Louisburg senior Brooklyn Diederich knocks down one of her three 3-pointers on the night Thursday as she helped the Lady Cats to an 18-point win over Spring Hill.

SPRING HILL — It has been a memorable season so far for the Louisburg girls basketball team.

The Lady Cats had just two losses through 14 games going into last week, but they had the opportunity to avenge one of those setbacks Thursday when they traveled to Spring Hill.

Louisburg fell by double digits to the Broncos earlier this season, but the Lady Cats returned the favor with one of their more complete performances of the season. 

They hit seven 3-pointers and took a nine-point halftime lead and the Lady Cats never looked back in a 61-43 victory over Spring Hill.

“The girls for sure wanted revenge from earlier in the season, and beating Spring Hill was one of our goals going into the season,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “So beating them felt like a huge accomplishment.

“I felt like the girls played a complete game against Spring Hill. We have played a lot of good quarters throughout the season, but I thought this game was our most consistent game so far this year. They played so hard and battled the entire game.”

In the previous meeting, the Lady Cats (13-2) had trouble cracking the Spring Hill zone and the Broncos made it difficult on them to score.

That wasn’t a problem this time around as Louisburg knocked down seven 3-pointers to loosen up the Spring Hill defense and the Lady Cats were also able to score inside. 

Defense was also key for Louisburg as it limited Spring Hill’s looks at the basket and held the Broncos to just 19 second half points.

“Our defense was much better this game, and I thought it got better throughout the game as well,” Lane said. “We worked very hard as a team, helped each other, and communicated very well. Also being 7 of 11 from the 3-point line doesn’t hurt.

“Our outside shooting was fantastic, we got great looks because we moved the ball so well and we played inside-outside basketball. I felt like we did a great job of not forcing shots and knowing when we were open.”

Seniors Megan Foote and Brooklyn Diederich were accurate from the outside as Foote was 4-for-4 from the 3-point line, while Diederich was 3-for-5. Foote also finished with a game-high 19 points

The Lady Cats were able to get a lot from their inside game as well as senior Madilyn Melton was second on the team in scoring with 18 points and had seven rebounds, five blocks, four assists and two steals. Melton also had to guard Spring Hill’s top inside player in Ali Frank. 

“Megan and Brooklyn were on fire from the 3-point line,” Lane said. “They both have been working so hard in practice with their shooting, so I was so happy their hard work paid off against Spring Hill. Madilyn also played so great. She ran the floor and she guarded Ali Frank so well. She played great on both sides of the basketball.”

Senior Alyse Moore was big for the Lady Cats on the glass as she recorded a team-high 10 rebounds, while junior Jordan Mynsted had 11 points and five rebounds.

Louisburg got out to a fast start after jumping out to a 13-3 advantage to begin the game, but Spring Hill ended the first quarter with an 11-2 run to get back in it. 

The Lady Cats came right back with an 18-point second quarter and took a 33-24 halftime lead. It would be more than enough for the Lady Cats as they pulled away in the second half.

Weather has played a factor in the Lady Cats’ schedule this week as today’s game with Eudora was postponed and was rescheduled for Feb. 25.

As for the rest of this week, the Lady Cats will travel to Fort Scott on Thursday for a makeup game before hosting Piper on Friday in a Frontier League matchup.

LOU 15 18 12 16 — 61

SH 14 10 10 9 — 43

LOUISBURG (13-2): Megan Foote 6-7 3-4 19; Madilyn Melton 8-11 2-5 18; Jordan Mynsted 3-9 5-6 11; Brooklyn Diederich 3-6 0-0 9; Alyse Moore 1-2 0-2 2; Brianne Kuhlman 1-4 0-2 2. Totals: 22-39 10-21 61. 3-point field goals: 7, (Foote 4, Diederich 3)

Senior Alyse Moore goes up for a basket and was fouled Friday during the Lady Cats’ homecoming game against Ottawa.

It was starting to slip away.

Louisburg, which had as big as a 10-point lead over Ottawa on Friday, all of a sudden found itself behind it what was a physical contest between the two Frontier League schools.

Ottawa scored nine straight points in the fourth quarter to take a one-point lead midway through the period. The Lady Cats’ offense was in the middle of a rut – that was until Alyse Moore and Delaney Wright helped get them out of it.

Moore scored a basket, and then Wright nailed a 3-pointer with under three minutes left and that was all the Lady Cats needed to get them going again in a 47-39 victory on homecoming at Louisburg High School.

“Ottawa was super physical,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said They got hands on several of our passes and shots that we put up. I felt like they took us out of our game because they were so physical. This win was big. I think it showed the girls that we can still win even though we are not playing our best.”

After Moore ended Ottawa’s 9-0 run with a basket midway through the fourth, Wright perhaps hit the biggest shot of the night on a 3-pointer from the corner to put Louisburg up four with 2 minutes and 50 seconds remaining. It was her first basket of the night.

That four-point lead seemed like a big mountain to climb for the Cyclones on a night in which both teams struggled to score.

“Delaney’s 3-point basket in the fourth quarter was huge,” Lane said. “I was super proud of Delaney and her fight. Hitting that three gave our team the confidence we needed to finish this game with a win.”

The Lady Cats (12-2) were able to end the game strong as they finished on a 13-4 run, including six makes at the free-throw line and a big offensive rebound and put back by junior Jordan Mynsted.

Senior Brooklyn Diederich helped loosen up the Ottawa defense early on in the game as she knocked down three 3-pointers and led Louisburg with nine points on the night.

Both teams were aggressive defensively, but the Lady Cats were effective as they forced 24 Cyclone turnovers and turned those into 26 points. Louisburg also recorded 22 steals.

“I cannot say enough about how tough the girls are on defense,” Lane said. “We played man to man, 1-3-1 (zone) and we pressed during this game and every defense we ran the girls played hard and battled every possession.”

Moore also finished with a team-high nine points for the Lady Cats, but also tied with a team-high six rebounds along with Wright. 

Senior Megan Foote finished with eight points, but also had a team-high five steals. Fellow senior Madilyn Melton finished with seven points and sophomore guard Brianne Kuhlman was second on the team with four steals.

The Lady Cats will now prepare to avenge one of their two losses on the season as they travel to Spring Hill on Thursday for a Frontier League matchup.

“I am very happy with where we are right now in the season,” Lane said. “I feel like we are getting better each game and I think we will continue to get better as we continue through the season. The girls work very hard in practice and they are focused on winning and becoming a better team. 

“Finishing the regular season strong will be super important to us for our team morale and confidence as we head into the postseason.”

LOU 9 7 13 18 — 47

OTT 12 3 9 15 — 39

LOUISBURG (12-2): Brooklyn Diederich 3-10 0-0 9; Alyse Moore 3-4 3-9 9; Megan Foote 1-6 6-8 8; Madilyn Melton 2-9 3-4 7; Jordan Mynsted 2-6 2-3 6; Delaney Wright 1-6 1-2 4; Brianne Kuhlman 1-5 2-2 4. Totals: 13-46 17-29 47. 3-point field goals: (Diederich 3, Wright)

Louisburg senior Madilyn Melton drives the lane during Tuesday’s contest at Paola High School. Melton finished with a game-high 18 points.

PAOLA — Defense was on full display for Louisburg during Tuesday’s rivalry game at Paola High School.

Louisburg, which was fresh off a frustrating loss to Nemaha Central in the championship game of the Top Gun Tournament, took its frustrations out on Paola. The Lady Cats smothered the Panthers from the start of the second quarter and never looked back.

The Lady Cats forced 33 Paola turnovers and used its defense to pull away for a 54-32 victory. Louisburg, the No. 5 team in Class 4A, is now 11-2 on the season.

“The girls were very excited to play Paola,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They wanted to win and I thought it showed in our play. Having all 3 teams (varsity, JV and freshman) beat Paola was very exciting for our program.”

The Lady Cats held a 10-6 lead after the end of the first quarter, but Paola got even worse news as it also lost starter Kate Ediger to an ankle injury that kept her out the rest of the game. 

With a thin Paola bench already, Louisburg took advantage as it pressed the Panthers the rest of the way, which led to the 33 turnovers. The Lady Cats then turned those Panther mistakes into 28 points and held Paola to a combined 14 points in the second and third quarters.

“Our defense against Paola was key,” Lane said. “We pressed pretty much the whole game, but I felt like it all came together at the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third quarter. We had several steals and easy baskets to put us ahead. I thought we did a great job playing as a team and trusting our teammates.”

Louisburg actually found itself down a point early in the second quarter, but the Lady Cats used their defense to go on a 16-0 run to end the first half and go into halftime with a 28-13 lead.

The third quarter was much of the same as the Lady Cats opened the second half on a 13-2 run to help put the game away.

Senior Madilyn Melton had a big game inside for Louisburg as she finished with a game-high 18 points and also had seven rebounds and two blocks.

Junior Jordan Mynsted had a big game on both sides of the ball as she finished in double figures with 12 points, but also had a team-high nine steals. 

Seniors Megan Foote and Alyse Moore added eight points each, while Foote added six rebounds, five assists and five steals to her line. Moore was also active with four steals of her own.

Louisburg was able to empty its bench at the same time and watched as sophomores Emma Lohse and Emma Prettyman both scored. Prettyman shot a long jumper toward the end that brought the Lady Cat bench out of their chairs.

“I love how excited the girls get for each other,” Lane said. “The definition of team really showed on Tuesday through our play and excitement on the bench.”

The Lady Cats will try and make it back-to-back wins tonight when they host Ottawa for homecoming. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 10 18 13 13 – 54

PAO 6 7 7 12 – 32 

LOUISBURG (11-2): Madilyn Melton 7-9 4-4 18; Jordan Mynsted 4-12 4-4 12; Alyse Moore 3-10 2-2 8; Megan Foote 3-8 1-1 8; Brianne Kuhlman 1-4 1-2 3; Emma Lohse 0-0 2-2 2; Emma Prettyman 1-3 0-0 2; Delaney Wright 0-3 1-4 1. Totals: 19-56 15-19 54. 3-point field goals: 1, (Foote)

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

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

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

Olivia Barber

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

Luke Faulkner

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

Sydney Thornton

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

Alec Younggren

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

Madilyn Melton

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

Ben Guetterman

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

Brooklyn Diederich

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

Dawson Barnes

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

Louisburg senior Megan Foote recently signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Kansas Wesleyan.

When Megan Foote thinks back on her young life, there have been few constants that have been there like basketball.

Playing in her final season with the Louisburg High School program, Foote wasn’t ready to have that love leave her just yet.

On Jan. 20, in front of family of friends, Foote saw her dream of playing college basketball become a reality. She signed her letter of intent to join the Kansas Wesleyan program.

“I was extremely happy and relieved for the day to finally come that I could sign to Kansas Wesleyan,” Foote said. “The recruitment process is very stressful and I had many options to weigh. It means everything to me to be able to continue playing basketball, as it has been my dream for as long as I can remember.”

Picking a future home was tough for Foote to decide on, but once she made her visit to the Salina campus, Foote was wowed with what she saw and loved her conversation with head coach Ryan Showman.

“What stood out most to me at Kansas Wesleyan was the coaching staff and coaching style,” Foote said. “When I stepped on campus I immediately felt at home. Coach Showman and Jenkins made me feel welcomed right away.

“The community there is wonderful as well and in a wonderful place in Kansas. Their facilities were great as well. It was a pretty easy decision for me to make. The first time I visited campus, I wanted to call Coach Showman and verbally commit right away.”

Foote is joining a Coyote program that has experienced a lot of success in recent years.

Kansas Wesleyan, under Showman, captured the school’s first KCAC regular season league title last season, finishing with a 21-3 conference record. The Coyotes were 26-6 on the season and made their second straight NAIA National Championships. They won their first game of the tournament before it was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foote says Showman, who has coached the Coyotes since 2012, will give her an opportunity to compete for playing time when she arrives on campus.

“The Kansas Wesleyan program fits me perfectly,” Foote said. “Coach Showman is a very relaxed and family-oriented man. He knows how to coach girls basketball, as he never loses his cool and respects his players. Kansas Wesleyan is a program that builds through their JV program. Most of their players start on JV and work their way up to varsity, but if a player is ready for varsity their freshman year, Showman is not afraid to play them. 

“They like to play pressure defense and work the ball outstandingly well. They don’t have just one star player, they have girls all around that contribute. Showman is the type of coach that will change his system to adapt to his personal. He studies his players well and knows what will put them in a winning position. I am excited to get on campus and show that I belong.”

The Louisburg senior is off and running in her final year with the Lady Cats as she has helped them to an 11-2 start to the season.

Foote has averaged eight points a game through 13 contests to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals a game.

“We’re excited about Megan joining our program,” Showman said. “She is a smart defender who plays extremely hard every possession. I love her ability to score at all 3 levels on offense. What I like most though, is that Megan gets the job done in the classroom and is a leader who makes her teammates better. That will translate within our program. We’re excited to get Megan to campus to start working with her.”

Foote has spent 11 years playing the game she loves and she has had a lot of help along the way and she know she couldn’t have done it without them.

“It has always been a huge dream of mine to play basketball in college,” Foote said. “I can’t thank my coaches, Andy Melton, Jenny Diederich, Mario Washington, Jim Foote, Coach (Adrianne) Lane, John Ozier, and Suzanne Reedy enough for installing the love of the game in me. They have made me into the person and player I am today.”

As as excited as she is to get to college, Foote is looking forward to seeing what the rest of this season brings and she is hoping her Lady Cats, under head coach Adrianne Lane, can make a deep run.

“This season has been unreal,” Foote said. “From everything my team and I have endured the past couple of seasons, especially last, we have proved everyone wrong. No one except for us, our parents, and coaches believed we could do as well as we are right now. And the best part is that we aren’t nearly done yet. I can’t say enough about Coach Lane and everything she has done for me. She truly brought back the joy and happiness I once lost for basketball, while also making me into a more efficient player. 

“The Louisburg program has not only helped grow me into the player I am, but also the person I am. I have learned to stand up for myself and my teammates. I also learned that what matters most is that we as a team have each other’s backs and will always fight for each other no matter the score or cause. Basketball is much more than who can score the most, it’s a family atmosphere and the Louisburg program has taught me that.”

Senior Alyse Moore splits two Nemaha Central defenders and draws a foul during Saturday’s Top Gun championship game in Wellsville.

WELLSVILLE — Early on the second half, the Louisburg girls basketball team was well on its way to accomplishing something great. 

Not only would a win give the Lady Cats their first ever Top Gun championship – after placing eighth a year ago – but it would also end Nemaha Central’s 36-game winning streak.

Louisburg, the No. 5 team in Class 4A, held a 14-point lead midway through the third quarter, but Nemaha Central – who made the Class 3A final four last year and is No. 3 in Class 3A – showed why the Thunder had won that many games in a row.

Nemaha Central pressured the Lady Cats, which helped the Thunder get back in the game, and eventually hand Louisburg a 52-48 loss Saturday in Wellsville.

As much disappointment as the Lady Cats felt after such an important game, they know there will be bigger opportunities on the horizon.

“The girls had mixed emotions after the game on Saturday,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They were very sad because we lost, but proud of themselves for getting second after placing eighth last year. 

“This game will help us get better and show us how we need to play once we get to the postseason. Learning from this loss is so important for the future of this team.”

Foul trouble was a consistent problem for the Lady Cats as seniors Madilyn Melton and Megan Foote each had to sit for a majority of the first half and Melton was saddled with three fouls before halftime.

It meant other players had to step up like sophomore Emma Prettyman, who played the final two minutes of the second quarter, and got a rebound and a steal to help the Lady Cats preserve their 27-20 halftime advantage.

Despite Melton picking up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, the Lady Cats still went on an 8-1 run that ended on a steal and a basket from senior Alyse Moore to put Louisburg up 35-21.

From then on, Nemaha Central took control as its pressure defense led the Thunder to go on an 11-0 run to end third quarter.

“The third quarter was a roller-coaster for us,” Lane said. “We came out very hard from halftime and scored a couple of big buckets to take the lead. Nemaha started pressuring us more and took us out of our game. They were very aggressive on the ball and we did not handle the pressure very well.”

Louisburg (10-2) was able to fight back to start the fourth as junior Jordan Mynsted scored five straight points to help the Lady Cats to a 40-33 lead.

Again, the Thunder went on a 7-0 run to tie the game, but Melton kept the Lady Cats in it with a basket and a pair of free throws. She later fouled out with 2:34 left in the game and the Thunder did enough damage at the free-throw line to eek out the win.

Senior Brooklyn Diederich had a basket and junior Delaney Wright added a pair of free throws late to cut it to one, but Nemaha Central guard Cassidy Corby took advantage of her chances at the line.

Corby knocked down several late free throws and finished the game with 29 points and was 14-for-18 from the free-throw line.

As a team, Nemaha Central converted 24-of-35 opportunities, while Louisburg went to the line just 15 times and made nine.

“The fouls that were called did hurt us as a team,” Lane said. “Allowing Nemaha to shoot so many free throws put us at a disadvantage. When a team scores 24 points off free throws it’s hard to overcome that.”

Mynsted led the Lady Cats in scoring with 14 points, while Madilyn Melton added 10. Wright was third on the team with seven points.

Although it may not have showed in the scoring column, Moore made a big impact on the game for the Lady Cats. Moore finished with team-highs in rebounds (8), assists (5), deflections (3), steals (3) and blocks (1). She also added six points.

Moore would go to represent Louisburg on the Top Gun All-Academic Team.

“Alyse is such a great leader and it showed in the championship game and all week at Wellsville,” Lane said. “Her energy and positive attitude are felt by all the girls. She helps us get excited and ready to play. She had some really big plays in the championship, and her efforts helped us stay in the game.”

Following the contest, Melton, Mynsted and Foote were all named to the all-tournament team for their efforts throughout the week at Wellsville – one that provided many memorable moments.

“I cannot say enough about this team and how hard they play,” Lane said. “Their fight and hustle are impressive and their teamwork is improving each game. I am so proud to be their coach and I know they will never quit.”

Louisburg will try and get back on track as it will have big games this week against Paola and Ottawa – both teams who are in the Lady Cats’ substate. The Lady Cats will travel to Paola tonight.

“This is going to be a huge week for us,” Lane said. “Playing two sub-state opponents will help us see where we are and what we need to do to get better. Also playing one of our biggest rivals this week will make for a fun game. The girls are so excited and ready to fight.”

LOU 13 14 8 13 – 48

NC 10 10 12 20 – 52 

LOUISBURG (10-2): Jordan Mynsted 6-16 2-3 14; Madilyn Melton 4-6 2-2 10; Delaney Wright 1-1 4-4 7; Brooklyn Diederich 2-8 1-2 6; Alyse Moore 3-6 0-4 6; Megan Foote 1-4 0-0 3; Brianne Kuhlman 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 18-47 9-15 48. 3-point field goals: 3, (Wright, Diederich, Foote)

Members of the Louisburg girls basketball team celebrate a big play Thursday during the Lady Cats’ 45-39 win over Jefferson West.

WELLSVILLE – Through the first quarter-and-a-half, nothing seemed to go right for Louisburg offensively.

Jefferson West jumped out to a nine-point lead and the Lady Cats had managed just one field goal during the 12-minute stretch Thursday during the semifinals of the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville.

Add to that, the Lady Cats were dealing with foul trouble as two players were saddled with three fouls before the end of the first quarter.

After the first 12 minutes, Louisburg had a big hill to climb. Still, the Lady Cats were able to put together one of their best comebacks of the season as they snuck past Jefferson West, 45-39, and will play in the championship game today against Nemaha Central.

“We had a very slow start against Jeff West, and they did a great job defending our inside game,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We only scored four points the first quarter and two of those points were from free throws. To overcome this start was huge for our team and our morale.

“Jeff West was prepared to play us, and after we got into our game we did a great job overcoming our slow start. Our great defensive effort is what kept us in the game until our shots started falling.”

Down 13-4 midway through the second quarter, the Lady Cat offense started to come to life as Megan Foote knocked down a 3-pointer and helped them to just a six-point deficit at halftime.

Louisburg (10-1) started to play with more confidence in the second half. Senior Brooklyn Diederich hit two 3-pointers, and Foote made another, to cut the Jeff West lead to just three going into the fourth.

“Megan’s leadership on the floor was felt by all the girls,” Lane said. “Megan’s 4 3-pointers were huge for our team,  and they kept us in the game.

In the fourth quarter, it was senior Madilyn Melton’s turn as she scored 11 of her 15 points to help give Louisburg a seven-point lead and the Lady Cats were able to hold on from there. Melton was also 6-for-6 from the free-throw line during that stretch and had nine rebounds on the night. 

“Madilyn was super aggressive in the fourth quarter,” Lane said. “She took advantage of the defense, drew some fouls and finished some bigs shots. She also followed her shot well and got a couple of put backs.”

Despite getting off to the slow start, the Lady Cat defense was able to keep them in the game. Senior Alyse Moore shadowed one of Jeff West’s top scorers, Mellany Roenne. 

Moore held Roenne to just four points on the night, and as a team, forced 17 Jeff West turnovers.

“I thought our defense is excellent,” Lane said, “We play so hard and battle for every possession and rebound. Alyse did outstanding guarding Roenne. She worked so hard and shut her down.”

Louisburg also had to play out of foul trouble as Diederich and Delaney Wright each had three fouls in the first quarter and point guard Brianne Kuhlman had two.

The Lady Cats were able to get production from their bench as sophomore Adyson Ross took over the point guard spot and had a team-high four assists. 

“Adyson Ross did a fantastic job for our team,” Lane said. “She came in and played about 11 minutes straight and battled for our team. She got a 5 second call against their best player and played several different roles. She had a fantastic night and we were all so excited for her.”

Along with earning a spot in the championship, there was also another reason for celebration as it was Lane’s 100th career win as a head coach and her 10th at Louisburg.

“I am so excited to get my 100th win with this team,” Lane said. They play so hard and battle for every win and Thursday was no different. We battled to the very end for this win and it was a well deserved one.”

The Lady Cats, who are ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, will square off with the No. 3 team in Class 3A, Nemaha Central. Tipoff is set for 2:45 p.m. at Wellsville High School.

It will also be the first time this group has played in a championship game together.

“The girls are so excited to play in the championship,” Lane said. “They said it’s the first time they have ever had this experience and I am so excited for them. Nemaha is a very fundamental and structured team. They will bring experience to the championship game and I think we will bring excitement.”

LOU 4 10 13 18 – 45

JW 11 9 10 9 – 39 

LOUISBURG (10-1): Megan Foote 4-8 6-9 18; Madilyn Melton 4-8 7-10 15; Brooklyn Diederich 2-4 0-0 6; Brianne Kuhlman 0-3 3-4 3; Jordan Mynsted 1-3 0-1 2; Alyse Moore 0-3 1-4 1. Totals: 11-34 17-28 45. 3-point field goals: 6, (Foote 4, Diederich 2)

Louisburg cruises past Wellsville

WELLSVILLE – Slow starts have been the theme so far for Louisburg in the Top Gun Tournament as the Lady Cats found themselves down early to Wellsville in the first round.

The Lady Cats were able to change that in the second quarter Tuesday as they held Wellsville to just one point in the second quarter and that helped pave the way for a 51-31 win.

“I was so proud of the girls and how hard they played on defense,” Lane said. “We started the game in a press for the first time and I thought we did a great job pressuring the ball and rebounding.

“I thought the girls did a great job responding to Wellsville’s quick start to the game. We stayed calm and in control even though we got down early.”

Wellsville scored the game’s first eight points and took a 15-11 lead over Louisburg at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a different story as the Lady Cats outscored the Eagles 18-1 before halftime and never looked back.

Junior Jordan Mynsted and senior Alyse Moore provided a big lift in that second quarter. Moore scored seven points in the frame and Mynsted added six to help Louisburg to a 29-16 halftime lead.

Senior Madilyn Melton led Louisburg with 13 points on the night and Mynsted ended up with 12. Moore had a big night on the glass with a team-high 13 rebounds.

The Lady Cats would build a 21-point lead in the third quarter and were able to advance to the semifinals.

LOU 11 18 15 7 – 51

WEL 15 1 7 8 – 31

LOUISBURG: Madilyn Melton 5-8 3-3 13; Jordan Mynsted 5-14 2-3 12; Megan Foote 4-5 0-0 9; Alyse Moore 3-5 0-2 7; Adyson Ross 2-3 0-1 5; Delaney Wright 1-3 0-0 3; Brianne Kuhlman 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 22-49 5-9 51. 3-point field goals: 4, (Ross, Wright, Moore, Foote)

Louisburg senior Brooklyn Diederich battles Spring Hill’s Cate Milroy for a loose ball Friday in Louisburg.

For the first time all season, the Louisburg girls basketball team walked off the court with that sick feeling in its stomach.

The feeling of defeat.

The Lady Cats, who won their first eight games of the season, came up short in a 52-40 set back Friday at home to Spring Hill. A rough final three quarters sent Louisburg to its first loss of the year.

“It’s never easy to lose, and the girls were disappointed in how we played overall as a team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We will get better because of this loss. We can learn from our mistakes and fix them and become a better all-around team. I thought the girls played hard the entire game and did not quit. We played and battled till the buzzer sounded.”

Louisburg (8-1) got out to a fast start against the Broncos as the Lady Cats went on a 12-3 run to open the game.

Shortly after that, the Broncos went to a zone defense and Louisburg didn’t have an answer for it. Shots weren’t falling and the Broncos limited second chance shots.

The Lady Cats were just 1-for-17 from 3-point range and had trouble getting good looks on the inside.

“Our shots were for sure not falling on Friday, but I think we could’ve done a better job moving the ball more in the zone, and looking for better shot options especially since our outside shots were not falling,” Lane said. “Our rebounding could’ve also been better on both ends of the court.”

Spring Hill outscored Louisburg 11-4 in the second quarter to take a four-point halftime lead. The game was tied midway through the fourth quarter, but the Lady Cats ran into foul trouble.

Senior Madilyn Melton, one the team’s main inside threats, fouled out midway through the quarter with the game tied at 35-all.

From there, Spring Hill went on a 12-4 run to end the contest and secured the win.

Junior Jordan Mynsted led Louisburg in scoring with 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Melton finished with nine points and senior Alyse Moore added seven points and seven rebounds.

Senior Megan Foote pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and also had four assists and two steals.

It is now tournament week for Louisburg as it will compete in the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville. It is a tournament that not only features the No. 5 Lady Cats, but also the No. 3 team in Class 3A in Nemaha Central and the No. 3 team in Class 5A in Lansing.

Throw in other teams like Spring Hill, Baldwin and Topeka-Hayden – and it will be a challenging three days for Louisburg.

The Lady Cats, who are the No. 1 seed, open up against Wellsville at 5:15 p.m. tonight.

“We are super excited going into this week,” Lane said. “This will be a very challenging week for us, but we will use the games this week to get better as a team and that will help us come postseason.”

LOU 13 4 11 12 – 40 

SH 10 11 10 21 – 52

LOUISBURG (8-1): Jordan Mynsted 6-19 1-1 13; Madilyn Melton 3-8 3-3 9; Alyse Moore 3-6 1-7 7; Delaney Wright 1-1 1-4 4; Megan Foote 2-7 0-0 4; Brooklyn Diederich 1-10 0-0 2; Brianne Kuhlman 0-3 1-3 1. Totals: 16-54 7-18 40. 3-point field goals: 1, (Wright)

Jordan Mynsted goes up for two of her team-high 18 points during Friday’s six-point win at Baldwin High School.

BALDWIN CITY – For the second time in a month, the Louisburg girls basketball team had to face off with Baldwin.

A month ago, Baldwin took the Lady Cats to the wire, but Louisburg hung on by three points back in December. This time, Louisburg had to travel to Baldwin in hopes of keeping its perfect season alive.

Louisburg trailed by one going into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Cats scored 22 points in the final frame to leave with a 57-51 victory over the Bulldogs. It was the Lady Cats’ eighth consecutive win on the season.

“Beating Baldwin on the road was huge,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “The girls were so excited and very proud of themselves. They worked very hard for that win, and afterwards they were very happy.”

There was a lot for the Lady Cats (8-0) to be happy about as they put together a team effort that allowed them to escape with a difficult road victory against one of the Frontier League’s most successful programs in recent years.

Louisburg made the plays in the fourth quarter when it needed it and several of them came from the trio of Madilyn Melton, Megan Foote and Jordan Mynsted.

The three Louisburg players combined for 19 of the team’s 22 points in the fourth and made several key plays down the stretch.

The Lady Cats were also solid on the defensive end despite a couple players having to deal with foul problems.

“I felt the team played great in the fourth quarter,” Lane said, “The girls all did a great job and played their roles. Brooklyn (Diederich) and Megan guarded their two best guards perfectly down the stretch. Brooklyn did a fantastic job playing tough defense even though she had four fouls. Delaney Wright also came in and gave us a spark on the defensive end. She took two charges towards the end of the game that gave our team momentum on the offensive end. Madilyn did a fantastic job against Baldwin’s post player as she blocked her out and stepped and helped when needed. 

“Megan, Madilyn, and Jordan had 19 points between the three of them in the fourth quarter. Having multiple girls who can score under pressure says a lot about the maturity of our team.”

Mynsted led the Lady Cats with 18 points on the night to go along with three blocks. Foote had 13 points but also tallied a team-high eight assists and four steals.

Melton also finished in double figures with 12 points and had five rebounds and four assists from her forward spot.

Sophomore point guard Brianne Kuhlman was a model of consistency for Louisburg. Kuhlman played the entire game and tallied six points and a team-high six rebounds. She also had zero turnovers on the night.

“Brianne did a great job,” Lane said. “She handled the ball the entire game and did not have one turnover. The team definitely looks for her when we rebound and she does a great job staying calm and composed when bringing the ball up and starting the offense in a tight game.”

Louisburg also came through when it needed to from the free-throw line. The Lady Cats knocked down 5 of 7 from the line in the fourth quarter and finished 11-13 for the game.

“Our free-throw shooting is what sealed the win for us,” Lane said. “The girls are very committed to making free throws in pressure situations. We shoot a lot of free throws in practice to help them stay composed during the game.”

Louisburg will continue its difficult schedule Friday when it hosts Spring Hill as the Lady Cats look to keep their perfect season intact. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 16 10 9 22 – 57

BAL 13 10 13 15 – 51

LOUISBURG (8-0): Jordan Mynsted 8-13 2-3 18; Megan Foote 4-8 2-2 13; Madilyn Melton 5-14 2-2 12; Brianne Kuhlman 1-2 4-4 6; Brooklyn Diederich 1-2 1-2 4; Alyse Moore 2-5 0-0 4. Totals: 21-45 11-13 57. 3-point field goals: 4, (Foote 3, Diederich)

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

Madilyn Melton, Senior, Girls Basketball

Louisburg senior Madilyn Melton gave the Lady Cats a big boost last week as she played a large role in helping her team to a pair of wins against Bonner Springs and Baldwin. Against Bonner Springs, Melton led Louisburg with 17 points to go along with three rebounds.

Melton made an impact on both ends of the floor for Louisburg in its win over Baldwin last Friday. Melton scored 12 points and added five rebounds and five blocks in the victory, to go along with four assists and two steals. Those victories moved Louisburg to an 8-0 record on the year and the Lady Cats are currently ranked No. 5 in Class 4A.

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