Louisburg boys drop league road game at Tonganoxie
Louisburg senior Ethan Kush splits the Tonganoxie defense Tuesday as he goes up for a shot at Tonganoxie High School.
TONGANOXIE — Tuesday’s road contest at Tonganoxie was an important one for the Louisburg boys basketball team.
Not only would a win stop a four-game losing streak, but it would give the Wildcats a leg up on getting into the state playoffs. Both teams had the same amount of wins and are vying for spots in the top 16.
Neither of those came to fruition for Louisburg. Tonganoxie used a big third quarter to separate itself and hand Louisburg a 55-48 loss.
Tonganoxie earned its fourth win of the season, while the Wildcats are 3-13 with four games remaining and a game back of earning a playoff spot.
Of all things, it was the free-throw line that made a big difference in the game as Tonganoxie made 18 of 25 attempts to just 8 of 13 for Louisburg.
“That was a tough one due to the substate standings and the fact that we had plenty of chances to win the game,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “In the end we just fouled too much. They took 25 free throws to our 13. That makes a big difference in a tight game.”
Louisburg got out to a good start as it scored 17 points in the first quarter and held a one-point lead at halftime. It was the third quarter where the Chieftains began to pull away.
Tonganoxie outscored Louisburg 19-10 in that third period as the Wildcat struggled to get much going offensively. The Wildcats shot 30 percent from the floor, compared to 50 percent for Tonganoxie.
The Wildcats were also down starter Luke Schultz, one of the team’s top rebounders and scorers, as he was out with an injury.
Senior Gavin Lohse tried to fill that void for the Wildcats as he made it tough on the Chieftains with a team-high 13 points and 18 rebounds.
Unlike the first matchup between the two teams, the Wildcats were just 4-for-24 from behind-the-arch as they couldn’t get those shots to fall from the outside.
Senior Ethan Kush, who started in place of Schultz, made two 3’s and finished with eight points. Senior Myles Vohs and junior Derek Frederick also each scored eight and each had a team-high four assists.
“Gavin had another strong night for us in the paint and grabbing rebounds,” Doll said. “He was a warrior for sure. Also, it was nice to see Ethan Kush hit a couple big shots from 3 when we needed them.”
Louisburg will try and break that losing skid Friday when it travels to Spring Hill in another Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
LOU 17 9 10 12 — 48
TON 14 11 19 11 — 55
LOUISBURG (3-13): Gavin Lohse 6-11 1-2 13; Derek Frederick 4-9 0-0 8; Myles Vohs 2-10 3-4 8; Ethan Kush 3-10 0-1 8; Billy Vohs 1-4 0-0 3; John Guetterman 0-1 3-4 3; Owen Marsh 1-8 1-2 3; Lance Callahan 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 18-60 8-13 48. 3-point field goals: 4, (Kush 2, B. Vohs, M. Vohs)
Wildcats win third straight in homecoming victory over Ottawa
Louisburg senior Sami Lane pulls down one of her team-high nine rebounds Friday against Ottawa.
If you were to look at the stat sheet, the Louisburg girls had one of their tougher shooting performances of the season.
The Wildcats shot just 22 percent for the game and trailed Ottawa for much of the night Friday during Louisburg’s homecoming contest. Not exactly the recipe for success.
They needed a spark.
Louisburg got it from many different players as the Wildcats pulled away in the fourth quarter to get a 46-40 win over the Cyclones and avenged a loss from earlier in the season.
Whether it was a 3-point shot, a big rebound, a steal or making key free throws, the Wildcats got production from several different players.
It was also the third straight victory for the Wildcats (5-10) and they have also won four of their last five games.
“I think this win was the biggest of the season so far,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I feel like this will help the girls see what they are capable of as a team and this will also help their confidence moving forward.”
Ottawa held the lead for the entire first half, but the Wildcats were able to jump in front late in the third quarter. Senior Jillian Asher knocked down a 3-pointer with just over a minute left in the third to give Louisburg its first lead at 32-29.
The Cyclones didn’t back down as sophomore Leah Askins-Dietrich put her team on her back and led them on a 9-2 run into the fourth quarter that gave them the lead back at 38-34.
Louisburg senior Ally Brown hit a 3-pointer with 5 minutes left to cut the Ottawa lead to one and start a Wildcat run. Asher then nailed a 3 of her own with 4:32 left to put Louisburg up 40-38 and the Wildcats wouldn’t relinquish the lead.
The Louisburg bench celebrates a big basket late in the game in Friday’s homecoming win over Ottawa.
Brown and Asher scored eight and seven points, respectively in the game, and all came in the second half.
“The shooting was great in the second half and we hit the shots that we needed to,” Lane said. “Ally and Jill’s confidence really showed when they were finishing their shots down the stretch.”
The Wildcat defense held strong as they allowed just two points in the final four minutes.
“We did have a rough start, but I felt like our defense kept us in the game and we came out the second half running a different play and having girls play in different positions, and the girls capitalized on this,” Lane said. “We did a great job rebounding offensively second half and keeping the ball alive, and our second effort was fantastic.”
Ottawa was forced to foul down 41-38, and was called for an intentional foul, which gave Louisburg free throws and the ball.
Senior Ashlyn Kuhlman stepped to the foul line and made of 5 of 6 attempts in the final 40 seconds to help give the Wildcats the victory. Kuhlman also scored in double figures for the game with 12 points, including 8-for-9 from the line.
“Free-throws win games and we had some big ones to go ahead in the fourth quarter,” Lane said. “Kenna (Lohse) hit two big ones to tie us up in the third. Jill hit one big one to put us up by 3 and Ashlyn finished the game by making several at the end. Great effort by all of them.”
Louisburg senior Sabra Brueggen drives to the basket Friday against Ottawa. Brueggen scored a team-high 14 points.
Another senior, Sabra Brueggen was an important piece on the inside for Louisburg as she scored a team-high 14 points and seven rebounds. She was also 6-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Senior Sami Lane was all over the floor for the Wildcats as she led the way with a team-high nine rebounds and also paced Louisburg with three assists.
“Sabra and Sami both had a great game for us as well,” coach Lane said. “These two kept the ball alive on several different occasions and gave us second chances to score.”
The Wildcats also put together a strong effort on defense as they held Ottawa to just 29 percent shooting. Senior Shylar Whiting had a team-high four steals on the night and Brown had two.
Louisburg will try to make it four in a row Tuesday as the Wildcats travel to Tonganoxie. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
LOU 4 12 16 14 — 46
OTT 12 8 11 9 — 40
LOUISBURG (5-10): Sabra Brueggen 4-11 6-9 14; Ashlyn Kuhlman 2-15 8-9 12; Ally Brown 3-7 0-0 8; Jillian Asher 2-7 1-2 7; Sami Lane 1-3 0-0 3; McKenna Lohse 0-3 2-2 2. Totals: 12-53 17-24 46. 3-point field goals: 5, (Asher 2, Brown 2, Lane)
Wildcats fall to Paola in overtime, lose to Ottawa on homecoming
Louisburg junior Derek Frederick drives past a Paola defender during the Wildcats’ Feb. 4 game in Paola.
PAOLA — The Louisburg boys basketball team was well on its way to stealing a game from its rival on Feb. 4 at Paola.
The Wildcats had a 3-point lead late in the contest and were hoping to get their second league win of the season. Paola had other ideas, however.
Paola forced overtime and then hit free throws down the stretch to hand Louisburg a 58-56 loss in a game where the Wildcats led for much of the second half.
“It’s a hard loss because we’re obviously struggling in a lot of ways,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “At the same time, I think we took a big step forward in a lot of ways. I thought we shot the ball well and our defense was fairly good. We are not looking for moral victories this late in the season, but it was a hard fought game that we played pretty well all the way through it. We just didn’t get the calls and situations we wanted in the end.”
The Wildcats shot 34 percent from the field, but had three players score in double figures. Louisburg led by two points at halftime and the game remained close throughout. Louisburg’s largest lead of the game was seven midway through the third quarter.
Paola put together a mini run, and even took the lead midway through the fourth, but the Wildcats responded to take it right back.
Louisburg senior Myles Vohs gets to the basket for two of his team-high 18 points on Feb. 4 against Paola.
Louisburg junior Derek Frederick hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 48-all with four minutes left in regulation, then with 2:42 remaining, junior Owen Marsh hit a pull-up jumper to give Louisburg a 50-48 lead.
Senior Myles Vohs knocked in a free throw at the 1:50 mark to make it a 3-point game, however Paola’s Caden Cohee nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game again.
Paola got the ball back with under a minute left and settled for the final shot, but the Wildcat defense held strong as it forced a fade-away 3-pointer from Steven Bassett that missed and forced overtime.
The Panthers jumped out to a four point lead in overtime, but free throws from Vohs and Luke Schultz cut it to two with 19 seconds left. However, Cohee knocked in two free throws to make it a four-point lead again and the Wildcats ran out of time.
Cohee was big for the Panthers all night as he finished with a game-high 22 points and was 10-for-17 from the free-throw line.
“In overtime Paola’s defense tightened up a little bit, but we were battling foul trouble and we didn’t have Gavin (Lohse) and he would have been a difference maker in there for us, but the guys who were out there really battled,” Doll said. “Paola got the right calls and hit the free throws when they needed to.”
Vohs had a big night for the Wildcats as he paced Louisburg with a team-high 18 points, along with a team-high four steals and four assists.
Schultz also finished in double figures with 11 points and had eight rebounds. Frederick had 10 points, while Marsh had seven points and five rebounds.
As a team, the Wildcats shot well from behind-the-arch as they knocked in seven 3-pointers, including five combined from Vohs and Frederick.
“Myles really stepped up and hit some clutch shots for us all night,” Doll said. “Both Myles and Derek hit big shots for us a different times. Derek had been in a slump as of late, so it was good to see those shots go through the hoop and hopefully that will carry over to the rest of the season.”
There was no more difficult task for the Louisburg boys to play than taking on the No. 1 team in the state Friday on homecoming.
For the first half, the Wildcats held their own and tried to slow the game down. Louisburg trailed by just 12 points at halftime, but a big third quarter from Ottawa changed the game.
The Cyclones scored 26 points right after halftime and pulled away to hand Louisburg a 66-34 loss. Ottawa outscored the Wildcats 26-11 in the third quarter to all but seal the win.
Louisburg senior Gavin Lohse scored 15 points to lead the Wildcats against Ottawa.
Louisburg senior Gavin Lohse led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points to go along with eight rebounds. Luke Schultz finished with eight points, but had to leave early in the second half with an injury.
The Wildcats will try and bounce back this Tuesday as they travel to Tonganoxie. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Wildcats roll rival Paola to earn back-to-back victories
Louisburg senior Ally Brown pulls up for a shot Tuesday at Paola. Brown was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures in their 65-42 win over the Panthers.
PAOLA — The Louisburg girls basketball team had hopes of starting a winning streak for the first time this season on Tuesday in Paola.
The Wildcats took full advantage of the opportunity against their rival.
Louisburg used a big fourth quarter to pull away for a 65-42 victory at Paola High School as the Wildcats won their second consecutive game.
“It was a great feeling to get a win on the road as the girls battled and played to win,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “The fourth quarter was big for the girls. They got into a great streak and I felt like we finally wore Paola down. It was very nice to see the girls not get down on themselves and play through Paola’s run.”
The Wildcats used a 23-7 run in the fourth quarter to end the game after Paola chipped away at the Louisburg lead in the third. The Panthers cut the Wildcat advantage to five late in the third quarter.
Louisburg opened the fourth on a 12-2 run and never let the lead get back under single digits.
Balanced scoring was also big for the Wildcats as they had four players score in double figures.
Louisburg senior Ashlyn Kuhlman goes up for a runner in the lane Tuesday in Paola. Kuhlman finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Senior Jillian Asher led Louisburg with 15 points and two steals, while senior Ashlyn Kuhlman had 14 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds and two steals of her own.
Senior Ally Brown had 10 points and four rebounds as she was 4-for-5 from the field. Junior Morgan Latham also had 10 points to go along with five rebounds.
Latham was joined by junior McKenna Lohse on the inside as she tallied seven points, six rebounds and two steals. Senior forward Sabra Brueggen had six points and senior Sami Lane had a team-high four assists.
“Having multiple girls score was great to see,” Lane said. “If we have multiple scorers we are harder to guard and it makes the offense execution easier.”
The game was tied at 14-all after the first quarter, but the Wildcats went on a run to start the second. Louisburg outscored Paola, 19-7, in the period and took a 33-21 lead at halftime.
Paola got back into the game with its play on the inside and was led by senior Brylynn Wicker, who scored a game-high 25 points and pulled down 18 rebounds for the Panthers.
The Wildcats were able to slow down Wicker late in the third quarter and Louisburg went on another run on offense to pull away.
“I think we finally figured out the correct defense to run against Paola at the end of the third quarter and throughout the fourth,” coach Lane said. “We focused in on their forwards and we doubled them to try and prevent them from catching and finishing in the lane.”
Louisburg will try for three straight wins Friday as the Wildcats host Ottawa for homecoming. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Louisburg freshman Herschel Strumberger battles for a rebound Friday against Bonner Springs.
The Louisburg boys basketball team hosted Bonner Springs on Friday in hopes of getting back in the win column in Frontier League play.
Unfortunately, Bonner Springs got out to a fast start and the Wildcats weren’t able to recover in a 71-41 loss at Louisburg High School.
Louisburg (3-10) did battle back and won the second quarter, but couldn’t get much rhythm going offensively in the second half.
“We did come out ready to go early, but had a really bad last few minutes of the first quarter that was hard to come back from,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “Their pressure caused us to speed up and we had too many turnovers in that stretch. They are good team that really can get out and pressure the ball which hurt us all night.”
The Wildcats found themselves down 22-8 at the end of the first quarter, but responded in the second quarter as they tried to whittle away at the Brave lead.
Sophomore Lance Callahan and senior Billy Vohs combined for three 3-pointers in the quarter and the Wildcats trailed just 37-25 at halftime.
The second half was a struggle offensively for Louisburg as it scored just 16 points in the final two quarters.
Senior Luke Schultz led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 points and a team-high six rebounds. Senior Myles Vohs also finished in double figures with 10 points, while Callahan added eight.
Louisburg is back in action tonight as the Wildcats travel to Paola for a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
LOU 8 17 10 6 — 41
BON 22 15 18 16 —71
LOUISBURG (3-10): Luke Schultz 5-10 2-2 12; Myles Vohs 5-14 0-0 10; Lance Callahan 3-6 0-0 8; Gavin Lohse 2-4 0-1 4; Billy Vohs 1-1 0-0 3; Herschel Strumberger 1-1 0-0 2; Owen Marsh 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 18-49 2-3 41. 3-point field goals: 3, (Callahan 2, B. Vohs)
Wildcats suffer road loss at Eudora
Louisburg and Eudora were deadlocked in the first half and the Wildcats were right where they wanted to be.
The second half, however, didn’t go the Wildcats’ way. Eudora held Louisburg to 19 second half points and pulled away for a 65-47 win over the Wildcats on Jan. 28 in Eudora.
“The boys fought hard, but we just lost track of our game plan on them a little bit,” Doll said. “We left some of their really good guys open in the second half and we didn’t do a good job of helping. They also took advantage of the free-throw line.
“There was a time where we were battling back in the third quarter and we got to the line, but we just didn’t make our free throws. We were down eight at the end of the third, and if we hit our free throws it is probably a little tighter game.”
Louisburg’s Parker Stanfield goes up for a basket last week against Eudora.
Senior Luke Schultz led the Wildcats in scoring with 11 points and nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds. Myles Vohs and Billy Vohs each had nine points, while Billy finished with three 3-pointers.
Junior Owen Marsh led the team with five assists and three steals.
Big second quarter, defense lift Wildcat girls past Bonner Springs
Louisburg senior Jillian Asher led the Wildcats with a game-high 12 points Friday in their home win over Bonner Springs.
The Louisburg girls basketball team had yet to pick up a home victory this season, but that all changed Friday against Bonner Springs.
Louisburg used a big second quarter to get a lead, and the Wildcats were able to hold on for a 36-28 victory over the Braves as they got their third win on the season.
“The girls played hard and together on Friday and they were super excited to get the win,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “Our defense was great. We played zone and man to man and I felt like the girls executed and communicated well. I didn’t think Bonner got a lot of looks to score and they didn’t get many second chances.”
The Wildcats outscored the Braves, 17-0, in the second quarter and took a 25-9 lead at halftime. It was a nice bounce back victory for the Wildcats after losing to the Braves in the final game before the holiday break.
Defensively, the Wildcats set the tone as they held the Braves to just 25 percent shooting and only three second chance points.
Bonner Springs didn’t go away, however, as the Braves outscored Louisburg 11-2 in the third quarter. Bonner Springs cut the lead to three early in the fourth, but the Wildcats hit key shots down the stretch and got stops when they needed it.
Louisburg junior Morgan Latham pulls up for a jumper Friday against Bonner Springs.
With five minutes left in the game, Ally Brown hit a jumper to push the lead back to five and end the Louisburg drought as it was just the fourth point of the second half at the time. Junior Morgan Latham followed with a pair of free throws to increase the lead to seven.
After that, the Wildcats got the stops they needed and sealed the win at the free-throw line. Louisburg finished the game with a 10-for-14 performance at the line to hold off the Braves.
Senior Jillian Asher led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 points, while Latham added nine points and five rebounds. Both players finished 5-for-6 from the line.
Brown added seven points to go along with six rebounds, while senior Ashlyn Kuhlman had six points and a team-high seven rebounds and three assists.
However, it was the team effort on defense that helped the Wildcats prevail to their first home win of the season.
“I thought Jill (Asher), Sami (Lane) and Shylar (Whiting) did a great job guarding Bonner’s scorers in the fourth quarter,” coach Lane said. “They stepped up and played tight and tough defense. Ashlyn (Kuhlman), Mo (Latham), and Ally (Brown) did a great job reading Bonner’s plays and helped when needed in the fourth quarter as well. It was fun to watch our defense work together.
“Down the stretch our goal was to take care of the basketball and go to the basket and finish if we had wide open looks. I thought the girls played smart and they played to win verses playing not to lose. They did a good job taking care of the ball on offense and then getting stops on defense.”
Louisburg is back in action Tuesday as the Wildcats travel to Paola for a Frontier League matchup. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
It isn’t easy to play a ranked team on the road and Louisburg had its fair share of challenges on Jan. 28 at Eudora.
The Wildcats got out to a rough start against No. 4 Eudora and left with a 61-34 loss. Eudora jumped out to a 19-4 lead after the first quarter to pull away.
Louisburg senior Sabra Brueggen led the Wildcats with six rebounds against Eudora.
Junior McKenna Lohse led the Wildcats with nine points to go along with a team-high three assists. Senior Ashlyn Kuhlman had eight points and three blocks.
Senior Sabra Brueggen had a team-hight six rebounds, while junior Morgan Latham added six points and three blocks.
LOU 4 14 11 5 — 34
EUD 19 19 14 9 — 61
LOUISBURG: McKenna Lohse 3-4 3-4 9; Ashlyn Kuhlman 2-10 2-2 8; Morgan Latham 3-4 0-0 6; Sami Lane 1-6 1-1 4; Ally Brown 1-3 0-0 3; Sabra Brueggen 1-9 0-0 2; Addy Stohs 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 12-44 6-7 34. 3-point field goals: 4, (Kuhlman 2, Lane, Brown)
Week 6 Athlete of the Week: Ashlyn Kuhlman
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week six of the winter sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.
ASHLYN KUHLMAN, SENIOR, BASKETBALL
Louisburg senior Ashlyn Kuhlman helped lead the Wildcat girls to their first wins of the season last week and it started on Jan. 20 against Harrisonville. Kuhlman scored a game-high 21 points to help the Wildcats to a victory over Harrisonville, which was their first of the season. She was also 9-for-10 from the free-throw line in that game.
Kuhlman also played well in the Ralph Miller Classic as she scored a team-high 12 points against Goddard-Eisenhower in a loss Friday in the consolation semifinals. She also helped the Wildcats to a win over Wichita West in the seventh place game. On the season, she leads the Wildcats in scoring at just over 10 points a game and also has a team-high 29 blocks on the year. She is second in rebounding with 53.
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.
Wildcat girls salvage Chanute tourney with win over Wichita West
Louisburg junior McKenna Lohse goes up for two of her team-high 10 points Saturday in the Wildcats’ win against Wichita West in the seventh-place game of the Ralph Miller Classic in Chanute.
CHANUTE — For the second time in six days, the Louisburg girls basketball team came away with a victory — with the latest coming in tournament action.
The Wildcats faced off with Wichita West in the seventh-place game of the Ralph Miller Classic at Chanute High School. Louisburg dominated from start to finish as the Wildcats cruised to a 50-18 victory and earned their second win of the season.
“Getting a win on Saturday was a great way to end the week,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “The girls had a hard week, and winning two games was great for the team morale.”
The victory was the fourth game in six days for the Wildcats, three of which came in the Ralph Miller Classic. After losses to Sunrise Christian and Goddard-Eisenhower in the first two games, the Wildcats ended on a strong note.
Louisburg dominated the inside as juniors McKenna Lohse and Morgan Latham each almost had a double-double. Lohse scored a team-high 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Latham had nine points and a team-best 11 boards.
The Wildcats out rebounded the Pioneers, 50-26, and scored 26 points in the paint.
Senior Sabra Brueggen finished with eight points, while seniors Ashlyn Kuhlman and Ally Brown added six. Brown also pulled down six rebounds.
Louisburg senior Sami Lane drives to the basket Saturday against Wichita West in Chanute.
Sami Lane led the team with four assists and Jillian Asher had three. Shylar Whiting had four steals to pace the Wildcat defense.
Louisburg held Wichita West to 11 points in the first half and put the game away in the third quarter as the Wildcats outscored the Pioneers, 17-3.
“I thought we played some good offense in the tournament and we did a great job playing together,” coach Lane said. “It was good to see all the girls contribute.”
Louisburg returns to action on today when it travels to Eudora. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Wildcats fall to Sunrise Christian, Eisenhower to open tourney
It was a tough start to the Ralph Miller Classic for the Louisburg girls as they squared off with Sunrise Christian in the first round.
Sunrise, a private academy located just outside of Wichita, provided a big test for the Wildcats. The Buffaloes got out to a quick start and never looked back as they handed Louisburg a 72-53 loss on Thursday.
The Wildcats were able to put up points on the Buffalos, but couldn’t get the stops it needed to cut what was a 23-12 deficit after the first quarter.
“I thought the girls played well at Chanute in all three tournament games,” Lane said. “I was very proud of the girls and how they battled against Sunrise Christian. We scored well against them and our offense was consistent each quarter.”
Louisburg senior Jillian Asher drives past an Eisenhower defender Friday in Chanute.
Ally Brown led the Wildcats with nine points to go along with a team-high three assists. Morgan Latham had eight points and four rebounds.
Sami Lane and Shylar Whiting each scored seven, while Whiting also had three assists. Ashlyn Kuhlman and McKenna Lohse led Louisburg with five rebounds each.
On Friday, the Wildcats squared off with Eisenhower and fell to the Class 5A program, 61-42. Louisburg trailed 28-17 at halftime, but the Tigers scored 18 points in the third quarter to pull away.
Kuhlman led the Wildcats in scoring with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Sabra Brueggen and Jillian Asher each finished with eight points, while Brueggen also had six rebounds and a team-high three assists.
Brown added six points and a team-best seven rebounds. Lane also tied Brueggen with a team-high three assists.
Schultz scores 30 as Wildcats snap losing skid in win over Wyandotte
Louisburg senior Luke Schultz scored a game-high 30 points as the Wildcats downed Wyandotte in the seventh place game of the Viking Classic on Saturday at Shawnee Mission West.
SHAWNEE MISSION — Going into the seventh-place game of the Viking Classic on Saturday, the Louisburg boys basketball team was in desperate need of a win.
Injuries and a tough schedule have hampered the Wildcats, but Saturday provided some relief. Louisburg snapped a seven-game losing skid as the Wildcats downed Wyandotte, 67-38, and ended with win in what was a talented tournament field at Shawnee Mission West.
“We knew it was going to be a tough tournament for us and it was,” Louisburg coach Ben Doll said. “We knew we were going to be the smallest school in the tournament, but I am hoping the competition makes us better with our 4A schedule down the road.”
Senior Luke Schultz provided the Wildcats with a much-needed boost at the right time. Schultz finished with a double-double, which included a game-high 30 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats, who had a 27-19 lead at halftime, exploded for 24 points in the third quarter, with a lot of those coming from Schultz.
“We played much better against Wyandotte on Saturday,” Doll said. “First, our pressure caused them to cough it up in the open floor for some easy layups and we ran more zone than usual, which was effective since they are not a good shooting team.
“Luke stepped up a lot in that game as well. He was more aggressive getting to the basket and hit three 3s to go with that. Luke has been a steady guy for us all year and it was nice to see him have a breakout game.”
Louisburg’s defense came up big as the Wildcats forced 28 Wyandotte turnovers and turned those into 30 points. The Wildcats also had 17 offensive rebounds, which led to 13 second chance points.
Senior Myles Vohs also finished in double figures for the Wildcats as he had 10 points to go along with a team-high five assists. Sophomore Lance Callahan had seven points and a team-high three steals, tied with Schultz and junior Owen Marsh.
The Wildcats will try and build on this momentum as they travel to Eudora on Tuesday as they get back into league play. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Wildcats open tournament with losses to Ozark, Shawnee Mission West
Louisburg opened the Viking Classic with its first of three games in three days Thursday when the No. 6 seed Wildcats squared off with No. 3 Ozark (Mo.)
The bigger Ozark program got out to a big lead early and never looked back as it handed Louisburg a 63-32 loss.
“Ozark had a ton of size, which gave us issues with their 1-3-1 zone and our guards seeing over all that size,” Doll said. “They are a solid team that played very hard against us.”
Derek Frederick led the Wildcats in scoring with 10 points, while Herschel Strumberger had a team-high five rebounds and Myles Vohs led Louisburg with three assists. Owen Marsh also had a team-high three steals.
The Wildcats had much of the same trouble in the consolation semifinals on Friday against Shawnee Mission West. The Vikings held Louisburg to 11 first half points and handed the Wildcats a 56-29 setback.
Louisburg junior Derek Frederick pulls up for a runner Thursday against Ozark in the first round of the Viking Classic.
“The Shawnee Mission West game was a rough one for us as well,” Doll said. “Their pressure and scrappy play caused us to turn it over too much and we don’t usually score enough to overcome losing the turnover battle so badly.”
Marsh led Louisburg in scoring with seven points and Strumberger added six in the loss. Luke Schultz had five points and a team-high seven rebounds.
LOU 7 7 12 6 — 32
OZA 21 18 13 11 — 63
LOUISBURG: Derek Frederick 3-11 1-2 10; Owen Marsh 4-11 0–0 8; Myles Vohs 2-11 2-3 6; Billy Vohs 1-4 0-0 3; Luke Schultz 1-7 0-0 2; Lance Callahan 1-3 0-0 2; Herschel Strumberger 0-4 1-2 1. Totals: 12-51 4-7 32. 3-point field goals: 4, (Frederick 3, B. Vohs)
LOU 7 4 10 8 — 29
SMW 17 12 10 17 — 56
LOUISBURG: Owen Marsh 3-11 1-2 7; Herschel Strumberger 2-2 2-3 6; Billy Vohs 1-4 3-4 5; Myles Vohs 2-10 0-0 5; Luke Schultz 1-7 2-4 5; Derek Frederick 0-4 1-2 1. Totals: 11-46 9-15 29. 3-point field goals: 2, (M. Vohs, Schultz)
Wildcats can’t overcome big second half from Harrisonville
In what was the first of four games in six days for Louisburg, the Wildcats traveled to Harrisonvile on Jan. 20 in hopes sneaking out with a road win.
The Wildcats had the lead after one quarter of play, but Harrisonville held Louisburg to just 25 points in the final three quarters and downed the Wildcats, 60-38.
Louisburg was without a pair of post players in Gavin Lohse — the team’s leading scorer and rebounder — along with Herschel Strumberger.
Louisburg junior Owen Marsh pulls up for a shot in the lane on Jan. 20 at Harrisonville.
Senior Luke Schultz did his best to keep the team in it with a double-double. Schultz pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds to go along with 10 points. Senior Myles Vohs also scored in double figures with 10 and sophomore Lance Callahan added eight.
Harrisonville shot 46 percent for the game, with much of that damage coming in the second half. Louisburg shot just 19 percent and struggled to get going offensively.
“We started out well, but we shot so bad that when they got hot in the third quarter, we couldn’t keep up,” Doll said. “Luke was a warrior though with his 18 rebounds. He didn’t have much help with Gavin and Herschel both out.”
Wildcat girls rally past Harrisonville for first win of season
Louisburg senior Ashlyn Kuhlman scored a game-high 21 points to help lead the Wildcats to a 48-38 win over Harrisonville on Monday.
HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — Losing is never easy and the Louisburg girls basketball team has had a tough start to its season as the Wildcats lost their first seven games of the year.
The Wildcats took that streak into Harrisonville on Monday in hopes picking up that first win. Louisburg had the lead for most of the game, only to see Harrisonville go on a run and take a 6-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Instead of backing down, the Wildcats battled back. Louisburg got big shots from Ashlyn Kuhlman, Jillian Asher and Morgan Latham down the stretch as they pulled away for a 48-38 victory to snap their losing skid.
“Getting our first win of the season was so exciting and almost a relief,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “This team has been working so hard, they deserved that win.”
Down six points with under five minutes left, the Wildcats put together one of their better stretches of the season. Louisburg ended the game on a 16-0 run that included 3-pointers from Kuhlman and Asher, along with a couple baskets from Latham.
Kuhlman and Asher also hit free throws down the stretch to preserve the win as the Wildcats converted 16 of 19 opportunities from the free-throw line for the game.
“I was very impressed with the girls and their ability to stay calm, especially when we got down six in the fourth quarter,” Lane said. “They wanted that game, and they showed that the way they battled back. Ashlyn, Jillian and Morgan all hit some big shots to seal that win.”
Kuhlman and Asher provided a big spark for the Wildcats offensively as the two players combined to score 37 of the team’s 48 points.
Kuhlman scored a game-high 21 points to go along with four rebounds and two blocks. She was also 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. As for Asher, she finished with 16 points and also had a team-high three steals.
Louisburg senior Ally Brown gets on the floor for a loose ball Monday at Harrisonville.
Latham chipped in seven points as she had a couple big baskets in the Wildcat fourth quarter run.
Senior Ally Brown led the team in a pair of categories as she tallied a team-high six rebounds and also had a team-high five assists. She also had two steals in the final two minutes that helped preserve the win.
Louisburg (1-7) shot 42 percent from the field and held Harrisonville to just 25 percent.
Louisburg took a 13-6 lead after the first quarter, but Harrisonville slowly chipped away, before going up 38-32 midway through the fourth.
“Overall, I thought we had some good moments and some rough moments,” Lane said. “Harrisonville pressing the entire game was a battle for our team. Our defense was solid, and I thought we did run some great offense.”
The Wildcats will continue a busy week Thursday when they travel to Chanute Invitational to compete in the 3-day tournament. Louisburg opens play against Sunrise Christian at 3 p.m., and will play at 3 again on Friday.
“I am super excited for the tournament,” Lane said. “I think we will play some good teams that will make us better as we continue to grow as a team this season.”
Going on the road against a ranked team is never easy, but Louisburg couldn’t have asked for a better start last Friday at No. 8 Baldwin.
The Wildcats jumped out to an 8-point lead in the first quarter, but they hit a rough patch. Louisburg would score just four points in the second and third quarters combined, as the Wildcats fell just short road, 37-31.
Despite going scoreless in the second quarter, the Wildcats still only trailed by three at halftime. Louisburg did score 13 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t quite enough to get the upset win.
Louisburg senior Shylar Whiting drives to the basket last Friday at Baldwin.
“The Baldwin game was a tough loss, but I think it showed the girls how we want to play as a team,” Lane said. “The first quarter and the fourth quarter we did a great job on both sides of the ball and I think that helped the team’s confidence.”
Ashlyn Kuhlman led Louisburg in scoring with seven points and also had five rebounds. Junior Morgan Latham had six points and five rebounds, while senior Sabra Brueggen pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Senior Shylar Whiting had five points and four rebounds.
