to take third in the 13-team tournament.
“The boys have been playing great all year, but did the best job managing the conditions and using their course knowledge in the tournament at Osawatomie,” Louisburg coach Brian Burns said.
Sophomore Derek Frederick continued his memorable season as he medaled in his fourth consecutive tournament. Frederick carded a 79, which was good for third overall.
Bishop Seabury’s Jace Hoffman and Heritage Christian’s Lucas Prado each shot a 77 to tie for first.
Louisburg junior Sam Frederick and sophomore Matt Stohs also continued their strong seasons as both earned their third medals of the year. Frederick carded an 80 to finish eighth overall, while Stohs shot an 82 to finish ninth.
“I was actually impressed by all four of my top golfers scores in that wind with Cole Mynsted being the other one,” Burns said. “The guys have got to play more this year and work on their short shots because of the great weather. To this, I owe their success as well as listening to their coach when it is time to make subtle swing changes.”
Louisburg junior Josh Holtzen chips onto the green Tuesday during the Osawatomie Invitational.
Senior Cole Mynsted was fourth on the team with a 94 and took 28th overall in the 75-member field. Junior Garrison Bloustine took 35th with a 98, while junior Josh Holtzen was 42nd with a 101.
Louisburg will look to continue its strong play on April 25 when it travels to Spring Hill for the Frontier League Invitational. Tee time is set for 10 a.m. at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course.
Wildcat boys track wins at Anderson County; Lady Cats take second
Louisburg junior Myles Vohs won the long jump Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational.
GARNETT — Conditions weren’t favorable for good times or distances Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational, but the Louisburg track and field teams still found a lot of success.
Gusty winds didn’t stop the Wildcat boys from winning the meet crown as they racked up 217 points and beat second place Ottawa by more than 120 points.
In all, the Wildcats won 10 events and scored points in 17 of the 18 events on the day.
“With the conditions, all we asked was to compete,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “The mindset was to try and get marks, and compete. We knew with the way the weather conditions were, that’s all we could focus on. They all did a great job of focusing and competing in their individual events. We didn’t have personal records or their best marks, but they competed.”
The Louisburg girls also fared well as they took runner-up with 123.50 points and Spring Hill won the meet with 147 points. The Lady Cats won three events and also scored points in all by one events.
“The girls did a good job of managing the variables that they could control and not let the other things, weather, affect them,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “This was the first meet that we ran all three relays which placed some girls in four events for the first time. We continue to compete well in the field events and are improving meet by meet.”
Louisburg scored points in several different areas and it started in the sprints as junior Gavin Lohse won the 100-meter dash in 11.35 seconds and junior Emmett White captured the 400 dash in 52.67 seconds.
Then in the distance races, junior Jerynce Brings Plenty won the 3,200-meter run in 10:39 and sophomore Blaise Vohs did the same in the 800 run in 2:09. Brings Plenty also took second in the 1,600 run in 4:58.
Success in the distance races continued as Vohs, Brings Plenty, Colton Blue and Myles Vohs won the 4×800-meter relay in 8:54.
“It was Jerynce’s first meet to compete in three events,” Wright said. “Times are not where he wants them to be, but ran solid races, and that’s all we want. Blaise also ran a solid time in the 800. We will only see him improve throughout the season, and peak when we want him too.”
Louisburg’s other relay, the 4×400, finished second as the team of Blaise Vohs, Aiden Meyer, Caleb Feldkamp and White ran a time of 3:33.24.
Tasen Ellison won a pair of field events. He took first in the javelin with a season-best throw of 152-11, while teammates Lane Cunningham (139-4) and Miles Meek (133-6) took third and fifth, respectively. Ellison also won the high jump with a clearance of 5-6 and was third in the triple jump at 39-3.5
Juniors Cooper Wingfield and Jacob Brown finished 1-2 in the pole vault. Wingfield cleared 13-6, while Brown was runner-up at 12 feet.
Another junior, Myles Vohs, won the long jump with a personal best mark of 19-5 and Lohse was second at 19-1. Senior Wyatt Holland took fourth with a jump of 18-9.25.
Senior Jaymes Melton captured the shot put title with a throw of 43 feet and senior Ben O’Bryan was second at 41-6. O’Bryan was second in the discus with a toss of 125-7 and Johnny Hendrickson was sixth at 117-5.
Also on the track, Caleb Feldkamp was runner-up in the 200 dash in 23.98 seconds and Gage Feldkamp took fourth in 24.15. Aidan Meyer took runner-up in the 400 dash in 54.20 and Hunter Heinrich was sixth in 55.41.
Blue and Noah Cotter both scored points in the 800 run as Blue was third in 2:19 and Cotter was fourth in 2:27. Cotter also went on to take third in the 3,200 run in 10:51 and fifth in the 1,600 run in 5:07.
In the 300 hurdles, Grant Cannon was fourth in 48.75 and fifth in the 100 hurdles in 19.77. Ellison was also sixth in the 110 hurdles in 19.83.
Louisburg sophomore McKenna Lohse finished third in the shot put last Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational.
The Lady Cats won two events on the track and it started with its 4×100-meter relay. The team of Kendall Crossley, Emma Vohs, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel won with a time 53.49 seconds
Also on the track, senior Maddy Rhamy won the 3,200-meter run in 13 minutes and 20 seconds. Rhamy also finished runner-up in the 1,600, running a time of 6:24 and senior teammate Erin Apple was fifth in 6:41.
In the field events, senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross won her third consecutive pole vault competition as she cleared 11 feet and captured the title by more than two feet.
The Louisburg sprints also fared well as Dansel (13.05) and Crossley (28.16) took runner-up in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, respectively. Crossley also took fourth in the 400 dash in 1:08.
Louisburg continued that success in the relays as the 4×400 team of Vohs, Mallett, Adeyln Moore and Crossley finished runner-up in 4:30. Vohs, Moore, Apple and Rhamy also combined to run the first 4×800 relay of the season and recorded a time of 11:06 to finish second.
Freshman Caroline Apple scored points in a pair of hurdle events as she took second in the 300-meters in 53.69 seconds and was third in the 100 meters in 18.15. Senior Kate Frederick was fifth in 18.24.
Erin Apple rounded out the track point-getters with a fourth place finish in the 800-meter run in 3:02.
In the throws, sophomore McKenna Lohse was third in the shot put with a toss of 33-8 and later finished sixth in the discus with a mark of 85-4.
Senior Katie Elpers and Moore finished second and third, respectively, in the javelin. Elpers had a toss of 117-7 and Moore recorded a best of 101-10.
In the jumps, Annmarie Walton took fourth in the high jump with a clearance of 4-8 and Hanna Veres took fifth in the triple jump at 30-2. Stella Bohnenstiehl was sixth in the pole vault at 7-6.
Louisburg returns to action this Thursday when it hosts its home meet. Events begin at 4 p.m.
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week four of the spring sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.
IZZY MORELAND, SENIOR, SOFTBALL
Louisburg senior Izzy Moreland was a big part in what was a successful week for the Wildcat softball team. Moreland helped Louisburg to a 4-1 week and did it with the bat and on the mound. At the plate, Moreland finished the week with 10 hits and eight RBIs and also added her first home run of the season.
On the mound, Moreland picked up two big wins for the Wildcats against Bonner Springs and Baldwin. She finished the week with 22 strikeouts, including a 10 strikeout performance against Baldwin on Friday. She earned a win in the first game against Bonner Springs as a starter, then came in for relief in the second game to help get the sweep over the Braves.
The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the spring season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.
The Louisburg softball team greeted Megan Quinn at home plate after Quinn hit a 3-run home run in the first inning Friday against Baldwin at Lewis-Young Park.
It has been a long, but successful week for the Louisburg softball team and the Wildcats ended it Friday with a bang.
The Wildcats hosted Baldwin for a single game and rolled the Bulldogs for a 13-2 victory. Louisburg has now won six of its last seven games and are now 7-5 on the season.
“Last week was definitely a long, crazy week,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “I thought the girls responded really well, stayed locked in all week and won 4 out of 5 games. You can’t be mad about that.”
It all started with the bats for Louisburg as the Wildcats scored 10 runs in the first three innings and seniors Megan Quinn and Izzy Moreland were a big reason for that.
In the first inning, Quinn and Moreland hit back-to-back home runs to set the tone. Quinn hit a 3-run shot and Moreland followed with a solo home run to give the Wildcats an early 4-run lead.
The two players combined for 10 RBIs on the game and Quinn led the way with six runs batted in.
“Everything was clicking at the plate for us,” Chapman said. “A lot of girls were hitting the ball hard and making things happen. Megan and Izzy have been a giant part of our offense that is scoring a lot of runs. It was awesome to see both of them have a huge game, and even better that, they go back-to -back to start the game. They have put a lot of work into honing their craft and it’s really showing this season.”
Louisburg senior Izzy Moreland got the complete game victory Friday over Baldwin with 10 strikeouts.
Moreland also thrived on the mound as she recorded the complete game victory. She gave up three hits and the two runs were unearned. Moreland also finished with 10 strikeouts.
Senior Ashley Moreau also had a strong night offensively with a pair of hits, as did junior Addy Stohs, who added a double. Moreau also scored three runs.
Freshman McKinley Harmon recorded her first two varsity hits, while senior Jenna Cauthon added an RBI double. Sophomore Katelyn Smart also had a hit and a run scored.
Louisburg will try and keep its winning ways going today as the Wildcats travel McPherson for a quad. Louisburg will face McPherson at 4 p.m. and will play either Derby or Emporia in the second game.
Louisburg splits doubleheader at Tonganoxie
Louisburg made the trip to Tonganoxie in what it thought was going to be just a single game.
After some confusion, the Wildcats played a doubleheader with the Chieftains and left with a split. Louisburg lost the first game 5-3, before rallying for a 9-4 win in the nightcap.
“Tongie was a weird night because of schedule confusion,” Chapman said. “We showed up expecting to play 1 game, sat around while our JV got warmed up, and then all of sudden we were having to get ready quickly to play a doubleheader. Still, the girls responded well.”
The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first game, but mistakes on defense led to three runs for Tonganoxie in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Megan Quinn had two hits, a double and 3 RBIs to lead the offense, while Izzy Moreland, Ashley Moreau and Jenna Cauthon also had two hits.
In the nightcap, the Wildcats got a complete game performance from Quinn on the mound. The Louisburg senior went seven innings, gave up one earned run and struck out four.
Senior Rylee Hickey provided the fireworks with the bat as she tallied three hits, a double and a team-high 3 RBIs.
Cauthon and Quinn each had two hits and 2 RBIs, while Moreau had three hits and scored three runs. Moreland also had two hits and an RBI.
“We came out hot again in the second game and this time we didn’t let up and took care of business,” Chapman said. “We kept adding 1 or 2 runs an inning and then Rylee came up big in the seventh with bases loaded and hit a shot to the outfield to clear the bases. Our offense is really solid right now. If we can find a way to shore up our defense, we are going to be really dangerous as we get closer and closer to regionals.”
Wildcats shutout Baldwin to get league road win
Louisburg senior Lexi Hampton heads a shot toward the goal Thursday against Baldwin.
BALDWIN CITY — Prior to the season, the Louisburg girls soccer team had two games circled on its schedule.
They were league games against Spring Hill and Baldwin — a pair of teams the Wildcats have struggled with in recent years. Louisburg wanted to exact some revenge.
Despite falling in an overtime match to Spring Hill earlier in the year, the Wildcats got the win they were looking for on a windy Thursday in Baldwin City.
Louisburg scored a pair of goals within minutes of each other in the second half and the Wildcats left with a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs. It was also the second straight win for Louisburg as the Wildcats are now 6-2 on the season.
“One of the goals we made for this group was that when we play teams that we have not done well against in the past, is we want to change that narrative,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “The two teams we circled before the season was Spring Hill and Baldwin. They are two in league teams and we haven’t had the best success against them lately. We did a good job against Spring Hill, and it was a game we should have won.
“The girls showed a lot of fight and determination against Baldwin. We had girls who were sick, some girls that were banged up and we need some time off. We are shallow in our substitutions right now. It was really good for the girls to get this win. They put a lot of effort and fight into this.”
The Wildcats controlled possession in the first half as they battled gusty wind conditions, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Baldwin turned the tides after halftime as it used the wind to create several opportunities, but the back line of Jaden Bentz, Hailey Sword, Faith Sewell and Lila Edwards turned away several chances.
Louisburg goalie Macy Lemke, who also earned the clean sheet, corralled several saves to keep the match scoreless.
Louisburg defender Faith Sewell tries to clear the ball away from a Baldwin player Thursday on the road.
Then, midway though the second half, the Wildcat attack got going.
Junior midfielder Rowan Yows got a through ball down the left side. She sent a cross into the box and it found the foot of freshman Ellia Gibbons, who scored her first varsity goal to put the Wildcats up one.
Just a few minutes later, the Wildcats used the same play in their favor. Yows got a ball down the left side, crossed the ball in, and senior Lexi Hampton found the back of the net to make it 2-0.
Yows, who battled an injury throughout the match, found a little extra as she made two of the bigger passes in the match.
“When Rowan was off the field, I decided to play her more out wide and away from the middle of the field and all the tackles,” York said. “She got a couple balls played through and she has a great left foot cross. It put the goalie in a bad situation with both of them in the wind.
“At the time we weren’t in control of what was happening, and then all of sudden we made some plays and that is what good teams do. Was very pleased we faced adversity and really stuck with it and happy they got the result they wanted.”
Louisburg was battling illness and injury throughout the match and it left the Wildcats’ bench razor thin against one of the better teams in the league. Gibbons and Rylee Moore gave the Wildcats some much need minutes in the win.
“Our subs that come on for us right now, Rylee and Ellia, are really critical for us right now,” York said. “Right now, we are really only two deep and would like to have a couple more and hopefully we can expand our bench a little bit. Rylee did a good job and Ellia played a great game.”
The Wildcats will try and make it three straight wins as they travel for a non-league contest at Chanute. Varsity is slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Louisburg blanks Tonganoxie.
Louisburg traveled to square off with Tonganoxie on April 9 in hopes of snapping a two-match losing skid.
The Wildcats did just that as they shutout the Chieftains, 4-0, to improve in the Frontier League standings and got back on the winning track.
Senior Lexi Hampton scored a pair of goals to lead the Louisburg attack, while sophomore Mena Fercho and senior Hailey Sword also found the back of the net.
Louisburg senior Macy Lemke earned the clean sheet as the Wildcats picked up the road shutout.
Wildcats keep winning streak alive with road victory over Tonganoxie
Louisburg senior Declan Battle had four hits to lead the Wildcat bats Thursday in a win over Tonganoxie.
TONGANOXIE — It has been several years since the Louisburg baseball team has seen a start to its season like this one.
Going into Thursday’s Frontier League contest at Tonganoxie, the Wildcats had won nine of their first 10 games and had posted one of the top records in Class 4A.
It only got better as the Wildcats got a 9-4 victory over Tonganoxie to earn another league victory and improved its record to 10-1 on the season.
“The guys are playing really well right now,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We talked at the start about the potential this team has and so far we are playing up to it. We have a lot of baseball left and need to stay focused on our goal of winning one game at a time.”
Louisburg jumped out to a big lead early and were able to hold on thanks to the pitching of Alex Saad. The Louisburg junior pitched five innings and gave up just one earned run and struck out eight.
Senior Declan Battle came in for the final two innings of relief and gave up just one earned run and struck out three.
“Alex pitched really well all night,” Larson said. “He got ahead in the count against most batters and that helped him a lot.”
The Wildcats jumped out to 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning, thanks to a two-run double from Meade Rutherford and an RBI single from Battle in the top of the frame.
Tonganoxie answered with three runs in its half of the third to swing the momentum on its side. Louisburg didn’t waste much time in taking it back.
Sophomore Danny Napier and senior Jackson Howard hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the fourth inning and the Chieftains never threatened again.
“Danny and Jackson going back to back was huge for us,” Larson said. “Having just given up three in the bottom of the third inning, immediately answering with two home runs got the momentum back for us right away.
“Tonganoxie is a great program. Going into their place and finding a way to win is tough. The guys knew they had to play well and they stepped up.”
Battle led the Wildcat bats with four hits on the night to go along with 2 RBIs. Senior Nathaniel Lamm also added two hits and drove in a run.
Louisburg will try and continue its 8-game winning streak Tuesday when it travels to Piper for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
Wildcat golf continues strong play at Paola, Piper tournaments
Louisburg’s Matt Stohs watches at tee shot during the Paola Invitational on April 8.
PAOLA — For part of the Paola Invitational, the Louisburg golf team was having its struggles and the Wildcats couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm.
Whatever it was, something seemed to click. Louisburg rallied on the back nine and the Wildcats finished second overall with a 337 on April 8 at the Paola Country Club.
The Wildcats were able to sneak past Ottawa by one stoke for the runner-up spot. Paola won its home tournament with a 325.
“The guys, except Derek (Frederick), were off to a horrible start,” Louisburg coach Brian Burns said. “It was the biggest comeback I have seen from any of my teams in recent years. I was super excited for all of them.”
Junior Sam Frederick responded with his best score of the season as he shot an 80 to medal fifth overall. Sophomore Matt Stohs also carded an 80, which was good for a sixth-place medal.
Another sophomore Derek Frederick, was the Wildcats’ third medalist of the day with an 84 as he took 11th overall.
Senior Cole Mynsted finished with a 93 to take 26th and junior Garrison Bloustine was 31st with a 96. Senior Drake Crooks rounded out the Wildcat lineup with as he took 58th with a 112.
Frederick medals at Piper
Louisburg didn’t have to wait long for its next meet as the Wildcats took part in the Piper Invitational on April 9 at the challenging Dub’s Dread Golf Course.
Derek Frederick recorded his third medal on the young season as he shot a 79 to take third overall. Topeka-Hayden’s Tagen Rodriguez and Basehor-Linwood’s Carson Youngblood tied for the tournament win with a 78.
“Derek is one of my best learners and kept his swing like I taught him and has applied it every year,” Louisburg coach Brian Burns said. “He is shooting in the high 70’s and 80’s and I am super proud of him. He has medaled in every tournament so far and also has straight A’s. He is a great student-athlete.”
Louisburg sophomore Derek Frederick finished third at the Piper Invitational on April 9.
As a team, the Wildcats shot a 354 against some tough competition and took sixth overall. Basehor-Linwood won with a 324, Hayden was second with a 328 and Spring Hill took third with a 329.
Along with Derek Frederick’s score, Sam Frederick also shot a solid round for the Wildcats as he carded an 84, which was good for 14th overall.
“Dub’s Dread was harder, but finishing in the middle of all the 5A and 6A teams was OK with me,” Burns said. “Derek and Sam impressed me with their scores at a tougher course.”
Matt Stohs was third on the team with a 95 and finished in 38th, while Cole Mynsted was 41st with a 96. Josh Holtzen (104) and Garrison Bloustine (125) took 47th and 63rd, respectively.
Louisburg is back in action Tuesday when it travels to the Osawatomie Invitational. Tee time is set for 1 p.m.
Wildcat softball sweeps Bonner Springs to continue winning streak
Rylee Hickey was all smiles after scoring one of the team’s 13 runs Tuesday in the second game win at Bonner Springs.
BONNER SPRINGS — The road was kind to the Louisburg softball team Tuesday as the Wildcats earned a sweep over Bonner Springs.
However, the Wildcats won each game in vastly different ways.
Louisburg won the opener, 4-1, behind a complete game effort from Izzy Moreland on the mound and got a 2-run home run from Megan Quinn.
The nightcap provided more of a fireworks show as the Wildcats scored eight early runs and held on for a 13-10 victory over the Braves. It marked the fourth straight victory for Louisburg, which is now 5-4 on the season.
“We came out and played our best game of the season in that first game,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “After that first inning, our bats got going, which gave us confidence in the field and played our best defense. Everyone was making plays. Everyone was hitting.
“We keep a ‘Quality At-Bat’ chart and at one point, going through our whole lineup, everyone had a quality at bat. I’m so proud of them. This is our first time beating Bonner Springs in my tenure. That’s an awesome feeling, let alone we swept them and it was a league opponent. It was a fun night for us and the credit goes to the girls for coming together and playing great team softball.”
Louisburg senior Jenna Cauthon receives a throw on a rundown to tag out a Bonner Springs player Tuesday.
Moreland kept the Braves offense off-balance in the first game as she pitched seven innings and struck out six. She also allowed just the one run on four hits.
Bonner Springs took a 1-0 lead early, but the Wildcats came back to tie it in the second on an RBI bunt single from Shyloh Waite.
Louisburg took the lead in the third as Quinn hit a 2-run home run to put the Wildcats up for good. Senior Ashley Moreau added an insurance run with an RBI single in the fourth.
“As always Megan and Izzy were huge for us,” Chapman sad. “Izzy on the mound, pitching all of game 1 and then closing out game 2, plus had some great hits. Then Megan hit that home run and continued to do good things at the plate. However, it was the things that don’t always get recorded in the stat book. Before Megan hit that home run, Shyloh put a bunt to move her baserunner and sprinted her butt off to get down the line to beat the throw which led us to a run.
“Then in the same inning as Megan’s home run, Ashley and Rylee (Hickey) both put great bunts down. Rylee’s was a sacrifice bunt. Jenna (Cauthon) moved Ashley to third and then Megan finished the job. It was a great team inning. Sometimes people don’t realize the sacrifices that happen before the big play that makes the big play happen and I hope the girls realize that those little things matter the most. That’s what really got us going.”
The bats came alive for both teams in the second game. Louisburg jumped out to an early 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning. Bonner Springs cut the lead to two with a 5-run inning, but the Wildcats scored five times in the next three innings to hold on for the win.
Several Wildcats had big days at the plate. Moreland and junior Brynley Bauer each had a team-high three hits, while Moreland had 3 RBIs and a triple.
Louisburg junior Brynley Bauer makes contact on one of her three hits Tuesday against Bonner Springs.
Senior Rylee Hickey had one of her better hitting nights of the season with two hits, including a double and also had 3 RBIs. She also just missed a home run.
Senior Jenna Cauthon had two hits, that included a double, and 3 RBIs. Moreau, Hickey, Cauthon and Bauer each scored three times.
“Rylee had a huge game two,” Chapman said. “She has worked her tail off to get better at the plate and it’s starting to pay off. She does a lot of the behind the scenes stuff for us. She’s a solid wall as a catcher and does a great job keeping baserunners honest. She does a great job of moving baserunners by her swing or her bunts. She’s doing some great things.
“Jenna is just constantly hitting the ball hard somewhere. She was frustrated because it was directly to someone every time but she is seeing the ball really well and finding the barrel of the bat consistently. Brynley got her bat going also and made a couple huge plays in the outfield.”
Quinn started the game for the Wildcats and sophomore Raeya Keagle came in for relief. Moreland then pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and got three strikeouts to close the game out.
Louisburg will try and keep its winning streak going as the Wildcats travel to Tonganoxie for one game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Wildcat pitching shuts down Bonner Springs in sweep
Louisburg junior Jayce Toms pitched the final four innings of the opener and struck out seven batters to help the Wildcats on Thursday to a win against Bonner Springs.
BONNER SPRINGS — Louisburg couldn’t have asked for a much better start to its season as the Wildcats won seven of their first eight games.
Nothing much changed on the road Tuesday at Bonner Springs.
The Wildcats cruised to a pair of 7-0 and 5-1 victories over the Braves. Louisburg has now won seven straight games and are now 9-1 on the season.
“It’s always great to go on the road and get a sweep,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We played really well on defense and had some timely hitting.”
Louisburg’s pitching staff held the Braves’ offense to just one run on seven hits over two games and the Wildcats got it started in game one.
Junior Meade Rutherford started the opener and allowed no runs on three hits. Junior Jayce Toms came on in relief and dominated the Bonner lineup.
Toms breezed through four innings of work as he gave up just one hit and struck out seven.
“Jayce came in and gave us some great innings on the mound,” Larson said. “He really shut the door and didn’t give Bonner Springs a chance to come back.”
Louisburg scored a run in the first, fourth and fifth innings, but broke the game open with four runs in the sixth.
With the bases loaded, Brody McGreer scored on a balk and Declan Battle went home on a passed ball. Sophomore Danny Napier followed up with a double that scored Luke Schultz, while senior Jackson Howard ended the inning with an RBI single.
Louisburg shortstop Bristol Barbour tags out a Bonner Springs runner Thursday after a throw from centerfielder Declan Battle.
Napier led the Wildcat offense with a pair of doubles and 2 RBIs and both hits just missed being home runs.
“Danny swung it really well,” Larson said. “He’s had a great approach at the plate and it is showing.”
Senior Nathaniel Lamm had three hits, including a double and Schultz had two hits with a triple and an RBI.
In the nightcap, Schultz got the start for Louisburg and pitched five innings gave up just two hits and struck out four. Battle came in and pitched the final two innings to preserve the win.
One inning was all it took for the Wildcats to seal the win as they scored five runs in the fourth inning.
Senior Conner Heston got the scoring started with an RBI single. Bristol Barbour scored on a passed ball, then Battle singled home Heston and Rylan Carty. Battle went on to score on a wild pitch to complete the inning.
“The fourth inning of that second game was huge for us,” Larson said. “We found a way to put some runs on the board and our defense played really well to shut them down from there.”
Battle led the Wildcat bats with two hits and 2 RBIs, while Napier had his third double of the night.
Louisburg will try and keep its winning streak going Thursday when it travels to Tonganoxie for a single game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Wildcat track places fourth at Paola Invitational
(Submitted Photo) Louisburg sophomore Kendall Crossley finished third in the 200 and 400-meter dashes last Thursday at the Paola Invitational.
PAOLA — Although neither finished in the top three of the team standings, both the Louisburg boys and girls track and field teams had plenty of highlights during last Thursday’s Paola Invitational.
The boys had eight top three finishes and racked up 89.5 points, which was good for fourth place overall. The girls also finished fourth as they won one event and had seven top three medalists to earn 79 points.
The Louisburg girls scored some big points in the field events and it started with pole vault. Senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross continued her strong start to the season as she cleared 11 feet to win the event.
Senior Katie Elpers also had her best performance this season in the javelin as she recorded a mark of 121 feet, 4 inches to finish second.
“The girls performed well at Paola,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Katie threw great. Throwing over 120 feet early in the season is awesome and gives her a mark to strive for each meet.”
The Lady Cats also racked up a lot points in the sprints as sophomore Kendall Crossley led the way in a pair of events. Crossley took third in the 200 dash in 27.88 seconds and later finished third in the 400 dash in 1:05.
Sophomore Suzanna Dansel took third in the 100 dash in 13.04 seconds and was fifth in the 200 dash in 28.34.
Senior Emma Vohs (1:06) and junior Presley Yows (1:07) took fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400 dash.
Crossley, Vohs, Yows and Dansel then went on to record a season-best time in the 4×100-meter relay as they finished second in 52.14 seconds.
“Due to some aches and pains, the 4×1 was a wee bit different, which did not matter as we ran a better time than at Ottawa,” Reece said. “They had good hand-offs and posted a solid time. Expect the order and athletes to change over the next few weeks as we look to get the right girls on the right leg to be even better. We continue to improve in the sprints and look to continue the success we had at Paola.”
Also on the track, senior Maddy Rhamy had a top-3 finish in the 3,200 run as she was third in 13:02. She also finished fifth the 1,600 run in 5:55.
Freshman Adelyn Moore took fifth in the 800 run in 2:40 and senior Erin Apple was right behind her in sixth in 2:41.
In the hurdles, freshman Caroline Apple was fifth in the 100 hurdles in 18.29 and senior Kate Frederick was eighth in 19.41.
In the throws, sophomore McKenna Lohse was eighth in the shot put with a season best toss of 34-8.
On the boys side, the Wildcats didn’t win any golds, but they still scored points in 15 events.
Louisburg junior Gavin Lohse took third in the long jump Thursday at the Paola Invitational.
“We haven’t been able to figure out who we are yet as a team, as we have yet to have a full squad as we are combating injuries,” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “It was great to see some of our athletes tested with some competition, and we found out where we need to put in some work. We were able to score points in most events, but I look for us to work to improve our marks and times.”
The Wildcats finished in the top three in all three relays and it started with a season best performance in the 4×100. Caden Caplinger, Gavin Lohse, Hunter Heinrich and Caleb Feldkamp took second in a season-best 44.06 seconds.
Blaise Vohs, Emmett White, Aiden Meyer and Heinrich ended the meet on a good note as they were second in the 4×400 in 3:35, while the 4×800 team of Jerynce Brings Plenty, Myles Vohs, Blaise Vohs and Grant Cannon took third in 8:50.
Louisburg scored several points in the sprints as Lohse took fourth in the 100 dash in 11.40 seconds and Gage Feldkamp was seventh at 11.58. Caleb Feldkamp was fifth in the 200 dash in 23.50.
White went on to take fourth in the 400 dash in a season-best time of 52.99 and Heinrich was sixth in 53.85. Blaise Vohs ran well in the open 800 as he took third in 2:07.
Junior Jay McCaskill scored points in the 300 hurdles as he took eighth in a season-best time of 45.91 seconds.
Field events were also kind to the Wildcats as junior Jacob Brown had his best day in the pole vault as he cleared 12-6 to take second overall.
“Jacob continues to improve every week,” Wright said. “The most exciting part to watch will be that he still has more in him. With the work he is putting in, he has the potential to be a 13-6 or 14-foot or more vaulter by the end of the season.”
Lohse, who is in his first year of high school track, had a big day in the long jump. He finished third with a personal-best jump of 21-1 and took third overall.
“Gavin is a nice addition to our team this year,” Wright aid. “We will be working on technique, as he is just raw in his first year. It is exciting that he is already going over 21 after just his second meet.”
Sophomore Evan McKitrick scored points in a couple of events as he was third in the triple jump with a season-best mark of 39-11, and took fifth in the high jump at 5-8.
In the throws, senior Ben O’Bryan had his best day in the shot put as he recorded mark of 48-1 to take third. O’Bryan also finished fourth in the discus at 127-2.
Sophomore Tasen Ellison was fourth in the javelin with a throw of 141-10, while senior Lane Cunningham was eighth at 130-4. Ellison was also eighth in the high jump at 5-6.
Senior Jaymes Melton scored points in the shot put with a toss of 44 feet to take eighth.
“I saw some of our kids experience some adversity, and as a coach I want that early in the season,” Wright said. “It’s going to help our athletes develop not only physically, but mentally. We want to peak at the end of May, not the beginning of April.”
Louisburg is back in action this Thursday as it travels to Garnett for the Anderson County Invitational.
Other results are:
GIRLS
100 dash: Taylor O’Connor, 17th, 14.18; Maliya Collins, 18th, 14.28
1,600 run: Erin Apple, 14th, 6:32
300 hurdles: Caroline Apple, 9th, 54.56; Kate Frederick, 11th, 58.03
High Jump: Annmarie Walton, 11th, 4-4
Long Jump: Walton, 17th, 12-11.75; Jocelyn Burk, 18th, 12-9.75; Hanna Veres, 19th, 12-7.25
