Louisburg girls fall short against Eudora in first game of 2024
Louisburg junior Ashlyn Kuhlman goes up for a shot Thursday against Eudora.
EUDORA — The new year may have not brought the Louisburg girls basketball team its first win, but the Lady Cats still showed signs of growth Thursday in Eudora.
The Cardinals, who were undefeated going into the game, held a large lead in the second half. Louisburg went on a big run to cut it to nine, but it would be as close as it would get in a 56-37 loss.
“I was so proud of the girls to keep working in the second half,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They kept battling and got within single digits. If we can value the basketball and hit a few more shots, I feel like our offensive game will improve tremendously.”
Eudora, which held a 27-18 lead at halftime, expanded its lead to 20 late in the third quarter, but the Lady Cats were able to respond.
Junior guard Jillian Asher started the run with a 3-pointer, sophomore McKenna Lohse hit a pair of baskets and junior Addy Stohs had another to cut the Eudora lead to nine.
It didn’t stay that way for long as the Cardinals went on a mini 8-0 run to push the lead back out and Eudora handed the Wildcats a loss.
“I thought the girls played very hard and never gave up,” Lane said. “We did a good job getting the ball inside and then passing it out when the posts were not open.
“Eudora is a great team. They have four returning starters back and one fantastic freshman that I felt like made their team work.”
Louisburg junior Sami Lane drives to the basket Thursday at Eudora.
That freshman is point guard Brynn Deterding. Along with senior guard Jayla Erpelding, Deterding caused problems for the Louisburg defense.
The two Cardinals guards combined for 30 points, including 18 points from Deterding. The two also combined for nine steals on defense.
Louisburg did a good job on the boards to keep itself in the game. The Lady Cats outrebounded Eudora by 13 and pulled down 11 offensive rebounds.
Asher led the Lady Cats in scoring with 10 points and junior Ashlyn Kuhlman finished with eight points and six rebounds.
Junior forward Sabra Brueggen also had a good outing with seven points, along with a team-high seven rebounds and three assists.
The Lady Cats will try for their first win Wednesday as they are scheduled to travel to Spring Hill for a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Louisburg junior Jillian Asher pulls up for a shot in the lane Thursday at Frontenac. Asher finished with a team-high 10 points in the Lady Cats’ loss at Frontenac.
FRONTENAC — The Louisburg girls basketball team is inching closer to that first win, but the Lady Cats will have to wait till after the holiday break to get it.
Louisburg put together its best offensive performance of the season Thursday at Frontenac, but came up just short in a 55-48 loss to the Raiders.
“It was nice to see some offense working in this game,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “This is the most points we have scored and I hope the girls can build off this.”
Despite the good offensive performance, the Lady Cats had to play catch-up from the start as they had a tough first quarter and trailed 17-7.
Louisburg put together a comeback as it scored 16 points in the second quarter and the Lady Cats got a spark from Jillian Asher. The junior guard scored seven of her team-high 10 points in the second quarter, including a runner at the buzzer to trim the lead to just five at halftime.
“We have been talking a lot about playing all four quarters, but we got off to a slow start last night with only 7 points in the first quarter, but then we played with them the rest of the game,” Lane said. “We just need to put together four good quarters. Jill hitting a couple shots did help us get some momentum going into the second half.”
Louisburg junior McKenna Lohse goes up for a shot Thursday at Frontenac.
The Lady Cats continued to chip away at the lead in the second half. This time, they pounded the ball inside.
Forwards Sabra Brueggen, Morgan Latham and McKenna Lohse each scored on the inside, while Latham had back-to-back buckets in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 42-all with five minutes left in the contest.
Latham was second on the team with eight points, while Brueggen and Lohse had seven and six points, respectively.
“I thought the posts had a big night for us,” Lane said. “Sabra did a great job fighting for position, causing a lot of havoc under the basket. Kenna came in and gave us some great minutes and Morgan did as well. The posts were not afraid to take the ball to the basket or even look for an outside shot. I was very proud of them and how they played.
“I thought the guards did a great job forcing the ball inside at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. I feel like that is how we got back into the game.”
However, in the final five minutes, Frontenac pulled away as it did to start the game. The Raiders finished on a 13-6 run to hand the Lady Cats their fifth loss of the season.
Junior Ashlyn Kuhlman also finished with seven points to help the Lady Cat offense, while junior Sami Lane had a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Ally Brown and Asher tied for team-high three assists and Brown also added five boards.
Louisburg will try and turn things around after the holiday break as the Lady Cats travel to Eudora on Jan. 4 in their first game back.
BALDWIN CITY — Despite getting off to a slow start offensively, Louisburg found itself still in the game last Tuesday against Baldwin.
Unfortunately, a rough third quarter helped give Baldwin a 42-23 victory over the Lady Cats at Baldwin Jr. High School.
The Bulldogs outscored Louisburg 14-4 in the third quarter and took an 18-point lead that the Lady Cats couldn’t come back from.
Louisburg trailed by just four after the first quarter, but scored a combined five points in the next two.
Junior Shylar Whiting led the Lady Cats in scoring with nine points and Ashlyn Kuhlman finished with five in the loss. Kuhlman also finished with a team-high eight rebounds and three assists.
Morgan Latham had six rebounds, while Sami Lane and Ally Brown each finished with five. Brown also had a team-high three steals.
LOU 7 1 4 11 — 23
BAL 11 5 14 12 — 42
LOUISBURG: Shylar Whiting 1-7 6-8 9; Ashlyn Kuhlman 1-8 2-4 5; Sabra Brueggen 1-2 0-2 2; Jillian Asher 1-3 0-0 2: Sami Lane 1-3 0-0 2; Morgan Latham 1-3 0-0 2; Ally Brown 0-7 1-2 1. Totals: 6-34 9-16 23. 3-point field goals: 2, (Kuhlman, Whiting)
Lady Cats battle but come up short in home loss to Anderson County
Louisburg junior Sami Lane pressures an Anderson County player into a turnover Friday at home. The Lady Cats fell to the Bulldogs, 35-31.
It ended up being another close loss for the Louisburg girls basketball team Friday against Anderson County, but the progress was there for the Lady Cats.
Anderson County had a size advantage, played a zone defense and both were obstacles for Louisburg. Still, the Lady Cats found themselves in a tight game with the Bulldogs.
Although it ended with a 35-31 Louisburg loss, there were definite positives to build on.
“I thought overall we played hard and we battled till the end,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I do feel like we got better Friday. Our defense was great and we got some really good looks at the basket.”
Louisburg had to deal with Anderson County’s size underneath the basket, including that of Kylie Disbrow and Caitlyn Foltz. The Lady Cats held them to 13 and nine points, respectively.
They also held Anderson County to just 28 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers.
“I thought defensively we did great,” Lane said./ “Any time you can hold a team to 35 points is great. Our key was to double team (Foltz and Disbrow) when they caught the ball and the girls did a great job with this. Our rebounding was also big, we did a great job being physical and going and getting the ball.”
Offensively, the Lady Cats had to find a way to get going against the Anderson County 2-3 zone. Louisburg showed patience, and got good looks at times, but couldn’t get the shots to fall.
Louisburg shot 21 percent from the field, but did pull down 15 offensive rebounds in order to get extra chances.
Louisburg junior Shylar Whiting goes up for a shot Friday against Anderson County.
“The girls did a good job running the offense and getting into the middle of the zone,” Lane said. “We wanted to make their girls work hard on defense so they would be tired on offense. I felt we were getting great shots of the offense, we just couldn’t get enough to fall.”
The Lady Cats took a 19-18 lead at halftime thanks to a 3-pointer from Ashlyn Kuhlman and a bucket from Zyleigh Melton late in the second quarter.
Anderson County built another lead in the second half, but the Lady Cats cut into the Bulldog lead again as Shylar Whiting hit a 3-pointer and knocked in a free throw late in the fourth to cut deficit to two.
It would be as close as the Lady Cats would get as the Bulldogs knocked down enough free throws to seal the win.
Kuhlman led Louisburg in scoring with 10 points to go along with a team-high five rebounds and three steals. Junior Sami Lane scored seven, all in the first quarter, to help get the Lady Cats get out to a good start. She also finished with four rebounds.
Melton and Whiting each finished with five points and junior Sabra Brueggen added four points. Junior Ally Brown also tallied a team-high five rebounds and two assists.
Louisburg will try and pick up its first win today as the Lady Cats travel to Baldwin. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Louisburg girls get out to good start, but fall to Burlington
Louisburg junior Addy Stohs goes up for a basket during Tuesday’s road contest at Burlington. The Lady Cats fell 43-38.
BURLINGTON — For one quarter, anyway, the Louisburg girls basketball team had everything working.
It was the kind of start the Lady Cats were hoping for after a disappointing loss in its opener. Louisburg nearly had a double-digit lead on Burlington in the first quarter Tuesday, but couldn’t hang on.
Burlington eventually surpassed the Lady Cats and handed Louisburg a 43-38 setback.
“I thought our team saw a huge improvement from our first game,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They seemed to play more confident overall and I felt like they played more as a unit versus individuals.”
The Lady Cats jumped out to an 8-0 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers from Ashlyn Kuhlman and Ally Brown, and a basket by Shylar Whiting. Louisburg went up 11-2 after a 3-point play by Sabra Brueggen.
Burlington started to claw its way back, but the Lady Cats still led 16-11 after the first quarter. Unfortunately for Louisburg, the offense didn’t carry over to the second.
The Lady Cats scored just two points in the second quarter and Burlington was able to tie the game at halftime.
“It was so important to get out and score early, more so for our confidence and team morale than anything,” Lane said. “It showed the girls that we can score.
“Only scoring two points in the second quarter hurt us. I felt like we stopped taking chances on defense, which led to a slow down on the offensive end of the court. We are best when we get out in transition. We need to continue to get out and run and try and catch the defense off guard.”
Louisburg junior Ally Brown drives to the basket Tuesday against Burlington.
The game was still tied at 27-all going into the fourth quarter, but Burlington took a four-point lead to start the final frame. A basket by Addy Stohs, a 3-pointer from Kuhlman and a running shot by Brown brought the Burlington lead back to one.
Junior Jillian Asher hit a free throw to tie the game at 35-all with 3 minutes left, but Burlington would end the game on a 8-3 run to seal the win.
Kuhlman led the Lady Cats in scoring with nine points and two blocked shots.
Stohs and Brown each finished with seven, including a team-high seven rebounds each. Stohs also added a team-high two blocks, while Brown and Asher each finished with a team-best three assists.
Sophomore Morgan Latham came off the bench for Louisburg and also tied for a team lead seven rebounds. Brueggen finished with six rebounds. Whiting and Sami Lane finished with five and four points, respectively.
The Lady Cats will try for that first win Friday when they host Anderson County. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Louisburg junior Ashlyn Kuhlman pulls up for a shot Friday during the Lady Cats’ season opener against Tonganoxie.
It was not the ideal scenario for the Louisburg girls basketball team going into its season debut Friday against Tonganoxie.
Louisburg struggled to get going offensively early, and couldn’t play catch-up in a 48-28 loss to the Chieftains. All of the Lady Cat players saw their first significant varsity minutes on what is a senior-less team.
“I would say on Friday all of us were a little nervous — well a lot nervous,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I think Tongie has a tough team this year and I bet they win a lot more games this year than they did last year. Our team had a rough start and Tongie started off super fast. We never got into our game because we were playing catch up.”
Tonganoxie jumped out to a big lead early as the Chieftains outscored the Lady Cats 18-3 in the first quarter and took a 20-point lead into halftime.
Although the Lady Cats faced a big deficit, Louisburg did its best chip away at the Tonganoxie lead as it scored 19 second half points.
“I think a positive is the girls never quit,” Lane said. “I felt like they played hard the whole game and every girl that got in the game came in off the bench and played hard. I also thought they played together. We kept running offense and working together.”
Louisburg junior Sabra Brueggen battles for a rebound Friday against Tonganoxie.
Junior Ashlyn Kuhlman led the Lady Cats in three different categories. Kuhlman scored a team-high eight points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Ally Brown and Jillian Asher were each second on the team with five points. Sami Lane finished with six rebounds and a team-high three assists.
Morgan Latham tallied five rebounds, Addy Stohs had four and Shylar Whiting had a team-high two steals. Sabra Brueggen had two rebounds, two assists and a steal in the loss.
Louisburg had a tough time containing Tongie point guard Alyssa Schoeneck as she tallied a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and also had five steals.
The Lady Cats will try and bounce back tonight as they travel to Burlington. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
LOU 3 6 10 9 — 28
TON 18 11 14 5 — 48
LOUISBURG (0-1): Ashlyn Kuhlman 3-13 2-2 8; Jillian Asher 2-3 0-0 5; Ally Brown 2-8 1-3 5; Shylar Whiting 1-5 2-4 4; Morgan Latham 2-4 0-0 4; Sami Lane 0-6 2-2 2. Totals: 10-47 7-13 28. 3-point field goals: 1, (Asher)
New look Louisburg girls basketball team excited for season
Louisburg guard Jillian Asher is one of seven juniors who will lead the Lady Cats this season.
There aren’t many years when a varsity basketball team will feature a totally different look to it going into a new season.
However, it is one of those years for the Louisburg girls basketball team.
The Lady Cats return zero starters from a season ago — and have no players who logged any significant varsity minutes in the 22-23 campaign.
On the other hand, Louisburg will feature a group of seven juniors who are looking forward to putting their fingerprints on the program.
“In my nine years of coaching I have never started a season with zero seniors, and not only that, but zero players with little to no varsity experience,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “Of course this is a challenge, but with the group of juniors that I have I know they are ready to step up and give this program all they have. These group of juniors are very competitive and they will battle every game.”
Louisburg reached the sub-state championship game a season ago, but the Lady Cats had to say goodbye to a big class of seven seniors and now they will have a new group looking making their own mark.
With a lot of new players, practice has been important to start the season and Lane has liked what she has seen so far.
Louisburg’s Shylar Whiting is one of seven juniors who will lead the Lady Cat program this season.
“Practice has been going well,” Lane said. “They are hard workers and they bring a lot of energy every day. We have practiced together with all teams a lot so far this season. The freshman group is strong so they make practice very competitive.”
Juniors Jillian Asher, Ally Brown, Sabra Brueggen, Ashlyn Kuhlman, Sami Lane, Addy Stohs and Shylar Whiting will get a bulk of the minutes for the Lady Cats this season, but it is a group that has played together for awhile.
After a solid junior varsity season a year ago, they are looking to find success at the varsity level with the help of some sophomores off the bench. Although they logged a few varsity minutes at times last season, it will be their first opportunity as varsity leaders.
“This group works extremely hard, they have come every day with a positive attitude and they are willing to learn,” coach Lane said. “If they can keep team first, I do believe they will have a successful season.”
Asher will serve as the team’s point guard, while Brown, Sami Lane and Whiting will play on the wing. Kuhlman will split time on the wing and in the post, while Brueggen and Stohs will play underneath the basket.
“They have played together for many, many years, they know each other and they know where each other will be on the court,” coach Lane said. “I think we will be quick and be able to transition well on offense and defense. The program as a whole is strong, our freshmen come in with a lot of talent and there are several JV players who are very strong as well.”
Like most seasons, the Lady Cats will have a difficult schedule, including matchups against Frontier League programs. Louisburg opens its season Friday at home against Tonganoxie.
“I think the Frontier League is tough,” coach Lane said. “I believe Baldwin will be one of the top teams this year. They will be quick and tough. Ottawa will also be a strong team. They are always physical and play extremely hard. Spring Hill will be tough again this year, as they have several returning starters from last year.”
Baker excited to pursue basketball dream at Coffeyville
Louisburg’s Ava Baker is looking forward to continuing her basketball career this upcoming season at Coffeyville Community College.
Playing basketball in college has always been on Ava Baker’s to do list, in fact, it is right up at the top.
Thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication, Baker can now check that off.
Back in early May, Baker signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Coffeyville Community College this upcoming season. It was just the opportunity she was hoping for.
“To be able to sign and play basketball at the next level was a dream come true,” Baker said. “I started playing basketball in the first grade, and playing in college has been my dream ever since.”
Baker, who spent her last two years at Louisburg High School after transferring from Gardner-Edgerton, wanted to find a new home that was similar to Louisburg.
After visiting Coffeyville, it was apparent early on that Baker knew this was the place for her.
“When I went down to Coffeyville, I got to watch in on a practice and a game,” Baker said. “The whole time I was there I just wanted to go out on the court with them, which was a feeling I hadn’t had at a lot of the other schools I visited. They were laughing and having fun the whole time, and in a way it reminded me of Louisburg.
“Their playing style was also something that stood out to me. On offense they trust their players to take the right shot and on defense they play fast and in your face. It was all very similar to (Louisburg) coach (Adrianne) Lane’s style and I am excited to continue playing that way.”
Baker joins a Coffeyville team that finished with a 21-13 record a year ago and reached the Region VI championship game.
The Red Ravens are led by Tony Turner, who is entering his fifth season as head coach and he believes Baker will be able to help his team on the wing.
Baker is also excited about getting started on the academic side as well as she hopes to become an athletic trainer.
Louisburg’s Ava Baker signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Coffeyville Community College this upcoming season. Seated next to Baker (from left) is her mother Stacy, sister Sophie and her father Kyle. Standing (from left) is Louisburg assistant Joel McGhee, head coach Adrianne Lane and assistant Nick Chapman.
“Coach Turner and I have talked quite a bit about where he sees me playing, since I play the 2-5 positions it gets kind of confusing,” Baker said. “He said he sees me going back to a true shooting guard, which I was very excited about.
“My goals for Coffeyville are to help contribute and build off the successful season they just came off of. They have some good players that graduated and I’m ready to be that role player and do whatever it takes. Outside of basketball I plan to start on my journey of becoming an athletic trainer. They are one of the few community colleges in Kansas that offer special athletic training classes with a hands on program, which I am excited about.”
Baker had a big senior season for Louisburg as she finished as an All-Frontier League honorable mention. She averaged almost eight points and had more than three rebounds a game. She also finished with 17 steals and 10 blocked shots.
It was a memorable two years for Baker at Louisburg, and one she will always treasure.
“I feel my two years at Louisburg have helped turned me into the player I am,” Baker said. “When I first came here I hated everything about defense, which is Lane’s favorite part of the game, and she helped me grow to love it. Towards the end of my senior season I found myself often smiling because I was so eager to try and get the ball back.
“I also switched positions coming here, which I feel like has helped me grow a ton as a player and helped me get a better understanding of the game. Without coach Lane, coach (Nick) Chapman, coach (Joel) McGhee, and coach (Leanna) Willer, I don’t think I would be where I am today. They have helped me grow and gain a type of confidence within myself to turn into the player I’ve become.”
Tally ready to make her mark with Midland University basketball
Louisburg’s Delanie Tally will join the Midland University basketball program this upcoming season after earning all-league honors with the Lady Cats.
Basketball has been a big part of Delanie Tally’s life ever since she was in elementary school.
Starting next school year, its going to be an even bigger part as Tally has seen her dream become a reality — her dream to play college basketball.
Tally signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Midland University, an NAIA program in Fremont, Neb.
“I have been playing club basketball since the fifth grade, so it is really cool that I get to continue playing at the college level,” Tally said. “Club ball during sophomore year is when I first started getting looked at by different schools, and that is when I decided to make it a goal of mine to play in college.”
She achieved that goal and Midland helped make that happen. Tally took visits to several other program, and as it turned out, she saved her best for last.
Once she took the visit, Tally was drawn, not only by the athletic side, but the academic programs as well.
“Midland was actually the last school I visited, after many other potential schools,” Tally said. “I was waiting for something to stand out from the rest of the schools, and while athletics is what brought me to Midland, I soon learned that this was a very academic focused school, which is very important to me.
“What stood out the most to me was the staff. They were not only very friendly, but they really strive to make a connection with each of their students and make sure they make it far in life following college. One of the first people I ran into on the visit was the President of Midland. She took the time to stop and introduce and welcome me to campus.”
As far as the basketball side goes, Tally enjoyed getting to know the coaching staff and she is excited to see where they will be able to improver her game.
Delanie Tally signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Midland University this winter. Tally is seated next to her mom, Abbie. Standing (from left) is Louisburg assistant coach Joel McGhee, head coach Adrianne Lane, Delanie’s grandparents Susan and Clark Tally, Louisburg assistant Nick Chapman and coach T.J. Taylor.
“I immediately felt a good connection to this school once meeting the coaching staff,” Tally said. “They were very easy to talk to and mentioned that they liked how much of a ‘pest’ I was on defense. Then went into further detail about how they were looking for someone who isn’t afraid to be competitive, play scrappy on defense, and do what’s best for the team.
“Once being told this, I knew that I could fulfill this role. I was expecting to talk to them for maybe 30 minutes, but we chatted for much longer, so I knew almost immediately it was a good fit.”
Tally has been one of the Lady Cats’ top 3-point shooters and her ability to score from the outside earned her All-Frontier League honors.
She was an honorable mention selection last season. Tally was second on the team in scoring for Louisburg as she averaged nearly 10 points a contest and led the Lady Cats with 47 3-pointers on the season. She also led Louisburg with 47 steals.
Tally is grateful for all she learned with the Louisburg program as she prepares to take the next step in her basketball journey.
“During my time spent at Louisburg High School, I have learned just how important academics are; not only for college but for shaping one’s life,” Tally said. “I feel like because of the teachers and the classes I took here, they have set me up for success moving forward into college.
“As far as athletics, I’ve learned so many things about myself that I didn’t realize prior to high school. The Lady Cat basketball players always pushed me to do my very best and became teammates and friends that I will truly never forget.”
Kuhlman excited to continue basketball career at Peru State College
After serving as the starting point guard for the last three seasons, Louisburg’s Brianne Kuhlman will join the college basketball ranks at Peru State for the 23-24 season.
Brianne Kuhlman has been a vital part of the Louisburg girls basketball team the last three seasons.
Kuhlman was the Lady Cats’ starting point guard since her sophomore season and helped Louisburg to a third-place state finish back in 2021. Basketball, needless to say, has been a big part of her life.
So much so, that Kuhlman wasn’t ready to leave the sport that she loves behind.
Late in the spring, Kuhlman signed her letter of intent to play at Peru State College, an NAIA program in Peru, Neb., this upcoming season. It took her a little bit of time to decide, but when the finality of her high school career hit, Kuhlman knew she wasn’t ready to be done.
“I had been going back and forth for along time to decide to play or not,” Kuhlman said. “I thought about focusing on my education and just attend K-State for the best path for becoming a veterinarian. But it was around senior night I realized I wasn’t ready to be done yet, and there’s so many ways for my education route, but to have a chance to play basketball is only a one chance thing.”
After deciding to keep playing, Kuhlman needed to decide on where her new home would be and Peru State checked a lot of boxes.
“Peru State was the right fit for me but when I went there, we actually had very low thoughts that it was gonna even be an option,” Kuhlman said. “Then on the visit, the way the teachers and everyone was so welcoming and close, I just knew it was right for me. I only went on a few more visits after that and decided not to go on others. I just knew I loved the environment of Peru State and their science program and pre-vet options.”
Louisburg’s Brianne Kuhlman signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Peru State College next season. Seated next to Brianne are her parents Holly and Brian Kuhlman. Standing (from left) is Louisburg assistant coach Joel McGhee, head coach Adrianne Lane, assistant Nick Chapman, Brianne’s brothers Bryce and Ethan, her sister Ashlyn and coach
Kuhlman was the floor general the past three seasons for Louisburg and was one of the top players in the Frontier League in 2023. She earned second team all-league honors.
On the season, she averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds a game. Kuhlman also led the team with 45 assists and had 26 steals.
“The Louisburg program really helped me to be prepared for the college level with all the extra summer work,” Kuhlman said. ‘The coaching staff was so encouraging and able to give me confidence and push me to play on. The program instills in us the little things that are gonna help me, and also instills in us a strong drive to always give 100 percent. I’m very lucky to have been a part of this program and the lessons it gave me to play on. Coach (Adrianne) Lane made so much possible and cared so much.”
Like she has done the last three seasons, Peru State recruited Kuhlman to be one of the team’s point guards and she is excited for her new opportunity.
“They see me as a fit to remain as a point guard and being a big control player with leading and doing the little things like I was in high school,” Kuhlman said. “For myself, I just want to fit in with everyone and try new things. It will be super nice to have access to the gym so close anytime I want and have people to do that with, which is super exciting.”
Ross named Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year
Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was voted by the head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.
No matter what sport Adyson Ross competed in this season, she was one of — if not the best — athlete on the field or court.
Her postseason honors more than bare that out.
Ross was a first-team All-Frontier League selection in two of those and also earned all-state honors as well. No matter the sport, she made her team better.
Her success in all three sports — volleyball, basketball and soccer — were just some of the reasons Ross was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.
“Being named athlete of the year means so much,” Ross said. “There are so many outstanding athletes at LHS. To be selected for this award is a huge honor and I am so grateful.”
Ross’ memorable senior year started in the fall with the volleyball program. The Lady Cats upset No. 1 seed Baldwin in the sub-state championship and eventually had a fourth-place finish at the state tournament.
However, the season didn’t start out the best. Louisburg had trouble finding that team chemistry it was looking for, and it seemed like they were missing something. Louisburg coach Leanna Willer asked Ross, who is one of the team’s top hitters, to change positions and play the libero spot.
It was shortly after Ross made the move, that the team took off and started to play some of its best volleyball — including a run to the sub-state championship.
“There were so many special moments from this year, but I think one that stands out the most was during volleyball season.” Ross said. “We were playing Baldwin for the championship and it was game point. I was on the line to serve and I just remember thinking in that moment that everything I’d been working for had come down to that one serve. When we won the point it was just the most special and rewarding feeling. It is something that I will remember forever.”
That season led to second team All-Frontier League honors as a libero as she recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces.
Then came basketball where Ross was a starting guard on a Lady Cat team that reached the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals.
With all that, Ross was named to the All-Frontier League first team and earned second team all-state honors. She was also named to the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. Two years ago, she was also a part of the best finish in school history when Louisburg finished third at the state tournament.
She reached the state final four with all three programs during her time at Louisburg.
“The experience was so amazing,” Ross said. “I might be biased, but Louisburg is really a one of a kind place. You just don’t really see the same amount of support for athletics in many other towns. To be able to play in the state final four for three different sports was so cool.”
Louisburg’s Adyson Ross poses with two of her coaches, Adrianne Lane and Leanna Willer, after receiving the Athlete of the Year award.
On the pitch, Ross had one of her best seasons as the team’s starting midfielder. She helped Louisburg to a spot in the regional championship against Bishop Miege.
She also put together a strong final campaign as she finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.
“Even though we didn’t win that last game, I remember looking up in the stands before the game and seeing the stadium filled with purple, and the amount of student support was crazy,” Ross said. “I just thought to myself, how special it is to be a part of something like that. For so many people to come out and support like they did was amazing, despite the team we were going up against.”
Playing three sports at a high level does take a toll at times, and there were moments Ross wasn’t sure if being a three-sport athlete was for her.
“Continuing all three sports through high school is definitely something I’m proud of,” Ross said. “There were a lot of times when I considered dropping a sport so I could spend time to focusing on another. As a freshman I didn’t see myself continuing all three through senior year, because I didn’t think it was possible to fully commit to each sport.
“My coaches were very supportive and flexible, and all of them were totally on board with it, even though it meant sometimes missing workouts and preseason stuff due to conflicts with another sport. I feel like playing three was more of an advantage to me as an athlete. It helped me to be versatile, and not having an off-season kept me in great shape.”
Even with all her successes, Ross is putting athletics in the rear view mirror, for now. She will be attending Kansas State University and is ready to focus more on the academic side of things.
Still, Ross knows she will never forget all the memories she made during her time at Louisburg.
“Even though I’m choosing not to continue my athletic career past high school, I feel so blessed for all the memories and friendships sports have given me. They will for sure last a lifetime.”
