Louisburg’s Emma Prettyman is one of seven seniors returning to lead the Lady Cats basketball team this season.

Last season, following their season ending loss to Bishop Miege — the eventual state champion — the seven Louisburg juniors didn’t waste much time getting to work.

Those seven players spent part of their spring, and a lot of their summer getting better, as they wanted to make one final run with the Lady Cat basketball program.

That run begins Friday when the Lady Cats travel to Tonganoxie to begin the 22-23 campaign. The senior class of Emma Lohse, Delanie Tally, Adyson Ross, Ava Baker, Emma Prettyman, Brianne Kuhlman and Tehya Harvey will be looked upon to provide big contributions throughout the season.

“This senior group is amazing,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. This is my third year coaching them as well, so I feel that they know what I expect and want out of the team and them individually, which in return makes practices and getting ready for games so much easier.

“Practice has been going great. We have a great group of girls and they push each other every day. I can definitely say that we are all super excited for the season to get started and we are excited for our first game.”

Louisburg will have a good amount of experience returning with that senior class as it brings back several varsity starters from a season ago.

Ross was an all-league honorable mention player during the 21-22 season and will be looked at to score from the guard spot as she averaged almost nine points a game last year. She is also the team’s leading returning scorer.

Tally, who also had big games scoring at times last year, will be a factor in the offense for Louisburg. She led the team last season with 24 made 3-pointers and also had a team-high 36 steals.

Kuhlman provides a lot of experience as the team’s point guard and is in her third year as a varsity starter. Baker will also spend time on the wing as a stretch-4 and give the Lady Cats a good scoring option inside and on the perimeter.

Lohse is one of the team’s top defenders on the wing, while Prettyman will play pivotal role for Louisburg this season on the inside as the team’s lone true center.

The one thing the Lady Cats lack this season is height and Lane knows Prettyman will have impacts on both ends of the floor.

“Emma P will play a huge role this year on our team,” Lane said. “She led our team last year with rebounds, averaging almost nine rebounds a game. We are definitely going to be looking to her to rebound and get some easy put backs. Emma P is also a great defender and does a great job protecting the lane.”

The Lady Cats also got some difficult news prior to the start of practice as they will be without Harvey for the season as she sustained a knee injury. 

“We are super sad that Tehya got hurt in the off season,” Lane said. “She has been a part of the basketball program for several years and her work ethic will be missed in practice and in games. Tehya is still a huge part of the team. She comes to practice each and every day with a great attitude and she cheers on the girls. Tehya is a great example of a good teammate. She is going to always be there for the team and she will truly be happy for all of our success.”

Even with all the seniors, the Lady Cats will also look to some underclassmen to provide some significant minutes and that starts with junior Ashley Branine.

Branine, who played in eight varsity games a year ago, will also be another ball handler and scoring option for the Lady Cats. Louisburg also has eight sophomores that could see some playing time throughout the season.

The mix of seniors and underclassmen have provided the Lady Cats with the right amount of team chemistry, which Lane hopes can guide her team through a tough league schedule.

“I feel like this season our strengths are experience, team chemistry, work ethic and passion,” Lane said. “This team is very passionate and they love the game of basketball. They are all very excited to see how the season goes and I know they will work hard to get the results they are wanting.”

While it’s not the area college team barnstormers tour visiting Louisburg High School, a little early season action will pit the LHS girls’ basketball team against the Tonics, Louisburg’s Granny Basketball League team, as they team up to raise money and donations for the local food pantry.

The two teams are planning a little mix-up all in the name of good fun and a chance to benefit the Agape Food Pantry. The event will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Louisburg High School gym. Admission to the event will be an item for the pantry, either a non-perishable food item or personal hygiene item, including diapers and baby wipes.

Chris Cakes will be on hand serving pancakes from 4-5 p.m. in the mezzanine of the gym so fans can grab an early supper and catch the action on the court. The pancake meal will be $5 per person with children 5 and under eating free. The meal includes all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage, coffee or juice. The local Ministerial Alliance, a collaboration of local churches who assist people with utility bills and provide some community religious services, have graciously donated $500 to help cover the hard costs of the pancake feed.

The Lady Wildcats will be selling tickets for raffle baskets as a team fundraiser as well as having a bake sale and selling water. They will also sponsor half-court and granny free-throw shots during halftime for a $1 donation per shot.

The LHS Jazzy Cats are also involved and will perform at halftime of the game. They will conduct a 50/50 raffle throughout the afternoon. They will also have donation boxes to collect new or gently worn shoes as part of a shoe drive they are sponsoring this fall. Collected shoes are sent to Africa where they provide inventory for micro-entrepreneurs who sell the shoes to support themselves and their families.

The local food pantry, housed at the United Methodist Church, 249 N. Metcalf, has been a staple in Louisburg for more than 30 years. Distributions are the third Wednesday of each month. Persons who might need assistance or would like to provide a donation, may contact the pantry by phone or text at 913-724-5311. Kitty Guetterman is the president, Janie Prettyman is the vice president, Melanie Bigley serves as secretary while Joe Gregar is the treasurer.

The pantry serves about 50 families a month, Guetterman says. She said recent higher grocery prices coming off the COVID pandemic has made things difficult for the pantry. During COVID, churches and the library, groups that routinely collected items for the food pantry, were closed and donations dropped off. Now that churches and the library are open and collecting for the pantry again, food prices have gone up.

Guetterman said the pantry purchases items from Harvesters and are charged by the pound. They also purchase groceries from the Paola Price Chopper, in which they receive a discount, that allows the pantry to offer a larger variety of food.

The charity game will feature the Tonics players against members of the girls’ high school team as well as local celebrities.

“I hope the community comes out to support our food pantry as well as the girls’ basketball team and dance team and encourages our celebrity players,” Jean Carder, captain of the Tonics, said. “It should be a fun afternoon with Jarrod Worthington serving as announcer, and we’ll be done well before the Chiefs game that night. The Tonics just wanted to bring attention to the pantry and the increasing price of food that not only affects your pocketbook and mine but also impacts the pantry’s budget.”

“The girls basketball team is looking forward to our benefit with the Louisburg Tonics. This benefit is for a great cause and we are very excited to help out the food pantry,” Adrianne Lane, head coach of the LHS girls team, said. “The girls on the basketball team are involved in many different activities at LHS and many of these activities allow the girls to be involved with the community.”

The partnership between the granny team and the high school team is a new one but the grannies are looking to recruit these players in another 30-plus years, Carder said. The team plans to support the girls throughout the season.

“I am really looking forward to the upcoming basketball season. Our team is returning eight varsity letter winners from last year, and I think our team has the chance to be strong and competitive,” Lane said.

Granny Basketball is a gentle game for women of a certain age. Women must be 50 or older to play. The game’s rules generally follow 1920s high school girls’ rules with some modifications for player safety. The Tonics have been a fixture in Louisburg since 2016. There are more than 400 Granny basketball players playing on 40 teams in 10 states.

Delaney Wright had a junior year to remember.

She won three state titles in track and was also a key member of the girls basketball team that had the school’s best finish in 2021.

Life couldn’t have been better. 

In 2022, Wright was poised for bigger and better things and it got off on the right foot with a commitment to run track and Kansas State University.

It was still a memorable time for the Louisburg senior, but her final campaign as a Wildcat was one that was filled with obstacles. It all started with one outside of the athletic arena.

Wright came home to find her house filled with smoke. Fire had erupted on one side of the house, causing major damage.

Luckily, no one was home at the time, but it was a major upheaval for Delaney and her family.

“Coming home to a house fire in the first semester of senior year, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next,” Wright said. “I’m so thankful for our community and being so generous for helping us in many ways after it happened.”

If that wasn’t difficult enough, Delaney encountered one of the more bigger obstacles of her life.

During a shoot-around in January, Wright sustained a severe high-ankle sprain that forced her to miss half of her senior year of basketball.

Then came her track season, and despite a slower recovery than she would have hoped, Wright finished with three regional titles and three state medals, including a state runner-up finish in the 400-meter dash.

Her resiliency was one of the many reasons she was chosen as the 2022 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

“I am honored and grateful to win this award,” she said. “Looking back on my last four years, senior year definitely was a character build for me.”

It was a long road to recovery for Wright as she had ligament damage in her ankle that took a couple months to bounce back from.

Wright, who was known as the basketball team’s best defender, was forced to support her team from the bench and she became the team’s top cheerleader instead.

“Getting injured and sitting the bench my senior year was tough, I’m not going to lie,” Wright said. “But as I sat there and watched my teammates, I realized I can still be a team player and encourage them from the bench. I was grateful for the last three years of basketball and knew I never wasted a moment of it. I wouldn’t have kept a positive mindset without having God in my life.”

Then came track, where Wright was hoping to repeat as a state champion in all three of her events. Instead, hiccups came in her recovery and her timetable kept getting pushed back and she was running out of time.

Despite that, Wright still finished with the three regional titles and qualified for four events at state. She ended up with three state medals and finished with 10 for her career.

In turn, Wright became one of the more decorated female track athletes in Louisburg High School history.

“In the beginning of the track season I didn’t know if I was going to end up competing,” she said. “From swimming exercises to physical therapy and acupuncture, I was going to come back and at least compete. 

“Being behind by a couple weeks and not having much strength though, didn’t stop me. By the time it was regionals I felt I was just starting. I was grateful I was able to compete one last time at state my senior year after everything that had happened.”

There are plenty of memories for Wright to look back on during her time at Louisburg and she definitely left her mark on a couple different programs. Now she is looking to create new ones as a member of the K-State track and field program.

“Being a 3-time state champion and going to state in basketball for the first time in 47 years sticks out the most to me, as well as all the other memories that came with,” Wright said. “I’m sad that I’m leaving it behind, but I’m looking forward to the future and excited to start my next chapter in track.”

Previous winners:

2018: Isabelle Holtzen

2019: Carson Buffington

2020: Reilly Ratliff-Becher

2021: Alyse Moore

For the past six years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

For the fifth 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!

Aiden Barker, Senior, Football and Wrestling

Aiden Barker played big roles on both the Louisburg football and wrestling teams this past season. Barker was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football program and wrestled at 195 pounds for the wrestling team.

Barker was a key fixture on both sides of the ball for the Wildcat football team, but his biggest impact came on the defensive side. He was a first team All-Frontier League selection on the defensive line, where he finished with 58 tackles on the season to go along with 11 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.

On the wrestling mat, Barker finished his season with a 31-8 record and earned a fifth place medal at the Class 4A state tournament in Salina. He was named the Wildcats’ wrestler of the year and is a two-time first team KWCA Academic all-state winner. He finished with titles at the December Duals, Tonganoxie and Louisburg Invitationals. He finished his career with a program record of career reversals with 74. He will continue his athletic and academic career as a member of the MidAmerica Nazarene University football program this fall.

Brandon Doles, Senior, Football, Wrestling and Baseball

Brandon was a starter on three Wildcat programs during the 2021-22 school year. Doles was the starting linebacker on the football team, he was a varsity captain and 182-pound wrestler on the wrestling team and played the outfield and pitched for the Louisburg baseball program.

In football, Doles was a key part of the Wildcat defense as he earned first team all-league honors from the linebacker spot. He finished the season with 90 tackles and averaged 11 stops per contest. He also forced two fumbles and had 11 tackles for a loss during the Wildcats’ 4-5 season.

Injuries hampered most of Doles’ wrestling season, but he was able to make a comeback late in the season and made his way to his third state tournament. At 182 pounds, Doles was win one short of a medal and finished the year with a 9-5 record. Doles ended his career as a two-time team captain and first team KWCA Academic All-State recipient.

On the baseball diamond, Doles was one of the Wildcats’ top hitters during the 2022 season that saw them end with an 8-14 record and a spot in the regional championship game. Doles, who started in left field, finished with a .338 average and a .969 OPS. He also had 24 hits, seven doubles and two home runs to go along with 17 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Doles also earned second team All-Frontier League honors.

Kolby Kattau, Senior, Football and Baseball

Kolby was a senior starter for both the Louisburg football and baseball teams this past season. Kattau was the starting first baseman and pitcher for the baseball program that reached the regional championship. He was a two-way starter on the football team at running back and safety.

On the baseball diamond, Kattau thrived for the 2022 season as he was named as a first-team All-Frontier and all-state selection for his play at first base. Kattau had a team-high .471 average in 82 plate appearances. He had an OPS of 1.294 and had 33 hits on the season with seven doubles, five triples and a home run. He also scored 24 runs and had 13 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He started five games for the Wildcats and earned three wins with 25 strikeouts. Kattau was also selected to participate in the KABC all-star game.

On the football field, Kattau was one of the team’s starting running backs and recorded two touchdowns with more than 200 yards of total offense. He also started at safety for much of the season as well, and finished with 27 tackles and three deflections.

Tom Koontz, Senior, Football and Track and Field

Tom was a starting defensive back for the Wildcat football team that finished with a 4-5 record, along with being a hurdler and sprinter on the Louisburg track team.

On the track, Koontz helped the Wildcats to a third place team finish at the Class 4A state meet as he earned a pair of state titles in the hurdles and two more medals on relays. Koontz won the 300-meter hurdles with a school record time of 38.98 seconds and also won the state title in the 110 hurdles for the second straight year in 14.61 seconds.

He also helped the 4×400 relay to a fourth place state finish and the 4×100 relay to a sixth place medal. Koontz was also a part of the 4×100 team that broke the school record earlier in the year. He ends his Wildcat career as a 3-time state champion in the hurdles and garnered eight state medals. He was also a member of the 2021 state championship team.

Koontz also made his presence known on the football field as he was a starting cornerback for the Wildcats. He finished the year with 46 tackles, four deflections and a forced fumble.

Maverick Rockers, Senior, Basketball and Baseball

Maverick played key roles for the Wildcat basketball and baseball teams this season. Rockers was the starting point guard in basketball and made an impact on the baseball team as the starting shortstop.

On the baseball diamond, Rockers helped the Wildcats to their second straight regional championship game and had a big year at the plate. Rockers finished with a .406 batting average with a 1.111 OPS. He recorded 28 hits, seven doubles and two home runs to go along with 22 runs scored and 16 RBIs. He also had just six errors from his shortstop position. Following the season, he was named as a second team All-Frontier League player.

Rockers also had a big year on the basketball court as the team’s starting point guard. He averaged 11 points a game to go along with three rebounds, two assists and 1.5 steals a game.

Michael Seuferling, Senior, Soccer and Basketball

Michael had big seasons for the Louisburg soccer and basketball teams in 2021-22. Seuferling was a starting defender for the Wildcat soccer team that made it to the regional championship game and was a starting guard for the Wildcat basketball program.

On the soccer field, Seuferling was one of the best outside backs in the Frontier League and was a first team all-league performer for Louisburg. He was also a first-team all-state player as he helped the Wildcats to a No. 1 seed in the Class 4-1A state playoffs.

Seuferling was also one of the top basketball players in the Frontier League as earned honorable mention honors after leading the Wildcats in scoring. He averaged 13.3 points per contest to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Braden Yows, Senior, Soccer

Braden had a big season for the Louisburg boys soccer team as he helped lead the Wildcats to the No. 1 seed in the Class 4-1A state playoffs and a spot in the regional championship game.

Yows was named as a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state player from his midfield spot and was named team captain. He ended his season with a 17 goals and 11 assists. He will continue his soccer career this fall at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

For the past six years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

For the fifth 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 Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Davis Guetterman, Senior, Volleyball and Track and Field

Davis made an impact on a pair of Louisburg athletic programs this past season. The Louisburg senior was a starting setter for the Lady Cats and she was also a thrower on the Wildcat track team.

On the volleyball court, Guetterman finished her year with a 138 kills, 436 assists, 184 digs and 58 aces as she helped the Lady Cats to the sub-state championship this season. In her four year career, she tallied 199 kills, 1,603 assists, 564 digs and 184 aces as she helped the Lady Cats to two state tournament appearances. She also earned honorable mention all-league honors this season as a setter and earned the AVCA Best and Brightest First Team Award and was chosen as the recipient of the 2021 Lady Cat Volleyball award.

In the spring, Guetterman was one of the top throwers on the team in the javelin and earned a state bid in 2021. She will continue her career in both volleyball and track and field at the University of Sioux Falls in the upcoming year.

Reese Johnson, Senior, Cross Country and Soccer

Reese played at a high level for two different Louisburg teams this past season. The Louisburg senior was one of the top runners on the Louisburg cross country team and a starter for the Wildcat soccer program.

In cross country, Johnson helped the Lady Cat team to the Class 4A state meet for the fifth consecutive time. The team finished fifth overall at state and Johnson earned her third state medal of her career as she finished 19^th overall in 21:08 at Wamego Country Club. She was also an honorable mention all-league selection as she finished 16^th at the league meet.

Johnson also played a vital role for the Wildcat soccer team that finished the season in the regional championship and a 13-5 record. She finished with nine goals and eight assists on the season and was a first-team all-league selection from her midfield spot.

Corinna McMullen, Senior, Volleyball and Track and Field

Corinna was a big part of two Wildcat programs this past season as she was a member of the volleyball and track and field programs. She was the starting setter for the volleyball team and threw the discus on the track squad.

In volleyball, not only was McMullen one of the team’s starting setters, she was also the team’s top hitter. McMullen led the Lady Cats to the regional championship and helped the program to two state tournament appearances. This season, she led Louisburg with 284 assists and 224 kills to go along with 194 digs and 35 aces. She was a first-team all-league selection as a hitter and an honorable mention selection as a setter. McMullen also earned all-state honors and was selected to play in the GKCVCA MO-KAN All-Star match. She was named as the team MVP for Louisburg and was given the AVCA Best and Brightest First Team Award.

On the track team, McMullen was the squad’s top discus thrower and earned her second consecutive state medal this past May. McMullen placed third at the Class 4A meet with a throw of 117-4. She threw a personal best of 127-3 to win a Frontier League title. She will be continuing her athletic career at Washburn University as a member of the volleyball team.

Delaney Wright, Senior, Basketball and Track and Field

Delaney was a part of the girls basketball program and track and field team for Louisburg High School this past season. She was a starting guard on the basketball team and competed in four events on the track team.

As a member of the Wildcat track program, Wright competed in the long jump, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and the 4×400 relay. She qualified for state in all four events and won three regional titles. At the Class 4A state meet she brought home three medals. Wright finished as the state runner-up in the 400 dash, took in the 200 dash and medaled fifth in the long jump. She ended her Wildcat career with 10 state medals, three state championships and holds school records in three events.

Wright was also a member of the Lady Cat basketball team and was a returning letter-winner off of last season’s third place finish at state. She was a starting guard on the Lady Cat team and was considered the team’s best defender, before an injury ended her season halfway through.  That injury also cost Wright part of her track season, as well. She will continue her track career at Kansas State University next season.

Louisburg senior Jordan Mynsted was named to the All-Frontier League second team earlier this week and was one of two Lady Cats to be selected.

With the season at its completion following last weekend’s state tournaments, postseason honors are starting to surface and the Louisburg basketball teams are receiving some of their own.

The All-Frontier League basketball teams were announced Sunday and the Lady Cats earned two spots on the girls side, while the Wildcat boys also had an all-league selection.

Louisburg senior Jordan Mynsted earned second-team all-league honors after she led the Lady Cats in scoring at 12 points a game to go along with 5.6 rebounds a game. It was the second straight season Mynsted was named to the second team.

“Jordan did a great job this season,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “She was a huge threat on the offensive end of the court and she did a great job leading our team. Throughout the season I thought Jordan showed maturity and grew into a very confident player. Jordan battled through the tight defense and found ways to score in every game. Her no quit attitude was for sure shown throughout the season because she continued to find ways to score.”

Junior Adyson Ross is an all-league selection for the first time. Ross was an honorable mention selection as she averaged close to nine points a game to go along with 5.3 rebounds a contest.

The Lady Cats finished their season with a 9-12 record and ended their season with a loss to the eventual state champion, Bishop Miege, in the first round of sub-state.

“Adyson stepped up this season and helped our team out tremendously,” Lane said. “She grew into a great defensive player and rebounder and her hustle was shown on both sides of the basketball. Adyson worked very hard this season and it showed on offense. She became a threat from the outside and learned how to score through tight defense.”

Louisburg senior Michael Seuferling was the lone all-league recipient on the boys side as he earned honorable mention honors.

Seuferling led the Wildcats in scoring with 13 points a game to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The Wildcats finished with a 5-16 record after losing to No. 1 seed Eudora in the first round of the sub-state tournament.

“I am so happy that Michael was honored by the coaches of this league,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Michael had a great year for us, and has had a remarkable career at LHS. Not only was he our leading scorer, but he always drew the toughest defensive assignment each night. 

“Probably the biggest impact he made on our program was how he carried himself. He just always did things the right way. No matter if we were up by 20 or down by 20, he just played with the same energy and attitude all the time. He’s a genuine good kid and a great basketball player. I’m really happy for him.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BASKETBALL

GIRLS

First Team

Riley Smith, Baldwin, senior

Mariyah Noel, Bonner Springs, junior

Harper Schreiner, Eudora, senior

Kate Ediger, Paola, senior

Jenna Weber, Spring Hill, junior

Second Team

Karly Neufeld, Baldwin, junior

Mackenzie Mayer, Eudora, senior

Jordan Mynsted, Louisburg, senior

Kirsten Evans, Ottawa, senior

Raegan Seba, Tonganoxie, senior

Honorable mention

Pirsten Leslie, Bonner Springs, sophomore

Adyson Ross, Louisburg, junior

Sofia Ficken, Ottawa, senior

Brooklyn Hadl, Ottawa, junior

Maggie Kauk, Paola, junior

Sage Grann, Piper, sophomore

Marissa Covington, Piper, senior

Sydney Buscher, Spring Hill, freshman

Cate Milroy, Spring Hill, senior

BOYS

First Team

Jaron Briggs, Piper, senior

Trey Moala, Paola, senior

Andrew Wilson, Tonganoxie, senior

Jaden Hamm, Eudora, junior

Noah McCullough, Ottawa, senior

Second Team

Jayce Smith, Bonner Springs, senior

Caleb Carr, Baldwin, junior

Logan Sullivan, Eudora, sophomore

Luke Metcalf, Spring Hill, junior

Zane Novotney, Tonganoxie, senior

Honorable Mention

Traeger Rader, Eudora, senior

Michael Seuferling, Louisburg, senior

Caden Marcum, Paola, senior

Aaron Simmons, Piper, senior

Cole Mahaffey, Baldwin, senior

Kalen Streit, Bonner Springs, sophomore 

Louisburg senior Michael Seuferling goes up for a rebound last Wednesday against Eudora in the first round of the sub-state tournament.

EUDORA — The Louisburg boys basketball team needed to figure out a way to give itself an opportunity to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The Wildcats, who were the No. 16 seed, traveled to face No. 1 Eudora in the first round of the Class 4A sub-state tournament last Wednesday.

Unlike their two previous matchups, the Wildcats wanted to try some thing different and it certainly kept them in the game. Louisburg worked the ball around on offense and limited Eudora’s chances to get out and run.

Although it worked for awhile, the Wildcats couldn’t keep the Cardinals down for long as Louisburg saw its season come to an end with a 47-30 loss.

“I was so proud of the way our boys played,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “When you are playing the No. 1 seed like that, your goal is to get the game to the fourth quarter where anything can happen. Eudora is a really good team. They just have so many ways to hurt you. They have size, quick guards, good shooters, and a great defensive team.  They truly don’t have many, if any, weaknesses.”

The Wildcats (5-16) took the air out of the ball to start the game and it paid off as they took a 12-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Eudora had a little more success in the second, but Louisburg struggled to score and the Cardinals held the Wildcats to just three points in the frame and took a 22-15 halftime advantage.

It was still a close game in the third quarter as Louisburg cut the Eudora lead to four at one point, but the Cardinals pulled away in the fourth quarter to eventually win by 17.

Eudora would go on to beat Labette County in the sub-state championship game, 68-42, and earned the No. 1 seed in this week’s state tournament.

“We knew we would struggle if we got into a shootout with them,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our No. 1 key going into the game was to control the tempo. Our thought was that by slowing down the game, it would help limit Eudora’s possessions and help us have more quality possessions.  In our eyes, quality over quantity is what we wanted offensively. 

“Eudora’s pack line defense makes it tough to get good looks, so we wanted to spread them out and make them guard outside of the three point line.  We got sped up at times, but overall, I thought our boys played well.”

It was the final game for the five Louisburg seniors. Maverick Rockers, Michael Seuferling, Carson Kern, Isaac Guetterman and Hunter Rogers all saw their Wildcat careers come to a close.

Rockers led Louisburg in scoring with nine points and a team-high five rebounds. Seuferling finished with eight, while junior Colyer Wingfield added seven in the loss.

Although it was a tough season just one year after finding themselves in the state championship game, Pfannenstiel believed his team battled every night through what was a difficult schedule.

“This honestly has been one of my most enjoyable seasons as a coach,” he said. “I know we all would have liked to win more games, but this group was so much fun to coach because they are a good bunch of kids. Top to bottom, every kid is a genuine good kid. 

“This group played an incredibly tough schedule. The Frontier League, in my opinion, is the best league in the state. Then we played great competition outside of our league schedule. Our kids didn’t complain once. They battled every night out and gave our community something to be proud of.”

LOU 12 3 9 6 — 30

EUD 10 12 12 13 — 47

LOUISBURG (5-16): Maverick Rockers 3-10 0-0 9; Michael Seuferling 2-10 4-8 8; Colyer Wingfield 3-5 1-2 7; Isaac Guetterman 1-1 1-2 4; Mack Newell 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 10-31 6-12 30. 3-point field goals: 4, (Rockers 3, Guetterman)

Louisburg senior Jordan Mynsted puts up a shot over a couple Bishop Miege defenders Tuesday during the Class 4A sub-state tournament at Bishop Miege High School.

ROELAND PARK — Defending state champion. Class 4A state power. One of the best teams in the entire state of Kansas.

Those are just some of the phrases used to describe Louisburg’s first round opponent in the Class 4A sub-state tournament. On Tuesday, the Lady Cats traveled to Bishop Miege and had to square off with the Stags.

Despite being the No. 14 seed, the Lady Cats put up a fight against Bishop Miege, but left with a 70-37 loss and ended their season with a 9-12 record.

“Playing Bishop Miege first round in sub-state was of course not ideal, but the girls came out and played hard and played as a team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “Bishop Miege is a very talented team, they are very physical and all of their players are scorers and can score from any position. They run the floor well and rebound extremely well.

“That being said, I was very proud of the girls and their effort and attitudes on Tuesday. We went into the game and battled till the last buzzer sounded. We played with heart and we played like Lady Cats. Being in their atmosphere could have taken us out of our game, but we stayed true to our team and I was very proud to be the Louisburg Lady Cats coach after the game.”

Bishop Miege went on to defeat Topeka-Hayden, 67-31, in the sub-state championship on Friday. The Stags will try for their seventh state championship in the last eight years this week at the state tournament.

The Stags’ pressure made it difficult for the Lady Cats to get in a rhythm offensively. Miege took advantage and scored 29 points off Louisburg turnovers and knocked down eight 3-pointers in the process.

The Lady Cats trailed just 18-8 after the first quarter, but the Stags widened that lead even more as they took a 38-15 halftime advantage. It was a tough way for Louisburg to begin its postseason.

Senior Jordan Mynsted had a strong performance in her final game for Louisburg. Mynsted led the Lady Cats with 17 points to go along with a team-high six rebounds and two blocks.

It was also the final game for seniors Delaney Wright, who was out with an injury, and Sierra Hahn. 

Junior Delanie Tally just missed double figures with nine points and six rebounds, while junior Adyson Ross finished with seven. Juniors Brianne Kuhlman and Emma Prettyman each pulled down five rebounds.

Although this season didn’t result in a lot of postseason success, Lane was proud of the way her team battled through the peaks and valleys of a long season.

“This season was very up and down for our team,” Lane said. “In the beginning we had to learn and develop since we were a new team, we had to fight through adversity, and we had to learn to play together. We had some very good weeks and some not so good weeks, but in the end, I felt like we finished with pride and heart and became a close team who truly battled to win. Being the coach of this team is such a blessing to me and I am so proud of how this team finished the season with integrity.”

LOU 8 7 13 9 — 37

BM 18 20 19 13 — 70

LOUISBURG (9-12): Jordan Mynsted 6-12 5-7 17; Delanie Tally 3-6 2-3 9; Adyson Ross 3-11 1-2 7; Emma Lohse 0-0 2-2 2; Emma Prettyman 1-9 0-0 2. Totals: 13-41 10-14 37. 3-point field goals: 1, (Tally)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week 11 of the winter sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank of Louisburg.

MACK NEWELL, JUNIOR, BOYS BASKETBALL

Louisburg junior Mack Newell had a big week for the Wildcat basketball team and helped them to an overtime win over Harrisonville last Thursday. Newell led the Wildcats with 21 points and 10 rebounds in their regular season finale in Harrisonville. The victory allowed Louisburg to get into the sub-state tournament.

On the previous Tuesday, Newell also finished in double figures with 12 points in a close loss to Paola. Newell is currently averaging 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds a game on the season.

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: Elijah Eslinger

Week 2: Maverick Rockers

Week 3: Aiden Barker

Week 4: Kaven Bartlett

Week 5: Michael Seuferling

Week 6: Cole Brown

Week 7: Jordan Mynsted

Week 8: Adyson Ross

Week 9: Bailey Hallas

Week 10: Brandon Doles

Louisburg junior Brianne Kuhlman pulls up for a 3-pointer during a game earlier this season. The Lady Cats defeated Chanute, 56-35, on Friday in Louisburg.

The Louisburg girls basketball had already thought their regular season had come to an end after a win over Paola on the road.

The Lady Cats were focused on the playoffs, but a last minute addition to the schedule gave them one more opportunity to improve on their regular season. Louisburg hosted Chanute on Friday and the Lady Cats definitely took advantage.

Louisburg used a big second quarter and pulled away for a 56-35 victory over the Blue Comets.

“Friday night’s game was an awesome team win,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “The girls played with great energy and they played together. The atmosphere was so much fun Friday too, the student section had so much fun and the girls really fed off their excitement.”

The Lady Cats had a four point lead after the first quarter, but then outscored Chanute 21-6 in the second to take 31-12 halftime advantage.

Senior Jordan Mynsted provided the Lady Cats with a big boost in the scoring column with 21 points and also had six rebounds. 

Junior Adyson Ross finished with nine points, while juniors Ava Baker and Emma Lohse each had seven. Another junior, Emma Prettyman, pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.

It is now postseason time as the Lady Cats are the No. 14 seed and will travel to No. 3 Bishop Miege at 7 p.m. today for the first round of the Class 4A sub-state tournament. Miege is the defending state champion and one of the top teams again in Class 4A.

“Going into Bishop Miege will be a tough game for our team, but if we stay positive and continue to play with energy and play as a team we will give them a great game,” Lane said. “Our team has nothing to lose, we need to battle every possession, play great defense, and play together in order to be successful.”

LOU 10 21 8 17 — 56

CHA 6 6 9 14 — 35

LOUISBURG (9-11): Jordan Mynsted 9-18 3-3 21; Adyson Ross 3-10 3-6 9; Emma Lohse 2-6 2-2 7; Ava Baker 3-6 0-0 7; Emma Prettyman 2-4 2-3 6; Delanie Tally 1-5 0-0 3; Ashley Branine 1-2 0-0 2; Sierra Hahn 0-3 1-4 1. Totals: 21-57 11-18 56. 3-point field goals: 3, (Lohse, Tally, Baker)