Louisburg senior Ben Guetterman pulls up for a shot in the lane Saturday in the championship game of the Baldwin Invitational against Augusta.

BALDWIN CITY – Louisburg left the Baldwin Invitational on Saturday with its highest regular-season tournament finish in recent memory.

No. 5 Louisburg squared off with No. 4 Augusta in the championship game of what was a battle of two of the top five teams in Class 4A. 

The Wildcats were in no mood for celebrating thanks to Augusta’s Brendan Parker.

With the game tied and time running out in the fourth quarter, Parker pulled up from behind the arch and nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Wildcats a 43-40 loss in the championship game of the Baldwin Invitational.

It was a sour ending to what had been positive tournament experience for Louisburg, up to that point.

“Yeah, our guys were hurting,” Pfannenstiel said. “A buzzer beater always makes it a little bit tougher to swallow, but I think that ending was just a sign of how hard fought the game was on both sides. I think there is always something to learn or gain from a loss. 

“We always stress the value of each possession in a game, be it on offense or defense, first quarter or last quarter. Each possession has equal value and it’s easier to understand that lesson when you lose a game on the last possession like we did. The last few possessions get magnified, but in reality, we had many opportunities to win that game within the full 32 minutes.”

In what was a low-scoring affair, the Wildcats took a 20-15 lead at halftime in what was a defensive battle.

Augusta hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to take a three points advantage, and the Orioles then built that lead to 10, before the Wildcats rallied back.

Julian Margrave knocked down a basket and then Weston Guetterman had a steal and a score to knock it down to six. Ben Guetterman scored seven straight points to bring Louisburg within one with under a minute to go

Weston Guetterman drew a foul with 35 seconds left and made 1 of 2 free throws to tie it. Augusta then held the ball for one final shot, which set up Parker’s heroics.

Defense also played a big factor in the contest as both teams were forced to be patient on offense and had limited second chance opportunities. 

“Augusta plays a pack line defense so they do a good job of closing down lanes and make you be patient on offense,” Pfannenstiel said. “We were a bit out of rhythm offensively, but our defense was great again. If you hold a team to 43, you’d always say that’s a pretty good performance. Unfortunately, Augusta made one more play than us”

When it was all over, it was announced that three Wildcats made the all-tournament team. Ben Guetterman, Julian Margrave and Michael Seuferling received the honors after a strong 3-game performance.

On Saturday, Ben Guetterman led Louisburg in scoring with 10 points and Margrave finished with nine points and six rebounds. Weston Guetterman had seven points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals.

“I think this game was a measuring stick for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “Augusta is one of the top teams in the state. For us to go toe to toe with one of the state’s best should give us confidence moving forward. Obviously we aren’t into moral victories, but I think this game will give us the motivation and focus we need to improve and grow as a team.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back tonight when it hosts Piper. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 10 10 8 12 – 40

AUG 8 7 16 12 – 43 

LOUISBURG (8-3): Ben Guetterman 4-10 0-0 10; Julian Margrave 4-8 0-0 9; Weston Guetterman 2-10 3-4 7; Michael Seuferling 3-9 0-0 6; Andy Hupp 2-2 0-0 5; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 16-43 3-4 40. 3-point field goals: 5, (B. Guetterman 2, Vohs, Hupp, Margrave)

Louisburg senior Andy Hupp drives to the basket Wednesday against Bishop Seabury in the second round of the Baldwin Invitational.

BALDWIN CITY – Coming off one of its roughest shooting performances of the season the night before against Wellsville, the Louisburg boys basketball team quickly turned it around.

On Wednesday in the second round of the Baldwin Invitational, the Wildcats put together one of their best shooting performances of the season as they rolled Bishop Seabury, 76-41, to advance to the championship game.

The Wildcats shot 62 percent for the game and connected on nine 3-pointers that allowed them to breeze past the Seahawks.

Louisburg (8-2) will meet Augusta in the title game at 3:30 p.m. at Baldwin Jr. High School.

“I don’t know if you could say it was our best, but it was definitely a good offensive performance for us,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “I thought we played well. We looked comfortable on the court and were able to work on some defensive looks that we haven’t used yet in games.”

The Wildcats had no problems scoring from the opening tip as they recorded 25 points in the first quarter and took a 46-23 halftime lead. Louisburg eventually built a big enough lead to force a running clock in the fourth quarter.

Junior Julian Margrave was a problem for the Seahawks most of the night as he finished with a team-high 24 points. Another junior, Michael Seuferling, who is more known for his work on the defensive end, was second on the team with 17 points.

“Michael has the capability to really score,” Pfannenstiel said. “There will be times in practice where he just goes on runs. The energy that he plays with is so fun to watch. He literally never stops playing hard. He’s such a good defender and that carries over to his aggressiveness on offense. When he’s on, he can really have some big nights.”

Senior Ben Guetterman also finished in double figures with 11 and also had a team-high seven rebounds. 

Point guard Weston Guetterman ran the team well as he had nine points to go along with nine assists and five rebounds. Senior Andy Hupp finished with eight points and senior Dawson Barnes had six rebounds and four assists.

Louisburg now has won five straight since the Christmas break and are playing for a tournament championship for the first time in several years. The Wildcats hope to bring home the title.

“Our kids are excited,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s hard to believe we are halfway through our regular season. What a way to start the second half of the season with a chance to win a tournament championship. We are definitely looking forward to the opportunity.”

For those wanting to watch today’s game against Augusta, click here.

LOU 25 21 23 7 – 76

SEA 13 10 13 5 – 41 

LOUISBURG (8-2): Julian Margrave 9-14 3-3 24; Michael Seuferling 7-10 2-2 17; Ben Guetterman 5-7 0-0 11; Weston Guetterman 3-5 0-0 9; Andy Hupp 4-6 0-0 8; Dawson Barnes 2-3 0-0 4; Maverick Rockers 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 31-50 5-5 76. 3-point field goals: 9, (W. Guetterman 3, Margrave 3, Seuferling, Rockers, B. Guetterman)

Louisburg survives against Wellsville

Everything started well for Louisburg in the opener of the Baldwin Invitational on Tuesday against Wellsville.

The Wildcats took a 10-point lead going into the second quarter and held the Eagles to just three points in the opening frame.

Wellsville battled back to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats used an 11-0 run to pull away for a 58-47 victory.

“We struggled offensively,” Pfannenstiel said. “Give credit to Wellsville, they played tough defense, but we battled through a tough night from the field and still did enough to win. But our kids really executed our defensive game plan perfectly. 

“Wellsville really likes to shoot from the perimeter, so we worked hard to not give them any space and make them uncomfortable on offense all night. Our defense has been great. We know that if we play well defensively, we are always going to have a chance.”

Both teams struggled from the field as the Wildcats shot 36 percent, but Wellsville shot 32 percent on their own. The two teams combined to go just 2-for-32 from the 3-point line.

Defense carried the Wildcats as they forced 21 turnovers and turned those into 18 points. Louisburg was also 21 for 26 from the free-throw line, which was crucial down the stretch.

“The momentum was definitely trending toward Wellsville late,” Pfannenstiel said. “But I think that just shows what kind of character our team has. We kept our focus and made big plays down the stretch to seal the win.”

Senior Ben Guetterman led the way offensively for Louisburg with 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Julian Margrave added 14 and eight rebounds.

LOU 13 10 14 21 – 58

WEL 3 14 15 15 – 47

LOUISBURG: Ben Guetterman 5-17 6-6 17; Julian Margrave 5-6 4-4 14; Michael Seuferling 2-7 5-6 9; Weston Guetterman 1-8 4-6 6; Andy Hupp 3-4 0-0 6; Dawson Barnes 1-2 1-2 3; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 2; Maverick Rockers 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 18-49 21-26 58. 3-point field goals: 1, (B. Guetterman)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOU 16 10 9 22 – 57

BAL 13 10 13 15 – 51

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

Junior Julian Margrave looks to haul in a pass in front of the basket Friday against Baldwin.

BALDWIN CITY – January certainly has presented its fair share of challenges for the Louisburg boys basketball team.

The Wildcats started off their season with three games in a row on the road, including last Friday’s game at Baldwin. This week, Louisburg is also playing three games at the Baldwin Invitational and the Wildcats wont’t play their first home game of 2021 until late this month.

Louisburg didn’t look road weary against Baldwin on Friday as the Wildcats took care of business in a 65-49 victory. It was the Wildcats’ third straight win as they continue their positive start to the new year and one that has put them as the No. 5 team in Class 4A.

“It was good to get another win.,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played well in spurts, but we definitely weren’t as consistent as we were against Bonner. We were a bit out of rhythm offensively. We didn’t seem to move the ball as well and forced some shots. 

“You’re going to have those games where things are clicking on all cylinders, but you hope to fix those mistakes watching film and in practice and prepare for the next one.”

The Wildcats got off to a cold start to begin the game as they trailed by two points going into the second quarter, but began to heat up in the second.

Louisburg opened up a 28-23 lead at halftime, and still had five-point lead going into the fourth, when the Wildcats outscored Baldwin 20-9 in the final frame to pull away for the win.

Senior Ben Guetterman led the Wildcat offense as he finished with a game-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and ended four rebounds and three assists.

“Ben has been playing very well,” Pfannenstiel said. “He’s been shooting it better since the break, but he’s at his best when he’s moving and being active without the ball. He’s an aggressive and explosive offensive rebounder.

“Ben has his best games when he plays active within the three point line. When he plays that way and then can add a few makes from the perimeter is when he really sparks us offensively.”

Junior Julian Margrave also had a big night as he helped the Wildcats pull away. He ended up with 19 points, six rebounds and four blocks.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman also scored in double figures with 14 points and had five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

“Julian had a stretch where he really took over,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our guys did a good job of getting him touches and he made some nice plays at the rim. We need to do a better job as a team of playing through Julian and then working off of that. If he’s getting touches inside, many times teams are double teaming him and that makes for great opportunities for other guys cutting to the rim or moving to get a good shot.”

Defense was also big for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter as they held Baldwin to single digits and forced 16 turnovers for the game. They turned those mistakes into 21 points to help turn the tide.

Junior Michael Seuferling, along with seniors Konnor Vohs, Andy Hupp and Dawson Barnes, have all provided Louisburg good minutes in that regard.

“Baldwin played tough,” We had to work for everything on both ends, but I’ve been pleased with our defensive effort this month – actually all year.  We’ve kept all of our opponents in the 40’s so far since break. We have guys that are really embracing their roles as defensive stoppers. 

“Michael Seuferling has played great defensively all year. He’s one of the best on ball defenders in our league. Konnor Vohs, Dawson Barnes and Andy Hupp have really been active on the defensive end as well. Those guys cause a lot of problems for other teams. Our goal is to make the other team uncomfortable all game long. Our kids have been playing with tremendous energy and effort and have executed really well.”

LOU 11 17 17 20 – 65

BAL 13 10 17 9 – 49 

LOUISBURG (6-2): Ben Guetterman 8-13 0-0 20; Julian Margrave 9-16 1-1 19; Weston Guetterman 5-12 2-2 14; Michael Seuferling 1-7 2-2 4; Maverick Rockers 1-1 0-0 3; Dawson Barnes 1-2 0-0 3; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 26-57 5-5 65. 3-point field goals: 8, (B. Guetterman 4, W. Guetterman 2, Rockers, Barnes)

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

Madilyn Melton, Senior, Girls Basketball

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

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

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the winter season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous winners:

Week 1: Jordan Mynsted

Week 2: Julian Margrave

Week 3: Alec Younggren

Week 4: Megan Foote

Senior Konnor Vohs puts up a shot during a game earlier this season. Vohs and the Wildcats cruised to a 70-47 victory over Bonner Springs on Tuesday.

BONNER SPRINGS – For four quarters, the Louisburg boys basketball team had possibly its best performance of the season and it showed in the score.

The Wildcats went on the road to Bonner Springs on Tuesday and came away with a 70-47 win over the Braves to earn their second consecutive victory.

Louisburg, which defeated Eudora a week ago, is off to a good start in 2021.

“This was an important win for us,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We played well at Eudora, but we needed to put back to back games together. It’s honestly the most complete game that we’ve played in my four years as coach. From start to finish, we were really good for all four quarters. 

“Bonner is a good team. I knew it was going to take a great effort to win, and fortunately we were clicking on all cylinders.”

The Wildcats (5-2) controlled the first half and took a 35-18 halftime lead and never looked back.

Not only did Louisburg make nine 3-pointers, but they also controlled the glass and did a lot of work on the inside. The Wildcats out-rebounded the Braves by 20 and scored 34 points in the paint.

Junior Julian Margrave finished with a double-double to lead the Wildcats. Margrave finished with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, while senior Ben Guetterman had 16 points to go along with eight rebounds.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman had 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Dawson Barnes also had a big game on the glass with seven rebounds, while senior Konnor Vohs added nine points and five rebounds.

“We played team basketball,” Pfannenstiel said. “We had a lot of guys step up and contribute in lots of different ways. We need guys to play with great effort and play to their strengths and everything will come together like it did this time.

“We were good on the glass. We stress the importance of getting all five guys on the defensive boards and the stats show that we did a nice job of that. We have improved in our rebounding since the start of the year. We are focused on what needs to happen when a shot goes up and we execute well.”

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going tonight when it travels to Baldwin for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

“I really enjoyed watching us play with energy and confidence,” Pfannenstiel said. “No matter who was on the court or who was on the bench, they were all playing for each other and genuinely happy for each other. We are starting to come together. I hope we can continue to build off of this momentum.”

LOU 14 21 20 15 – 70

BON 7 11 10 19 – 47

LOUISBURG (5-2): Julian Margrave 6-11 5-5 19; Ben Guetterman 6-12 1-2 16; Weston Guetterman 4-12 1-2 10; Konnor Vohs 4-9 0-0 9; Maverick Rockers 2-5 0-0 6; Andy Hupp 2-3 2-4 6; Michael Seuferling 1-8 0-0 2; Dawson Barnes 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 26-62 9-13 70. 3-point field goals: 9, (B. Guetterman 3, Rockers 2, Margrave 2, W. Guetterman, Vohs)

Louisburg junior Delaney Wright drives to the basket during a game earlier in the season. The Lady Cats downed Bonner Springs, 57-34, on the road Tuesday.

BONNER SPRINGS – The Louisburg girls basketball team once again had their perfect record on the line – and once again – the Lady Cats passed with flying colors.

The Lady Cats jumped out to a 16-point halftime lead Tuesday at Bonner Springs and never looked back in a 57-34 victory over the Braves. The win is the Lady Cats’ seventh straight to start the year.

“Overall, I thought we did a good job as a team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I also was very proud of the girls for holding onto their lead and playing smart in the second half. All of the girls on the varsity roster got into the game and all the girls contributed.”

Louisburg focused on getting the ball inside and it seemed to work against Bonner Springs’ zone defense. Senior Madilyn Melton and junior Jordan Mynsted dominated the paint for Louisburg.

Melton finished with a game-high 17 points, while Mynsted also finished in double figures with 13 and had six rebounds.

“Bonner ran a 3-2 zone which was a defense we had not seen yet, so our offense was focused on getting the ball to the inside,” Lane said. “I thought once we recognized the defense the girls did a good job running our offense. Madilyn and Jordan both did a great job finishing. As a team we also rebounded well, and we finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds.”

It wasn’t the best of shooting nights for the Lady Cats as they shot 35 percent for the game, but they attacked the offensive glass and it led to 16 second chance points. 

Louisburg out-rebounded Bonner Springs 48-31 and also played well on the defensive end.

Seniors Alyse Moore and Megan Foote were active on the boards. Moore pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds and Foote recorded 12 from her guard spot. Foote also had a team-high five steals and four assists.

“The girls did a great job defensively and being aggressive paid off against Bonner,” Lane said. “We ended the night with 10 steals and 29 defensive rebounds. The team did a great job running the floor and converting the steals and rebounds into baskets.”

Louisburg will square off with Baldwin tonight in a rematch of one the Lady Cats’ closest games of the season. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Baldwin Jr. High School.

LOU 20 13 13 11 – 57 

BON 10 7 6 11 – 34

LOUISBURG (7-0): Madilyn Melton 7-10 3-4 17; Jordan Mynsted 6-14 1-1 13; Alyse Moore 3-7 1-2 7; Brooklyn Diederich 2-8 2-2 6; Brianne Kuhlman 1-5 3-4 5; Megan Foote 1-10 1-4 4; Delanie Tally 1-1 0-0 3; Adyson Ross 1-4 0-0 2; Delaney Wright 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 22-63 11-17 59. 3-point field goals: 2, (Foote, Tally)

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

Megan Foote, Senior, Girls Basketball

Louisburg senior Megan Foote was a big piece to the Lady Cats’ victory over No. 4 Eudora on Friday. Foote was second on the team in scoring with 12 points and had three 3-pointers. She also finished with a team-high three assists to go along with three rebounds.

It was Foote’s defense that helped lead the way as well. She shadowed all-state player Harper Schriener most of the game, which was key in the Lady Cats’ win.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the winter season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous winners:

Week 1: Jordan Mynsted

Week 2: Julian Margrave

Week 3: Alec Younggren

Louisburg senior Weston Guetterman drives to the basket and gets fouled Friday during the Wildcats’ game at Eudora. Guetterman scored a team-high 17 points.

EUDORA – There were a lot of unknowns with how the Louisburg boys basketball team was going to look in its first game after the holiday break.

The Wildcats had just four days of practice before they squared off with Eudora on Friday and head coach Ty Pfannenstiel wasn’t sure how rusty his team was going to be.

After the first quarter, Louisburg shook off all the rust it had and pulled away for a 59-45 victory over the Cardinals at Eudora High School. It was the first time in 10 years that the Wildcats had won at Eudora.

“It was all kind of new for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “We only had like four days of practice after Christmas break and we didn’t know what we were going to get. We were wearing masks in a game for the first time and this is a tough place to play. I don’t think we have won here since 2011.

“I really thought we played well. We got off to a slow start, and we tend to do that here for some reason. We battled hard and made plays. I think switching to a zone energized us a little bit and took them out of their rhythm. It was a good first game out of the gate.”

Louisburg (4-2) fell behind early as Eudora went on a 9-1 run to begin the game and led 15-10 after the first quarter. From then on, the Wildcats employed a zone defense and it seemed to slow the Cardinals down.

The Wildcats went on a 15-2 run in the second quarter to take an eight-point halftime lead. Senior Weston Guetterman led the charge with six straight points to give Louisburg the lead and then Michael Seuferling followed with back-to-back baskets to extend their advantage.

That zone defense helped force 18 Eudora turnovers, which led to 17 Wildcat points. Louisburg also had 10 steals on the night.

“We worked on it a little bit at practice, but not a whole lot,” Pfannenstiel said of the zone. “We focus more on just playing with energy, and a lot of times when we play zone we think that is time to relax. We did work on it one day this week and our focus out of it was to be aggressive. 

“Zones can mess with some teams and I think we rebounded really well out of it. It helps when the other teams doesn’t hit shots too. You look smart when it works, but you look dumb when the other team knocks a few shots. I thought our guys did a good job in it though.”

Eudora trimmed a double-digit Louisburg lead to six late in the third quarter, but senior Konnor Vohs knocked down a 3-pointer and assisted Ben Guetterman on his basket to put the Wildcats back up 11.

From there, the Wildcats controlled the game and built a 17-point lead at one time and never looked back.

Weston Guetterman gave the Wildcats a big boost offensively as he scored a team-high 17 points, while Ben Guetterman and Julian Margrave scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. Margrave also had a team-high six rebounds.

Senior Andy Hupp was also active on the defensive end with five rebounds and a team-high four deflections, to go along with two assists.

“We were very balanced when it comes to our minutes and we have an eight-man rotation right now that everyone gets in there, plays to their role and does their part,” Pfannenstiel said. “The kids played with confidence and that was huge.”

Louisburg will try to make it two straight wins tonight when it travels to Bonner Springs. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU 10 15 13 23 – 59

EUD 15 2 11 17 – 45 

LOUISBURG (4-2): Weston Guetterman 6-11 3-4 17; Ben Guetterman 5-13 2-3 14; Julian Margrave 3-11 5-7 13; Michael Seuferling 3-5 1-3 7; Konnor Vohs 1-2 3-4 5; Dawson Barnes 1-1 0-0 3; Andy Hupp 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 20-44 14-21 59. 3-point field goals: 7, (W. Guetterman 2, B. Guetterman 2, Margrave 2, Barnes)

Louisburg celebrates its 54-49 victory over No. 4 Eudora on Friday at Eudora High School. It was the sixth straight win for the Lady Cats.

EUDORA – Louisburg had hoped to continue its hot streak after the Christmas break, but the Lady Cats had the No. 4 team in Class 4A waiting for them.

On Friday, No. 7 Louisburg traveled to Eudora in a battle of state-ranked teams and the Lady Cats pulled off one of their biggest wins in recent memory.

Louisburg used a 23-point third quarter to get out to a big lead and the Lady Cats were able to hold on for a 54-49 victory and they are now 6-0 on the season.

“The girls were very excited to get the win at Eudora,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “When I got back to the locker room, they were cheering and screaming. This was a huge win for them, not only in the game sense, but also emotionally and mentally.”

Eudora, which has gone to the state tournament the last two seasons, featured a talented group that included a first team All-Frontier League player in Harper Schreiner. 

Defensively, the Lady Cats made things difficult on Schreiner and the rest of the Cardinals. Louisburg forced 15 turnovers and had 10 deflections that led to points in transition. 

Senior guard Megan Foote started on Schriener defensively and the rest of the Lady Cats provided help throughout the game. Even though Schreiner still finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, the Lady Cats slowed the Cardinals down enough and they took advantage.

“Our goal to slowing down Harper was contain her when she had the ball and don’t let her get the ball back once she gets rid of it,” Lane said. “Our defense on Friday was excellent. We did a great job helping and containing like we worked on. The girls who did guard Harper did a tremendous job of not letting her get the ball back. They face guarded her, which they are not used to, and they did great.”

Offensively, the Lady Cats got a big game from Foote and junior Jordan Mynsted. 

Mynsted scored a game-high 14 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Foote added 12 points – including three 3-pointers – to go along with a team high three assists.

“Megan had a huge night,” Lane said. “She guarded Harper for most of the game and she had two huge 3’s in the third quarter. She also did a great job leading the team and keeping them calm towards the end of the game.

“Jordan had another big night for us as well. She just a natural scorer and we are super lucky to have a player like that on our team. Jordan also had nine rebounds, which was huge.”

In what was a back-and-forth first half, the Lady Cats came out strong after halftime. Louisburg scored 23 points in the third quarter and they never looked back.

Schreiner opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to give Eudora the lead, but Louisburg responded as Foote hit two 3-pointers in the frame to give Louisburg a 32-29 advantage.

Senior Brooklyn Diederich followed up with a basket to put Louisburg up five, while senior Alyse Moore hit 3-pointer of her own and scored five straight to put the Lady Cats up seven.

After two Mynsted buckets and a Delaney Wright basket later, Louisburg had an 11-point lead.

Louisburg went through a scoring drought in the fourth quarter as Eudora battled back to cut the Lady Cats’ lead to just one with two minutes left in the game.

Senior Madilyn Melton provided the Lady Cats with the cushion they needed as she scored Louisburg’s first basket of the quarter with 1:40 left in the contest. Melton added another 40 seconds later to put Louisburg up 49-45.

A Schreiner basket cut the lead to two, but sophomore Brianne Kuhlman and Mynsted combined to go 3-for-4 from the free-throw line to seal the win.

“Madlyin’s two baskets in the fourth quarter were huge and definitely gave us the confidence to finish the game with the win,” Lane said. “I felt like the girls were playing ‘safe’ in the fourth quarter, which is what we talked about. 

“As we mature into the season I hope we can improve our “safe” play by looking for scoring opportunities as well as taking care of the ball. Making free throws in close games can make or break a team, and Brianne and Jordan did a great job finishing.”

Along with Foote and Mynsted, Moore was also productive for the Lady Cats with nine points and seven rebounds. Melton finished with eight points, six rebounds and three assists.

Diederich also affected the game with with five rebounds from her guard spot to to along with a team-high four deflections, three assists and two blocks.

Louisburg will try for its seventh straight win Tuesday when it travels to Bonner Springs. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

LOU 17 5 23 9 – 54

EUD 13 9 14 13 – 49

LOUISBURG (6-0): Jordan Mynsted 6-15 2-4 14; Megan Foote 4-9 1-1-12; Alyse Moore 4-6 0-4 9; Madilyn Melton 4-10 0-0 8; Brooklyn Diederich 2-8 0-0 4; Delanie Tally 1-2 1-1 3; Brianne Kuhlman 0-4 2-2 2; Delaney Wright 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 22-59 6-12 54. 3-point field goals: 4, (Foote 3, Moore)