The Louisburg boys soccer team showed both its firepower and resilience last week, starting with a commanding 8-0 road win at Chanute last Tuesday before narrowly falling 1-0 to Ottawa two days later.

Against Chanute, the Wildcats wasted no time getting on the board. Owen Marsh opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a through ball from Ryder Erickson. The floodgates soon opened. Tanner LaBrie doubled the lead with a composed finish off a one-touch setup from Brody Bovaird.

Bovaird then took over the scoring duties, netting twice in impressive fashion. His first came after a quick throw-in from Caleb Feldkamp, which Eamon Grove flicked into Bovaird’s path for the finish. Moments later, Bovaird split three defenders on a perfectly timed pass from LaBrie to make it 4-0.

Erickson added his name to the scoresheet next, slotting home from an assist by Wyatt Tharp. Marsh notched his second of the night with a rocket into the upper 90 after regaining possession in the attacking third.

The goals kept coming as Grove chipped in a 30-yard shot that dipped just under the bar.

The highlight of the match came in the final seconds as goalkeeper Evan Moreland pushed forward and scored his first career goal thanks to an unselfish pass from Canton Klugman. Moreland and Fritz Meyer shared the clean sheet in a match Louisburg dominated from start to finish.

“I was really proud of how the guys competed last week,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Against Chanute, we showed great composure and execution — our movement, decision-making, and finishing were some of the best we’ve had all season. Owen and Brody both stepped up with two goals apiece, and it was awesome to see senior goalkeeper Evan score his first varsity goal late in that match.”

Two days later, the Wildcats faced a much tighter contest at Ottawa, falling 1-0 despite controlling nearly 60% of possession—marking their best ball control performance of the season. Louisburg outshot the Cyclones 9–4, delivered 12 crosses, and earned five corners while maintaining a 58% pass success rate.

But for all their creativity and pressure, the Wildcats couldn’t find the back of the net. Ottawa’s back line was disciplined, cutting out through balls and crowding shooting lanes. The decisive goal came late, after a no-call on a potential foul in the midfield led to a quick turnover, cross, and a close-range tap-in for the Cyclones.

Despite the loss, it was a memorable night for Moreland as he notched his 250^th career save.

“That is a huge milestone and is a testament to his consistency over four years,” coach Bovaird said of Moreland. “Against Ottawa, we controlled possession and created chances but just couldn’t find the finishing touch. Even in the loss, our effort, organization, and poise were strong, and we’ll keep building on that as we head into a big stretch this week.”

With the split results, Louisburg moves to 5-3-1 on the season and 2-2 in Frontier League play. The Wildcats are back in action tonight, kicking off a three-game week with a home matchup against Parsons.

Homecoming week at Louisburg High School kicked off Monday and events are in full swing. With something going on every day this week, it will be a busy time for students. All of it is, of course, centered around the crowning of the 2025 fall king and queen. Eight students were selected as nominees and here are their names and profiles.

The crowning will take place on Friday during the Wildcats’ home football game with Eudora. Kickoff for that game is set for 7 p.m., with the introduction of the candidates and their parents at 6:30 p.m. Crowning will be at halftime. Good luck to all the participants and make sure to come out on Friday to support the Wildcats.

Julia Dover and Johnny Hendrickson

Julia is the daughter of Steven and Jennifer Dover. Julia has participated in FBLA, band and has been the feature twirler for four years. Jazzy Cats and yearbook for three years, musical for two years and Senior Advisory for one year. Following graduation, she plans to continue her dance/twirling career and major in political science with a minor in news broadcasting, but is undecided on a university.

Johnny is the son of Colby Hendrickson and Elektra Matchette. Johnny has participated in football for four years, select choir and track for three years and musical for two years. After graduation, he plans to attend McPherson College in the Automotive Restoration Program and join the Air National Guard.

Morgan Latham and Michael Foote

Morgan is the daughter of Tim and April Latham. Morgan has participated in volleyball, basketball, softball and student council for four years, National Honor Society for two years, and prom committee and senior advisory for one year. Following graduation, Morgan plans to attend college and major in secondary education history.

Michael is the son of Jim and Dana Foote. Michael has participated in football, track and FFA for four years, shooting club for three years, FBLA for two years and senior advisory for one year. After graduation, Michael plans to attend Kansas State University and major in AgriBusiness.

McKenna Lohse and Rickey Giles

McKenna is the daughter of Jeff and Steph Lohse. McKenna has participated in volleyball, basketball and track for four years. Following graduation, she plans to attend Johnson County Community College to play volleyball and begin her education to become an Ultrasound Technician.

Rickey is the son of Aaron and Kelly Stohs. Rickey has participated in football for four years and basketball and track for one year. Following graduation, he plans to attend Pittsburg State University and participate in the ROTC program, but is currently undecided on a major.

Zyleigh Melton and Andrew Jamison

Zyleigh is the daughter of Andy and Meghan Melton. Zyleigh has participated in student council and school mascot for four years, basketball and National Honor Society for two years and senior advisory and prom committee for one year. She has also participated in ballet for 14 years. Following graduation, she plans to attend the Entourage Institute of Beauty and Esthetics to become a licensed esthetician.

Andrew is the son of Aaron and Amy Jo Jamison. Andrew has participated in student council, Interact Club, swim and band for four years, select choir and musical for three years, National Honor Society for two years and senior advisory for one year. Following graduation, Andrew plans to continue swimming and major in psychology, but is undecided on a school.

BONNER SPRINGS – It may have taken a little bit longer than it wanted, but the Louisburg football team snapped its 3-game losing streak to earn its first win of the season.

The Wildcats got a pair of touchdowns from senior Blaise Vohs and the Louisburg defense took care of the rest in a 21-0 shutout on the road at Bonner Springs.

“It feels good for sure,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We didn’t play very well last week, and so to have a good week of practice and see it rewarded with a win, always feels good.”

Louisburg (1-4) broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter when Blaise Vohs broke free for a 24-yard touchdown run, then added the extra point to put the Wildcats up 7-0. Minutes later, Max Amren connected with Braxton Eastland on a 28-yard touchdown pass right before halftime, with another successful Vohs PAT extending the lead to 14-0.

The Wildcats capped the scoring in the fourth quarter when Vohs found the end zone again, this time from 14 yards out, and added his third extra point of the night.

“We preached this week that we didn’t have to go out and make highlight plays to make things happen,” Harding said. “We all just had to do our jobs better and that leads to big plays, which we did a better job of this week.”

Vohs, who had been out the last two games with an injury, led the offensive charge, rushing for 113 yards and two scores on just eight carries. He also contributed in the passing game with a 17-yard reception and handled kicking duties.

“Blaise certainly gave us a big lift,” Harding said. “He made some big time plays for us from the running back position. He is tough to tackle and has good speed so we are certainly excited to have him back.”

On the defensive side, sophomore linebacker John Guetterman was a presence, racking up a team-high 13 tackles. Will Norton added seven stops, and Cole Heinrich chipped in six, while senior lineman Johnny Hendrickson registered two sacks.

The Wildcats’ defense kept Bonner Springs off the scoreboard for all four quarters, marking their first shutout of the season.

“Overall, I thought we saw a lot of improvement,” Harding said. “Defensively we were able to pitch a shutout, which is always tough to do.  I thought we played well on special teams. Offensively we had too many turnovers, but saw a lot of improvement on that side as well.”

Louisburg will try and make it two straight wins this Friday as the Wildcats host Eudora for their homecoming contest. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

LOU                0          14        0          7 – 21

BON               0          0          0          0 – 0

SCORING SUMMARY

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 24 run (Vohs kick)

L: Braxton Eastland 28 pass from Max Amren (Vohs kick)

Fourth Quarter

L: Vohs 14 run (Vohs kick)

STATISTICS

RUSHING – Blaise Vohs 8-113; Cole Heinrich 6-46; Tate McGreer 9-33; Max Amren 5-23; Mathias Wright 3-10; Bryce Thompson 1-4

PASSING – Max Amren 7-10-88

RECEIVING – Braxton Eastland 1-28; John Guetterman 2-19; Blaise Vohs 1-17; Gavin Manson 2-10; Ayden Filkins 1-7; Tate McGreer 1-6

TACKLES – John Guetterman 13, Will Norton 7, Cole Heinrich 6, Johnny Hendrickson 5, Devin Goerman 5, Bryce Thompson 4, Braxton Koechner 3, Martin Soto 1, Ayden Filkins 1, Gage Feldkamp 1, Riley Barker 1, Colin Schleicher 1

LA CYGNE — It was a dominant showing for the Louisburg cross country teams last Thursday at the Ramsey Invitational, held at Prairie View High School, as the Wildcat girls claimed the team title and the boys brought home a runner-up plaque.

Led by a strong pack of underclassmen and top-10 finishes from four runners, the Louisburg girls captured the team championship with 24 points, outpacing second-place Fort Scott, who finished with 52.

Freshman Karissa Williamson was the individual star of the day, winning the girls race in 21 minutes, 59 seconds. Fellow freshman Maddox McGhee was just steps behind in second place with a time of 22:04, giving the Wildcats a powerful 1-2 punch up front.

“On the girls side, we continue to improve individually which is really helping the team aspect of our sport,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “The girls are working together at the beginning of the race well and then moving when needed to improve our team place.”

Sophomore Hailey Shelton placed fifth in 22:40, and junior Talen McMurray crossed the line eighth in 23:30. Rounding out the team scoring were Reese Smith (13th, 23:50), Felicity Allen (14th, 23:55), and Annie Hornberger (17th, 24:34), giving Louisburg a deep and balanced performance that secured the victory.

The Wildcat boys also made a strong statement, finishing second overall with 35 points, just behind Jayhawk-Linn, who won the meet with 24.

“On the boys side, we are also improving individually, and our young runners are gaining experience and momentum as we move towards the end of the season,” Reece said.

Louisburg had four runners place in the top 10, led by Levi Cotter, who finished fourth with a time of 18:53. Truman Ellison (6th, 19:02) and Titus Ellison (7th, 19:05) packed in close behind, while Spencer Mattison rounded out the top 10 with a ninth-place finish in 19:41.

August Meyer placed 18th in 21:41 and Matthew Lien took 26th in 23:21 to complete the team scoring.

It was a successful day for the Wildcat program, with both squads earning hardware and showcasing the depth and potential that could make for an exciting postseason run.

“Even though this is a smaller meet, we performed very well,” Reece said. “Both teams earning a plaque was outstanding.”

Louisburg is back in action this Thursday as it travels to Topeka for the Perry-Lecompton Invitational. Events begin at 5 p.m.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week four of the fall sports season, sponsored by Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics.

BLAISE VOHS, SENIOR, FOOTBALL

After missing the last two games due to injury, Louisburg senior Blaise Vohs made an immediate impact in his return for the Wildcat football team. Vohs scored a pair of touchdowns as he helped the Wildcats to a 21-0 victory over Bonner Springs last Friday, which was their first win of the season.

Vohs had a big night on the ground as he carried the ball just eight times, but racked up 113 yards rushing to go along with his two scores. He also handed the kicking duties as he was 3-for-3 on extra point tries.

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 winner:

Week 1: Owen Marsh

Week 2: Caileigh Kilgore

Week 3: Maddox McGhee

The Louisburg volleyball team delivered a strong showing at their home tournament Saturday, finishing third overall at the Louisburg Invitational with a 3-2 record in round-robin play.

The Wildcats picked up key wins over Basehor-Linwood (25-22, 25-21), Shawnee Mission South (25-18, 20-25, 26-24), and Shawnee Mission West (26-24, 15-25, 25-12), showing balance across the lineup. Their only losses on the day came against a tough Olathe North squad (14-25, 27-25, 25-14) and Shawnee Mission East (25-13, 26-24), both Class 6A programs.

“It was a long day, but we only have ourselves to blame for that,” Louisburg coach Rich Brown said. “With such a small number of teams for our tournament, we have to avoid making our matches last three sets. We have trouble starting our second sets in most of our matches and it showed when we started our final match of the day against Shawnee Mission East.”

Setter Adelyn Moore was a catalyst for the offense, racking up 100 assists across the five matches and adding eight aces to her stat line. The junior playmaker consistently put her hitters in position to succeed.

Offensively, Caileigh Kilgore led the way at the net with a team-best 30 kills, while fellow seniors Delaney Nelsen and McKenna Lohse provided a strong supporting cast. Nelsen recorded 26 kills, seven aces, and 30 digs, while Lohse added 24 kills, a team-high eight aces, and seven blocks.

Junior Breck Nielsen and senior Rylee Telken were also key contributors, finishing with 22 and 21 kills, respectively. Telken chipped in defensively with six blocks.

On the back line, junior libero Regan Williams anchored the defense with a team-high 37 digs, while Kilgore added 32 to round out a strong all-around performance.

“Like everyone else in the world, we get comfortable playing our favorite style, whether that is where we go for coverage or what set we ask for as a hitter or where we like to place our tips,” Brown said. “The problem is other teams have scouted us well and know what our tendencies are. Our players started to figure that out in our afternoon matches and went to what would score for us, rather than what we thought were the safest plays.”

On Sept. 23, the Wildcats traveled to Eudora and left with a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals but rebounded nicely two days later.

Louisburg picked up a pair of wins against Fort Scott and Girard at Fort Scott High School. The Wildcats edged Fort Scott in three sets, 2-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-19), before sweeping Girard (25-19, 25-10).

Kilgore again led the offense with 17 kills and a team-high five aces, while Nielsen tallied 13 kills and Lohse added 11. Moore dished out 46 assists and added three aces, matching Telken and Lohse in that category. Nelsen led the defense with 13 digs.

“After the Eudora match, we talked a little bit about how well Eudora took us out of our style of play,” Brown said. “We were forced out of system over and over and the only way to change that is to get better at passing as a team. Against Fort Scott and Girard our passing was much better and we were able to do a lot more with our middle blockers getting attacks.”

With a 14-6 record, Louisburg returns home to host rival Paola today in a key Frontier League matchup.

CLAY CENTER – A promising start quickly unraveled for the Louisburg Wildcats last Friday, as costly penalties and turnovers doomed their chances in a 34-7 road loss to Clay Center.

Louisburg had two touchdowns called back due to penalties in the first half and committed four turnovers in the game — mistakes that proved too much to overcome against a physical Clay Center squad.

The Tigers struck early with a 2-yard touchdown run from Eisaac Girton in the first quarter. Girton added another score in the second, this time a 38-yard dash to give Clay Center a 13-0 lead heading into halftime.

Despite the early setbacks, Louisburg responded in the third quarter with their lone touchdown of the night. Quarterback Max Amren connected with Martin Soto for a 20-yard score, and Maddox Day added the extra point to cut the deficit to 13-7.

But any momentum Louisburg had was quickly erased in the fourth quarter. Clay Center rattled off 21 unanswered points — including a 2-yard touchdown by Drew Hoffman, another Girton scoring run from 11 yards out, and a 41-yard interception return by Cayden Schwab.

Offensively, the Wildcats showed flashes of potential. Tate McGreer led the ground game with 48 yards on seven carries, while Bryce Thompson added 34 yards on 12 attempts. Amren finished 10-of-22 passing for 83 yards, with Soto, Ayden Filkins, and John Guetterman among the key targets.

On defense, Thompson anchored the Wildcats with a game-high 14 tackles. Johnny Hendrickson and Guetterman added 12 and 11 tackles, respectively.

Still, the Wildcats were left frustrated by missed opportunities and self-inflicted wounds.

“This game could be a positive if we can learn from it,” Louisburg head coach Drew Harding said. “I think this game really showed if you have a bad week of preparation you are probably not going to play well on a Friday night.  Unfortunately for us, we didn’t prepare very well and so the result wasn’t where we want to be.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back this Friday as the Wildcats travel to Bonner Springs. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

CC      7          6          0          21 – 34

LOU    0          0          7          0 – 7

Scoring Summary

First quarter

CC: Eisaac Girton 2 run (kick good)

Second quarter

CC: Girton 38 run (kick failed)

Third Quarter

L: Martin Soto 20 pass from Max Amren (Maddox Day kick)

Fourth Quarter

CC: Drew Hoffman 2 run (Hoffman run)

CC: Girton 11 run (kick good)

CC: Cayden Schwab 41 interception return (kick failed)

STATISTICS

RUSHING – Tate McGreer 7-48; Bryce Thompson 12-34; Cole Heinrich 2-28; Max Amren 5-11

PASSING – Max Amren 10-22-83

RECEIVING – Ayden Filkins 1-29; Martin Soto 1-20; John Guetterman 5-18; Bryce Thompson 2-9; Lincoln Nielsen 1-7

TACKLES – Bryce Thompson 14, Johnny Hendrickson 12, John Guetterman 11, Cole Heinrich 7, Michael Foote 6, Mathias Wright 5, Cole Poindexter 3, Hunter Brotherton 3, Martin Soto 1, Gage Feldkamp 1, Will Norton 1, Freddy Moreau 1, Braxton Koechner 1, Colin Schleicher 1

WELLSVILLE — The Louisburg cross country teams continued to make strides last Thursday at the Wellsville Invitational, with the Wildcat girls turning in one of their strongest performances of the season.

Louisburg placed third overall in the girls team standings with 81 points, finishing just eight points behind meet champion Paola in a tightly contested race. Four Wildcat runners earned medals, led by standout freshman Maddox McGhee, who crossed the line in 10th place with a time of 22:21.

Another freshman, Karissa Williamson, wasn’t far behind, securing a 15th-place finish in 22:56. Sophomore teammates Hailey Shelton (19th, 23:22) and Reese Smith (22nd, 23:45) rounded out the medal-winning performances for the Wildcats.

“Maddox has been a force to bed reckoned with so far,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Both her and Karissa are crushing it. Even though we were a touch off on our race execution at Wellsville, she turned an awesome second and third mile to move well up in the standings and lead the team. All the girls worked hard and were rewarded with season bests or matched their best times so far.”

Annie Hornberger (35th, 24:37) and Talen McMurray (36th, 24:44) provided strong support in the team scoring, while Felicity Allen finished 40th in 25:05 to cap off the varsity effort.

“The girls’ team finish was a testament to their execution of the coach’s crazy plan to run a tempo type race as we had just raced on Saturday at Wamego,” Reece said. “A short turn around after Wamego is not ideal so we utilize the day to learn how we race instead of just racing again and hope for the best.”

On the boys side, the Wildcats had two individual medalists. Junior Titus Ellison led the team with a 23rd-place finish in 19:35, and junior Spencer Mattison was close behind in 25th with a time of 19:43. Junior Levi Cotter narrowly missed out on a medal, placing 26th in 19:47.

Freshman August Meyer finished 40th in 21:18, while junior Truman Ellison (48th, 22:15) and freshman Matthew Lien (56th, 23:23) also contributed solid performances for the boys’ squad.

“Some of the boys were working a tempo like the girls team and also showed positive results and medaled in the process,” Reece said. “Spencer was coming off of some illness and put in a great performance to get back in the groove. We put together all six runners to field a varsity team and we are proud of how the freshman boys, August and Matthew, stepped up and answered the call to the next level.”

Louisburg is back in action Thursday as it travels to the Prairie View Invitational. Races begin at 3:30 p.m.

The Louisburg boys soccer team continued their strong start to the season with a pair of 1-0 victories last week, shutting out both Eudora and Lansing behind a strong defense and timely goals.

The Wildcats capped off their perfect week on Thursday at home, edging out Eudora thanks to a first half goal that proved to be the game winner. Midway through the half, defender Wyatt Guetterman launched a long throw-in, where Tanner LaBrie was perfectly positioned to slot the ball into the net for the game’s lone goal.

It also gave the Wildcats some revenge after they fell to the Cardinals the last two seasons and it kept them undefeated in Frontier League play.

“That win was huge for us,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Eudora has beaten us the past two seasons, so to come out on top in a tight Frontier League battle was a big step forward for the guys. What stood out to me was the trust and leadership the guys showed. This season, we’ve talked about sharpening one another through unity, and you could see that on the field.”

Louisburg’s defense took care of the rest, limiting the Cardinals to just two shots on target. The back line of Conner Marsh, Ryan Barberich, Grant Cannon, and Guetterman held strong, with key contributions off the bench from Brayden Stringfield and Wyatt Tharp. Senior goalkeeper Evan Moreland recorded his second clean sheet of the week and continues to be a steady presence in net.

The Wildcats (4-1-1) had one scary moment in the first half where the Cardinals had an apparent open net and took a shot. However, Tharp read the play and knocked the ball out at the last second to preserve the lead.

“Our defense has been outstanding,” Bovaird said. “We’ve had two straight clean sheets, and that comes from more than just the goalkeeper — it’s the whole group buying into the press, staying connected through communication, and just flat-out being tough as nails. Evan made some key saves, and our back line of Conner, Ryan, Grant, and Wyatt has been rock solid. Conner and Ryan especially have stepped into starting roles this year after being reserves last season, and they’ve really risen to the challenge. We’ve limited both Lansing and Eudora to very few shots on goal, which shows the discipline and toughness of our defensive unit.”

Earlier in the week, the Wildcats traveled to Lansing on Sept. 16 and returned home with another 1-0 victory. Sophomore Parker Powers notched his first varsity goal off a long pass from Owen Marsh midway through the second half. The defense again proved dominant, holding Lansing to just three shots on goal.

“Definitely a great feeling,” Bovaird said. “Lansing is always a tough team to play, and they had more possession of the ball than we did, but our guys showed real physical and mental toughness. We pressed well, created chances in transition, and capitalized when Parker Powers scored his first varsity goal off a great sequence starting with Grant Cannon’s interception. Then our defense and Evan closed it out. We’d lost to Lansing the past two seasons, so to go there and grind out a 1-0 win showed how much this team has grown.”

The Wildcats will look to extend their shutout streak when they host Spring Hill this Thursday and stay atop the league standings.

“Overall, last week was about proving to ourselves how far we’ve come,” Bovaird said. “In the past two seasons, we were outscored 13-1 by these same two teams, and this year we flipped that to two clean-sheet wins. That speaks to the work these guys have put in and the culture we’re building together. Going 2-0 in the league to start is huge, but we know it’s just the beginning — we’ve got Spring Hill coming up and it will be a big test.”

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

MADDOX MCGHEE, FRESHMAN, CROSS COUNTRY

Louisburg’s Maddox McGhee is off to a great start in her Wildcat cross country career. The Louisburg freshman has medaled in all three races so far this season and that continued last Thursday as she medaled 10th at the Wellsville Invitational in a time of 22 minutes and 21 seconds. She also helped the Wildcat girls to a third place team finish.

Earlier in the season, McGhee also medaled at the competitive Wamego Invitational where she took 39th out of 119 runners and opened the season with a medal at the Jerry Howarter Invitational in Garnett.

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 winner:

Week 1: Owen Marsh

Week 2: Caileigh Kilgore