The Louisburg boys cross country team earned runner-up at the Class 4A regional meet Saturday in Baldwin City. It was the highest regional finish in school history. Members of the team (front row, from left) are head coach John Reece, Hayden Ross, Jaden Vohs, Max LaJoie, Jerynce Brings Plenty, assistant coach Shelby Suther; (back row) Vitus Aagaard, Leo Martin, Landan Henry, Sawyer Richardson and Noah Cotter.

BALDWIN CITY — For the second time in as many years, Louisburg will be sending both its boys and girls cross country teams to the Class 4A state meet.

The Wildcat boys earned regional runner-up for the first time in school history, while the girls finished third at the Class 4A regional meet Saturday at Baldwin Golf Course.

“It is amazing that we are going back to state again this year with both teams,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “‘If you build it, they will come’ Our sport has found success and with that our numbers have been steadily increasing. The runners have bought into our training and it is showing in their individual performance which makes for a strong team and that is evident by our placing at regionals.”

It was a tight race for the regional title on the boys side as the Wildcats finished second with 72 points, just one point behind champion, Bishop Miege.

“Our goal was to qualify and that is what we did,” Reece said. “All of the boys had amazing races setting personal bests across the board. That is what we are training for and now we get to go to state and improve again.”

Louisburg senior Jaden Vohs led the Wildcats with his best time of the season. Vohs medaled third at regionals with a time of 16 minutes and 39 seconds, which is now the second fastest time in school history.

Freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty also earned a regional medal as he was eighth in 17:29.

“For our team to finish runner up at regionals was a great experience, especially because it hasn’t been done yet in school history,” Vohs said. “It was a little upsetting that we only lost to Miege by one point. 

“Before the race I was a little nervous I wouldn’t race good but turns out I got a personal record. I think what really helped was having a few kids from Baker University come and cheer me on.”

Sophomore Noah Cotter also cracked the top 20 as was 18th in 17:58. Junior Leo Martin (18:11) and senior Hayden Ross (18:12) were 21st and 22nd, respectively.

Junior Landon Henry took 45th in 19:15 and senior Sawyer Richardson was 47th in 19:19 to round out the Wildcat lineup.

The Lady Cats found themselves in a very competitive regional that featured the defending state champion (Baldwin) and state runner-up (Eudora).

Louisburg, which finished third last year at state, held its own as the Lady Cats were third with 89 points. Eudora won the regional title with 32 points and Baldwin was second with 40.

It is the fifth straight time the Lady Cats have qualified for the state meet as a team.

“We had the toughest regional on the girls side,” Reece said. “They all ran well and achieved their end of season goal — state. I think some of them have even more to prove at the State meet, and they will be bringing it.

“Finding success over the past five years is a direct reflection of the senior leadership we have had, and not accepting anything less than their best and making a goal for a team appearance at state.”

Sophomore Emma Vohs continues to lead the Lady Cats and was the team’s lone medalist. Vohs medaled fifth in 20 minutes and 25 seconds.

“Overall, we pushed hard to qualify for state as a team,” Emma said. “We knew we really had to step up our game to place, considering the setbacks we’ve had this season. I’m so proud of every one of them.

“At regionals, I felt that I ran well, placing top 5. Baldwin had a great course, but I ended up just missing my personal record by two seconds.” 

Sophomore Maddy Rhamy just missed a regional medal as she took 11th in 20:50 and senior Reese Johnson was 18th in 21:26.

Junior Nova Ptacek took 28th in 22:35 and fellow junior Bree Gassman was 36th in 23:28. Sophomore Erin Apple took 37th in 23:30 and Anna Poe was 40th in 23:45.

Poe was a last minute fill in for an injured Lola Edwards, and the Louisburg sophomore more than held her own.

“What most don’t realize about our sport is that your place is the points you earn,” Reece said. “The lowest score wins the meet. We score the first five runners and the sixth runner is a tiebreaker if needed and the seventh is that just in-case runner. At regionals, our seventh runner was Anna, who was more than just our No. 7. She put competing teams’ number 4 and 5 runners behind her, adding points to their team score, increasing our lead over them. That is the team aspect of our sport and Anna was a huge part of helping to get our team to state.”

Louisburg will end its season at Wamego this Saturday. The Wildcats will compete at the Class 4A state meet at Wamego Country Club, with the girls race starting at 10 a.m. and the boys at 11:20.

Louisburg senior Jaden Vohs (right) and freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty earned first and second team all-league honors, respectively, Thursday at the Frontier League Invitational. Vohs’ time of 16:45 was the third-fastest in school history.

BALDWIN CITY — The Frontier League Invitational is usually one of its toughest meets of the season for the Louisburg cross country team.

The league, which is known for its talented cross country teams, features the top three girls teams in the state (Eudora, Baldwin and Louisburg) and several experienced boys teams.

Louisburg left the Baldwin Golf Course last Thursday well-represented on the all-league list. The Wildcats boys had five runners earn all-league honors and finished second as a team.

The Lady Cats took fourth overall, despite one of their top runners having to an exit with an injury, and earned three all-league honors.

The boys team of Jaden Vohs, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Noah Cotter, Hayden Ross, Leo Martin, Landon Henry and Sawyer Richardson finished with 57 points. Spring Hill was the league champion with 51 points.

It is the first time in school history that the Louisburg boys have earned five all-league honors.

“Finishing second as a team shows how much individual effort went into each of their races,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We are finding our groove at the right time.”

Vohs recorded his best race of the season as he finished third overall with a time of 16 minutes and 45 seconds. His time ties him for third place all-time in school history with Wyatt Reece.

That finish also earned Vohs a first-team all-league honor. Tonganoxie’s Eli Gilmore was the league champion at 16:35.

“Jaden made a big jump in time which was inevitable,” coach Reece said. “He has been working hard and still has more to go. Give him the right race, at the right time, with the right mindset and he is even faster.”

Brings Plenty, a freshman, earned second-team all-league honors along with sophomore Noah Cotter. Brings Plenty finished eighth in 17:40 and Cotter was 11th in 18:13.

Ross and Martin each earned honorable mention all-league spots. Ross, a senior, ran an 18:28.03 to take 19th overall and Martin, a junior, was right behind him in 20th in 18:28.28.

Henry (19:32) and Richardson (19:48) rounded out the top Wildcat runners in 40th and 44th, respectively.

The girls continued their strong season as the Lady Cats took fourth with 101 points. Eudora won the league title by one with 44 points over Baldwin. Spring Hill was third with 81.

Sophomore Emma Vohs earned second team all-league honors as she took ninth in 20:23. 

Senior Reese Johnson and sophomore Maddy Rhamy each earned honorable mention all-league. Johnson was 16th in 21:09 and Rhamy was 17th in 21:25.

“The girls ran well,” coach Reece said. “Finishing fourth as a team again this year is an accomplishment in a very tough league. KSHSAA has graciously placed our league together for our regional meet as well which means very good teams will not qualify for state because of the strength of the teams running.”

Juniors Nova Ptacek (22:58) and Bree Gassman (23:10) finished 37th and 38th, respectively. Sophomore Erin Apple was 41st in 23:19.

Another sophomore, Lola Edwards, had to pull out of the race due to an injury.

The Wildcats will return to the Baldwin Golf Course this Saturday as they will compete in the Class 4A regional. Louisburg will once again compete with some of the state’s best in Eudora and Baldwin.

“We are looking forward to returning to Baldwin for regionals as we run well there,” coach Reece said. “We are looking to extend the season for both teams and make an appearance at the state meet again with two teams and hopefully leave with hardware.”

The girls race begins at 10 a.m. with the boys race to follow at approximately, 10:45.

Louisburg senior Jaden Vohs cruises down the home stretch of the Louisburg Invitational on Thursday at Lewis-Youn Park. Vohs won the race in 17 minutes and 14 seconds.

The Louisburg boys cross country team made a little bit of history last Thursday, and did so right in its back yard.

The Wildcats hosted the Louisburg Invitational at Lewis-Young Park, and for the first time in event history, the Louisburg boys won the team title.

The team of Jaden Vohs, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Noah Cotter, Hayden Ross, Leo Martin, Landon Henry and Sawyer Richardson edged out Spring Hill by one with 39 points in the six team race. At the same time, Vohs also took first individually.

“The boys beating Spring Hill by a point was amazing,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “I felt like they ran their races to their best, and it paid off as a team.”

In the girls race, the Lady Cats also found a lot of success as they finished second in the team standings, just seven points behind Spring Hill with 32.

The Lady Cats also medaled four in the race, led by sophomore Emma Vohs, who finished fourth overall.

“The girls continue to run very well,” Reece said. “They are ahead of their times from last season and are setting themselves up for success in the postseason. I feel like a scratched record, but if we take care of what we can control, both teams are going to have a great end to their season.”

Jaden Vohs led the boys team once again as he recorded his second-fastest time of the season. Jaden won with a time of 17 minutes and 14 seconds, about 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up spot.

“Racing experience has allowed Jaden to progress as a runner,” Reece said. “He is learning how to be patient during the race and move past people when he feels them slow. This sport is so much different than track and there is a learning curve that has definitely straightened out for him.”

The Wildcat boys medaled four overall. Along with Vohs, Brings Plenty took fourth overall in 18:01. Cotter finished in eighth in 18:46 and Ross was 10th in 18:56.

Martin was next in 16th in 19:12 and Henry took 25th in 20:00. Richardson rounded out the team in 31st with a time of 21:09.

Emma Vohs continued her strong season for the Lady Cats as she finished fourth in 21:07. Piper’s Grace Hanson won the event in 18:55.

Sophomore Lola Edwards was right behind Vohs as she medaled fifth in 21:32. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy (22:00) and senior Reese Johnson (22:07) also earned medals as they took eighth and ninth, respectively. 

Junior Nova Ptacek was 16th with a time of 23:23 and junior Bree Gassman was 19th in 24:14. Sophomore Erin Apple rounded out the Lady Cat lineup in 23rd in 25:23.

Louisburg is now done with its regular season and begins it postseason slate this Thursday when it travels to Baldwin City for the Frontier League Invitational. 

It will be the first two of straight times of running on the Baldwin Golf Course as Class 4A regionals will also be held there next week.

League races begin at 4 p.m.

Louisburg junior Nova Ptacek was one of six Lady Cats to medal at the Perry-Lecompton Invitational last Thursday. The Lady Cats took first in the team standings and the boys were second.

OZAWKIE — The Louisburg girls cross country team has won its previous two meets, but following the Perry-Lecompton Invitational last Thursday, the Lady Cats made it a third.

Louisburg cruised to a team title with 39 points and finished 32 points ahead of runner-up Tonganoxie in the 8-team race. 

The Wildcats boys also found themselves in the top two of the team standings for the third straight week as Louisburg took second with 62 points, just three points behind champion Bishop Miege.

The Louisburg girls had three runners finish in the top 10. Sophomore Emma Vohs led the way in second in 21 minutes and 32 seconds. Senior Reese Johnson was fourth in 21:57 and sophomore Maddy Rhamy was sixth in 22:14.

“As far as another win, we do not go to meets to win them, we go to do our best individually and by doing so we will perform well as a team,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We have performed well as a team in the past weeks for both teams. Placing three in the top ten is an accomplishment for sure and the other four girls were not far behind, which is what makes the team strong.”

Three other Lady Cats earned medals as junior Nova Ptacek was 14th in 23:34. Junior Bree Gassman was 18th in 24:07 and sophomore Erin Apple was 20th with a time of 24:15.

On the boys side, senior Jaden Vohs was near the front the pack once again as he was runner-up in 17:26, just nine seconds behind Tonganoxie’s Eli Gilmore.

“Jaden ran a strong meet again,” Reece said. “He and Eli have had some great races and they will run against each other the last three weeks of the season so that should make for some fierce competition. 

“The boys team is running well and finishing second, by only 3 points, to a good Miege team is a real positive.”

Four other Wildcats also earned medals as freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty was seventh in 18:27 and sophomore Noah Cotter was 13th in 18:57. Senior Hayden Ross took 18th in 19:19 and junior Leo Martin was 22nd in 19:36.

Senior Sawyer Richardson rounded out the Louisburg lineup in 45th with a time of 21:24.

The course at Wild Horse Trails at Perry Lake State Park was a difficult one for the runners as they had to run on a lot of uneven surfaces.

“Perry’s course is literally a horse trail,” Reece said. “Approximately 2 miles of the course is in the woods on a path that is very difficult to pass on. We had to work on getting in a good spot before entering the woods so as to not get caught up behind slowing runners. 

“Just ask Jerynce about the course as he lost a shoe and finished seventh with a sore foot, thankfully not injured. The runners seem to like the challenge and embrace its difficulty with enthusiasm.”

Louisburg will be back in action this Thursday as they host the Louisburg Invitational at Lewis-Young Park. Races are set to begin at 4 p.m.

“We always love to compete on our home course,” Reece said. “It is great to have members of the community out there cheering on the runners. We love our parents, but to hear a different voice rooting for you is great. We host a tough meet so the races should be good ones.”

The Louisburg girls cross country team took first at Prairie View on Thursday. Members of the team (from left) are Erin Apple, Nova Ptacek, Maddy Rhamy, Bree Gassman, Emma Vohs and Reese Johnson. Lola Edwards was not pictured.

LA CYGNE — The Louisburg girls cross country team continues to show why it is one of the top teams in Class 4A

Its latest example came Thursday during the Ramsey Invitational at Prairie View High School. The Lady Cats edged out the host school Prairie View to win the team title with 35 points.

Not only that, the Lady Cats won without one of their top runners — Lola Edwards — who had to step out of the race with an injury.

The team of Emma Vohs, Maddy Rhamy, Reese Johnson, Nova Ptacek, Erin Apple and Bree Gassman took it the rest of the way as they guided Louisburg to its second straight team crown.

Louisburg’s boys also had a strong outing as the group of Jaden Vohs, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Noah Cotter, Leo Martin, Hayden Ross, Landon Henry and Sawyer Richardson took second with 42 points, just five points behind first place Fort Scott.

Individually, however, Jaden Vohs took home top honors individually as he won going away in 17 minutes and 30 seconds.

“The girls ran well again,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We are still in the midst of some solid training, so to finish first as a team was great. We are beginning to see the fruits of our labor.”

Emma Vohs led the Lady Cats as she was runner-up individually with a time of 21 minutes and 13 seconds and teammate Maddy Rhamy was third in 21:42. 

Senior Reese Johnson also had a top 10 finish as she took sixth in 22:27. Junior Nova Ptacek was 14th in 23:42.

Erin Apple (24:04) and Bree Gassman (24:16) rounded out the Lady Cat roster in 17th and 19th, respectively.

On the boys side, Jaden Vohs once again had another strong race, but this time he was joined by Brings Plenty as the Wildcat duo finished 1-2.

Brings Plenty, a freshman, was 13 seconds behind Vohs in 17:43. Sophomore Noah Cotter was 11th for the Wildcats in 18:43.

“Jaden and Jerynce are great teammates and are pushing each other,” Reece said. “As we near the end of the season they will be ready to run down the competition. 

“Noah has moved into a solid No. 3 for us. He is training great and is much improved over last year. There is no sophomore slump for him.”

Martin was right behind Cotter in 14th in 19:12 and Ross was 20th in 19:44. Henry took 23rd in 20:07 and Richardson was 26th in 20:48.

Louisburg will look to continue its success this Thursday when it competes at the Perry-Lecompton Invitational. Races are set to begin at 4 p.m.

Louisburg senior Reese Johnson (left) and sophomore Emma Vohs have their eyes on the finish line last Thursday at the Wellsville Invitational. Both runners went on to earn medals.

WELLSVILLE — The entire Louisburg cross country team had that winning feeling last Thursday during the Wellsville Invitational. 

Both the varsity boys and girls squads won the team title and finished with a combined nine individual medals in the nine-team meet.

The Louisburg girls finished with 61 points and edged out runner-up Prairie View by three points to take the top spot. The boys had 48 points, two points head of second place West Franklin.

Louisburg’s junior varsity boys and girls also won team titles as the Wildcats swept the Wellsville meet.

“Having all four teams win their races was amazing,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We never go into a meet looking to win as a team, but rather compete individually to our best and know that will create a strong team finish. They were both close races, which was exciting.”

The Wildcat boys earned five medals overall, including two in the top 10.

Senior Jaden Vohs was third overall in 18 minutes and 1 second, while freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty was seventh in 18:44.

Sophomore Noah Cotter took 13th in 19:15, while seniors Hayden Ross (19:28) and Ryan Rogers (19:36) were 18th and 19th, respectively.

“Jaden and Jerynce ran well,” Reece said. “They quickly found out that racing two 5K’s with only four days in between is a tall task. They put in a solid effort and were rewarded for their work as well as the whole team.”

Junior Leo Martin was next on the Wildcat team in 29th in 20:14 and junior Landon Henry was 32nd in 20:32.

Sophomore Lola Edwards led the Lady Cat runners as she medaled fifth overall in 21:56 after missing the previous race with an injury.

Emma Vohs, another sophomore, was 11th in 22:29 and senior Reese Johnson was right behind her in 13th in 22:32. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy also earned a medal in 19th in 23:29.

“The girls showed real resilience and grit coming off a big race and racing again so soon,” coach Reece said. “Lola performed well and ran a controlled race as directed, so she could ease back into the racing mode.”

Junior Bree Gassman was fifth on the Lady Cat squad as she took 36th overall in 24:49 and junior Nova Ptacek was 45th in 25:52. Freshman Madison Huggins, who also raced on varsity, had to leave with an injury.

Louisburg had to take a different approach to the Wellsville meet after coming off a taxing Wamego Invitational with just four days rest.

However, the Wildcats are excited for their next meet, which is at Prairie View this Thursday.

“The team ran great at Wellsville. We always approach the Wellsville race differently as we just ran Wamego on the Saturday before and know that times will be different even on an easier course,” Reece said. “With getting back to our normal weekly schedule, I hope to see some great performances at Prairie View. There is still some shuffling between varsity and junior varsity on both sides as we continue to push each other to be a top seven runner.”

Louisburg sophomore Maddy Rhamy leads a pack of runners Saturday during the Wamego Invitational at Wamego Country Club.

WAMEGO — In what is its most challenging regular season meet of the year, the Louisburg cross country team brought home four medals.

The Wildcats traveled to the Wamego Invitational on Saturday and competed against some of the top Class 4A teams across the state. They more than held their own.

Senior Jaden Vohs had a top 10 finish and medaled for the boys, while sophomore Emma Vohs, senior Reese Johnson and sophomore Maddy Rhamy each earned an individual medal as well.

“Despite having to leave an hour earlier to start our day, the kids ran well at Wamego,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Anytime you get a chance to preview the State course and 4A competition, you jump at the chance. With both junior varsity and varsity running this year, all runners that were ready got to experience the course.”

Jaden was toward the top of the pack for most of the race and took seventh overall in 17 minutes and 2 seconds. He shaved 50 seconds off his previous personal best time from a week ago.

“Jaden is the epitome of a new cross country runner,” Reece said. “He is learning the sport quickly and his performances are indicative of his hard work. He ran a great race on a challenging course and made those around him earn their place. He put in some big surges to break some and drag some to top performances.”

On the girls side, Emma Vohs led the Lady Cat runners in 12th place in 21:38 and senior Reese Johnson was 21st in 22:04. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy was 25th in 22:16.

As a team, the Louisburg were girls were sixth out of 15 teams with 190 points. Eudora won the meet with 50 points.

Juniors Bree Gassman (24:14) and Nova Ptacek (24:16) were 69th and 70th, respectively. Freshman Madison Huggins was sixth on the team in 73rd in 24:28 and sophomore Erin Apple was 88th in 25:47.

“The girls continue to improve and medaling three was awesome,” Reece said. “They are training great and are really working together in practice to improve as a group. Cross country is an individual-team sport and all of the runners are pushing to improve themselves, which makes the team stronger.”

The Louisburg boys finished 10th out of 15 points teams with 257 points.

Sophomore Noah Cotter was second on the team in 52nd with a time of 18:57. Freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty was 55th in 19:00 and junior Leo Martin was 74th in 19:52.

Junior Landon Henry took 90th in 20:54, while senior Sawyer Richardson (21:22) and sophomore Max LaJoie (21:31) were 97th and 98th, respectively.

Louisburg is back in action today when the Wildcats travel to the Wellsville Invitational.

Members of the first place Louisburg boys cross country team are (from left) Leo Martin, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Jaden Vohs, Ryan Rogers, Hayden Ross, Sawyer Richardson and Noah Cotter.

Jaden Vohs, Jerynce Bring Plenty and Emma Vohs had never competed in a high school cross country race before.

It certainly didn’t look that way during the Randy Howarter Invitational on Thursday at Garnett Country Club.

Jaden Vohs and Brings Plenty finished 1-2 in the individual standings and helped the Wildcat boys to a first place team.

As for Emma Vohs, she medaled fourth to lead the Lady Cats and help them to a runner-up team finish.

“We started the season well,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We definitely have a great group of runners, which will make for a fun season. It was awesome to see Jaden and Jerynce go 1 and 2 in their first meet. They both seemed in control of their race and worked well together.”

Jaden, a senior, widened his lead through the race and finished with a time of 17 minutes and 52 seconds. Brings Plenty, a freshman, earned the second place medal in 18:13/

As a team, the Wildcats finished with 43 points and finished 12 points in front of runner-up Iola. In all, they earned six medals on the day.

Noah Cotter was third on the team in 13th place in a time of 19:32 and Leo Martin was 17th in 19:52. Seniors Ryan Rogers (20:09) and Hayden Ross (20:40) medaled 19th and 26th, respectively. Senior Sawyer Richardson was 35th in 21:39.

Emma Vohs, a sophomore, shined in her first race as she recorded a time 21:20 to medal fourth. She was one of three Lady Cats to leave Garnett with some hardware.

As as team, the Lady Cats took second with 67 points, despite having one of their top runners, Lola Edwards, leave the race early with an injury. Baldwin won the girls side with 26 points.

“Emma Vohs led the way for us in her first cross country meet and finishing fourth was amazing,” Reece said. “She is adding to an already talented group which makes us even stronger as a team. 

“The girls ran well, and even though Lola stepped out of the race, we were excited to get a second place team finish with multiple individual medal winners.”

Reese Johnson had a strong inaugural race to her senior season as she medaled in a time of 22:41 to finish eighth. Sophomore Maddy Rhamy also medaled as she took 10th in 22:50.

Junior Bree Gassman finished just outside of the medals in 32nd in 25:51. Nova Ptacek, another juniors was 36th, in 26:17. Sophomore Erin Apple rounded out the varsity runners in 40th in 26:30.

“Anderson County is not a tough course but being the first race, there are always jitters and all runners handled it very well,” Reece said. “From varsity to the beginners race, everyone performed well.”

Louisburg is back in action Saturday when it travels to the Wamego Invitational. The meet will feature some of the top teams across the state and gives the Wildcats a chance to get a preview of the state course.

“Everyone who will be running at Wamego is excited to get on the course and see the other 4A schools and what they have,” Reece said. “We are able to run the junior varsity there this year so all of those who could be competing for a top seven spot on the team will get the chance to run the state course.”

Louisburg senior Reese Johnson is a two-time state medalist for the Lady Cat cross country team and she is hoping to add a third medal to her resume, along with a team state title.

Reese Johnson has faced ups and downs throughout her cross country career, but it was after her sophomore year where the doubts started to creep in.

As a freshman, Johnson surprised some as she finished sixth at the Class 4A state meet and hung with the program’s most accomplished runner — Trinity Moore — in just her first season out.

Johnson seemed like she was poised for a great four year run, and for some people, she has. However, Johnson had higher goals for herself, which was why she considered her sophomore season a disappointment after she took 40th at the state meet.

For her, it was a step backward. Then last season, Johnson missed the final three regular season meets and she wondered if she would even be able to make it back to state.

Despite having to come back from an injury, Johnson went on to get her second state medal at last season’s state meet and also helped the team achieve history as the Lady Cats took third in Class 4A.

It has been nothing but a wild ride so far for Johnson.

“I can’t believe it’s already been four years,” Johnson said. “It really does feel like I was just running alongside Trinity. My freshmen year was a crazy experience. I was not expecting to do that well as a freshmen and getting sixth was a great feeling. 

“I would say in a way I used to be disappointed in the runner I became, especially after my sophomore year, but that just gave me a reason to push myself. So after that I started working so much harder and training more and all the work paid off after my junior year season. I never thought I’d be able to place again after getting 40th, but getting 15th meant so much to me. I’m looking forward to this season cause I’ve been working harder than ever.”

Whatever doubts there were for Johnson are now gone as she enters her final season for the Louisburg cross country team. She is the lone senior on a squad filled with young, talented runners and is looking forward to taking that leadership role.

She is hoping for big things for herself and the rest of her teammates.

“This season I just have this feeling that we’re gonna do great things,” Johnson said. “I sense a state title for our team and I know we’re all working for that ring. We’re gonna be better than we ever have been this season and everyone is working so hard. 

“It really does feel different knowing this is my last season. Even though it’s running and it sucks, I’m gonna miss it. I didn’t think I would, but the emotions are already starting to come to me even though the season just started. I love this team and I love the hard work we put in. I’m gonna miss being part of such a successful program.”

It is easy for Johnson to get emotional after the season the Lady Cats had a year ago. It may have not been her best state finish individually, but it was her most memorable one.

“For me, my junior year individual medal and team medal mean the most to me,” Johnson said. “Although it wasn’t my best individual finish, it sure felt like my best finish. I worked so hard after my sophomore slump and after missing three meets before regionals due to an injury, so it really was great to be able to finish that well. I’ve been very fortunate in high school sports and making trips to state, but being able to be third in the state was the best feeling ever. I can’t even explain it. We all felt so proud and we all deserved it.”

Johnson’s team-first attitude was evident last season, but even more so in her final year with the program.

“Reese is a lead by example teammate,” coach John Reece said. “She works hard and puts in the time needed to accomplish what she wants. This is an individual/team sport and she is really focused on the team aspect this year and wants to succeed. She is going to put herself out there and run for her teammates every race.”

In what is a talented Class 4A field, especially in the Frontier League, Johnson has set high goals for herself and her teammates and she is ready to meet them head on.

“This season I would like to place top 20 at state again,” she said. “It’s gonna take a lot of work, but I know with my team’s support I can do it. Along with an individual medal, I wanna bring that state champion plaque to Louisburg and get the girls cross country team’s name on the state champions sign. 

“Our goal as a team this season is win state and get ourselves a ring, a plaque and a sign. Coach is rooting for us and helping us every step of the way. With his support and our hard work, this season is gonna be one to remember.”

The Louisburg girls cross country team is hoping to improve off of last season third place finish at the Class 4A state meet.

There was no better season for Louisburg cross country than in 2020. 

The girls team earned their first state plaque after they finished third at the Class 4A state meet in Wamego. As for the boys, they qualified as a team for state for the first in program history.

It was a magical time for the Wildcats, but even after that memorable run, they are ready to take that next step.

Nearly all of the girls off of the third place state team return to try and better their position in 2021, while the boys return a majority of their group and have added a couple key pieces.

It has all the makings of another historic season for Louisburg.

The Lady Cats return three state medalists in senior Reese Johnson and sophomores Lola Edwards and Maddy Rhamy, along with juniors Bree Gassman and Nova Ptacek and sophomore Erin Apple.

Louisburg has already set high goals for itself and it wants to improve off its third place finish.

“The girls are hungry for a better finish at state,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “They are a self-motivated group and there are at least 10 girls that will be battling for a varsity spot all year long. This makes for good intrasquad competition and real teamwork during training. As one of the girls stated after a workout, it’s ring season. So our expectations for them are already in their goals.”

Rhamy and Edwards are coming off impressive freshman seasons that saw them finish in the top 10 at the state meet. Rhamy finished eighth and Edwards was 10th as they competed against the best 4A had to offer.

Reece is expecting them, and others, to take another step forward this season.

“Lola and Maddy have put in the summer work and are coming into the season ready to go,” Reece said. “They will be much more race savvy this year as sophomores and will be there at the end.”

Johnson is also a returning two-time state medalist after she took 15th at last year’s state meet and will look to lead a group of improved runners.

“This season I just have this feeling that we’re gonna do great things,” Johnson said. “I sense a state title for our team and I know we’re all working for that ring. We’re gonna be better than we ever have been this season and everyone is working so hard.”

The Lady Cats will also have some new runners that could make an impact as well. Sophomore Emma Vohs, who earned a state medal in the 400-meter dash last spring, has cracked the top seven for the opening meet today in Garnett and could be a factor for Louisburg.

According to Reece, junior Nerea Ocerin and sophomore Ashley Branine will also compete for varsity time throughout the season.

As for the boys, the Wildcats lost two of their top runners from a year ago in Carson Houchen and Cade Holtzen, but found two replacements for them to include with a good group of returning runners.

Senior Jaden Vohs, who was a state medalist in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs last spring at state track, is out for cross country for the first time. He is joined by freshman Jerynce Brings Plenty, who set school record times at the middle school level.

The returning group of seniors includes Ryan Rogers and Hayden Ross, along with junior Leo Martin and sophomores Max LaJoie and Noah Cotter, will open the season on the varsity level.

Juniors Trent Allen, Griffin Drew and Landon Henry, along with senior Sawyer Richardson and sophomore Vitus Aagaard with compete for varsity time this year.

“The boys team is going to be a solid group again,” Reece said. “Much like the girls team there will be multiple runners trying to earn a spot on the top 7. Jaden Vohs and Jerynce Brings Plenty will be leading the group with returners from last year.

“They do have a return trip to state in their goals as well. With multiple returners and a tight pack of runners, it is going to be a fun competitive season amongst teammates to earn a top 7 spot.”

Louisburg will begin its season today when it travels to the Anderson County Invitational. JV races are set to begin at 5 p.m with the varsity to follow.