Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the winter sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.
JULIAN MARGRAVE, JUNIOR, BOYS BASKETBALL
Louisburg junior Julian Margrave had a big week for the Wildcat boys basketball team as he helped the Wildcats to their first two wins of the season. His biggest game came last week against Harrisonville as he scored 26 points in an overtime victory, which was the Wildcats’ first of the season.
On the week, Margrave averaged 19.5 points a game to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
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.
Lady Cats rack up 75 points in win over Anderson County
Louisburg senior Brooklyn Diederich gets on the floor for a loose ball Friday against Anderson County.
GARNETT – It became apparent really fast that Friday’s matchup between Louisburg and Anderson County was going to be a high-scoring affair.
The only difference was the Lady Cats were able to slow down the Bulldogs and Anderson County didn’t have much of an answer.
Louisburg scored more than 20 or more points in three of the four quarters and rolled Anderson County in a 75-61 victory that keeps the Lady Cats perfect on the season.
“I was so proud of the girls after the game on Friday,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We started out so hard and played hard the entire game. I felt we played together as a team and worked hard to get a win on the road.
“Scoring 75 points was super exciting for the team. I think it showed them that we can score, and if we are patient and run through our offenses, we will be able to score. We ran several different set plays, some we had never ran before, and I felt the girls did a great job executing and in the end it paid off.”
Several players found the scoring column for Louisburg and four of them reached double figures. One of those was junior forward Jordan Mynsted.
Anderson County didn’t have an answer for Mynsted who finished with a team-high 21 points to go along with five rebounds
“After watching Jordan play last year I knew she was a scorer, but I was not expecting her to score 20-plus in two of the first three games,” Lane said. “The team and myself are very proud of her and we hope she continues to look to score.”
Louisburg senior Madilyn Melton pulls up for a jumper Friday against the Bulldogs.
Along with Mynsted’s performance on the inside, senior Brooklyn Diederich keyed the Lady Cats from behind the arc. Diederich finished with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, with 11 of those points coming in the first quarter.
Senior Alyse Moore was big on both sides of the floor as she finished with a double-double. Moore had 13 points and 11 rebounds, while senior Madilyn Melton had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Another senior, Megan Foote, was active all over the floor for Louisburg as she had a team-high nine deflections, seven assists and four steals to go along with six rebounds.
Sophomore point guard Brianne Kuhlman had eight points with four assists and three steals.
Defensively, the Lady Cats had a big challenge as they had to handle the high-low game of Anderson County’s Rayna Jasper and Cali Foltz.
Sophomore Brianne Kuhlman drives the lane for two of her eight points Friday.
Diederich and junior Delaney Wright had the task of slowing down Jasper and making it difficult for the Bulldogs to run their offense. Although Jasper and Foltz scored 24 and 20 points, respectively, the rest of the Bulldogs offense struggled.
Louisburg held a 33-30 lead at halftime, but the Lady Cats held Anderson County to just six points in the third quarter and Foltz had to sit with four fouls.
The Lady Cats took advantage as it outscored Anderson County 22-6 in the third and all but sealed the win.
“Anderson County had a couple of very key players on their team and Brooklyn and Delaney did a great job guarding their point guard and putting lots of pressure on her,” Lane said. “Our goal was to not let Jasper get the ball back when she passed. When Foltz got her fourth foul in the third quarter, we played a box and 1 on Jasper and doubled her when we could.”
Louisburg will look to keep its perfect record intact when they host a pair of Frontier League teams this week. The Lady Cats will face off with Baldwin at 7:30 p.m. tonight and will host Piper on Thursday at 7:15.
“I think we are really looking forward to the challenge, but it is also fun to play good teams and get better because of the competition,” Lane said. “The girls are ready for this week and to see where we stand.”
Defense sparks Wildcats in win over Anderson County
Louisburg senior Dawson Barnes picks off an Anderson County pass Friday in Garnett. That steal was one of 20 turnovers the Wildcats forced on the night.
GARNETT – The Louisburg boys basketball team wasn’t always clicking on all cylinders Friday against Anderson County, but when they were, the Wildcats made things difficult on the Bulldogs.
Louisburg used a pair of big runs – one in each half – to pull away from Anderson County, 63-48, at Anderson County High School and earned their second straight win in the process.
Defensively, it was one of the Wildcats’ better contests of the early season and was able to spur their offense. Louisburg forced 20 turnovers and scored 29 points off those Anderson County mistakes to help get their first road win of the year.
“Our emphasis from the start of the season has been to play aggressive and play relentless defensively and I thought we were really good in that area,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We weren’t the best offensively, especially in the half court, but part of it was because a lot of our offense was because of our defense. We were scoring points, but would like to see us a little sharper in the half-court and more patient, but I really thought our defense was great.”
The Wildcats (2-1) took a convincing 37-19 lead at halftime after they outscored Anderson County by 13 in the second quarter. The Bulldogs cut the Louisburg led to 10 midway through the third quarter, but the Wildcats ended the frame on a 15-2 run.
All of those points in the run were from behind the 3-point line as five different players knocked down the perimeter shots. Michael Seuferling, Julian Margrave, Konnor Vohs, Weston Guetterman and Maverick Rockers helped extend the Louisburg lead to 56-31 going into the fourth quarter and the Wildcats never looked back
Junior Julian Margrave tries for a dunk off a missed shot Friday against Anderson County.
“We needed it that is for sure,” Pfannenstiel said. “We talked about at halftime that we needed to put this away in the third quarter and we came out about as flat as you can be. I am not sure why, but we answered and responded and that is important.
“A lot of those were good unselfish plays like drive and kicks and rhythm shots. That is where we were lacking in the first half is we were trying to do too much individually and not enough team-oriented basketball. That run was sparked buy playing team basketball.”
Louisburg had four different players score in double figures and Guetterman led the way with a team-high 15 points. Margrave finished with 13 points to go along with six rebounds and a pair of blocks.
Senior Konnor Vohs scores two of his 10 points against Anderson County. Vohs was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures.
Ben Guetterman added 11 points in the victory and had a team-high three steals. Vohs finished with 10 points.
“That is how it should be,” Pfannenstiel said of the team’s balanced scoring. “If one guys is off, or a couple guys are off, then other guys should be able to step up and they did that. We were very balanced and that was definitely good for us.”
Louisburg will try to make it three in a row tonight and will try for its first league win of year when it hosts Baldwin for a 6 p.m. tipoff. The Wildcats also had to take Piper off its schedule for Thursday due to COVID-19, so instead they will travel to Shawnee Mission East for a 6:30 p.m. start.
“Baldwin had just played Anderson County and played them tough, so it will be a challenge,” Pfannenstiel said. “They are always a hard-nosed team, and then we were able to find Shawnee Mission East to replace Piper and these are two good matchups for us. We tell the boys all the time that we are fortunate that we are getting the opportunity to play and we are going to show that on the court with how hard we play. Hopefully we can have some fun in the process.”
Louisburg senior Weston Guetterman drives through the lane for a layup Tuesday at home against Harrisonville.
The Louisburg boys basketball team off to a good start Tuesday in its home game against Harrisonville, but it had an even better finish.
After staking itself an eight point lead after the first quarter, Louisburg found itself down six points early in the fourth quarter. In what was a back and forth contest, the Wildcats were able to force an extra period and eventually win, 67-62, in overtime.
“Harrisonville went on some runs and we answered,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We came up big at the end of regulation and in overtime when we got down. Something about us, when we realize that we have to make plays, that we find ways to do it. I told them right before overtime that this game was going to be won on the defensive end and that is what sparked us. We got a couple steals there and it was huge for us. It was a fun game.”
The Wildcats (1-1) got on a roll to start the fourth when senior Weston Guetterman cut the Harrisonville lead in half as he scored, was fouled and converted the 3-point play. Junior Julian Margrave added six straight points on his own to tie it at 52-all midway through the fourth.
Harrisonville hit a 3-pointer to break the tie, but junior Michael Seuferling knocked down a shot and Weston Guetterman hit two free throws to put Louisburg up one with 2 minutes remaining. Louisburg found itself down two when Ben Guetterman was fouled and hit both free throws to help send it to overtime.
Defense took over for Louisburg as the Wildcats recorded three steals in the extra period. One from Weston Guetterman that led to a runout score, another from Ben Guetterman that led to a layup and the final one from junior Maverick Rockers that led to a Ben Guetterman layup to give Louisburg a four-point lead with 45 seconds left.
Senior Ben Guetterman puts a shot up in the lane Tuesday against Harrisonville.
Margrave had a big night for Louisburg as he finished with a team-high 26 points, with 13 of those coming in the first quarter. He also added a team-high nine rebounds and three blocks
“Julian had a great night,” Pfannenstiel said. “He is a good player that works hard at it. When we can get the ball in his hands, good things usually happen. I am not sure why he wasn’t able to get as many touches as he did in the first quarter, but this is team basketball. When he gets attention from multiple defenders, that opens things up for other guys. It was a big night for Julian and it is something we expect from him every night.”
Weston Guetterman also had a solid outing for Louisburg with 14 points and eight rebounds from the point guard spot, to go along with four steals and three assists. Ben Guetterman added eight points and seven rebounds, most of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Louisburg also got good production from its bench as senior Konnor Vohs finished with seven points off the bench, while Rockers gave the Wildcats good minutes late in the contest and scored five points.
“I thought our bench was huge,” Pfannenstiel said. “Konnor came in early and did a very good job. He shot the ball well and played good defense. Mav is never going to be the biggest kid on the floor, but he always looks comfortable out there. He is our second ball handler and he was big for us late. He played well for us defensively, but he was a lot of the reason why our offense was doing so well at times because other guys are comfortable with him out there.”
Harrisonville’s Brooks Langrehr had a big night for the Wildcats as he scored a game-high 34 points.
Louisburg will try for its second straight win today when it travels to Anderson County for its first road test of the season. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Louisburg’s (from left) Delaney Wright, Jordan Mynsted and Megan Foote congratulate Madilyn Melton (20) after a made basket and a foul in the first half of Friday’s home game against Burlington.
The Louisburg girls basketball team already had a comfortable lead going into halftime of Tuesday’s game against Burlington.
Louisburg took it to a whole other level of comfort in the second half.
The Lady Cats locked down Burlington defensively and gave up just 12 points in the second half and rolled to a 59-26 victory at Louisburg High School. It was the second straight win to start the season for Louisburg.
“I thought they did great in the second half,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “I told the girls at halftime that we needed to come out hard, because we were a little flat to start. We got a few fouls on us in the first half, but after that I thought our defense was awesome. We played defense without fouling and it was almost perfect.”
Burlington turned the ball over 24 times on the night and the Lady Cats scored 18 points off those mistakes, while the Wildcats scored just two points off Louisburg turnovers. Louisburg was active all over the floor with 13 steals and 22 deflections.
The Lady Cats (2-0) also had to deal with foul trouble in the second half as starters Brianne Kuhlman and Jordan Mynsted had to play with four fouls, but the Louisburg bench came to rescue.
“It is really encouraging to see,” Lane said. “I have 12 on the bench right now and I felt like we played 10 pretty consistently and they all did a great job. We didn’t seem to miss a beat when we would sub and we just kept playing hard and our defense was great.”
Mynsted, a junior, led Louisburg in scoring for the second straight game as she finished with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Seniors Brooklyn Diederich and Madilyn Melton also finished in double figures with 10, while Melton added five rebounds, five deflections and three steals and Diederich led the way with three blocks.
Senior Brooklyn Diederich puts up a 3-pointer Friday against Burlington.
Senior guard Megan Foote added eight points in the win to go along with six deflections, four assists and three steals.
“It was good to see them run some offense in that second half,” Lane said. “I thought we were very patient and they found the open person. They did a good job of running the floor and getting to their spots. We passed the ball well and we got open shots. I was very pleased with that.
“I like that the posts did a good job of getting steals in the passing lane, something that maybe we normally wouldn’t have gotten. I really like that we ran some good offense. We ran some pick and rolls, some high-low and that was fun to see.”
Louisburg took a 7-5 lead after the first quarter, but from then on, the Lady Cats had control of the game. The Lady Cats took a 22-14 lead at halftime and then outscored Burlington 37-12 in the second half to pull away.
The Lady Cats will try for their third consecutive win tonight when they travel to Anderson County for their first road contest of the season. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week one of the winter sports season, sponsored by Vohs Pharmacy.
JORDAN MYNSTED, JUNIOR, GIRLS BASKETBALL
Louisburg junior Jordan Mynsted gave her Lady Cat team the spark they were looking for in their season opening win Friday against Tonganoxie. Mynsted scored a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds in the Lady Cats’ 49-37 win over the Chieftains.
Mynsted came up big for Louisburg in the fourth quarter as she scored 12 straight points to help the Lady Cats build a double-digit lead and sealed the win for Louisburg.
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.
Wildcats’ rally falls short in season opener
Junior Julian Margrave goes up for a dunk Friday during the Wildcats’ season opener against Tonganoxie.
There was no easy game out of the gate for the Louisburg boys basketball team as the Wildcats squared off with No. 5 Tonganoxie in their season opener.
The challenge was a difficult one and the Chieftains lived up to their preseason ranking.
Tonganoxie racked up nearly 40 points in the first half, and despite a late rally from Louisburg, handed the Wildcats their first loss of the season, 63-56.
“You never really know what you are going to get in these first games,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Sometimes you get some real ugly ones or get some really up-tempo games, and Tonganoxie came out pretty hot. Our guys battled back, and even though there were a couple times there were a deer in the headlights look, they hung in there. They battled back possession by possession and we were a different team in the fourth quarter. Tonganoxie played really well, and we weren’t bad by any means, they were just better this time.”
Louisburg found itself down 51-38 heading into the fourth quarter, but used its defense to get back in the game. The Wildcats ramped up their full-court pressure and it helped lead to an 11-2 run that cut the Tonganoxie lead to 53-52.
Weston Guetterman opened the quarter with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer, a steal and a layup and a drive to the basket in which he was fouled. Ben Guetterman ended the run with a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats all the momentum.
Seniors Andy Hupp (23) and Weston Guetterman converge to force a Tonganoxie turnover Friday.
Unfortunately, the Chieftains were able to hold off Louisburg as they went on a mini 7-2 run of their own and hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
“That is how we started off the game,” Pfannenstiel said of the press. “We were running the same things, we were just better at it in the fourth quarter. We were a little more desperate and so our energy was better. The issue in the first half is we weren’t as aggressive. Tongie’s guards were comfortable throwing the ball ahead. The way we looked in the fourth quarter is how we want to look all the time out of our press. I’m glad we were able to see it be successful because we know now that if we play like that we can do some good things.”
Turnovers hurt the Wildcats as the Chieftains forced 16 Louisburg turnovers and turned those into 17 points.
It was a back and forth game to begin the night as the two teams traded baskets and Tonganoxie held 20-17 lead after the first quarter. It was the second quarter where the Chieftains did their damage as they outscored Louisburg 19-11 in the frame and took an 11-point halftime lead.
“We played pretty well defensively, but we gave up almost 40 in the first half,” Pfannenstiel said. “Offensively, I think we just got sped up a little bit and there are some footwork issues that can be fixed. Had a lot of mental errors, but we will get better.”
Only four players scored on the night for Louisburg. Weston Guetterman led the Wildcats offensively with 20 points to go along with a team-high four assists and four steals.
Junior Julian Margrave also had a big night as he recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Guetterman also scored in double figures with 13 and junior Michael Seuferling added six points, five rebounds and three assists.
Louisburg will try and bounce back tonight as it hosts Harrisonville (Mo.) at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats were supposed to host Burlington, but it was recently forced to quarantine.
LOU 17 11 10 18 – 56
TON 20 19 12 12 – 63
LOUISBURG (0-1): Weston Guetterman 7-11 4-5 20; Julian Margrave 7-15 1-2 17; Ben Guetterman 5-11 1-2 13; Michael Seuferling 2-6 0-0 6. Totals: 21-49 6-9 56. 3-point field goals: 8, (Seuferling 2, W. Guetterman 2, B. Guetterman 2, Margrave 2).
Mynsted’s big fourth quarter lifts Louisburg past Tonganoxie
Louisburg junior Jordan Mynsted scored 12 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and helped the Lady Cats to a 49-37 victory.
For the first time all season, the entire Louisburg girls basketball team found themselves on the court at the same time.
The Lady Cats couldn’t have picked a better occasion for it.
Due to a couple different quarantines that affected several players on the Louisburg team, the Lady Cats have been unable to work as a group since practice started in the middle of November.
However, all of the players were finally cleared Friday and it led to a season opening win.
The Lady Cats used a 20-point fourth quarter that helped them to a 49-37 victory over Tonganoxie on Friday. In the process, Adrianne Lane earned her first win as the team’s head coach.
“Considering this is the first time that we have actually gotten a chance to play together, it is super exciting,” Lane said. “I think this win will definitely help the girls’ morale as we move forward. I am really excited for them because they have deserved it, especially after everything we have been through to get to this point.”
After a tough third quarter that helped Tonganoxie cut an 11-point halftime deficit to just four, junior Jordan Mynsted gave Louisburg the lift it need in the final period.
Mynsted scored a game-high 22 points, including 12 straight points in the fourth quarter as the Chieftains didn’t have an answer for the Lady Cat forward. Mynsted also pulled down seven rebounds.
“Jordan did awesome,” Lane said. “She really hadn’t gotten a chance to play many minutes because she was sitting with foul trouble, so that was huge that she came out and scored those 12 in a row. We really needed that spark to come in and get us going.
“At the same time, I think our defense was great. So between Jordan’s performance, and the defense, I think that really set us apart.”
Louisburg senior Alyse Moore blocks a Tonganoxie shot early in the fourth quarter Friday in the Lady Cats’ season opener in Louisburg.
The Lady Cat defense frustrated the Chieftains at times as they held Tonganoxie to just nine first half points and put together several crucial stops in the fourth quarter.
Louisburg turned Tonganoxie over 20 times thanks to its pressure defense and senior guard Megan Foote led the way with five steals. Foote also finished with seven points to go along with nine rebounds.
Senior forward Alyse Moore was big for Louisburg on the glass as she recorded a team-high 15 rebounds and also had two steals. Junior Delaney Wright had a team-high four deflections and three assists.
Senior Brooklyn Diederich also knocked in a pair of 3-pointers, while senior Madilyn Melton had five points and eight rebounds.
Louisburg head coach Adrianne Lane instructs her team during a timeout Friday. Lane got her first victory as the Lady Cat head coach.
Louisburg got out to a good start and took a 20-9 halftime lead thanks to a Diederich 3-pointer at the buzzer. The players started to get more comfortable with each other as the game went along and it led to the big fourth quarter, including those 12 straight points from Mynsted.
“It was kind of iffy at times, but once we got into the game a little further, I feel that we read each other better,” Lane said. “This win really makes me excited for the future because the girls were starting to gel a little bit and we were getting better as we went. Once we got into the flow, it continued to get better and obviously it will get better once we can actually practice together with everyone.
“It was a super physical game. I felt that our fouls in the first half were more because of how excited we were and we just needed to calm down a little bit. We were reaching a lot when we didn’t need to and I feel like we were kind of bailing them out a little bit. The second half was very physical and I am glad that the girls played that way. I preach that to them all the time that we need to be physical.”
Louisburg will try for its second consecutive win Tuesday when it hosts Burlington. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Louisburg’s leading scorer from a year ago, Julian Margrave, returns to lead the Wildcats after a first-team all-league performance last season.
It may have happened more than nine months ago, but the final loss of last season has stuck in the minds of several members of the Louisburg boys basketball program.
The Wildcats rallied from 20 points down in the fourth quarter of their first round playoff game against Iola to force overtime, and scored 32 points in the frame. Louisburg didn’t have enough and eventually fell in the extra period.
It was lesson that was realized the hard way – a lesson to play the game hard from start to finish.
“We definitely learned from that loss at the end of the year,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “What really hurt us that game was our inability to get stops in the first three quarters, which led to the big deficit. Once we realized our season was on the line and we started playing with more energy and aggressiveness, that sparked our run.
“That’s our goal this year is to play with relentless energy each game. We have no idea what this season is going to bring this year, so we have to play each game like it might be our last. If we can play with that fourth quarter desperation for all four quarters, I like our chances in every game we play this year. Now it’s time to put it to the test.”
That first test comes today when the Wildcats host Tonganoxie, which is currently ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, for 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
Louisburg seems well-prepared for that first test as the Wildcats return all but two starters from a season ago, in which they finished with an 8-13 record. The Wildcats also return six seniors in Weston Guetterman, Ben Guetterman, Konnor Vohs, Charlie Peters, Andy Hupp and Dawson Barnes, and with first-team all-league player Julian Margrave in the mix, they are an experienced group.
“We return 80 percent of our scoring from last year, and I think we’ve added more depth this year as well,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our practices have been very competitive so I think the competition for varsity minutes will elevate our play, not only in games, but in practice. It’s been fun watching this senior class develop over the years.
“We return three starters, (who were all All-League players) from last year, and lots of other guys that saw significant court time as well. We lost a starting guard and post player, but I think we have guys ready to fill those voids. We definitely like what we have returning and look forward to making a jump this year.”
One player who hopes to take another big step forward this year is Margrave. The Louisburg junior was among the Frontier League’s best last season as he was a unanimous first team selection as he averaged 16 points and seven rebounds a contest.
The 6-foot-9 forward will be the focus of a lot of opposition most nights, but Pfannenstiel is looking forward to seeing how much he has improved.
“Julian had a great sophomore season,” Pfannenstiel said. “He was a unanimous 1st Team All-League player, which is hard to do as a sophomore in the Frontier League. As good as he was last year, I’ve already seen improvement this year. He’s still growing into his body and he’s much more explosive this year. His continued effort and work in the weight room is evident by that. Julian works hard on his game. He’s always the first one to arrive and the last one to leave the gym each day. He has a chance to have a special year.”
Ben Guetterman is one of six returning seniors for the Wildcat basketball team this season.
Also retuning are guards Weston and Ben Guetterman. Both players were honorable mention all-league players last season.
Weston averaged 11.2 points, to go along with four assists and a four rebounds a game. Ben finished the year as he averaged 11.1 points a contest and 5.5 rebounds. Weston is the team’s returning point guard and Pfannenstiel knows that leadership will be valuable on and off the court.
“Weston has been solid for us,” Pfannenstiel said. “This will be his third year as a starter, so we will rely on his consistency and ability to lead on the floor. Weston sets the tempo for us, so we expect big things out of him this year.”
Vohs and juniors Maverick Rockers, Michael Seuferling and Isaac Guetterman will also be called upon to play plenty of varsity minutes at the guard spots as each contributed a season ago. Peters, Barnes and Hupp will also be a presence down low for the Wildcats.
To add on to what is already a difficult league schedule, the Wildcats also have to try and plan for an impossible opponent – COVID-19. Louisburg has already faced challenges on how to work around all the guidelines, but the players are excited to just be able to play.
“We were fortunate to be able to have a camp this summer, but that was about it,” Pfannenstiel said. “We usually play 20-25 games in the summer and that was not allowed, so we lost all of that summer prep. Already this season, we were missing four players from practice due to quarantines, but we have everyone back now.
“The biggest change this year is how we practice. We have to cohort our JV and varsity guys for practice so we’ve really had to adjust our practice routine to allow for that. Coach (Drew) Harding and myself are going to be in better shape now because we have to be an extra body in 5 on 5 situations. All of the changes do make it difficult, but we all feel fortunate that we are getting the opportunity to play, so we will do whatever is necessary for that to happen.”
Four seniors to guide Lady Cats basketball
Alyse Moore is one of four Louisburg seniors to guide the Lady Cats this season.
The season hasn’t quite started for the Louisburg girls basketball team, but COVID-19 is already making its presence known in the program.
In its close to three weeks of practice, the Lady Cats have yet to be able to practice as a full group. It is just one of the many challenges for first-year head coach Adrianne Lane, as Louisburg preps for its season opener this Friday.
“We have had a rough start with COVID, as we have had to quarantine two different groups at different times so far this season,” Lane said. “It is hard to prepare for quarantines, but we are conditioning and trying to be in good shape so if we only have a few girls for games we will be able to still compete. We also have had a couple walk through practices to help the girls learn the plays and we will continue to do this throughout the season. I feel them being mentally strong is as important as physically strong.”
Louisburg is coming off an 8-13 season, which included a close first round loss to Baldwin in the playoffs. It was one of the better games the Lady Cats had played all season and they are hoping to use that and get off to a good start this season.
Even with all the quarantine problems, Louisburg has a good base on which to build off of, starting with four seniors.
Megan Foote, Alyse Moore, Madilyn Melton and Brooklyn Diederich all started last season for Louisburg and three of them were all-Frontier League players a year ago. All four figure to play big roles for the Lady Cats this season.
Melton was the team’s leading scorer from a season ago and earned second team all-league honors. She averaged 13 points and seven rebounds a year ago from the forward spot.
Senior Madilyn Melton returns as the Lady Cats’ leading scorer as she averaged more than 13 points a game last season.
Moore and Diederich both earned honorable mention all-league honors and Diederich was the team’s best 3-pointer shooter, along with being strong defensively with six deflections and two steals a contest.
Moore, one of the team’s post players, led Louisburg with eight rebounds a game a season ago to go along with nine points and three steals.
Foote served as the team’s point guard last season and looks to guide the Lady Cat offense. The players have made Lane’s first year as seamless as possible
“This has been an easy transition for me and that is because of the girls and how they have made me feel welcome,” Lane said “The girls have great attitudes and are willing to put in the work to learn and get better daily. Having four returning seniors has been a blessing. These four girls are great leaders and they have set the tone for this year’s team.”
Louisburg also returns several underclassmen that are prepared to play vital roles as well, starting with Delaney Wright. The Louisburg junior guard started several games a season ago, while junior Jordan Mynsted will see a lot of time under the basket. Sophomore guards Brianne Kuhlman and Adyson Ross will see varsity time as well.
Although the Lady Cats return experience from a season ago, they are not resting on their laurels and are looking forward to having a winning season.
With all the absences from practice, Lane is currently putting together her varsity players that are available, with the junior varsity to help create as strong of a lineup as possible early in the season.
The Lady Cats open the year Friday at home against Tonganoxie.
“This team has many strengths, but I feel our greatest strength is our work ethic,” Lane said. “The girls work very hard and practice hard every day and they are not afraid to battle against each other. They make each other better every day.
