Louisburg senior Konnor Vohs pulls up for a 3-pointer Tuesday against Paola during the Class 4A sub-state semifinals in Louisburg.

For the first half anyway, Louisburg was playing some of its basketball at the right time.

The Wildcats jumped out to an 18-point halftime lead over rival Paola on Tuesday in the Class 4A sub-state semifinals. The next two quarters seemed more like a formality the way Louisburg had dominated the first half.

As it turned out, it was much more than a formality as Paola, with its season on the line, charged to cut the Louisburg lead to just four. Still, the Wildcats were able to make plays down the stretch and pull away for a 51-44 victory.

“We came out with a lot of energy and played great defense,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We pride ourselves on our defense and the first half we executed our defensive game plan and we were playing hard. To hold a team to single digits at halftime is pretty good, and most of the time you are happy if you do that in a quarter. To hold them to eight in the first half was a big accomplishment. 

“It was a good thing we got a good lead because they made a run in the second half. It was kind of a reverse for us in the second half as we struggled offensively and we couldn’t get stops on defense.”

The one constant for the Wildcats was their aggressiveness on the boards, which turned out to be a big difference in the game. Louisburg outrebounded Paola by 14.

Along with its strong defense in the first half, the Wildcats were able to jump out to a 26-8 halftime lead on their rival.

“We just made a point to box out their two big guys and we had the mentality that we were going to go get every rebound,” senior Weston Guetterman said. “We played great pressure defense. With our season on the line, you have to play tough all four quarters. Obviously, we let them back in it a little bit, but we were able to finish strong.

“I was proud of the way we finished and we found a way to win, which is all that matters. Whether it is by 30 or 2, you just have to find a way.”

Louisburg was able to snap Paola’s big rally in the second half with several crucial plays down the stretch.

Paola went on a 15-0 run to get back in the game, a run that started in the third quarter and ended midway through the fourth. The Panthers cut the Wildcat lead to four, but Louisburg junior Julian Margrave stopped the run with a jumper.

The Wildcats kept it a six-point advantage on a floater in the lane from senior Konnor Vohs. After a basket from Paola’s Trey Moala, junior Michael Seuferling calmly knocked down two free throws to keep the Panthers at arm’s length.

Free throws from Margrave and Weston Guetterman, along with a basket from Seuferling, pushed the Louisburg lead to double digits and the Wildcats were able to hold on.

“Our kids played hard and it got to a point where we needed to make some plays,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had a lot of kids make plays for us down the stretch. Konnor’s little floater in the lane was really big and I was happy with how we played defensively overall. At this point in the season, we are going to get everyone’s best shot, no matter what the score is. Everyone is fighting for their seasons and it is all about surviving and advancing.”

Margrave led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points to go along with eight rebounds. Weston Guetterman also scored in double figures with 10 points, but also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Senior Ben Guetterman also had seven points and seven rebounds in the win.

Louisburg (15-6) will now try to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2017 when the Wildcats will host No. 2 seed Iola (13-7) at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Iola ended the Wildcats’ season a year ago in the sub-state semifinals, despite a 32-point fourth quarter rally from Louisburg that forced overtime. Louisburg hopes it doesn’t have to resort to such heroics this time around.

“We want Iola and we wanted to see them again before we graduate and that was part of our motivation for this game,” Weston said, “We mainly wanted to win because we haven’t won a playoff game yet in high school.

“I am pumped for it. If we come out and play like we did here, I think we have a good chance.”

LOU 12 14 13 12 — 51

PAO 4 4 17 19 — 44

LOUISBURG (15-6): Julian Margrave 6-11 3-4 16; Weston Guetterman 4-11 2-6 10; Ben Guetterman 2-8 2-2 7; Michael Seuferling 2-6 2-2 6; Konnor Vohs 2-2 1-2 6; Dawson Barnes 2-3 0-0 4; Andy Hupp 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 19-43 10-16 51. 3-point field goals: 3, (Vohs, B. Guetterman, Margrave)

Louisburg senior Andy Hupp dives on the floor for a loose ball with Paola’s Trey Moala on Friday during the team’s Senior Night game in Louisburg.

With the game hanging in the balance on Senior Night, who else but a senior to help pull his team through.

Louisburg hosted rival Paola on Friday in hopes of, not only ending its regular season with a victory, but winning for its five seniors.

One of those seniors, Weston Guetterman, came through when his team needed him most.

With under two minutes left in the contest, and the Wildcats only up two points, Guetterman knocked down 5 of 6 free throws help seal a 58-54 victory.

It was the perfect ending to a night that honored seniors Konnor Vohs, Weston Guetterman, Andy Hupp, Ben Guetterman and Dawson Barnes prior to the contest.

“We knew it was going to be a tough,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played really well the last time we played them and Paola didn’t have a great night. We knew we were going to get a good contest and they are a good team. They have a lot of talent, length and can really jump. Their athleticism is tough, but for our kids to battle was good for us and we had to make some plays down the stretch. A lot of those were at the free-throw line and Weston stepped up and knocked down some shots.”

It was back and forth for much of the contest as the two teams were tied at the end of the first quarter.

Paola actually held a one-point lead late in the first half, but Weston Guetterman got the lead back on a 3-pointer, and Ben Guetterman scored a quick two points to put the Wildcats up 26-22 at halftime.

Louisburg (14-6) struggled to get going offensively in the third quarter and the Panthers used the opportunity to go on a 8-2 run and take a 39-37 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Then it was junior Julian Margrave’s turn to get the Wildcats going. Margrave, who scored a game-high 24 points and had four 3-pointers, hit two back-to-back early in the fourth quarter.

Junior Michael Seuferling followed up with a basket of his own to put the Wildcats up 45-41. Louisburg knocked down 9 of 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to keep the Panthers at arm’s length the rest of the way.

“Julian is a good shooter and scorer,” Pfannenstiel said. “He played well for us and we need something offensively to get us going. This is a night that we weren’t great on offense or defense, necessarily. We weren’t bad by any means, but we have to be better. Those shots definitely jump started us for sure.

“Paola played pretty well defensively. They have length inside and they can contest shots, so it was a well-executed game plan by them and we were fortunate to get the win. But we made the plays when we needed to.”

Weston Guetterman also scored in double figures with 15 points to go along with seven assists, four rebounds and three steals. Seuferling just missed double figures with nine points.

Barnes did a lot of the dirty work for the Wildcats as he pulled down a team-high six rebounds and also had three assists and two blocks. Senior Ben Guetterman also played well defensively with a team-high four steals.

It was a bittersweet night for many of the Wildcats. They know the playoffs are still on the horizon, but they do know their time is coming to a close.

“This is a great group of kids,” Pfannenstiel said. “They are the first group that I have had for all four years. At the end of practice the other day in the auxiliary gym, we were reminiscing a little bit and it doesn’t seem like four years ago that as freshmen Ben went for 32 against Paola and Weston would hit a half-court buzzer beater to win the game. 

“Time flies, and it is kind of cliche, but this group works so hard. When you work hard good things happen and they have had a really good season and we hope to be playing basketball for quite a bit longer.”

Louisburg earned the No. 1 seed in substate and will once again play for Paola with their season on the line. The Wildcats, who are also the No. 2 ranked team in Class 4A, will host the Panthers (8-11) at 7 p.m. tonight in the Class 4A sub-state semifinals.

“That is always tough playing a team for a third time, much less playing them twice in less than five days,” Pfannenstiel said. “We will see what happens and our kids will be ready to play. We just have to get ourselves prepared and get ready to play. It is do our die from here on out, but we are looking forward to it.”

LOU 13 13 11 21 — 58

PAO 13 9 17 15 — 54

LOUISBURG (14-6): Julian Margrave 8-12 4-4 24; Weston Guetterman 3-12 7-8 15; Michael Seuferling 4-7 1-2 9; Ben Guetterman 2-11 0-0 4; Konnor Vohs 1-2 0-0 2; Dawson Barnes 1-1 0-0 2; Andy Hupp 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 20-46 12-14 58. 3-point field goals: 6, (Margrave 4, W. Guetterman 2)

Louisburg junior Michael Seuferling drives to the basket on a Shawnee Mission South defender Monday in Louisburg.

The atmosphere was that of a big postseason game – the Louisburg High School gymnasium was rocking thanks to two opposing sections that wanted to come out victorious. 

The game itself wasn’t that important in the grand scheme of it all, but a pair of ranked teams battled it out Monday. Shawnee Mission South (No. 6 in 6A) and Louisburg (No. 2 in 4A) went back-and-forth at each other in what was close game – at least until the end.

Shawnee Mission South used a late run in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 50-38 win over Louisburg, but all was not lost for the Wildcats.

“This game, I think, gives us a little more confidence that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody, no matter what class they are,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We are disappointed and we had a chance to win that game if we execute a little better, but the guys will have right kind of confidence after this game. I always tell them to be confident and not cocky.”

The Wildcats (13-6) played confident, especially early on. The Raiders took a 10-7 lead in the first, but the Wildcats flipped the script and went on a 10-1 run of their own that went into the second quarter.

Louisburg’s Julian Margrave hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 10-all, then after free throws from Konnor Vohs and Dawson Barnes, Margrave hit another basket to put the Wildcats up 15-10.

Ben Guetterman hit a short jumper and a 3-pointer to put Louisburg up 20-14, but the Raiders ended the first half on a 9-2 run to take a one-point halftime lead.

Margrave hit his second 3-pointer of the game to put the Wildcats up two to start the second half, but South’s defense proved to be too much down the stretch as the Wildcats scored 13 points the rest of the game.

“The second half we were trying to drive the ball, and I think the officials were letting some stuff go on both ends,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had some good looks and some of those didn’t fall. We weren’t as good offensively in the second half, but we always tell ourselves that if we play great defense you are always going to have a shot. The way we defended tonight really made them work on the offensive end. To hold a team like that to 50 is an accomplishment, but we have to score the ball a little bit better.”

Margrave and Ben Guetterman led the Wildcats in scoring with 10 points each, while Margrave also had a team-high eight rebounds. 

Junior Michael Seuferling finished with a team-high four assists.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats had a good time playing in the atmosphere that was helped by the addition of a 40-member Shawnee Mission South student section that had the opportunity to see a live event for the first time all year since the game was held in Louisburg.

“It was just a fun game,” Pfannenstiel said. “The atmosphere was good and I think that will be a sub-state type atmosphere. I thought our guys answered really well to that. That was a great student section that South brought. Good for them to finally be able to watch again because that is what high school is about is to experience those things with their friends. 

“Glad they got to see a great basketball and game and hopefully that will reinvigorate our student section and get more kids here. Our players loved that environment and they were playing hard and played really well.”

Louisburg will now host rival Paola on Senior Night tonight as the Wildcats will honor seniors Weston Guetterman, Ben Guetterman, Konnor Vohs, Andy Hupp and Dawson Barnes. 

It will be the final regular season game for Louisburg before it begins postseason play this Tuesday.

“Whoever we play from here on out, starting with Paola, no one is going to lay over just because they see our record or ranking,” Pfannenstiel said. “The guys need to be confident, go over their preparation in practice, and play hard.”

LOU 13 9 9 7 — 38

SMS 10 13 13 14 — 50

LOUISBURG (13-6): Ben Guetterman 4-9 1-1 10; Julian Margrave 4-13 0-0 10; Weston Guetterman 2-6 2-6 6; Maverick Rockers 2-2 0-0 5; Michael Seuferling 2-7 0-0 4; Konnor Vohs 0-2 2-2 2; Dawson Barnes 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 14-41 6-11 38. 3-point field goals: 4, (Margrave 2, B. Guetterman, Rockers)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week ten of the winter sports season, sponsored by Louisburg Family Dental.

Weston Guetterman, Senior, Boys Basketball

Louisburg senior point guard Weston Guetterman has helped guide the Wildcat basketball team to a No. 2 state ranking and helped Louisburg to a pair of wins over Eudora and Fort Scott last week. Against Eudora, Guetterman scored 15 points and pulled down six rebounds to go along with five steals on Saturday. Against Fort Scott, Guetterman handed out a team-high six assists to go along with eight points.

For the season, Guetterman has averaged 13 points a game for the Wildcats to go along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

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: Jordan Mynsted

Week 2: Julian Margrave

Week 3: Alec Younggren

Week 4: Megan Foote

Week 5: Madilyn Melton

Week 6: Michael Seuferling

Week 7: Cade Holtzen

Week 8: Ryan Owens

Week 9: Aiden Barker

Louisburg junior Julian Margrave goes up for two of his game-high 26 points Thursday against Fort Scott. Margrave scored 49 points in the Wildcats two wins over Fort Scott and Eudora.

Louisburg couldn’t seem to get into much of a rhythm early on in Saturday’s makeup game against Eudora.

The Wildcats found themselves down five points going into the second quarter, but they used their defense to get back in the lead to stay.

Louisburg forced 21 Eudora turnovers and turned those into 18 points, which helped the Wildcats to a 53-43 win over the Cardinals. It was also the fifth straight victory for Louisburg.

“Other than a few mental lapses early, I thought we were really good defensively,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Our guards have been doing an incredible job of pressuring in the full court and on the perimeter, which is really making it tough on our opponents. To force 21 turnovers was huge for us. That was definitely a big factor in the outcome. Holding a good team like Eudora to 43 points is something to be proud of.”

The Wildcats’ (13-5) ratcheted up its defense on the perimeter, especially at the guard spot. Senior Weston Guetterman had a team-high five steals, while Konnor Vohs, Ben Guetterman and Maverick Rockers each had two. Forward Dawson Barnes also recorded three steals.

A lot of that defense turned into offense, with big thanks to Julian Margrave. The Louisburg junior finished with a game-high 23 points and had nine rebounds. He also connected on five 3-pointers.

“Julian really heated up,” Pfannenstiel said. “I think he was 0 for his first 3, but then really got it going. Eudora had some good size to counter Julian’s length, so this game was a good challenge for him. Julian’s skills give him an advantage, because he can really stretch a defense into having to guard him on the perimeter. He had a really good shooting day.”

Weston Guetterman had a big game with 15 points to go along with his five steals and six rebounds. 

Louisburg put together a 20-point second quarter to take a three-point halftime lead. The Wildcat defense then held Eudora to just 16 second half points and were able to hold off the Cardinals.

“We got down early, but we’ve done that quite a few times this year,” Pfannenstiel said. “We always emphasize that there are a lot of possessions in a game and there’s no time to dwell on a prior possession no matter if it’s good or bad. We knew that if we just stayed the course, we’d be fine.

“I think it was just another good team win. We had a lot of guys playing to their role and doing their job which contributes to the win. Our kids have really bought into that and are playing good team basketball.”

LOU 10 20 12 11 — 53

EUD 15 12 9 7 — 43

LOUISBURG (13-5): Julian Margrave 9-18 0-0 23; Weston Guetterman 3-10 6-8 15; Michael Seuferling 2-8 1-2 5; Konnor Vohs 2-5 0-0 4; Dawson Barnes 2-4 0-0 4; Ben Guetterman 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 19-52 7-11 53. 3-point field goals: 8, (Margrave 5, W. Guetterman 3)

Margrave has big night as Wildcats roll Fort Scott

FORT SCOTT — Louisburg knew it had a mismatch going into Thursday’s game with Fort Scott.

Once it got to the second quarter, the Wildcats were able to exploit it in a big way.

Louisburg knew it had a size advantage with 6-foot-9 inch Julian Margrave, and Fort Scott couldn’t do much to stop him.

Margrave scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to go along with three blocks and helped Louisburg to a 62-37 win.

“Our kids did a good job seeing that mismatch and getting him the ball and he did a nice job finishing when he got his touches,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “You have to go with what is working and we knew that going in. This is the first game where we have know we have had a size advantage and really took advantage of it. Julian had a big night and hats off to the guys who were feeding him the ball.”

One of those guys was point guard Weston Guetterman, who had a team-high six assists and senior Konnor Vohs had four. 

After a slow start in which the Wildcats trailed 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, Louisburg put together a big second quarter in which it outscored Fort Scott 19-3 and took an 11-point halftime lead.

Louisburg continued to pour it on offensively in the third quarter as it scored 22 points and built a comfortable lead from there.

Senior Ben Guetterman scored in double figures with 12 points and also had three steals. Junior Michael Seuferling finished with nine points.

LOU 9 19 22 12 — 62

FS 14 3 12 8 — 37 

LOUISBURG: Julian Margrave 12-17 0-0 26; Ben Guetterman 5-10 0-0 12; Michael Seuferling 3-3 3-3 9; Weston Guetterman 3-6 2-2 8; Dawson Barnes 2-2 0-0 4; Konnor Vohs 1-5 1-2 3. Totals: 26-46 6-7 62. 3-point field goals: 4, (Margrave 2, B. Guetterman 2)

Louisburg senior Weston Guetterman drives to the basket for two of his game-high 24 points in the Wildcats’ win Thursday over Spring Hill at Spring Hill High School.

SPRING HILL — For the first half anyway, Thursday’s game against Spring Hill became the Guetterman show.

Weston and Ben Guetterman, who are cousins, took it upon themselves to help get Louisburg off to a good start against the Broncos in hopes of getting a revenge win after a loss earlier this season.

The Louisburg senior guards certainly did their part as the two combined for 34 of the team’s 42 first half points and helped Wildcats to a 60-49 win over the Broncos at Spring Hill High School. It was also the third straight victory for Louisburg.

“Spring Hill started off in a Diamond and 1 look to try and take Julian (Margrave) away,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “That left their defense vulnerable to some penetration and open looks for the other guys. Weston and Ben really took advantage of that. We needed those guys to step up and they did. 

“When a team tries to do that, I think they kind of think that you are limited offensively in other areas. I think our guys took it personal and made them pay. Even though Spring Hill got out of it pretty quickly, I think it really jump started Ben and Weston for the rest of the game.”

The Wildcats (11-5) could seem to do no wrong in the first half as they scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters, while they held Spring Hill to just 20 points for the entire half. 

Weston and Ben accounted for all of the scoring in the first quarter as Louisburg jumped out to a 21-11 lead and the Wildcats’ confidence seemed to build.

“Obviously, we played well in the first half, actually the first three quarters,” Pfannenstiel said. “Defensively, we were making things tough on Spring Hill and we were efficient on offense. That’s a good combination.”

Weston finished with a game-high 24 points for the Wildcats to go along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Ben also scored in double figures with 15 points, but was also big on the boards with seven rebounds and also led the Wildcats with four steals.

Junior Julian Margrave was big in the second half for the Wildcats as he finished with a double-double. Margrave scored 13 points and had 12 rebounds to help the Wildcats win the battle on the glass.

It was a big difference all-around from the Wildcats’ last meeting with the Broncos, in which the Wildcats lost by five at home. Louisburg shot 47 percent from the field and committed just nine turnovers.

“Well for one, we shot it better, so that’s the obvious stat that makes a big difference,” Pfannenstiel said. “But we shot it better because we were smarter offensively. We didn’t settle for as many outside shots. We took nine less threes in this game. I think we learned that in order for us to have a big offensive night, it doesn’t have to come from shooting the ball from behind the arc. We were much more efficient offensively. We cut down on turnovers this game as well. When you take care of the ball, you get more opportunities to score.”

The Wildcats were up by as much as 17 in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos made one last rally to cut it to eight on a couple different occasions, but could get no closer.

Louisburg will try continue its winning ways Thursday when it travels to Fort Scott for a makeup game. The Wildcats, who were scheduled to play Eudora tonight, will play the Cardinals at 11:30 a.m. at home Saturday in another makeup contest.

“Overall, I like where we are right now,” Pfannenstiel said. “I just hope this break due to the weather doesn’t halt our momentum. Our boys will be excited for the opportunity to get back out on the court.”

LOU 21 21 11 7 — 60

SH 11 9 13 16 — 49

LOUISBURG (11-5): Weston Guetterman 9-21 6-7 24; Ben Guetterman 6-9 0-0 15; Julian Margrave 6-11 0-0 13; Michael Seuferling 2-4 2-4 6; Maverick Rockers 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 24-51 8-13 60. 3-point field goals: 4, (B. Guetterman 3, Margrave)

Junior Julian Margrave pulls up for two of his 15 points Friday during Louisburg’s homecoming game against Ottawa.

Since 2004, the Louisburg boys basketball team had always been on the wrong side of the scoreboard against Ottawa.

Trialing midway through the fourth quarter against Cyclones, the Wildcats were looking for anything that could give them a spark.

They found that spark in their defense.

Louisburg turned in four strong possessions late that led to eight straight points from Weston Guetterman and the Wildcats picked up their second consecutive win in a 53-44 victory over Ottawa at Louisburg High School.

Defense came to the rescue in the second half as the Wildcats were able to overcome a six-point halftime deficit and held Ottawa to just 16 second half points.

It was the first win against Ottawa for Louisburg in at least 17 years since the Cyclones joined the Frontier League.

“Our defense was big, especially in the fourth quarter there,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “ I think it gave us a lot of energy and made us more effective offensively.”

The Wildcats (10-5), who were down 28-22 at halftime, didn’t have the opportunity to get out in transition as much as they would have liked. Ottawa worked the ball around on offense and limited Louisburg’s opportunities to get out and run.

It all changed in the second half – more specifically – the fourth quarter. Louisburg pressured the Ottawa ball handlers and the Wildcats were able to force 10 turnovers, many of which came in the second half.

The defensive pressure, that was led by senior Konnor Vohs, allowed the Wildcats to get out and run. In fact, it was Vohs, Weston Guetterman and Ben Guetterman that helped speed up the game. 

Down 44-42 midway through the fourth, Weston Guetterman scored eight straight points thanks to some Ottawa mistakes and the Wildcats ended the game on an 11-0 run.

“That was a combination of our three guards up top with our press and getting deflections and traps that led to steals,” Pfannenstiel said. “That is where Weston is at his best is in transition and he had a lot of transition points. He can really make our offense go cause he is so fast with the ball.

“Ottawa was tough and really slowed the game down running their offense. We were in zone, they were playing zone and that just goes to show that every possession is important. We were good in the second half and it paid off.”

Weston Guetterman ran the team well from the point guard spot as he finished with a game-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Junior Julian Margrave also had a big night with a double-double. Margrave recorded 15 points and had 14 rebounds and three blocks. Senior Ben Guetterman also had 15 points, five rebounds and a team-high three steals.

The Wildcats also had to play without junior Michael Seuferling, who is one of the team’s best defenders, after he had to sit out with an injury. Vohs got the start in his place and stepped up it on defense.

It also meant more minutes for junior guard Maverick Rockers, along with forwards Andy Hupp and Dawson Barnes.

“Konnor was really good defensively,” Pfannenstiel said. “Not having Michael was huge for us, but some other guys had to step up and some guys had more extended minutes than what they would have in our normal rotation. 

“We had guys really play well and it doesn’t show up in the stat sheets. There are a lot of guys that played to their role tonight and did a nice job.”

Louisburg will play its third consecutive sub-state opponent in a row Tuesday when it travels to Fort Scott, as the Wildcats try for their third straight win. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 12 10 12 19 — 53

OTT 12 16 8 8 — 44

LOUISBURG (10-5): Weston Guetterman 9-15 1-2 19; Ben Guetterman 5-16 2-2 15; Julian Margrave 7-14 1-2 15; Maverick Rockers 1-2 0-0 3; Andy Hupp 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 22-50 5-8 53. 3-point field goals: 4, (B. Guetterman 3, Rockers)

Louisburg senior Konnor Vohs drives to the basket and was fouled during Tuesday’s game at Paola. Vohs was one of three Wildcats to score in double figures.

PAOLA — The third quarter hasn’t always been kind to the Louisburg boys basketball team, but on Tuesday against Paola, the Wildcats thrived.

Louisburg held Paola to just two points in the third quarter, which eventually led to a running clock in the fourth, and was good for a 70-38 blowout win for the Wildcats at Paola High School. 

On a night where the Wildcats shot the ball well, and the defense was on the top of its game, it was a recipe for the win they were hoping for to help break their 3-game losing streak.

“We needed to put both sides of the ball together and the last couple of games we haven’t been good on the defensive side, which most of the season we have been pretty good at,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said “We haven’t been that great offensively, so when you don’t put both sides of the ball together you are going to struggle.

“For us to come out and play well, both offensively and defensively, shows what we are capable of, but we played well and that was important for us.”

The two teams matched each other basket for basket in the first quarter and the Wildcats were able to get out to a slim 5-point lead at halftime.

It all changed in the third quarter as the Wildcats went on a 21-2 run to begin the second half and took all of the air out of the Panthers’ sails.

Julian Margrave set the tone offensively for Louisburg as he finished with a game-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Seniors Ben Guetterman and Konnor Vohs were also active for the Wildcats as they finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Senior Weston Guetterman added seven points and a team-high five assists, while senior Dawson Barnes also added seven points. It was the Wildcats’ ability to attack the basket that gave them the spark they needed, which led to eight 3-point makes.

“We didn’t settle for jumpers and we attacked the lane and kicked it out to get our feet set,” Pfannenstiel said. “We stressed that early. I wanted Weston and Ben to attack the rim a little bit more before they look to shoot from the outside. We shot it well and things always look a lot better when the ball goes through the hoop.

“I think almost everyone got on the scoreboard for us, except for Andy Hupp, but he contributes in so many other ways and that is the type of player Andy is. It is a great team win. It reminded me a lot of the Bonner Springs win earlier in the season. We were just very unselfish and played confident the entire game.”

The Wildcats also took care of the ball and committed just four turnovers on the night and forced 15. Louisburg scored 20 points off those turnovers, and also had success scoring inside.

Louisburg will try to make it two straight wins tonight when it hosts Ottawa for homecoming. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 17 15 19 19 — 70

PAO 17 10 2 9 — 38

LOUISBURG (9-5): Julian Margrave 11-15 1-1 26; Ben Guetterman 6-10 0-1 14; Konnor Vohs 5-6 1-1 12; Weston Guetterman 3-8 0-0 7; Dawson Barnes 3-4 0-0 7; Michael Seuferling 1-2 0-0 2; Maverick Rockers 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 30-50 2-3 70. 3-point field goals: 8, (Margrave 3, B. Guetterman 2, W. Guetterman, Vohs, Barnes)

This year’s 2021 Louisburg High School winter homecoming candidates are (from left) Sydney Thornton, Alec Younggren, Olivia Barber, Luke Faulkner, Brooklyn Diederich, Dawson Barnes, Madilyn Melton and Ben Guetterman.

Homecoming week at Louisburg High School kicked off Monday and events are in full swing. With something going on every day this week, it will be a busy time for students. All of it is, of course, centered around the crowning of the 2021 winter king and queen. Eight students were selected as nominees and here are their names and profiles.

The crowning will take place on Friday during halftime of the Wildcat boys’ basketball game with Ottawa. Tipoff for that game is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. Good luck to all the participants and make sure to come out on Friday to support both the Wildcat girls and boys basketball teams if you can get your hands on tickets.

Olivia Barber

Olivia is the daughter of Adam and Angie Barber. Olivia has participated in soccer for four years, National Honor Society, Interact Club and forensics for two years and FBLA, cheerleading and FCCLA for one year. After graduation, Olivia plans to attend the University of Kansas and major in biology.

Luke Faulkner

Luke is the son of Brad Faulkner and Cindy Faulkner. Luke has participated in track for four years, soccer and yearbook for three years, FBLA for two years, and cross country and Interact Club for one year. Following graduation, Luke plans to attend Cowley Community College and pursue his track career.

Sydney Thornton

Sydney is the daughter of Shawn and Megan Thornton. Sydney has participated in choir and FFA for four years, been the boys basketball manager for three years, softball for two years and student council for one year. Following graduation, Sydney plans to attend the University of Central Missouri to major in nursing and then plans to attend medical school to become an OB/GYN.

Alec Younggren

Alec is the son of Jason and Monica Younggren. Alec has participated in football for four years and wrestling for four years. Following graduation, Alec will attend Fort Hays State University on a football scholarship and major in construction management.

Madilyn Melton

Madilyn is the daughter of Andy and Meghan Melton. Madilyn has participated in basketball for four years, volleyball for one year and band for one year. Following graduation, Madilyn will attend Benedictine College on a basketball scholarship with the goal of becoming a dermatologist.

Ben Guetterman

Ben is the son of Ted and Lisa Guetterman. Ben has played basketball for four years, been a member of FFA for four years and played football for two years. Ben is currently undecided on his post-high school plans.

Brooklyn Diederich

Brooklyn is the daughter of Derek and Jenny Diederich. Brooklyn has participated in basketball and softball for four years, FBLA for three years and Interact Club and FFA for one year. Following graduation, Brooklyn will attend Neosho County Community College on a basketball scholarship and major in occupational therapy.

Dawson Barnes

Dawson is the son of Rick and Cindy Barnes. Dawson has participated in basketball for four years, been a part of the football, volleyball and soccer student section for four years, baseball for one year and cross country for one year. Following graduation, Dawson plans to attend the University of Kansas and study psychology.

Junior Julian Margrave goes up for two of his 21 points Friday during Louisburg’s home contest against Spring Hill.

For three quarters, the Louisburg boys basketball team stayed right with Spring Hill and the Wildcats even built a six-point halftime advantage.

However, one quarter had the Wildcats playing catch up.

Louisburg scored just seven points in the third quarter, while Spring Hill took advantage of the Wildcat mistakes and eventually handed the Wildcats a 58-53 loss – their third in a row.

“In the first half we were very competitive,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We built a good lead in the second quarter, but we weren’t able to maintain it. We’ve got to find ways to be more consistent offensively.

“Obviously, the third quarter was not good for us. We struggled to get the ball to go in the hoop. That’s a pretty important part of the game. If shots aren’t falling, it puts a lot of pressure on your defense.”

Although the Wildcats shot 44 percent for the game, they struggled to get into a rhythm offensively and Spring Hill was able to take advantage of Wildcat mistakes. Louisburg turned the ball over 18 times and the Broncos scored 17 points off those mistakes.

Spring Hill was also able to make a living at the free-throw line as the Broncos converted 18 of their 25 chances, while the Wildcats went to the line just five times.

“We turned it over too much,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s going to be hard to win games against good teams when you turn it over 18 times. I’d say the biggest difference was our inability to get to the free throw line. We’ve got to attack the rim a little more. We are settling for too many jump shots.”

A pair of juniors led the Wildcats in scoring. Julian Margrave led the Wildcats with 21 points and had nine rebounds, while Michael Seuferling finished with 12 points.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman also had a solid line with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

It was a close game into the fourth quarter as Margrave scored five straight points to cut the Spring Hill lead to two, but the Broncos eventually extended their advantage to nine points midway through the final period.

Louisburg cut the lead to two again on a 3-pointer from Margrave, along with an offensive rebound and putback from Seuferling.

Guetterman hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 53-all with 1 minute and 20 seconds left, but the Broncos were able to convert from the free-throw line and the Wildcats couldn’t get many good looks.

Louisburg has an important week of games coming up as they travel to Paola on Tuesday and then host Ottawa on Friday for homecoming. 

Then next week Louisburg will also face off with Fort Scott. All three of those teams will be in the Wildcats’ sub-state later this month.

“This is a huge week for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our next three games are against teams in our sub-state. Our kids will be ready to get back on the court and get the bad taste out of our mouths.”

LOU 17 13 7 16 – 53

SH 17 7 17 17 – 58

LOUISBURG (8-5): Julian Margrave 9-20 1-2 21; Michael Seuferling 6-7 0-0 12; Weston Guetterman 3-8 1-1 8; Andy Hupp 1-1 2-2 4; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 3; Maverick Rockers 1-3 0-0 3; Ben Guetterman 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 22-50 4-5 53. 3-point field goals: 5, (Margrave 2, W. Guetterman, Vohs, Rockers)