For the sixth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Emma Lohse – Senior – Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Lohse was a big varsity contributor for the Lady Cat basketball team and blazed the track for the Louisburg girls as the team’s top sprinter.

On the track, Lohse recorded three state medals, including a pair of individual medals. She was the state runner-up in the 100-meter dash and later finished seventh in the 200 dash. Lohse was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that medaled third and broke the school record in four straight meets. She also qualified for state in the 4×400-meter relay.

On the basketball court, Lohse was one of the Lady Cats’ top defenders as she played a big role on a team that reached the sub-state championship game.

Emma Prettyman – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman was a starter, or key contributor on three different Wildcat teams this past school year, including the volleyball, basketball and track and field programs.

On the volleyball court, Prettyman was one of the Lady Cats’ middle hitters as she helped Louisburg to a fourth place finish at the state tournament. She finished with a team-high 60 blocks and had 166 kills.

Prettyman was the starting center for Louisburg basketball as the Lady Cats earned a spot in the sub-state championship game. She was among the team leaders in rebounds with 6.5 a contest and had two assists a game. She was named to the All-Frontier League Defensive Team.

Prettyan was also the top thrower on the Lady Cat track and field team and earned a spot at the state meet in the discus. It was there where she earned her first state medal as she took sixth overall.

Adyson Ross – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross started for three different Wildcat programs this past season and it all started last fall in volleyball.

Ross, who started the season as an outside hitter, made the move to libero halfway through the year and thrived in her new role. She recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces. She helped the Lady Cats to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament and earned second-team all-league honors.

On the basketball court, Ross was a starting wing for the Lady Cats as she helped them advance to the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals. Ross was selected first team all-league and earned a spot in the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. She also earned second team all-state honors.

On the pitch, Ross was one of the top goal scorers on a Wildcat team that reached the regional championship match. She finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.

Rowan Yows – Sophomore – Soccer

Lady Cat sophomore Rowan Yows was a key part of the Louisburg girls soccer team this past season that saw the Lady Cats reach the sub-state championship game.

Yows, who played in the midfield, was the team’s leading scorer with 19 goals on the season and led the team with 50 shots on goal. She also tallied 11 assists on the season.

For the sixth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Kaven Bartlett – Senior – Wrestling and Soccer

Kaven Bartlett competed on the Louisburg wrestling and boys soccer team, but Bartlett was a fixture on the mat for the Wildcat wrestling program.

Bartlett qualified for state at 138 pounds and became a 3-time state qualifier for Louisburg and was a state medalist in 2022. He finished with a 119-45 career record and was a two-time team captain and four-year letter winner. Those 119 wins are fifth in program history and he has 158 career takedowns and 726.5 career points, which is both third in team history. He was named the 2023 LHS Wrestler of the Year.

Bartlett was also a defender on the Wildcat soccer team his past season. The Wildcats advanced to the regional championship game.

Declan Battle – Junior – Football and Baseball

Declan Battle had big seasons for both the Wildcat football and baseball programs.

Under the lights on the football field, Battle was the Wildcat starting quarterback as he led his team to an undefeated Frontier League championship. The dual-threat quarterback scored 23 total touchdowns and totaled more than 1,700 yards. That performance led him to a first-team All-Frontier League, along with all-state honors.

On the diamond, Battle was the Wildcats’ starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter. He scored 32 runs on the year, which is a Wildcat program record. Battle also recorded a .429 average to go along with five doubles and three triples. He also stole 17 bases. His performance also earned him second team All-Frontier League and all-state honors.

Mason Dobbins – Senior – Football, Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was a fixture for three Wildcat programs this past season. Dobbins was the starting wide receiver on the football field, starting forward on the basketball team and a state medalist for the track program.

Dobbins stood out the most in the track and field arena. He qualified for state in four events and medaled in all four as he helped the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish this past May. 

Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins has won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

On the football field, Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors. 

On the basketball court, Dobbins was named to the All-Frontier League defensive team. He led the Wildcats with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and 1 block per contest.

Cade Gassman – Senior – Soccer, Basketball and Track and Field

Cade Gassman was a starter, or key contributor, for three Wildcat programs during 2022-23 school year. Gassman was the starting midfielder and captain for the soccer team, starting guard on the basketball court and a jumper for the track and field program.

Gassman made his biggest impact on the pitch for Louisburg. As a midfielder, Gassman drew a lot of attention from the opposition as he finished with five goals and four assists on the season to lead the Wildcats to the regional title match. In his career, he is one of the more prolific scorers in school history.

The Louisburg senior finished with 47 career goals, which is second in program history and was third in school history with 26 career assists. His 120 career points is also second in Wildcat history. He is a four-time all-state and all-Frontier League first team selection.

On the hardwood, Gassman was the starting guard for the Wildcats and he recorded 39 rebounds and had 22 assists to go along with 14 steals. On the track, Gassman was a state qualifier in the high jump for Louisburg and finished 11th overall at state.

Nathan Vincent, Senior, Football and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent played big roles for both the Wildcat football team and track and field program. Vincent was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football team and a state medalist in track.

On the football field, Vincent started on both sides of the ball as he earned all-state and all league honors. He finished with 80 tackles as a defensive end to go along with 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. Vincent was a key member of the offensive line as he helped the Wildcats to more than 33 points per game. He earned first team all-league offensive league honors and second team-defense. He also recorded first team all-state honors and was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Vincent was the Wildcats’ top thrower for the track and field program. Vincent recorded three state medals as he helped Louisburg to a state runner-up team finish. At state, Vincent medaled third in the shot put, fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin. In all, Vincent has won five career state medals, with three coming in the javelin.

Colyer Wingfield, Senior, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield had a big season for both the Wildcat basketball team and track program. Wingfield was the leading scorer for the Wildcat basketball program, and was a part of two state relays in track.

Wingfield earned a lot of success on the hardwood as he was named to the All-Frontier League second team. He led the Wildcats in scoring at 17.4 points per game and pulled down nearly six rebounds a contest.

On the track, Wingfield helped the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay to state medals as both finished third at the state meet last month. The 4×100 relay set a new school record in the process. He also did the long and triple jumps for the Wildcats.

Louisburg High School will have a new boys basketball coach next season as the school district hired Blue Valley North assistant Ben Doll earlier this month. It will be Doll’s first head coaching position after 24 years as an assistant.

Ben Doll has been a part of a lot of winning basketball over the last two decades.

Doll has patrolled the sidelines as an assistant for two state championship teams and has coached in numerous state tournaments over his 24 year career.

Now, he is ready is to bring that winning attitude and experience to Louisburg.

During the USD 416 Board of Education meeting earlier this month, Doll was hired as the new head coach for the Wildcat boys basketball program. He takes over for Ty Pfannenstiel, who spent six years in that role, before becoming the school’s new activities director last month.

This will be Doll’s first head coaching position after spending time as an assistant at St. Thomas Aquinas, Johnson County Community College, Lansing and Blue Valley North.

“I am really excited to get going,” Doll said. “It has been a long time coming. I have a lot of great experiences and I am ready to apply those things I have learned into this job. I am ready to put my own stamp on some stuff as well.”

Doll has been waiting for the right spot to start his head coaching journey and he found it in Louisburg. After talks with Pfannenstiel and his family, he realized Louisburg is the right destination for him.

“A little bit was opportunity and a little bit was Ty reaching out and getting me interested in Louisburg,” Doll said. “I have in-laws that used to live there and they told me it was a nice community. I just thought it would be a great place to go and get this first job. 

“Louisburg could be a sleeping giant in 4A. Judging by the guys we have coming back, there is some talent in the area. It is a situation similar to the one I had in Lansing. That appealed to me.”

Doll was an assistant at Lansing for eight years under Rod Briggs. He was on the Lions’ staff that made four consecutive state tournament runs and won the state title in that fourth year.

It is that continuity that Doll believes was one of the reasons for their success. It was the same type of thing he saw at Blue Valley North under head coach Ryan Phifer.

The Mustangs won the Class 6A state title in 2021 with a group of athletes that played together for several years and built a level of familiarity with each other.

“In both cases we had a group of kids that play a lot together,” Doll said. “They knew each other really well. With both teams, many of them had played in the state tournament before they actually won it. We went four years in a row in Lansing and it just built from there. 

“Blue Valley North was the exact same thing. They were friends that played club ball together and they were able to have success. The year during COVID, we were the last game before they shut the state tournament down. We had to tell them after the game and that was a huge heartbreak. We could have won the title that year too. The program just builds when you have continuity and you have to get a good group of kids together and play together over time. There is little luck too.”

Doll is looking forward to putting those winning aspects on the Wildcat program. He will also bring some changes with him as far as what playing style he would like to see on both ends of the floor.

“I want to play an up and down, running type of style,” Doll said. “I think players like that, and when done right, it is a good way to play. We don’t want half-court sets, grind it out type of basketball. We want to score quick if we can. Defensively we want to pressure with great man-to-man defense. You have to adjust to your players, but we would like to press if we can. Kids like playing that way and it is a fun style of basketball. We can get a lot of more kids in the game playing that style. Would like to have an 8-9-man deep rotation so we can shuffle kids in and out, so we can keep that pressure on.”

“At the same time, we want to build great young men and men of character. Sports can be an avenue to those challenges in life. In a community like Louisburg, there will be kids who look up to our players, so I want them to be good to the kids and community. We want to represent Louisburg well.”

Doll already had a chance to meet the returning members from last year’s team and also looked over some game film from last season. Although he is still trying to get to know this group, he is looking forward to the start of summer activities.

“It was nice to meet some of those soon-to-be seniors and put some names with faces,” Doll said. “I am really excited to get out on the court for our first team camp and that is when we will get to know each other. Get a basketball out there and start going at it.”

Along with the normal weekly camp in June, Doll is also offering another youth camp in early July for those interested in getting more work in and registration can be found here.

He has also created a new Twitter page and fans can follow the program @LHSWildcatBB. 

Louisburg boys basketball coach Ty Pfannenstiel will take over the school’s activities director role next school year. He also resigned his basketball position after coaching the Wildcats for the last six years.

Beginning next school year, Louisburg High School activities will have a little different look to it — especially at the top.

Ty Pfannenstiel will serve as the school’s new activities director and will take over for current AD, Michael Pickman, who will focus on his assistant principal duties and curriculum. 

Pfannenstiel, who has been the boys basketball coach for the last six years, resigned his post to take on the activities director position. He also stepped down as an assistant football coach.

Currently the weight room instructor, Pfannenstiel will spend half his day teaching and the other half in the AD role.

All of the moves were approved during Monday’s meeting of the USD 416 Board of Education.

“This is very exciting for me,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s definitely going to be a change. I have been a teacher and a coach for 18 years. I still get to be a teacher half-time, and now I get to step into a new role as an administrator. It is going to be all sports and activities and I am looking forward to the new direction.”

As for Pickman, he gets the opportunity to focus more on the academic side as a full-time assistant principal. He was hired as an assistant principal/ activities director in April of 2020.

“I am very excited to commit more fully to the assistant principal role as education and curriculum have always been my true passion,” Pickman said. “Being able to support the teachers, students, and administrative staff by providing data, feedback, and assessing teaching and learning goals and initiatives in the building and district aligns with that passion and the opportunity arose to allow for that. I hope to enable and promote continued growth in the various curriculums and initiatives and structures that make Louisburg a fantastic district in a supportive community.

“Ty has experience and is passionate about athletics and activities. As it is where his passion is, I have every confidence he will do a fantastic job in his new role and look forward to witnessing where he takes our programs moving forward.”

Pickman took over LHS activities at a difficult time as the school was coming back from COVID-19 and the all challenges it presented. As tough as that situation was, he appreciated the relationships he built.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as activities director and was presented a fantastic growth opportunity and am grateful for being given it,” Pickman said. “I had a goal of being present for athletes and coaches and for the patrons, so I hope people saw that presence. I was blessed to have great leadership in place in our coaches and sponsors, and tried to support them best by advocating for their needs and supporting them to do their job of being great role models and passing on their passion and knowledge to students.

“Ultimately, I am most proud of our student athletes and activity participants and being part of their journey. I believe that sports are an extension of the classroom and I wanted to help ensure that character and sportsmanship were just as important and success, and I am overjoyed to have a wealth of memories where our fans, students, participants, and coaches and sponsors proved that to be true of LHS.”

While taking on the challenge of being a new administrator is one he is looking forward to, leaving his coaching roots behind was a difficult decision for Pfannenstiel.

In 2021, Pfannenstiel led the Wildcat boys basketball team to the Class 4A state championship game and finished as the state runner-up.

“That was definitely the biggest thing that was holding me back,” Pfannenstiel said. “I love basketball and the kids that I have worked with. There is a group coming up that I really enjoy coaching, and leaving that behind was one of the biggest challenges for me. Whoever takes over the program, I think it will be good transition for them because they will have a great group of kids to work with.

“Originally, I was going to be allowed to coach a sport and they didn’t want to take coaching away from me. The more I thought about it, if I want to do a good job at this, I need to focus on being the AD and that will be something that will benefit me and all the other activities.”

Pfannenstiel believes the move is a good one for the school in general as it will allow Pickman and principal Amy VanRheen to focus more on the academic side of things.

“This is something that is definitely needed,” Pfannenstiel said. “Our administrators are so busy with all the stuff they do during the school day, but they are also going to all the activities as well. Hopefully this will be a big help for Mrs. VanRheen and Mr. Pickman.”

Although he won’t official start his new position till next school year, Pfannenstiel is already starting to transition into his new role — one that is looking forward to.

“My job in the weight room and coaching has all been about sports,” he said. “That is what entices me about this job is that I am still going to be all about sports and activities. I just want to be a support for our coaches and our athletes and be advocate for our students.” 

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield led the Wildcats in scoring and was second on the team in rebounding this season. Wingfield was named to the all-league second team.

The Frontier League showed how difficult it was at times this season, as it put two teams in the state tournament in both Baldwin and Eudora.

Louisburg had its fair share of ups and downs through the league slate, but the coaches recognized a pair of Wildcat players when all-league teams were released Sunday.

Senior Colyer Wingfield was named to the All-Frontier League second team, while senior Mason Dobbins was selected to the All-Defensive Team.

“Our league is loaded with talent, so for Colyer to be a second team selection is quite the honor,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Year in, year out it is hard to get guys on this list, so I was excited that Colyer was recognized by the league coaches.”

Wingfield was the go-to scorer for the Wildcats as he always drew the attention of opposing defenses. He averaged 17.4 points per games to lead Louisburg and also had nearly 6 rebounds a contest, which was second on the team.

“Colyer had an outstanding season,” Pfannenstiel said. “His points per game is the second highest in the six years that I’ve been the coach. Colyer was asked to do a lot for us. He was our point guard and had to take on a scoring role for us as well. Teams were always keying on him and he still found a way to produce for us offensively.  He was very consistent all year, which is really hard to do. 

“Colyer took on a leadership role this year and led our team both on and off the court. He’s a good kid that does things the right way. We are going to miss his off court presence just as much as his on court presence.”

For the first time, the coaches also put together an All-Defensive Team and Dobbins earned that honor for the Wildcats.

He led Louisburg with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with one block and 1.5 steals a game.

“Mason had a nice year for us after coming back to play after his freshman year,” Pfannenstiel said. “He was a force for us on the defensive end and on the boards. He was the second leading rebounder in the league. He played with great energy each night and kept improving game after game.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Caleb Carr, Baldwin, senior

Logan Sullivan, Eudora, junior

Tavian Cruse, Bonner Springs, senior

Cole Parker, Eudora, senior

Kalen Streit, Bonner Springs, junior

SECOND TEAM

Colyer Wingfield, Louisburg, senior

Chase Bond, Spring Hill, junior

Caleb Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Landon Taylor, Paola, senior

Cameron Doss, Bonner Springs, senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Luke Metcalf, Spring Hill, senior

Cooper Carr, Baldwin, freshman

Conor Dunback, Eudora, senior

Samuel Darnell, Baldwin, senior

Aiden McCullough, Ottawa, freshman

Kale Hammerschmidt, Eudora, senior

Ryker Grossner, Baldwin, junior

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Samuel Darnell, Baldwin, senior

Kalen Streit, Bonner Springs, junior

Micah Barron, Eudora, senior

Mason Dobbins, Louisburg, senior

Carter Hepner, Ottawa, sophomore

Landon Taylor, Paola, senior

James Allen, Spring Hill, junior

Talon Langford, Tonganoxie, sophomore

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was named to the All-Frontier League first team earlier this week. Ross led the team in scoring and rebounding.

After finishing with 15 wins on the year, and as one of the top teams in the Frontier League, postseason honors are starting to roll in for the Louisburg girls basketball team.

The Lady Cats earned four sports on the All-Frontier League team that was released earlier this week, and another on the newly formed All-Defensive Team that was put together by the coaches.

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was named to the first team, while senior Brianne Kuhlman was a second team selection. Seniors Ava Baker and Delanie Tally were named honorable mentions.

Senior forward Emma Prettyman was the All-Defensive Team selection from Louisburg as each coach nominated a player from their respective team.

“Having four girls get votes for all-league shows how much of a team effort this season was,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “We had girls step-up at different times throughout the season and it is so awesome to see so many of our girls get recognized.

“The Frontier League is very competitive and most league games are very intense and tough match-ups. Every game we had to battle till the end.”

Ross was a big part of the Lady Cats’ run to the sub-state championship game this season as she led her team in scoring and rebounding. 

The Louisburg senior averaged 12.7 points a game to go along with 6.7 rebounds per contest. She also averaged 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals a game.

“Adyson had a great year,” Lane said. “She did a great job getting offensive rebounds and easy put backs all season. Her first team selection was for sure earned. She was a hard matchup for most teams because she did such a great job rebounding in the lane.”

Kuhlman served as the Lady Cats’ starting point guard for the last three seasons and was also an important part to the team’s success. 

She averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds a game. Kuhlman also led the team with 45 assists and had 26 steals.

“Brianne has been such a constant and consistent player for the girls’ basketball program for three years,” Lane said. “I was very excited to see her get recognized this season. Having a point guard who is consistent and takes care of the ball like Brianne did, does not go unnoticed by coaches.”

Tally was second on the team in scoring for Louisburg as she averaged nearly 10 points a contest and led the Lady Cats with 47 3-pointers on the season. She also led Louisburg with 47 steals.

As for Baker, the Louisburg forward averaged almost eight points and had more than three rebounds a game. She also finished with 17 steals and 10 blocked shots.

“Delanie did a great job this season,” Lane said. “Not only is she a great shooter, but she always played hard on defense and always guarded a tough player on the opposing team. 

“Ava is a great shooter and she did a great job getting opportunities to score. She finished the season hard on the defensive side of the ball as well. I was very excited to see both of them get recognized.”

Prettyman, who was in the middle of the Lady Cat defense, was also recognized for her work on that end of the floor as the all-defensive team selection. She led the team in blocked shots with 13 and was second on the team with 6.5 rebounds a game.

“Having an all-defensive Frontier team is a great way to recognize more players in our league,” Lane said. “With our league being as tough as it is, I really liked the idea of recognizing more players and recognizing ones who play hard on defense. I think we could have had three or four girls on there.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL

FIRST TEAM

Mariyah Noel, Bonner Springs, senior

Jenna Weber, Spring Hill, senior

Brooklyn Hadl, Ottawa, senior

Karly Neufeld, Baldwin, senior

Adyson Ross, Louisburg, senior

SECOND TEAM

Sydney Buscher, Spring Hill, sophomore

Maggie Kauk, Paola, senior

Sawyer Schreiner, Eudora, senior

Brianne Kuhlman, Louisburg, senior

Foster Nichols, Ottawa, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Pirsten Leslie, Bonner Springs, junior

Alyssa Reichard, Baldwin, junior

Ava Baker, Louisburg, senior

Wren VanCleave, Bonner Springs, senior

Delanie Tally, Louisburg, senior

Maddie Pitzer, Paola, senior

Makenzie Yoder, Eudora, junior

Emery Keebaugh, Ottawa, junior

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Emma Prettyman, Louisburg, senior

Emery Keebaugh, Ottawa, junior

Bailey Smith, Baldwin, junior

Jayla Erpelding, Eudora, junior

Jenna Weber, Spring Hill, senior

Wren VanCleave, Bonner Springs, senior

Maddie Pitzer, Paola, senior

Alyssa Schoeneck, Tonganoxie, freshman

Louisburg seniors Delanie Tally (left) and Brianne Kuhlman tries to trap Parsons’ Iniya Hinman on Saturday during the Class 4A sub-state championship at Louisburg High School.

As the final buzzer sounded, reality quickly started to sink in for members of the Louisburg girls basketball team. 

The Lady Cats, who were just one win away from a state tournament appearance, saw their season come to a close in heartbreaking fashion.

Louisburg fell in a close contest to Parsons, 41-39, in the Class 4A sub-state championship game Saturday at Louisburg High School. The loss ended its season with a 15-7 record, while the Vikings made their first state tournament in 30 years.

It was also the final game for seven Lady Cats seniors as Adyson Ross, Delanie Tally, Emma Lohse, Emma Prettyman, Ava Baker, Brianne Kuhlman and Tehya Harvey said goodbye to the program.

“Losing is never fun, but this loss was super tough for the girls,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “This team truly loves basketball and spending time together. They will miss more than playing basketball, they will miss each other and the team chemistry.”

The basket was not Louisburg’s friend Saturday as the Lady Cats shot 26 percent from the floor, many of those misses rimming out and open looks not falling.

Still, the Lady Cats did the work on the defensive end as they forced 21 turnovers and also pulled down 13 offensive rebounds. These extra opportunities turned into 12 second chance points, which were big for Louisburg.

However, the Lady Cats were just a few points short in their goal of getting to the state tournament. 

“The shots not falling were very frustrating,” Lane said. “I felt like we had several shots go in and out. The girls were taking great shots out of the offense, but we had a hard time getting them to fall.”

Parsons jumped out to a quick start as the Vikings led 11-6 after the first quarter, but Louisburg flipped the script in the second quarter and was able to take an 18-16 halftime lead.

The game was tied heading into the fourth quarter, but Parsons’ Iniya Hinman took over as she scored nine of the team’s 13 points in the final period. Parsons eventually built a seven-point lead late in the contest and Hinman finished with a game-high 25 points.

“Parsons was a good team and (Hinman) is a great player,” Lane said. “She was super athletic and was a natural scorer. She did a great job finishing in the lane when she did get looks.”

The Lady Cats tried to rally back. Ross grabbed and offensive rebound and a putback to cut it to five.

Then after a Parsons turnovers, Tally made a runner in the lane to make it a 3-point game with under a minute left. The Vikings then beat the Lady Cat press for a layup on the other end to extend their lead.

Baker kept Louisburg in it with a long 3-pointer to make it a 41-39 game. Parsons would go on to miss free throws and give the Lady Cats a chance to tie or take the lead with 14 seconds left.

Louisburg missed a pair of shots and the Vikings escaped the win.

“The girls tried everything we asked them to,” Lane said. “They worked hard and battled even when shots were not falling. They fought back after a tough first quarter, and never gave in. I know this team will be remembered for battling and fighting.”

Baker led the Lady Cats in scoring with 11 points on the night and also had a team-best seven rebounds and four steals. Ross added nine points and six rebounds in the loss.

Prettyman tallied six points and seven rebounds, while Tally added seven points. Kuhlman chipped in four points and had five rebounds and a team-best three assists from the point guard spot.

“This team has been so fun to coach,” Lane said. “I have coached the upperclassmen for three years, and I can say that I am so proud of them and all of their hard work and effort they put into this program. Their attitudes and their hard work every day set the tone for our team.

LOU 6 12 10 11 — 39

PAR 11 5 12 13 — 41

LOUISBURG (15-7): Ava Baker 4-12 2-4 11; Adyson Ross 3-11 3-4 9; Delanie Tally 3-11 0-0 7; Emma Prettyman 3-8 0-2 6; Brianne Kuhlman 1-8 1-2 4; Ashley Branine 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 15-56 6-12 39. 3-point field goals: 3, (Tally, Baker, Kuhlman)

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week 12 of the winter sports season, sponsored by Prime Accounting Solutions.

DELANIE TALLY, SENIOR, GIRLS BASKETBALL

Louisburg’s Delanie Tally had a strong senior campaign for the the Lady Cat basketball team as she helped the Lady Cats to a 15-7 record on the season and a spot in in the sub-state championship game. On the year, Tally was second on the team in scoring as she averaged nearly 10 points a game. She was also the top outside shooter with a team-best 47 made 3-pointers.

Tally also contributed on the defensive end for Louisburg. She finished the year with a team-high 2.1 steals a game as she was tasked with guarding one of the opponents’ top players.

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: Adyson Ross

Week 2: Colin Brown

Week 3: Colyer Wingfield

Week 4: Kaven Bartlett

Week 5: Trace Eslinger

Week 6: Jay McCaskill

Week 7: Andrew Jamison

Week 8: Brianne Kuhlman

Week 9: Colton Prettyman

Week 10: Elijah Eslinger

Week 11: Emma Prettyman

Louisburg senior Brianne Kuhlman knocked down 7-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes to help the Lady Cats to a 51-39 win Tuesday over Chanute in the sub-state semifinals.

Any coach will say how important free throws are in a close game and that was no different Tuesday for Louisburg.

In what was a tight contest in the Class 4A sub-state semifinals against Chanute, the Lady Cats knocked down 10 of 12 from the free-throw line in the final two minutes to earn a 51-39 win over the Blue Comets.

“Free throws are huge and I tell them that all the time,” Louisburg coach Adrianne Lane said. “It is the difference between winning and losing. We made 10 down the stretch and we won by 12. It is a huge difference there if we don’t make them.”

Louisburg stayed calm and collected at the line, especially senior Brianne Kuhlman. The 3-year starting point guard knocked down 7 of 8 free throws to help seal the win for the Lady Cats. Emma Prettyman also hit a pair of free throws and Emma Lohse made one late.

After a close first half where Louisburg led by just three at halftime, it was the Lady Cats’ defense that played a big role in the third quarter. Louisburg held Chanute to just four points in the frame and was able to build an 11-point lead early in the fourth.

The Blue Comets made one final run at it as they trimmed the Louisburg lead to 37-35 midway through the fourth, but senior Delanie Tally knocked in a 3-pointer to give the Lady Cats a little cushion.

Louisburg took care of the rest at the free-throw line as it earned a spot in the sub-state championship with the win.

“I was so proud of them to just stick with it and keep playing hard,” Lane said. “Obviously the free throws were huge. I think we made like 10 of them down the stretch. I think in that third quarter too we came out with more energy and got a lead.”

Chanute also employed things the Lady Cats hadn’t seen most of the season, including a zone trap near half-court. On offense, the Blue Comets ran a lot of motion and cuts that allowed them to get some easy baskets.

“Their defense was something we really haven’t seen yet this year,” Lane said. “I was a little worried about it going in because they play that zone defense really high. The second half we did a little better job of knowing when to attack it, versus just passing around it. We got better as the game went on.

“We hadn’t really seen what Chanute does on offense either with all the motion and different cuts they made. That is why we didn’t pressure all that much either. They did a lot of back cuts and that is not something we are used to guarding. I do think that Chanute is developing into a good team. That is the same team that played us here last year and they have gotten better.”

Kuhlman, who did a lot her damage at the free-throw line, led the Lady Cats in scoring with 14 points and also had four rebounds and three assists. Adyson Ross finished with 13 points and four rebounds.

Prettyman, who was also a factor on the inside, finished with eight points and eight rebounds. Tally added a pair of 3-pointers and three assists, while senior Ava Baker had a team-high three steals and five points. 

The Lady Cats (15-6) are now one game away from the state tournament as they host Parsons (15-6) at 6 p.m. tonight for the sub-state championship. Parsons rallied from 16 points down to defeat Holton, 63-54, in their semifinal contest.

Louisburg knows it will be another tough challenge as it tries for its second state tournament appearance in three years.

“The girls are really excited,” Lane said. “We want to get back to Salina. That is the ultimate goal. Some of them were there two years ago, didn’t get to play a lot, but they felt what it was like. They want a chance to get on that floor and show what they are capable of.”

LOU 10 13 11 17 — 51

CHA 9 11 4 15 — 39

LOUISBURG (15-6): Brianne Kuhlman 3-5 7-8 14; Adyson Ross 6-13 0-0 13; Emma Prettyman 3-6 2-2 8; Delanie Tally 2-10 0-0 6; Ava Baker 2-9 0-0 5; Emma Lohse 1-5 1-2 3; Ashley Branine 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 17-48 10-12 51. 3-point field goals: 5, (Tally 2, Kuhlman, Baker, Ross)

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield drives to the bucket for two points Tuesday during the Wildcats’ sub-state tournament game at Bishop Miege. The Wildcats fell to the Stags, 87-42.

ROELAND PARK — Louisburg knew going up against Bishop Miege was going to be a tall task.

Bishop Miege, which has won five of the last six state championships in Class 4A, would be a big challenge for any team. 

A slow start dampened any hopes the Wildcats had of keeping their season alive. Miege downed Louisburg, 87-42, in the first round of the Class 4A sub-state tournament Tuesday at Bishop Miege High School.

“We got off to a slow start and I thought we would come out with a little more energy than we did,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “It took us a while to get used to the speed of the game and I thought we would be the team that had the energy. It just took us a little while to get there. We finally figured that out. 

“That second half was good and we played with better pace. The ball got moving and that is something we stressed all week. Against a team as good defensively as they are, it is going to be tough to get good looks, but if we move the ball enough then we can get some. That was the difference between the halves.”

The Stags got out to a quick start and took a 23-5 lead after the first quarter and led the Wildcats 49-15 at halftime. Miege’s Daegan Jensen was tough to stop all night for Louisburg as he scored a game-high 34 points and missed just four shots from the field.

Louisburg found its footing in the third quarter as the Wildcats scored 24 points —  nine more than they did the entire first half. Miege scored 27 of its own.

“That was the thing, we were able to score in that third quarter, but we just couldn’t get any stops at all,” Pfannenstiel said. “If we could have started off the game that way, maybe the game could have had a different feel to it. We got down early and took us awhile to get going.

“We knew with their athleticism that it would be tough for us to guard them man. Figured we would try to slow them down with the zone, but they passed the ball really well. They are a very good team.”

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield led the team in scoring in his final game as a Wildcat. Wingfield finished with a team-high 16 points and four rebounds.

Senior Mason Dobbins also had a strong outing in his final game in a Louisburg uniform. He finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Along with Wingfield and Dobbins, seniors Cade Gassman, Isaiah Whitley and Trey Myers also played their last game for Louisburg.

It is a team that Pfannenstiel has been proud to coach all season.

“I really enjoyed this group and they do the right things,” Pfannenstiel said. “I told them after the game that a lot of people on the outside think basketball is a November to March deal, but this is something we have been building on for a long time. These guys have put the effort in. They have put a lot of hours in during the summer and in the weight room. 

“That is what makes it tough when it is over because there was a lot of effort that was put into the season. I am proud of the way they played and the way they represented our school and community. They did things the right way.”

LOU 5 10 24 3 — 42

BM 23 26 27 11 — 87

LOUISBURG (8-13): Colyer Wingfield 4-12 6-10 16; Mason Dobbins 5-7 1-3 11; Luke Schultz 1-2 2-3 4; Myles Vohs 1-3 1-2 3; Conlee Hovey 1-2 0-0 2; Cade Gassman 1-1 0-0 2; Isaiah Whitley 1-4 0-0 2; Brock Vohs 1-2 0-2 2. Totals: 15-44 10-21 42. 3-point field goals: 2, (Wingfield 2)