Press Release from the Kansas High School Activities Association

TOPEKA, Kan. – The KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament format and sites have been selected for the next two seasons. In 2026, the 1A Division I semifinals and finals will be played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. The 2A and 1A Division II semifinals and finals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia while 3A and 4A semifinals and finals will be played at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College.

In the largest school classifications, 5A and 6A semifinals and finals will be played at Koch Arena at Wichita State University. This will mark the first time since 1953 when state championship games of multiple classes were played at the same place. 

In 2027, both Divisions of 1A semifinals and finals will be played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Class 2A and Class 4A semifinals and finals will be played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The 3A semifinals and finals will be played at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. The 5A and 6A semifinals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia.   

“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships.” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games.  With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.”   

The state tournament begins with the quarterfinal round which will be hosted at seven venues in five cities. To advance to the semifinals and finals sites, teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games which will be played at United Wireless Arena, Tony’s Pizza Events  Center in Salina, Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University, Koch Arena, Garvey Center at Friends University, White Auditorium, and the Kansas City Kansas Community College Fieldhouse in Kansas City.  

2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule: 

6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals – March 10 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals – March 11 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

The quarterfinal round games are determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be placed as close to home as possible in the 28 quarterfinal round games across the state.  If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals. 

“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski.  “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.  Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”   

The dates of the quarterfinal games are March 10-11, 2026 and March 9-10, 2027.  The dates of the semifinals and finals are March 12-14, 2026 and March 11-13, 2027.  

Two years ago, the membership expressed desire through the October Regional Administrator Meetings to combine classes at the state basketball tournament. Each class individually supported this concept. Working with the host sites to ensure top level tournament management, it was determined that the best course of action is the final four in each class advance to the site of the semifinals and finals with state quarterfinal games being played in proximity to the higher seed at neutral/college sites. 

As her basketball season was nearing an end, Ally Brown thought her Louisburg playing career was as well.

Brown, a senior, was a starter on the volleyball and basketball teams and was preparing for her life after sports. However, something happened that changed all of that.

At the time, Louisburg soccer coach Jordan Roquemore asked Brown if she would consider trying out for the soccer team — more specifically — goalie. It left her a little taken aback.

“I laughed at first and told him I’d think about it, fully intending on saying no,” Brown said. “Then the other soccer seniors kept talking to me about it and my parents said I should take the chance and do it. So I did and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

That decision turned into a fourth-place state medal as she helped the Louisburg program to a state final four appearance. It was a memorable ending for Brown in her Wildcat career. She was the lone senior athlete to play three sports, which led her to earn the 2025 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year award.

The award was given based on a vote by Louisburg High School coaches as Brown was recognized for her achievements on the volleyball and basketball courts, along with her time with the soccer program.

“Being honored with Female Athlete of the Year means so much to me,” Brown said. “I truly see it as an honor because there are so many amazing female athletes around me. It fills me with a sense of pride knowing that four years of hard work got me to this moment. The support of my family and friends through my athletic journey allowed me to succeed so this award is not only for me, but all of the people who helped me along the way.”

On the volleyball court, Brown was a first-year varsity player this year and was one of the top defensive players — not only on the team, but in the Frontier League. 

As a team captain, Brown was an honorable mention all-league defensive specialist and was second on the team with 228 digs and was also second in aces with 47. She also led the team in serve attempts and points scored while serving. 

“Ally was largely the heart and soul of the volleyball team as a really strong leader, and I have no doubt that she helped lead her teammates in other sports the same way,” former Louisburg volleyball coach Leanna Willer said. “She is the girl who always shows up for her teammates. She is reliable, dedicated, and she truly understands the balance of encouraging/motivating her teammates and holding them accountable. She works her butt off and made some incredible plays in each season. Her dig numbers were right up there close to a lot of the Liberos while only being on the court half the time, and that speaks volumes about what she was able to do for our team.

“She is the voice of reason that we all turn to in times of trouble, and she is also the one who hypes up every single one of her teammates. Ally took on her roles in each sport this year with pride and made the most of every opportunity. Each of our three teams were undoubtedly better because she was a part of them.”

As a member of the basketball team, Brown did a little bit of everything. She was a starter for the Wildcats and averaged four points a game. She also led the team in assists (35) and steals (24).

“Ally is a very hard worker, she always has a positive attitude, and she is a great role model to the younger players,” Louisburg basketball coach Adrianne Lane said. “This season I felt that Ally stepped up her game. She had a streak in the middle of the season where it seemed like she didn’t miss a shot. I know whatever Ally chooses to do in life she will be great at.”

Then came the soccer program, where she started in goal for the Wildcats. In her first year playing high school soccer, Brown thrived as she helped Louisburg to a No. 1 seed in the state playoffs and a fourth-place state finish.

As the team’s starting goalie, she made a big impact in the back of the Wildcat defense. She finished with 12 clean sheets and had 91 saves on the year. For that effort, she was named to the All-Frontier League second team. 

“For a first time goalkeeper, that save rating is exceptional,” Roquemore said. “She faced far fewer shots than the average keeper because of our team defense, but when she does get them, she does a great job.

“Ally has always been a humble leader, a voice of reason, a positive influence, and has a determined work ethic. She balances a good sense of humor with a focused and sincere way of approaching athletics. She’s hard on herself but never gives up and is constantly willing to take feedback and apply it. I can’t imagine this season without her.”

Although it was a successful experience for her, it was about more than just wins and losses for Brown. 

“Yes I got a fourth place state medal out of it, but I got so much more than that,” Brown said. “I gained girls who will be sisters for life and a sense of girlhood that is unmatched. I will never forget my one year in the LHS girls soccer program and will be forever grateful that I chose to take a chance.”

In her four years at Louisburg High School, Brown was a 3-sport athlete in two of them. Playing multiple sports in high school is something she believes was an important and rewarding experience for her.

“Playing sports in Louisburg is such an exciting experience,’” Brown said. “The feeling of the Louisburg community rallying behind you while you’re on the court or field is indescribable. You are playing next to the same girls that you grew up with. Even you are doing the horrible weights and conditioning, it’s ok because the girl next to you is making you laugh. Playing competitive high school sports isn’t easy, but at Louisburg when you have people rallying around you every step of the way, succeeding is that much easier.”

Previous winners:

2018: Isabelle Holtzen

2019: Carson Buffington

2020: Reilly Ratliff-Becher

2021: Alyse Moore

2022: Delaney Wright

2023: Adyson Ross

2024: Hailey Sword

For the eighth consecutive 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. Then I sent the nominations back to the coaches and they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes. The recipient will be announced in the coming days.

(Editor’s Note: Normally, the coaches send me their votes and I tabulate the winner. However, due to a conflict of interest, I handed those duties to LHS AD Ty Pfannenstiel this year and he graciously gathered all the votes from the coaches and I was not a part of the process.)

Below are the three finalists for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.

Ally Brown – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer

Ally was a 3-time letterwinner this past season in volleyball, basketball and soccer. In volleyball, Brown earned honorable mention all-league honors for her work as a defensive specialist as she helped the Wildcats to the sub-state championship game. She finished with 228 digs, which was second on the team and was also second in aces with 47. She led Louisburg in serve attempts and points scored while she was serving.

On the basketball court, Brown was a starter for the Wildcat basketball team and averaged four points a game. She also led the team in assists (35) and steals (24).

Brown joined the Wildcat soccer team for the first time in the spring and made the most of her opportunity. She started in goal and finished with 12 shutouts on the season as she helped the Wildcats to a fourth-place finish at the Class 4-1A state tournament and finished with a 16-5 record. Brown was also named second team All-Frontier League goalie as she had more than 80 saves on the year and had an 87 percent save percentage.

Sabra Brueggen – Senior – Basketball, Swim

Sabra was a letterwinner for the Louisburg basketball and swim team this year. On the basketball court, Brueggen was a starter for the Lady Cats as she was third on the team with 85 rebounds on the year and averaged five points a contest.

Brueggen really made her mark in the pool as she earned two medals at the Class 5-1A state swim meet this spring. She medaled sixth in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke. Throughout the season, Brueggen earned state qualifying times in all of the individual events and she also qualified in three relays.

She swam in two of those relays at the state meet as she helped the 200 freestyle relay to victory in the consolation finals and finished ninth overall. Brueggen also swam the 400 free relay as they took 13^th. Overall, Brueggen earned at least one state medal in each of her four years with the program.

Addy Stohs – Senior – Basketball, Softball

Addy was a letterwinner for the Louisburg basketball and softball teams. It was in softball where Stohs made her biggest mark. The Louisburg senior was named to the All-Frontier League first team after strong season as the team’s first baseman.

Stohs had a big year at the plate for Louisburg as she had a .435 average, which included 27 hits, four doubles and a home run, to go along with 13 RBIs. Stohs also had a .950 fielding percentage and only had 3 errors on the year.

On the basketball court, Stohs was a forward for the Wildcats as she had 23 rebounds on the year to go along with 10 blocked shots.

For the eighth consecutive 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. Then I sent the nominations back to the coaches and they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes. The recipient will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the three finalists for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.

Ashton Moore – Senior – Football, Wrestling

Ashton was a letterwinner for both the Louisburg football and wrestling teams this past season. On the football field, Moore was a first-team All-Frontier League and All-State selection at running back and linebacker for the Wildcats as he led Louisburg to a 7-2 record.

On defense, he became the Wildcats’ all-time leading tackler with 324 stops and he is second in program history with 26.5 tackles for a loss. He also earned the Bobby Bell Award this past season as the Kansas City area’s top small class linebacker/defensive lineman. At running back, he led the Wildcats with 611 yards on the ground to go along with 12 total touchdowns. He was also selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Moore was also the Class 4A state runner-up in wrestling at 215 pounds. Moore is a 4-time state qualifier for the Wildcats and a 2-time state medalist. He finished the 2025 season with a 41-3 record and has 128 career wins for the Wildcat program. Moore was also a team captain for both the football and wrestling teams.

Myles Vohs – Senior – Football, Basketball, Track

Myles was a 3-time letterwinner this season for the football, basketball and track and field teams. On the football field, Vohs was the Wildcats’ favorite target at wide receiver as he had 41 catches for 852 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also averaged more than 20 yards per catch. He was an All-Frontier League first team selection and honorable mention all-state.

On defense, Vohs was an honorable mention all-league selection at cornerback with 20 tackles, 7 pass break-ups and he also had an interception for a touchdown. For his efforts, Vohs was also named to the All-Simone Team and was selected to play in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association all-star game.

On the basketball court, Vohs was the team’s starting point guard and was one of the top scorers on the team with nearly nine points a game to go along with a team-best 56 assists and 32 steals.

On the track, Vohs earned three state medals this past season, including two in a pair of relays. He ran on the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relay teams and both earned a sixth place finish at the state meet. Vohs also placed at state in the long jump as he was fifth with a jump of 21-6.5.

Brayden Yoder – Football, Wrestling, Track

Brayden was a 3-time letterwinner for Louisburg this past season in football, wrestling and track and field. In football, Yoder was a first-team All-Frontier League selection on defense and was a fixture on the Wildcat defensive line. He was second on the team with 68 tackles, including 6 for a loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks.

He was also a second team all-league selection on offense as a lineman. Yoder was one of the leaders on the offensive line that amassed nearly 3,000 yards of total offense. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors.

On the wrestling mat, Yoder was a state qualifier for the Wildcats and finished the season with a 35-12 record at 190 pounds. He was also a regional champion and finished one win shy of a medal during the Class 4A state tournament.

On the track, Yoder was one of the Wildcats’ top javelin throwers on the season and his best throw was just under 150 feet.

It was a tough season at times for the Louisburg basketball teams, but one Wildcat did get recognized by the Frontier League coaches.

All-Frontier League lists were released Sunday following the conclusion of the state tournament and senior Ashlyn Kuhlman earned a spot among the league’s best.

Kuhlman was an all-league honorable mention selection for the second year in a row as she led the Wildcats in three different statistical categories. 

The Louisburg senior averaged 10.3 points per game to lead the Wildcats and recorded a team-high five rebounds a contest. Kuhlman, who played mainly the guard spot, also tallied a team-best 41 blocks.

Baldwin led the way with five all-league spots. Spring Hill, who finished second in the Frontier League and fourth overall at the Class 5A state tournament, had four selections. Frontier League champion Eudora had three all-league honorees.

Spring Hill senior Sydney Buscher and junior Isla Herman, Eudora sophomore Brynn Deterding and freshman Avah Dye, along with Tonganoxie’s Alyssa Schoeneck were all named to the all-league first team.

As for the boys, Louisburg did not have a player selected to the 18-member all-league team. 

Ottawa, who took third at the Class 4A state tournament and was the Frontier League champion, led the way with four all-league selections.

Baldwin juniors Cooper Carr and Leo Schoenberger, Ottawa junior Aiden McCullough and sophomore Caleb Hepner, Bonner Springs junior Kelan Bruver and Spring Hill sophomore Jackson Bruce were all named to the first team. 

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Isla Herman, Spring Hill, junior

Brynn Deterding, Eudora, sophomore

Avah Dye, Eudora, freshman

Alyssa Schoeneck, Tonganoxie, junior

Sydney Buscher, Spring Hill, senior

SECOND TEAM

Leah Askins-Dieterich, Ottawa, sophomore

Brylynn Wicker, Paola, senior

Izzy Brunkow, Eudora, sophomore

Chloe Neufeld, Baldwin, junior

Nya Anderson, Bonner Springs, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Addy Thompson, Bonner Springs, junior

Chasitee Sambol, Bonner Springs, junior

Emmerson Nigh, Baldwin, sophomore

Lauren Berg, Baldwin, senior

Natalie Price, Ottawa, sophomore

Peyton Wright, Baldwin, sophomore

Addie Bond, Spring Hill, senior

Amaya Burris, Bonner Springs, junior

Aubrey Meder, Spring Hill, junior

Ashlyn Kuhlman, Louisburg, senior

Audrey Searl, Baldwin, sophomore

Addy Schooler, Tonganoxie, sophomore

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Cooper Carr, Baldwin, junior

Leo Schoenberger, Baldwin, junior

Kelan Gruver, Bonner Springs, junior

Aiden McCullough, Ottawa, junior

Caleb Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Jackson Bruce, Spring Hill, sophomore

SECOND TEAM

Jason Jones, Bonner Springs, junior

Carter Hepner, Ottawa, senior

Caden Cohee, Paola, senior

Ryan Osburn, Eudora, sophomore

Cash Schneider, Eudora, freshman

Lachlan McRae, Tonganoxie, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Colton Collum, Baldwin, junior

Jaiden Jones, Bonner Springs, freshman

Errol Siemon, Eudora, senior

Jayce Mourning, Ottawa, sophomore

Micah Sanders, Paola, senior

Talon Langford, Tonganoxie, senior

EUDORA — The task was never going to be an easy one for the Louisburg girls basketball team.

The Wildcats, the No. 15 seed, had to travel to Frontier League champion, Eudora, for the first round of sub-state action. Louisburg held strong in the first half, but a difficult third quarter ended the Wildcats’ season in a 56-26 loss to the Cardinals. 

Eudora went on to defeat Wamego for the sub-state championship Saturday and advanced to the state tournament.

“Eudora is a great team and I wish them the best of luck at the state tournament,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I felt like we played hard against them and we never gave up.”

Louisburg battled in the first half, despite getting down 11 after the first quarter. The Wildcats were outscored just 12-9 in the second period and trailed 27-13 at halftime.

“We face-guarded two of their players and I thought the girls who face-guarded played their roles well,” Lane said. “The other 3 girls who were not face-guarding did a great job helping and playing man to man on the remaining players. Overall the girls did a great job playing a different defense and played together.”

Eudora found a way past that defense in the third quarter as it outscored Louisburg 20-4 to all but seal the win. The Cardinals helped get that lead thanks to their defense.

Eudora forced 20 Wildcat turnovers and turned those mistakes into 22 points. The Cardinals also shot 47 percent from the floor compared to just 25 for Louisburg.

Louisburg senior Ashlyn Kuhlman led the Wildcats in scoring with nine points to go along with eight rebounds. Junior Morgan Latham finished with six points.

It was also marked the end for seven Wildcats seniors as Jillian Asher, Ally Brown, Sabra Brueggen, Ashlyn Kuhlman, Sami Lane, Addy Stohs and Shylar Whiting all played their final game in a Louisburg uniform.

“This season was a fun season for the girls and our program,” coach Lane said. “I thought we played hard and battled in every game. Losing 7 seniors will be tough moving forward, but I know the seniors will all work hard to in their futures and I am excited to see where they go in life.

“The underclassmen I know will put in the work this summer and next fall to be ready to battle next year. I am excited to see what next year brings and excited for the younger girls to show their skills.”

LOU 4 9 4 9 — 26

EUD 15 12 20 9 — 56

LOUISBURG (5-16): Ashlyn Kuhlman 3-8 0-0 9; Morgan Latham 2-5 2-2 6; Sabra Brueggen 2-6 0-0 4; Ally Brown 1-7 0-0 3; McKenna Lohse 1-4 0-0 2; Sami Lane 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 10-39 2-2 26. 3-point field goals: 4, (Kuhlman 3, Brown)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week 11 of the winter sports season, sponsored by Edward Jones and Craig Holtzen.

LUKE SCHULTZ, SENIOR, BASKETBALL

Louisburg senior Luke Schultz had a strong season for the Wildcat boys basketball team. Schultz led the team in scoring and rebounding for the 2024-25 campaign as one of the Wildcat post players. He averaged more than 10 points a game to go along with more than seven rebounds a contest. Schultz also scored 27 points during the Wildcats’ 3-game week to end their season.

During the season, Schultz recorded a 30-point performance in a win in January and also pulled down a team-high 18 rebounds in another contest. He shot 37 percent from the floor for the year.

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

Previous winners:

Week 1: Gavin Lohse

Week 2: Colin Brown

Week 3: Jay McCaskill

Week 4: Brayden Yoder

Week 5: Andrew Jamison

Week 6: Ashlyn Kuhlman

Week 7: Ashton Moore

Week 8: Brooklyn DeWeese

Week 9: Leola Eslinger

Week 10: Colton Prettyman

After a pair of rough losses earlier in the week, the Louisburg girls basketball team wanted to end its regular season the right way on Friday.

The Wildcats hosted rival Paola on Senior Night as they had a chance to honor their seven seniors. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, it wasn’t the way they wanted to send their seniors out.

Paola rallied past Louisburg with a late fourth quarter run and handed the Wildcats a 52-49 loss in their regular season finale. 

“Friday was a tough loss for our team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We played hard and played well, but just came up short. Losing on Senior Night was not ideal, but I do feel like we played well and had a good game.”

Jillian Asher, Ally Brown, Sabra Brueggen, Ashlyn Kuhlman, Sami Lane, Addy Stohs and Shylar Whiting all played their final game on their home floor as many of those players have seen varsity time the last three seasons.

“This senior group has really been a huge part of this program the past four years,” coach Lane said. “They played varsity since they were sophomores and they have contributed and worked hard for the past three years. As sophomores they all worked hard to make the older girls better and they continued to work hard as juniors and seniors. It has been a lot of fun coaching them and I wish them all the best of luck in their futures.”

The Wildcats jumped out on the Panthers early as they opened the game on a 10-1 run and took a 15-11 lead going into the second. Louisburg led by just one going into halftime.

It was a one-possession game for much of the third quarter, but the Wildcats started to separate themselves again in the fourth quarter as they built a six-point lead with under four minutes left. 

Paola put one more run together as it outscored Louisburg 13-4 down the stretch. The Wildcats did have one last chance to tie the game with under 10 seconds left, but were unable to get a shot off.

The Wildcats had tough time containing Paola’s inside attack and it started with senior Brylynn Wicker. She led all scorers with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

“Wicker is a very active and physical player,” coach Lane said. “She does a great job scoring in the lane. I thought we did a good job guarding her in the second half. We tried to not let her catch the ball, and I thought Sabra did a good job guarding her.”

Kuhlman had a strong showing for the Wildcats in her final home game as the Louisburg guard was able to score on the inside. She finished with 18 points and also had nine rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocks.

Brueggen also had success in the paint for Louisburg as she tallied 13 points with five rebounds. Asher was third on the team in scoring with seven.

Brown led the Wildcat offense with five assists to go along with four rebounds and also had two steals and two blocked shots.

As much success as the Wildcats had on the inside, they struggled from the outside as they were just 1-for-12 from behind the 3-point line. They were also 10-for-23 from the free-throw line.

Louisburg begins postseason play Wednesday as it travels to No. 2 Eudora for the first round of sub-state. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

“Eudora is a great team,” coach Lane said. “They are fast and have several great players in their program.”

LOU 15 9 11 14 — 49

PAO 11 12 13 16 — 52

LOUISBURG (5-15): Ashlyn Kuhlman 5-16 8-10 18; Sabra Brueggen 6-10 1-5 13; Jillian Asher 3-7 0-0 7; McKenna Lohse 2-2 0-4 4; Ally Brown 1-6 1-2 3; Shylar Whiting 1-1 0-0 2; Sami Lane 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 19-51 10-23 49. 3-point field goals: 1, (Asher)

Wildcats fall to Eudora, Blue Valley Southwest

It wasn’t the best start for the Louisburg girls in what was a busy week for the Wildcats. 

They played three games in four days and it started on Feb. 25 when the Wildcats traveled to Blue Valley Southwest. The Class 5A program used a big second quarter to pull away from Louisburg for a 72-33 win.

The Timberwolves outscored the Wildcats 25-4 in the second quarter to pull away for the victory.

Ashlyn Kuhlman led Louisburg in scoring with 13 points, while Morgan Latham and Sami Lane scored six and five points, respectively.

Then, on Feb. 26, the Wildcats hosted No. 3-ranked Eudora in a make-up game and the Cardinals showed why they are one of the top teams in the state. Eudora held Louisburg scoreless in the first half and handed the Wildcats a 42-10 loss.

Sabra Brueggen led Louisburg in scoring with four points.

LOU 0 0 5 5 — 10

EUD 12 10 14 6 — 42

LOUISBURG: Sabra Brueggen 1-6 2-4 4; Ellia Gibbons 1-1 0-0 3; McKenna Lohse 1-4 0-0 2; Jillian Asher 0-4 1-2 1. Totals: 3-38 3-8 10. 3-point field goals: 1, (Gibbons)

LOU 14 4 8 7 — 33

BVSW 22 25 15 10 — 72

LOUISBURG: Ashlyn Kuhlman 4-12 3-4 13; Morgan Latham 2-7 2-2 6; Sami Lane 2-5 0-0 5; McKenna Lohse 2-3 0-0 4; Kinley Scott 1-1 1-1 3; Sabra Brueggen 1-3 0-2 2. Totals: 12-43 6-9 33. 3-point field goals: 3, (Kuhlman 2, Lane)

The emotions were all over the place Friday for the Louisburg boys basketball team.

Not only was it Senior Night against one of their rivals in Paola, but the Wildcats were coming off a buzzer-beating loss two days earlier that all but ended their hopes of making the state playoffs.

Still, they wanted nothing more than to end their season with a win. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Paola pulled away as it scored 21 third quarter points and handed Louisburg a 53-47 loss on Senior Night.

It was also the final game for five Wildcat seniors in Myles Vohs, Luke Schultz, Gavin Lohse, Billy Vohs and Will Goode.

“I thought they did a really good job because it was just so heartbreaking what happened on Wednesday,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “The goal on Friday was to start and play those five seniors a lot and those guys did a really good job playing together. They executed a lot of stuff, hit some shots and we had a lead through a big portion of the game. Billy, who hadn’t played a lot of minutes before Friday, did a really good job and was happy for all them to be able to play together and play well for most of the game.”

The Wildcats (3-17) just couldn’t get much going offensively, but did take a 22-21 lead at halftime. The Panthers caught fire in the third quarter and Louisburg couldn’t recover as they shot just 27 percent for the game.

“It was just the story of our season,” Doll said .”We weren’t the greatest shooting team and we missed a lot of things around the basket and that is a big difference between winning and losing. That was definitely evident in that game. I thought our defense was pretty good. We got into some foul trouble, but still we had some other guys fill in and did a solid job overall, especially at the end.”

Louisburg jumped out strong on Paola as it took at 13-5 lead after one quarter and held on for the 1-point halftime lead. The Panthers outscored Louisburg 21-12 in the third quarter to pull away.

Myles Vohs led the Wildcats on both ends of the floor as he scored a team-high 12 points to go along with six steals. He also had four rebounds and three assists.

Schultz added nine points in the loss, while junior Derek Frederick added eight. Lohse and Goode each had seven points, while Lohse had a team-high nine rebounds and Goode had seven.

It was a senior class that Doll has gotten to know quite a bit in his two years as head coach.

“Gavin, Luke and Myles played a lot of minutes, not just this year, but last year as well,” Doll said. “They provided a lot to our team and I’m definitely going to miss those guys. All those seniors brought important things to our program that we needed. The wins and losses really didn’t go the way we wanted them to this season, but the four seniors that were there with us all season were always ready to go at practice. We lost some close games in the last week of the season, but those guys gave us the opportunity to get us where we needed to go. We just fell short in these last few.”

LOU 13 9 12 13 — 47

PAO 5 16 21 11 — 53

LOUISBURG (3-17): Myles Vohs 5-13 2-5 12; Luke Schultz 1-8 6-10 9; Derek Frederick 2-4 2-2 8; Gavin Lohse 2-6 3-4 7; Will Goode 2-6 2-4 7; Billy Vohs 1-7 0-0 3; Lance Callahan 0-1 1-3 1. Totals: 14-47 16-28 47. 3-point field goals: 5, (Frederick 2, B. Vohs, Goode, Schultz) 

Wildcats fall at the buzzer to Eudora

The Louisburg boys needed a win last Wednesday against Eudora in the worst way.

The Wildcats found themselves on the outside looking when it came to the playoffs and they had to beat the Cardinals to give themselves a reasonable shot.

Louisburg was right where it wanted to be as it held a 2-point lead with less than five seconds left. It turned out to be too much time for Eudora.

The Cardinals passed the ball up the court and Ryan Osburn hit a running 3-pointer that banked off the backboard and went in as Eudora handed Louisburg a tough 47-46 loss at the buzzer.

“It was a big blow and was incredibly deflating for everyone involved,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “We had chances all through the game to give ourselves more of cushion than just a two point game there at the end. Crazy things can happen in that situation and you see it at all levels of basketball.

“You look back and wonder what you could have different at the end of the game, but there were so many other opportunities earlier as well that would have put us in a better spot,” Doll said. 

Louisburg found itself down most of the second half, but made big plays in the fourth quarter to take the lead, including a 3-point play from Luke Schultz and an acrobatic drive by Myles Vohs to put the Wildcats up 37-36.

Eudora came back to take a 40-37 advantage, but Vohs tied it with a 3-pointer. Gavin Lohse and Derek Frederick each hit a pair of free throws to put Louisburg 46-42.

With under 30 seconds left, Eudora scored on a second chance opportunity to make it 46-44. The Cardinals got the ball with another chance to tie or take the lead, but missed two shots and had to foul with 4.9 seconds left.

The Wildcats couldn’t take advantage at the line as they missed both chances, which gave Eudora one last opportunity that it would convert.

The Wildcats played another close game the day before against Blue Valley Southwest, but lost 55-47 to the Class 5A program.

Louisburg used a 13-4 third quarter to get back in the game and take a 40-36 lead,  but Southwest went on a 17-7 run in the fourth quarter to pull away.

Will Goode led the Wildcats with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Luke Schultz and Gavin Lohse each tallied nine points and Schultz had seven rebounds. Myles Vohs had eight points and three assists.

LOU 8 10 12 16 — 46

EUD 7 15 12 13 — 47

LOUISBURG: Myles Vohs 6-12 3-4 16; Gavin Lohse 3-7 5-6 11; Luke Schultz 3-8 2-3 9; Lance Callahan 2-6 0-0 6; Derek Frederick 0-5 2-2 2; Will Goode 1-6 0-2 2. Totals: 15-47 12-17 46. 3-point field goals: 4, (Callahan 2, Vohs, Schultz)

LOU 17 10 13 7 — 47

BVSW 18 16 4 17 — 55

LOUISBURG: Will Goode 7-15 2-2 17; Gavin Lohse 3-9 3-6 9; Luke Schultz 3-7 3-4 9; Myles Vohs 3-14 1-1 8; Derek Frederick 1-4 0-0 2; Lance Callahan 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 18-54 9-13 47. 3-point field goals: 2, (Vohs, Goode)

SPRING HILL — For most of the season, the Louisburg boys basketball team hasn’t been able to put their full team on the floor, whether due to injury or illness.

It has been a tough stretch at times for the Wildcats to battle through and Louisburg was faced with that again on Feb. 14 when they traveled to Spring Hill.

Louisburg was without one of its top scorers and rebounders in senior Gavin Lohse, while another senior, Luke Schultz was limited with an injury himself. 

Still, the Wildcats made the best of a tough situation as they fought the Broncos on their home floor, but fell short in a 57-41 loss. 

“Yes, being without Gavin again put us in a bind,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “He has been our most consistent producer in the games he has played, but just snake bitten with injuries and other stuff all season. Luke wasn’t 100 percent but did a great job with some scoring and on the glass.”

Louisburg got out to a good start as it took a 13-12 lead after one quarter and trailed by just one points at halftime. Unfortunately, the Broncos picked up the pace offensively as they outscored Louisburg 34-19 in the second half, including a 17-7 run in the fourth to pull away.

Wildcat senior point guard Myles Vohs led the way for Louisburg with a team-high 11 points and also had seven rebounds and three assists. Schultz also had 10 points to go along with six rebonds. 

The Wildcats (3-14) did get some reinforcements however as senior Will Goode played his first game for Louisburg as a late season transfer. Goode, a 6-foot-10 forward, will give the Wildcats a boost they need on the inside as he led the team with nine rebounds to go along with seven points.

“Adding Will into the mix really helped that night,” Doll said. “We made things basic and let him try to fit in the best he could. It is unusual to get a transfer that can play right away this late in the season, but we believe he will help us a lot, especially when Gavin is in the lineup.”

Louisburg will try and get back on the winning track Tuesday as the Wildcats travel to Blue Valley Southwest. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

LOU 13 9 12 7 — 41

SH 12 11 17 17 — 57

LOUISBURG (3-14): Myles Vohs 3-11 4-4 11; Luke Schultz 4-9 0-0 10; William Goode 3-12 1-1 7; Derek Frederick 2-7 0-0 6; Ethan Kush 2-7 0-0 5; Owen Marsh 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 15-48 5-5 41. 3-point field goals: 6, (Frederick 2, Schultz 2, Vohs, Kush)