Louisburg shortstop Maverick Rockers tags out a runner trying to steal second base Tuesday at Lewis-Young Park.

As happy as it was to get the season started, a lot of what the Louisburg baseball team felt following its season opening doubleheader was just frustration.

During their doubleheader Tuesday at Lewis-Young Park, the Wildcats couldn’t take advantage of opportunities in either game against Baldwin as they fell 8-3 and 14-9.

In the two games combined, the Wildcats left 20 runners on base and couldn’t get the big hit when they need it the most.

“Biggest problem we had throughout the night was runners left on base and not putting the ball into play enough,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “Overall we had 20 left on base and 16 strikeouts. Situational hitting to find ways to get guys home will be key moving forward.”

In the opener, Baldwin jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning before the Wildcats were able to get on the board when junior Corbin Hamman tripled and scored on a wild pitch.

Louisburg had a chance to get back in it in the bottom of the sixth. Hammon doubled and scored on a single by sophomore Brody McGreer.

The Wildcats eventually loaded the bases with no outs, but could only get one more run across which came on a sacrifice fly from Kolby Kattau that scored pinch-runner Sam Hastings.

From there, Baldwin added two more runs in the top of the seventh to seal the win for the Bulldogs. Defense also hurt the Wildcats as they committed six errors, which led to four unearned runs.

Senior Brandon Doles started the game and struck out five in less than four innings and gave up four earned runs. Junior Mack Newell came for relief and struck out six and allowed no earned in three innings of work.

In the nightcap, Lousiburg found itself in a big hole early as Baldwin scored four runs in the first and three in the second to take a 7-0 advantage.

The Wildcats’ offense would come alive as they scored nine runs on seven hits, but Baldwin scored four more times in the fourth and three in the fifth to hand Louisburg its second loss.

Kattau led the Wildcat offense with a pair of hits, including a triple. Cade Driskell, Declan Battle, Hamman and McGreer each had a hit and an RBI. Newell and Parker Hufferd also had RBIs for the Wildcats.

“We kept battling until the end and I loved seeing that throughout the night,” Larson said. “We had some guys hit the ball hard which was good to see. Moving forward we just have to be opportunistic at the plate with guys on base to find a way to get them in.”

Louisburg will try for its first win of the season this Tuesday as it hosts Spring Hill for a doubleheader at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg senior Kolby Kattau (25) is one of several returning players for the Wildcat baseball team this season after they found themselves in the regional championship a year ago.

The Louisburg baseball team found itself one win away from the state tournament a year ago and that loss has only left the Wildcats wanting more.

After falling to Topeka-Hayden in the regional championship game, the Wildcats have been itching to get back on the field and many of those same pieces are returning to try for another postseason run.

“Getting to that regional championship last year really got everyone excited to make it a step farther this season,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We only lost three seniors last year so we have some great experience coming back. That helps a lot with staying motivated to get to state this year.”

Louisburg returns six players that saw significant innings a year ago and four of them were All-Frontier League players a year ago.

The Wildcats will be led by senior Kolby Kattau, who was a first-team all-league player at first base. He was also an honorable mention all-state player by the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.

Kattau finished the year with a .444 average and racked up 32 hits for the Wildcats to go along with a .560 on-base percentage. He finished with five doubles, two triples, 16 RBIs, scored 26 runs and stole nine bases.

The Louisburg senior is also a member of pitching staff that returns many of its arms from a year ago. Kattau, along with seniors Brandon Doles, Maverick Rockers, Sam Hastings and junior Mack Newell, will all see a lot of time on the mound this season.

“This veteran feel should help a lot as they have all dealt with a full season and postseason games,” Larson said. “I think that will only help us going into this year. A great thing about returning a lot of guys is that we also have a good deal of pitching coming back. Doles, Kattau, Rockers, Hastings and Newell will all be guys that return on the mound for us this year. Having a lot of pitching returning helps a ton.”

The Wildcats also have an experienced defense coming back as Doles was a second team all-league player in left field last season and an honorable mention pitcher. Rockers (shortstop) and junior Cade Driskell (third base) were honorable mention selections a year ago.

At the plate, Doles had a .420 average to go along with a home run, five doubles and 23 RBIs. As a pitcher, he had a 4-3 record in 37.2 innings pitched and had a 3.15 earned run average. He also struck out 21, compared to just 10 walks.

As for Rockers, he had a .293 average, but he also had 22 hits with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 23 runs. Driskell, in his first year on varsity, hit .327 with 18 hits, two doubles, 11 RBIs and scored 14 runs.

Louisburg also returns senior second baseman George Reichart, who started for the Wildcats a year ago. Sophomore Brody McGreer could also see time at second this year.

Junior Corbin Hamman will see time at shortstop and third base, depending on the pitching matchups, while Driskell play at either first or third.

The Wildcats have a pair of newcomers behind the plate in junior Parker Hufferd and sophomore Jackson Howard.

In the outfield, the Wildcats will return Doles, sophomore Declan Battle, Newell, junior Jackson Kush and Hastings, who all saw some varsity time a year ago.

With all the experience, Larson believes this team has a chance to be a good one offensively as well.

“You can’t coach/teach experience and having guys with it will help us a lot this season,” Larson said. “I definitely think we have the ability to put up runs this season. We have some speed that can help us as well as we have some guys that can hit for power. Our approach to every game will be to make the routine plays and that will always give us a chance to win it at the end.”

Louisburg will try for that first win today as the Wildcats host Baldwin in a doubleheader at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg senior Maverick Rockers recently signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Highland Community College.

Since he was little, Maverick Rockers has always had a ball in his hand.

Whether it was playing football, basketball or baseball, Rockers always loved to compete no matter what sport he was playing.

However, baseball always hit a little different for the Louisburg High School senior.

“My mom put me in all the sports she could when I was younger,” Rockers said. “She told me that I would never put the ball and bat down and I have loved it ever since.”

Now he has a chance to fulfill a lifelong goal of his — play collegiate baseball. 

Rockers signed his letter of intent last month in front of family and friends to play baseball at Highland Community College next season.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play college baseball,” Rockers said. “To know that a school, like Highland, that wants me to give me a scholarship, just shows that all the hard work that i’ve put in has paid off.”

Rockers has been a big part of the Wildcat program and has played varsity since his freshman season as a pitcher and in the infield.

He earned honorable mention All-Frontier League honors last season at shortstop and he sees himself playing in the middle of the infield for Highland.

As a junior, Rockers had a .293 average, but he also had 22 hits with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

“I have a lot of confidence, so when I get to campus right away I am going to be fighting for that starting spot,” Rockers said. “The coaches haven’t guaranteed a spot or position yet, but he leaned towards the idea of me playing middle infield.”

When he took his visit to Highland Community College, which competes in the competitive Jayhawk Conference, it all just seemed to fit for Rockers.

“When I first walked into Highland it looked like a place where i’d feel comfortable,” Rockers said. “It is a very small town with great people, but coming from a small town it just made it feel more at home.”

For the past five years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

For the fourth straight year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced later this month.

Below are the nominees for this year’s award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

FEMALE

Reese Johnson – Junior – Cross Country, Soccer

Junior Reese Johnson made history in a couple different sports for Louisburg this past season.

In the fall, Johnson played a big role on the girls cross country team. The Lady Cats finished third in Class 4A, as that was the first time a team had placed at state in girls cross country. Johnson also medaled 15th individually and was one of three Lady Cats to earn state medals that day.

In the spring, Johnson was one of the leaders on the girls soccer team that advanced to the Class 4-1A state final four this past season. Johnson earned second team All-Frontier League honors after she finished the season with seven goals and nine assists as the Wildcats finished fourth at state.

Alyse Moore – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track

Alyse Moore ended her senior season as one of the most accomplished athletes in Louisburg High School history. Moore is the first female athlete in school history to compete at the state level in four different sports, including both softball and track in the same season in 2019.

In the spring, Moore earned her second straight track state medal in the javelin as she finished fourth in the Class 4A meet. Earlier in the year, Moore broke a 20-year-old school record with a throw of 149 feet.

Moore was also a starter on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Moore and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall. Individually, Moore eclipsed the 500-career rebound mark and was an honorable mention all-league player. She led the team in rebounds with 8.6 boards a game and also averaged 7.3 points and 1.7 steals.

On the volleyball court, Moore started as an outside hitter for the Lady Cats and was second on the team with 174 kills and 195 digs.

Delaney Wright – Junior – Basketball, Track

Delaney Wright ended the 2020-21 school year with a bang as she became the school’s first athlete to win three state championships in track in one season. 

At the Class 4A state meet in Wichita last month, Wright won state titles in the long jump, 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She broke her own 200 and 400 school records to reach those accomplishments. On the season, Wright set new school records in each of those events.

Wright was also a key player on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Wright and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall at the Class 4A state tournament. Wright was one of the team’ best defensive players as she averaged two deflections and a steal per game. She was also assigned to the team’s best player.

MALE

Weston Guetterman – Senior – Football, Basketball

Weston Guetterman played big roles for both the Wildcat football and basketball teams this past season.

On the gridiron, Guetterman was the starting quarterback for Louisburg, which finished 4-3 and tied for third in the Frontier League standings. Guetterman earned honorable mention All-League honors on defense for his play in the secondary. He finished the year with 32 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for a loss and seven batted balls. He also finished with 548 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Guetterman was one of the team leaders on the boys basketball team that advanced to its first state championship in school history and took second at the Class 4A state tournament. He was a second-team All-Frontier League selection from the point guard spot and averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals a game. He was also an all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle and Sports in Kansas.

Cade Holtzen – Senior – Cross Country, Wrestling, Track

Cade Holtzen was a three-sport athlete this past season for Louisburg and became the first male athlete (that is known) to participate in state competitions in all three sports, in the same season.

Holtzen helped the Wildcat cross country team to qualify for state for the first time in school history as they finished third at regionals. At state, Holtzen took 56th overall in 18 minutes and 46 seconds.

On the wrestling mat, Holtzen had a year to remember as he finished his career with a 155-19 record and a third-place state finish at 132 pounds. He was a four-time state qualifier for the Wildcats and a three-time state placer. Holtzen served as the team captain this past season and currently holds eight program records, including most season victories and most career wins. He was also chosen to participate in the 2021 Metro Classic.

In the spring, Holtzen earned his second state medal of the year as he helped the 4×800-meter relay team to a third place finish. He also helped the Wildcats to their second team Class 4A state track championship in school history.

Kolby Kattau – Junior – Football, Baseball

Kolby Kattau was a two-sport athlete this past season and had a good year for both the football and baseball program.

In the spring, Kattau helped the Wildcats to their first regional championship game since 2009 as he played both first base and pitcher. Kattau finished the year with a .444 average and racked up 32 hits for the Wildcats to go along with a .560 on-base percentage. He finished with five doubles, two triples, 16 RBIs, scored 26 runs and stole nine bases. He was a first team All-Frontier League selection and was an honorable mention all-state selection by the KBCA.

On the football field, Kattau played on both sides of the ball for a team that finished with a 4-3 record and tied for third in the Frontier League. He finished with two touchdowns from the running back spot and had 41 tackles at linebacker.

Alec Younggren – Senior – Football, Wrestling

Alec Younggren was a two-sport athlete for Louisburg as he shined on the football field and on the wrestling mat.

Younggren, who missed part of the football season with an injury, still played well-enough on the offensive and defensive lines to earn All-Frontier League honors on both sides of the ball. Younggren was named as a first-team offensive lineman and an honorable mention lineman on defense.

He was a key fixture on the Wildcat offensive line that amassed more than 2,400 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns. He also had 23 tackles on defense. Younggren was also an all-state honorable mention selection.

The Louisburg senior had an historic season in wrestling as he advanced to the 220-pound Class 4A championship match, where he finished runner-up. He finished the year with a 37-1 record and had Louisburg’s highest state finish since 2012.

Braden Yows – Junior – Soccer

Louisburg junior Braden Yows was vital part of the Wildcats’ best finish in school history this past season. Yows helped the Wildcats to a third place finish in the Class 4-1A state tournament.

Yows was a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state selection from his midfield spot. He broke a program record with 21 assists and also finished with seven goals on the year.

The Louisburg baseball had an up and down regular season as the Wildcats finished with a 10-10 record, with much of their competition coming tough Frontier League opponents.

The Wildcats were one game away from the state tournament, before falling to Topeka-Hayden in the regional championship. It was a strong finish to the season for Louisburg and the league coaches took notice.

Louisburg earned seven spots on the All-Frontier League Team that was released last weekend, and one player earned both all-league and all-state honors.

Junior Kolby Kattau was named to the all-league first team infield for his production as Louisburg’s first baseman. He was also selected as a Class 4A honorable mention by the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.

Senior Matt Madison was named as a second-team all-league catcher, while Brandon Doles earned second-team outfield honors.

Senior Trevin Lohse (outfield), junior Maverick Rockers (infield), sophomore Cade Driskell (utility) and Doles (pitcher) were named all-league honorable mentions.

“I thought we were very well represented on the all-league team this year,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said.

Kattau finished the year with a .444 average and racked up 32 hits for the Wildcats to go along with a .560 on-base percentage. He finished with five doubles, two triples, 16 RBIs, scored 26 runs and stole nine bases.

“Kolby had a great season for us,” Larson said. “He was great at first base and was a great lead-off hitter. He set the table many times for us to strike early and often. Getting on base over half the time is exactly what you want in the lead-off position and he did better than that.”

Madison provided the Wildcats with a reliable back stop all season as the Louisburg senior caught all 22 games.

He finished the year with a .464 average, a .541 on-base percentage, seven doubles, 15 RBIs and 19 runs scored. Defensively, he threw out 10 runners and had six passed balls.

“Matt was an animal behind the plate for us this season on defense and at the plate on the offensive side,” Larson said. “He swung it really well and came up huge for us at the end of the season. Anytime you can shut down the other team’s running game you’ve done a great job, and he did that from the beginning of every game.”

Doles had a big year all over the diamond, which in turn helped him earn two spots on the all-league team.

At the plate, Doles had a .420 average to go along with a home run, five doubles and 23 RBIs. As a pitcher, he had a 4-3 record in 37.2 innings pitched and had a 3.15 earned run average. He also struck out 21, compared to just 10 walks.

“Doles helped us on both sides of the field,” Larson said. “He was a stud on the mound, in left field, and at the plate. Whenever we had a big game, he got the ball on the mound. You knew he was going to give a solid outing and he always did. At the plate he swung it really well and came up with some clutch hits all season long.”

Lohse, Rockers and Driskell all came up big at times for the Wildcats at the plate this season. Lohse finished the year with a .324 average with 22 hits, two doubles, seven RBIs and 13 runs scored.

As for Rockers, he had a .293 average, but he also had 22 hits with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 23 runs. Driskell, in his first year on varsity, hit .327 with 18 hits, two doubles, 11 RBIs and scored 14 runs.

“Trevin was a great leader for us and had some great at-bats late in the season to really help us,” Larson said. “Maverick was great in the field and started off slow at the plate, but really came on late with some big hits for us. He really played a great shortstop for us and you knew no ball was a for sure hit if it was anywhere near him. 

“Cade always found a way on base. So many times I remember him have nine  and 10 pitch at bats that were great for our team and it seemed like he always ended those with a hit or walk. He always did whatever the team needed to help us.”

As for the team’s future, the Wildcats made huge strides coming off a missed season due to COVID, and Larson is looking forward to seeing what is next for his team.

“This year was huge for us in turning this program around,” he said. “These guys were all great leaders and just like every one else on the team, they all did whatever was asked to help the team. I’m really proud of this group and I’m excited for our future.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BASEBALL

First Team

PITCHER — Kobe Scrivner, Spring Hill, senior; Garrett Williams, Paola, senior

CATCHER — James Eaton, Tonganoxie, senior

INFIELD — Kolby Kattau, Louisburg, junior; Chase Bloomer, Ottawa, junior; Austin Nitcher, Ottawa, junior; Gehrig Goldbeck, Tonganoxie, junior

OUTFIELD — Sebastian Lewis, Eudora, senior; Garrett Williams, Paola, senior; Zack Knowlton, Spring Hill, junior

DH/UTILITY — Brett Hadl, Ottawa, junior

Second Team

PITCHER — Sebastian Lewis, Eudora, senior; Lane Attic, Ottawa, senior; Mason Davenport, Tonganoxie, junior

CATCHER — Matt Madison, Louisburg, senior

INFIELD — Liam Prentice, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Dillon Ohlmeier, Paola, junior; Dalton Picek, Paola, junior; Jamon Beck, Spring Hill, sophomore

OUTFIELD — Ben Shively, Bonner Springs, senior; Brandon Doles, Louisburg, junior; Carson Boehm, Paola, junior

DH/UTILITY — Jake Titus, Ottawa, sophomore

Honorable Mention

PITCHER — Brandon Doles, Louisburg, junior; Dalton Picek, Paola, junior; Caden Marcum, Paola, junior; Kyron Fergus, Piper, senior; Owen Welsh, Tonganoxie, junior

CATCHER — Gavin Lang, Baldwin, senior; Cache Crowley, Ottawa, junior

INFIELD — Keaton Herron, Eudora, senior; Zeke Reazin, Eudora, senior; Maverick Rockers, Louisburg, junior; Fletcher Aude, Paola, senior; Nate Golubski, Piper, senior; Cooper Milroy, Spring Hill, junior; Owen Welsh, Tonganoxie, junior

OUTFIELD — Colby Zimmerman, Baldwin, senior; Jayce Smith, Bonner Springs, junior; Trevin Lohse, Louisburg, senior; Brady Beets, Ottawa, senior; Caden Marcum, Paola, junior; Ethan Walker, Piper, junior

DH/UTILITY — Jovany Diaz, Bonner Springs, senior; Brandin Andrew, Bonner Springs, junior; Cade Driskell, Louisburg, sophomore; Ryan Sloan, Paola, senior; Donovan Johnson, Spring Hill, sophomore

Louisburg senior Matt Madison follows through on his swing during the Class 4A regional semifinal game against Ottawa last Tuesday in Topeka.

TOPEKA — For the first time since 2009, the Louisburg baseball team found themselves one win away from a state tournament berth.

The Wildcats, who defeated Ottawa 7-1 last Tuesday in the regional semifinals, squared off with Topeka-Hayden later that day for the regional championship at Bettis Sports Complex in Topeka.

Unlike 2009, the Wildcats found themselves a victory short of a regional title.

Louisburg couldn’t get much going offensively as it lost 4-0 to Hayden and ended its season with an 11-11 record.

“They played awesome during regionals,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said of his team. “I was really impressed with how well our defense played. That was our best two games on defense all year and it was a great time for it. Any time you can hold teams to 2.5 runs per game, I really like our chances. 

“The pitcher in the second game was really good and had our number. Even until the end, we didn’t give up and battled the whole game.”

Louisburg, the No. 12 seed, started the regional tournament with a shocker as it upset No. 5 Ottawa in convincing fashion. The Wildcats got out to a quick start in their 7-1 victory and never looked back.

The Wildcats opened with two runs in the first inning when Kolby Kattau and Matt Madison opened the game with back-to-back doubles, and then Trevin Lohse followed with an RBI single.

Ottawa answered a with a run in its half of the first, but Louisburg scored three times in the fourth on a 2-run single by Madison and an RBI single from Declan Battle after an A.J. Drew double.

Louisburg scored two more times in the fifth to all but seal the win. Junior Maverick Rockers singled on a line drive to score Cade Driskell and Battle to make it 7-1.

“Going out and putting up two runs in the top of the first inning against Ottawa was huge,” Larson said. “I think it gave us that boost of confidence we needed and we never looked back. As the innings went on we definitely got more and more confidence.”

Madison led the Wildcat bats with three hits and 3 RBIs, while Kattau also had three hits. Battle finished with two hits in the victory.

Wildcat junior Brandon Doles kept the Cyclone bats silent as he notched the complete game victory. Doles gave up just one run on five hits 

“Doles was absolutely lights out,” Larson said. “He got in a few jams and then he threw another ground ball double play and we were headed back to hit. It was a really impressive game. He had great defense behind him and we swung it well too. It was all-around our most complete game as a team and it came at the perfect time.”

Topeka-Hayden made things difficult on the Wildcats in the regional championship game.

Hayden struck for three runs in the first inning off starter Trevin Lohse, and the Wildcats managed just three hits in the loss.

Rockers came in for relief and gave up just one run on five hit in six innings, but Louisburg couldn’t put a rally together. Kattau, Madison and Lohse each had singles for Louisburg.

“Against Hayden, their pitcher was really solid,” Larson said. “He kept the ball down and got out of jams every time we had a baserunner. He kept us off balance and really did well on the mound. We’ve leaned on our offense all season long and he managed to shut us down the whole night, kudos to him. 

“Maverick pitched really well in relief for us. Maverick and our defense kept us in the game. We just couldn’t get our bats going.”

It was a strong finish to the season by the Wildcats, but like most seasons, they are forced to say goodbye to some teammates.

Seniors A.J. Drew, Trevin Lohse and Matt Madison all played vital roles on the team this season, but Larson believe his team was playing their best ball at the right time. 

“Overall, this was a really great season,” Larson said. “I was extremely proud of how we battled and never gave up throughout the entire season. I believe we were playing our best baseball of the season at the end, and that’s all I can ask for as a coach. We will lose three great seniors going into next year, but they really set the tone for how this team can play this in the following years.”

Louisburg catcher Matt Madison prepares to tag a runner out at home plate Tuesday during the Wildcats’ home finale against Paola at Lewis-Young Park.

It wasn’t the way the three Louisburg seniors wanted to go out from their home ballpark. 

A.J. Drew, Trevin Lohse and Matt Madison were honored Tuesday during their Senior Night doubleheader against Paola, and unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Panthers got the best of Louisburg in both games.

Paola used a big seventh-inning to pull away for a 15-9 victory in Game 1, and then held off the Wildcats’ rally in the nightcap for a 13-9 victory at Lewis-Young Park.

“I thought we swung it pretty well,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “The guys came out swinging and really put the pressure on. Things just got away from us in the field, but it was good to see our guys compete until the last out.”

The Wildcats suffered a tough blow in the opener. With the game tied at 8-all going into the seventh inning, Paola broke it open with seven runs in the frame.

Louisburg (10-10) held an 8-4 lead in the fourth inning, but the Panthers scored four in that frame to tie it. In all, Paola took advantage of eight Louisburg errors as five of those 15 runs were unearned.

Lohse had a big day at the plate for the Wildcats as he led the team with three hits and 3 RBIs, including a double. Junior Brandon Doles also had three hits with an RBI, while junior Kolby Kattau had two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Madison had a double and a run driven in, while Cade Driskell and Declan Battle also had RBIs for Louisburg.

Lohse also started the game for Louisburg and Kattau came in for relief. Between the two of them, they struck out nine batters.

Paola’s Dalton Picek came in for relief and got the victory, but he also had a pair of home runs and a double to lead the Panthers to a win.

In the nightcap, Paola got out to a quick start as it led 12-3 after five innings. The Wildcats did try to mount a comeback with two runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh, but ran out of outs.

George Reichart and Doles led the Wildcat bats with two hits each. Drew also had a double and 3 RBIs to his line.

Mack Newell drove home a pair of runs and Driskell also had an RBI single.

Despite the losses, it was a night to remember the three Wildcat seniors and their time with the program.

“Those seniors have been great for the program,” Larson said. “They have really got us going in the right direction and provided some great leadership for the younger guys.”

Now the Wildcats are focused on the postseason when they will travel to Topeka tomorrow for the Class 4A regional tournament. Louisburg will face off with Ottawa in the first round at 1 p.m.

If the Wildcats advance, they will play the winner between Holton and Hayden in the championship game. 

“The guys are really excited about regionals,” Larson said. “I think we can come out under the radar and hopefully do some damage.”

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

Brandon Doles, Junior, Baseball

Louisburg junior Brandon Doles helped the Wildcat baseball team, both in the field and with the bat, as he guided his team to a 2-1 record last week with wins over Eudora and Wellsville. Against Eudora, Doles pitched a complete game as he allowed just one earned run on three hits. He also added two hits and 2 RBIs at the plate to help Louisburg to a 7-5 win.

Against Wellsville, Doles went 4-for-4 with a double and 4 RBIs in Louisburg’s 14-3 win over Wellsville last Thursday. On the season, Doles is currently batting .420 with 29 hits, five doubles and a home run. He also has 23 runs batted in. On the mound, Doles is currently 3-3 on the year with 20 strikeouts and a 3.88 earned run average.

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.

Previous winners:

Week 1: Lexi Hampton

Week 2: Kolby Kattau

Week 3: Jaden Vohs

Week 4: Mia Wilson

Week 5: Johnny Eberhart

Week 6: Alyse Moore

Louisburg second baseman George Reichart tries to turn a double play Thursday during the Wildcats’ road contest at Wellsville. The Wildcats split with the Eagles and won the second game, 14-3.

WELLSVILLE — Following a tough game in which Louisburg scored just one run against Wellsville on Thursday, the Wildcats responded in a big way in the second game of the doubleheader.

The Wildcats piled on the runs as they rolled to a 14-3 victory over the Eagles in Wellsville, following an 8-1 setback in the first game.

“The guys really responded well in that second game,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “They knew they didn’t play their best baseball in game one. In game two, they got back to the basics at the plate and had a good approach that led to a lot of runs.”

Junior Maverick Rockers led the Wildcat bats as he had two home runs on the night – one in each game. Rockers was 2 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBIs in the nightcap and was one four players to drive in three runs.

Juniors Brandon Doles, George Reichart and senior A.J. Drew each had 3 RBIs and Reichart also added a pair of doubles. 

Doles had a four-hit performance with a double and three runs scored. Senior Matt Madison also had three hits for the Wildcats, along with Reichart and Drew.

“Maverick was seeing the ball well all night,” Larson said. “Two home runs in a night is huge. He struggled a little bit at the start of the year, but has really swung it well since then. He’s really seeing the ball well and hitting to all fields.

“George, AJ, and Brandon all hit very well. They were all over the base paths and kept pressure on Wellsville all night.”

Louisburg (10-8) opened the second game with 10 unanswered runs and had a 10-1 lead after four innings. The Wildcats scored four more in the six to earn the run-rule win.

In the first game, Wellsville used a five-run third inning to propel them to a 7-0 lead after four innings. A solo home run from Maverick Rockers prevented the shutout.

Louisburg will have two more games before the end of the regular season as the Wildcats host Paola on Senior Night on Tuesday. The regional tournament will begin next week.

Good start propels Louisburg over Eudora

EUDORA — It was just one game, but Louisburg made the most of it against Frontier League rival, Eudora.

The Wildcats scored seven unanswered runs and held on for a 7-5 win at Eudora last Tuesday.

Brandon Doles was dominant on the mound at time for Louisburg as he pitched a complete game and allowed just one earned run on three hits.

The other four runs in the game were unearned thanks in part to two Wildcat errors.

Senior Matt Madison had three hits for the Wildcats and drove home four runs. Doles also helped out his own cause with two hits and 2 RBIs.

Junior Kolby Kattau drove home the other Wildcat run, while A.J. Drew and George Reichart had two hits for Louisburg.

“Against Eudora Brandon was electric on the mound,” Larson said. “He had a couple innings that only took five pitches. Whenever you can do that and have a great defense behind you, I like our chances. 

“Matt swung it really well at the plate. He came up with some key hits to drive in runs at the perfect time.”

Louisburg junior Maverick Rockers races around third to score the game-winning run Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader with Anderson County at Lewis-Young Park.

Fresh off two losses against Ottawa earlier in the week, the Louisburg baseball team had a chance to make up for those setbacks Thursday when it hosted Anderson County.

The Wildcats made up for it in a big way.

Louisburg got the sweep over Anderson County in a pair of vastly different games. The Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs 1-0 in the opener, then in the second game, the offense came to life in a 13-2 victory.

“That sweep was really big for us,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “They’re a solid team, especially with their game 1 starting pitcher on the mound. It was nice to see the guys come out and play up to their potential.”

Louisburg (8-7) got some late game heroics to help lift them to that one-run win.

Junior Kolby Kattau pitched a complete game shutout as he allowed no runs on two hits over seven innings and struck out five.

At the plate, senior Matt Madison came up big for the Wildcats as he delivered a game-winning double in the bottom of the sixth that scored Maverick Rockers and it would be the only run the Wildcats needed.

Madison had three of the team’s five hits, including a pair of doubles, while Cade Driskell and Rockers each singled.

“That game 1 win was huge,” Larson said. “We battled in the field and at the plate the whole game. He was a good pitcher and we stuck with our approach and finally pushed one across. Matt swung it really well and all night. Once he hit that double to score Maverick I knew we had them. 

“Kolby was lights out on the mound. Getting that one run was all he needed to finish it in the top of the seventh. All around we played great and it showed on the scoreboard.”

In the nightcap, the Wildcats jumped on Anderson County from the start as they scored three runs in the first, one in the second, two in the third and then broke the game open with a 7-run fourth.

Kattau led the Wildcat bats with a 3-hit performance, including a double and 2 RBIs. Rockers, Madison and Trevin Lohse each had two hits, while Rockers, Lohse and George Reichart all had a double.

Rockers, Reichart and Driskell each finished the game with 2 RBIs. Brandon Doles and Mack Newell each had a hit and a run driven in.

On the mound, Rockers got the start and went four innings to pick up the win as he gave up two runs and struck out three. Lohse came on in relief and pitched a scoreless fifth inning.

“In game two we settled down at the plate and did we we always do,” Larson said. “The guys were patient and got a good pitch to hit the whole game.”

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going tonight when it travels to Eudora for one game. First pitch is set for approximately 6:30 p.m.

Wildcats swept by Ottawa in doubleheader

Last Tuesday, Louisburg found itself in a pair of back and fourth contests with Ottawa, and unfortunately for the Wildcats, came out on the losing end in both.

Ottawa held on for a 9-8 victory in the first game, before winning the nightcap, 11-7.

“Against Ottawa I was really impressed with how the guys battled,” Larson said. “We had some costly errors that ended up being the difference in the game. The guys never gave up though and that was huge. Ottawa is always good and to compete with them like we did was great. I’m excited to see where we go as we clean up some of those mistakes.”

Mistakes did haunt the Wildcats as they committed 10 errors in the two games.

In the opener, the Wildcats found themselves down 6-0 in the third inning before scoring four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Louisburg was down 9-6 going into the final inning, and scored a pair of runs in the seventh, but could get no closer.

Driskell had a big day at the plate with four hits and 3 RBIs, while Doles added two hits and 2 RBIs, including a double.

In the second game, Ottawa jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the third inning and after six errors contributed to several of those runs.

Kattau, Madison and Reichart each finished with a pair of hits, while Driskell drove home two runs.