Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was voted by the LHS head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year

Mason Dobbins had a senior season to remember when it came to athletics.

Dobbins left it all on the field/court/track during his final campaign with the Wildcats and he put his stamp on it. Whether it was winning a league title in football, helping the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish in track or earning all-league honors in three sports — Dobbins enjoyed it all.

Those were just some of the reasons Dobbins was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.

“It means a lot to me to be named athlete of the year,” Dobbins said. “It feels good to that know that all your hard work pays off.”

He certainly put in a lot of work and it showed throughout the 2022-23 school year. It started during football season as the team’s starting wide receiver.

The Wildcats finished as undefeated Frontier League Champions and Dobbins played a big role in that. Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He was also named honorable mention all-state.

Dobbins returned to the basketball court after taking a couple years off and his 6-foot-7 frame made an immediate impact as he led the team with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and a block per contest. He was later named to the Frontier League All-Defensive Team.

However it was the track where he made his biggest impact.

Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. 

He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

At the state meet, Dobbins racked up 30 points to help Louisburg to a state runner-up finish as the Wildcats lost to Andale by just half-a-point.

“This past season was my best one yet,” Dobbins said. “In football we were league champs. In basketball, I thought I played way better than I thought I would. Then in track, I was a state champ and we almost won a state championship. It was a lot of fun.”

As easy as he made it look at times, competing in three sports has its challenges. 

“It’s definitely something that I am proud of,” Dobbins said. “Three sports can be a lot on the body, and for me to go without an injury the whole year, was a blessing.”

Now that his high school career is finished, he is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life — with the Northwest Missouri State track and field program.

“I am so excited to start my track career at Northwest,” Dobbins said. “It’s a whole different world than what high school track is, but I am ready for it.”

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

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

Below are the nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Kaven Bartlett – Senior – Wrestling and Soccer

Kaven Bartlett competed on the Louisburg wrestling and boys soccer team, but Bartlett was a fixture on the mat for the Wildcat wrestling program.

Bartlett qualified for state at 138 pounds and became a 3-time state qualifier for Louisburg and was a state medalist in 2022. He finished with a 119-45 career record and was a two-time team captain and four-year letter winner. Those 119 wins are fifth in program history and he has 158 career takedowns and 726.5 career points, which is both third in team history. He was named the 2023 LHS Wrestler of the Year.

Bartlett was also a defender on the Wildcat soccer team his past season. The Wildcats advanced to the regional championship game.

Declan Battle – Junior – Football and Baseball

Declan Battle had big seasons for both the Wildcat football and baseball programs.

Under the lights on the football field, Battle was the Wildcat starting quarterback as he led his team to an undefeated Frontier League championship. The dual-threat quarterback scored 23 total touchdowns and totaled more than 1,700 yards. That performance led him to a first-team All-Frontier League, along with all-state honors.

On the diamond, Battle was the Wildcats’ starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter. He scored 32 runs on the year, which is a Wildcat program record. Battle also recorded a .429 average to go along with five doubles and three triples. He also stole 17 bases. His performance also earned him second team All-Frontier League and all-state honors.

Mason Dobbins – Senior – Football, Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was a fixture for three Wildcat programs this past season. Dobbins was the starting wide receiver on the football field, starting forward on the basketball team and a state medalist for the track program.

Dobbins stood out the most in the track and field arena. He qualified for state in four events and medaled in all four as he helped the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish this past May. 

Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins has won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

On the football field, Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors. 

On the basketball court, Dobbins was named to the All-Frontier League defensive team. He led the Wildcats with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and 1 block per contest.

Cade Gassman – Senior – Soccer, Basketball and Track and Field

Cade Gassman was a starter, or key contributor, for three Wildcat programs during 2022-23 school year. Gassman was the starting midfielder and captain for the soccer team, starting guard on the basketball court and a jumper for the track and field program.

Gassman made his biggest impact on the pitch for Louisburg. As a midfielder, Gassman drew a lot of attention from the opposition as he finished with five goals and four assists on the season to lead the Wildcats to the regional title match. In his career, he is one of the more prolific scorers in school history.

The Louisburg senior finished with 47 career goals, which is second in program history and was third in school history with 26 career assists. His 120 career points is also second in Wildcat history. He is a four-time all-state and all-Frontier League first team selection.

On the hardwood, Gassman was the starting guard for the Wildcats and he recorded 39 rebounds and had 22 assists to go along with 14 steals. On the track, Gassman was a state qualifier in the high jump for Louisburg and finished 11th overall at state.

Nathan Vincent, Senior, Football and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent played big roles for both the Wildcat football team and track and field program. Vincent was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football team and a state medalist in track.

On the football field, Vincent started on both sides of the ball as he earned all-state and all league honors. He finished with 80 tackles as a defensive end to go along with 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. Vincent was a key member of the offensive line as he helped the Wildcats to more than 33 points per game. He earned first team all-league offensive league honors and second team-defense. He also recorded first team all-state honors and was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Vincent was the Wildcats’ top thrower for the track and field program. Vincent recorded three state medals as he helped Louisburg to a state runner-up team finish. At state, Vincent medaled third in the shot put, fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin. In all, Vincent has won five career state medals, with three coming in the javelin.

Colyer Wingfield, Senior, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield had a big season for both the Wildcat basketball team and track program. Wingfield was the leading scorer for the Wildcat basketball program, and was a part of two state relays in track.

Wingfield earned a lot of success on the hardwood as he was named to the All-Frontier League second team. He led the Wildcats in scoring at 17.4 points per game and pulled down nearly six rebounds a contest.

On the track, Wingfield helped the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay to state medals as both finished third at the state meet last month. The 4×100 relay set a new school record in the process. He also did the long and triple jumps for the Wildcats.

Louisburg High School will have a new boys basketball coach next season as the school district hired Blue Valley North assistant Ben Doll earlier this month. It will be Doll’s first head coaching position after 24 years as an assistant.

Ben Doll has been a part of a lot of winning basketball over the last two decades.

Doll has patrolled the sidelines as an assistant for two state championship teams and has coached in numerous state tournaments over his 24 year career.

Now, he is ready is to bring that winning attitude and experience to Louisburg.

During the USD 416 Board of Education meeting earlier this month, Doll was hired as the new head coach for the Wildcat boys basketball program. He takes over for Ty Pfannenstiel, who spent six years in that role, before becoming the school’s new activities director last month.

This will be Doll’s first head coaching position after spending time as an assistant at St. Thomas Aquinas, Johnson County Community College, Lansing and Blue Valley North.

“I am really excited to get going,” Doll said. “It has been a long time coming. I have a lot of great experiences and I am ready to apply those things I have learned into this job. I am ready to put my own stamp on some stuff as well.”

Doll has been waiting for the right spot to start his head coaching journey and he found it in Louisburg. After talks with Pfannenstiel and his family, he realized Louisburg is the right destination for him.

“A little bit was opportunity and a little bit was Ty reaching out and getting me interested in Louisburg,” Doll said. “I have in-laws that used to live there and they told me it was a nice community. I just thought it would be a great place to go and get this first job. 

“Louisburg could be a sleeping giant in 4A. Judging by the guys we have coming back, there is some talent in the area. It is a situation similar to the one I had in Lansing. That appealed to me.”

Doll was an assistant at Lansing for eight years under Rod Briggs. He was on the Lions’ staff that made four consecutive state tournament runs and won the state title in that fourth year.

It is that continuity that Doll believes was one of the reasons for their success. It was the same type of thing he saw at Blue Valley North under head coach Ryan Phifer.

The Mustangs won the Class 6A state title in 2021 with a group of athletes that played together for several years and built a level of familiarity with each other.

“In both cases we had a group of kids that play a lot together,” Doll said. “They knew each other really well. With both teams, many of them had played in the state tournament before they actually won it. We went four years in a row in Lansing and it just built from there. 

“Blue Valley North was the exact same thing. They were friends that played club ball together and they were able to have success. The year during COVID, we were the last game before they shut the state tournament down. We had to tell them after the game and that was a huge heartbreak. We could have won the title that year too. The program just builds when you have continuity and you have to get a good group of kids together and play together over time. There is little luck too.”

Doll is looking forward to putting those winning aspects on the Wildcat program. He will also bring some changes with him as far as what playing style he would like to see on both ends of the floor.

“I want to play an up and down, running type of style,” Doll said. “I think players like that, and when done right, it is a good way to play. We don’t want half-court sets, grind it out type of basketball. We want to score quick if we can. Defensively we want to pressure with great man-to-man defense. You have to adjust to your players, but we would like to press if we can. Kids like playing that way and it is a fun style of basketball. We can get a lot of more kids in the game playing that style. Would like to have an 8-9-man deep rotation so we can shuffle kids in and out, so we can keep that pressure on.”

“At the same time, we want to build great young men and men of character. Sports can be an avenue to those challenges in life. In a community like Louisburg, there will be kids who look up to our players, so I want them to be good to the kids and community. We want to represent Louisburg well.”

Doll already had a chance to meet the returning members from last year’s team and also looked over some game film from last season. Although he is still trying to get to know this group, he is looking forward to the start of summer activities.

“It was nice to meet some of those soon-to-be seniors and put some names with faces,” Doll said. “I am really excited to get out on the court for our first team camp and that is when we will get to know each other. Get a basketball out there and start going at it.”

Along with the normal weekly camp in June, Doll is also offering another youth camp in early July for those interested in getting more work in and registration can be found here.

He has also created a new Twitter page and fans can follow the program @LHSWildcatBB. 

Louisburg boys basketball coach Ty Pfannenstiel will take over the school’s activities director role next school year. He also resigned his basketball position after coaching the Wildcats for the last six years.

Beginning next school year, Louisburg High School activities will have a little different look to it — especially at the top.

Ty Pfannenstiel will serve as the school’s new activities director and will take over for current AD, Michael Pickman, who will focus on his assistant principal duties and curriculum. 

Pfannenstiel, who has been the boys basketball coach for the last six years, resigned his post to take on the activities director position. He also stepped down as an assistant football coach.

Currently the weight room instructor, Pfannenstiel will spend half his day teaching and the other half in the AD role.

All of the moves were approved during Monday’s meeting of the USD 416 Board of Education.

“This is very exciting for me,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s definitely going to be a change. I have been a teacher and a coach for 18 years. I still get to be a teacher half-time, and now I get to step into a new role as an administrator. It is going to be all sports and activities and I am looking forward to the new direction.”

As for Pickman, he gets the opportunity to focus more on the academic side as a full-time assistant principal. He was hired as an assistant principal/ activities director in April of 2020.

“I am very excited to commit more fully to the assistant principal role as education and curriculum have always been my true passion,” Pickman said. “Being able to support the teachers, students, and administrative staff by providing data, feedback, and assessing teaching and learning goals and initiatives in the building and district aligns with that passion and the opportunity arose to allow for that. I hope to enable and promote continued growth in the various curriculums and initiatives and structures that make Louisburg a fantastic district in a supportive community.

“Ty has experience and is passionate about athletics and activities. As it is where his passion is, I have every confidence he will do a fantastic job in his new role and look forward to witnessing where he takes our programs moving forward.”

Pickman took over LHS activities at a difficult time as the school was coming back from COVID-19 and the all challenges it presented. As tough as that situation was, he appreciated the relationships he built.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as activities director and was presented a fantastic growth opportunity and am grateful for being given it,” Pickman said. “I had a goal of being present for athletes and coaches and for the patrons, so I hope people saw that presence. I was blessed to have great leadership in place in our coaches and sponsors, and tried to support them best by advocating for their needs and supporting them to do their job of being great role models and passing on their passion and knowledge to students.

“Ultimately, I am most proud of our student athletes and activity participants and being part of their journey. I believe that sports are an extension of the classroom and I wanted to help ensure that character and sportsmanship were just as important and success, and I am overjoyed to have a wealth of memories where our fans, students, participants, and coaches and sponsors proved that to be true of LHS.”

While taking on the challenge of being a new administrator is one he is looking forward to, leaving his coaching roots behind was a difficult decision for Pfannenstiel.

In 2021, Pfannenstiel led the Wildcat boys basketball team to the Class 4A state championship game and finished as the state runner-up.

“That was definitely the biggest thing that was holding me back,” Pfannenstiel said. “I love basketball and the kids that I have worked with. There is a group coming up that I really enjoy coaching, and leaving that behind was one of the biggest challenges for me. Whoever takes over the program, I think it will be good transition for them because they will have a great group of kids to work with.

“Originally, I was going to be allowed to coach a sport and they didn’t want to take coaching away from me. The more I thought about it, if I want to do a good job at this, I need to focus on being the AD and that will be something that will benefit me and all the other activities.”

Pfannenstiel believes the move is a good one for the school in general as it will allow Pickman and principal Amy VanRheen to focus more on the academic side of things.

“This is something that is definitely needed,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our administrators are so busy with all the stuff they do during the school day, but they are also going to all the activities as well. Hopefully this will be a big help for Mrs. VanRheen and Mr. Pickman.”

Although he won’t official start his new position till next school year, Pfannenstiel is already starting to transition into his new role — one that is looking forward to.

“My job in the weight room and coaching has all been about sports,” he said. “That is what entices me about this job is that I am still going to be all about sports and activities. I just want to be a support for our coaches and our athletes and be advocate for our students.” 

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring and was second on the team in rebounding this season. Wingfield was named to the all-league second team.

The Frontier League showed how difficult it was at times this season, as it put two teams in the state tournament in both Baldwin and Eudora.

Louisburg had its fair share of ups and downs through the league slate, but the coaches recognized a pair of Wildcat players when all-league teams were released Sunday.

Senior Colyer Wingfield was named to the All-Frontier League second team, while senior Mason Dobbins was selected to the All-Defensive Team.

“Our league is loaded with talent, so for Colyer to be a second team selection is quite the honor,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Year in, year out it is hard to get guys on this list, so I was excited that Colyer was recognized by the league coaches.”

Wingfield was the go-to scorer for the Wildcats as he always drew the attention of opposing defenses. He averaged 17.4 points per games to lead Louisburg and also had nearly 6 rebounds a contest, which was second on the team.

“Colyer had an outstanding season,” Pfannenstiel said. “His points per game is the second highest in the six years that I’ve been the coach. Colyer was asked to do a lot for us. He was our point guard and had to take on a scoring role for us as well. Teams were always keying on him and he still found a way to produce for us offensively.  He was very consistent all year, which is really hard to do. 

“Colyer took on a leadership role this year and led our team both on and off the court. He’s a good kid that does things the right way. We are going to miss his off court presence just as much as his on court presence.”

For the first time, the coaches also put together an All-Defensive Team and Dobbins earned that honor for the Wildcats.

He led Louisburg with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with one block and 1.5 steals a game.

“Mason had a nice year for us after coming back to play after his freshman year,” Pfannenstiel said. “He was a force for us on the defensive end and on the boards. He was the second leading rebounder in the league. He played with great energy each night and kept improving game after game.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Caleb Carr, Baldwin, senior

Logan Sullivan, Eudora, junior

Tavian Cruse, Bonner Springs, senior

Cole Parker, Eudora, senior

Kalen Streit, Bonner Springs, junior

SECOND TEAM

Colyer Wingfield, Louisburg, senior

Chase Bond, Spring Hill, junior

Caleb Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Landon Taylor, Paola, senior

Cameron Doss, Bonner Springs, senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Luke Metcalf, Spring Hill, senior

Cooper Carr, Baldwin, freshman

Conor Dunback, Eudora, senior

Samuel Darnell, Baldwin, senior

Aiden McCullough, Ottawa, freshman

Kale Hammerschmidt, Eudora, senior

Ryker Grossner, Baldwin, junior

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Samuel Darnell, Baldwin, senior

Kalen Streit, Bonner Springs, junior

Micah Barron, Eudora, senior

Mason Dobbins, Louisburg, senior

Carter Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Landon Taylor, Paola, senior

James Allen, Spring Hill, junior

Talon Langford, Tonganoxie, sophomore

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)