Louisburg seniors (from left) Cale Schneider, Alex Dunn, Matt Risenhoover, Cole Kramer, Austin Henderson and Colton Smith were honored in-between games for senior night during Thursday’s doubleheader with Spring Hill at Lewis-Young Park. 

Six Louisburg seniors walked onto the Lewis-Young Park field Thursday for the final time and one last chance at a win.

It was senior night and the Wildcats had already lost the doubleheader opener, 6-3, to Spring Hill and were staring at a six-game losing streak. They were not about to let it become seven.

Instead, Louisburg jumped on Spring Hill with three runs in the second and three more in the fifth to pull away for a 7-1 victory in the nightcap. The six seniors – Alex Dunn, Matt Risenhoover, Austin Henderson, Cole Kramer, Cale Schneider and Colton Smith – were able to leave their home field on a positive note.

“I feel we came out strong in the first game and we wanted to come out and compete but we had a lot on our minds,” Risenhoover said. “In the second game we just came out more free and loose and a bunch of the seniors just wanted to come out and have fun.”

Henderson got the fun started in the first inning when he hit a solo home run to put the Wildcats up 1-0 and from there Louisburg was able to relax offensively and followed it up with a pair of big innings.

Spring Hill tied the game in the top of the second, but the Wildcats (8-11) responded right back in the bottom of the inning. Risenhoover walked, Blake Ruder was hit by a pitch, and with two outs, the Wildcats executed a double steal to put both runners in scoring position.

It turned out to be a big play as Schneider came through with an opposite field single that scored both runs. Kramer then followed it up with an RBI double to put Louisburg up 4-1.

Louisburg senior second baseman Cale Schneider flips the ball to shortstop Matt Risenhoover as the Wildcats try for a double play Thursday against Spring Hill.

“I could feel like we were going to have a big inning,” Schneider said. “He threw me a two strike curve and I just took it to right field. It felt good to be able to come through there and help the team out.”

The Wildcats tacked on three more runs in the fifth on a pair of RBI singles from Schneider and Ruder and Henderson scored after Dalton Stone reached on an error.

Louisburg would need those runs as the Wildcats got a strong performance from Kylan Harper. Harper, who has been pitching at the junior varsity level all season, got the start thanks to injuries to Smith and Grant Harding.

Harper filled in nicely as he pitched five innings and allowed just one run on five hits.

“Kylan did a great job,” said Dunn, the team’s catcher. “For him to play junior varsity all year and then come up to varsity, it was good to see him throw strikes and only allow one run.”

Kramer then got one final opportunity to throw off the mound at Lewis-Young and he recorded two scoreless innings to go along with two strikeouts.

“It was very nice to throw those last couple innings,” Kramer said. “I have enjoyed all my time here with this program and playing out here at Lewis-Young. It will stink not being able to come back out here and play next year with these guys, but I enjoyed my last game and it was good to go out with a win and that is all I can ask for.”

Spring Hill jumped on the Wildcats in the opener with two runs in the first, but Louisburg answered right back with a run in the bottom of the inning.

Louisburg’s Kylan Harper got the win for the Wildcats in the second game as he pitched five innings and gave up just one run.

Kramer walked to open the inning, stole second and then scored on a Henderson double to cut the Bronco lead to 2-1. Spring Hill added a run in the top of the second and then scored three runs in the sixth to break open a one-run game.

Henderson, Risenhoover and Schneider led the Wildcats with two hits each and Henderson had a pair of RBIs.

“It felt good to be able to get some big hits, especially that home run,” Henderson said. “We didn’t play as well in that first game, but that second game Kylan pitched really well for us and we were able to get the bats going a little bit.”

The Wildcats will take part in the regional tournament today in Paola. Louisburg, which is the No. 4 seed, will play No. 1 Paola (15-5) at 4 p.m., at the new Paola Baseball Complex.

If the Wildcats advance, they will play the winner of Fort Scott (12-6) and Spring Hill (10-8) at 6 p.m.

“It is sad that we have played our last home game, but at the same time we are ready for regionals,” Dunn said. “We are going to do everything we can to get a win.”

Louisburg senior Matt Risenhoover turns a double play during a game earlier this season. The Wildcats lost a pair of games to De Soto on Friday at 3&2 Baseball and Softball Complex in what was a makeup from earlier in the season.

LENEXA – It hurts enough to lose in walk-off fashion once, but for it to happen twice makes it all the more frustrating.

That happened to the Louisburg High School baseball team Friday against De Soto in a makeup doubleheader at 3&2 Baseball and Softball Complex. The Wildcats held the lead in the opener and were tied in the nightcap, but on both occasions De Soto won the game in the bottom of the seventh.

De Soto hit a 2-run home run in the opener to down Louisburg 6-5 and then used a sacrifice fly to break a tie game and defeat Louisburg again, 4-3.

The first meeting was back and forth as the two teams traded a pair of 2-run innings. Louisburg opened the first inning with a pair of runs, but De Soto scored two in the bottom of the second to tie the game.

Louisburg (7-10) answered in the fourth when senior Matt Risenhoover doubled to score pinch-runner Kylan Harper and Colton Smith. De Soto answered back with to tie the game again off starter Dalton Stone, who pitched five innings for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats took the lead right back in the top of the sixth as Grant Harding and Risenhoover singled to open the inning and Harding came around to score on an error.

Senior Cole Kramer came on in relief for Stone and pitched a scoreless sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. De Soto led off with a double and followed with a home run to steal the win from the Wildcats.

Risenhoover led the Louisburg offense with a pair of hits and two RBIs, while Austin Henderson had an RBI. Alex Dunn also added a double.

In the second game, the Wildcats took an early lead on De Soto again with a run in the first and third innings. De Soto grabbed the lead back with a 3-run third inning, before the Wildcats tied it with a run in the fourth when Dunn walked with bases loaded to score Kramer.

Harding started the game for the Wildcats and pitched nearly four innings and gave up three earned runs and had three strikeouts. Risenhoover came in and pitched two scoreless innings before De Soto opened with a pair of singles in the seventh and eventually came around to win the game on a sacrifice fly.

Smith and Risenhoover led the Louisburg offense as each had a pair of hits, including a double. Smith and Dunn also had RBI hits for the Wildcats.

Louisburg was scheduled to return to action tonight, but weather postponed its home senior night doubleheader against Spring Hill. The games have now been moved to Thursday. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg senior Cole Kramer reaches back to deliver a pitch Tuesday in Ottawa. The Wildcats couldn’t keep up with Ottawa in a pair of 11-1 and 10-0 losses. 

OTTAWA – It wasn’t the doubleheader the Louisburg baseball team had hoped for.

The Wildcats couldn’t overcome back-to-back quick starts by Ottawa as they fell in run-rule fashion 11-1 and 10-0 on Tuesday in Ottawa.

In the opener, Ottawa scored seven runs in the first three innings to take an early lead before Louisburg answered with a run of their own.

Senior Matt Risenhoover reached on an error, stole second and then scored on a double from Cale Schneider to cut the Ottawa lead to 7-1. Ottawa scored one more in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth to complete the run-rule win.

Ottawa scored those 11 runs on 10 hits and the Cyclones also worked eight walks and took advantage of a pair of Louisburg errors.

Louisburg (7-8) managed just four hits in the first game, and along with a double from Schneider, got singles from Korbin Hankinson, Alex Dunn and Risenhoover.

The nightcap didn’t fare much better for the Wildcats as they managed just one hit in the five-inning game. Louisburg did walk five times, but couldn’t string together a big inning.

Louisburg’s lone hit was single from Cole Kramer, who also recorded a stolen base. Ottawa scored four runs in the second, a run in the third, three in the fourth and two more in the fifth.

The Cyclones scored those 10 runs on just seven hits and also worked seven walks.

Louisburg will try and snap its three-game losing skid today when it travels to De Soto for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Wildcats fall to Chanute

The Louisburg baseball team found itself trying to beat a couple of different opponents when it traveled to Chanute on April 29.

Not only were the Wildcats trying to get a win on the road, but they were also racing to beat Mother Nature. Louisburg lost in both instances.

Despite a strong game from starter Dalton Stone, Louisburg couldn’t muster much offense in a 2-0 loss to the Blue Comets in the opener. Rain then forced the postponement of the nightcap after the Wildcats were postponed earlier that week against De Soto.

Stone kept the Wildcats in it as he pitched six innings and gave up just two runs on two hits and struck out seven batters. It was a scoreless game into the sixth inning when Chanute struck for their two runs.

The Blue Comets scored twice thanks to a pair of walks, an error, a sacrifice fly and then a single.

Louisburg managed just two hits, a single each from Austin Henderson and Grant Harding and never threatened to score.

Louisburg senior Cole Kramer lays out for a diving catch while teammate Matt Risenhoover looks on during the Wildcats’ Apr. 19 doubleheader against Baldwin at Lewis-Young Park. The Wildcats defeated Osawatomie on Thursday with pair of 6-0 and 14-4 victories. 

For most of the season, the Louisburg baseball team has found itself in a lot of close games. Some have gone its way, some haven’t.

During Thursday’s doubleheader with Osawatomie, the Wildcats didn’t leave much doubt about the outcomes. Louisburg took care of business with a 6-0 and 14-4 sweep of the Trojans at Lewis-Young Park just two days after winning in walk-off fashion against Baldwin.

The Wildcats (7-5) have now won three straight contests and four out of their last six.

“It was good to get wins and get them in a way that we know we are capable of,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “We have had a few slip away from us due to some late inning slumps this season, and it was great to see runs put up throughout the entire game. We did a great job on the base paths and had solid performances defensively and from our pitchers. We had a good all-around team performance to come away with the wins.”

In the opener, it all started on the mound with starting pitcher Cole Kramer. The Louisburg senior baffled the Osawatomie bats and he pitched a complete game shutout.

Kramer gave up just three hits and struck out five batters over seven innings of work. Although he has pitched some in relief, it was also Kramer’s first start of the season.

“Cole did very well and is efficient on the mound,” McGhee said. “He throws a lot of strikes and challenges the batters he faces. He and the team did a great job getting lead off outs, and we had multiple innings where we got the first two batters out. Cole draws a large number of ground balls and fly balls each time he pitches.  It was great to get the complete game from him.”

The offense certainly supported Kramer in his cause as the Wildcats scored a run in the first, three in the second and two more in the fourth inning to seal the win. Louisburg pounded out 10 hits and three of those came off the bat of Austin Henderson.

Henderson, the senior first baseman, finished the day 3 for 4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs. He hit a 2-run home run in the second inning to put Louisburg up 4-0.

“Austin is seeing the ball very well right now and making solid contact when he comes to the plate” McGhee said. “He has been doing a great job when we have runners on and takes advantage of pitchers’ mistakes.”

Senior Alex Dunn and junior Grant Harding added a pair of hits and Harding had an RBI single. Senior Colton Smith and junior Blake Ruder also drove a run in.

The nightcap brought even more offense as the Wildcats scored 14 runs on 12 hits and took advantage of four Osawatomie errors in the five inning run-rule victory.

Louisburg scored three runs in the first and second innings to take a 6-0 lead. Osawatomie scored two each in the third and fourth innings, but the Wildcats used a 5-run fourth inning to pull away.

Korbin Hankinson, Dunn and Harding each led the Wildcat offense with a pair of hits. Kramer and Harding had two RBIs each.

Matt Risenhoover had the lone extra base hit with an RBI double in the Wildcats’ big fourth inning. Dunn, Hankinson, Smith and Dalton Stone also each drove in a run.

Harding also pitched a complete game for Louisburg as he gave up the four earned runs with two strikeouts to get the win.

Louisburg will try and continue its winning streak today when it travels to De Soto. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Wildcats win nightcap over Baldwin on walkoff

The Louisburg baseball team was in a comfortable position going into the final inning of the nightcap against Baldwin on April 19.

Louisburg, coming off a 4-3 loss to Baldwin in the opener, had a four-run lead in the seventh inning of the second game. Instead, a tight strike zone and a couple Louisburg mistakes allowed Baldwin to score four times and tie it.

The game went into extra innings, but the Wildcats got the run they needed in the eighth inning to pull out a 9-8 victory and get the split at Lewis-Young Park.

With one hit in the eighth, Alex Dunn drew a walk and Thomas San Agustin entered as a pinch runner. Colton Smith followed with a single to right field and San Agustin scored all the way from first base for the win.

“It was a challenging evening, but the team remained focused despite the adverse situation,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “In the end the team displayed great resilience, fighting back to take the game. Alex had a great at-bat drawing a walk and Thomas used his speed and hustle to go from first to home on Colton’s single. We were able to take advantage of a mistake to take the game.”

Louisburg’s Dalton Stone reaches back to deliver a pitch during the Wildcats’ doubleheader with Baldwin on Apr. 19.

Louisburg started the game with a four-run first inning to take a big lead, but Baldwin answered with three runs in the second before the Wildcats scored four more runs in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead.

Grant Harding had a big day at the plate with three hits, a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Matt Risenhoover led Louisburg with four RBIs, including a two-run double in the fourth.

Dalton Stone started the game for Louisburg and went five innings and gave up three earned runs and had three strikeouts. Risenhoover came in for three innings of relief to help close it out.

Both pitchers had to deal with an inconsistent strike zone all night, which caused a lot of frustration in both dugouts. However, they were able to preserve what turned out to be a big win.

The Wildcats came off a tough loss in the opener. Louisburg used a three-run second inning to take a 3-2 lead, but Baldwin tied it with a run in the third and then eventually took the lead for good with a run in the top of the sixth.

Colton Smith started the game and pitched five strong innings as he gave up just two earned runs and struck out seven. Cole Kramer came in for the final two innings of relief.

Austin Henderson led the Louisburg offense with a pair of hits, including a double. Harding also finished with two hits, while Stone and Cale Schneider each drove in a run.

Louisburg junior Grant Harding reaches back for a pitch during the second game of the Wildcats’ doubleheader with Eudora on Tuesday in Eudora. The Wildcats won opener 7-5, but fell in the nightcap 7-4. 

EUDORA – The Louisburg baseball team had a flair for the dramatic during Tuesday’s doubleheader opener in Eudora.

Whether it was a dazzling defensive play, a strong pitching performance or a timely hit – the Wildcats seemed to have all their bases covered. It all came together for a 7-5 victory over Eudora to start a night of back-to-back games.

The nightcap didn’t go quite as well for Louisburg as the Wildcats couldn’t get that big hit in a 7-4 loss to the Cardinals after Eudora scored three runs in the second and fourth innings to pull away.

Louisburg (4-4) started off well as it scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead and then used a highlight-reel defensive play to get out of a jam in the bottom of the inning.

Eudora had the bases loaded and no one out and Louisburg starter Sam Guetterman coaxed a ground ball. It was the perfect setup as shortstop Matt Risenhoover started the double play with second baseman Cale Schneider who finished it with a strong throw to first baseman Austin Henderson and allowed just one runner to score.

The Cardinals tried to make it two runs, but Henderson made a strong throw to catcher Alex Dunn, who tagged out the Eudora runner trying to score, and the Wildcats turned a rare triple play to keep the 2-1 lead.

“The triple play was a collective effort and a great heads up play by our infield,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “It got us out of a jam and provided energy when we could have gotten down on ourselves. It started with a groundball to Risenhoover, which allowed us to turn a double play. After turning the double play Henderson made a great throw home to Dunn, where we caught the third runner coming home.”

The Wildcats added another run in the second when Risenhoover singled and scored on a Cole Kramer double.

Senior second baseman Cale Schneider leaps into the air to snag a line drive Tuesday in Eudora.

Eudora was able to get those runs back and then some in the second inning as it scored three times and added another run in the third to take a 5-3 advantage. Risenhoover added a RBI single in the fifth, but the Wildcats still trailed going into the final two innings.

With two outs and no one on in the sixth, Louisburg rallied to take the lead back. Blake Ruder and Henderson started off with back-to-back singles and both runners scored on double from Dunn to make it 6-5.

Korbin Hankinson scored on a passed ball in the seventh to give the Wildcats a little insurance but they didn’t need it thanks to the relief effort of Risenhoover. The Louisburg senior pitched four innings of scoreless relief, gave up one hit and struck out four.

“Matt came in and threw strikes,” McGhee said. “He was hitting spots and was throwing quality stuff. He was able to get ground balls, fly balls, allowing his teammates to support him defensively, and was able to strikeout batters as well. Matt threw a great mix of pitches and filled the zone.”

Louisburg’s offense was on base nearly every inning as it pounded out 17 hits, including three from Grant Harding. Dunn finished with a team-high 3 RBIs, while Kramer, Ruder, Henderson, Colton Smith, Risenhoover and Hankinson each added two hits each.

It was a little bit of the opposite in the second game as Eudora jumped out to the three-run lead and didn’t give it up as it out-hit the Wildcats 13-6.

Eudora struck for three runs in the second and fourth innings off Harding as he pitched six innings and gave up the seven runs, but just three were earned. He also struck out five on the night.

Louisburg trailed 6-1 going into the top of the fifth, but cut into the Eudora as it scored a pair of runs on an RBI grounder by Ruder and a sacrifice fly from Henderson.

The Cardinals scored a run in their half of the fifth and the Wildcats weren’t able to get much closer.

Smith, Risenhoover and Hankinson each had a pair of hits to lead Louisburg, while Kramer, Ruder, Henderson and Schneider each notched an RBI.

“The second game we were slow to get started,” McGhee said. “We had a couple of 1-2-3 innings in a row which can be challenging to overcome. After the first couple innings we started to be a bit more patient at the plate and began getting more runners on base. We built some momentum late in the game, but were unable to carry it over in the seventh.

“Overall we were glad to come away with the split. Eudora had a well-pitched second game and strung together a lot of singles. Our guys fought hard to keep the game within reach.”

Louisburg returns to the diamond Tuesday when it hosts Baldwin at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg senior Matt Risenhoover tags out a Fort Scott runner trying to steal Saturday during Fort Scott Round Robin Tournament at the LaRoche Baseball Complex. The Wildcats defeated Fort Scott 13-2 and fell to Ottawa 10-4.

FORT SCOTT – The last time the Louisburg baseball team visited Fort Scott they were a part of all the festivities that opened the LaRoche Baseball Complex and the Wildcats were also on the bad end of two run-rule losses.

On Saturday, the Wildcats were the ones doing the run-ruling.

In the first game of the Fort Scott Round Robin Tournament, Louisburg scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pick up a 13-2 victory over Fort Scott. The Wildcats would go on to fall to Ottawa 10-4 in the second game, but they left Fort Scott with a much better taste in their mouth this time around.

Just two days earlier, the Wildcats also notched two wins over Prairie View to get their first victories of the season. Louisburg has now won three of its last four games.

“I was glad that we got the split, but would have liked to have come away with two wins,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “We were very focused against Fort Scott, which carried over from our play against Prairie View on Thursday. We showed a lot of hustle and made heads up plays. We had high quality at bats, good pitching and the defense was on their toes.”

Senior Colton Smith provided Louisburg with a strong start against Fort Scott. Smith pitched a complete game, allowed no earned runs and struck out five.

Senior Colton Smith pitched a complete game for the Wildcats against Fort Scott and had five strikeouts.

The Tigers scored two runs in third inning to take a 2-1 lead at the time, but Smith, who gave up just three hits as well, stymied the Fort Scott batters.

“Colton had a great outing,” McGhee said. “He filled the zone and was able to get the leadoff man out in each inning, it established a great tone and kept the defense locked in. Colton has the ability to strike guys out and to get ground and fly balls, which he did both.”

As good as Smith was, fellow senior Austin Henderson was just as good at the plate. Henderson finished the day with a 4-for-5 performance with a double and 4 RBIs.

Henderson was one of the many bright spots offensively for the Wildcats. Seniors Cole Kramer, Matt Risenhoover and junior Blake Ruder each finished with three hits each and Kramer added two RBIs and Risenhoover added one.

Smith, sophomore Dalton Stone and senior Cale Schneider also recorded two hits. Stone finished with 2 RBIs, while Schneider and Alex Dunn had an RBI each.

“Henderson was very focused at the plate and was making solid contact,” McGhee said. “He did a great job moving guys around the base path when he had the opportunities against Ft. Scott. He had a lot of quality at bats.”

First baseman Austin Henderson looks in a throw as he prepares to tag out an Ottawa runner Saturday in Fort Scott.

The Wildcats (3-3) had to dig themselves out of a big hole against Ottawa in the tournament’s second game. Ottawa scored four runs in the first inning and Louisburg nearly overcame the big inning.

Louisburg scored a run in the first and two more in the second as Stone and Schneider hit back-to-back RBI singles.

However, Ottawa scored a run in the fifth and five more in the sixth to break the game open and the Wildcats couldn’t mount another comeback.

Stone, Schneider and Dunn each finished the game with two hits, while Henderson added 2 RBIs, including a solo home run in the sixth inning. Ruder also had a triple to open the game.

Louisburg will try and get a pair of league wins today when it travels to Eudora for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg sweeps Prairie View

The weather may have been cold and windy, but that didn’t seem to bother the Louisburg bats Thursday at Prairie View High School.

Louisburg plated 24 runs in a pair of victories against the Buffalos to get their first wins of the season. The Wildcats won the first game 14-6 and finished strong with a 10-3 victory.

“It was good to get the first two wins,” McGhee said. “It is tough starting with Paola, but the guys came out against Prairie View and set the tone early. We were picked up by several multiple base hits and showed great hustle on the base path early on, which is infectious. We were making solid contact and getting hits to drop despite the high winds.”

In the opener, Louisburg pounded out 19 hits to go along with its 14 runs. The Wildcats scored five runs in the fifth inning and another six runs in the sixth inning to break the game open.

Senior Matt Risenhoover had a big day with the bat with a single, double and had 6 RBIs. Senior Cole Kramer and juniors Grant Harding and Korbin Hankinson each added three hits a piece. Harding finished the day with two triples and a double.

Seniors Austin Henderson, Colton Smith and Alex Dunn each had a pair of hits. Henderson and Dunn had 2 RBIs each.

Junior Sam Guetterman got the start for Louisburg and picked up the win with four innings of work. Guetterman allowed just one earned run and had three strikeouts.

Kramer and junior Kylan Harper worked the final three innings to preserve the win.

The nightcap was a little different story as Louisburg found itself down 2-0 going into the second inning, but the Wildcats responded with five runs in the second, one in the fifth and four more in the seventh to secure the win.

Harding pitched a complete game for Louisburg as he went seven innings, gave up three earned runs and had 10 strikeouts.

Kramer led the way offensively as he finished with two hits, both triples, and had 3 RBIs. Harding also added three hits and an RBI.

Risenhoover and Henderson also added two hits and each had a double. Ruder added 2 RBIs in the win.

Louisburg catcher Alex Dunn reaches down to put a tag on a sliding Paola runner during the Wildcats’ season opener last Thursday at Lewis-Young Park. The Wildcats fell to No. 3 Paola 8-0 and 6-3.

It is never easy when you have to play your rival to open the season and it is even harder when that team is one of the top five teams in the state.

That was the test the Louisburg baseball team faced last Thursday in its home opener at Lewis-Young Park. The Wildcats met Paola, which is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A-Division I, and found themselves trying to shake off the rust.

Paola shutout Louisburg 8-0 in the first game of the doubleheader, but the Wildcats settled down in the nightcap before eventually losing 6-3.

“During the first game we played very tight, a tension that I was feeling as well,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “Facing a rival and league opponent, who happens to be ranked, in the first game of the year adds a significant amount of pressure. Despite the pressure, we were getting the ball in play, but hitting balls right at the defense.  We made several mental mistakes, which will come with getting back into competition, and struggled to communicate with each other.

“During the second game we relaxed and were back to the team that we see at practice each day.  The guys were communicating, being more supportive of each other, and playing relaxed.  The hits started to fall in, but we had a lot of strikeouts and left guys on base.”

Blake Ruder looks to make contact with a pitch during the Wildcats’ season opener against Paola last Thursday.

Senior Colton Smith started the opener for the Wildcats and got off to a strong start as he worked around pair of walks to strikeout the side in the first inning. Smith gave up a run in the second, but struck out two more batters.

Paola got to Smith in the third inning as it scored three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to build a 6-0 lead. Smith finished the game with six strikeouts before junior Sam Guetterman came in for relief.

“Colton was filling the strike zone and he was throwing hard,” McGhee said. The hits were just dropping.  A few batters slipped away when we were ahead in the count, but Colton threw well for his first outing.”

The Wildcats (0-2) had six hits in the first game, including a pair of singles from Grant Harding and double from Cole Kramer. Smith, Matt Risenhoover and Cale Schneider each had a single.

In the nightcap, sophomore Dalton Stone got the start for Louisburg, but the Panthers scored three runs in the first two innings and the Wildcats had to dig out of a hole early.

Louisburg third baseman Colton Smith tags out Paola’s Mason McDow in the first game of the Wildcats’ doubleheader with the Panthers.

Louisburg scored a run in the fourth when Austin Henderson led off with a walk and later scored on an RBI single from Grant Harding. Paola had a 6-1 lead in the sixth, but the Wildcats continued to fight as they scored a pair of runs.

Alex Dunn, who led the Wildcats with a pair of hits, doubled and Stone singled to lead off the sixth. Risenhoover and Kramer followed with singles to score the two runs.

“We faced some good pitchers, but we were also hitting balls at guys and Paola made several great plays defensively,” McGhee said. “It takes some time to get back into competition mode and the hits will start falling. We had some missed signs and misunderstandings, which we’ll get ironed out.”

The Wildcats will try for their first win today when they travel to Prairie View. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 4:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Louisburg will participate in a three-team tournament in Fort Scott. The Wildcats are slated to play Fort Scott at 10 a.m., followed by Ottawa at 11:45.

Louisburg senior Austin Henderson is one of several returning starters from last season’s Wildcat team that finished with 10 wins. Henderson will be one of seven seniors on the roster when the Wildcats open their season Thursday at home against Paola.

Sometimes in baseball, talent and experience can take you a long way and that is what Louisburg is hoping for this season.

The Wildcats finished with 10 wins last year – which more than doubled their total from the prior season – and have a big chunk of that same team back for another shot at it this season.

There will be one noticeable difference on the Louisburg bench.

Long-time coach Jeff Lohse, who resigned last May after 17 years, handed the reins off to assistant Joel McGhee, who has spent the last few years as the Wildcat junior varsity coach. McGhee also brings a new staff with him in Robert Ebenstein and Andy Wright.

McGhee has liked what he has seen out of his team so far and the transition has been a smooth one for him.

“Practices have been going well,” McGhee said. “We’ve been packing in a significant amount of work these first few weeks. The guys have done a great job adjusting to some of the changes that have been made. We’ve been keeping them very active and increased some of our offensive and defensive work in order to aid the players in their development. Many of the guys put in significant time in the weight room and participating in other sports which will be beneficial.

“It definitely helps to have been on the staff for the past few years. Being familiar with the players and not having to deal with ‘new-guy-itis’ has allowed things to flow a bit easier. Having coached a majority of the guys for at least a year on JV created familiarity with expectations and approach to the game. We haven’t changed too many things, but have made minor adjustments to what Lohse built over his years as head coach.”

The Wildcats lost just three seniors off last season’s 10-11 team and they are ready to take a big step forward with a big help from an experienced pitching staff.

Louisburg lost just one starter out of their rotation and looks to be the strength of their team. Senior Colton Smith, juniors Grant Harding and Sam Guetterman, along with sophomore Dalton Stone will all be in the Wildcats’ starting rotation.

Senior Colton Smith returns to help lead the Wildcats after earning all-league honors last season.

Seniors Matt Risenhoover and Cole Kramer will come in and play big roles in relief spots.

“It is great to have a number of guys that can throw strikes consistently,” McGhee said. “Everyone stays engaged throughout the game when strikes are thrown. Putting the ball over the plate and letting the defense work is something these guys are willing to do.

“Our defensive effort begins with these guys. Offering up a tempting buffet to hitters is key, so the defense can go and ‘grub’ as the guys have been putting it, on groundballs and fly balls. By filling up the zone, our staff puts us in positions to win games. We don’t have to strikeout all of them, but we’ve got to make it enticing and minimize mistakes made on the mound.”

As far the defensive setup goes, the Wildcats will have a familiar setup on the diamond. Senior Alex Dunn returns as the starting catcher, while Smith, a second-team all-league selection a year ago, will play third.

Seniors Cale Schneider and Risenhoover will play up the middle at second base and shortstop, respectively. Fellow senior Austin Henderson, an honorable mention all-league player last year, returns to first base.

Kramer, who was the Wildcats’ lone all-league first team selection a season ago, will play centerfield and Harding will play an outfield spot. Blake Ruder and Korbin Hankinson will play the outfield as well.

“With the number of pitchers that we have and the experience behind them we have the ability to mix things up,” McGhee said. “It is great to know that regardless of who you have pitching there is a solid defense behind them.”

Offensively, Louisburg appears to be just as strong. As the team’s leadoff hitter, Kramer hit .394 a season ago. He had a team-high 15 RBIs, six doubles, two triples, a home run and 15 stolen bases.

At third base, Smith finished last season with a .412 average with five doubles, a triple and 13 RBIs. Henderson also provided some pop with a .333 average, six doubles and 10 RBIs.

“Offensively we have a good mixture returning and several that are looking to play a larger role this year,” McGhee said. “We have the ability to get on base, move around with contact, speed, or extra base hits.  We have a group that is willing to sacrifice an at-bat to put runners in scoring position and to score runs.”

Louisburg will try and get its season off to a good start Thursday when it plays host to Paola in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

2016 LOUISBURG HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Mar. 31                       Paola                                                  4:30 p.m.

Apr. 7                           at Prairie View                                  4:30 p.m.

Apr. 9                           at Fort Scott Tournament              TBA

Apr. 12                         at Eudora                                          4:30 p.m.

Apr. 19                         Baldwin                                              4:30 p.m.

Apr. 21                         Osawatomie                                     4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26                         at De Soto                                         4:30 p.m.

Apr. 28                         at Chanute                                        4:30 p.m.

May 3                          at Ottawa                                          4:30 p.m.

May 9                          Spring Hill                                          4:30 p.m.

Last October, Paola activities director Jeff Hines went to a Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) regional meeting to get updates on classification issues.

Six months later, Hines found himself in Topeka, in front of the Kansas Senate Education Committee to talk about a bill that could change the way schools are classified.

On Thursday, Hines sat in front of the committee to discuss Senate Bill 464 – a bill that he proposed with guidance of Sen. Caryn Tyson.

Statute 72-130 establishes specific guidelines pertaining to the organizational structure and functions of KSHSAA. Senate Bill 464 would change one part of the statute and strike the line which allows schools to be classified only by student enrollment.

“The total number of students in schools is a great starting point for classifying them,” Hines said.  “It makes sense that the largest schools should play the largest schools and the smallest schools should play the smallest schools, but there are other things that need to be considered.”

For several months, KSHSAA has had a classification committee discuss different ways to have a competitive balance with its member schools. They came up with ideas of reducing the number of classifications or changing the number of schools in a division.

“There were no other factors being considered and that bothered me,” Hines said, “All that would do was reshuffle the schools just a little bit but we would have the same problem.”

The problem for the committee was its hands were tied thanks to the wording in Statute 72-130 that specifically states schools can only be classified by enrollment numbers and nothing else.

So Hines went to work and helped create Senate Bill 464, which does not give a specific solution to the problem, but rather would take wording out of the statute to allow KSHSAA to figure out how to classify schools on its own.

Hines gave a 15 minute testimony in front of the committee and then answered questions from the committee members for more than 30 minutes afterward. Before the hearing, Hines received support from every member in the Frontier League, Pioneer League and all but two schools in the Kaw Valley League, as those two didn’t respond before the hearing.

Following Hines’ testimony, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, R-Topeka, had concerns as to why KSHSAA did not come in front of the committee itself to ask for changes.

Hines informed the committee that it would be redundant for KSHSAA to endorse the plan, because if approved, member schools would still have to vote on it. He believes Bill 464 would let KSHSAA come up with a system and let schools improve it, instead of the legislature.

“KSHSAA wants to be neutral because this proposal would affect different schools in different ways,” Hines said. “It could be very beneficial to some schools and others may not like it because they might have to move up a class. So, why should KSHSAA have to pick sides in it and pit member against member? It doesn’t have to be that way in my opinion.

“Yes, a school that has to move up a classification might not like it, but is it the best thing overall for the association? They can’t look themselves in the mirror and say ‘No, this isn’t the right thing to do?’

A major problem for some member schools in KSHSAA is they do not believe it is competitively equal the way it is currently structured.

“I am not a believer in participation medals,” Hines said. “If they are kindergartners, sure, but when you start playing, part of being successful later in life is learning how to compete. We all competed for a job when you have gone in for an interview and that is good. You need to have that skillset and I am not saying that we need to give more trophies out and give everyone a shot, but I just want a system in place that is equitable for all so that some don’t have an unfair advantage at the expense of the rest and I think that is what is happening.”

One of the problems is the lack of balance between championships won between public and private high schools. Hines did research and presented numbers at the hearing at the number of state championships won between private and public schools from 2004 to 2014.

Here is what he found.

• Private schools make up slightly less than 8 percent of the KSHSAA membership.
• Private schools have won slightly less than 32 percent of the state championships.
• Based on membership percentage, private schools should only win approximately 8 percent of the titles, not nearly 32 percent.
• Private schools are winning four times more state titles than should be expected based on their memberships.
• Private schools are nine times more likely to win five or more state titles than their public school peers.

“In that period of time, I looked for who has won five or more state titles,” Hines said. “That is a difficult feat. You look at Paola’s history and we have won like seven and Louisburg has won three in 100-plus years. During those 10 years, 37 percent of those private schools won five or more during that time and public schools had 4 percent win five or more. Private schools are nine times more likely to become a dynasty or a successful program with strong tradition. You tell me how we are all the same?”

Another problem they are facing is schools with a high percentage of low socioeconomic status (SCS) students, cannot compete against fellow schools in their own classification in many activities, including football.

“There is a whole bunch of schools in the Kansas City, Kansas school district that are 6A or 5A that have no business competing against those really hard schools,” Hines said. “They don’t have resources, they don’t have the students, there is no interest and they have all those things working against them and I feel bad for those kids. Who wants to trot out against some of those bigger schools and know you are going to get your ears boxed in? That is not fun. Moreover, it is not challenging for the kids those schools are playing against.”

Hines believes competition is important when it comes to the growth of the student athlete and it is beneficial for the school and its community.

“Not only what it does for grades, but for what it does for the human spirit,” Hines said.
“When I was the FFA advisor in Paola, we won 10 state championships in nine years and you could tell the interest by the students and the community went through the roof. You can say the same thing about Louisburg and what Jim Morgan does with his FFA kids. People flock to success.

“Naturally, when they are there they feel better about themselves, they want to work harder in the classroom to stay eligible and kids that want to stay involved are going to be more successful in life. It is all about having the chance to be successful.”

During Hines’ testimony in front of the Senate Education Committee, not all of the legislatures seemed open to the idea. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, asked Hines if he would be willing to relinquish state funding if the legislature agrees to release oversight of how KSHSAA classifies schools.

“If we relinquished the funding behind it, (high school activities) would disappear,” Hines said at the hearing.

No action was taken following the hearing, but the committee chairman spent 15 minutes with him and Tyson to help them strategize on what to do next.

One option is to amend the bill to include more specifics that could include a multiplier or a separate division for private schools and a low SCS school de-multiplier.

Another option, Hines said, would be to have the classification committee draft a letter to the Senate Education Committee that states they would like to study these other factors as part of a proposal for revamping the classification system, but not until they feel the legislature is open to changing the law.

Whatever decision comes next, however, Hines wants it to be decided by multiple people within KSHSAA on how to proceed.

“I don’t feel comfortable making that change because I feel a committee needs to do the work,” Hines said. “I shouldn’t be doing it, nor should 11 legislators, you need more. We should let the classification committee work on it and hopefully we can get some things accomplished.

“The only way to allow this to happen is to remove the barrier in place that exists due to the state statute.”

Here are the Louisburg Sports Zone Top 10 Stories of the Year. In each brief explanation of the story, there will be a link to the full story of when the event actually happened. Thanks again for a successful 2015 and I am already looking forward to 2016.

Hogan Welch (left) and Wyatt Reece each qualified for state in their respective sports.

10. Welch and Reece qualify for state

LHS students Hogan Welch and Wyatt Reece each put together strong seasons in their respective sports.

In May, Welch qualified for the Class 4A state golf tournament after he shot an 85 at the Osawatomie Golf Course to become one of five individual qualifiers for state. It was the first time Welch had qualified for the state tournament and would shoot a 79 a week later in McPherson to finish 40^th overall.

As for Reece, he qualified for the state cross country meet for the first time in his career in October. The Louisburg sophomore came in 13^th overall and was also one of five individual qualifiers. A week later Reece traveled to Wamego to compete at the state meet and ran a 18:43 to come in 71^st.

Louisburg’s Jimmy Dolan (left) and Mya Diacono each suffered major head injuries from an accident just days apart. The Louisburg community rallied together to help the two families.

9. Accidents bring Louisburg community together

Jimmy Dolan and Mya Diacono live in the same community but were worlds apart from each other.

Jimmy, a junior at Louisburg High School, loves to wrestle, hang out with friends and live the life of a teenager.

It was a far cry from 9-year-old Mya who loves soccer, horses and spending time with her fourth-grade friends at Broadmoor Elementary. In a town of less than 5,000 people, the two had never met.

Two tragic accidents changed all of that.

On Jan. 12, Jimmy lost control of his vehicle while driving to school and suffered a major brain injury. Just 42 days later, Mya was involved in an automobile accident just outside the Louisburg city limits that left her with the same severe brain trauma.

That was when the Louisburg community came together to help the two families cope with a burden no family should have to bear. Since then, both Jimmy and Mya are on the road to recovery thanks to the help of a lot of people.

Louisburg Soccer Club president Karin Olson (second from left), Louisburg HIgh School junior Maddie McDaniel (middle) and fundraising organizer DIana Moore (right) receive the WIN for KC Sprint Teamwork Award on Feb. 13 in Kansas City, Mo.

8. Girls soccer raises funds to start program, wins award

A fundraising committee made a big push to make sure there was a girls soccer program at Louisburg High School.

The committee raised $39,000 in almost a year’s time to fund the program for three years. Thanks to all the hard work, the group was also recognized by the WIN for KC organization. The Lady Cats’ soccer season will kickoff in late March.

Louisburg graduates Kody Cook (left) and Garrett Griffin are each winding down their careers with their respective Division I football programs.

7. Griffin, Cook wrap up college careers

Louisburg High School graduates Kody Cook and Garrett Griffin have lived the lives a lot of football fans could only hope for.

Both are wrapping up their Division I collegiate football careers and are doing it with a lot of success. Cook is living his dream with the Kansas State football team as he has made contributions at both the wide receiver and quarterback positions to help the Wildcats to the Liberty Bowl.

Griffin, on the other hand, battled through an injury-plagued senior season to help Air Force reach the Armed Forces Bowl and made several big plays at the tight end spot.

Louisburg quarterback Austin Terry was one of several players responsible for the Wildcats’ turnaround this season.

6. Wildcat football has big turnaround

After finishing with just three wins a year ago, the Louisburg High School football team put together a strong season in 2015 as they finished with seven wins.

Those seven victories put the Wildcats within a game of Paola for the Frontier League title and Louisburg also earned a spot in the regional playoffs before falling to Basehor-Linwood in a tight contest.

The Louisburg High School soccer team captured its first regional crown since 2010 after a 2-0 win over Coffeyville.

5. Louisburg soccer wins regional crown

Through much of the regular season, the Louisburg High School soccer team didn’t have much to cheer about.

The Wildcats had just four wins during the regular season, but they seemed to find the right chemistry in the postseason. Louisburg rattled off three consecutive wins in the postseason, including a 2-0 victory over Coffeyville-Field Kindley in the regional championship.

It was the Wildcats’ first regional title since 2010 and their sixth in the last 10 years.

Anders Vance won a regional title in the 285-pound weight class last February as he was one of five Wildcats to earn state bids.

4. Louisburg wrestling qualifies five for state

The Louisburg wrestling team hadn’t been a part of the state tournament since 2012 – that is before last season.

The Wildcats put together a breakout season as they qualified five for the state tournament, while Anders Vance won the regional crown at 285 pounds. Brenton Wrigley (195 pounds), Mason Koechner (220), Nathan Keegan (113) and Ryan Adams (138) all made the trip to Salina for the Class 4A state tourney.

Jeff Lohse (left) and Ben York each stepped away from their head coaching posts in 2015.

3. Long-time coaches resign from post

Jeff Lohse and Ben York had been fixtures in their respective sports for Louisburg High School, but both decided to call it quits this year.

Lohse, who spent the last 17 years as the head coach for the LHS baseball team, stepped down from his spot in May, citing personal reasons. Lohse led the Wildcats to two state tournament appearances.

York, who was the head coach when the boys soccer program started, also cited personal reasons for leaving the Wildcat soccer program after 13 years. York helped the Wildcats to six regional titles in the last 10 years.

Connor McMullen won the state title in the discus back in May and became Louisburg’s first track state champion since 2011.

2. McMullen wins state title in discus, Dennis medals in hurdles

Louisburg High School senior Connor McMullen finally got the state title in the discus he had been searching for.

McMullen recorded a throw of 173 feet, 1 inch on his final attempt to win the Class 4A state discus title in Wichita back in May. He would also medal eighth in the javelin with a toss of 164-02.

Fellow senior Sean Dennis also garnered a state medal as he took fourth in the 110-meter hurdles. The boys and girls team combined sent a total of 11 athletes to the state meet.

The Louisburg High School volleyball team finished third overall in 2015 after making it to state for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

1. Lady Cat volleyball takes third at state

The Louisburg High School volleyball team has made a habit of making the trip to Salina in recent years and this season was no exception.

This time, however, the Lady Cats finished with a victory.

After ending their season with a runner-up performance and two fourth-place finishes at state the last three years, Louisburg won its final match of the season in 2015 as it defeated Tonganoxie in the third-place match.

The Lady Cats qualified for the state tournament for the fifth time in the last six years.