Louisburg senior Hunter Rogers heads the ball for one of the Wildcats’ eight goals last Tuesday at home against Pittsburg.

The Louisburg boys soccer team has blistered the nets to start its season.

Louisburg opened its schedule last Tuesday at home against Pittsburg and then followed it up with a 9-0 road win Thursday at Paola.

In all, the Wildcats accounted for 17 goals in the two matches as they have cruised to a perfect start to their year.

It began with Pittsburg, and despite a taking a while to get going, the Wildcats peppered the net with eight goals and came away with an 8-0 victory over the Purple Dragons.

“As a coach you are always nervous if you have your team prepared, but I felt we did a really nice job of coming out ready to go from the start,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We were able to work on a few things throughout the game and we got better as the game went on. It was a nice performance for us and I thought the boys played really well. 

“We need to work on our execution a little bit. We had 50-plus shots, but struggled to find the net. I do think Pittsburg did a nice job of getting bodies in front and blocking a lot of shots. Our build up was really nice and the boys did a nice job.”

The Wildcats were scoreless in the first 20 minutes before the flood gates opened.

Junior Gavin York scored the season’s first goal as he headed the ball off a corner kick, past the Pittsburg goalie to give the Wildcats the lead.

Colin McManigal followed it up with a goal off a rebound to double the advantage with nine minutes left in the first half.

Louisburg would get four goals in the final nine minutes as junior Cade Gassman scored on back-to-back chances, then senior Braden Yows added another before halftime to make it 5-0.

Yows opened the second half with his second goal of the match and senior Hunter Rogers followed with a goal off a header to make it 7-0. McManigal sealed the win as he found the back of the net on an assist from freshman Emmett White.

“It was nice to see everyone get involved,” Conley said. “We were playing really well and moving the ball well. The boys were on the same page and did a nice job of doing their jobs. We do have some things to clean up, but the boys played hard and came ready to go. We had five different goal scorers and different guys get assists. We did have a lot more opportunities, but struggled to finish.”

Sophomore Austin Jamison led the Wildcats with two assists, while Yows and Gassman each had one as well.

The Wildcats had 51 shots on the night and dominated possession from the start.

Louisburg’s defense was able to turn away the eight Pittsburg shots and junior goalie Mack Newell earned the clean sheet.

Against Paola, the Wildcats were without Newell in goal, but Louisburg continued its hot start and controlled possession against Panthers.

The Wildcats scored five first half goals on their way to a 9-0 victory and had eight different players record goals.

Junior Ethan Ptacek had a big night as he finished with two goals and an assist. Yows had three assists to lead Louisburg, while Gassman and Toby Espina-Roca had two and one, respectively.

White, Yows, Jamison, McManigal, Rogers, York and Gassman also found the back of the net for Louisburg.

Junior goalie Jackson Olson got the clean sheet.

“I thought the boys played really well,” Conley said. “It was great to see so many different people score goals and be involved. We eight different goal scorers and seven assists on those nine goals. We really worked hard and moved the ball. We dominated possession and the boys were able to work on a few things. 

“I liked our speed of play and how well we moved the ball.  It was nice to see the boys play for each other and really battle. It was also great to be able to play a lot of guys and get some experience. It was a great team win.”

Louisburg’s schedule will get a little tougher as the Wildcats have three games this week, including a pair of road matches against two Class 5A programs in Basehor-Linwood and Bonner Springs. They will end it with a rare Saturday afternoon match against Class 6A Gardner-Edgerton.

The Wildcats travel to Basehor-Linwood for a 6 p.m. start tonight.

Louisburg goalie Mack Newell leaps for a save during the team’s intrasquad scrimmage last Friday. Newell is one of three returning starters on the defense for the Wildcats.

Putting together the best season in program history is a pretty impressive feat.

The Louisburg boys soccer team did that last year as the Wildcats went on to finish third at the Class 4-1A state tournament. The Wildcats finished the year 16-2 as it was a season to remember.

As special as that season was for the players, they want more in 2021 and are settling for nothing less.

“We went to state last year, and we were one of the only two teams to finish the season with a win,” senior captain Braden Yows said. “It was the best result in school history, but as a team we’ve set a goal to win state this year. We are working hard every day to achieve that goal. It’s going to be a lot of fun this year.”

Again, the Wildcats are considered one of the favorites to return to the state final four this season. Louisburg is currently ranked No. 3 in Class 4-1A by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association going into the season, just behind Bishop Miege and Wichita-Trinity Academy.

Winning state is a tough goal to achieve, but it is one the Wildcats are looking forward to trying.

“Our boys are really focused on making another run to the state final four again,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We obviously we have a lot of work to do to accomplish that, but the boys want that again. 

“Practices have gone well. We have had adversities like everyone else in regards to the heat, but the boys are working hard and are determined.”

Louisburg returns an experienced group from a year ago and could be a dangerous team to go up against on both sides of the field.

The Wildcats figure to be strong on the attacking side and it starts with Yows in the midfield. Yows, who was a first-team all-league and all-state player a year ago, broke the program record with 21 assists and also had seven goals.

Junior Cade Gassman also returns to the forward spot as he was second on the team with 13 goals a year ago and had eight assists. Gassman was also a first team all-league and all-state player.

Juniors Colin McManigal and Gavin York also return as goal scoring threats at the forward position as they try to replace the team’s scoring leader from a year ago, Treston Carlson.

Juniors Ethan Ptacek, Andrew Brown, Brock Varns, sophomore Austin Jamison and freshmen Emmett White and Colton Blue will also see some time as outside midfielders. Senior Isaac Guetterman will also return as a starter in the midfield.

“We do have a lot of options,” Conley said of his depth. “We lost a big part of that in Treston graduating last season. He is currently playing at Hesston College and scored his first collegiate goal in his first game. We are returning a lot of options, but we are looking to fill that void. This is be a really fun group to watch and see them grow throughout the season.”

The Wildcats also return an experienced defense, starting with its outside backs. Senior Michael Seuferling and junior Toby Espina-Roca return to anchor the outside. Seuferling was a first-team all-state selection a year ago.

Mack Newell is also back in goal for his second consecutive year. The junior goalie had a strong season as a sophomore with second team all-league and all-state honors as he had 88 saves on the year.

Senior Hunter Rogers also returns to fortify the defense at his starting defensive midfield spot.

New to the defense will be junior Matthew Sword, who will inherit the center back spot as he will try to make the Wildcat defense even stronger.

“In the back, we are returning several key players, but made a position change for Matthew Sword,” Conley said. “Matthew was a great goalkeeper, but he will be moving to center back for us. He has done an excellent job of learning the position and is executing very well. 

“Seuferling has been the best outside back I have seen over the past three years. He will be fun to watch as he finishes his high school career. Newell, in his second year ever playing soccer, will look to build on his record setting season from last year. It is amazing to look how far he has come over only a year of playing soccer. Espina-Roca has been an attacking outside back that helps our team keep pressure on our opponents defensively.”

Louisburg features just a five-member senior class this season in Yows, Seuferling, Rogers, Guetterman and Aidan Cannon. Still, Conley knows they will all provide great leadership.

“Braden has been fantastic for our program and is a quality player who just verbally committed to UMKC,” Conley said. “He was also added to the list of Preseason All American watch list for Kansas. Hunter brings a massive amount of experience in our midfield. He has great vision and posses the ball really well. He is also great in the air. Isaac is another senior in the midfield for us. He works incredibly hard and has a massive work rate. He can cover a lot of ground and is exceptional at reading the play. 

“Michael is the best outside back I have ever coached and has been the best outside back I have seen over the last two year of teams I scouted or we have played. He is a strong on the ball defender, reads the game well and is great in the air. Aidan Cannon has played multiple positions for us in our program. He is an athletic kid who is smart and is familiar with our defense. He will be an asset for us this season.”

The Wildcats open their season today when they host Pittsburg at Wildcat Stadium. They kickoff a difficult schedule that features contests against numerous Class 5A and 6A programs.

“Our schedule has seven 4A schools, seven 5A schools, and two 6A schools,” Conley said. “Our schedule is solid for a typical 4A school. We will have our work cut out for us. This team needs to be pushed and our schedule does just that. Our league one of the strongest leagues for 4A schools you will find. 

“We have a lot of different styles of play within our league and have some really talented schools. Our schedule with our league opponents and our out of league competition will prepare this team for the playoffs.”

Two years ago, Braden Yows made his way to Louisburg High School not knowing really what to expect.

Yows transferred at the beginning of his sophomore year hoping to make some new friends and play the sport he loves — soccer.

Now, as Yows begins his final year with the Wildcat program, it is a bittersweet time for the Louisburg senior as he looks on what he has achieved the last two years.

He helped lead the Wildcats to their best finish in program history and broke the program’s assist record in the process. Still, Yows is excited to see what he and the rest of his teammates can accomplish.

“It’s never easy to move during your high school years, but coach (Kyle) Conley and the upperclassmen at the time made the transition easy,” Yows said. “We have a great senior class. Michael (Seuferling), Isaac (Guetterman), Hunter (Rogers), Aidan (Cannon) and I are looking forward to continuing the tradition of success that other senior classes have set for us.”

Yows moved that bar even higher last season as Louisburg finished third at the Class 4-1A state tournament. He was a fixture in the Wildcat midfield as he accounted for a team record 21 assists.

He was a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state selection, but even after all that, Yows wants more.

“Braden and his teammates have one goal this season,” Conley said. “They are going to push themselves to reach that goal. Braden is extremely motivated because this is his last season and determined to keep making school history as a team. 

“Last year, he told me he wanted our assist record, and he got it with 21 assists. This season he said he wants to win. I’m excited to see how rises to that goal. He is a fantastic players and is going to do great things in his playing career.”

Yows’ senior season has hardly begun, but it is already off to a great start.

Earlier this month, Yows committed to play soccer at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and became the first Wildcat player to commit to a Division I program.

More honors later followed as he was also named to the 2021 High School All-American watch list and was one of 14 players named across the state of Kansas.

“I set a goal to play after high school, so I’m happy to have committed to a great program like UMKC to continue playing,” Yows said. “I was lucky to have great coaches to help guide me through the process. I’m also happy that I’ll get to continue my soccer career close to home. Now with my commitment set, I’m fully focused on the season — with my eyes set on a state title.”

That state title is truly what the Wildcats are focused on for the 2021 season after falling to Bishop Miege in the state semifinals last season. Yows could care less about his accolades as long as the team accomplishes their goals.

“Braden is a young man who comes ready to go each and everyday,” Conley said. “He is a competitor and plays with a high motor. He leads by example, but does a fantastic job of teaching and uplifting his teammates! Best part is, he is coachable. He is always wanting to learn and be challenged.

“He is a special player. There is no doubt of his talents, but he worries more about his teammates than himself. One person won’t let our team reach our goals, he knows that and the team knows that. It’s going to take all 20 guys to put us in the position to achieve the team’s goals. He does play forward for his club team and for us he plays attacking midfielder. He will have some adjustment for our system, but he is very determined.”

Even though the Wildcats ended their season with a victory over Rose Hill to take third at state, there is one more thing Yows wants to accomplish.

“We went to state last year, and we were one of the only two teams to finish the season with a win. We finished third and had the best result in school history, but as a team we’ve set a goal to win state this year. We are working hard every day to achieve that goal. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

There hasn’t been a whole lot of good to talk about in the last year or so.

Our life has changed around us. We are having to deal with a new normal and there are a lot uncertainties as to what our future holds. 

It is an unnerving time for a lot of people and our country seems more divided than ever. Still, to get by in this difficult time, you have to look for positives.

For me, the last school year brought me some of the best moments in my journalistic life. The 2020-21 school was arguably one of the most successful seasons in Louisburg High School history from top to bottom, and I was more than grateful to be there for it all.

Just look at what was accomplished last year:

• Boys cross country qualified for state for the first time in school history.

• Girls cross country placed at state for the first time in its history as they took third in Class 4A. Maddy Rhamy, Lola Edwards and Reese Johnson also earned medals.

• Boys soccer had its best finish in school history with a 3rd place state finish.

• Boys basketball advanced to the state championship game for the first time and took second.

• Girls basketball advanced to the state tournament for the first time in 47 years and recorded its best finish in third.

• Wrestlers Alec Younggren and Cade Holtzen took second and third, respectively, at the state tournament.

• Boys golf qualified for state as a team.

• Girls soccer made an improbable run to advance to its fourth straight state final four and the Wildcats took fourth.

• Delaney Wright won three state track titles in the long jump, 200 dash and 400 dash and broke all three school records in the process.

• Maybe perhaps the best accomplishment of all, the Louisburg boys track and field team won the Class 4A state championship as they edged out Andale for the title.

Just a year removed from losing their spring season due to COVID-19, the Wildcats came back stronger than ever and it showed. It was an exciting time to be a Louisburg sports fan.

However, with so much positivity from last season, it is time to turn the page and focus on what the 21-22 season has in store.

First day of fall practice begins this Monday and the football, volleyball, cross country and boys soccer team all have a chance to do some special things this season. I am fortunate I will be able to be there once again to cover it all.

As I talked about earlier, there is a lot of negativity going on in the world right now, but I am more than thankful to have a job where I can get away from all that and cover all the special moments. 

Last season was a much-needed get away for me and it was an unbelievable journey to see all the Wildcat history that was made.

This year has another chance to be a special one. There is no way to predict what will happen, but I do know there is a chance for even more history and records to fall this upcoming year.

Football numbers are up and the Wildcats are poised for a big season, while the cross country, volleyball and boys soccer team all return several key pieces to make a run in the postseason – and that is just what the fall will hold.

The seasons can’t get here soon enough and I am ready to cover it all once again. Hope to see you all out there supporting the Wildcats and maybe you can forget all those stresses in life — even if it is just for a few moments.

For the past five years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

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

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

Below are the nominees for this year’s award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

FEMALE

Reese Johnson – Junior – Cross Country, Soccer

Junior Reese Johnson made history in a couple different sports for Louisburg this past season.

In the fall, Johnson played a big role on the girls cross country team. The Lady Cats finished third in Class 4A, as that was the first time a team had placed at state in girls cross country. Johnson also medaled 15th individually and was one of three Lady Cats to earn state medals that day.

In the spring, Johnson was one of the leaders on the girls soccer team that advanced to the Class 4-1A state final four this past season. Johnson earned second team All-Frontier League honors after she finished the season with seven goals and nine assists as the Wildcats finished fourth at state.

Alyse Moore – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track

Alyse Moore ended her senior season as one of the most accomplished athletes in Louisburg High School history. Moore is the first female athlete in school history to compete at the state level in four different sports, including both softball and track in the same season in 2019.

In the spring, Moore earned her second straight track state medal in the javelin as she finished fourth in the Class 4A meet. Earlier in the year, Moore broke a 20-year-old school record with a throw of 149 feet.

Moore was also a starter on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Moore and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall. Individually, Moore eclipsed the 500-career rebound mark and was an honorable mention all-league player. She led the team in rebounds with 8.6 boards a game and also averaged 7.3 points and 1.7 steals.

On the volleyball court, Moore started as an outside hitter for the Lady Cats and was second on the team with 174 kills and 195 digs.

Delaney Wright – Junior – Basketball, Track

Delaney Wright ended the 2020-21 school year with a bang as she became the school’s first athlete to win three state championships in track in one season. 

At the Class 4A state meet in Wichita last month, Wright won state titles in the long jump, 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She broke her own 200 and 400 school records to reach those accomplishments. On the season, Wright set new school records in each of those events.

Wright was also a key player on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Wright and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall at the Class 4A state tournament. Wright was one of the team’ best defensive players as she averaged two deflections and a steal per game. She was also assigned to the team’s best player.

MALE

Weston Guetterman – Senior – Football, Basketball

Weston Guetterman played big roles for both the Wildcat football and basketball teams this past season.

On the gridiron, Guetterman was the starting quarterback for Louisburg, which finished 4-3 and tied for third in the Frontier League standings. Guetterman earned honorable mention All-League honors on defense for his play in the secondary. He finished the year with 32 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for a loss and seven batted balls. He also finished with 548 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Guetterman was one of the team leaders on the boys basketball team that advanced to its first state championship in school history and took second at the Class 4A state tournament. He was a second-team All-Frontier League selection from the point guard spot and averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals a game. He was also an all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle and Sports in Kansas.

Cade Holtzen – Senior – Cross Country, Wrestling, Track

Cade Holtzen was a three-sport athlete this past season for Louisburg and became the first male athlete (that is known) to participate in state competitions in all three sports, in the same season.

Holtzen helped the Wildcat cross country team to qualify for state for the first time in school history as they finished third at regionals. At state, Holtzen took 56th overall in 18 minutes and 46 seconds.

On the wrestling mat, Holtzen had a year to remember as he finished his career with a 155-19 record and a third-place state finish at 132 pounds. He was a four-time state qualifier for the Wildcats and a three-time state placer. Holtzen served as the team captain this past season and currently holds eight program records, including most season victories and most career wins. He was also chosen to participate in the 2021 Metro Classic.

In the spring, Holtzen earned his second state medal of the year as he helped the 4×800-meter relay team to a third place finish. He also helped the Wildcats to their second team Class 4A state track championship in school history.

Kolby Kattau – Junior – Football, Baseball

Kolby Kattau was a two-sport athlete this past season and had a good year for both the football and baseball program.

In the spring, Kattau helped the Wildcats to their first regional championship game since 2009 as he played both first base and pitcher. Kattau finished the year with a .444 average and racked up 32 hits for the Wildcats to go along with a .560 on-base percentage. He finished with five doubles, two triples, 16 RBIs, scored 26 runs and stole nine bases. He was a first team All-Frontier League selection and was an honorable mention all-state selection by the KBCA.

On the football field, Kattau played on both sides of the ball for a team that finished with a 4-3 record and tied for third in the Frontier League. He finished with two touchdowns from the running back spot and had 41 tackles at linebacker.

Alec Younggren – Senior – Football, Wrestling

Alec Younggren was a two-sport athlete for Louisburg as he shined on the football field and on the wrestling mat.

Younggren, who missed part of the football season with an injury, still played well-enough on the offensive and defensive lines to earn All-Frontier League honors on both sides of the ball. Younggren was named as a first-team offensive lineman and an honorable mention lineman on defense.

He was a key fixture on the Wildcat offensive line that amassed more than 2,400 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns. He also had 23 tackles on defense. Younggren was also an all-state honorable mention selection.

The Louisburg senior had an historic season in wrestling as he advanced to the 220-pound Class 4A championship match, where he finished runner-up. He finished the year with a 37-1 record and had Louisburg’s highest state finish since 2012.

Braden Yows – Junior – Soccer

Louisburg junior Braden Yows was vital part of the Wildcats’ best finish in school history this past season. Yows helped the Wildcats to a third place finish in the Class 4-1A state tournament.

Yows was a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state selection from his midfield spot. He broke a program record with 21 assists and also finished with seven goals on the year.

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.”