Louisburg’s Ava Baker is looking forward to continuing her basketball career this upcoming season at Coffeyville Community College.

Playing basketball in college has always been on Ava Baker’s to do list, in fact, it is right up at the top.

Thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication, Baker can now check that off.

Back in early May, Baker signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Coffeyville Community College this upcoming season. It was just the opportunity she was hoping for.

“To be able to sign and play basketball at the next level was a dream come true,” Baker said. “I started playing basketball in the first grade, and playing in college has been my dream ever since.”

Baker, who spent her last two years at Louisburg High School after transferring from Gardner-Edgerton, wanted to find a new home that was similar to Louisburg.

After visiting Coffeyville, it was apparent early on that Baker knew this was the place for her.

“When I went down to Coffeyville, I got to watch in on a practice and a game,” Baker said. “The whole time I was there I just wanted to go out on the court with them, which was a feeling I hadn’t had at a lot of the other schools I visited. They were laughing and having fun the whole time, and in a way it reminded me of Louisburg. 

“Their playing style was also something that stood out to me. On offense they trust their players to take the right shot and on defense they play fast and in your face. It was all very similar to (Louisburg) coach (Adrianne) Lane’s style and I am excited to continue playing that way.”

Baker joins a Coffeyville team that finished with a 21-13 record a year ago and reached the Region VI championship game. 

The Red Ravens are led by Tony Turner, who is entering his fifth season as head coach and he believes Baker will be able to help his team on the wing. 

Baker is also excited about getting started on the academic side as well as she hopes to become an athletic trainer.

“Coach Turner and I have talked quite a bit about where he sees me playing, since I play the 2-5 positions it gets kind of confusing,” Baker said. “He said he sees me going back to a true shooting guard, which I was very excited about. 

“My goals for Coffeyville are to help contribute and build off the successful season they just came off of. They have some good players that graduated and I’m ready to be that role player and do whatever it takes. Outside of basketball I plan to start on my journey of becoming an athletic trainer. They are one of the few community colleges in Kansas that offer special athletic training classes with a hands on program, which I am excited about.”

Baker had a big senior season for Louisburg as she finished as an All-Frontier League honorable mention. She averaged almost eight points and had more than three rebounds a game. She also finished with 17 steals and 10 blocked shots.

It was a memorable two years for Baker at Louisburg, and one she will always treasure.

“I feel my two years at Louisburg have helped turned me into the player I am,” Baker said. “When I first came here I hated everything about defense, which is Lane’s favorite part of the game, and she helped me grow to love it. Towards the end of my senior season I found myself often smiling because I was so eager to try and get the ball back. 

“I also switched positions coming here, which I feel like has helped me grow a ton as a player and helped me get a better understanding of the game. Without coach Lane, coach (Nick) Chapman, coach (Joel) McGhee, and coach (Leanna) Willer, I don’t think I would be where I am today. They have helped me grow and gain a type of confidence within myself to turn into the player I’ve become.”

Louisburg’s Delanie Tally will join the Midland University basketball program this upcoming season after earning all-league honors with the Lady Cats.

Basketball has been a big part of Delanie Tally’s life ever since she was in elementary school.

Starting next school year, its going to be an even bigger part as Tally has seen her dream become a reality — her dream to play college basketball.

Tally signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Midland University, an NAIA program in Fremont, Neb.

“I have been playing club basketball since the fifth grade, so it is really cool that I get to continue playing at the college level,” Tally said. “Club ball during sophomore year is when I first started getting looked at by different schools, and that is when I decided to make it a goal of mine to play in college.”

She achieved that goal and Midland helped make that happen. Tally took visits to several other program, and as it turned out, she saved her best for last.

Once she took the visit, Tally was drawn, not only by the athletic side, but the academic programs as well.

“Midland was actually the last school I visited, after many other potential schools,” Tally said. “I was waiting for something to stand out from the rest of the schools, and while athletics is what brought me to Midland, I soon learned that this was a very academic focused school, which is very important to me. 

“What stood out the most to me was the staff. They were not only very friendly, but they really strive to make a connection with each of their students and make sure they make it far in life following college. One of the first people I ran into on the visit was the President of Midland. She took the time to stop and introduce and welcome me to campus.”

As far as the basketball side goes, Tally enjoyed getting to know the coaching staff and she is excited to see where they will be able to improver her game.

“I immediately felt a good connection to this school once meeting the coaching staff,” Tally said. “They were very easy to talk to and mentioned that they liked how much of a ‘pest’ I was on defense. Then went into further detail about how they were looking for someone who isn’t afraid to be competitive, play scrappy on defense, and do what’s best for the team. 

“Once being told this, I knew that I could fulfill this role. I was expecting to talk to them for maybe 30 minutes, but we chatted for much longer, so I knew almost immediately it was a good fit.”

Tally has been one of the Lady Cats’ top 3-point shooters and her ability to score from the outside earned her All-Frontier League honors.

She was an honorable mention selection last season. 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.

Tally is grateful for all she learned with the Louisburg program as she prepares to take the next step in her basketball journey.

“During my time spent at Louisburg High School, I have learned just how important academics are; not only for college but for shaping one’s life,” Tally said. “I feel like because of the teachers and the classes I took here, they have set me up for success moving forward into college. 

“As far as athletics, I’ve learned so many things about myself that I didn’t realize prior to high school. The Lady Cat basketball players always pushed me to do my very best and became teammates and friends that I will truly never forget.”

After serving as the starting point guard for the last three seasons, Louisburg’s Brianne Kuhlman will join the college basketball ranks at Peru State for the 23-24 season.

Brianne Kuhlman has been a vital part of the Louisburg girls basketball team the last three seasons.

Kuhlman was the Lady Cats’ starting point guard since her sophomore season and helped Louisburg to a third-place state finish back in 2021. Basketball, needless to say, has been a big part of her life.

So much so, that Kuhlman wasn’t ready to leave the sport that she loves behind.

Late in the spring, Kuhlman signed her letter of intent to play at Peru State College, an NAIA program in Peru, Neb., this upcoming season. It took her a little bit of time to decide, but when the finality of her high school career hit, Kuhlman knew she wasn’t ready to be done.

“I had been going back and forth for along time to decide to play or not,” Kuhlman said. “I thought about focusing on my education and just attend K-State for the best path for becoming a veterinarian. But it was around senior night I realized I wasn’t ready to be done yet, and there’s so many ways for my education route, but to have a chance to play basketball is only a one chance thing.”

After deciding to keep playing, Kuhlman needed to decide on where her new home would be and Peru State checked a lot of boxes.

“Peru State was the right fit for me but when I went there, we actually had very low thoughts that it was gonna even be an option,” Kuhlman said. “Then on the visit, the way the teachers and everyone was so welcoming and close, I just knew it was right for me. I only went on a few more visits after that and decided not to go on others. I just knew I loved the environment of Peru State and their science program and pre-vet options.”

Kuhlman was the floor general the past three seasons for Louisburg and was one of the top players in the Frontier League in 2023. She earned second team all-league honors.

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

“The Louisburg program really helped me to be prepared for the college level with all the extra summer work,” Kuhlman said. ‘The coaching staff was so encouraging and able to give me confidence and push me to play on. The program instills in us the little things that are gonna help me, and also instills in us a strong drive to always give 100 percent. I’m very lucky to have been a part of this program and the lessons it gave me to play on. Coach (Adrianne) Lane made so much possible and cared so much.”

Like she has done the last three seasons, Peru State recruited Kuhlman to be one of the team’s point guards and she is excited for her new opportunity. 

“They see me as a fit to remain as a point guard and being a big control player with leading and doing the little things like I was in high school,” Kuhlman said. “For myself, I just want to fit in with everyone and try new things. It will be super nice to have access to the gym so close anytime I want and have people to do that with, which is super exciting.”

Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was voted by the LHS head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year

Mason Dobbins had a senior season to remember when it came to athletics.

Dobbins left it all on the field/court/track during his final campaign with the Wildcats and he put his stamp on it. Whether it was winning a league title in football, helping the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish in track or earning all-league honors in three sports — Dobbins enjoyed it all.

Those were just some of the reasons Dobbins was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.

“It means a lot to me to be named athlete of the year,” Dobbins said. “It feels good to that know that all your hard work pays off.”

He certainly put in a lot of work and it showed throughout the 2022-23 school year. It started during football season as the team’s starting wide receiver.

The Wildcats finished as undefeated Frontier League Champions and Dobbins played a big role in that. Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He was also named honorable mention all-state.

Dobbins returned to the basketball court after taking a couple years off and his 6-foot-7 frame made an immediate impact as he led the team with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and a block per contest. He was later named to the Frontier League All-Defensive Team.

However it was the track where he made his biggest impact.

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 won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

At the state meet, Dobbins racked up 30 points to help Louisburg to a state runner-up finish as the Wildcats lost to Andale by just half-a-point.

“This past season was my best one yet,” Dobbins said. “In football we were league champs. In basketball, I thought I played way better than I thought I would. Then in track, I was a state champ and we almost won a state championship. It was a lot of fun.”

As easy as he made it look at times, competing in three sports has its challenges. 

“It’s definitely something that I am proud of,” Dobbins said. “Three sports can be a lot on the body, and for me to go without an injury the whole year, was a blessing.”

Now that his high school career is finished, he is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life — with the Northwest Missouri State track and field program.

“I am so excited to start my track career at Northwest,” Dobbins said. “It’s a whole different world than what high school track is, but I am ready for it.”

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was voted by the head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

No matter what sport Adyson Ross competed in this season, she was one of — if not the best — athlete on the field or court.

Her postseason honors more than bare that out.

Ross was a first-team All-Frontier League selection in two of those and also earned all-state honors as well. No matter the sport, she made her team better.

Her success in all three sports — volleyball, basketball and soccer — were just some of the reasons Ross was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

“Being named athlete of the year means so much,” Ross said. “There are so many outstanding athletes at LHS. To be selected for this award is a huge honor and I am so grateful.”

Ross’ memorable senior year started in the fall with the volleyball program. The Lady Cats upset No. 1 seed Baldwin in the sub-state championship and eventually had a fourth-place finish at the state tournament.

However, the season didn’t start out the best. Louisburg had trouble finding that team chemistry it was looking for, and it seemed like they were missing something. Louisburg coach Leanna Willer asked Ross, who is one of the team’s top hitters, to change positions and play the libero spot.

It was shortly after Ross made the move, that the team took off and started to play some of its best volleyball — including a run to the sub-state championship.

“There were so many special moments from this year, but I think one that stands out the most was during volleyball season.” Ross said. “We were playing Baldwin for the championship and it was game point. I was on the line to serve and I just remember thinking in that moment that everything I’d been working for had come down to that one serve. When we won the point it was just the most special and rewarding feeling. It is something that I will remember forever.”

That season led to second team All-Frontier League honors as a libero as she recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces.

Then came basketball where Ross was a starting guard on a Lady Cat team that reached 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.

With all that, Ross was named to the All-Frontier League first team and earned second team all-state honors. She was also named to the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. Two years ago, she was also a part of the best finish in school history when Louisburg finished third at the state tournament.

She reached the state final four with all three programs during her time at Louisburg.

“The experience was so amazing,” Ross said. “I might be biased, but Louisburg is really a one of a kind place. You just don’t really see the same amount of support for athletics in many other towns. To be able to play in the state final four for three different sports was so cool.”

On the pitch, Ross had one of her best seasons as the team’s starting midfielder. She helped Louisburg to a spot in the regional championship against Bishop Miege.

She also put together a strong final campaign as 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.

“Even though we didn’t win that last game, I remember looking up in the stands before the game and seeing the stadium filled with purple, and the amount of student support was crazy,” Ross said. “I just thought to myself, how special it is to be a part of something like that. For so many people to come out and support like they did was amazing, despite the team we were going up against.”

Playing three sports at a high level does take a toll at times, and there were moments Ross wasn’t sure if being a three-sport athlete was for her.

“Continuing all three sports through high school is definitely something I’m proud of,” Ross said. “There were a lot of times when I considered dropping a sport so I could spend time to focusing on another. As a freshman I didn’t see myself continuing all three through senior year, because I didn’t think it was possible to fully commit to each sport.

“My coaches were very supportive and flexible, and all of them were totally on board with it, even though it meant sometimes missing workouts and preseason stuff due to conflicts with another sport. I feel like playing three was more of an advantage to me as an athlete. It helped me to be versatile, and not having an off-season kept me in great shape.”

Even with all her successes, Ross is putting athletics in the rear view mirror, for now. She will be attending Kansas State University and is ready to focus more on the academic side of things. 

Still, Ross knows she will never forget all the memories she made during her time at Louisburg.

“Even though I’m choosing not to continue my athletic career past high school, I feel so blessed for all the memories and friendships sports have given me. They will for sure last a lifetime.”

Previous winners:

2018: Isabelle Holtzen

2019: Carson Buffington

2020: Reilly Ratliff-Becher

2021: Alyse Moore

2022: Delaney Wright

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