Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield drives to the bucket for two points Tuesday during the Wildcats’ sub-state tournament game at Bishop Miege. The Wildcats fell to the Stags, 87-42.

ROELAND PARK — Louisburg knew going up against Bishop Miege was going to be a tall task.

Bishop Miege, which has won five of the last six state championships in Class 4A, would be a big challenge for any team. 

A slow start dampened any hopes the Wildcats had of keeping their season alive. Miege downed Louisburg, 87-42, in the first round of the Class 4A sub-state tournament Tuesday at Bishop Miege High School.

“We got off to a slow start and I thought we would come out with a little more energy than we did,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “It took us a while to get used to the speed of the game and I thought we would be the team that had the energy. It just took us a little while to get there. We finally figured that out. 

“That second half was good and we played with better pace. The ball got moving and that is something we stressed all week. Against a team as good defensively as they are, it is going to be tough to get good looks, but if we move the ball enough then we can get some. That was the difference between the halves.”

The Stags got out to a quick start and took a 23-5 lead after the first quarter and led the Wildcats 49-15 at halftime. Miege’s Daegan Jensen was tough to stop all night for Louisburg as he scored a game-high 34 points and missed just four shots from the field.

Louisburg found its footing in the third quarter as the Wildcats scored 24 points —  nine more than they did the entire first half. Miege scored 27 of its own.

“That was the thing, we were able to score in that third quarter, but we just couldn’t get any stops at all,” Pfannenstiel said. “If we could have started off the game that way, maybe the game could have had a different feel to it. We got down early and took us awhile to get going.

“We knew with their athleticism that it would be tough for us to guard them man. Figured we would try to slow them down with the zone, but they passed the ball really well. They are a very good team.”

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield led the team in scoring in his final game as a Wildcat. Wingfield finished with a team-high 16 points and four rebounds.

Senior Mason Dobbins also had a strong outing in his final game in a Louisburg uniform. He finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Along with Wingfield and Dobbins, seniors Cade Gassman, Isaiah Whitley and Trey Myers also played their last game for Louisburg.

It is a team that Pfannenstiel has been proud to coach all season.

“I really enjoyed this group and they do the right things,” Pfannenstiel said. “I told them after the game that a lot of people on the outside think basketball is a November to March deal, but this is something we have been building on for a long time. These guys have put the effort in. They have put a lot of hours in during the summer and in the weight room. 

“That is what makes it tough when it is over because there was a lot of effort that was put into the season. I am proud of the way they played and the way they represented our school and community. They did things the right way.”

LOU 5 10 24 3 — 42

BM 23 26 27 11 — 87

LOUISBURG (8-13): Colyer Wingfield 4-12 6-10 16; Mason Dobbins 5-7 1-3 11; Luke Schultz 1-2 2-3 4; Myles Vohs 1-3 1-2 3; Conlee Hovey 1-2 0-0 2; Cade Gassman 1-1 0-0 2; Isaiah Whitley 1-4 0-0 2; Brock Vohs 1-2 0-2 2. Totals: 15-44 10-21 42. 3-point field goals: 2, (Wingfield 2)

Louisburg sophomore Gavin Lohse fights for a rebound Thursday at Harrisonville High School. In a battle of Wildcats, Louisburg fell 51-43.

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — It wasn’t the best of shooting nights Thursday when Louisburg ventured outside of league play to take on Harrisonville..

The Wildcats shot just 25 percent from the floor and were 43 percent from the free-throw line. However, there they were, down just two points midway through the final quarter.

Unfortunately for Louisburg, Harrisonville scored the final six points of the game and handed the Wildcats a 51-43 defeat in their regular season finale.

“It’s amazing we were still in the game with the way we shot the ball,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We were getting decent looks, we just couldn’t get them to fall. Our guys actually had really good composure and kept grinding.”

Harrisonville jumped out to a quick 13-6 lead after the first quarter and then scored the first seven points of the second to go up 14 points. The Wildcats clawed back to make it a nine point contest at halftime.

Louisburg (8-12) played strong defense at times as it forced 18 Harrisonville turnovers. The Wildcats were also active on the glass with 15 offensive rebounds in the game and that led to 14 second chance points.

The Wildcats got some of those in the second half as it trimmed the lead to seven going into the final quarter.

A free throw from Colyer Wingfield made it four point game with two minutes remaining, and after a Harrisonville free throw, junior Nathan Parker hit a 3-pointer with 1:25 left to make it a 2-point contest.

The Wildcats got the ball back after a blocked shot from Mason Dobbins, but a 3-pointer from Parker rimmed out that would have given Louisburg the lead. Instead, Harrisonville went to the free-throw line and put the game away.

“Our guys always keep battling,” Pfannenstiel said. “When shots aren’t falling, you just have to keep getting stops and getting more opportunities on the offensive end. We were much better in the second half. We gave ourselves a chance in the end. Credit to the boys for continuing to fight.”

Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring with 13 points and also had seven rebounds. Dobbins added a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with nine points, two blocks and two steals.

Parker came off the bench to hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with eight points.

The loss put the Wildcats as a No. 13 seed in the sub-state tournament and will travel to No. 4 Bishop Miege for a 7 p.m. tipoff tomorrow at Bishop Miege High School.

Louisburg knows going up against the defending state champions will be a tough challenge.

“We are excited to play in the postseason,” Pfannenstiel said. “Not everyone gets a chance to play this week, so we are going to make the most of it. Like we do each game, I expect our guys to play hard and represent our school the right way. Our kids have worked really hard, so I know they will make our community proud.”

LOU 6 11 11 15 — 43

HAR 13 13 9 16 — 51

LOUISBURG (8-12): Colyer Wingfield 5-21 2-4 13; Mason Dobbins 4-7 1-6 9; Nathan Parker 2-7 2-2 8; Trey Myers 2-9 0-1 5; Conlee Hovey 1-3 1-2 3; Gavin Lohse 1-2 0-0 2; Brady Hickey 0-5 1-2 1; Myles Vohs 0-0 1-2 1; Brock Vohs 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 15-60 9-21 43. 3-point field goals: 4, (Parker 2, Myers, Wingfield)

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield scored a team-high 16 points and helped the Wildcats to a 52-41 win over Paola on Tuesday.

Nothing like ending a losing streak and doing it against your rival — and on Senior Night nonetheless.

That’s exactly what Louisburg did Tuesday as the Wildcats used a big fourth quarter to get a 52-41 win over Paola and snap a 6-game losing streak in the process.

It was the perfect way for the Wildcats to send their five seniors — Cade Gassman, Trey Myers, Isaiah Whitley, Mason Dobbins and Colyer Wingfield — out with a win in their final home game.

“It was a great team win,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We had a lot of guys step up and make plays. It was definitely the best we’ve played as a whole.”

All five of the seniors contributed in the victory, but it was a pair of underclassmen who sparked the Wildcats in that pivotal fourth quarter. Junior Brady Hickey and sophomore Myles Vohs came off the bench to score eight of the team’s 20 points in the final frame. 

Wingfield also scored six of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to help the Wildcats outscore Paola 20-8 and pull away.

The Wildcats shot the ball well throughout the game, despite it being and back-and-forth contest through the first three quarters. Louisburg shot 58 percent from the field and knocked down six 3-pointers.

“We were really effective on offense,” Pfannenstiel said. “I feel like after most of these games we have talked about our offensive woes, but in this one our offense is what bailed us out.  Putting the ball in the hole solves a lot of problems.

“We were great in the fourth. Brady and Myles came in and gave us a big spark. They brought energy, played great defense, and made some big shots.  We also made our free throws down the stretch so that’s what sealed it.”

Vohs was the team’s second leading scorer with nine points and Hickey finished with seven. Both players had key 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter.

Dobbins finished the game with a team-high six rebounds and five points. Gassman and Whitley added five points, while Myers added a basket in his final home game.

It is a group of seniors that Pfannenstiel has come to enjoy and that has brought a lot to the program.

“This is a fun group,” Pfannenstiel said. “They’ve worked hard and bought into the work and preparation it takes to play at this level.  They are truly program guys. They’ve hit the weight room, put in the time over the summers, and have made a lasting impact on our program. And best of all, they are good kids. Just a fun group to be around.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back wins as it heads into postseason play. The Wildcats will try and improve their seeding tonight as they travel to Harrisonville for their regular season finale. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

“Paola was a huge win for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “Hopefully it’s a good confidence booster. Not only was it good for us to just get a win, but it was really important for us seeding wise. The Harrisonville game is going to have a lot of implications as well.  We really need to get another one.”

LOU 11 13 8 20 — 52

PAO 15 8 10 8 — 41

LOUISBURG (8-11): Colyer Wingfield 7-9 0-0 16; Myles Vohs 3-3 2-4 9; Brady Hickey 2-3 2-2 7; Cade Gassman 2-5 0-0 5; Isaiah Whitley 2-3 0-0 5; Mason Dobbins 2-2 1-2 5; Conlee Hovey 0-0 2-2 2; Trey Myers 1-3 0-2 2; Gavin Lohse 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 19-33 8-14 52. 3-point field goals: 6, (Wingfield 2, Hickey, Gassman, Vohs, Whitley)

Louisburg sophomore Conlee Hovey battles for a rebound with a pair of Spring Hill players Friday at Spring Hill High School.

SPRING HILL — Down 10 points midway through the third quarter, the Louisburg boys were in a tough situation Friday in Spring Hill.

Still, the Wildcats found a way to get out of it. 

Louisburg rallied from a double-digit deficit to take a four-point lead with under two minutes left in the contest. As hard as the Wildcats fought, Spring Hill snatched the lead right back.

The Broncos scored the final seven points of the contest and handed Louisburg a 61-58 defeat.

“It was a tough loss,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We had a two possession lead with 1:13 left and didn’t finish it off. I was proud of how we got ourselves back in position to win the game, but we didn’t make enough plays in the end. We had our opportunities, we just didn’t get it done.”

Louisburg took the lead midway through the fourth quarter thanks to free throws from senior Trey Myers and a layup from Colyer Wingfield to go up 54-52.

Spring Hill tied it with a basket on its next possession, but the Wildcats scored four straight points thanks to a driving basket from Nathan Parker and a lay-in from Conlee Hovey.

With under two minutes left, the Broncos cut the lead to one as they hit the last of their 11 3-pointers for the game to cut it to one. Louisburg had back-to-back turnovers, while Spring Hill converted at the free-throw line to get the win.

Although the Broncos connected on those 11 3-pointers, the Wildcats still found themselves in the contest, but had a tough time at the free-throw line as they went 19 for 37.

“Spring Hill was hot from outside which kept them in it,” Pfannenstiel said. “We have to do a better job of making things tough on their shooters. The most glaring stat was our poor shooting night at the foul line. We did a good job of getting to the line, but we have to take advantage of those foul line opportunities. We have to knock those down if we want to win these close games.”

The Wildcats (7-10) made several big plays throughout the game to get back in it, and it started on the inside. Dobbins and Hovey were factors for the Wildcats on the glass and with some easy baskets.

Dobbins finished the game with a team-high 12 points to go along with eight rebounds. Hovey added nine points and had a team-best 10 boards.

Wingfield also scored in double figures for the Wildcats with 10 points and eight rebounds to go along with three assists.

“We had some really good offensive possessions during that stretch,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had a lot of guys step up and make plays for us. It was a total team effort. 

“Mason had a good night on both sides. He was active on defense and on the glass. He also put together his best offensive performance. Both he and Conlee were really good in there.”

The Wildcats will try and snap its four-game losing streak tonight when the Wildcats travel to Eudora. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 9 13 14 22 — 58

SH 13 14 18 16 — 61

LOUISBURG (7-10): Mason Dobbins 4-9 4-7 12; Colyer Wingfield 3-11 4-11 10; Nathan Parker 3-7 2-3 10; Conlee Hovey 3-5 3-7 9; Luke Hill 2-7 0-0 5; Trey Myers 1-1 2-2 5; Cade Gassman 1-1 0-1 3; Isaiah Whitley 0-0 3-4 3; Brock Vohs 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 17-41 19-37 58. 3-point field goals: 5, (Parker 2, Hill, Myers, Gassman)

Wildcats fall in close game to Tonganoxie

Louisburg got out to the start it wanted against Tonganoxie at home on Feb. 7.

The final three quarters weren’t what the Wildcats were hoping for. Tonganoxie defeated the Wildcats 52-48 after outscoring Louisburg by 10 after the first quarter.

“We had a terrible scoring drought there in the third and fourth quarter that really did us in,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I think it was a 10 minute stretch of actual game time where we only scored one bucket.”

That drought haunted the Wildcats as Tonganoxie was able to build a 16-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. All this after Louisburg took a 12-5 lead after the first frame.

Defensively, the Wildcats were also able to turn the Chieftains over late and Louisburg was able to cut into the lead thanks to a barrage of 3-pointers from senior Colyer Wingfield. However, it was too big of a deficit to overcome.

“Our defense played ok, but our offensive struggles are making it to where our defense has to play nearly perfect every night,” Pfannenstiel said. “We have to do a better job of generating some offense.”

Wingfield had a big night from the floor as he finished with a game-high 28 points, that included five 3-pointers. Junior Nathan Parker just missed double figures with nine points.

Sophomore Conlee Hovey and senior Mason Dobbins each had a team-high nine rebounds. 

LOU 12 8 8 20 — 48

TON 5 15 13 18 — 52

LOUISBURG: Colyer Wingfield 9-19 5-7 28; Nathan Parker 3-13 0-0 9; Conlee Hovey 1-5 1-2 3; Trey Myers 1-3 0-0 3; Mason Dobbins 1-2 1-6 3; Myles Vohs 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 16-52 7-17 48. 3-point field goals: 9, (Wingfield 5, Parker 3, Myers)

Louisburg sophomore Gavin Lohse goes up for a shot and gets fouled Friday during the Wildcats’ homecoming game against Ottawa.

It was a night and day difference for the Louisburg boys basketball team Friday against Ottawa.

The last time the Wildcats faced off with the Cyclones, they fell on the road by 16. It was a lot closer this time around.

Louisburg had a four-point halftime lead on Ottawa, and had a chance to tie in the game’s final seconds, but the Wildcats came up short in a 50-46 loss.

As disappointing as the setback was for Louisburg, Wildcat coach Ty Pfannenstiel saw several good things from this team.

“The three keys going into the game for us was energy, energy and energy,” Pfannenstiel said. “I just wanted to emphasize how important it was for us to come out and play with energy. We started off pressing and wanted to play more up-tempo. We started off really well. We played with energy all night, but when they switched to their zone, we struggled against it a little bit.”

The Wildcats (7-8) got out to a strong start as it scored the first six points of the game and took a 12-9 lead after one quarter. 

Ottawa made a run late in the first half to take a one-point lead, but Wildcat freshman Luke Schultz answered with a 3-pointer. Senior Colyer Wingfield ended the half with a steal and a breakaway dunk to put Louisburg up 27-23 at halftime.

In the second half, Ottawa turned the tables as the Cyclones went zone to slow down the Wildcats and they heated up on offense. Ottawa hit four 3-pointers in the frame to take the lead midway through the third and wouldn’t relinquish it.

The Wildcats trailed by four late in the fourth when junior Nathan Parker knocked down a 3-pointer to cut it to one. Ottawa went on to hit two free throws to stretch its lead to three.

Louisburg had one final chance to tie it, but a 3-pointer from the corner wouldn’t go down and the Cyclones left win a win.

“We just had bad stretches,” Pfannenstiel said. “That third quarter was a really bad stretch. There was a moment in the fourth that was a bad stretch. We need to find ways to eliminate those, and if we don’t have those, we would have been in a lot better position at the end.

“We had the play drawn up that we beat them on last year at the buzzer. They saw that coming, so we had to change what we wanted to do. They had some fouls to give too, so they were trying to foul and makes it tougher to run a play. We still got a good look on the inbounds play, but we just couldn’t get it to fall.”

Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring on the night with 15 points and four assists, while Parker connected on four 3-pointers and finished with 12. Senior Mason Dobbins had a team-high nine rebounds

The Wildcats will try and end its 3-game losing skid tonight as they host Tonganoxie. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 12 15 9 10 — 46

OTT 9 14 16 11 — 50

LOUISBURG (7-8): Colyer Wingfield 6-16 2-2 15; Nathan Parker 4-6 0-0 12; Conlee Hovey 2-3 0-0 4; Mason Dobbins 2-4 0-2 4; Luke Schultz 1-1 0-0 3; Cade Gassman 1-3 0-0 2; Myles Vohs 1-1 0-0 2; Gavin Lohse 1-3 0-2 2; Isaiah Whitley 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 19-40 2-6 46. 3-point field goals: 6, (Parker 4, Wingfield, Schultz)

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield goes up for a shot Tuesday during the Wildcats’ game at Paola. Wingfield scored a team-high 17 points.

PAOLA — The Louisburg boys made several plays down the stretch Tuesday to put them in position to leave Paola with a win.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Paola made one more than they did.

With three seconds remaining in a tie game, Paola ran an out of bounds play and Panther senior Landon Taylor scored close to the basket with .8 seconds left and handed Louisburg a 43-41 setback.

“That was a tough way to lose for sure,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “It was a back and forth game all night. In the end, they made one more play than we did. And it wasn’t just the last play, that’s the one that gets magnified because it was the final play, but there are so many possessions in the game that are equally as important as the last one.”

The two teams stayed within striking distance of one another through the entire game and Paola held a one point lead over Louisburg at the end of each of the first three quarters.

Louisburg (7-7) made a run to start the fourth quarter and took the upper-hand. The Wildcats went on a mini 6-0 run to take a five-point advantage thanks to free throws from Colyer Wingfield and Conlee Hovey, along with a 3-pointer from Cade Gassman.

Paola then had an answer of its own. The Panthers went on a 9-0 run to take a 40-36 lead with under a minute left. The Wildcats went close to six minutes without scoring during that stretch.

“Going on a drought like that makes it tough,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our effort was good all night, but in the end it wasn’t enough.”

Wingfield hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two, and the Wildcats fouled Taylor with 34 seconds left to keep their hopes alive. Taylor hit 1 of 2 and left the door open for Louisburg.

Louisburg junior Nathan Parker took advantage of the opportunity. Parker, who hadn’t hit a 3-pointer all night, knocked it down from the corner to tie the game with 20 seconds left.

“Nathan didn’t have a good night shooting, but he has that shooter’s mentality and hit another big one to tie it up for us, much like the Frontenac game,” Pfannenstiel said. “He’s a good shooter, so we lean on him to make shots from the perimeter.”

That set up Taylor’s late-game heroics with .8 seconds left. The Wildcats tried a full-court pass to get a shot off, but the Panthers intercepted it. Taylor scored nearly half of his team’s points as he finished with 18.

The Wildcats lost by two, but they gave the Panthers plenty of chances on what was an off-shooting night. Paola pulled down 22 offensive rebounds and got up 17 more shots than the Wildcats.

On offense, Louisburg had a tough time scoring on Paola’s zone defense and struggled getting good shots. 

Wingfield led Louisburg in scoring with 17 points — nine of which came from the free-throw line. He also added six rebounds and four assists.

“We were down a couple of our best shooters so it was hard to stretch out their zone,” Pfannenstiel said. “Finally in the second half we started getting some better movement, but struggled to be consistent.  

“Colyer was solid again. He’s been pretty consistent with his scoring all year. We definitely need to find a couple more scoring options to open things up for us.”

Gassman was second on the team in scoring with six points and Hovey finished with five. Senior Mason Dobbins pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Louisburg will try and bounce back today as the Wildcats host Ottawa for homecoming. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 10 11 9 11 — 41

PAO 11 11 9 12 — 43

LOUISBURG (7-7): Colyer Wingfield 4-9 9-13 17; Cade Gassman 2-4 0-0 6; Conlee Hovey 1-2 3-4 5; Nathan Parker 1-8 0-0 3; Isaiah Whitley 1-7 0-0 3; Mason Dobbins 1-4 1-2 3; Myles Vohs 1-1 0-0 2; Gavin Lohse 0-0 1-2 1; Brock Vohs 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 11-36 15-23 41. 3-point field goals: 4, (Gassman 2, Parker, Whitley)

Louisburg junior Brock Vohs goes up for a shot between two Bonner Springs defenders Friday at Bonner Springs High School.

BONNER SPRINGS — In its first game in a week, the Louisburg boys basketball team squared off with Bonner Springs on Friday in hopes of building on its 3-game winning streak.

The Braves had other ideas.

Bonner Springs scored the game’s first 14 points and the Braves never looked back as they handed Louisburg a 72-45 loss at Bonner Springs High School.

“Bonner is a top 2 or 3 team in the Frontier League,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “They have a lot of athleticism on the floor and have a lot of scoring options, which makes them tough to stop.  They were hot from 3 early and our struggles offensively got us down to start the game. 

“I told our guys at half that if we can get some of our shots to fall, and they come back to reality with their shooting, then we will be ok. We never did get into any kind of rhythm to make a run.”

The Braves pushed the pace early and often as it was an up and down game and they took advantage of their fast break opportunities. Bonner Springs forced 19 turnovers and turned those into 26 points.

Bonner Springs also got hot from the outside with 10 3-pointers and took a 40-23 halftime advantage.

As for Louisburg, the Wildcats (7-6) couldn’t get much to fall as it shot 30 percent for the game and connected on just one 3-pointer.

“Against a team like that, you can’t bring your C or D game, you have to bring your A game,” Pfannenstiel said. “We definitely didn’t have that tonight and that’s why the score was so lopsided. Basketball is a long season, so you have to learn from games like that, correct the mistakes, and continue to make improvements. Our guys will be excited to get back on the floor.”

Senior Colyer Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Senior Mason Dobbins and sophomore Conlee Hovey each added six points in the loss.

The Wildcats will try and bounce back tonight as they travel to Paola for a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 9 14 12 10 — 45

BON 17 23 24 8 — 72

LOUISBURG (7-6): Colyer Wingfield 4-19 10-16 19; Conlee Hovey 3-3 0-0 6; Mason Dobbins 1-3 4-10 6; Nathan Parker 0-3 3-4 3; Cade Gassman 1-4 0-0 2; Myles Vohs 1-3 0-0 2; Gavin Lohse 1-1 0-1 2; Luke Schultz 1-1 0-0 2; Brock Vohs 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 13-44 17-31 45. 3-point field goals: 1, (Wingfield)

Members of the Louisburg boys basketball team, who won the Pleasanton Tournament title are (front row, from left) Luke Hill, Myles Vohs, Brady Hickey, Cade Gassman, Nathan Parker, Josh Holtzen, Isaiah Whitley; (back row) Brock Vohs, Gavin Lohse, Luke Schultz, Conlee Hovey, Mason Dobbins, Trey Myers, Jaymes Melton and Colyer Wingfield.

PLEASANTON — Down 10 in the championship game of the Pleasanton Tournament on Friday, Louisburg needed a spark.

The Wildcats got it from some of the unlikeliest of places — their bench. Rarely used players Gavin Lohse and Luke Schultz, along with guard Nathan Parker, combined for 32 points and helped Louisburg to a 69-53 win over Northeast Kansas of Topeka.

Louisburg outscored the Nighthawks 46-20 in the second half and left with a tournament title and three straight wins.

“That is why you play for four quarters,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We just kind of seemed flat to start. We had nine turnovers in the first half and shots just weren’t falling. In the second half, we said we were going to bring energy. Defense is what really sparked us and there was definitely a different body language and energy in that second half.

“Sometimes as a coach that is concerning because it shouldn’t be that way, but our kids responded well. All our kids contributed and we got some good production off the bench. All weekend was really good and all our kids contributed to this tournament win.”

Parker, who didn’t play in the first half, came off the bench to score 12 points in the second half to give the Wildcats the scoring spark they were looking for. 

Lohse and Schultz, a sophomore and freshman, respectively, also were big in the rally. Schultz scored in double figures with 11 points and had four rebounds, while Lohse added nine points.

“This week has been tricky as we had a JV tournament as well, so the kids only get 20 games in a year we were trying to work around that where they can play in both tournaments,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had like 3 or 4 guys designated each night and Nathan wasn’t supposed to play in this one. He was a big difference for us and he really stretches the floor and he shot the ball well. He played really good defense as well and took a couple charges. 

“Gavin and Luke hadn’t seen a lot of varsity time yet and they were huge for us. They were both close to double figures and they just played hard and pretty smart. They brought a lot of energy out there, and hats off to those guys for taking advantage of their opportunity.”

Senior Colyer Wingfield was the steady hand for the Wildcats as he led all scorers with 17 points to go along with a team-high seven assists and six rebounds.

Sophomore Conlee Hovey also played strong down low as the Wildcat forward finished with a double-double — 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Down 33-23 at halftime, the Wildcats used their defense to help get them back in it. For the game, Louisburg forced 21 turnovers and scored 16 points off those mistakes.

The Wildcats improved their record to 7-5 on the season as they prepare to get back into Frontier League play. Louisburg will travel to Bonner Springs this Friday for a league matchup.

“We talked going into this tournament that we needed to get our confidence back,” Pfannenstiel said. “We have played good basketball this year, but we kind of went through a stretch where we were struggling offensively. This was a good week for us to get that confidence and swagger going. A win is a win and to win three in a row is a good accomplishment.”

LOU 13 10 22 24 — 69

NEK 14 19 10 10 — 53

LOUISBURG (7-5): Colyer Wingfield 6-15 4-6 17; Conlee Hovey 5-11 2-2 12; Nathan Parker 4-5 2-2 12; Luke Schultz 3-3 4-4 11; Gavin Lohse 4-9 1-2 9; Mason Dobbins 2-4 1-3 5; Cade Gassman 0-3 3-4 3. Totals: 24-57 17-23 69. 3-point field goals: 4, (Parker 2, Schultz, Wingfield)

Wildcats get out to quick start in win over Pleasanton

In its journey to the championship, Louisburg first had to get by Pleasanton on Thursday in the second round of tournament play.

The Wildcats jumped out to an 18-point halftime lead and never looked back in a 74-39 win over the Blu-Jays.

Louisburg built on that halftime lead as it outscored Pleasanton 25-10 in the third period to seal the win for the Wildcats.

Colyer Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring with a game-high 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. He also finished with five steals.

Senior Trey Myers scored well from the outside as he finished with 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Sophomore Conlee Hovey just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine boards.

Senior Mason Dobbins had a big day on the glass with a team-high 13 rebounds to go along with nine points and three blocks. Senior Isaiah Whitley had eight points and six boards, while junior Jaymes Melton came off the bench to score six points and he also pulled down 10 rebounds.

“Against Pleasanton, our defense was good and I think our length gave them some problems,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our kids definitely played well this week and was good to see them play a little more consistent. Hopefully this is the momentum we need as we get back into the Frontier League.”

LOU 18 22 25 9 — 74

PLE 8 14 10 7 — 39

LOUISBURG: Colyer Wingfield 6-15 6-8 21; Trey Myers 6-8 0-0 15; Conlee Hovey 6-9 1-2 13; Mason Dobbins 4-10 1-5 9; Isaiah Whitley 3-4 2-4 8; Jaymes Melton 2-4 2-4 6; Myles Vohs 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 28-59 12-23 79. 3-point field goals: 6, (Myers 3, Wingfield 3)

Louisburg junior Nathan Parker (1) celebrates with teammate Brady Hickey after a made 3-pointer Tuesday against Osawatomie at Pleasanton High School. The Wildcats made 13 3-pointers in the 55-point win over the Trojans to begin the Pleasanton Tournament.

PLEASANTON — For the last few games, it seemed there was a lid on the basket for the Louisburg boys basketball team.

That lid finally came off, Tuesday.

After some recent shooting struggles, the Wildcats caught fire against Osawatomie in their first game of the Pleasanton Mid-Season Tournament. Louisburg shot 48 percent from the field and knocked down 13 3-pointers.

All that turned into a 77-22 victory over the Trojans as the Wildcats evened their record to 5-5 on the season. It also ended a four-game losing streak in the process.

“That is what we told our kids is that we just need to get some confidence back,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I know our kids can shoot the ball, but we just went through a little rough patch there for awhile, but I guess coming to the Pleasanton gym made a difference. 

“The ball was definitely going through the hoop and that is how games can really get away. I was proud of the way we played.”

The 55-point victory and 13 made 3-pointers were the highest totals of the season by far for Louisburg and it couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Four different players knocked down threes, but it was junior Nathan Parker that had the biggest impact from behind the arc. Parker knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points on the night.

His production came at a good time as starter Luke Hill, one of the team’s top shooters, is currently out for several games with an injury.

“(Nathan) can really shoot it,” Pfannenstiel said. “He is a kid that is definitely a confident shooter and that is what is great about him. Even if he’s missed a bunch in a row, he still has that shooter’s mentality. We are going to need him to spread some teams out, especially with Luke being injured. Hopefully he will be able to help do that for us.”

Louisburg got out to a fast start and put the game away early. The Wildcats took a 20-point lead after the first quarter and led 53-17 at the half.

Senior Colyer Wingfield had another big game for the Wildcats as he finished with a team-high 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Junior Brady Hickey knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with nine points. Senior Trey Myers added eight with a pair of 3-pointers.

Senior Mason Dobbins was active under the basket with a team-high nine rebounds and had three assists. Sophomore Conlee Hovey had seven points and seven rebounds.

Sophomore Josh Holtzen also got his first varsity time of the season and made the most of it as he scored four points.

Louisburg will try for its second straight win of the tournament tonight as the Wildcats will face off with Pleasanton. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at Pleasanton High School.

The Wildcats will end the tournament Friday with a matchup against the NEK Nighthawks, a homeschool team out of Topeka, as they try for a tournament title.

“We tell our kids to always play with effort, no matter whether you are down or up, you always have to play with effort,” Pfannenstiel said. “If you don’t, things can get really sloppy. We still have a lot that we need to work on. Obviously we looked good out there this time, but we still made mistakes out there defensively, where that has cost us games in the past. It is important that we key on those little things and do them the right way.”

LOU 28 25 17 7 — 77

OSA 8 9 5 0 — 22

LOUISBURG (5-5): Colyer Wingfield 9-14 0-0 20; Nathan Parker 6-11 0-0 18; Brady Hickey 3-3 0-0 9; Trey Myers 3-10 0-0 8; Conlee Hovey 3-5 1-2 7; Mason Dobbins 2-7 0-0 4; Josh Holtzen 2-3 0-0 4; Brock Vohs 1-4 1-2 3; Cade Gassman 1-3 0-0 2; Isaiah Whitley 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 31-64 2-4 77. 3-point field goals: 13, (Parker 6, Hickey 3, Myers 2, Wingfield 2)

Louisburg Mason Dobbins gets to the basket for two points Friday against Baldwin. Dobbins finished with six points and seven rebounds on the night.

BALDWIN CITY — Friday the 13th couldn’t have been more prevalent for the Louisburg boys basketball team.

The Wildcats traveled to Baldwin last Friday in hopes of avoiding some terrible luck.

Unfortunately, Louisburg experienced all that fateful day had to offer as the Wildcats struggled offensively to get anything going in a 66-31 loss to the Bulldogs.

Baldwin, which is ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, had the opposite effect. The Bulldogs blew the game open with a 34-point third quarter, and couldn’t seem to miss, as they handed the Wildcats their fourth straight setback.

“We needed to get off to a good start and we missed some good looks early on in the first quarter,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I think if we could’ve seen the ball go through the net, that would have given us some confidence and momentum. We just never got anything going offensively. Baldwin played well. They knocked down a lot of big shots and really opened things up in the 3rd quarter.”

Louisburg (4-5) did its best to slow down the Bulldogs in the first half as the Wildcats limited them to just 22 points at halftime. Louisburg, however, had a tough time seeing the ball go through the hoop as it had just 11.

Baldwin put the game away in the third quarter with its big run. The Bulldogs shot 53 percent for the game and knocked down 11 3-pointers.

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield led the team in scoring (14 points), rebounds (7) and assists (3). Senior Mason Dobbins also pulled down seven rebounds for the Wildcats and was second on the team in scoring with six points.

The Wildcats will try and snap their losing skid starting today when they travel to the Pleasanton Mid-Season Tournament. Louisburg will face Osawatomie at 5 p.m. to begin round-robin play.

They will then square off with Pleasanton on Thursday and Northeast Kansas Homeschool out of Topeka on Friday.

“This is a big week for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “I told our guys that we need to get our confidence back.  We need to lock in on doing the little things right that make the difference. Hopefully our defense comes out strong and we can get into some rhythm offensively this week. We have to take a big jump forward mentally this week.”

LOU 6 5 11 9 — 31

BAL 10 12 34 10 — 66

LOUISBURG (4-5): Colyer Wingfield 5-18 4-4 14; Mason Dobbins 3-6 0-2 6; Conlee Hovey 1-3 1-2 3; Trey Myers 0-4 2-4 2; Myles Vohs 1-3 0-0 2; Gavin Lohse 1-1 0-1 2; Jaymes Melton 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 12-50 7-13 31. 3-point field goals, none