Louisburg head boys and girls soccer coach Kyle Conley is stepping down from both programs after seven years. He has led the programs to a combined six state final four appearances.

Louisburg High School head boys and girls soccer coach Kyle Conley is stepping down from his position after seven years.

He was recently hired to lead the boys and girls soccer programs at Blue Valley West, where he will serve as the head coach of both teams.

Conley, who also taught social studies at LHS, informed the players and parents of his decision on May 4. The Blue Valley Board of Education approved his hire on May 9.

“Making the decision to leave Louisburg was extremely difficult,” Conley said. “The players and parents, both past and present, made this decision tough. No parents or players caused this decision. I am very thankful to Mr. (Dave) Tappan and Mr. (Darin) Gagnebin for giving me this opportunity to coach and teach at Louisburg. The amount of support that my teams, my family and I received from Louisburg soccer parents and the community was incredible.”

Conley has the been head girls coach at Louisburg since its inception in 2016 and has led that program to four consecutive state final fours. 

Twice, the Wildcats made the state championship game and finished runner-up on both occasions. He has guided the program to an 82-34-3 record.

Conley took over the boys program in 2016 and finished with a 77-32-3 record. He led the Wildcats to two state final fours during that span, including a third place finish in 2020.

“I am so proud of the things that our student athletes in the soccer programs have accomplished both on and off the soccer field,” Conley said. “I will always cherish the memories that we have made here with the Louisburg soccer programs.”

Conley was named the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year on three different occasions and also earned the Girls Midwest Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches.

Now, Conley will move onto a Blue Valley West program that has won several state championships since its inception in 2001. The move was more than just about soccer, however.

“Blue Valley West provided a teaching atmosphere that is challenging and will push me to be a better educator,” he said. “The opportunity to coach such quality soccer programs, that are rich in history, is just icing on the cake.”

It was a successful, and eventful, 2021 for Louisburg High School athletics and for those who are connected to the Wildcat program. This past year created a lot of school history for LHS and several programs brought back state hardware.

Below are the top stories from 2021, along with a brief explanation of each. Included in the explanation is the link to the actual story from the event.

When putting the list together, I took a lot of things into account – whether it was team vs. individual, popularity of the sport, historical achievements and the interest it drew on the web site.

This year was a blast to cover and I am looking forward to seeing what 2022 will bring. Thank you to everyone for their support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

10. Louisburg golf team qualifies for state

INDEPENDENCE — For the second time in as many seasons, the Louisburg boys golf team qualified for the state tournament.

Except this time, the Wildcat team is made up of a completely new roster.

The Louisburg group of Johnny Eberhart, A.J. Arriola, Johnny Thompson, Sam Wheeler, Dacey Wieland and Jackson Olson shot a 392 to finish third at the Class 4A regional meet at Independence Country Club. 

The Wildcats were just three strokes behind runner-up Field Kindley. Independence won the regional title with a 361.

Louisburg last went to state in 2019, but the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Eberhart led Louisburg with an 87 and finished fourth overall and was the lone Wildcat to make the cut for the second day.

9. Compliment steps back from volleyball program after 15 seasons.

When Jessica Compliment walked off the floor following her team’s semifinal sub-state loss to Bishop Miege back in October of 2020, the only thought on her mind was how that match was more like a state championship battle.s

It wasn’t your normal match as the two perennial state contenders had to square off so early in the postseason. She was proud of her team and was looking forward to another season of helping Louisburg volleyball get to another state tournament.

Little did she know, it would be the last time she would find herself on the Lady Cat sideline.

In late January, Compliment submitted her resignation as head volleyball coach as she will be stepping away to spend more time with her growing family.

Compliment certainly left her mark on the Louisburg volleyball program as she finished her 15th season back in October and has an impressive resume to show for it.

In the decade-and-a-half as the Lady Cat coach, Compliment guided Louisburg to eight state tournament appearances and placed in the top four of seven of them.

She also finished nine wins shy of 400 as she posted a record of 391-226 and helped Louisburg to three state championship matches.

Shortly after, the district hired assistant coach Leanna Willer to take over the program.

8. Wildcat boys soccer wins Frontier League title, advances to regional title

It had the drama of a state championship match, but instead the No. 1 and 3 ranked teams in the state were playing for the Class 4-1A regional championship title.

Louisburg hosted Bishop Miege in hopes ending the Stags’ string of consecutive state championships.

Instead, the Wildcats once again saw their season come to a close after a 2-0 loss to the Stags at Wildcat Stadium and ended their season with a 12-5-1 record.

The loss was heartbreaking defeat for the Wildcats, who had their sights set on another state final four — and possibly — a state title. To make matters worse, it was to a Miege team that has handed Louisburg a loss in five of the last six postseasons.

Earlier in the season, the Wildcats were crowned as co-champions of the Frontier League with Spring Hill.

7. Wildcat wrestling medals two

SALINA — Cade Holtzen and Alec Younggren didn’t get to leave Salina with what they were hoping to earn.

Only a select few get to leave with the title of “state champion,” and both Louisburg seniors were close to reaching their goal. Despite that, both wrestlers helped the Wildcat team to their best state finish in nearly 11 years.

Younggren reached the championship match, only to finish second at 220 pounds, while Holtzen rallied back to medal third at 132 during the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. The two wrestlers combined to score 30 points, which put them 14th in the team standings.

Louisburg hadn’t finished that high since 2010, when Austin Hood won his first of three state titles and his brother Bryce, took second. The Wildcats were 10th that year.

6. Louisburg cross country qualifies both teams for state, medals four.

WAMEGO — It wasn’t the finish Louisburg wanted following the Class 4A state cross country meet, but the Wildcats left with more than their fair share of hardware.

Louisburg was awarded four state medals following the meet at Wamego Country Club, including three on the girls side for the second straight season.

The Lady Cats had hoped to earn a team plaque for the second year in a row, but took fifth overall with 144 points. Eudora won the girls championship with 56, Baldwin was second with 64 and Winfield was third with 93.

Sophomore Emma Vohs led the charge for Louisburg as she finished sixth overall. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy and senior Reese Johnson also medaled for the Lady Cats.

In his first year with the boys program, senior Jaden Vohs had a strong final run for the Wildcats as he medaled 12th overall.

5. Louisburg cheer finishes runner-up at state competition

TOPEKA — The Louisburg High cheer program knows a thing or two about being one of the last teams left standing at the Game Day Showcase.

Louisburg, which won a state title in 2019 and took third in 2020, found itself one of the two teams left standing.

When the final results were announced in November, the judges awarded the Wildcat cheer squad the state runner-up plaque. Paola won the state title, while Baldwin made it a Frontier League sweep as it took third.

4. Wildcat girls take fourth at state soccer

WICHITA — The Louisburg girls soccer team may have left the Class 4-1A Kansas State Girls Soccer Championships with a pair of losses, but the Wildcats took a lot of pride in what they accomplished.

For the fourth straight season, Louisburg advanced to the state final four and the Wildcats finished fourth in the state – a far cry where many people thought they would end up. The Wildcats lost a pair of 2-1 matches to Mulvane and then to McPherson in the third-place match at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

Louisburg, which lost 12 seniors from a season that didn’t happen due to COVID, returned just three varsity players. Despite all that, they ended up being one of the top teams in the state.

3. Louisburg girls basketball snaps 47-year state drought, takes third at state

SALINA — The tears were abundant following Louisburg’s loss to McPherson in the Class 4A state semifinal game.

The Lady Cats saw their season come to an end after their 58-46 loss to the Bullpups in Salina, but as hard as the finality of it was to take, they know what is the bigger picture.

Before the game even started, Louisburg already wrapped up its best finish in program history and became the first Lady Cat team to place at state as it finished third.

A season that finished with a 19-5 record and a third place state trophy, is one that will always be remembered in Louisburg history.

“It means the world to me to finish third at state,” senior Megan Foote said. “Obviously it wasn’t how we wanted to finish, but that’s okay. I’m still beyond proud of this group and the accomplishments we have made. We are the best girls basketball team in Louisburg history. I’d say to be a part of that, is pretty awesome. I’m honored.”

For the last three quarters of the game, Louisburg actually outscored McPherson 43-37, but it was the first quarter that the Lady Cats weren’t able to overcome.

McPherson scored the first 15 points of the first quarter and took a 21-3 lead going into the second period.

2. Wildcat basketball advances to first-ever state title game, finish runner-up

SALINA — The result of the state championship game is not what the Louisburg boys basketball team will focus on several years from now.

The fact that the 2020-21 Wildcats recorded the best finish in school history, will be more than enough for them to fondly reminisce about.

Louisburg, which played in its first-ever state championship game in Salina, fell to state power Bishop Miege, 94-40. As disappointing as the result was, many of the Wildcats were looking bigger picture.

“We will forever live in history with this senior class and with this team,” senior Weston Guetterman said. “Until someone wins it at least, we are going to be the bar that everyone looks to. It is a proud moment for all of us.”

In the state semifinal, the Wildcats got a revenge victory with a come-from-behind 58-55 win over Augusta to advance to the state title game.

1. Wildcat track wins second state championship; Wright wins three state titles.

WICHITA — On the 10th anniversary of the Louisburg boys’ first state track championship, this year’s team wanted to do something to commemorate the historic event.

The Wildcats decided they wanted to win one of their own.

Louisburg edged out Andale for the state championship Friday during the Class 4A Kansas Track and Field Championships at Cessna Stadium in Wichita.

It is just the second track championship for Louisburg and just the fourth team state championship in school history. 

The first one was a golf title in 1977, and then football won its first state title in 2010. The track team followed with its first later that school year in 2011 and the Louisburg cheer squad won a state title in 2019.

“There are no words to describe how incredibly proud I was of the entire team,” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “It was a total team effort. It was a moment I will never forget as a coach, and how exciting that it came down to the final race.  Everyone gave it their all, and I just couldn’t happier as a coach to see all of that hard work pay off for them with the greatest reward.”

Tom Koontz led the Wildcats with four state medals, including a state championship in the 110-meter hurdles.

On the girls side, Delaney Wright made some history of her own. 

Wright was the favorite to win state titles in her three events at the Class 4A State Track and Field Championships.

She didn’t disappoint. 

Wright not only won three state championships, but she won them in convincing fashion, breaking two school records in the process. The Louisburg junior won the long jump, 400-meter dash and the 200-meter dash on her way to an historic day in Wichita.

“My experience at state track this year was amazing,” Wright said. “The people competing there were super nice and my teammates made it more fun. It meant a lot to pull off winning three state titles.”

Wright became the first female Wildcat athlete to win three state titles in the same year as she helped the Lady Cats to a fifth place finish in the team standings – also the highest finish for Louisburg girls track and field.

“I can’t say enough how awesome of a competitor Delaney is,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “I know she went to state with one thing on her mind – win.  She did just that and truly performed to her best. Winning three different events is an incredible feat.”

After a season that ended with a Frontier League championship and a spot in the regional championship game, some members of the Louisburg boys soccer team were recognized for their special season.

First came the all-league honors, but more recently, six Wildcats were named to the Class 4-1A all-state team by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Seniors Braden Yows, Michael Seuferling and junior Cade Gassman were first team selections, while senior Isaac Guetterman and juniors Mack Newell and Colin McManigal earned second team honors.

“I was really excited to see these young men selected,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “These six boys have worked incredibly hard and they all earned that right. Our team had a lot of success this season and these six young men as well as the rest of the team had great influence on that.”

Yows, a UMKC signee, ended his final season as a Wildcat with a team-high 17 goals, 11 assists and 48 shots on goal. 

Gassman, who started out at forward, moved to the midfield halfway through the season. He finished with 11 goals, nine assists and had 34 shots on goal.

Seuferling is considered one of the top outside backs on defense in the Frontier League and in the state and helped anchor the Wildcat back line.

“Braden was the best player on the field each and every night we played,” Conley said. “He was great for us over the last three years. He will go on to do great things at UMKC next year.

“Cade was a player who played all over the field for us this season. He is one of the most dynamic players and his soccer knowledge is incredible. He excelled in every position in which he played this season.

“Michael has started ever since his first game at Louisburg High School. He was one of the best outside backs I ever coached. His work ethic and never back down attitude was always shown each and every night.”

Despite missing a few games, Newell was one of the top goalkeepers in the league with 68 saves and gave up just 13 goals.

McManigal was also among the top scorers on the team as he tied Gassman for second on the team with 11 goals and he also had two assists.

Guetterman was also key piece in the Wildcats’ midfield/defense and won several 50-50 battles.

“Mack had another fantastic year in only his second season ever playing soccer,” Conley said. “He has excelled and has been the best goalkeeper in the east for the second year in a row. In only his second season, he is becoming the most decorated goalkeeper in our program’s history. 

“Colin also had a fantastic season. He is constantly pressing and pressuring all over. His work ethic is second to none. He created so many chances and forced so many turnovers. 

“Isaac played so hard for us in a role that might not have been the most glory-led. He did the dirty work defensively. He battled and never backed down from a tackle. He took away the other team’s transition and did it so well.”

Braden Yows has had a ball at his feet for as long as he can remember.

Soccer has been a big part of Yows’ life and he always had dreams of playing in college one day.

On Nov. 10, which was National Signing Day, Yows put pen to paper and those dreams officially became a reality.

In a room full of family and friends, Yows signed to play Division I with the University of Missouri-Kansas City men’s soccer program.

“It was fantastic,” Yows said of his signing day. “I was able to have family, coaches and close friends at the signing. That was important to me. A lot of have been instrumental in helping me get to this point, so it was good to say thank you to all of them on that day.

“I started playing soccer when I was 3 years old. It’s been a game that I’ve loved my whole life. I just enjoy everything about the game. So sure, getting an opportunity to play at this level is exciting and has always been a goal of mine.”

Yows took a few visits and had offers from other schools, but the Kansas City program stood out, especially its head coach, Ryan Pore.

Pore, who just finished his second year as the Roos’ head coach, has a deep soccer background. He played for the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC) for four seasons and played professionally for seven years.

He started his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Tulsa before getting the Kansas City job in 2020. Pore went on to win the Summit League Coach of the Year in 2020.

“He’s played at the highest levels and is well respected within the soccer community,” Yows said. “Without question, he’s a winner. When he started recruiting me, he talked about his goals about wanting to win championships and talked about his plan to get there. 

“Their style of play fits the way I like to play and the things I do well. He’s placed an emphasis at recruiting at a high level. Hopefully I can go in and work hard and be a part of that success.”

Yows built an impressive resume the last three years for the Wildcat program. He has earned first team all-league and all-state honors in those three seasons and was named to the preseason All-American watch list in the state of Kansas earlier this year.

He is the program leader in assists with 46 and also holds the single season record with 21. This season, Yows finished the year with 17 goals and 11 assists.

It is that attacking style that Yows hopes to use to make an impact with the Roos program.

“I connected well with all the coaches,” Yows said. “Their style of play includes a lot of combination play, which is one of my strengths. They see me playing one of their attacking positions, either in the midfield, on the wings, or up top. They rotate a lot of their players through attacking positions, so hopefully I can be part of that rotation and make an impact.”

As for what he wants to accomplish, Yows just wants to enjoy the college experience and help his team in anyway he can.

“Anyone who’s been around me first and foremost knows I want to win,” Yows said. “I’m gonna listen to the coaches, and do they what they ask me to do, and compete every day at a high level. I’m looking forward to learning from the current players and coaching staff to help get better. It’s gonna be fun playing some of the best programs in college soccer.”

The Louisburg boys soccer team finished the season as the co-Frontier League champions and the Wildcats were recognized as such.

The all-league soccer teams were released early this week and the Wildcats earned nine spots, including two on the first team.

Senior midfielder Braden Yows and junior midfielder Cade Gassman were selected to the first team. Junior forward Colin McManigal, senior defender Michael Seuferling, senior midfielder Isaac Guetterman and junior goalie Mack Newell were second team honorees.

Senior midfielder/defender Hunter Rogers, junior defender Matthew Sword and junior forward Ethan Ptacek were named to the honorable mention team.

“I felt we had a lot of guys receive honors, in fact it was the most players we ever had get recognized in a single year,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “As a team that only lost one official league game and held their opponents to less goals per game, scored the most, etc…,I thought our boys deserved a better representation on the first team. We are way too good of a team only to get two players to receive first team All Frontier.

“We were a really good team and to get nine players recognized was that is pretty impressive. Just thought some of our players deserved a higher honor. Our league was wide open in regards to the middle of the pack and that had a big influence on how the voting went.”

Yows, a UMKC signee, wrapped up his final season as a Wildcat in impressive fashion. He led Louisburg with 17 goals on the season, 11 assists and 48 shots on goal.

Gassman, who started out at forward, moved to the midfield halfway through the season. He finished with 11 goals, nine assists and had 34 shots on goal.

“Braden and Cade have been two of the best players in our league over the past few years,” Conley said. “They are incredibly talented players and were fantastic for us this season. Those two did a very good job of breaking down our opponents and we flat out just attacked from everywhere. Braden and Cade have unbelievable individual skills and they both had great years. Those two guys made our team so dynamic on the ball and created so many chances.”

The Wildcats were well represented on the second team and it started in goal with Newell. Despite missing a few games, Newell was one of the top goalkeepers in the league with 68 saves and gave up just 13 goals.

McManigal was also among the top scorers on the team as he tied Gassman for second on the team with 11 goals and he also had two assists.

Seuferling and Guetterman were key pieces to a Louisburg defense that gave up few chances during the league season.

“These young men had really good years and did so well,” Conley said. “They were all key parts of our team and had really solid years. Michael was one of the best, if not the best, outside back in our league. He literally shutdown that side of the field. He made it really tough for teams to break down and expose us. Isaac had a great year in the middle of the field and moved the ball well in starting out possession. He also wasn’t afraid to stick his nose in tackles either. He never backed down from a tackle. 

“Colin finished the year on a high note and scored a lot of goals. His pressure and creating turnovers was great for us. He really took a big step this season and I can’t wait to see what he becomes next year. Mack was a rock for us in goal. He was really good to start the year, but missed some time due to covid. It took him a little time to get his mojo back and he was really, really good. Can’t wait to have him for a full year next year.”

Rogers and Sword were vital pieces to the Wildcat defense this past season, while Rogers was active in the midfield as well and scored two goals and had two assists. Sword played starting center back for the first time this year.

As for Ptacek, he complemented the Wildcat scoring as he finished the year with five goals and four assists.

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOCCER

First Team

Braden Yows, Louisburg, senior

Daniel Stone, Eudora, senior

Caleb Brueckner, Spring Hill, junior

Devin Prather, Baldwin, senior

Cade Gassman, Louisburg, junior

Parker Hurla, Eudora, junior

Caleb Carr, Baldwin, junior

Lukas Parizek, Tonganoxie, senior

Rocco Russo, Spring Hill, senior

Utah Hester, Baldwin, sophomore

GOALIE: Nate Steinlage, Eudora, freshman

Second Team

Mayson Sprague, Bonner Springs, senior

Daniel Zesati, Tonganoxie, senior

Camden Ridinger, Eudora, senior

Kaden Kerr, Eudora, sophomore

Reece Fogle, Ottawa, senior

Zach Brueckner, Spring Hill, freshman

Colin McManigal, Louisburg, junior

Brenan Kuzmic, Tonganoxie, junior

Michael Seuferling, Louisburg, senior

Isaac Guetterman, Louisburg, senior

GOALIE: Mack Newell, Louisburg, junior

Honorable Mention

Dom McCoy, Paola, senior

Hayden Worden, Paola, junior

Garrett Shoemaker, Eudora, senior

Christian Koehn, Eudora, sophomore

Adam Novak, Piper, senior

Carlos Renteria, Piper, sophomore

Brady Johnson, Piper, sophomore

Jacob Mena, Piper, sophomore

Francisco McGuinness, Baldwin, senior

Jesse Hopper, Baldwin, junior

Josue Navarro, Ottawa, sophomore

Hunter Rogers, Louisburg, senior

Matthew Sword, Louisburg, junior

Ethan Ptacek, Louisburg, junior

Cuyler Kietzmann, Tonganoxie, senior

Tavian Cruse, Bonner Springs, junior

Timmy Shockey, Bonner Springs, sophomore

Jorge Diaz, Bonner Springs, senior

GOALIES: Blake Ramsey, Paola, junior; Caden Englert, Baldwin, junior; Jackson McWilliams, Tonganoxie, sophomore; Otto Flach, Spring Hill, senior

Louisburg goalie Mack Newell reaches out for a save Friday during the Class 4-1A regional championship game against Bishop Miege at Wildcat Stadium.

It had the drama of a state championship match, but instead the No. 1 and 3 ranked teams in the state were playing for the Class 4-1A regional championship title.

Louisburg hosted Bishop Miege on Friday in hopes ending the Stags’ string of consecutive state championships.

Instead, the Wildcats once again saw their season come to a close after a 2-0 loss to the Stags at Wildcat Stadium and ended their season with a 12-5-1 record.

The loss was heartbreaking defeat for the Wildcats, who had their sights set on another state final four — and possibly — a state title. To make matters worse, it was to a Miege team that has handed Louisburg a loss in five of the last six postseasons.

“Miege is the best team in the state year in and year out.,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They are incredibly talented and their historical accolades are incredible. Such as 26 straight 4A-1A playoff wins in a row, 10 straight regional championships and 21 regional championships overall, and won five straight state championships. This game should be been played much later in the season, but it is what it is. 

“This will be the toughest game they play in the East side of the bracket and maybe even in the whole tournament. With that being said, our boys absolutely battled and didn’t back down. They kept fighting and playing for each other. The amount of effort and heart we played with was incredible. Just would have been nice if we finished our chances.”

Unlike in year’s past against Miege, the Wildcats had their fair share of chances. However, it was the chance that never was that seemed to change the course of the match.

Midway through the first half, the center referee called Miege for a penalty in the box on a takedown of Ethan Ptacek. However, after consulting with the side official, he decided to reverse the call.

Instead of a possible one goal advantage for Louisburg, it turned into a one goal lead for the Stags when Victor Lopez dribbled down the field and found the back of the net with 11 minutes left in the first half.

It could have also played another big role as the Stags were issued a red card early in the second half after a player threw a punch. The Stags had to play a man down the rest of the match.

“If that PK was called and we capitalized on it, we would have changed our defensive strategies and would have ensured one of their players would have never touched the ball,” Conley said. “Even if it is 2-1, getting the red card would have added way more pressure on them to defend. Also, when a team goes down a goal, you never know how they will respond, but I felt that call that was ridiculously overturned by a lineman that changed the outlook of the game tremendously.

“When you go down a goal in a game, it would have created a massive amount of pressure and you never know what would have happened. I am not saying the overruling cost us the game, but it definitely changed the outlook of the game and how the game would have been played.”

The Wildcats took another blow as Miege scored on a shot from 30 yards out to go up 2-0 at halftime and put the pressure on Louisburg.

Despite that, Louisburg did what it could to try and find the back of the net. The Wildcats had 13 shots to 17 for Miege, including four on goal.

Junior Colin McManigal had four of the Wildcats’ shots and senior Braden Yows had three. Junior Gavin York had a team-high two shots on goal, including a header that almost found the back of the net.

Louisburg also had six corner kicks to try and find a way to get on the scoreboard. Although there were some close opportunities, Conley was happy with the way his team responded throughout the night.

“We played really well and created a lot of dangerous opportunities, but we just could not get one to go,” Conley said. “We had a penalty kick taken away from us, which was an obvious penalty. We just kept fighting and playing with so much energy. Then after their red card for throwing a punch at one of our players, we had so many opportunities. We just could not find the back of the net. We hit the post several times, we hit defenders, or we hit it right to their keeper. We just couldn’t get one to go.

“The boys absolutely battled and left it all out there. They have nothing to hold their head about. They represented their families, the school, community, and our program in the absolute best possible way. This was a very special group and did some very special things. This game was as close as a state final four game as you will ever see. Both teams played really well and neither team backed down from the other. It was a great game, but we just couldn’t find the net.”

What made the loss even more difficult to take was the five Wildcats seniors who played their last match, including four starters. Yows, Michael Seuferling, Hunter Rogers, Isaac Guetterman and Aidan Cannon.

It is a group of players that helped Louisburg to a program-best finish a year ago with a third-place finish at state.

“Our seniors were special,” Conley said. “Every day they came ready to go and gave their all each and every night,” Conley said. “They were always prepared and led our team as well as any coach could have imagined. They are going to be missed dearly. I am so proud of everything that they accomplished as a team and individually. They are going to be very hard to replace and they definitely left their impact on this program.

“This group helped lead this program to its best finish in school history (third in 4A-1A), won three straight Frontier League titles, and two regional championships. These young men are great leaders and are going to go on to do great things in their lives. I am honored to have the opportunity to be their coach. I will never forget this group of seniors.”

Louisburg junior Colin McManigal heads the ball away during Tuesday’s regional semifinal game against Paola. McManigal recorded a hat trick in the 9-0 win.

On paper, Tuesday’s regional semifinal match between Louisburg and Paola was more of a means to an end for the Wildcats.

Louisburg, which is the No. 1 seed, hosted 2-win Paola in what could have been a look-ahead to the championship game. However, the Wildcats didn’t treat it that way.

The Wildcats dominated play from the opening whistle and advanced with a 9-0 victory over the Panthers. The win puts Louisburg in the regional championship game Friday against Bishop Miege.

“I thought the boys played really well,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We moved the ball well and did a nice job of taking away the things they wanted to do. We dominated from start to finish.  It was really nice to get all 22 boys into the game and allow them to gain some playoff experience. We did a nice job of not letting them take us out of our game with their behavior and style of play. We created a lot of really nice chances.”

The victory now puts Louisburg up against the No. 1 ranked team in Class 4-1A, Bishop Miege.

Miege has won the last five state championships, 12 of the last 13 regional championships and has won 26 playoff games in a row. The Stags will travel to Louisburg on Friday for a 5 p.m. start.

Louisburg fell to Miege in the state semifinals last season and the Stags have handed the Wildcats a loss in the postseason in four of the last five years. The Wildcats know the challenge ahead of them.

“Bishop Miege is a fantastic team that is really well coached,” Conley said. “It is no secret how successful they have been over the past 20 years. They are an incredible team and they are always the favorite in 4A-1A. We know if we ever want to win a state title, it will go through Bishop Miege. 

“This is a match up that should be happening in Topeka at the State Final Four, but it is a match up that we are excited to see how we do. They are loaded at every position and it will be a great opportunity for our boys.”

Against Paola, the Wildcats got things going in the opening minutes as Braden Yows and Colin McManigal each scored to put the Wildcats ahead. With 14 minutes left in the first half, Cade Gassman scored to make it 3-0.

Junior Gavin York found the back of the net late in the first half to give Louisburg a 4-0 halftime lead.

The Wildcats kept the scoring going in the second half as McManigal opened with a pair of goals to give him a hat trick for the game. Yows followed it up with his second goal to make it 7-0.

Late in the second half, senior midfielder Isaac Guetterman scored his first varsity goal and his teammates celebrated right along with him.

Louisburg emptied its bench and freshman Colton Blue ended the scoring wit his first goal of the contest.

“It was great watching the boys play for each other, regardless who was on the field,” Conley said. “The team played really well and did a nice job of taking what they gave us. At the beginning of the season, Isaac said he had never scored a goal and that is something he would like to do before he graduates. Some member of the team heard him and it was something they wanted for him. So when we could, we moved him to forward to give him the chance. Throughout the season, he had some fantastic chances, but he finally got one to go. The boys were more excited than he was. I think that shows you how special this group is.”

Louisburg junior Cade Gassman tries to dribble past a Piper player Thursday during the Wildcats’ home contest against the Pirates. Louisburg won the match, 4-1.

Before the start of the season, the Louisburg boys soccer team made several goals for itself.

The Wildcats checked one of those off Thursday and did it on Senior Night. Louisburg hosted Piper and picked up a 4-1 victory to finish with a share of the Frontier League title.

Louisburg tied with Spring Hill atop the league standings. In the process, the Wildcats improved their record to 11-4-1 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Class 4-1A playoffs with the win.

It was a game the Wildcats dominated from start to finish. Louisburg had 26 shots on the night and got production from several different players.

“The boys were ready to go,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We were able to work on a lot of things and move some kids around. The boys were ready from the beginning and played really well. We controlled the tempo of the game and moved the ball very well. We made sure we were balanced and did a great job for playing for each other. We dominated the majority of the game and it was a great way to send off our seniors.”

Prior to the match, the Wildcats recognized seniors Michael Seuferling, Isaac Guetterman, Braden Yows, Aidan Cannon, Hunter Rogers and manager Sierra Hahn for their time with the program.

It was a senior class that experienced a lot of success. They posted a 48-19-3 record during their time with the program, earned two league titles, two regional championships and a third place finish at state a year ago.

“These five boys have spent the past three years preparing for this time,” Conley said. “They are all great young men that absolutely give everything they have for this team. They show up everyday to work and to get better. That 100 percent sets the tone for the rest of the team. They are all ready for the playoffs and to play their very best for their school and their teammates. This group has played a big role for some time now. Their hard work is paying off.”

Louisburg was on the attack early as junior forward Colin McManigal found the back of the net 10 minutes into the match for his first of two goals.

Junior Gavin York followed suit five minutes later as he headed a Braden Yows pass to put the Wildcats up 2-0 at halftime.

McManigal added another goal early in the second half and Yows sealed the win midway through the second half. Yows also finished with two assists on the night.

Cade Gassman and Guetterman led Louisburg with five shots on the night and three of Gassman’s shots were on target. 

Rogers finished with three shots, while Yows, McManigal, Austin Jamison and York each had two. Freshmen Colton Blue and Emmett White also had shots on goal.

Louisburg goalie Mack Newell didn’t allow a goal in the first half of action, but left at halftime with a leg injury. Piper scored a goal late in the contest to prevent the shutout.

The Wildcats now want to check more goals off their list as they aim for a regional championship, but it won’t be easy.

Louisburg will host No. 16 Paola at 5 p.m. today for the regional semifinals and then could host Bishop Miege in the regional title game on Thursday. Miege is the defending state champion and has ended Louisburg’s hopes for a state title the last three years.

“The playoffs are the best time of the year,” Conley said. “This is what every team plays for. In the playoffs anything can happen and records get thrown out the window. This year has been so up and down for every week in regards to teams results. With injuries and Covid, a lot of teams barely had their team together for the majority for the season and we were no different. 

“The best part is to hope to have all your players available for this time of year. Postseason is a lot of fun and it is the part of the season you want to be playing your best and to be healthy. We played seven 5A schools and two 6A schools to prepare for this run. We will see if it pays dividends.”

Louisburg boys and girls soccer coach Kyle Conley was awarded the The High School Coach of Significance Award by the United Soccer Coaches earlier this week.

Louisburg soccer coach Kyle Conley added another award to his mantle on Monday.

The United Soccer Coaches awarded Conley with The High School Coach of Significance Award. Conley was one of 33 recipients of the award throughout the country and was the honoree from the state of Kansas.

“Receiving that award is very humbling,” Conley said. “Being awarded an honor like that is much more than one person. It is the coaches I get to, or have worked with. It is a fantastic support group. I have fantastic parents that are all in, all the time. The community is always there for our programs regardless if they have kids that play soccer or not, and my wife (Kelli Conley) is super supportive and always there to help out regardless of the task. 

“Most importantly, none of this could be achieved without fantastic student-athletes, both past and present, that I get to work with. They give me everything they have each and every night. I am just trying to be a servant leader and teach my players to be the same on and off the field. Louisburg is our town and we want to always represent it in the best way possible.”

The High School Coach of Significance Award, which is in its fifth year, recognizes members who are coaching for character and using the soccer field to teach life lessons at the high school level.

It is an opportunity for each state, in conjunction with United Soccer Coaches, to recognize coaches who are making an impact within their schools and communities well beyond their records of wins and losses.

The fifth annual class represents a total of 33 states. The goal, according to the United Soccer Coaches, is to annually recognize a recipient from all 50 states.

Each of the High School Coach of Significance Award nominees are reviewed by the selection committee comprised of national, regional, and state representation.

Louisburg junior Ayden Deterding (left) celebrates with his teammates after he scored his first varsity goal Thursday at home against Eudora.

For the second time in a week, the Louisburg boys soccer team found themselves up against a state-ranked opponent.

And for the second time, the Wildcats were on the right side of the scoreboard.

Louisburg, which is currently ranked No. 3 in Class 4-1A, outlasted No. 6 Eudora for a 2-1 victory Thursday at the Wildcat Sports Complex. The Wildcats had another win off the field as they wore pink jerseys for their Breast Cancer Awareness game and raised money for a Louisburg family battling the disease.

The victory also left them and Spring Hill tied atop the Frontier League standings. Eudora was tied with the two schools heading into the match.

“If we wanted a shot at the Frontier League title, we needed to beat Eudora,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “It is up in the air, but we know what it is going to take and we still have a goal after losing two games in a row. We are starting to get pieces back, we are developing some really good chemistry, but this was a really big win for us.”

The match was scoreless midway through the first half until junior Ayden Deterding scored his first varsity goal from the top of the 18 on an assist from Ethan Ptacek to give Louisburg a 1-0 lead.

Eight minutes later, Eudora tied the match with a goal from Daniel Stone. It didn’t last long as the Cardinals were called for a foul in the box on Louisburg freshman Colton Blue.

Wildcat senior Braden Yows converted the penalty kick late in the first half and it turned out to be the game-winning goal.

Overall, Louisburg controlled possession and outshot the Cardinals, 24-10, but had problems finding the back of the net. Hunter Rogers, Ethan Ptacek, Cade Gassman, Yows, Deterding, Colin McManigal and Isaac Guetterman all had shots on goal.

“Eudora plays hard and did a really good job, but I think we just had the better of play, but we couldn’t finish that third part,” Conley said. “The kids executed really well and I thought we did a really good job of taking away the middle when they got the ball. We got as wide as we could when we got the ball and I think that helped us tremendously. We were able to stretch them a little bit and wear them out.

“We really had a lot of opportunities and it was just shot after shot and that is great, but we just couldn’t get many to go. We would either miss or their goalie just had a great save.”

Louisburg’s defense came through in a big way late in the contest. Eudora had two shots on goal in the final 30 seconds, but junior goalie Mack Newell turned both opportunities away to preserve the win. 

Newell finished the night with eight saves, and got help from his defense as they limited the Cardinals’ opportunities.

“Mack is getting back to form and he is starting to stay disciplined,” Conley said. “He is getting refined and getting reps and is doing a really good job. I’m proud of his focus and determination. In practice we made sure he was ready as we put a shooting gallery on him. We worked on some things and I thought we did a good job.”

Louisburg is back in action this Thursday when the Wildcats host Topeka High. Varsity will begin at approximately 6 p.m.

Wildcats shutout Paola

Louisburg picked up its sixth victory in a row Monday night as the Wildcats blanked rival Paola, 5-0.

The Wildcats, which scored just once in the first half, broke the match open with four in the second half.

“I felt the boys came out and absolutely dominated the game,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We moved the ball very well and the boys attacked all night. We were disciplined in the back and really didn’t let them over midfield very often. I think the boys were sharp and focused. We took care of the ball and did a nice job of taking what they gave us.

“Coach (Bobby) Bovaird and I were on the boys pretty hard to make sure they didn’t look past this game. We have our goals and it is important that we focus each and every game to achieve them.”

Louisburg controlled the match from the opening whistle as it outshot the Panthers, 40-2, and didn’t allow any dangerous opportunities.

“Defensively, we took away what they wanted to do and frustrated them a lot,” Conley said. “I also felt that our press caused a lot of turnovers. We moved the ball very well and took what they gave to us. We were able to move some kids arounds and get some different looks.”

Sophomore Austin Jamison got the scoring started midway through the first half on an assist from Gavin York to put the Wildcats up 1-0.

Junior Cade Gassman scored three straight goals to record the hat trick. Braden Yows also found the back of the net once.

Hunter Rogers, Emmett White and Ethan Ptacek each finished with an assist.