This year’s 2021 Louisburg High School winter homecoming candidates are (from left) Sydney Thornton, Alec Younggren, Olivia Barber, Luke Faulkner, Brooklyn Diederich, Dawson Barnes, Madilyn Melton and Ben Guetterman.

Homecoming week at Louisburg High School kicked off Monday and events are in full swing. With something going on every day this week, it will be a busy time for students. All of it is, of course, centered around the crowning of the 2021 winter king and queen. Eight students were selected as nominees and here are their names and profiles.

The crowning will take place on Friday during halftime of the Wildcat boys’ basketball game with Ottawa. Tipoff for that game is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. Good luck to all the participants and make sure to come out on Friday to support both the Wildcat girls and boys basketball teams if you can get your hands on tickets.

Olivia Barber

Olivia is the daughter of Adam and Angie Barber. Olivia has participated in soccer for four years, National Honor Society, Interact Club and forensics for two years and FBLA, cheerleading and FCCLA for one year. After graduation, Olivia plans to attend the University of Kansas and major in biology.

Luke Faulkner

Luke is the son of Brad Faulkner and Cindy Faulkner. Luke has participated in track for four years, soccer and yearbook for three years, FBLA for two years, and cross country and Interact Club for one year. Following graduation, Luke plans to attend Cowley Community College and pursue his track career.

Sydney Thornton

Sydney is the daughter of Shawn and Megan Thornton. Sydney has participated in choir and FFA for four years, been the boys basketball manager for three years, softball for two years and student council for one year. Following graduation, Sydney plans to attend the University of Central Missouri to major in nursing and then plans to attend medical school to become an OB/GYN.

Alec Younggren

Alec is the son of Jason and Monica Younggren. Alec has participated in football for four years and wrestling for four years. Following graduation, Alec will attend Fort Hays State University on a football scholarship and major in construction management.

Madilyn Melton

Madilyn is the daughter of Andy and Meghan Melton. Madilyn has participated in basketball for four years, volleyball for one year and band for one year. Following graduation, Madilyn will attend Benedictine College on a basketball scholarship with the goal of becoming a dermatologist.

Ben Guetterman

Ben is the son of Ted and Lisa Guetterman. Ben has played basketball for four years, been a member of FFA for four years and played football for two years. Ben is currently undecided on his post-high school plans.

Brooklyn Diederich

Brooklyn is the daughter of Derek and Jenny Diederich. Brooklyn has participated in basketball and softball for four years, FBLA for three years and Interact Club and FFA for one year. Following graduation, Brooklyn will attend Neosho County Community College on a basketball scholarship and major in occupational therapy.

Dawson Barnes

Dawson is the son of Rick and Cindy Barnes. Dawson has participated in basketball for four years, been a part of the football, volleyball and soccer student section for four years, baseball for one year and cross country for one year. Following graduation, Dawson plans to attend the University of Kansas and study psychology.

Louisburg senior Megan Foote recently signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Kansas Wesleyan.

When Megan Foote thinks back on her young life, there have been few constants that have been there like basketball.

Playing in her final season with the Louisburg High School program, Foote wasn’t ready to have that love leave her just yet.

On Jan. 20, in front of family of friends, Foote saw her dream of playing college basketball become a reality. She signed her letter of intent to join the Kansas Wesleyan program.

“I was extremely happy and relieved for the day to finally come that I could sign to Kansas Wesleyan,” Foote said. “The recruitment process is very stressful and I had many options to weigh. It means everything to me to be able to continue playing basketball, as it has been my dream for as long as I can remember.”

Picking a future home was tough for Foote to decide on, but once she made her visit to the Salina campus, Foote was wowed with what she saw and loved her conversation with head coach Ryan Showman.

“What stood out most to me at Kansas Wesleyan was the coaching staff and coaching style,” Foote said. “When I stepped on campus I immediately felt at home. Coach Showman and Jenkins made me feel welcomed right away.

“The community there is wonderful as well and in a wonderful place in Kansas. Their facilities were great as well. It was a pretty easy decision for me to make. The first time I visited campus, I wanted to call Coach Showman and verbally commit right away.”

Foote is joining a Coyote program that has experienced a lot of success in recent years.

Kansas Wesleyan, under Showman, captured the school’s first KCAC regular season league title last season, finishing with a 21-3 conference record. The Coyotes were 26-6 on the season and made their second straight NAIA National Championships. They won their first game of the tournament before it was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foote says Showman, who has coached the Coyotes since 2012, will give her an opportunity to compete for playing time when she arrives on campus.

“The Kansas Wesleyan program fits me perfectly,” Foote said. “Coach Showman is a very relaxed and family-oriented man. He knows how to coach girls basketball, as he never loses his cool and respects his players. Kansas Wesleyan is a program that builds through their JV program. Most of their players start on JV and work their way up to varsity, but if a player is ready for varsity their freshman year, Showman is not afraid to play them. 

“They like to play pressure defense and work the ball outstandingly well. They don’t have just one star player, they have girls all around that contribute. Showman is the type of coach that will change his system to adapt to his personal. He studies his players well and knows what will put them in a winning position. I am excited to get on campus and show that I belong.”

The Louisburg senior is off and running in her final year with the Lady Cats as she has helped them to an 11-2 start to the season.

Foote has averaged eight points a game through 13 contests to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals a game.

“We’re excited about Megan joining our program,” Showman said. “She is a smart defender who plays extremely hard every possession. I love her ability to score at all 3 levels on offense. What I like most though, is that Megan gets the job done in the classroom and is a leader who makes her teammates better. That will translate within our program. We’re excited to get Megan to campus to start working with her.”

Foote has spent 11 years playing the game she loves and she has had a lot of help along the way and she know she couldn’t have done it without them.

“It has always been a huge dream of mine to play basketball in college,” Foote said. “I can’t thank my coaches, Andy Melton, Jenny Diederich, Mario Washington, Jim Foote, Coach (Adrianne) Lane, John Ozier, and Suzanne Reedy enough for installing the love of the game in me. They have made me into the person and player I am today.”

As as excited as she is to get to college, Foote is looking forward to seeing what the rest of this season brings and she is hoping her Lady Cats, under head coach Adrianne Lane, can make a deep run.

“This season has been unreal,” Foote said. “From everything my team and I have endured the past couple of seasons, especially last, we have proved everyone wrong. No one except for us, our parents, and coaches believed we could do as well as we are right now. And the best part is that we aren’t nearly done yet. I can’t say enough about Coach Lane and everything she has done for me. She truly brought back the joy and happiness I once lost for basketball, while also making me into a more efficient player. 

“The Louisburg program has not only helped grow me into the player I am, but also the person I am. I have learned to stand up for myself and my teammates. I also learned that what matters most is that we as a team have each other’s backs and will always fight for each other no matter the score or cause. Basketball is much more than who can score the most, it’s a family atmosphere and the Louisburg program has taught me that.”

Senior Alyse Moore splits two Nemaha Central defenders and draws a foul during Saturday’s Top Gun championship game in Wellsville.

WELLSVILLE — Early on the second half, the Louisburg girls basketball team was well on its way to accomplishing something great. 

Not only would a win give the Lady Cats their first ever Top Gun championship – after placing eighth a year ago – but it would also end Nemaha Central’s 36-game winning streak.

Louisburg, the No. 5 team in Class 4A, held a 14-point lead midway through the third quarter, but Nemaha Central – who made the Class 3A final four last year and is No. 3 in Class 3A – showed why the Thunder had won that many games in a row.

Nemaha Central pressured the Lady Cats, which helped the Thunder get back in the game, and eventually hand Louisburg a 52-48 loss Saturday in Wellsville.

As much disappointment as the Lady Cats felt after such an important game, they know there will be bigger opportunities on the horizon.

“The girls had mixed emotions after the game on Saturday,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “They were very sad because we lost, but proud of themselves for getting second after placing eighth last year. 

“This game will help us get better and show us how we need to play once we get to the postseason. Learning from this loss is so important for the future of this team.”

Foul trouble was a consistent problem for the Lady Cats as seniors Madilyn Melton and Megan Foote each had to sit for a majority of the first half and Melton was saddled with three fouls before halftime.

It meant other players had to step up like sophomore Emma Prettyman, who played the final two minutes of the second quarter, and got a rebound and a steal to help the Lady Cats preserve their 27-20 halftime advantage.

Despite Melton picking up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, the Lady Cats still went on an 8-1 run that ended on a steal and a basket from senior Alyse Moore to put Louisburg up 35-21.

From then on, Nemaha Central took control as its pressure defense led the Thunder to go on an 11-0 run to end third quarter.

“The third quarter was a roller-coaster for us,” Lane said. “We came out very hard from halftime and scored a couple of big buckets to take the lead. Nemaha started pressuring us more and took us out of our game. They were very aggressive on the ball and we did not handle the pressure very well.”

Louisburg (10-2) was able to fight back to start the fourth as junior Jordan Mynsted scored five straight points to help the Lady Cats to a 40-33 lead.

Again, the Thunder went on a 7-0 run to tie the game, but Melton kept the Lady Cats in it with a basket and a pair of free throws. She later fouled out with 2:34 left in the game and the Thunder did enough damage at the free-throw line to eek out the win.

Senior Brooklyn Diederich had a basket and junior Delaney Wright added a pair of free throws late to cut it to one, but Nemaha Central guard Cassidy Corby took advantage of her chances at the line.

Corby knocked down several late free throws and finished the game with 29 points and was 14-for-18 from the free-throw line.

As a team, Nemaha Central converted 24-of-35 opportunities, while Louisburg went to the line just 15 times and made nine.

“The fouls that were called did hurt us as a team,” Lane said. “Allowing Nemaha to shoot so many free throws put us at a disadvantage. When a team scores 24 points off free throws it’s hard to overcome that.”

Mynsted led the Lady Cats in scoring with 14 points, while Madilyn Melton added 10. Wright was third on the team with seven points.

Although it may not have showed in the scoring column, Moore made a big impact on the game for the Lady Cats. Moore finished with team-highs in rebounds (8), assists (5), deflections (3), steals (3) and blocks (1). She also added six points.

Moore would go to represent Louisburg on the Top Gun All-Academic Team.

“Alyse is such a great leader and it showed in the championship game and all week at Wellsville,” Lane said. “Her energy and positive attitude are felt by all the girls. She helps us get excited and ready to play. She had some really big plays in the championship, and her efforts helped us stay in the game.”

Following the contest, Melton, Mynsted and Foote were all named to the all-tournament team for their efforts throughout the week at Wellsville – one that provided many memorable moments.

“I cannot say enough about this team and how hard they play,” Lane said. “Their fight and hustle are impressive and their teamwork is improving each game. I am so proud to be their coach and I know they will never quit.”

Louisburg will try and get back on track as it will have big games this week against Paola and Ottawa – both teams who are in the Lady Cats’ substate. The Lady Cats will travel to Paola tonight.

“This is going to be a huge week for us,” Lane said. “Playing two sub-state opponents will help us see where we are and what we need to do to get better. Also playing one of our biggest rivals this week will make for a fun game. The girls are so excited and ready to fight.”

LOU 13 14 8 13 – 48

NC 10 10 12 20 – 52 

LOUISBURG (10-2): Jordan Mynsted 6-16 2-3 14; Madilyn Melton 4-6 2-2 10; Delaney Wright 1-1 4-4 7; Brooklyn Diederich 2-8 1-2 6; Alyse Moore 3-6 0-4 6; Megan Foote 1-4 0-0 3; Brianne Kuhlman 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 18-47 9-15 48. 3-point field goals: 3, (Wright, Diederich, Foote)

Junior Julian Margrave goes up for two of his 21 points Friday during Louisburg’s home contest against Spring Hill.

For three quarters, the Louisburg boys basketball team stayed right with Spring Hill and the Wildcats even built a six-point halftime advantage.

However, one quarter had the Wildcats playing catch up.

Louisburg scored just seven points in the third quarter, while Spring Hill took advantage of the Wildcat mistakes and eventually handed the Wildcats a 58-53 loss – their third in a row.

“In the first half we were very competitive,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We built a good lead in the second quarter, but we weren’t able to maintain it. We’ve got to find ways to be more consistent offensively.

“Obviously, the third quarter was not good for us. We struggled to get the ball to go in the hoop. That’s a pretty important part of the game. If shots aren’t falling, it puts a lot of pressure on your defense.”

Although the Wildcats shot 44 percent for the game, they struggled to get into a rhythm offensively and Spring Hill was able to take advantage of Wildcat mistakes. Louisburg turned the ball over 18 times and the Broncos scored 17 points off those mistakes.

Spring Hill was also able to make a living at the free-throw line as the Broncos converted 18 of their 25 chances, while the Wildcats went to the line just five times.

“We turned it over too much,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s going to be hard to win games against good teams when you turn it over 18 times. I’d say the biggest difference was our inability to get to the free throw line. We’ve got to attack the rim a little more. We are settling for too many jump shots.”

A pair of juniors led the Wildcats in scoring. Julian Margrave led the Wildcats with 21 points and had nine rebounds, while Michael Seuferling finished with 12 points.

Senior point guard Weston Guetterman also had a solid line with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

It was a close game into the fourth quarter as Margrave scored five straight points to cut the Spring Hill lead to two, but the Broncos eventually extended their advantage to nine points midway through the final period.

Louisburg cut the lead to two again on a 3-pointer from Margrave, along with an offensive rebound and putback from Seuferling.

Guetterman hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 53-all with 1 minute and 20 seconds left, but the Broncos were able to convert from the free-throw line and the Wildcats couldn’t get many good looks.

Louisburg has an important week of games coming up as they travel to Paola on Tuesday and then host Ottawa on Friday for homecoming. 

Then next week Louisburg will also face off with Fort Scott. All three of those teams will be in the Wildcats’ sub-state later this month.

“This is a huge week for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our next three games are against teams in our sub-state. Our kids will be ready to get back on the court and get the bad taste out of our mouths.”

LOU 17 13 7 16 – 53

SH 17 7 17 17 – 58

LOUISBURG (8-5): Julian Margrave 9-20 1-2 21; Michael Seuferling 6-7 0-0 12; Weston Guetterman 3-8 1-1 8; Andy Hupp 1-1 2-2 4; Konnor Vohs 1-3 0-0 3; Maverick Rockers 1-3 0-0 3; Ben Guetterman 1-6 0-0 2. Totals: 22-50 4-5 53. 3-point field goals: 5, (Margrave 2, W. Guetterman, Vohs, Rockers)

Members of the Louisburg girls basketball team celebrate a big play Thursday during the Lady Cats’ 45-39 win over Jefferson West.

WELLSVILLE – Through the first quarter-and-a-half, nothing seemed to go right for Louisburg offensively.

Jefferson West jumped out to a nine-point lead and the Lady Cats had managed just one field goal during the 12-minute stretch Thursday during the semifinals of the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville.

Add to that, the Lady Cats were dealing with foul trouble as two players were saddled with three fouls before the end of the first quarter.

After the first 12 minutes, Louisburg had a big hill to climb. Still, the Lady Cats were able to put together one of their best comebacks of the season as they snuck past Jefferson West, 45-39, and will play in the championship game today against Nemaha Central.

“We had a very slow start against Jeff West, and they did a great job defending our inside game,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We only scored four points the first quarter and two of those points were from free throws. To overcome this start was huge for our team and our morale.

“Jeff West was prepared to play us, and after we got into our game we did a great job overcoming our slow start. Our great defensive effort is what kept us in the game until our shots started falling.”

Down 13-4 midway through the second quarter, the Lady Cat offense started to come to life as Megan Foote knocked down a 3-pointer and helped them to just a six-point deficit at halftime.

Louisburg (10-1) started to play with more confidence in the second half. Senior Brooklyn Diederich hit two 3-pointers, and Foote made another, to cut the Jeff West lead to just three going into the fourth.

“Megan’s leadership on the floor was felt by all the girls,” Lane said. “Megan’s 4 3-pointers were huge for our team,  and they kept us in the game.

In the fourth quarter, it was senior Madilyn Melton’s turn as she scored 11 of her 15 points to help give Louisburg a seven-point lead and the Lady Cats were able to hold on from there. Melton was also 6-for-6 from the free-throw line during that stretch and had nine rebounds on the night. 

“Madilyn was super aggressive in the fourth quarter,” Lane said. “She took advantage of the defense, drew some fouls and finished some bigs shots. She also followed her shot well and got a couple of put backs.”

Despite getting off to the slow start, the Lady Cat defense was able to keep them in the game. Senior Alyse Moore shadowed one of Jeff West’s top scorers, Mellany Roenne. 

Moore held Roenne to just four points on the night, and as a team, forced 17 Jeff West turnovers.

“I thought our defense is excellent,” Lane said, “We play so hard and battle for every possession and rebound. Alyse did outstanding guarding Roenne. She worked so hard and shut her down.”

Louisburg also had to play out of foul trouble as Diederich and Delaney Wright each had three fouls in the first quarter and point guard Brianne Kuhlman had two.

The Lady Cats were able to get production from their bench as sophomore Adyson Ross took over the point guard spot and had a team-high four assists. 

“Adyson Ross did a fantastic job for our team,” Lane said. “She came in and played about 11 minutes straight and battled for our team. She got a 5 second call against their best player and played several different roles. She had a fantastic night and we were all so excited for her.”

Along with earning a spot in the championship, there was also another reason for celebration as it was Lane’s 100th career win as a head coach and her 10th at Louisburg.

“I am so excited to get my 100th win with this team,” Lane said. They play so hard and battle for every win and Thursday was no different. We battled to the very end for this win and it was a well deserved one.”

The Lady Cats, who are ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, will square off with the No. 3 team in Class 3A, Nemaha Central. Tipoff is set for 2:45 p.m. at Wellsville High School.

It will also be the first time this group has played in a championship game together.

“The girls are so excited to play in the championship,” Lane said. “They said it’s the first time they have ever had this experience and I am so excited for them. Nemaha is a very fundamental and structured team. They will bring experience to the championship game and I think we will bring excitement.”

LOU 4 10 13 18 – 45

JW 11 9 10 9 – 39 

LOUISBURG (10-1): Megan Foote 4-8 6-9 18; Madilyn Melton 4-8 7-10 15; Brooklyn Diederich 2-4 0-0 6; Brianne Kuhlman 0-3 3-4 3; Jordan Mynsted 1-3 0-1 2; Alyse Moore 0-3 1-4 1. Totals: 11-34 17-28 45. 3-point field goals: 6, (Foote 4, Diederich 2)

Louisburg cruises past Wellsville

WELLSVILLE – Slow starts have been the theme so far for Louisburg in the Top Gun Tournament as the Lady Cats found themselves down early to Wellsville in the first round.

The Lady Cats were able to change that in the second quarter Tuesday as they held Wellsville to just one point in the second quarter and that helped pave the way for a 51-31 win.

“I was so proud of the girls and how hard they played on defense,” Lane said. “We started the game in a press for the first time and I thought we did a great job pressuring the ball and rebounding.

“I thought the girls did a great job responding to Wellsville’s quick start to the game. We stayed calm and in control even though we got down early.”

Wellsville scored the game’s first eight points and took a 15-11 lead over Louisburg at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a different story as the Lady Cats outscored the Eagles 18-1 before halftime and never looked back.

Junior Jordan Mynsted and senior Alyse Moore provided a big lift in that second quarter. Moore scored seven points in the frame and Mynsted added six to help Louisburg to a 29-16 halftime lead.

Senior Madilyn Melton led Louisburg with 13 points on the night and Mynsted ended up with 12. Moore had a big night on the glass with a team-high 13 rebounds.

The Lady Cats would build a 21-point lead in the third quarter and were able to advance to the semifinals.

LOU 11 18 15 7 – 51

WEL 15 1 7 8 – 31

LOUISBURG: Madilyn Melton 5-8 3-3 13; Jordan Mynsted 5-14 2-3 12; Megan Foote 4-5 0-0 9; Alyse Moore 3-5 0-2 7; Adyson Ross 2-3 0-1 5; Delaney Wright 1-3 0-0 3; Brianne Kuhlman 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 22-49 5-9 51. 3-point field goals: 4, (Ross, Wright, Moore, Foote)

Louisburg senior Andy Hupp puts up a shot over a Piper defender Monday in Louisburg.

The Louisburg boys basketball team had one of its most difficult challenges to date as the Wildcats hosted Piper on Monday in Louisburg.

It was easy to see why early on.

Piper used its athleticism and shooting from the outside to get out to a good start and the Wildcats weren’t able to recover in a 65-47 home loss to the Class 5A school. It is the second straight loss for Louisburg.

“Piper played really well,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Their athleticism made it tough for us on the offensive end. We got some good looks, but we didn’t string enough good possessions together to ever get comfortable. 

“They really are good at attacking off the dribble, so our plan was to work hard to keep them out of the paint and make them settle for perimeter shots. Unfortunately, it came on a night where they shot it well from the outside. We got into a little foul trouble in the first half so we went zone against them in hopes of slowing them down. They had success against both of our defensive looks.”

The Pirates, who connected on nine 3-pointers on the night, jumped out to a quick 19–9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Ben Guetterman and Julian Margrave hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Piper lead to seven, but it was as close as the Wildcats could get.

Piper took a 12-point lead into halftime, but the Wildcats cut it to seven again early in the third quarter on five straight points from Michael Seuferling. The Pirates responded again with a 10-4 run to end the quarter and put the game out of reach.

Margrave led the Wildcats with 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Guetterman added 13 points. Seuferling also scored in double figures with 12.

Louisburg (8-4) will try and get back on track tonight when it hosts Spring Hill as the Wildcats try to break their two-game losing streak. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

“Basketball is like that sometimes,” Pfannenstiel said. “You’re going to have some off nights. When you have one of those nights, you hope that you can play well defensively. Unfortunately, Piper was clicking on both ends. 

“We’re going to be just fine. We’re going to get a few things squared away in practice and look forward to getting back out there tonight.”

LOU 9 14 11 13 – 47

PIP 19 16 12 18 – 65

LOUISBURG (8-4): Julian Margrave 5-10 5-6 17; Ben Guetterman 5-15 1-2 13; Michael Seuferling 3-8 6-7 12; Konnor Vohs 1-3 1-2 3; Weston Guetterman 0-8 2-2 2. Totals: 14-50 15-20 47. 3-point field goals: 4, (B. Guetterman 2, Margrave 2)

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

Michael Seuferling, Junior, Boys Basketball

Louisburg junior Michael Seuferling played a big role in the Wildcats’ second place finish last week at the Baldwin Invitational. Seuferling, along with being assigned to guard the best player on the floor for each of the three games, averaged more than 10 points a game for the Wildcats, including a 17-point performance against Bishop Seabury in the semifinals.

Seuferling was also named to the all-tournament team after recording seven rebounds and nine assists over those three games. Seuferling and the rest of the Wildcats have played well to start 2021 as they are currently ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, despite a buzzer-beating loss to No. 4 Augusta in the championship game.

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

Week 5: Madilyn Melton

Louisburg senior Brooklyn Diederich battles Spring Hill’s Cate Milroy for a loose ball Friday in Louisburg.

For the first time all season, the Louisburg girls basketball team walked off the court with that sick feeling in its stomach.

The feeling of defeat.

The Lady Cats, who won their first eight games of the season, came up short in a 52-40 set back Friday at home to Spring Hill. A rough final three quarters sent Louisburg to its first loss of the year.

“It’s never easy to lose, and the girls were disappointed in how we played overall as a team,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We will get better because of this loss. We can learn from our mistakes and fix them and become a better all-around team. I thought the girls played hard the entire game and did not quit. We played and battled till the buzzer sounded.”

Louisburg (8-1) got out to a fast start against the Broncos as the Lady Cats went on a 12-3 run to open the game.

Shortly after that, the Broncos went to a zone defense and Louisburg didn’t have an answer for it. Shots weren’t falling and the Broncos limited second chance shots.

The Lady Cats were just 1-for-17 from 3-point range and had trouble getting good looks on the inside.

“Our shots were for sure not falling on Friday, but I think we could’ve done a better job moving the ball more in the zone, and looking for better shot options especially since our outside shots were not falling,” Lane said. “Our rebounding could’ve also been better on both ends of the court.”

Spring Hill outscored Louisburg 11-4 in the second quarter to take a four-point halftime lead. The game was tied midway through the fourth quarter, but the Lady Cats ran into foul trouble.

Senior Madilyn Melton, one the team’s main inside threats, fouled out midway through the quarter with the game tied at 35-all.

From there, Spring Hill went on a 12-4 run to end the contest and secured the win.

Junior Jordan Mynsted led Louisburg in scoring with 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Melton finished with nine points and senior Alyse Moore added seven points and seven rebounds.

Senior Megan Foote pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and also had four assists and two steals.

It is now tournament week for Louisburg as it will compete in the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville. It is a tournament that not only features the No. 5 Lady Cats, but also the No. 3 team in Class 3A in Nemaha Central and the No. 3 team in Class 5A in Lansing.

Throw in other teams like Spring Hill, Baldwin and Topeka-Hayden – and it will be a challenging three days for Louisburg.

The Lady Cats, who are the No. 1 seed, open up against Wellsville at 5:15 p.m. tonight.

“We are super excited going into this week,” Lane said. “This will be a very challenging week for us, but we will use the games this week to get better as a team and that will help us come postseason.”

LOU 13 4 11 12 – 40 

SH 10 11 10 21 – 52

LOUISBURG (8-1): Jordan Mynsted 6-19 1-1 13; Madilyn Melton 3-8 3-3 9; Alyse Moore 3-6 1-7 7; Delaney Wright 1-1 1-4 4; Megan Foote 2-7 0-0 4; Brooklyn Diederich 1-10 0-0 2; Brianne Kuhlman 0-3 1-3 1. Totals: 16-54 7-18 40. 3-point field goals: 1, (Wright)

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)