Louisburg senior Treston Carlson recently signed his letter of intent to play soccer at Hesston College next season.

Treston Carlson has always loved the game of soccer.

He’s played it since he was young, but Carlson wanted to take it a step further. When he was a freshman in high school, Carlson made a goal for himself to play soccer in college.

It all became a reality earlier this year. In front of family and friends at Louisburg High School, Carlson signed his letter of intent to play soccer at Hesston College.

“It means a lot to me to play college soccer,” Carlson said. “I always talked to my dad about playing in college and it was a goal of mine. To achieve that goal that I wanted when I was a freshman means so much to me.

“I have always wanted to play college soccer, ever since I was little I knew I wanted to. I started playing soccer when I was four years old and my dad signed me up to play. I don’t think he thought I would be good, but it was just something for me to do.”

It turned out to move a great move as Carlson was one of the top players in Class 4-1A this past season as he helped the Wildcats to their best finish in school history. Louisburg finished third at the state tournament this past fall, and Carlson was a big reason why.

Carlson led the Wildcats in goals scored with 16 and scored eight game-winning goals. He finished the year with 37 points.

For his performance, he was named first team All-Frontier League and first team all-state in his final season with the Wildcats.

Carlson hopes to use all the momentum when he moves onto Hesston College in the fall. 

“The coach and the team made the choice easier for me,” Carlson said. “They all seemed like good guys I could see myself playing soccer with everyday. It was a tough decision because there was another college that made it tough, but I knew I wanted to go to Hesston. It just seemed right for me.”

Carlson, who was a forward for the Wildcats, will play the same spot for Hesston. Carlson hopes that he can earn playing time as a freshman.

“The coach saw me playing as a forward and he said he liked me as a left winger,” Carlson said. “He thought I would fit in good with the other guys. 

“I want to work hard for the team and be able to compete with them. I expect myself to train and want to get better everyday no matter what we’re doing.”

There hasn’t been a year like 2020, and for most people, they are ready to put it behind them and forget it ever existed.

Still, with all the challenges that 2020 brought, there were still plenty of positives to talk about when it came to Louisburg High School sports. History-making state places and state medals were plentiful on this list, but it wasn’t all positive. Louisburg had to say goodbye to a beloved town figure and athletes had to deal with the loss of spring sports.

Below are the top stories from 2020, 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. Thanks to the cancellation of spring sports, I don’t have the top 10 like I normally do, but I got close.

This year was a blast to cover, when I had the opportunity, anyway. Still, I am looking forward to what 2021 will bring. Thank you for everyone’s support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

8. Ratliff-Becher wins state powerlifting title

After winning a state championship in 2019 Reilly Ratliff-Becher had every intention of backing up her performance during the Class 4A State Powerlifting Championships on March 7 at Piper High School.

In fact, the Louisburg senior wanted to improve it. Last season, Ratliff-Becher took first in everything but squat, which she got runner-up.

This time around, she got the clean sweep.

Ratliff-Becher took first in bench, squat and clean and that led to her second straight state championship in the 180-pound class.

“It means a lot to me that I was able to win the state title again,” Ratliff-Becher said. “I set a goal for myself to win first in everything since I had got second in squat last year and I achieved it. Even though it wasn’t my best showing with the numbers I got on my lifts.

“The competition was very good this year, as it always is. But, fortunately with all the work I put in to at least maintain my numbers from last year, meant I was able to lift bigger amounts than my competition.”

7. Conley named state and midwest coach of the year

After a third place finish to end the year, Louisburg boys soccer coach Kyle Conley was recognized among the state’s best.

Conley was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association in November.

He guided the Wildcats to a 16-2 record on the season and the team’s highest finish in program history when Louisburg ousted Rose Hill, 3-0, in the state third-place game.

Just a few weeks later, Conley was honored once again – this time on the girls’ side.

Despite the lost season, the United Soccer Coaches wanted to recognize coaches for their past accomplishments and for what this past spring was supposed to hold.

Atop that list was Conley as he was named as the Small School Midwest Coach of the Year. 

“I am absolutely honored to receive this award,” Conley said. “There are so many great coaches in the Midwest, but to me this is a program award. None of this is possible without everyone involved; girls coming to work their tails off everyday, parents traveling and supporting us anywhere and everywhere, community helping with supporting the program, the school supporting the girls, etc. Without the support and buy in from the girls, parents and community none of this is possible.”

The Wildcat girls program has had a successful start in its four years. Conley has a 54-22-2 record during that span, that included two state runner-ups and another state final four appearance. 

6. Louisburg cheer places third at state

The Louisburg cheer squad had to do its postseason competition a little different this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It didn’t seem to bother them much as the defending state champions found themselves right in the thick of things again.

Although they didn’t repeat as champs, they were still among the state’s best as the Wildcats cheerleaders finished third in the state back in November.

Unlike performing in front of judges like they did in 2019, the Wildcats had to video tape their performance and send it in to be judged. It fared well as they tallied 83.35 points to finish in the top 3.

Baldwin earned the state title with 88.85 points and Abilene was second with 85.25.

Members of the Louisburg cheer squad are Bella Feikert, Addison Drake, Brooklyn Harmon, Jayden Trester, Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Sophie Katzer, Sammy McDaniel, Julia Arriola, Andrea Gaza, JoJo Hendrickson, Sydney Dudzik, Abby Bradley, Anna Poe, Sienna Finch, Mable Graham, Audrey Anderson, Zoe Weers, Anna Morrison and Maggie Madison

5. Holtzen, Owens earn state medals for Wildcat wrestling

Ryan Owens and Cade Holtzen both had their own agendas going into the state wrestling tournament.

Owens, qualified for state last year, but left without a win and he vowed to fix that this time around. As for Holtzen, he came up short in his efforts for a second state medal as a sophomore last season and had all the motivation not to come home empty-handed again.

Both wrestlers more than made up for their rough patches a year ago.

Owens and Holtzen left Salina with a state medal during the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. 

Owens made it to the semifinals and wound up earning a fourth-place medal at 120 pounds, while Holtzen finished fifth at 126 pounds.

It also marked the first time since 2016 that Louisburg finished the season with multiple state medalists, when Nathan Keegan and Mason Koechner each brought home medals.

The Wildcats nearly had three medalists as sophomore Brandon Doles finished one win shy of a state medal at 160 pounds with a 2-2 record.

4. Dennis steps down as LHS team doctor

Almost every day of the week, if you were looking for Damon Dennis, he could be found at his office on 11 S. Broadway St., helping treat those pesky aches and pains, taking X-rays, or mending those beaten up athletes after a game.

Doc D – as he his affectionately known – opened Louisburg Chiropractic Office 28 years ago and has served as the Louisburg High School athletic team doctor for almost that same amount of time.

Dennis has seen it all. The walls in his office are lined with mementos from his years of service to both the community and the high school.

He has taped thousands of ankles, seen even more patients and has touched many lives during his time in Louisburg. That is why this week is one of the more emotional times in his life.

In May, he left Louisburg Chiropractic Office and handed the reins over to Dr. Jake Polzin. Add to that, Dennis also stepped away as LHS’ team doctor and left an absence on the sidelines and behind the mic that many in Louisburg have come to know.

“My decision to step down and sell the practice has turned out to be the hardest thing I have ever done,” Dennis said. “I have poured everything I have into my job and community. It has become my entire existence. I was taught from a young age to serve others and your community. I feel like the pressures I have put on myself have become unhealthy. I have put about 40 years work in to 28 and feel like there is never going to be a good time to make such a huge life change. 

“That being said, I feel like I need to make changes while I am still able to do the things that will be best for my family. Dr. Polzin came along and I think he will carry on the work at the office wonderfully. We are a lot alike in many ways. I could not have found anyone better to replace me.”

For many, Dennis has been a big part of people’s lives, especially in the athletic arena. He has served as the LHS team doctor since 1992 and has treated many athletes in those 28 years.

3. Girls Cross Country Takes Third at State

For 23 years, the Louisburg cross country program has been chasing a top three finish at the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats have had several teams qualify, especially in the last few seasons, but have always come up short of their goal. Following Saturday’s race in Wamego, the Wildcats can finally stop running after it.

The Louisburg girls put together an historic performance at the Class 4A Kansas State Cross Country Championships at Wamego Country Club. The Lady Cats earned a state plaque with a third place finish as they surpassed Buhler by eight points to record the school’s first top three state finish.

Junior Reese Johnson, sophomores Claire Brown, Bree Gassman and Nova Ptacek, along with freshmen Lola Edwards, Maddy Rhamy and Erin Apple, will all go down in school history as they became the first Wildcat team to bring home state hardware.

“It means the world to me to be a part of the first team ever to place at state,” Rhamy said. “Coming into the state meet, I was just hoping our team would be in the top half, so you could imagine my excitement when our team placed third. I didn’t even know we made school history until our coaches told us.”

Rhamy was one of two freshmen who earned top 10 finishes individually, along with Edwards. Rhamy finished eighth overall in 20 minutes and 58 seconds, while Edwards was right behind her in 10th in 21:02.

Junior Reese Johnson also garnered a state medal as she was 15th in 21:28 to help the Lady Cats to an historic performance.

It was a proud moment for many in the Louisburg program, and included in that is John Reece. The longtime Wildcat head coach was all smiles following his team’s performance.

“It is 23 years the making,” coach Reece said. “You always have the plans and goals to get to state and then you get a group to go to state and do something great. This year was one of those. With the Frontier League as tough as it is, and then getting third there, put it in our heads that maybe we could do this. They all went out and ran their races, and that just shows their grit and determination and who they are.”

A week earlier, the Wildcats also made history as its was the first time in school history when they qualified the entire boys team to the state meet as they took third at regionals.

2. Boys Soccer Finishes Runner-Up At State

As the Louisburg players huddled around their state plaque, many of them looked at it in awe and wonder.

“Hey guys, we won this,” a player shouted.

The statement was obvious at the time, but nonetheless, their excitement was more than warranted.

For the first time in program history, the Louisburg boys soccer team brought home a plaque from the state final four as the Wildcats defeated Rose Hill, 3-0, on Saturday in the third place match of the Class 4-1A state tournament at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

It was only the second time in school history that the Wildcats had it made it this far, with the other being in 2016, when they finished fourth.

“There are only six teams in the entire state that get to end their year with a win and we wanted to be one of those teams,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We want to be able to hang up a banner on our field and we wanted a plaque so that no one can forget what these kids earned and what they did this season. I am so proud of all of them.”

It was a program defining moment for the Wildcats as they began the weekend searching for a state championship, but lost 2-0 to Bishop Miege on Friday in the semifinals. Still, recording the best finish in school history is nothing for someone to hang their head about, and the Wildcats came out Saturday wanting to make sure they brought some hardware home.

“It’s absolutely crazy to think about what we have accomplished this year, partly because I have only played soccer in high school,” senior captain Logan Faulkner said. “Bringing a state plaque back will just be a reminder of what we did and how we reached our goal.”

1. COVID-19 Cancels Spring Sports

In March, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly closed all schools for the rest of the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of COVID-19.

When most students hear school has been closed, especially in the winter, cheers erupt. In this case, however, the tone was much more somber – especially among the senior class.

Proms were canceled. Any plans they had for a graduation ceremony were put on hold, and for more than 30 seniors, their last opportunity at playing a sport at Louisburg High School was taken away.

In fact, close to 200 students were planning on participating in an activity in the spring, but with no school, the Kansas State High School Activities Association followed suit and canceled the spring season the day after Gov. Kelly’s declaration.

Students, parents and coaches alike have had to come to grips that a season they had been looking forward to all year, was never going to happen. Tears flowed, walls were punched in frustration and some were left speechless.

There would be no game days, no Senior Nights and no postseason runs. Athletes had to figure out how to cope with this fact and it was a challenge for the Louisburg girls soccer, track and field, baseball, softball, golf and swim teams.

Many of those teams had big postseason aspirations after success in 2019 and were left wondering what could have been.

Louisburg boys soccer coach, Kyle Conley, was named the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association.

Coming off its best season in program history, the Louisburg boys soccer team is seeing its hard work pay off in a big way following the Wildcats’ third place state finish.

Six Louisburg players recently earned all-state honors by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association. An even bigger honor came to head coach Kyle Conley, as he was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year.

Junior Braden Yows, senior Treston Carlson, sophomore Cade Gassman and junior Michael Seuferling were named to the all-state first team. Senior Luke Faulkner and sophomore Mack Newell were selected to the second team.

It was a great ending for what has been a memorable season for the Wildcats.

“I think our team had fantastic representation on the 4A-1A All State team this season,” Conley said. “I felt that these young men earned these positions because the play of their teammates helped allow them to earn these honors. None of these awards are possible without a supportive team behind them. Individually, these young men had fantastic seasons and represented our school to the best of their abilities.”

As for Conley, he guided the Wildcats to a 16-2 record on the season and the team’s highest finish in program history when Louisburg ousted Rose Hill, 3-0, in the state third-place game.

Conley had won the honor twice before on the girls’ side, but this is his first recognition for the boys.

“It is an unbelievable humbling honor to be recognized by my peers,” Conley said. “There are so many quality coaches within 4A-1A, it is a tremendous honor. None of this is possible though without the kids I get to work with each and every day. They were pushed and challenged each and every day by Bobby (Bovaird) and I, and our boys met the standard. I am extremely proud of these young men with all of their accomplishments and their play this season.”

On the pitch, the Wildcats dominated many of their opponents this year and the six players were a big part of that success.

Carlson led the Wildcats in goals this past season with 16 and scored eight game-winning goals and finished the year with 37 points. As for Yows, he broke a program record with a team-high 21 assists to go along with seven goals.

Gassman was also a spark for the Wildcats offensively. He scored 13 goals on the season to go along with eight assists.

Seuferling played a big part on the Wildcat back line. As an outside back, he didn’t give up a goal all season and was one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense, along with Faulkner.

Newell, a sophomore, was in his first year as a varsity goalie and he shined. He finished with 88 saves on the year and the Wildcat defense, which Faulkner and Seuferling were a big part of, gave up only 11 goals in 18 matches.

THREE WILDCATS NAMED TO ALL-METRO TEAM

First the first time in several seasons, the Kansas City area soccer coaches got together to make a large and small class all-metro team.

Louisburg was well represented as junior Braden Yows was named as a first-team midfield selection. Senior Treston Carlson and sophomore Cade Gassman were selected to the all-metro second team as forwards.

Coming off its best season in school history, the Louisburg boys soccer team is starting to see those postseason honors come its way.

After finishing third in Class 4-1A, many of the Frontier League coaches took notice of the Wildcats’ success and rewarded many of their players for it.

Louisburg was recently rewarded with eight spots on the All-Frontier League team, including three first team selections. It was a nice way for the Wildcats to wind down their 2020 campaign.

“I thought that we had great representation within our league,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “It is a credit to these young men and their teammates for these honors. I felt with how good our league is, we did really well in regards to representation.”

The Wildcats earned three first team honors as Braden Yows, Treston Carlson and Cade Gassman were represented among the league’s best.

Carlson led the Wildcats in goals this past season with 16 and scored eight game-winning goals and finished the year with 37 points. As for Yows, he broke a program record with a team-high 21 assists to go along with seven goals.

Gassman was also a spark for the Wildcats offensively. He scored 13 goals on the season to go along with eight assists.

“They all had really, really good years and we did a fantastic job attacking our opponents,” Conley said. “Our forwards were incredible this year and having these guys honored means a lot. Seeing Treston, Cade and Braden all get first team was really cool. They were the leaders in regards to our offense and it was really cool to see the league recognize that. 

“Treston was the guy who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. He led our team in goals and his work rate and focus was incredible this season. Braden set out with a goal to break the assist record this season and he did just that. His vision is fantastic and he did everything he could to get his teammates involved. Braden had an unbelievable junior year.

“Cade is one of the most dynamic players on the field,” Conley continued. “He had some incredible numbers as a freshman, but he was so much more involved this season. Teams doubled him regularly and he still excelled. His attitude and focus on detail is what makes Cade so special.”

The Wildcats had a pair of defensive players who earned second team honors. Centerback Luke Faulker and goalkeeper Mack Newell were both recognized for their efforts, while sophomore forward Colin McManigal was also named to the second team.

Newell, a sophomore, was in his first year as a varsity goalie and he shined. He finished with 88 saves on the year and the Wildcat defense, which Faulkner was a big part of, gave up only 11 goals in 18 matches.

As for McManigal, the Louisburg sophomore came off the bench and provided a spark for the Wildcats on many occasions with nine goals on the year.

“Luke went from playing outside back mainly last year, to being a full time starter at centerback and did a great job,” Conley said. “I was really pleased with how he stepped up and filled that roll for us this season. Colin was like our super sub. He would come into the game and just work so hard. His work rate was extremely high and he caused a lot of problems for the opposing team.

“Mack really did well in his first year. His numbers this season were in the top two in the league and he earned this. He has learned so much in his first year. It was fun watching him grow throughout this year and I can’t wait to see how much he improves over the offseason.”

In a bit of a surprise, junior Michael Seuferling was named as an honorable mention all-league player despite being one of the best outside backs in the Frontier League. Junior Hunter Rogers, also a big part of the Wildcat defense and midfield, was also named an honorable mention.

“Hunter had a great year starting 18 of 18 games,” Conley said. “He really worked to improve his on the ball skill and it showed. He helped start out possession and allowed us to possess the ball a lot more. He also didn’t have a problem getting stuck in and being physical. He scored some fantastic goals from corner kicks.

“Michael is the best outside back we have seen the past two years. He literally shuts down an entire side of the field. He was not responsible for one goal this season. I honestly felt he was robbed with this honor of honorable mention, because he is easily a first team player. Each and every day he gives his very best and he is always looking for ways to improve his game.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOCCER

First Team

Jackson Rainforth, Spring Hill, senior; Braden Yows, Louisburg, junior; Colby Zimmerman, Baldwin, senior; Treston Carlson, Louisburg, senior; Grady McCune, Baldwin, senior; Cade Gassman, Louisburg, sophomore; Hunter Williams, Spring Hill, senior; Abel Mendoza, Tonganoxie, senior; Grayson Sonntag, Tonganoxie, junior; Keaton Herron, Eudora, senior

GOALIE: Chezney Haney, Spring Hill, senior

Second Team

Mayson Sprague, Bonner Springs, junior; Matthew Powell, Ottawa, senior; Caleb Brueckner, Spring Hill, sophomore; Timothy Shockey, Bonner Springs, freshman; Keen Knittel, Spring Hill, senior; Jace McCormick, Eudora, senior; Devin Prather, Baldwin, junior; Reese Fogle, Ottawa, junior; Luke Faulkner, Louisburg, senior; Colin McManigal, Louisburg, sophomore

GOALIE – Mack Newell, Louisburg, sophomore

Honorable Mention

Cuyler Kietzman, Tonganoxie, junior; Utah Hester, Baldwin, freshman; Hunter Rogers, Louisburg, junior; Michael Seuferling, Louisburg, junior; Chris Hanson, Ottawa, senior; Dylan Meier, Eudora, senior; Ian Heid, Paola, senior; John Mitchell, Spring Hill, senior; Afton Boone, Tonganoxie, senior; Alex Kooken, Eudora, senior; Grayson Renfro, Piper, senior; Caleb Carr, Baldwin, sophomore; Zack Reno, Bonner Springs, senior; Ridge Gerstberger, Spring Hill, senior; Brenan Kuzmic, Tonganoxie, sophomore; Carden Escobar, Paola, sophomore; Kade Carlson, Ottawa, junior; Dakota Coates, Tonganoxie, senior; Logan Jackson, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Ben Timpe, Paola, senior; Michael Garber, Baldwin, junior; Tavian Cruse, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Aron Mitchell, Eudora, senior

GOALIE: Kyron Fergus, Piper, senior; Jackson McWilliams, Tonganoxie, freshman

The Louisburg soccer team gathers together to celebrate its third-place state finish Saturday following the Wildcats’ 3-0 victory over Rose Hill at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

WICHITA – As the Louisburg players huddled around their state plaque, many of them looked at it in awe and wonder.

“Hey guys, we won this,” a player shouted.

The statement was obvious at the time, but nonetheless, their excitement was more than warranted.

For the first time in program history, the Louisburg boys soccer team brought home a plaque from the state final four as the Wildcats defeated Rose Hill, 3-0, on Saturday in the third place match of the Class 4-1A state tournament at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

It was only the second time in school history that the Wildcats had it made it this far, with the other being in 2016, when they finished fourth.

“There are only six teams in the entire state that get to end their year with a win and we wanted to be one of those teams,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We want to be able to hang up a banner on our field and we wanted a plaque so that no one can forget what these kids earned and what they did this season. I am so proud of all of them.”

It was a program defining moment for the Wildcats as they began the weekend searching for a state championship, but lost 2-0 to Bishop Miege on Friday in the semifinals. Still, recording the best finish in school history is nothing for someone to hang their head about, and the Wildcats came out Saturday wanting to make sure they brought some hardware home.

“It’s absolutely crazy to think about what we have accomplished this year, partly because I have only played soccer in high school,” senior captain Logan Faulkner said. “Bringing a state plaque back will just be a reminder of what we did and how we reached our goal.”

Louisburg (16-2) didn’t waste any time getting on the board against the Rockets as senior Treston Carlson scored on an assist from sophomore Cade Gassman to put the Wildcats up 1-0 just 10 minutes into the match.

Just a few moments later, Gassman was on the other end of a goal again, this time he assisted sophomore Colin McManigal who made it 2-0. Late in the first half, it was Gassman who was in front of the goal and just tapped it over the line to put the Wildcats up three and all but sealed the win.

“I felt like we played good as a team and it felt good to be up early in the game,” Carlson said. “After the first goal, everyone felt less nervous and we played harder. It means a lot to me that I was a part of the team that was the best in school history. I was so happy when we won against Rose Hill.”

Defensively, the Wildcats put together another strong performance as they completed their 11^th shutout of the season.

The back line of Michael Seuferling, Toby Espina-Roca, Luke Faulkner, Ethan Showalter, along with midfielders Hunter Rogers, Haden Yeager and Isaac Guetterman made things difficult on the Rockets.

Rose Hill appeared it was going to get its first goal of the contest in the second half, but Showalter came through and knocked the ball off the line to preserve the shutout.

Goalies Mack Newell and Matthew Sword combined on the clean sheet, while Newell recorded three saves on the day.

“Rose Hill should have had one goal, but Showalter did an awesome job saving that one on the line and clearing it out,” Conley said. “It was a lot of fun to see the defense perform out there. The boys played well in the back and did their job.”

In all, the Wildcats had nine shots on goal, including three from Carlson, two from McManigal, two from Braden Yows, and one each from Ethan Ptacek and Gassman.

Then in the final 10 minutes, Conley played all of his seniors at the same time to give Carlson, Logan Faulkner, Luke Faulkner, Ethan Showalter, Haden Yeager, Dylan Armstrong, Caleb Shaughnessy, Weston Frank and Dacey Wieland an opportunity to go out in style.

It was a happy ending for Louisburg, following what was a disappointing loss to Bishop Miege in the state semifinals the day before.

The Wildcats put the pressure on early as Carlson and Gassman both had close shots on goal, but couldn’t find the back of the net. The match remained scoreless midway through the first half, but Miege crossed the ball across the field and scored on a goal outside the 18.

Then in the second half, Miege scored again, this time as a shot ricocheted off a Wildcat player and into the goal to help the Stags to the championship match, where they beat Wichita-Trinity, 3-1.

“Miege shadowed Braden (Yows) and tried to take away the middle of the field,” Conley said. “The first five minutes we had two really good chances and we really needed one to go and it just never did. They got a good goal a little later and the second one was just unlucky, and that took the wind out of our sails. The last 20 minutes or so we were on them the whole time, we just couldn’t get a good look. That is why they are the 5-time defending state champion.”

The 2020 season will be one to remember in many ways for the Wildcat players. It was one that had to deal with COVID problems, including a two-week quarantine.

Then there were the good moments – and undefeated Frontier League title, a regional championship and a spot in the state final four. Saturday’s victory put an ending on a year the Wildcats were hoping for.

“There was so much uncertainty,” Conley said. “You had to prep for the opponent, but you also had to worry about whether people were going to get COVID or not. The whole season was up in the air for a while and it was pretty stressful. The boys handled it well. We got quarantined, then we had to play four games in six days and we cleaned house. We almost didn’t give up a goal for a month and we just played really hard.

“The JV boys worked so hard and pressed us the whole time and made us get better. This is a program victory and not just for the 22 guys that are here. All those kids together made this happen, whether it was in the summer, preseason, tryouts, during the season – this is just a credit to all of them.”

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week ten of the fall sports season, sponsored by Louisburg Family Dental.

TRESTON CARLSON, SENIOR, BOYS SOCCER

Louisburg senior Treston Carlson was a big part of the Wildcat soccer team’s success this past weekend in Wichita. Carlson scored a goal in the team’s 3-0 win over Rose Hill in the Class 4-1A third-place match Saturday and put together five shots on goal for the tournament.

On the season, Carlson scored a team-high 16 goals on the year to go along with five assists. He also added eight game-winning goals as the Wildcats finished the season with a 16-2 record and recorded the best finish in school history.

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: Weston Guetterman

Week 2: Lola Edwards

Week 3: Logan Faulkner

Week 4: Rinny McMullen

Week 5: Carson Houchen

Week 6: Cade Gassman

Week 7: Alyse Moore

Week 8: Braden Yows

Week 9: Maddy Rhamy

The Louisburg boys soccer team celebrates its 3-0 win over Baldwin on Tuesday in the Class 4-1A state quarterfinal game.

For the first time since 2016, the Louisburg boys soccer team will be playing on the season’s final weekend.

Louisburg used a big second half to defeat Baldwin, 3-0, in the Class 4-1A state quarterfinals on Tuesday at Wildcat Stadium. That win propelled Louisburg to the state final four and are guaranteed a state placing come Saturday.

“They earned this,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They work hard every practice, every game and every summer. They 100 percent earned this.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our group. They had a goal to go undefeated and go to state. We had one blemish. They are undefeated Frontier League champions, regional champions and now they are going to get a banner for going to state. It is up to them to see what we put on it.”

The win, which improved their record to 15-1 on the season, gave the Wildcats the No. 1 seed at the Class 4-1A state tournament and will face off with four-time defending state champion, Bishop Miege, at 4 p.m. on Friday in Wichita.

Still, getting to this point in the season wasn’t easy for the Wildcats and Baldwin made things difficult on Louisburg. It was the third time the two teams had squared off, with Louisburg winning the first one in overtime and won the second by a 2-0 result in Baldwin.

This match was scoreless at halftime, but the Wildcats got some good looks and started to convert on them in the second half. Sophomore Cade Gassman scored three times to record the hat trick in the second half and helped the Wildcats advance to the next round.

“We knew coming in that Baldwin was a tough opponent, but very beatable as we beat them twice in the regular season,” Gassman said. “The first half was back and forth, but when the second half started the opportunities came and I capitalized off their mistakes finding the back of the net.

“It means a lot to me and the team to make it to the final four, to see all that hard work in the off season pay off and reaching our goals that we made at the beginning of the season. It feels incredible.”

Gassman scored his first goal with 33 minutes left in the match as he took a loose ball in the box and found the back of the net. Four minutes later, Gassman struck again as he took the ball down the right side and finished with a shot to the left corner.

Then, with seven minutes remaining, Gassman sealed the victory with his final goal and help send the Wildcats to the state final four.

In the first half, the Wildcats had their looks, but couldn’t find the back of the net. When they converted the first one in the second half, things started to change.

“It was a very competitive and intense game,” Louisburg junior captain Braden Yows said. “Both teams played hard in every position on the field. I think our depth wore them down in the second half, but they made us play for 80 minutes. It is always nice when you can play with a lead, and having one let us play with more confidence.”

Defense also provided the Wildcats with a spark as sophomore goalie Mack Newell earned another shutout and had seven saves on the night.

Louisburg also got strong play from its back line, especially junior Michael Seuferling, who caused Baldwin fits from his outside back position. Toby-Espina Roca, Luke Faulkner, Ethan Showalter, Hunter Rogers and Isaac Guetterman also made big plays throughout the night.

“Michael Seuferling is the best outside back in the league,” Conley said. “No one goes at him because he is the best. If someone wants to go ahead and come at him, that is fine. That works out great for us.”

The Wildcats put 13 shots on goal against the Baldwin defense, including five from Yows, who also had an assist on one of Gassman’s goals. Gassman and Colin McManigal each had three shots, while Treston Carlson and Ethan Ptacek each had one.

Now, the Wildcats begin to prepare for their toughest test of the season – Bishop Miege. Louisburg will go up against the 4-time defending state champion at 4 p.m. Friday at Stryker Soccer Complex in Wichita.

“Obviously Miege is the gold standard having won four consecutive state championships, and nine overall,” Yows said. “We are going to have to come out and play with the same effort we have been playing with all season. There are four great teams down there who have had really good seasons. We just need to play unselfish soccer and convert our chances when we get them. We are all very excited and hope to do well, but of course the state title is our goal.”

It will also be a rematch of the state quarterfinal game a year ago, in which Stags defeated Louisburg, 3-0, and from that day the Wildcats set a goal to reach the state semifinals.

Now the objective is to win a state championship, and once again, the Wildcats will have to go through Bishop Miege to get there.

“The boys have been focused and prepared each and every day,” Conley said. “Everything we have gone through has prepared us for this moment. I am so honored to be able to coach these boys and watch them grow throughout the season. This is a special group.

“Miege is Miege. They are one of the best teams in 4A-1A every year regardless of what their record is. They are well coached and their history speaks for them. Bishop Miege has won 20 regionals titles, 6 of the last 8 state titles including the last 4 state titles in 4A-1A. Everyone knows how good they are and how rich their history is. This year’s team has two of the most dynamic forwards we will see and overall a team packed with speed and talent. They are organized and play soccer the way it’s meant to be played. This will be an incredible challenge for the boys and we are looking forward to it.”

No. 2 Rose Hill and No 3. Wichita-Trinity will play in the other semifinal game Friday. On Saturday, the third place game will take place at noon and the championship match will follow at 3 p.m.

The Louisburg soccer team was all smiles Thursday after the Wildcats won the Class 4-1A regional title following a 1-0 victory over Ottawa.

Last week’s regional championship has become a common occurrence for the Louisburg boys soccer team.

For the fourth time in the last five years, the Wildcats captured a regional title following a 1-0 victory over Ottawa at Wildcat Stadium. It has been a dominating two years for Louisburg as the Wildcats have put together a combined record of 31-3-1 and are currently 14-1 on the season.

With all that, the celebration was a little muted from the Wildcat sideline. They are more than happy to advance, but they know there is a lot of work to be done to get to where they want to go – a state championship.

Even with all those great numbers, this group has never advanced to the state final four and they will get that opportunity at 5 p.m. tonight when it hosts Baldwin at Wildcat Stadium.

“To win back-to-back regional titles is amazing and exciting,” senior captain Logan Faulkner said. “But I am super excited for this game coming up. This is the game that can get us to the state final four and I feel our team is good enough to beat them if we play our game and each player does their job.”

Immediately following their win at Ottawa on Thursday, every player realized they were able to get a win without playing their best match and they know it will have to change if they want to advance past Baldwin.

“I had two kids tell me that is the worse game we have played all year and they know they have to get better,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Sometimes you have win an ugly game and that is what the kids did. They kept grinding and they kept fighting. They played hard and I am really happy for them to be able to move on. These boys deserve it”

Louisburg got out to a quick start and scored the game’s lone goal just minutes into the match. Braden Yows sent a corner kick into the box, and found the head of junior Hunter Rogers, who knocked it past the Ottawa keeper.

Opportunities continued to pile up for the Wildcats throughout the contest as Louisburg had several shots from Yows, Cade Gassman, Treston Carlson, Colin McManigal, Faulkner and Gavin York. They were either turned away by the Cyclone goalie or said just wide of the goal.

“No one ever said it would be easy,” Conley said. “Both teams played with a massive amount of energy and heart. Ottawa played very determined soccer and we had a lot of chances, but struggled to finish and frustration started to set in. As it happens in playoffs, when you let a team stick around and they start believing, anything can happen.

“I am happy how the boys held their ground and how we dominated the game. It was also frustrating when our opponents park the bus in front of their goal playing a 5-4-1 formation, but it’s part of it and we need to do a better job of executing and finishing. This time of year though, a win is a win. Hats off to Ottawa for how determined they played.”

Ottawa made a couple of attempts to tie the match in the final few minutes as the Cyclones put pressure on the Wildcat back line, but they held strong, including a couple saves from goalie Mack Newell. Outside back Michael Seuferling was also a factor in making things difficult for Ottawa.

“We have given up like nine goals in the 14 games we have played and we have nine shutouts,” Conley said of his defense. “We have a pretty stout group back there. They bent a little bit, but they didn’t break. Ottawa put on a lot of pressure there toward the end and I think they only had one or two shots on goal. They did a good job standing them up or forcing bad shots.”

Now, the Wildcats have their eyes set on Baldwin as they will try to beat the Bulldogs for the first time this season. Louisburg defeated Baldwin 1-0 in overtime early in the year and the Wildcats put together a 2-0 win in Baldwin.

Win or lose, Louisburg has already put together a memorable season – one that they didn’t think might happen with all the uncertainty of the spread of COVID-19.

“We just step to the next thing,” Conley said. “To be honest, nobody knew what was going to happen with this COVID thing. You see football teams and others getting shut down around the state due to COVID, and it is frustrating because you don’t know. You can be as prepped as you want to be for your opponent, but you also have to prep against a virus you can’t see and don’t know when it is going to come. Still, I am happy for the boys and we are looking forward to the challenge of making it even further.”

Wildcats roll Chanute to advance to regional semis

To get to the regional championship, Louisburg had to first get past Chanute last Thursday at Wildcat Stadium and the Wildcats had no issues in a 9-0 win.

The Wildcats scored five times in the first half and never looked back.

Senior Treston Carlson, junior Jaden Vohs and sophomore Cade Gassman each scored two goals for Louisburg, while Colin McManigal and Braden Yows also found the back of the net.

Goalies Mack Newell and Matthew Sword combined for the shutout.

“I felt the boys did a great job of spreading the field out and making Chanute move defensively,” Conley said. “We had plenty of runs down the side and also cut them down the middle. Other than the first 5-10 minutes, we absolutely dominated the game. We did a nice job of finding our marks and taking them away. I did feel that we needed to play with more energy than we did in the first half and the boys really responded in the second half and showed some passion.” 

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

BRADEN YOWS, JUNIOR, BOYS SOCCER

Louisburg’s Braden Yows has facilitated a lot of the Wildcat offense this season for the boys soccer team and that continued last Thursday. Yows, a junior midfielder and team captain, finished the game with a team-high two assists and also had a goal in the Wildcats’ 6-0 win over Piper.

The victory gave the Wildcats their second consecutive Frontier League title. Yows leads Louisburg with 15 assists on the season and he also has six goals.

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: Weston Guetterman

Week 2: Lola Edwards

Week 3: Logan Faulkner

Week 4: Rinny McMullen

Week 5: Carson Houchen

Week 6: Cade Gassman

Week 7: Alyse Moore

The Louisburg boys soccer team celebrated its second consecutive Frontier League title following their 6-0 win over Piper last Thursday.

In a year that has been hard on so many, the Louisburg boys soccer team wanted to make sure to enjoy every moment that came its way.

One of those was on full display Thursday at the Wildcat Sports Complex. Not only did the Wildcats defeat Piper, 6-0, in their final regular season match of the season, but they also secured their second straight Frontier League championship with an undefeated league record.

That league title is just one of several special moments the Wildcats hope to celebrate this season.

“This is fantastic for the team, the school and the community,” Louisburg junior captain Braden Yows said. “It’s a testament to the hard work the coaches and players have put in every day to get better. Coach (Kyle) Conley and coach (Bobby) Bovaird, along with coach (Michael) Pickman previously, have done a great job in building this program.”

It has been a season that has had its trying times. Games have been cancelled, the entire Wildcat team was quarantined for nearly two weeks and they have faced numerous obstacles throughout the year.

Still, the Wildcats have persevered and put together a 12-1 record as they head into the postseason.

“Being back-to-back league champs, and champs 3 of the last 4 years is pretty impressive,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “This group stepped in two years ago when we were 6-11, and it was a frustrating time. A bunch of freshmen and a couple sophomores stepped in and absolutely took over the league and this year it was the same thing. We just stepped on it and went.

“These boys never gave up. They never wavered and the never stopped. They just kept playing for each other. It was great to see these boys come together. With COVID we can’t have a lot of chemistry like we usually do, but I thought they did a good job of keeping it together in a year that is so crazy.”

In its final regular season contest of the season, the Wildcat put together one of their best offensive showings of the season as six different players scored goals for Louisburg, while goalies Mack Newell and Matthew Sword combined for the shutout.

Yows, who led Louisburg with two assists on the night, opened the scoring in the first half on penalty kick after sophomore Gavin York was fouled in the box.

Senior Treston Carlson and junior Jaden Vohs added scores of their own, then late in the first half, York found the back of the net to make it 4-0 at halftime.

Just minutes into the second half, senior Logan Faulkner put the Wildcats up by five after his goal and sophomore Colin McManigal sealed the win with a score later on in the half.

“It was nice to see a bunch of guys get involved,” Conley said. “Piper gave us a bunch of different looks. When they pinched middle, we attacked the outside. When they flattened out, then we would come down the middle. The boys did a good job of seeing that and taking what they gave us. We did a lot of work with that at practice. It was good to see them execute and put one to sleep quick and do our job.

“I’m just really proud of how the kids worked and how hard they played. At the same time, this is over now. We are focused on the playoffs and no it is lose or go home time. We have to make sure we are prepped and ready to go.”

The postseason begins today for Louisburg as the No. 1 seed Wildcats host No. 4 Chanute in the regional semifinals at 5 p.m. Should the Wildcats advance, they will host the regional championship on Thursday.

“We are very excited to compete for another regional championship and we have a goal of getting to state and to win a championship for the school,” Yows said. “We are going to face some quality teams that are well-coached, so it’s important for us to be focused and to play with effort and passion.”

The path to get to that state final four will go through Louisburg should the Wildcats advance to the state tournament next week in Wichita.

“We have earned the right to be able to host every postseason game until the final four if we can keep winning and we are pretty dang good at home,” Conley said. “We control our own destiny, and the boys wanted that and they got it.”