Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield drives to the basket for two of his team-high 21 points Tuesday against Burlington.

Down a point early in the second quarter, Louisburg found itself in a tight game against Burlington Tuesday in its home opener.

The Wildcats were quick to loosen things up before halftime. Louisburg went on a big run to end the first half and it was enough to hold off Burlington, 52-41, to earn its second straight win to start the season.

“It’s always fun to play in front of the home crowd,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I thought our kids brought good energy to the floor and played pretty well.”

Louisburg (2-0) found itself down 14-13 in the early stages of the second quarter, but the Wildcats went on a 15-6 run to end the first half and took a 10-point halftime lead.

The lead ballooned to 16 points on a couple different occasions in the second half and the Wildcats made sure the result was never in doubt.

Senior Colyer Wingfield provided Louisburg with a boost on both ends of the floor. Wingfield led the Wildcats with 21 points, pulled down eight rebounds and had a pair of steals.

The Wildcats were without their starting forward — and tallest player — Mason Dobbins (6-7) who was out with an illness. So leave it to one of their shorter players — Cade Gassman (5-10) — to pick up the rebounding slack.

Gassman tied Wingfield for the team lead in rebounds with eight and he also finished with eight points. Nathan Parker, Luke Hill and Trey Myers were third on the team in scoring with five points each.

“It was a total team effort,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had lots of guys contribute in different ways. We stress to our guys playing to their role and so far our kids have done well with that. Cade was great. 

“With Mason out, we were concerned with how we would rebound. Cade provided us a nice spark with his defensive presence, rebounding, and energy.  Cade has stepped up as a leader for us. He’s always positive and brings good energy each day. He had a big night for us.”

Defensively, the Wildcats held Burlington to just 30 percent from the floor and forced 10 turnovers in the process.

“Anytime you hold a team to 41, you have to say we played pretty well defensively,” Pfannenstiel said,. “I’d still like to see us keep our man out of the paint a little better and our transition defense wasn’t great. But those are areas we can work on in practice and hopefully fix for the next time out.”

Louisburg will try for three straight wins tonight when the Wildcats travel to Anderson County for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

LOU 13 16 12 11 — 52

BUR 12 7 9 13 — 41

LOUISBURG (2-0): Colyer Wingfield 10-23 0-1 21; Cade Gassman 2-5 4-4 8; Nathan Parker 2-4 0-0 5; Luke Hill 2-3 0-0 5; Trey Myers 2-4 1-1 5; Isaiah Whitley 2-6 0-0 4; Brock Vohs 1-3 0-0 2; Conlee Hovey 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 22-49 5-6 52. 3-point field goals: 3, (Wingfield, Parker, Hill)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week one of the winter sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

ADYSON ROSS, SENIOR, GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Louisburg girls basketball team got its season off to a dominating start Friday with a road win over Tonganoxie and senior Adyson Ross was a big reason for that. Ross recorded a double-double that included a team-high 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds — all offensive — in the team’s 55-11 win over the Chieftains.

Ross is one of seven returning seniors for the Lady Cats and was an honorable mention all-league selection a year ago. She is also the team’s leading returning scorer from last 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.

Louisburg junior Ashley Branine drives to the basket Friday at Tonganoxie High School. The Lady Cats rolled to a 55-11 win in their season opener.

TONGANOXIE — The Louisburg girls basketball team put together a season opener to remember Friday at Tonganoxie.

Louisburg held Tonganoxie scoreless in two quarters and allowed just 11 total points in its 55-11 victory over the Chieftains on the road. The Lady Cats scored the first 26 points of the game and never looked back.

“I thought the girls played very well on Friday,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “Our defense was fantastic and the girls did a great job finishing in transition.”

The Lady Cats opened the game with a full-court press and it paid dividends. For the game, they forced 33 turnovers and turned those into 40 points.

Louisburg also controlled the paint as it out rebounded Tonganoxie 52-24. Although the Lady Cats shot just 33 percent for the game, they controlled the game from the opening tip.

“The starters began the game in full speed and they did a great job setting the pace,” Lane said. “Once we got started I felt like every sub that went in felt the energy and kept the pace.

“I was so proud of the girls and their efforts in the full court. We have been working hard and changing up our defenses and they executed well.”

Senior guard Adyson Ross had a big game for the Lady Cats and was a factor on both ends of the floor. Ross finished with a game-high 16 points and 12 rebounds — all of which came on the offensive end. She also had four steals.

“Adyson was ready,” Lane said. “She has been working so hard in practice. She had a great game and her leadership was felt by the entire team.”

Senior point guard Brianne Kuhlman also finished in double figures with 10 points. Kuhlman pulled down seven rebounds and a team-high seven steals.

Delaney Tally finished just shy of double figures with nine points and she added five rebounds and four steals. Senior Emma Lohse knocked down a pair of 3-pointer and tallied eight points.

The Lady Cats opened the game on a 26-0 run and never looked back as they took a 32-7 advantage at halftime.

Louisburg also got good production from their bench as sophomores Shylar Whiting, Mackenzie Rooney, Addy Stohs and Sami Lane all scored their first varsity points.

“Every minute that the bench gets to play is experience for the future,” coach Lane said. “The sophomores did a great job coming in and keeping the pace up and intensity. The sophomore group works very hard in practice against the upperclassmen, they make them better every day, so I was so glad they got the opportunity to get in the game.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back wins Tuesday when the Lady Cats host Burlington in their home opener. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 17 15 10 13 — 55

TONG 0 7 4 0 — 11

LOUISBURG (1-0): Adyson Ross 8-18 0-1 16; Brianne Kuhlman 5-10 0-0 10; Delanie Tally 4-13 0-0 9; Emma Lohse 2-8 2-2 8; Shylar Whiting 1-1 0-0 3; Ashley Branine 1-7 0-0 2; Mackenzie Rooney 1-3 0-0 2; Emma Prettyman 1-3 0-0 2; Addy Stohs 1-2 0-0 2; Sami Lane 0-4 1-2 1. Totals: 24-72 3-5 55. 3-point field goals: 4, (Lohse 2, Tally, Whiting)

Louisburg senior Cade Gassman drives to the basket for two points Friday at Tonganoxie High School. The Wildcats defeated Tonganoxie, 46-32, in their season opener.

TONGANOXIE — It wasn’t the best of shooting nights for the Louisburg boys basketball team, but it didn’t need to be. It did everything else well.

The Wildcats went on the road Friday and out rebounded Tonganoxie and also forced more than 20 turnovers in their 46-32 victory at Tonganoxie High School.

For a Louisburg team that was returning just one starter from a season ago, Wildcat coach Ty Pfannenstiel made sure his team used those hustle plays to come out on top.

“That was a great way to open the season,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our guys came out confident and played with great energy all night. Any time you can win on the road is huge, and to do it the way we did was a good first step for us this season. There were a lot of guys seeing the varsity floor for the first time, so it was great to see them play with confidence and for them to execute like they did.”

Louisburg opened the game with a 1-3-1 press defense, which set the tone for the rest of the night. The Wildcats forced 24 turnovers and never let the Chieftains get comfortable.

The Wildcats turned those turnovers into 21 points, which turned out to be a big difference in the game. Louisburg also held Tonganoxie to just 11 first half points.

“Our defense was great,” Pfannenstiel said. “We always tell the kids that we are going to have some games where we are good offensively and nights that we struggle to shoot the ball, but our defense always has to be a constant.  If we are good on defense, we will always give ourselves a shot to win.

“We forced 24 turnovers, so those are empty possessions for their offense. Combine the turnover and offensive rebound disparity in that game and that makes a huge difference. Now we just have to build off of this.”

Louisburg jumped out to a 19-3 lead after the first quarter thanks to its defense, but also because of its relentlessness on the glass.

The Wildcats pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and got several looks the basket despite shooting just 31 percent for the night. 

Senior Mason Dobbins pulled down seven offensive boards and had nine total rebounds to lead Louisburg. Another senior, Isaiah Whitley, had four offensive boards.

“To have 21 offensive rebounds is unheard of,” Pfannenstiel said. “I guess it means we missed plenty of shots, but it also means we gave ourselves extra opportunities. Tongie sat in a zone most of the night and we told our guys to crash the glass. 

“Zone teams can struggle to rebound, so making an effort to go rebound and get loose balls was the difference. Mason and Isaiah were great on the offensive glass. They gave them problems for sure.”

Senior Colyer Wingfield was consistent presence for the Wildcats all night as he led the team with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“Colyer had a good night,” Pfannenstiel said. “We need him to get us into our offense and create for us, and he did just that. He’s really worked on his shot this offseason and he looks good out there.”

Trey Myers, another Louisburg senior, provided several big shots from the outside as he knocked down three 3-pointers and finished in double figures with 11 points. He also finished with four steals. 

Junior Nathan Parker also connected on a pair of 3-pointers, while senior Cade Gassman led the team with five steals. Brock Vohs and Conlee Hovey also scored their first varsity points.

Louisburg will try and make it back-to-back wins Tuesday when it hosts Burlington for its home opener. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 19 10 8 9 — 46

TONG 3 8 9 12 — 32

LOUISBURG (1-0): Colyer Wingfield 8-19 3-4 20; Trey Myers 3-10 2-2 11; Nathan Parker 2-7 0-0 6; Cade Gassman 2-3 0-0 4; Brock Vohs 1-3 2-3 4; Conlee Hovey 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 16-52 8-13 46. 3-point field goals: 6, (Myers 3, Parker 2, Wingfield)

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield is the Wildcats’ top returning scorer and rebounded from a season ago. The Wildcats will feature four new starters to go alongside him this year.

Losing your top two scorers and leading rebounder from a year ago is something no coach wants to have to go though.

It is a reality for the Louisburg boys basketball team in the 2022-23 season. The good thing, however, is several players will get a chance to fill those roles and Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel is excited for what his players can bring to the floor.

“I’d say that it’s pretty normal to lose some key players every year, but it’s so fun to see who’s going to step up and take on those leadership roles,” Pfannenstiel said. “Colyer Wingfield has definitely taken on that leadership role this year, but I think there are going to be a lot of guys that step up to help our team. I think we are going to have some depth this year so we are going to have a lot of options night in and night out.”

Wingfield is the team’s lone returning starter from a year ago and the Louisburg senior will look to lead the Wildcats. He is joined by four other seniors in Cade Gassman, Mason Dobbins, Trey Myers and Isaiah Whitley.

Gassman is other lone senior that saw varsity action year ago, so there will be several new faces on the varsity roster for the Wildcats. Still, it will be Wingfield who will help lead the way as he averaged nearly nine points and five rebounds a game last season.

He will also have a new position as he moves from forward to the point guard spot.

“Colyer’s a very coachable kid,” Pfannenstiel said. “He loves the game of basketball and works hard at it. He primarily played in the post last year, but he’s going to be our point guard this year. That’s been a good transition for him. We are going to need him to create things for us on the offensive end and his skill set and ability allows us to do that. I expect him to have a big year for us.”

The Wildcats also got some size to replace Wingfield as Dobbins returns after a couple years away from the sport. The 6-7 senior will hope to boost the team’s inside play.

“We are glad that Mason is playing again this year,” Pfannenstiel said. “He had a really good summer for us so he’s made a lot of progress just from June to now.  Since he was away from the game for so long, I think he’s going to continue to make big strides as the season goes on. 

“His length and athleticism is going to be a big help for us this year, but his best quality is his motor.  He plays hard all the time. I’m looking forward to seeing his progress this season.”

Gassman will join Wingfield at the guard spot, as will Myers. Whitley will also see time at forward.

Junior Luke Hill played seven games at the varsity level last season and will also give the Wildcats good minutes. He will join fellow juniors Nathan Parker, Brady Hickey, Jaymes Melton and Brock Vohs in the rotation.

“We are still trying to figure this one out.,” Pfannenstiel said of the rotation. “I think it could be a different group each night. I can honestly see 12-14 guys seeing varsity action at some point this season. Our five seniors are our core group, but this sophomore and junior class has a bunch of kids that could compete for varsity time. 

“Each kid has their own strengths that they bring to the court each day, which are valuable to our team. I don’t want to name every kid on the team, but don’t be surprised if you see some different faces out there from game to game.”

The Wildcats will also face a difficult league schedule, that includes Eudora, which is currently the preseason No. 1 in Class 4A. 

Still, Louisburg has high expectations for its season and it begins tonight at Tonganoxie in a Frontier League matchup.

“These guys really bought in this summer,” Pfannenstiel said. “We played some really tough competition all summer so they’ve been tested. As I said earlier, I think depth is going to be a strength for us.  Now the key is going to be everyone playing to their role and playing as a team.  We have to play unselfish basketball and trust our teammates. 

“Goals and expectations have to be realistic. We’d like to finish in the top 3 of our league and we’d like to get back to the state tournament this year. I honestly believe we can do that.”

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.