Louisburg senior Andy Hupp puts up a shot over a Piper defender Monday in Louisburg.

The Louisburg boys basketball team had one of its most difficult challenges to date as the Wildcats hosted Piper on Monday in Louisburg.

It was easy to see why early on.

Piper used its athleticism and shooting from the outside to get out to a good start and the Wildcats weren’t able to recover in a 65-47 home loss to the Class 5A school. It is the second straight loss for Louisburg.

“Piper played really well,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Their athleticism made it tough for us on the offensive end. We got some good looks, but we didn’t string enough good possessions together to ever get comfortable. 

“They really are good at attacking off the dribble, so our plan was to work hard to keep them out of the paint and make them settle for perimeter shots. Unfortunately, it came on a night where they shot it well from the outside. We got into a little foul trouble in the first half so we went zone against them in hopes of slowing them down. They had success against both of our defensive looks.”

The Pirates, who connected on nine 3-pointers on the night, jumped out to a quick 19–9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Ben Guetterman and Julian Margrave hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Piper lead to seven, but it was as close as the Wildcats could get.

Piper took a 12-point lead into halftime, but the Wildcats cut it to seven again early in the third quarter on five straight points from Michael Seuferling. The Pirates responded again with a 10-4 run to end the quarter and put the game out of reach.

Margrave led the Wildcats with 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Guetterman added 13 points. Seuferling also scored in double figures with 12.

Louisburg (8-4) will try and get back on track tonight when it hosts Spring Hill as the Wildcats try to break their two-game losing streak. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

“Basketball is like that sometimes,” Pfannenstiel said. “You’re going to have some off nights. When you have one of those nights, you hope that you can play well defensively. Unfortunately, Piper was clicking on both ends. 

“We’re going to be just fine. We’re going to get a few things squared away in practice and look forward to getting back out there tonight.”

LOU 9 14 11 13 – 47

PIP 19 16 12 18 – 65

LOUISBURG (8-4): Julian Margrave 5-10 5-6 17; Ben Guetterman 5-15 1-2 13; Michael Seuferling 3-8 6-7 12; Konnor Vohs 1-3 1-2 3; Weston Guetterman 0-8 2-2 2. Totals: 14-50 15-20 47. 3-point field goals: 4, (B. Guetterman 2, Margrave 2)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week six of the winter sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank of Louisburg.

Michael Seuferling, Junior, Boys Basketball

Louisburg junior Michael Seuferling played a big role in the Wildcats’ second place finish last week at the Baldwin Invitational. Seuferling, along with being assigned to guard the best player on the floor for each of the three games, averaged more than 10 points a game for the Wildcats, including a 17-point performance against Bishop Seabury in the semifinals.

Seuferling was also named to the all-tournament team after recording seven rebounds and nine assists over those three games. Seuferling and the rest of the Wildcats have played well to start 2021 as they are currently ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, despite a buzzer-beating loss to No. 4 Augusta in the championship game.

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

Louisburg senior Ben Guetterman pulls up for a shot in the lane Saturday in the championship game of the Baldwin Invitational against Augusta.

BALDWIN CITY – Louisburg left the Baldwin Invitational on Saturday with its highest regular-season tournament finish in recent memory.

No. 5 Louisburg squared off with No. 4 Augusta in the championship game of what was a battle of two of the top five teams in Class 4A. 

The Wildcats were in no mood for celebrating thanks to Augusta’s Brendan Parker.

With the game tied and time running out in the fourth quarter, Parker pulled up from behind the arch and nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Wildcats a 43-40 loss in the championship game of the Baldwin Invitational.

It was a sour ending to what had been positive tournament experience for Louisburg, up to that point.

“Yeah, our guys were hurting,” Pfannenstiel said. “A buzzer beater always makes it a little bit tougher to swallow, but I think that ending was just a sign of how hard fought the game was on both sides. I think there is always something to learn or gain from a loss. 

“We always stress the value of each possession in a game, be it on offense or defense, first quarter or last quarter. Each possession has equal value and it’s easier to understand that lesson when you lose a game on the last possession like we did. The last few possessions get magnified, but in reality, we had many opportunities to win that game within the full 32 minutes.”

In what was a low-scoring affair, the Wildcats took a 20-15 lead at halftime in what was a defensive battle.

Augusta hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to take a three points advantage, and the Orioles then built that lead to 10, before the Wildcats rallied back.

Julian Margrave knocked down a basket and then Weston Guetterman had a steal and a score to knock it down to six. Ben Guetterman scored seven straight points to bring Louisburg within one with under a minute to go

Weston Guetterman drew a foul with 35 seconds left and made 1 of 2 free throws to tie it. Augusta then held the ball for one final shot, which set up Parker’s heroics.

Defense also played a big factor in the contest as both teams were forced to be patient on offense and had limited second chance opportunities. 

“Augusta plays a pack line defense so they do a good job of closing down lanes and make you be patient on offense,” Pfannenstiel said. “We were a bit out of rhythm offensively, but our defense was great again. If you hold a team to 43, you’d always say that’s a pretty good performance. Unfortunately, Augusta made one more play than us”

When it was all over, it was announced that three Wildcats made the all-tournament team. Ben Guetterman, Julian Margrave and Michael Seuferling received the honors after a strong 3-game performance.

On Saturday, Ben Guetterman led Louisburg in scoring with 10 points and Margrave finished with nine points and six rebounds. Weston Guetterman had seven points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals.

“I think this game was a measuring stick for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “Augusta is one of the top teams in the state. For us to go toe to toe with one of the state’s best should give us confidence moving forward. Obviously we aren’t into moral victories, but I think this game will give us the motivation and focus we need to improve and grow as a team.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back tonight when it hosts Piper. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 10 10 8 12 – 40

AUG 8 7 16 12 – 43 

LOUISBURG (8-3): Ben Guetterman 4-10 0-0 10; Julian Margrave 4-8 0-0 9; Weston Guetterman 2-10 3-4 7; Michael Seuferling 3-9 0-0 6; Andy Hupp 2-2 0-0 5; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 16-43 3-4 40. 3-point field goals: 5, (B. Guetterman 2, Vohs, Hupp, Margrave)

Louisburg senior Andy Hupp drives to the basket Wednesday against Bishop Seabury in the second round of the Baldwin Invitational.

BALDWIN CITY – Coming off one of its roughest shooting performances of the season the night before against Wellsville, the Louisburg boys basketball team quickly turned it around.

On Wednesday in the second round of the Baldwin Invitational, the Wildcats put together one of their best shooting performances of the season as they rolled Bishop Seabury, 76-41, to advance to the championship game.

The Wildcats shot 62 percent for the game and connected on nine 3-pointers that allowed them to breeze past the Seahawks.

Louisburg (8-2) will meet Augusta in the title game at 3:30 p.m. at Baldwin Jr. High School.

“I don’t know if you could say it was our best, but it was definitely a good offensive performance for us,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I thought we played well. We looked comfortable on the court and were able to work on some defensive looks that we haven’t used yet in games.”

The Wildcats had no problems scoring from the opening tip as they recorded 25 points in the first quarter and took a 46-23 halftime lead. Louisburg eventually built a big enough lead to force a running clock in the fourth quarter.

Junior Julian Margrave was a problem for the Seahawks most of the night as he finished with a team-high 24 points. Another junior, Michael Seuferling, who is more known for his work on the defensive end, was second on the team with 17 points.

“Michael has the capability to really score,” Pfannenstiel said. “There will be times in practice where he just goes on runs. The energy that he plays with is so fun to watch. He literally never stops playing hard. He’s such a good defender and that carries over to his aggressiveness on offense. When he’s on, he can really have some big nights.”

Senior Ben Guetterman also finished in double figures with 11 and also had a team-high seven rebounds. 

Point guard Weston Guetterman ran the team well as he had nine points to go along with nine assists and five rebounds. Senior Andy Hupp finished with eight points and senior Dawson Barnes had six rebounds and four assists.

Louisburg now has won five straight since the Christmas break and are playing for a tournament championship for the first time in several years. The Wildcats hope to bring home the title.

“Our kids are excited,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s hard to believe we are halfway through our regular season. What a way to start the second half of the season with a chance to win a tournament championship. We are definitely looking forward to the opportunity.”

For those wanting to watch today’s game against Augusta, click here.

LOU 25 21 23 7 – 76

SEA 13 10 13 5 – 41 

LOUISBURG (8-2): Julian Margrave 9-14 3-3 24; Michael Seuferling 7-10 2-2 17; Ben Guetterman 5-7 0-0 11; Weston Guetterman 3-5 0-0 9; Andy Hupp 4-6 0-0 8; Dawson Barnes 2-3 0-0 4; Maverick Rockers 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 31-50 5-5 76. 3-point field goals: 9, (W. Guetterman 3, Margrave 3, Seuferling, Rockers, B. Guetterman)

Louisburg survives against Wellsville

Everything started well for Louisburg in the opener of the Baldwin Invitational on Tuesday against Wellsville.

The Wildcats took a 10-point lead going into the second quarter and held the Eagles to just three points in the opening frame.

Wellsville battled back to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats used an 11-0 run to pull away for a 58-47 victory.

“We struggled offensively,” Pfannenstiel said. “Give credit to Wellsville, they played tough defense, but we battled through a tough night from the field and still did enough to win. But our kids really executed our defensive game plan perfectly. 

“Wellsville really likes to shoot from the perimeter, so we worked hard to not give them any space and make them uncomfortable on offense all night. Our defense has been great. We know that if we play well defensively, we are always going to have a chance.”

Both teams struggled from the field as the Wildcats shot 36 percent, but Wellsville shot 32 percent on their own. The two teams combined to go just 2-for-32 from the 3-point line.

Defense carried the Wildcats as they forced 21 turnovers and turned those into 18 points. Louisburg was also 21 for 26 from the free-throw line, which was crucial down the stretch.

“The momentum was definitely trending toward Wellsville late,” Pfannenstiel said. “But I think that just shows what kind of character our team has. We kept our focus and made big plays down the stretch to seal the win.”

Senior Ben Guetterman led the way offensively for Louisburg with 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Julian Margrave added 14 and eight rebounds.

LOU 13 10 14 21 – 58

WEL 3 14 15 15 – 47

LOUISBURG: Ben Guetterman 5-17 6-6 17; Julian Margrave 5-6 4-4 14; Michael Seuferling 2-7 5-6 9; Weston Guetterman 1-8 4-6 6; Andy Hupp 3-4 0-0 6; Dawson Barnes 1-2 1-2 3; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 2; Maverick Rockers 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 18-49 21-26 58. 3-point field goals: 1, (B. Guetterman)

Junior Julian Margrave looks to haul in a pass in front of the basket Friday against Baldwin.

BALDWIN CITY – January certainly has presented its fair share of challenges for the Louisburg boys basketball team.

The Wildcats started off their season with three games in a row on the road, including last Friday’s game at Baldwin. This week, Louisburg is also playing three games at the Baldwin Invitational and the Wildcats wont’t play their first home game of 2021 until late this month.

Louisburg didn’t look road weary against Baldwin on Friday as the Wildcats took care of business in a 65-49 victory. It was the Wildcats’ third straight win as they continue their positive start to the new year and one that has put them as the No. 5 team in Class 4A.

“It was good to get another win.,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played well in spurts, but we definitely weren’t as consistent as we were against Bonner. We were a bit out of rhythm offensively. We didn’t seem to move the ball as well and forced some shots. 

“You’re going to have those games where things are clicking on all cylinders, but you hope to fix those mistakes watching film and in practice and prepare for the next one.”

The Wildcats got off to a cold start to begin the game as they trailed by two points going into the second quarter, but began to heat up in the second.

Louisburg opened up a 28-23 lead at halftime, and still had five-point lead going into the fourth, when the Wildcats outscored Baldwin 20-9 in the final frame to pull away for the win.

Senior Ben Guetterman led the Wildcat offense as he finished with a game-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and ended four rebounds and three assists.

“Ben has been playing very well,” Pfannenstiel said. “He’s been shooting it better since the break, but he’s at his best when he’s moving and being active without the ball. He’s an aggressive and explosive offensive rebounder.

“Ben has his best games when he plays active within the three point line. When he plays that way and then can add a few makes from the perimeter is when he really sparks us offensively.”

Junior Julian Margrave also had a big night as he helped the Wildcats pull away. He ended up with 19 points, six rebounds and four blocks.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman also scored in double figures with 14 points and had five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

“Julian had a stretch where he really took over,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our guys did a good job of getting him touches and he made some nice plays at the rim. We need to do a better job as a team of playing through Julian and then working off of that. If he’s getting touches inside, many times teams are double teaming him and that makes for great opportunities for other guys cutting to the rim or moving to get a good shot.”

Defense was also big for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter as they held Baldwin to single digits and forced 16 turnovers for the game. They turned those mistakes into 21 points to help turn the tide.

Junior Michael Seuferling, along with seniors Konnor Vohs, Andy Hupp and Dawson Barnes, have all provided Louisburg good minutes in that regard.

“Baldwin played tough,” We had to work for everything on both ends, but I’ve been pleased with our defensive effort this month – actually all year.  We’ve kept all of our opponents in the 40’s so far since break. We have guys that are really embracing their roles as defensive stoppers. 

“Michael Seuferling has played great defensively all year. He’s one of the best on ball defenders in our league. Konnor Vohs, Dawson Barnes and Andy Hupp have really been active on the defensive end as well. Those guys cause a lot of problems for other teams. Our goal is to make the other team uncomfortable all game long. Our kids have been playing with tremendous energy and effort and have executed really well.”

LOU 11 17 17 20 – 65

BAL 13 10 17 9 – 49 

LOUISBURG (6-2): Ben Guetterman 8-13 0-0 20; Julian Margrave 9-16 1-1 19; Weston Guetterman 5-12 2-2 14; Michael Seuferling 1-7 2-2 4; Maverick Rockers 1-1 0-0 3; Dawson Barnes 1-2 0-0 3; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 26-57 5-5 65. 3-point field goals: 8, (B. Guetterman 4, W. Guetterman 2, Rockers, Barnes)

Senior Konnor Vohs puts up a shot during a game earlier this season. Vohs and the Wildcats cruised to a 70-47 victory over Bonner Springs on Tuesday.

BONNER SPRINGS – For four quarters, the Louisburg boys basketball team had possibly its best performance of the season and it showed in the score.

The Wildcats went on the road to Bonner Springs on Tuesday and came away with a 70-47 win over the Braves to earn their second consecutive victory.

Louisburg, which defeated Eudora a week ago, is off to a good start in 2021.

“This was an important win for us,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played well at Eudora, but we needed to put back to back games together. It’s honestly the most complete game that we’ve played in my four years as coach. From start to finish, we were really good for all four quarters. 

“Bonner is a good team. I knew it was going to take a great effort to win, and fortunately we were clicking on all cylinders.”

The Wildcats (5-2) controlled the first half and took a 35-18 halftime lead and never looked back.

Not only did Louisburg make nine 3-pointers, but they also controlled the glass and did a lot of work on the inside. The Wildcats out-rebounded the Braves by 20 and scored 34 points in the paint.

Junior Julian Margrave finished with a double-double to lead the Wildcats. Margrave finished with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, while senior Ben Guetterman had 16 points to go along with eight rebounds.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman had 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Dawson Barnes also had a big game on the glass with seven rebounds, while senior Konnor Vohs added nine points and five rebounds.

“We played team basketball,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had a lot of guys step up and contribute in lots of different ways. We need guys to play with great effort and play to their strengths and everything will come together like it did this time.

“We were good on the glass. We stress the importance of getting all five guys on the defensive boards and the stats show that we did a nice job of that. We have improved in our rebounding since the start of the year. We are focused on what needs to happen when a shot goes up and we execute well.”

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going tonight when it travels to Baldwin for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

“I really enjoyed watching us play with energy and confidence,” Pfannenstiel said. “No matter who was on the court or who was on the bench, they were all playing for each other and genuinely happy for each other. We are starting to come together. I hope we can continue to build off of this momentum.”

LOU 14 21 20 15 – 70

BON 7 11 10 19 – 47

LOUISBURG (5-2): Julian Margrave 6-11 5-5 19; Ben Guetterman 6-12 1-2 16; Weston Guetterman 4-12 1-2 10; Konnor Vohs 4-9 0-0 9; Maverick Rockers 2-5 0-0 6; Andy Hupp 2-3 2-4 6; Michael Seuferling 1-8 0-0 2; Dawson Barnes 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 26-62 9-13 70. 3-point field goals: 9, (B. Guetterman 3, Rockers 2, Margrave 2, W. Guetterman, Vohs)

Louisburg senior Weston Guetterman drives to the basket and gets fouled Friday during the Wildcats’ game at Eudora. Guetterman scored a team-high 17 points.

EUDORA – There were a lot of unknowns with how the Louisburg boys basketball team was going to look in its first game after the holiday break.

The Wildcats had just four days of practice before they squared off with Eudora on Friday and head coach Ty Pfannenstiel wasn’t sure how rusty his team was going to be.

After the first quarter, Louisburg shook off all the rust it had and pulled away for a 59-45 victory over the Cardinals at Eudora High School. It was the first time in 10 years that the Wildcats had won at Eudora.

“It was all kind of new for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “We only had like four days of practice after Christmas break and we didn’t know what we were going to get. We were wearing masks in a game for the first time and this is a tough place to play. I don’t think we have won here since 2011.

“I really thought we played well. We got off to a slow start, and we tend to do that here for some reason. We battled hard and made plays. I think switching to a zone energized us a little bit and took them out of their rhythm. It was a good first game out of the gate.”

Louisburg (4-2) fell behind early as Eudora went on a 9-1 run to begin the game and led 15-10 after the first quarter. From then on, the Wildcats employed a zone defense and it seemed to slow the Cardinals down.

The Wildcats went on a 15-2 run in the second quarter to take an eight-point halftime lead. Senior Weston Guetterman led the charge with six straight points to give Louisburg the lead and then Michael Seuferling followed with back-to-back baskets to extend their advantage.

That zone defense helped force 18 Eudora turnovers, which led to 17 Wildcat points. Louisburg also had 10 steals on the night.

“We worked on it a little bit at practice, but not a whole lot,” Pfannenstiel said of the zone. “We focus more on just playing with energy, and a lot of times when we play zone we think that is time to relax. We did work on it one day this week and our focus out of it was to be aggressive. 

“Zones can mess with some teams and I think we rebounded really well out of it. It helps when the other teams doesn’t hit shots too. You look smart when it works, but you look dumb when the other team knocks a few shots. I thought our guys did a good job in it though.”

Eudora trimmed a double-digit Louisburg lead to six late in the third quarter, but senior Konnor Vohs knocked down a 3-pointer and assisted Ben Guetterman on his basket to put the Wildcats back up 11.

From there, the Wildcats controlled the game and built a 17-point lead at one time and never looked back.

Weston Guetterman gave the Wildcats a big boost offensively as he scored a team-high 17 points, while Ben Guetterman and Julian Margrave scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. Margrave also had a team-high six rebounds.

Senior Andy Hupp was also active on the defensive end with five rebounds and a team-high four deflections, to go along with two assists.

“We were very balanced when it comes to our minutes and we have an eight-man rotation right now that everyone gets in there, plays to their role and does their part,” Pfannenstiel said. “The kids played with confidence and that was huge.”

Louisburg will try to make it two straight wins tonight when it travels to Bonner Springs. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 10 15 13 23 – 59

EUD 15 2 11 17 – 45 

LOUISBURG (4-2): Weston Guetterman 6-11 3-4 17; Ben Guetterman 5-13 2-3 14; Julian Margrave 3-11 5-7 13; Michael Seuferling 3-5 1-3 7; Konnor Vohs 1-2 3-4 5; Dawson Barnes 1-1 0-0 3; Andy Hupp 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 20-44 14-21 59. 3-point field goals: 7, (W. Guetterman 2, B. Guetterman 2, Margrave 2, Barnes)

There hasn’t been a year like 2020, and for most people, they are ready to put it behind them and forget it ever existed.

Still, with all the challenges that 2020 brought, there were still plenty of positives to talk about when it came to Louisburg High School sports. History-making state places and state medals were plentiful on this list, but it wasn’t all positive. Louisburg had to say goodbye to a beloved town figure and athletes had to deal with the loss of spring sports.

Below are the top stories from 2020, along with a brief explanation of each. Included in the explanation is the link to the actual story from the event.

When putting the list together, I took a lot of things into account – whether it was team vs. individual, popularity of the sport, historical achievements and the interest it drew on the web site. Thanks to the cancellation of spring sports, I don’t have the top 10 like I normally do, but I got close.

This year was a blast to cover, when I had the opportunity, anyway. Still, I am looking forward to what 2021 will bring. Thank you for everyone’s support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

8. Ratliff-Becher wins state powerlifting title

After winning a state championship in 2019 Reilly Ratliff-Becher had every intention of backing up her performance during the Class 4A State Powerlifting Championships on March 7 at Piper High School.

In fact, the Louisburg senior wanted to improve it. Last season, Ratliff-Becher took first in everything but squat, which she got runner-up.

This time around, she got the clean sweep.

Ratliff-Becher took first in bench, squat and clean and that led to her second straight state championship in the 180-pound class.

“It means a lot to me that I was able to win the state title again,” Ratliff-Becher said. “I set a goal for myself to win first in everything since I had got second in squat last year and I achieved it. Even though it wasn’t my best showing with the numbers I got on my lifts.

“The competition was very good this year, as it always is. But, fortunately with all the work I put in to at least maintain my numbers from last year, meant I was able to lift bigger amounts than my competition.”

7. Conley named state and midwest coach of the year

After a third place finish to end the year, Louisburg boys soccer coach Kyle Conley was recognized among the state’s best.

Conley was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association in November.

He guided the Wildcats to a 16-2 record on the season and the team’s highest finish in program history when Louisburg ousted Rose Hill, 3-0, in the state third-place game.

Just a few weeks later, Conley was honored once again – this time on the girls’ side.

Despite the lost season, the United Soccer Coaches wanted to recognize coaches for their past accomplishments and for what this past spring was supposed to hold.

Atop that list was Conley as he was named as the Small School Midwest Coach of the Year. 

“I am absolutely honored to receive this award,” Conley said. “There are so many great coaches in the Midwest, but to me this is a program award. None of this is possible without everyone involved; girls coming to work their tails off everyday, parents traveling and supporting us anywhere and everywhere, community helping with supporting the program, the school supporting the girls, etc. Without the support and buy in from the girls, parents and community none of this is possible.”

The Wildcat girls program has had a successful start in its four years. Conley has a 54-22-2 record during that span, that included two state runner-ups and another state final four appearance. 

6. Louisburg cheer places third at state

The Louisburg cheer squad had to do its postseason competition a little different this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It didn’t seem to bother them much as the defending state champions found themselves right in the thick of things again.

Although they didn’t repeat as champs, they were still among the state’s best as the Wildcats cheerleaders finished third in the state back in November.

Unlike performing in front of judges like they did in 2019, the Wildcats had to video tape their performance and send it in to be judged. It fared well as they tallied 83.35 points to finish in the top 3.

Baldwin earned the state title with 88.85 points and Abilene was second with 85.25.

Members of the Louisburg cheer squad are Bella Feikert, Addison Drake, Brooklyn Harmon, Jayden Trester, Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Sophie Katzer, Sammy McDaniel, Julia Arriola, Andrea Gaza, JoJo Hendrickson, Sydney Dudzik, Abby Bradley, Anna Poe, Sienna Finch, Mable Graham, Audrey Anderson, Zoe Weers, Anna Morrison and Maggie Madison

5. Holtzen, Owens earn state medals for Wildcat wrestling

Ryan Owens and Cade Holtzen both had their own agendas going into the state wrestling tournament.

Owens, qualified for state last year, but left without a win and he vowed to fix that this time around. As for Holtzen, he came up short in his efforts for a second state medal as a sophomore last season and had all the motivation not to come home empty-handed again.

Both wrestlers more than made up for their rough patches a year ago.

Owens and Holtzen left Salina with a state medal during the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. 

Owens made it to the semifinals and wound up earning a fourth-place medal at 120 pounds, while Holtzen finished fifth at 126 pounds.

It also marked the first time since 2016 that Louisburg finished the season with multiple state medalists, when Nathan Keegan and Mason Koechner each brought home medals.

The Wildcats nearly had three medalists as sophomore Brandon Doles finished one win shy of a state medal at 160 pounds with a 2-2 record.

4. Dennis steps down as LHS team doctor

Almost every day of the week, if you were looking for Damon Dennis, he could be found at his office on 11 S. Broadway St., helping treat those pesky aches and pains, taking X-rays, or mending those beaten up athletes after a game.

Doc D – as he his affectionately known – opened Louisburg Chiropractic Office 28 years ago and has served as the Louisburg High School athletic team doctor for almost that same amount of time.

Dennis has seen it all. The walls in his office are lined with mementos from his years of service to both the community and the high school.

He has taped thousands of ankles, seen even more patients and has touched many lives during his time in Louisburg. That is why this week is one of the more emotional times in his life.

In May, he left Louisburg Chiropractic Office and handed the reins over to Dr. Jake Polzin. Add to that, Dennis also stepped away as LHS’ team doctor and left an absence on the sidelines and behind the mic that many in Louisburg have come to know.

“My decision to step down and sell the practice has turned out to be the hardest thing I have ever done,” Dennis said. “I have poured everything I have into my job and community. It has become my entire existence. I was taught from a young age to serve others and your community. I feel like the pressures I have put on myself have become unhealthy. I have put about 40 years work in to 28 and feel like there is never going to be a good time to make such a huge life change. 

“That being said, I feel like I need to make changes while I am still able to do the things that will be best for my family. Dr. Polzin came along and I think he will carry on the work at the office wonderfully. We are a lot alike in many ways. I could not have found anyone better to replace me.”

For many, Dennis has been a big part of people’s lives, especially in the athletic arena. He has served as the LHS team doctor since 1992 and has treated many athletes in those 28 years.

3. Girls Cross Country Takes Third at State

For 23 years, the Louisburg cross country program has been chasing a top three finish at the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats have had several teams qualify, especially in the last few seasons, but have always come up short of their goal. Following Saturday’s race in Wamego, the Wildcats can finally stop running after it.

The Louisburg girls put together an historic performance at the Class 4A Kansas State Cross Country Championships at Wamego Country Club. The Lady Cats earned a state plaque with a third place finish as they surpassed Buhler by eight points to record the school’s first top three state finish.

Junior Reese Johnson, sophomores Claire Brown, Bree Gassman and Nova Ptacek, along with freshmen Lola Edwards, Maddy Rhamy and Erin Apple, will all go down in school history as they became the first Wildcat team to bring home state hardware.

“It means the world to me to be a part of the first team ever to place at state,” Rhamy said. “Coming into the state meet, I was just hoping our team would be in the top half, so you could imagine my excitement when our team placed third. I didn’t even know we made school history until our coaches told us.”

Rhamy was one of two freshmen who earned top 10 finishes individually, along with Edwards. Rhamy finished eighth overall in 20 minutes and 58 seconds, while Edwards was right behind her in 10th in 21:02.

Junior Reese Johnson also garnered a state medal as she was 15th in 21:28 to help the Lady Cats to an historic performance.

It was a proud moment for many in the Louisburg program, and included in that is John Reece. The longtime Wildcat head coach was all smiles following his team’s performance.

“It is 23 years the making,” coach Reece said. “You always have the plans and goals to get to state and then you get a group to go to state and do something great. This year was one of those. With the Frontier League as tough as it is, and then getting third there, put it in our heads that maybe we could do this. They all went out and ran their races, and that just shows their grit and determination and who they are.”

A week earlier, the Wildcats also made history as its was the first time in school history when they qualified the entire boys team to the state meet as they took third at regionals.

2. Boys Soccer Finishes Runner-Up At State

As the Louisburg players huddled around their state plaque, many of them looked at it in awe and wonder.

“Hey guys, we won this,” a player shouted.

The statement was obvious at the time, but nonetheless, their excitement was more than warranted.

For the first time in program history, the Louisburg boys soccer team brought home a plaque from the state final four as the Wildcats defeated Rose Hill, 3-0, on Saturday in the third place match of the Class 4-1A state tournament at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

It was only the second time in school history that the Wildcats had it made it this far, with the other being in 2016, when they finished fourth.

“There are only six teams in the entire state that get to end their year with a win and we wanted to be one of those teams,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We want to be able to hang up a banner on our field and we wanted a plaque so that no one can forget what these kids earned and what they did this season. I am so proud of all of them.”

It was a program defining moment for the Wildcats as they began the weekend searching for a state championship, but lost 2-0 to Bishop Miege on Friday in the semifinals. Still, recording the best finish in school history is nothing for someone to hang their head about, and the Wildcats came out Saturday wanting to make sure they brought some hardware home.

“It’s absolutely crazy to think about what we have accomplished this year, partly because I have only played soccer in high school,” senior captain Logan Faulkner said. “Bringing a state plaque back will just be a reminder of what we did and how we reached our goal.”

1. COVID-19 Cancels Spring Sports

In March, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly closed all schools for the rest of the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of COVID-19.

When most students hear school has been closed, especially in the winter, cheers erupt. In this case, however, the tone was much more somber – especially among the senior class.

Proms were canceled. Any plans they had for a graduation ceremony were put on hold, and for more than 30 seniors, their last opportunity at playing a sport at Louisburg High School was taken away.

In fact, close to 200 students were planning on participating in an activity in the spring, but with no school, the Kansas State High School Activities Association followed suit and canceled the spring season the day after Gov. Kelly’s declaration.

Students, parents and coaches alike have had to come to grips that a season they had been looking forward to all year, was never going to happen. Tears flowed, walls were punched in frustration and some were left speechless.

There would be no game days, no Senior Nights and no postseason runs. Athletes had to figure out how to cope with this fact and it was a challenge for the Louisburg girls soccer, track and field, baseball, softball, golf and swim teams.

Many of those teams had big postseason aspirations after success in 2019 and were left wondering what could have been.

Louisburg senior Dawson Barnes goes up for two points during a game earlier this season. The Wildcats fell to Shawnee Mission East on Thursday, 74-50.

With its next opponent, Piper, in quarantine due to COVID-19, Louisburg worked to find an opponent the Wildcats could play before the holiday break.

The Wildcats found a talented one in Shawnee Mission East. Louisburg traveled to the Lancers on Thursday and went up against the No. 7 team in Class 6A. Louisburg quickly found out why they are one of the teams to beat in the state’s largest classification.

Shawnee Mission East took a 12-point lead at halftime, but it extended it even more in the second half and the Wildcats fell, 74-50.

“SME was a good challenge for us,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Their length and ball pressure caused us some problems, but I thought we competed hard. It was a much more physical game in how it was called, so it took our boys a while to adjust to that style of play. We probably won’t see another team with that much size across the board, but I think we will definitely learn from this game. 

“East is ranked in 6A for a reason. They’ve got a nice team. When you play against good teams, they expose your weaknesses. We have some things we need to clean up and work on moving forward. We are definitely better for having played a good team like them”

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman provided a bulk of the Wildcat offense as he scored nearly half of the team’s points. Guetterman finished with a team-high 23 points and also had two assists and a pair of steals.

Junior forward Julian Margrave also had a big game for the Wildcats as he added 17 points and seven rebounds. Michael Seuferling and Ben Guetterman each had five points to round out the Louisburg scoring.

The Wildcats (3-2) still found themselves in the game and were only by 12 at halftime, but the Lancers’ offense had the Wildcats on their heels as they scored 44 in the second half to pull away.

Louisburg will now have the challenge of going on a long winter moratorium that won’t allow the Wildcats to practice together until Jan. 5. Three days later Louisburg will travel to Eudora for its first game of 2021.

Still, Pfannenstiel is happy with where his team is at heading into the new year.

“I think our season is off to a good start,” he said. “We’ve already had a few hiccups to our schedule because of COVID, but our kids have rolled with it and made the most of their opportunities. We’ve played a tough schedule so far. I don’t think we are satisfied with being 3-2, but we know where we are and where we need to improve. Our team will never shy away from a challenge, so I think this season is going to be a lot of fun because the Frontier League is a dog fight each night. 

“Once we get a chance to get back together after the KSHSAA mandatory two week moratorium, it will be a grind the rest of the way. With all things considered, we are happy and fortunate to be playing basketball and hopefully our hard work and effort on the court will display that.”

LOU 7 11 12 20 – 50

SME 14 16 20 24 – 74 

LOUISBURG (3-2): Weston Guetterman 9-12 2-2 23; Julian Margrave 6-15 5-5 17; Michael Seuferling 2-6 1-2 5; Ben Guetterman 2-9 1-4 5. Totals: 19-46 9-13 50. 3-point field goals: 3, (W. Guetterman 3)

Louisburg senior Weston Guetterman drives to the basket for two of his team-high 19 points Friday against Baldwin.

It wasn’t the start the Louisburg boys basketball team had hoped for Tuesday against Baldwin.

Baldwin scored the first eight points of the game to take a decent sized lead, but it was the way the Wildcats finished that more than made up for the slow start.

The Wildcats scored 27 points in the fourth quarter and held the Bulldogs to 28 points in the final three quarters to pick up a 70-41 win at Louisburg High School. It was Louisburg’s third straight victory since its season opening loss to Tonganoxie.

“We definitely struggled out of the gate getting down 8-0, but managed to work our way back into it,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We were pretty effective defensively all night, but it took us awhile to get things going offensively. Defense has to be a constant each night. There will be nights that things don’t go your way offensively, but if you play well defensively, you’re always going to have a shot.”

It was the defense that sparked the Wildcats when they didn’t have their best night offensively.

Louisburg forced 20 turnovers on the night that turned into 27 points and outscored the Bulldogs in transition, 18-0. The Wildcats also controlled the glass as they outrebounded Baldwin 44-31.

“We want to really pressure teams with our defense,” Pfannenstiel said. “We’ve done a pretty good job of that the last few games. If we can make teams uncomfortable, that usually results in some turnovers that can jump start our offense. 

“I thought we are pretty good on both ends in the second half. I really liked the tempo of the game in the second half. That’s how we want to play this year. Our hope is that our style will wear teams down late in games. So far it’s been positive for us.”

Down 8-0 to open the game, it was senior point guard Weston Guetterman that helped bring the Wildcats back. Guetterman scored eight straight to tie the game and then Maverick Rockers knocked down a 3-pointer to complete the 11-0 run.

The Wildcats (3-1) were down two points going into the second quarter and it would be the last time they trailed.

Louisburg took a 10-point lead into the final quarter and then the Wildcats took off as they outscored Baldwin 27-8 to end the contest. The Wildcat did a lot of their damage inside as they outscored the Bulldogs 40-10 in the paint.

Guetterman led the Wildcats in scoring as he had a good night from the field. He finished with a game-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds and three steals.

Two other Wildcats also scored in double figures. Junior Michael Seuferling scored 15 points, while senior Ben Guetterman added 12 points and six rebounds.

Junior Julian Margrave was big on the glass for Louisburg as he pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds and added two steals and a block.

“Weston has been great for us all year,” Pfannenstiel said. “He really sets the tempo for us and picked us up offensively. It was a good team win. Everybody contributed and played great team basketball. Time to get back to the practice court and prepare for the next one.”

That next one is tonight when the Wildcats travel to Shawnee Mission East for the final game before the holiday break. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

LOU 11 13 19 27 – 70

BAL 13 9 11 8 – 41

LOUISBURG (3-1): Weston Guetterman 8-16 2-3 19; Michael Seuferling 6-12 2-3 15; Ben Guetterman 3-11 5-6 12; Maverick Rockers 3-6 0-0 7; Julian Margrave 3-13 0-1 6; Dawson Barnes 2-2 0-0 4; Konnor Vohs 1-2 1-1 3; Andy Hupp 1-1 0-0 2; Isaac Guetterman 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 28-64 10-14 70. 3-point field goals: 4, (Seuferling, W. Guetterman, Rockers, B. Guetterman)