PAOLA — It was an up and down week for the Louisburg boys soccer team, but the beginning part was much more memorable for the Wildcats.

Louisburg ventured to rival Paola on Oct. 15 for a Frontier League battle, and the Wildcats made quick work of the Panthers as they cruised to an 8-0 mercy rule win.

“I’m definitely very proud of how the guys stepped up in that game,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “We needed a chance to get some things cleaned up as far as our style and strategy. I didn’t want our guys to change the way they played just because it’s our rival or because they’re not having a great season. I wanted them to stay disciplined and refine some things that we need to improve if we want to win the key games in the postseason.”

The Wildcats got out to a quick start against the Panthers as they scored five goals in the first half and never looked back. Louisburg would go on to score three more goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half to secure the mercy rule win.

Junior Owen Marsh provided the Wildcats with another big performance as he recorded his second consecutive hat trick. Marsh finished with three goals, including one on a penalty kick to end the match in the second half.

Another junior, Caleb Feldkamp, scored two second half goals. Seniors Colton Blue, Jacob Brown and Ethan Sharp also scored for the Wildcats. For Sharp, the team’s starting defender, he recorded his first varsity goal off a corner kick in the first half. 

Blue finished with a team-high two assists on the night, while Feldkamp, and seniors Emmett White and Dan Minster each had one. Junior goalie Evan Moreland got the clean sheet for Louisburg.

Louisburg has one final week of the regular season left and it starts tonight as the Wildcats host Blue Valley for a 6 p.m. start. The Wildcats will then hit the road for their regular season finale Thursday at Baldwin.

“We’re really hoping to get a solid win this week,” Bovaird said. “That will really help determine whether or not we host a regional game or if we have to travel.”

Wildcats lose close match at Leavenworth

Louisburg entered its match at Leavenworth on a 3-game winning streak last Thursday and the Wildcats were hoping for a fourth.

Leavenworth had other ideas. Despite a couple rallies, Louisburg couldn’t convert on its chances and the Pioneers took full advantage of theirs as they took the match over Louisburg, 3-2.

“They really just capitalized on some key opportunities,” Bovaird said of Leavenworth. “We dominated everything except the final score, which was frustrating for us all.”

The Wildcats had 56 percent of possession and outshot the Pioneers, 11-4. However, Leavenworth scored on three of its four opportunities. 

The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but the Wildcats were able to answer. Senior Ethan Sharp hit a free kick into the box and it found the foot of Owen Marsh, who made it a one score game.

Leavenworth scored midway through the second half to make it 3-1. With 11 minutes remaining, senior Colton Blue found the back of the net on a free kick from about 30 yards out, but the Wildcats ran out of time.

“There were several moments when we were playing really well, moving the ball around and playing some sharp-looking soccer,” Bovaird said. “It’s just some of those lapses that popped up, and Leavenworth was ready to seize those opportunities.”

With their Louisburg soccer career coming to close, eight players made sure their Senior Night was one to remember — and so did the rest of their teammates.

The Wildcats hosted Tonganoxie in a Frontier League match Thursday and sent their eight seniors out in style. Louisburg got out to a quick start and never looked back in a 6-0 shutout of the Chieftains.

It marked the second straight win for the Wildcats and left a lot to celebrate following the match at Wildcat Soccer Stadium.

“I felt it was an outstanding game for the team, and it was especially sweet since it was senior night,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “They were focused and determined against a team that hasn’t had the best season. Tonganoxie’s record might not be great, but they play a tough schedule and have had some close losses to good teams. 

“On Thursday, everyone stepped up and did their jobs on the field. It was a big crowd with lots of energy, and it being senior night made it especially emotional. “It was a very memorable game for all the right reasons.”

Prior to the match, the Wildcats honored their eight seniors players — Colton Blue, Jacob Brown, Cole Clover, Mika McKitrick, Dan Minster, Ethan Sharp, Will Showalter and Emmett White — along with senior manager Ashlyn Kuhlman and their parents.

It has been a memorable group for Bovaird as many of them have been a part of the program when he took over as head coach three years ago.

“I can’t speak highly enough about this senior class,” Bovaird said. “When they were freshmen, they played for me on JV, and then they were sophomores when I first took the role as head coach. Last year, they were thrust into leadership positions and they really matured through that tough season. This year, starting in June when we first began summer practices, they’ve been setting the bar high for leadership. 

“They’ve created a culture of belief, commitment, and hard work. When they break down with the word ‘family,’ they mean it, and the younger players have some outstanding role models in them.”

On Senior Night, it was actually a junior who helped the Wildcats get off to a good start. Owen Marsh scored two goals in the game’s opening minutes and finished with a hat trick after scoring another goal in the second half.

Blue also had a big night with three assists, all coming on Marsh’s goals. It was the kind of start the Wildcats were looking for to help put Tonganoxie away early.

“Getting off to a quick start and scoring early was key for us,” Bovaird said. “When we score first — and score early — it gives us confidence and it puts pressure on the opponent. We were able to play our game, while they had to readjust things without even getting the chance to play their game.

“Owen has been playing with more and more discipline and determination with every game, and that’s been so exciting to see. He’s been a key offensive player all this year and last year, and he’s gritted things out through any frustration. Now, he’s seeing the fruits of his hard work pay off. He and Colton connected three times for him to get that hat trick. That’s just evidence of how the whole team is playing unselfishly, and that’s what it’s going to take for us to reach our goals.”

Ryan Barberich scored his first varsity goal midway through the first half to put the Wildcats up three, and less than a minute later, junior Caleb Feldkamp scored his first varsity goal as well to give Louisburg a 4-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, Brown got in the scoring column when he converted a penalty kick and Marsh iced the match with a header in the box that found that back of the net.

Sophomore Brody Bovaird was active offensively as he recorded two assists. Blue and Ryder Erickson also had shots on target for the Wildcats.

Defensively, the Wildcats held Tonganoxie to just eight shots, and goalie Evan Moreland earned the clean sheet with three saves.

Louisburg, which is now 7-5 on the season, will look to end their season strong today as it travels to Paola for a Frontier League match.

Wildcats get win with shutout of Parsons

In a rare Monday match, Louisburg traveled to Parsons on Oct. 7 in hopes of getting back in the win column after a tough loss to Ottawa the week before.

The Wildcats got the win in convincing fashion as they controlled the match and left with a 7-0 result.

Emmett White and Ryder Erickson led the way with two goals each, while Colton Blue, Grant Cannon and Owen Mash also scored for Louisburg.

Blue, Caleb Feldkamp, Renner Erickson and Will Showalter each added an assist in the win.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week five of the fall sports season, sponsored by Craig Holtzen and Edward Jones.

COLTON BLUE, SENIOR, SOCCER

Louisburg senior Colton Blue helped the Wildcat soccer team to a 1-1 week last week, including a blowout of Chanute. Blue scored four goals and had an assist in the Wildcats’ 8-0 victory over the Blue Comets.

Blue continued his strong play two days later as he scored a goal and had an assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa. Blue, who is a senior captain, currently has nine goals on the season to lead the Wildcat team.

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

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

In the midst of a four-game losing skid, the Louisburg boys soccer team had some pent up frustration.

After starting the year with four straight wins, losing four straight takes its toll on a team and the Wildcats took all their frustration out on their next opponent.

Louisburg hosted Chanute on Oct. 1 and the Wildcats wasted no time finding the back of the net as they rolled to an 8-0 victory.

“We had a great deal of energy from the very first whistle against Chanute,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “After experiencing that 4-game losing streak, it was important for us to get our mindsets right. It’s a pivotal time for this group, and I’m so proud of their character and determination. They really embraced the message I gave them before the game — play for a greater purpose, persevere through adversity, and be united as a team from start to finish.”

Wildcat senior Colton Blue had a big night for the Wildcats as he finished with four goals and also tacked on an assist. Junior Owen Marsh also tallied two goals and two assists.

Senior Emmett White found the back of the net and sophomore Eamon Grove scored his first varsity goal late to ice the victory.

Ryder Erickson and Caleb Feldkamp also had assists on the night, while Brody Bovaird, Jacob Brown, Grant Cannon and Erickson each had a shot on target.

Junior goalie Evan Moreland got the clean sheet, while the back line of Mika McKitrick, Cole Clover, Ethan Sharp and Dan Minster limited Chanute’s opportunities.

“We built on each other’s energy and came out with a huge momentum,” coach Bovaird said. “We got two goals midway through the first half, and then with less than a minute left, we put in a third goal. Then, at the start of the second half, we got another goal within the first 15 seconds. We didn’t stop there — nearly 35 seconds later we got one more. That’s three goals in the span of about two minutes, which has been huge for our guys’ morale.”

Louisburg will try to add to the win column today as the Wildcats travel to Parsons for a varsity-only match.

Wildcats fall to Ottawa in overtime

Louisburg was hoping to start a winning streak Thursday at home against Ottawa and the Wildcats were well on their way.

The Wildcats controlled almost every aspect of the game against the Cyclones, but they feel short in the most important one — the scoreboard

Ottawa scored a late second half goal to force overtime, and then scored in the extra period to hand Louisburg a 3-2 loss.

“We dominated the game in almost every statistical category except the overall score, unfortunately,” Bovaird said. “The guys battled hard, and we are so proud of how they played with grit and strength. We controlled the majority of the game, outshooting our opponent, 23-10, and holding 33 minutes of possession compared to their 25. We recorded 44 pass strings to their 22 and created 9 shots on target to their 4, demonstrating our ability to build play and maintain offensive pressure. 

“However, despite these strong numbers, we struggled to convert our chances into goals, and a few key moments of lost focus cost us the win. It feels pretty bad to lose a game like that, but I think it was a pivotal game for us. We’ll bounce back and keep moving forward.”

Junior Owen Marsh opened the scoring just six minutes into the match on an assist from Colton Blue and the Wildcats had a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Ottawa tied it up midway through the second half, but 10 minutes later, the Wildcats took the lead again when Blue dribbled through the Cyclone defense and took the shot inside the box and found the back of the net.

A few moments later, Ottawa tied it up again and forced overtime. In the extra period, the Cyclone goalie punted the ball to the other end of the field. The ball took a high hop and a Cyclone player took a couple dribbles and put it away for the game-winner.

The Wildcats had nine shots on target, including three from Blue and two from Marsh and Brody Bovaird. Ryder Erickson also had a shot on target.

After a strong start to its season, the Louisburg boys soccer team hit the toughest part of its schedule last week as the Wildcats squared off against two of the Frontier League’s best.

Louisburg hosted Baldwin last Tuesday, and had to battle the Bulldogs and some rain drops, and ended with a 2-0 loss to Baldwin.

The Wildcats then traveled to Spring Hill on Thursday and could not overcome three penalty kicks in an 8-0 loss to the Broncos. Both Baldwin and Spring Hill have a combined 18-1-1 record on the season.

Louisburg is now 4-4 on the year and the Wildcats are not only having to battle tough opponents, but the injury bug as well. 

“We ran into two exceptional opponents last week with Baldwin and Spring Hill,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Both games were tough losses for us, but with the adversity we faced, we also had great opportunities for growth. Those two will be battling to see who’ll be on top of the League by the end of the season. They’re both poised to make great runs in the post-season, but I think that our losses to them will prepare us to make a great run ourselves.

“It’s like I told the guys after those losses — they don’t define us. We learn, adjust, and come back stronger. We couldn’t be any prouder of the strength and character our guys showed on the field.”

Baldwin took the lead on Louisburg less than four minutes into the match with a goal, but the Wildcats held strong and trailed just 1-0 at halftime.

The Bulldogs added a second goal midway through the second half and the Wildcats were unable to bounce back.

Louisburg goalie Evan Moreland was busy most of the night as he recorded 11 saves and six blocked shots.

The Wildcat attack couldn’t get much going as they tallied six shots, compared to Baldwin’s 29. Senior Colton Blue had five shots and Ryder Erickson had one.

Against Spring Hill, the Broncos scored their first goal 15 minutes into the match, which was their first of seven first half goals. Spring Hill also had three penalty kicks for goals, including one in the second half to put the game away.

Grant Cannon, Owen Marsh and Brody Bovaird had the lone shots of the game for Louisburg.

The Wildcats will try and bounce back tonight as they host Chanute in their first of two matches this week. Varsity is set to begin at approximately 6 p.m.

Heading into last week’s slate of games, the Louisburg boys soccer team couldn’t have asked for a better start to its season.

The Wildcats were winners of four straight matches going into their games with Lansing and Eudora. Unfortunately, last week was a little bit of a speed bump.

Louisburg lost its first games of the season in a 3-1 loss to Lansing on Sept. 17, and then went on the road and suffered a 3-0 defeat to Eudora last Thursday.

Injuries, among other things, hampered the Wildcats in their quest to continue their winning streak.

“After we won that fourth game, we were pretty banged up,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Emmett (White) has a high ankle sprain that he’s bouncing back from, and Colton also tweaked his ankle. By the time we got to Thursday’s game at Eudora, we had quite a few guys who weren’t even close to 100 percent, but that’s how things go. 

“We’ve got to step out there and put our best teams on the field. If we have starters, seniors, or regular varsity players who are out, then we have to have a ‘next man up’ attitude. That’s what I’m most proud of with our guys — the younger players are itching to step up and do their part on the varsity field.”

The Wildcats (4-2) hosted Lansing in hopes of winning its fifth straight and they got off to a good start.

Junior Owen Marsh was fouled in the box in the first half, which gave the Wildcats a penalty kick. Senior Emmett White put the attempt away and Louisburg took the early lead.

Lansing tied it up later in the half and it remained at 1-1 at halftime. The Lions responded with two second half goals and the Wildcats were unable to rally.

White led the Wildcats with two shots on goal for the match, while Cody Courtney, Jacob Brown and Colton Blue each had one.

Against Eudora, the Wildcats went into the Frontier League match a little banged up and the Cardinals took advantage. 

The game was scoreless until Eudora scored on a header with 6 minutes left in the first half and the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead. They tacked on two more goals in the second and the Wildcats couldn’t get much going offensively.

Eudora took 34 shots on the night, compared to just five for Louisburg. Sophomore Brody Bovaird had the lone shot on target for the Wildcats. 

Junior goalie Evan Moreland was busy as he had six saves on the night, including 12 blocked shots. 

“There’s been several bits of adversity the last week and a half,” coach Bovaird said. “We’ve got health issues, and last week saw the return of some higher temperatures. On top of that, we weren’t exactly in a friendly environment at Eudora on Thursday. Lots of things popped up that could have completely derailed us in either game. But they kept focused and battled through it all.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back today as the Wildcats host Baldwin. The match is set to begin at 6:45 p.m.

BONNER SPRINGS — The last time Louisburg and Bonner Springs faced off on the pitch in 2023, Bonner Springs stole a victory away from the Wildcats in overtime.

Louisburg wasn’t going to let that happen this time around.

The Wildcats scored two second half goals and earned a 2-1 victory over the Braves in their Frontier League opener at Bonner Springs High School.

“Kicking off our league play with a win is a pretty nice feeling, especially since we’ve been struggling the last few years,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Frontier League soccer is pretty tough though. We took Bonner into overtime last year and ended up losing on an own goal, so this was a game that the guys really wanted to win.”

It also marked the fourth consecutive victory for the Wildcats to start the season as they have already equaled last year’s win total.

Louisburg has already shown they are an improved team after a rough 2023 season and it’s is something they hope to continue moving forward.

“There’s always the danger in getting overconfident, but we’re playing with a confidence that was missing last year,” Bovaird said. “It was a tough season, and definitely an anomaly for Louisburg soccer. There were a handful of games that we lost by one goal last season — games that I felt we could have won. 

“This year, we’re in the position to come out on top with those close games, which the guys have shown in our first four games. It’s a confidence that comes from experience, maturity, and a desire to prove themselves to the rest of the state.”

It was an evenly-played match throughout and Bonner Springs outshot the Wildcats 13-10, but it remained scoreless after one half of action. 

That changed midway through the second half as senior Colton Blue gave the Wildcats the lead with a goal on an assist from Emmett White. Blue finished the night with three shots on target.

Louisburg added on another goal a few minutes later as junior Owen Marsh scored on an assist from Caleb Feldkamp to put the Wildcats up, 2-0. Feldkamp, Grant Cannon and White also had a shot on target.

Bonner Springs added a goal in the final few minutes, but the Wildcats were able to hang on and stay perfect on the season.

“Coach (Nick) White and I gave a pretty sincere talk to them at halftime,” Bovaird said. “Basically, we stressed that they looked like they were flat on their feet, playing tense, and out of their comfort zones. We reminded them of back in the day when we played soccer and had fun with it. That was the challenge we gave them — get back in that mindset and play for the fun of it, play relaxed, and play smart. 

“I gave them a challenge before the game — have our time of possession above 30 minutes, get at least 8 strings of six or more passes, post a defensive shut-out, and have the majority of our attacks from from what we’ve been drilling all last week. First half, it wasn’t looking too likely that we’d hit those goals. With the second half, though, we came pretty close. We got the pass strings and nearly had the time of possession. Although we gave up a goal, we did very well with our attacks.”

The Wildcat defense held firm for much of the match as junior goalie Evan Moreland had four saves on the night and almost had the clean sheet.

Louisburg will try and make it five straight this Tuesday when it hosts Lansing. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.

PITTSBURG — Louisburg was less than 30 seconds away from not only leaving Pittsburg with a tie, but watching a two-goal lead disappear.

It wouldn’t have been a loss, but the Wildcat players would have lamented about this game slipping through their fingers.

Luckily, they didn’t have to do any of that.

With 28 seconds remaining, senior Colton Blue sent a corner into the box and senior Jacob Brown scored the golden goal to give the Wildcats a 3-2 overtime win — their second overtime victory in three games to start the season.

Not only that, but it was Louisburg’s third consecutive win to start the year after winning just four games in 2023.

“Pittsburg came back with a frenzy,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Having a 2-0 lead in soccer is the worst type of lead to have. You think you’re good, but all it takes is one goal to get the other team back in it. The Pittsburg players had been cramping, arguing with each other, and breaking down as a team, but once they got their first goal, it was a flurry of attacks. 

“They got closer and closer until they finally put in the tying goal. This win was absolutely gutsy. I told the Pittsburg coach after the game how impressed I was with his team’s rally — the energy, the intensity, and the team unity that all the sudden came together. I’m pretty proud of the gutsy performance we showed.”

Louisburg took the lead in the first half as sophomore Brody Bovaird scored his first goal of the season. Wildcat goalie Evan Moreland punted the ball over the top of the Pittsburg defense and Bovaird was able to chase the ball down to put the Wildcats up 1-0.

The Wildcats (3-0) doubled their lead in the second half as Emmett White scored on an assist from Will Showalter.

“We are getting more and more scoring opportunities,” coach Bovaird said. “The score of our first three games doesn’t really represent our growth offensively and the threats we’ve been giving our opponents. I felt pretty good to see us get the lead in the first half and then to have a second goal give us a little bit of a buffer.”

However, Pittsburg would mount a comeback of its own. The Purple Dragons cut the Louisburg lead in half, and then with 24 seconds left in regulation, the Wildcats were called for a handball in the box and Pittsburg was awarded a penalty kick. 

Moreland made the initial save on the penalty, but Pittsburg scored off a rebound to force overtime.

After a scoreless first extra period, Brown gave the Wildcats the victory with time running out in the match.

“Before the game, I told the guys that we need to keep our mindsets focused — believe, compete, and do one more, or ‘Wildcat Style’ as I like to call it,” coach Bovaird said. “I told them that we needed to get out there and fight the good fight the entire game, that we needed to finish the game the right way by giving our best efforts and intensity. 

“Finally, I told them that they needed to keep the faith and believe in the process. A win like what we had over Pittsburg is a huge character-statement for these guys, and I sure hope they realize how far they’ve come.”

It may just be two games into the season, but this is exactly the start the Louisburg boys soccer team was hoping to see.

On Thursday in its home opener, Louisburg held off Independence for a 2-1 victory, which was its second straight win to start the season. The Wildcats, who won just four matches a year ago, are primed for a big rebound.

“The guys are feeling pretty good, coming off our opening week with two hard-fought wins,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “In both games, we were ahead of our opponents in nearly every category — we outscored them, out-possessed them, out-shot them and out-passed them. Last year, and the year before, we had several games where we did some of those things but still couldn’t pull out the victory. To start off the year with doing so many things right on the field and being able to walk away with the win, that means something for the guys. They’re figuring out quite a bit, and it’s exciting.”

The Wildcats (2-0) got out to a quick start and took an early lead on Independence. In the opening minutes, senior Emmett White took advantage of a misplayed ball by the Bulldogs in the box and shot it past the goalie for a 1-0 advantage.

Independence got a goal of their own midway through the first half to tie it up, but the Wildcats responded with seconds left in the first half.

Senior Colton Blue hit a shot from the right side from 20 yards out that curved into the corner of the net to give the Wildcats the lead and the momentum at halftime. Fellow senior Will Showalter earned the assist on the play.

“That goal was a huge rallying point for us,” Bovaird said. “Getting a goal with under a minute left in the half gave us an incredible surge of confidence, and I’m sure it deflated the Independence kids a little. I’m not sure what was being said by their coach during halftime, but I know that Coach (Nick) White and I, along with our captains, were encouraged and positive with our halftime talk.

“We kicked off the second half with some dominating possession and consequent attacks. I’m really surprised we weren’t able to get a bunch more goals. It was just one of those nights, though. We had many great chances.”

Louisburg kept the Independence defense busy as it tallied 10 shots on goal and 26 shots on the night. Blue led the way with four shots on target, while Caleb Feldkamp and White each had two.

Independence finished the night with 14 shots, but the Wildcats controlled possession for much of the match.

“We figured out pretty quickly that their go-to play was to kick the ball long and chase it down,” Bovaird said. “There were some hiccups during the first half where we stopped playing our game and got into the habit of dribbling too much, but at halftime we talked to the team about what we needed to change. 

“Our style is possession, passing, and moving to space. We let the ball do the work and we force the other team to run like crazy. Last night we had a 75 percent pass success rate, we had 32 total pass strings, and we had 10 strings of 6 or more passes. Once we slowed things down and kept control of the ball, it was much easier to limit them.”

The Wildcat back line of Ethan Sharp, Dan Minster, Mika McKitrick and Cole Clover also did their job limiting the Bulldogs’ opportunities, along with subs Ryan Barbarich and Renner Erickson.

Louisburg goalie Evan Moreland also recorded three saves on the night.

“Each game so far, our back line has been learning and growing together,” Bovaird said. “The starting four are all seniors — Ethan, Cole, and Dan are big and strong guys and Mika has got the wrestler’s mentality. Our defensive subs — Ryan Barberich and Renner Erickson — are both very smart players with great knowledge of the game. Those guys were doing great holding their line, communicating, and balancing out our defense. 

“Evan Moreland has shown a lot of growth from last year as well. The more we play, the more they’re going to figure out, and we’re going to be limiting quite a few of our opponents’ attacks.”

Louisburg will try for its third straight win Tuesday when the Wildcats travel to Pittsburg. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.

It could have easily went the other way for the Louisburg boys soccer team.

After giving up a goal in the opening minutes of Tuesday’s season opening match at Basehor-Linwood, the Wildcats could have looked back at their 4-win season a year ago and all those close games that didn’t go their way.

Doubts could have crept in the minds of the Wildcat players — but they didn’t let it happen.

Instead, the Wildcats persevered, and after they recorded the game-tying goal in the second half, senior Emmett White scored the golden goal in overtime to give Louisburg a 2-1 victory to begin its season with a positive result.

“If you rewind to our first overtime game of last year’s season, we were tied up with Bonner Springs and playing great, but then things went south when they scored off an own goal in overtime,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Now with this season, the guys kept their fire going, even when things weren’t really going our way. They were disciplined and they believed in the process. Winning like that in overtime really helped reinforce so much of what coach (Nick) White and I are trying to instill in the team.”

Louisburg (1-0) found itself down in the game’s opening minutes, and had their opportunities to tie it later in the first half and early in the second half, but couldn’t get the opportunities to go.

The Wildcats finally broke through the Basehor defense as junior Owen Marsh played a through ball that found the foot of Colton Blue and the Louisburg senior found the back of the net midway through the second half.

“We started off a little flat, and they got an early goal on us,” Bovaird said. “That definitely wasn’t how we wanted to begin the game. We had so much possession, and by watching the game you can tell it’s a much improved team from last year. Their goal came off a little lapse with our back line, but they shaped up and held their own the rest of the game. 

“Basehor didn’t really make many threats after that goal. We evened things up in the second half when Owen sent a through-ball past the defense for Colton. Colton’s timing was perfect, he stayed onside until the ball went through, and he went to goal with precision and composure.”

The match eventually went to overtime, and toward the end of the 10 extra minutes, the Wildcats got their second goal.

Ryan Barberich sent a long pass into the middle box, which found the chest of White, who settled the ball and put it past the Basehor keeper for the game-winner.

It is that perseverance that Bovaird hopes will propel his team to several more wins this season.

“We’re trying some new things with our formation, which allowed for a few hiccups, but it’s a process of learning, Bovaird said. “The guys are savvy enough soccer players that they’re figuring things out pretty quickly. We didn’t have one of our seniors due to illness, but with a little adjustment of sliding Owen Marsh back to center mid and putting Brody Bovaird up top in his place, we overcame that obstacle. Our starters did a phenomenal job, and our subs stepped right in and played their part. 

“Sure, going down 1-0 within the first few minutes of the game isn’t ideal, missing out on getting calls to go our way is frustrating, and being unable to capitalize on some good scoring opportunities runs the risk of breaking down with our style. But the thing is that these guys kept their faith, they refused to let frustration set in, and they were resilient through it all. That’s an outstanding preview of what we hope to be a great season.”

Louisburg will try for two straight wins Thursday as the Wildcats host Independence for a 6 p.m. start at the Wildcat Soccer Stadium.