It was a successful, and eventful, year for Louisburg High School athletics and for those who are connected to the Wildcat program. 

This past year created a lot of school history for LHS and a few programs made their way to state competition. 

Below are the top stories from 2024, along with a brief explanation of each. Included in the writeup is the link to the actual story from the event.

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

This year was a blast to cover and I am looking forward to seeing what 2025 will bring. Thank you to everyone for their support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

10. Coaching Changes: Willer steps down from LHS volleyball, Roquemore takes over girls soccer

Louisburg volleyball and girls soccer saw some big changes in their respective programs. 

Over the summer, Jordan Roquemore was hired as the head coach for the Wildcat girls soccer program after spending several years as an assistant. 

He became the third head coach in the history of Louisburg girls soccer. He replaced former coach Ben York, who coached the Wildcats the last two seasons.

“I feel tremendously honored to take over as head coach,” Roquemore said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to take over an exceptional program with a great group of athletes, supportive parents and invested community members. I don’t take the responsibility lightly, but I am also really excited.”

On the volleyball side, head coach Leanna Willer submitted her resignation in early December.

Willer has spent eight seasons with the Wildcat program, including the last four as head coach. She accepted a new position as head coach at Olathe East.

“This decision is bittersweet, but deep down I know that this is the best decision for me and my life,” Willer said in an email to parents. “The team will move on, and I feel lucky that I could play a small part in the long-standing traditions of the program. To the alumni and class of 2024, I thank you for your commitment to this team and to this program, and for making my time at Louisburg unforgettable. To our younger players, I am sorry for not seeing your journeys all the way through, but please know that you have my unwavering support and I cannot wait to see what you all can accomplish with the time you have left as Louisburg Wildcats.”

9. Brueggen wins state swim medal

For the third straight season, Sabra Brueggen left the Class 5-1A state swim meet with some hardware.

The Louisburg junior showed why she is among the state’s best as she earned a fourth place medal in the 200-yard individual medley — her first ever state medal in that event — Saturday at the Shawnee Mission Aquatic Center.

The 2-day meet provided a lot of ups, and some downs, for the Louisburg swim program, but for Brueggen it was nice to return to the medal stand.

“I was very happy and content with my 200 IM swims last weekend,” Brueggen said. “Not only did I set a new personal best time, but I also walked away with fourth place in an event that is not one of my primaries.”

Janie Harth, Ella Bockelman and Cadence Weichert also joined Brueggen at the state meet as they qualified for the consolation finals in the 200 medley relay 400 freestyle relay.

8. Dixon achieves pro volleyball dream

It was setting up to be an epic finish to Anna Dixon’s collegiate volleyball career.

Dixon, as a graduate transfer, made the move to the University of Florida for her final season and quickly made an impact on the Gators’ roster.

Despite have to learn a new position due to an injury on the team, Dixon seemed to flourish. She helped the Gators out to a quick start and everything was going according to plan.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Dixon suffered a season-ending elbow injury that put a premature end to her collegiate career. It was a devastating blow.

However, instead of sulking, Dixon worked that much harder to get back to the court and achieve her ultimate goal — playing professional volleyball. 

All that hard work finally came to fruition back in July when Dixon, a 2019 Louisburg High School graduate, signed with the Atlanta Vibe, which is a part of the Pro Volleyball Federation.

“I am super excited to compete at the highest level, but also to be able to do that here in the US,” Dixon said. “It has been a dream of mine to be able to play professionally, in front of club girls who are in the same shoes that I was in many years ago. I am excited to give them the opportunity to have something to look forward to and work toward. Blessed for the opportunity and ready to get to work.”

7. Cheer takes third at state

TOPEKA — The Louisburg High School cheerleading squad is no stranger to the finals of the Class 4A Game Day competition. 

Heading into the Nov. 23 showcase in Topeka, the Wildcats have made the final round in each of the last five seasons. Louisburg had no problem making it a sixth straight, and for the fifth time in six years, they came home with a state plaque.

Louisburg finished third in the state competition as it edged out Baldwin for the top three spot in Class 4A.

“Bringing home another trophy from the Game Day Cheer competition was a testament to our team’s hard work, dedication, and growth throughout the season,” Louisburg cheer coach Breanna Kostroske said. “It means so much to us because it reflects their skill, their heart, and spirit—three things we emphasize daily. For our athletes, it symbolizes their resilience and the countless hours they’ve spent perfecting their routines. 

“As coaches, we are incredibly proud of their overall performance. They left it all on the floor, and while there is always room for improvement, they gave a performance that showcased their teamwork, precision, and energy.”

6. Moore medals at state wrestling

SALINA — Louisburg has been no stranger to the medal stand at the Class 4A state wrestling tournament and it was the case again back in February in Salina.

Louisburg junior Ashton Moore reached the semifinals at 190 pounds on the first day to secure himself a medal, and then finished fourth overall on the tournament’s final day.

Moore had several close matches throughout the 3-day tournament at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and was challenged each day. 

“I thought I wrestled some of my best matches of the season and it felt great to have it pay off with a medal,” Moore said. “It felt amazing to win those first two matches and know I was guaranteed my medal. Those wins really helped me gain a lot of confidence going forward in the tournament.”

Five other Wildcats made the trip to state, but faced some tough matchups. Juniors Canaan Clayton (113 pounds), Will Showalter (120), Logan Henry (132), Jay McCaskill (157) and senior Traden Noll (150) each finished 0-2 on the first day.

5. Wildcat boys swim makes history earning 5 medals at state

TOPEKA — The Louisburg boys swim program is still relatively new compared to other teams around the state, but the Wildcats made its presence felt back in February at the Class 5-1A state meet in Topeka.

Louisburg had its best postseason finish in its young history as the Wildcats finished eighth overall in the team standings with 104 points thanks in part to just four swimmers.

Two of those athletes — Colin Brown and Andrew Jamison — each brought home individual medals. Brown, Jamison, Colton Prettyman and Noah Sharp also medaled in the 200-yard medley relay.

Brown hit the pool strong as the Wildcat sophomore medaled fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and later finished fifth in the 100 backstroke with personal best times. 

Jamison, another sophomore, earned two medals of his own. He finished fifth in the 200 individual medley and later took sixth in the 100 breaststroke. 

Prettyman reached the consolation finals in the 50 freestyle and took 13th overall with a personal best time. 

4. Wildcat football nearly pulls upset of Miege as successful season comes to early close

The mountain of playing Bishop Miege is always a tough one for public schools to climb, especially when it comes to football.

Miege, which has won seven state titles in the last 10 years, has never lost to a non-private school in the playoffs during that decade long of dominance.

Louisburg wanted to be the first team to hand it that loss as the No. 2 seed Wildcats hosted the No. 15 Stags in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The Wildcats were so close to that mountaintop, but came up just short as they fell to Miege, 21-14, to end their season with a 7-2 record.

Louisburg was behind 14 points, only to rally and tie the game at halftime. The Wildcats had one final drive to try and tie it again late, but a Miege interception dashed the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset. 

“In this moment, the only word I can come up right now is proud,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “I am so proud of the team. Our biggest emphasis was we had to start fast and we didn’t. They got out to a 14-0 lead, and most times when you play teams like Miege that can snowball and get out of hand quick. Those guys just battled and were able to tie it up at halftime. Then for us to continue to fight and have a chance to tie it at the end — proud is all I can say about them.”

The Wildcats ended their season with back-to-back losses after they won their first seven games of the season. They were in line to win their third straight league title, but lost a close game the week before to Spring Hill that also bumped them off their No. 1 seed line, forcing a matchup with Miege in the first round.

Miege’s streak of state titles came to an end later in the season as the Stags fell to Andover Central in the state championship game.

3. Wildcat girls soccer wins regional championship

For the last two seasons, the Louisburg girls soccer team has seen heartbreak in the Class 4-1A regional championship.

Losses to Topeka-Hayden and Bishop Miege have prevented the Wildcats from that regional title, with their last coming in 2021. 

It is elusive no more.

The No. 1 seed Wildcats shutout No. 8 Maranatha Academy, 2-0, to win the Class 4-1A regional title at Wildcat Stadium. It was a dominating effort from start to finish as the Wildcats improved their record to 13-4-1 on the season.

“This was a preseason goal of ours,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “We fell short last year and we wanted to do as much as we could in the regular season to control our own destiny. The girls put a lot of work in and were focused to get to this game and get a win. They definitely earned this one and it was good to see them enjoy it.”

Louisburg faced a tough matchup in the state quarterfinals as the Wildcats lost to Bishop Miege at home, 7-0.

2. Wildcat baseball earns first regional title in 15 years

The current members of the Louisburg baseball team couldn’t remember the last time the Wildcats made the state tournament even if they tried.

That’s because they were just wee toddlers the last time the Wildcats earned a spot a state — 2009 to be exact. 

These players are going to have a hard time forgetting this one.

For the first time in 15 years, Louisburg is headed back to the state tournament after the Wildcats put together a convincing 10-3 victory over Wamego in the Class 4A regional championship back in May at Lewis-Young Park.

The Wildcats also defeated Parsons, 8-0, in the regional semifinal to put together what was a dominating performance from top to bottom.

“This is just amazing,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “To see how much work these guys have put in, then to come out and get the job done, it is pretty surreal. We had a bunch of guys step up and do exactly what they needed to do. They played great defense, pitched great and everyone in the dug out was into the game. It was a great win.

“It has been awhile and it has been a long time coming. We have had some great teams and this team finally pushed through and got it done.”

In the state tournament, the Wildcats had to battle rival Paola in the first round, but lost in a pitcher’s dual to the Panthers, 3-0.

1. Wildcat sweep pole vault state titles, medal 8 at state

WICHITA — Cooper Wingfield and Maddy Carpenter-Ross found their way atop the medal stand last May at the Class 4A state track meet.

All season, Carpenter-Ross had her eyes set on a second straight state title in the pole vault and she dominated her competition.

Going into the Class 4A state meet at Wichita State, Carpenter-Ross won every competition going away and was ready to do the same against some of the state’s best.

This time, however, it was much harder.

To get this state title, Carpenter-Ross was going to have to have to set a new personal best and break her own school record in the process.

She did it and accomplished that feat on her first try.

With two competitors left at 12 feet, Carpenter-Ross cleared it on her first try as did Holton’s Piper Robinson. Both competitors missed at 12-6, and since they were tied, they decided the winner based on misses at 11-6, where the Louisburg senior got it on her first try.

“It is pretty awesome,” Carpenter-Ross said. “I worked really hard for that and I am so relieved right now. It was a little stressful, but I was in that competitive mindset and I was so happy that I PR’d. Everyone was setting personal records, so I was just like ‘My turn.’”

Wingfield, who was the state runner-up last season, entered the competition at 14 feet. He missed the first two attempts on his opening height, and another miss would not only prevent him from a state title, but a spot on the medal stand.

On the third attempt, the Louisburg junior cleared it with ease and eventually cleared 15 feet on his first attempt, which was the winning height.

“I was really nervous there on that last attempt (at 14 feet),” Wingfield said. “All I needed was a good jump to get in the zone and from there I knew I could jump pretty high. The competition was a lot harder this time around than it was last year. I knew I had to make everything on my first attempt and once I had one good jump, I knew I could do it.”

It had already been a special season in the pole vault for Wingfield, as he earned a league and regional title, and broke the school record.

Other state medalists were Gavin Lohse (third, long jump), Jaymes Melton (seventh, shot put), Ben O’Bryan (seventh, discus), Suzanna Dansel (seventh 100 dash) and Jacob Brown (eighth, pole vault). The girls 4×100 team of Dansel, Kendall Crossley, Emma Vohs and Addi Mallett medaled sixth.

Louisburg will be well-represented at the Kansas Shrine Bowl later this year as two Wildcat seniors were selected to the all-star game.

Ashton Moore and Conlee Hovey were named to the East squad as the rosters were announced during a New Year’s Day selection show. 

The game will be played on June 21 at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City. Moore was chosen as one of the team’s linebackers, while Hovey was a defensive end selection.

Moore and Hovey both had big years for the Wildcats and were recognized as such. The two Louisburg seniors earned first team all-league honors on both sides of the ball.

Moore was a first team all-league running back as he led the way with 611 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. He also had 14 catches for 132 yards and another touchdown to amass 750 yards of total offense despite only playing defense for the first few games of the season.

He was also named a first team all-league linebacker as the K-State signee led the Wildcats with 80 tackles on the season and had 6.5 tackles for loss. 

Moore was later named a first-team all-state selection and was a recipient of the Bobby Bell Award, which is given to the top small class linebacker/lineman in the Kansas City metro area.

As for Hovey, he was named a first team all-league defensive end after tallying 47 tackles, 5.5 for a loss and he had three sacks.

Hovey, who is a University of Kansas commit, was also a first team selection at tight end as he had 25 catches for 286 yards and two touchdowns. He also earned all-state honors.

The initial Shrine Bowl invitations are the result of a selection process combining statewide media votes and Kansas Shrine Bowl coaching staff selections from a list of 447 nominees. In addition to filling position specific needs on the roster, the selection process includes additional criteria regarding geographic restrictions, classification size, and limits on the number of players that may be selected per school.

In addition to playing in the annual East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine Bowl participants get the opportunity to meet and interact with the Patient Ambassadors from Shriners Children’s during the Hospital Experience event during game week. For many, the Hospital Experience is the highlight of their time at the Kansas Shrine Bowl and showcases the true purpose of the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Since 1974, nearly $4 million has been sent to Shriners Children’s thanks to the supporters of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Shriners Children’s is a world-renowned healthcare system with hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers and outreach locations across the globe. 

It is dedicated to improving the lives of children every day by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.

Louisburg has been no stranger to the all-star game as Declan Battle played last year and Nathan Vincent was a selection two years ago. Both older brothers of Moore and Hovey were also Shrine Bowl selections. Austin Moore was a selection in 2019 and Jase Hovey earned the honor in 2023.

The Louisburg football team may have come up short of its goal of winning its third straight league title, but several Wildcat players certainly left a mark with their opposing coaches.

The All-Frontier League football team was released last week and Louisburg was well-represented throughout the roster. The Wildcats earned 17 spots overall, including nine first-team selections.

Seniors Ashton Moore, Conlee Hovey, Brayden Yoder, Myles Vohs, Miles Meek, Lucas Swartz and junior Blaise Vohs all earned first team selections.

Alex Saad, Erik Lien, Logan Henry and Yoder were also awarded second team honors, while Darby Van Eaton, Johnny Hendrickson, Jimmy DeVary and Myles Vohs earned honorable mention.

“I felt like we were represented well,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “Anytime you get recognized by an opposing coach it is a huge honor.  I felt like our players played well this year and the amount of representation we had on the all-league teams shows the quality of players that we have” 

Moore and Hovey both had big years for the Wildcats and were recognized as such. The two Louisburg seniors earned first team honors on both sides of the ball.

Moore was a first team all-league running back as he led the way with 611 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. He also had 14 catches for 132 yards and another touchdown to amass 750 yards of total offense despite only playing defense for the first few games of the season.

He was also named a first team all-league linebacker as the K-State commit led the Wildcats with 80 tackles on the season and had 6.5 tackles for loss. 

As for Hovey, he was named a first team all-league defensive end after tallying 47 tackles, 5.5 for a loss and he had three sacks.

Hovey was also a first team selection at tight end as he had 25 catches for 286 yards and two touchdowns.

“Both of those guys are big time players,” Harding said. “Obviously to get first team on both sides of the ball you have to be making a difference out there on game nights and they did just that.  In addition to being great football players for us they were also great leaders.  Both of those guys are going to play on Saturdays and we are excited to watch them continue to compete.”

Also on the offensive side, Myles Vohs was a first-team selection at wide receiver and was the Wildcats’ biggest threat in the passing attack. Vohs had a team high 41 receptions for 852 yards and had nine touchdowns.

Vohs was also named as an honorable mention defensive back with 20 tackles, seven pass break ups and also had an interception for a touchdown.

“Myles was a big play threat for us anytime he touched the ball,” Harding said. “No matter how he got it he had the ability to take it all the way. He also had a knack of making big time contested catches. He was a major focus of opposing defenses and he was still able to be incredibly productive all throughout the year. “

Meek did a good job opening holes for the Louisburg offense and was a first-team all-league selection on the offensive line that accumulated nearly 3,000 yards of total offense.

“Miles really turned himself into a player over his four years,” Harding said. “We are extremely proud of his work ethic and consistency that he provided us. Miles was incredibly smart and could’ve played any of our five offensive line positions in an instant at a high level.”

On defense, Yoder played at high level all season for the Wildcats and was rewarded as he was selected as a first team defensive tackle. He was second on the team with 68 tackles, including six tackles for a loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks.

He was also recognized for his play offense as he was a second team selection as an offensive lineman.

“Brayden was extremely productive from his defensive tackle spot,” Harding said. “He is back to back first team DT and deservingly so. Brayden plays with good technique and good effort all the time. We are really glad that he was on our football team and are proud of his accomplishments.”

Swartz, who played mainly as a safety for the Wildcats, made big plays throughout the year for Louisburg and earned first team honors as a multipurpose player on defense. He finished the year with 42 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks. Swartz also recorded a blocked field goal on special teams.

“Lucas always played with an incredible motor,” Harding said. “If we had 11 guys that could play with Lucas’ motor then we would have an easy job. He made a bunch of big plays for us this year including the game winning stop in OT against Tonganoxie. He was definitely deserving of his first team honor.”

On special teams, Blaise Vohs earned top honors this season as a first-team all-league kicker. He missed just one extra point on the season and was 3-for-3 on field goals. 

“Blaise was nails for us all year as a kicker,” Harding said. “He was also key to our kickoff unit being able to directionally kick as well as get touchbacks to start opposing offenses backed up.  We are very excited to have Blaise back for his senior season.”

Saad also had a big season for the Wildcats and was named as a second team all-league quarterback. In his first season as a starter, Saad was 109-for-167 and had 1,702 yards with 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 115 yards and a score.

“Alex just got better and better throughout the year,” Harding said. “He was really good at scrambling and making plays that were off script.  He was also great with our RPO plays that kept defenses honest and made big plays for us. Alex is a really gifted athlete and you could see that on display on Friday nights.”

On defense, Henry and Lien also played big roles on one of the top units in the Frontier League.

Henry was a second team selection as a safety and he finished the year with 50 tackles and five pass break-ups to go along with a team-high four interceptions. 

“Logan had a knack for always being around the ball,” Harding said. “Whether it was filling the alley from his safety spot or breaking up a pass, he had a really good year for us. Finishing the year with 4 interceptions was a great accomplishment by Logan and we are proud of his development over his 4 years.”

As for Lien, he is in his first season as a starter and made the most of it as he earned a second team spot as a linebacker. He finished the year with 49 tackles, three tackles for a loss, three pass breakups and an interception.

“Erik was very consistent,” Harding said. “He really turned himself into a good football player over his four years. Erik was really smart and we could move him around to many different spots within the defense. He had a really good season and we were happy to see him get recognized with all-league honors.”

The Wildcats also had three other players earn all-league spots.

Hendrickson was the third Wildcat offensive lineman to be recognized on the all-league team. The Louisburg junior was named as an honorable mention as a guard on an offense that had 3,000 total yards.

He opened those holes up for Van Eaton as he was named as an honorable mention running back. He recorded 426 yards on the ground and had five touchdowns to go along with 102 yards receiving.

On defense, DeVary was named as an honorable mention defensive lineman. The Wildcat senior finished the year with 22 tackles, but had 5.5 tackles for a loss and a sack.

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL

OFFENSE

First Team

QUARTERBACK: Haydon Hull, Ottawa, junior

RUNNING BACK: Ashton Moore, Louisburg, senior; Patrick Stumpff, Spring Hill, senior; Tanner Hand, Tonganoxie, senior

WIDE RECEIVER: Myles Vohs, Louisburg, senior; Aiden McCullough, Ottawa, junior; Nate Sims, Ottawa, junior; Todd Brown, Tonganoxie, senior

TIGHT END: Conlee Hovey, Louisburg, senior

LINE: Jake Van Horn, Baldwin, senior; Cage Crabill, Eudora, junior; Miles Meek, Louisburg, senior; Logan Alexander, Spring Hill, senior; Zac Fisher, Tonganoxie, senior

MULTIPURPOSE: Christian Jarrett, Eudora, senior

Second Team

QUARTERBACK: Alex Saad, Louisburg, senior

RUNNING BACK: Gavin Moody, Eudora, sophomore; Dante Silvey, Ottawa, senior; JD Troutman, Paola, senior

WIDE RECEIVER: Jackson Torrez, Spring Hill, senior; Jacob Morenz, Tonganoxie, junior; Sasha Pichnenko, Paola, junior

TIGHT END: Elijah Holthaus, Tonganoxie, sophomore

LINE: Brett Davidson, Baldwin, senior; Brayden Yoder, Louisburg, senior; Tobias Thompson, Ottawa, junior; Gage Wingerter, Spring Hill, senior; Luke Anderson, Paola, junior

MULTIPURPOSE: Mayson Dodson, Spring Hill, freshman

Honorable Mention

QUARTERBACK: Jordan Miller, Spring Hill, junior; Talon Langford, Tonganoxie, senior; Jasper Logan, Paola, senior

RUNNING BACK: Darby Van Eaton, Louisburg, senior; JJ Crawford, Paola, senior

WIDE RECEIVER: Jackson Rood, Baldwin, junior; Cole McGrath, Ottawa, senior; Jace Kerley, Paola, senior

TIGHT END: Colton Callum, Baldwin, junior

LINE: Leland Bradshaw, Eudora, junior; Johnny Hendrickson, Louisburg, junior; Collin Harris, Ottawa, senior; Evan Burke, Spring Hill, senior; Tucker McGuire, Tonganoxie, senior; Carter Kauk, Paola, senior; Hudson Razak, Bonner Springs, senior; Duncan Pinkham, Spring Hill, junior; Jack Boetel, Ottawa, junior; Jake Stevanus, Baldwin, junior

MULTIPURPOSE: Prince Davynn Donnell, Bonner Springs, sophomore; JJ Crawford, Paola, senior

DEFENSE

First Team

TACKLE: Cage Crabill, Eudora, junior; Brayden Yoder, Louisburg, senior; Seth Ferguson, Ottawa, senior; Carson Royal, Spring Hill, senior

END: Conlee Hovey, Louisburg, senior; Cade Myers, Spring Hill, senior

LINEBACKER: Ashton Moore, Louisburg, senior; Beau Gardner, Spring Hill, senior; Liam Marler, Ottawa, junior; Tanner Hand, Tonganoxie, senior

BACK: Christian Jarrett, Eudora, senior; Clay Vallery, Spring Hill, senior; Cole McGrath, Ottawa, junior

MULTIPURPOSE: Lucas Swartz, Louisburg, senior

Second Team

TACKLE: Leland Bradshaw, Eudora, junior; Carson Martin, Paola, junior; Blaine Sommer, Spring Hill, senior

END: Brett Davidson, Baldwin, senior; Kendall Smith, Tonganoxie, senior
LINEBACKER: Brenden O’Connor, Baldwin, junior; Silvy Janovec, Eudora, senior; Max Jones, Paola, junior; Erik Lien, Louisburg, senior

BACK: JJ Crawford, Paola, senior; Logan Henry, Louisburg, senior; Brady Martin, Tonganoxie, junior

MULTIPURPOSE: Braeden VanDonge, Eudora, senior

Honorable Mention

TACKLE: Jimmy DeVary, Louisburg, senior

END: Jake Van Horn, Baldwin, senior; Tobias Thompson, Ottawa, junior; Collin Harris, Ottawa, senior; Jax Troutman, Paola, sophomore

LINEBACKER: Mitchell Long, Ottawa, senior

BACK: John Onyenagubo, Baldwin, senior; Kyle Blanz, Bonner Springs, senior; Dez Hoobler, Eudora, freshman; Myles Vohs, Louisburg, senior; Lucas Gholston, Spring Hill, senior; Nate Sims, Ottawa, junior; Jayce Mourning, Ottawa, sophomore

MULTIPURPOSE: Kyle Blanz, Bonner Springs, senior; Nate Simms, Ottawa, junior

SPECIAL TEAMS

First Team

KICKER: Blaise Vohs, Louisburg, junior

PUNTER: Brooks Bayer, Spring Hill, sophomore

RETURNER: Nate Sims, Ottawa, junior

Second Team

KICKER: Josh Audiss, Ottawa, senior

PUNTER: Nate Steinlage, Eudora, senior

RETURNER: Benny Ragan, Spring Hill, junior

Honorable Mention

KICKER: JD Troutman, Paola, senior; Cody Lobb, Tonganoxie, freshman; Ryan Jackson, Spring Hill, senior
PUNTER: Max Harvey, Baldwin; Martin Guerra, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Carter Hepner, Ottawa, senior

RETURNER: JD Troutman, Paola, senior

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week 10 of the fall sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.

CONLEE HOVEY SENIOR, FOOTBALL

Louisburg senior Conlee Hovey had a big season for the Wildcat football team and he put together one of his better games on Nov. 1 in the Wildcats’ final game against Bishop Miege. Hovey, a tight end, led Louisburg with five catches for 78 yards in the Wildcats’ first round playoff loss to Miege that ended the Wildcats’ season with a 7-2 record.

Hovey played on both sides of the ball for the Wildcats and also had a strong game at defensive end. He finished with five tackles on the night and was among the team’s top tacklers on the season.

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

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Week 6: Adelyn Moore

Week 7: Brayden Yoder

Week 8: Truman Ellison

Week 9: Emmett White

The mountain of playing Bishop Miege is always a tough one for public schools to climb, especially when it comes to football.

Miege, which has won seven state titles in the last 10 years, has never lost to a non-private school in the playoffs during that decade long of dominance.

Louisburg wanted to be the first team to hand it that loss Friday as the No. 2 seed Wildcats hosted the No. 15 Stags in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The Wildcats were so close to that mountaintop, but came up just short as they fell to Miege, 21-14, to end their season with a 7-2 record.

Louisburg was behind 14 points, only to rally and tie the game at halftime. The Wildcats had one final drive to try and tie it again late, but a Miege interception dashed the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset. 

“In this moment, the only word I can come up right now is proud,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “I am so proud of the team. Our biggest emphasis was we had to start fast and we didn’t. They got out to a 14-0 lead, and most times when you play teams like Miege that can snowball and get out of hand quick. Those guys just battled and were able to tie it up at halftime. Then for us to continue to fight and have a chance to tie it at the end — proud is all I can say about them.”

Bishop Miege got out to a quick start as they took a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown by Vinny George in the first quarter and then Stag quarterback Marco Rodriguez scored on a 4-yard run of his own to put Miege up 14-0 early in the the second quarter.

It didn’t get much better as the Wildcats found themselves on their own 2-yard line on their next drive. However, it was there when the game started to turn.

Louisburg made several big plays, including a 40-yard pass from quarterback Alex Saad to Rickey Giles, and the Wildcats drove 98 yards that ended on a 13-yard run by Ashton Moore to cut the Miege lead in half. Moore also had a 22-yard screen pass from Saad that set up the score.

“We had a negative play that set us up in a bad situation,” Harding said. “For them to battle through that, put a drive together and get a touchdown was great to see and 98-yard drives don’t happen very often, especially against a good defense like Miege. I think that drive was a good representation of what these guys did all night.”

The Wildcat defense then came up with a big play as senior Brayden Yoder recorded a sack on third down and force a Miege punt near midfield with under three minutes left in the first half.

Louisburg got its quick strike offense going as Saad connected with Myles Vohs on a 43-yard pass to get into Miege territory. That set up a 17-yard pass from Saad to Moore to tie it up with 40 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Wildcat offensive line of Yoder, Miles Meek, Xander Lucas, Nate Capuro and Johnny Hendrickson, along with tight ends Conlee Hovey and Erik Lien, opened holes for several big plays in the first half.

Hovey had a team high five catches for 78 yards to lead the Wildcats, while Vohs had 4 catches for 57 yards. Saad alluded pressure for most of the night as he completed 17 of 27 passes for 251 yards.

“Their confidence was high at halftime and they were feeling good about their situation, especially after being down 14 points and battling back,” Harding said. “Unfortunately we weren’t come out and put a drive together in the second half, but our defense played phenomenal all game and kept us in the game.”

Louisburg’s defense had one of — if not its best — game of the season. The Wildcats held a high-powered Miege offense to 21 points, despite being put in tough situations most of the night. 

They held the Stags to three field goal attempts, two of which were missed and the other was blocked by senior Lucas Swartz to keep it a one score game in the second half.

Junior Gage Feldkamp also had a big interception to keep the Stags out of the endzone. Senior Russell Wiseman had seven tackles, while Vohs and Yoder each had six to be among the team leaders in stops. 

“I would have to say this was our best defensive performance of the year,” Harding said. “We shut down their run game and made them throw it. We did a good job against that as well. They are a high-powered offense, so to hold them to 21 points, especially when they had good field position for most of the night, was really good.”

Moore had a big night for the Wildcats as he finished with a team-high 10 tackles. He also ran the ball hard on offense as he tallied 70 yards from scrimmage to go along with his two scores in his final game in a Louisburg uniform.

“Ashton was extremely motivated,” Harding said. “You could tell that by the way he was running the football. He was flying around on defense and he is a great player. We are extremely lucky that he is at Louisburg and he had a great career for us. I know he is going to have a great career moving on as well.”

Miege added a touchdown in the third quarter to take a 21-14 lead, but the Wildcat offense would stall for most of the second half, until one final drive in the fourth.

Louisburg’s defense forced a Miege punt with just under two minutes left in the game. 

Saad immediately hit Vohs on a leaping 16-yard catch to put the ball at the Miege 40 yard line. With 1:12 left in the game, Saad threw a pass toward the endzone that was tipped and Miege made a diving interception that all but ended the contest. 

“We were going to go for 2 for sure and go for the win,” Harding said. “I was really looking forward to having that opportunity. We got down there, but we had a penalty and couple negative things happen to where we couldn’t get it in the endzone.

“I don’t think we are into moral victories by any means, but I think every one of them can hold their heads high. They all put their best efforts into this and this was the most focused we have been all year in terms of preparation. They came out and played really well. They should be proud of everything they have accomplished.”

It marked the end to what was a special season for the Wildcats as they won their first seven games to start the year and just missed out on a third consecutive Frontier League title. 

It was also the last time 24 seniors will wear the Louisburg uniform as they gave everything they had in their final contest.

“To have a senior class that is this large is a great thing,” Harding said. “Every single one of them had a role on our team, and they did a good job playing that role. We are very lucky to have each and every one of them and they are going to be great individuals past high school and beyond football. I am proud of all their accomplishments.”

LOU 0 14 0 0 — 14

BM 7 7 7 0 — 21

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

B: Vinny George 4 run (kick good)

Second quarter

B: Marco Rodriguez 4 run (kick good)

L: Ashton Moore 13 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

L: Ashton Moore 17 pass from Alex Saad (Vohs kick)

Third Quarter

B: Teryn Jackson 33 pass from Rodriguez (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 14-32; Darby Van Eaton 2-18; Alex Saad 7-12

PASSING — Alex Saad 17-27-251

RECEIVING — Conlee Hovey 5-78; Myles Vohs 4-57; Ashton Moore 4-48; Rickey Giles 1-40; Josh Holtzen 1-12; Reid McCaskill 1-9; Darby Van Eaton 1-7

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 10, Russel Wiseman 7, Myles Vohs 6, Brayden Yoder 6, Conlee Hovey 5, Jimmy DeVary 4, Lucas Swartz 3, Gage Feldkamp 3, Logan Henry 2, Bryce Thompson 2, Erik Lien 2, Miles Meek 2, Rickey Giles 1, Reid McCaskill 1

As the final buzzer sounded Friday at Wildcat Stadium, members of the Louisburg football team found themselves in uncharted territory.

For nearly three years, the Wildcats hadn’t lost a Frontier League game and had won 19 straight league contests going into Friday’s Senior Night game against Spring Hill. And just like the last three years, Louisburg’s final game with Spring Hill would decide the Frontier League title.

The streak, unfortunately, came to an end for the Wildcats as they suffered a 14-13 setback to the Broncos and lost their first game of the season, along with their No. 1 ranking in Class 4A.

“At this point, it is kind of hard to grasp on what we accomplished in the league and it is tough to see it come to an end,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We were two points away from continuing the streak and it is definitely a tough loss.

“I felt like we played pretty decent overall. We just had a couple errors and some penalties that kind of cost us. I don’t think we played bad by any means, I think they just played a little bit better.”

Prior to the game, the Wildcat team honored their 24 senior players and three senior managers with their parents. Russell Wiseman, Logan Henry, Josh Holtzen, Daniel Aponte Soto, Reid McCaskill, Conlee Hovey, Wyatt Crooks, Garrison Bloustine, Myles Vohs, Emmett White, Alex Saad, Ashton Moore, Lucas Swartz, Darby Van Eaton, Erik Lien, Aidan Meyer, Jacob Bentz, Roy Bauer, Brayden Yoder, Nate Capuro, Jimmy DeVary, Xander Lucas, Miles Meek and Aiden Kennedy were recognized, along with managers Jazzy Leach, Sami Lane and Liz Willming.

It was a defensive battle for most of the night, despite both teams scoring on their opening drives. Spring Hill (7-1) took the lead first on a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jordan Miller, then the Wildcats (7-1) answered when Ashton Moore found the endzone on a 1-yard run.

From there, opportunities to score were few and far between.

Louisburg junior Blaise Vohs gave the Wildcats the lead in the kicking game with a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter to put the Wildcats up 10-7 at halftime.

The lead widened with another Vohs field goal in the third quarter, this time a 26-yarder. Spring Hill, however, had an answer as it drove down the field and scored on a 3-yard run to go up 14-13.

“Spring Hill just made a couple more plays than we did,” Harding said. “I think we just made a few too many mental errors. We kicked two field goals in the redzone and that turned out to be the difference. If we could cash one or two of those in then it is a completely different game.”

The Broncos tried to extend its lead with a field goal of their own, but the 37-yard try was blocked by Conlee Hovey and gave the Wildcats some momentum with nine minutes left in the game.

Louisburg quarterback Alex Saad found Myles Vohs for a 39-yard diving catch to the Spring Hill 38-yard line. Then Saad hit Vohs again for another first down to the 25.

Then on third down at the 20-yard line, Saad’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by the Broncos with just under five minutes left. Spring Hill would run out the clock on the Wildcats’ hopes for a third straight league title.

“It was tough,” Harding said. “It was just a tipped pass and the kid made a heck of a play on the interception. It was unfortunate that it kind of happened that way.”

The connection between Saad and Myles Vohs was big for most of the night. Myles led the way with seven catches for 128 yards and Saad completed 11 of 17 passes for 153 yards.

However, the Wildcats were unable to get much going in the run game as they had just 59 yards on the ground and 41 of those came from Moore.

“Spring Hill was very physical and they did a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage,” Harding said. “It was tough for us to get any traction in the run game and that made it pretty difficult on us.”

Defensively, the Wildcats did their best to limit a powerful Spring Hill offense. Louisburg held Spring Hill to just one point off its season low and the Wildcats got a big performance from defensive tackle Brayden Yoder.

Yoder was all over the field as he led the Wildcats with 17 tackles on the night, including eight solo stops. Moore finished with 13 tackles and had six solo tackles.

Hovey was also big on the defensive line for Louisburg as he had 11 tackles, including two for a loss. Lucas Swartz and Erik Lien had eight and six tackles, respectively.

Louisburg will now begin its playoff run Friday as the Wildcats, who earned the No. 2 seed, will host No. 15 Bishop Miege (1-7). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

“We are playing on borrowed time right now and nothing is guaranteed,” Harding said. “Our mission from this point forward is just to prepare as best we can during the week and put us in a position to make our season last as long as we possibly can.”

LOU 7 3 3 0 — 13

SH 7 0 7 0 — 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

SH: Jordan Miller 7 run (kick good)

L: Ashton Moore 1 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 30 FG

Third Quarter

L: Vohs 26 FG

SH: Patrick Stumpff 3 run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 15-41; Alex Saad 8-20

PASSING — Alex Saad 11-17-153

RECEIVING — Myles Vohs 7-128; Ashton Moore 2-15; Conlee Hovey 2-10

TACKLES — Brayden Yoder 17, Ashton Moore 13, Conlee Hovey 11, Lucas Swartz 8, Erik Lien 6, Logan Henry 5, Russell Wiseman 2, Myles Vohs 2, Gage Feldkamp 2, Jimmy DeVary 2, Josh Holtzen 1, Bryce Thompson 1, Aiden Kennedy 1. 

OTTAWA — In what was the final game of its 3-game road trip, the Louisburg football team faced its toughest challenge to date.

The Wildcats traveled to Ottawa and went up against a 1-loss Cyclone team that had its eyes on a Frontier League title themselves.

Louisburg quickly dashed those hopes and showed why it is the 2-time defending league champion.

The Wildcat defense held the Ottawa offense to just seven points and Louisburg used two long drives that helped it to a 17-7 victory Friday.

Louisburg maintained its perfect season with a 7-0 record and is still currently ranked No. 1 in Class 4A.

“This was definitely a good game for us to experience,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We faced some adversity and they certainly had all the momentum there to start the second half. For the guys continuing to play through that and getting the win was good and hopefully this type of game will benefit us in the future.”

As much as the Wildcat offense has thrived this season, it was their defense that came through with its best performance of the year. Louisburg held Ottawa to its lowest point total of the season.

Ottawa’s previous lowest total was 21 points in a loss to Eudora and the Wildcats made a lot of big stops against the Cyclones’ high-powered offense.

“They played really, really well and playing to the scheme and knowing their assignment,” Harding said of the defense. “We did a really good job. We gave up a few big plays that we shouldn’t have, but this team is very explosive, and to hold them to seven points is a good performance.

“Ottawa has a good running back, some good wide receivers and a quarterback that can make some plays. Their offensive line is good too. They are a well-rounded team and they were 5-1 coming in for a reason, so to walk out with a win feels good.”

Louisburg got on the board first in the opening quarter as the Wildcats drove 97-yards to score the game’s first touchdown. On a fourth down and goal from the 1, senior Ashton Moore ran it in to put the Wildcats up 7-0.

Ottawa drove down near the redzone on its next possession, but senior Logan Henry picked off a pass in the endzone to prevent a Cyclone score. 

The Wildcats put together another drive in the second quarter that ended on a 41-yard field goal by Blaise Vohs and Louisburg took a 10-0 lead at halftime.

Ottawa came out with a vengeance after halftime. The Cyclones forced a punt on the Wildcats’ first drive of the half, and then scored on a 26-yard pass to cut the Louisburg lead to three.

After the Cyclones forced another Wildcat punt, Ottawa was on the move again, but the Wildcats got pressures from Lucas Swartz, Brayden Yoder, Erik Lien and Ashton Moore that forced three straight negative plays and an Ottawa punt.

The Wildcat defensive front created havoc most of the night and it was led by Yoder, who finished with seven tackles and a sack. Seniors Conlee Hovey and Miles Meek also had a sack.

“Defensive line played really well and we were able to put pressure on them,” Harding said. “Their quarterback is a tough guy to corral and bring down, but they were able to do it several times and really made it uncomfortable for him.”

Moore took care of the rest from the linebacker spot as he led the team with 10 tackles, including a tackle for a loss. He also created a big turnover as he took the ball away from a Cyclone receiver after a big catch and returned it more than 20 yards in the first half.

Moore carried the load on offense as the Wildcats featured a run-heavy attack. He carried the ball 34 times for 137 yards and had both touchdowns and was also the team’s top receiver with four catches for 41 yards.

“Ashton did take on a load,” Harding said. “We told him that he was going to be carrying the football a lot and we told him that we are going to need him defensively as well. Ashton stepped up to the challenge and just had a big time game.”

Several of those carries came on the game’s most crucial drive. The Wildcats started with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the third quarter, and Moore put them up by 10 on a 2-yard run with under five minutes left in the fourth.

The drive was 14 plays that covered 61 yards and took 8 minutes and 40 seconds. The Wildcats also got big conversions on third down on catches by Reid McCaskill and Hovey and runs from quarterback Alex Saad.

“Controlling the clock was one of our goals and we wanted to keep their offense on the sidelines,” Harding said. “A drive like that was exactly what we wanted to do.”

“All those guys played really well. We needed to convert on some third and fourth downs and Saad was able to get us a couple. Then Reid and Conlee had big catches for us as well. It was a team-effort for sure.”

Louisburg’s defense put together one more stop and were able to walk out of Ottawa with its perfect record intact.

The Wildcats will now try to secure their third consecutive league title this Friday as they host Spring Hill on Senior Night. The Broncos are 6-1 on the season as both teams are vying for the league crown.

“It will be a challenge,” Harding said. “They are a really good football team and they are a physical team that does a lot of good things. We will have to have another good week of preparation in order to come out and get a win. We are certainly excited to play at home for sure.”

LOU 7 3 0 7 — 17

OTT 0 0 7 0 — 7

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

L: Ashton Moore 1 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

Second Quarter

L: Blaise Vohs 41 FG

Third Quarter

O: Cole McGrath 26 pass from Haydon Hull (kick good)

Fourth Quarter

L: Moore 2 run (Vohs kick)

STATISTICS 

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 34-137; Alex Saad 5-45; Myles Vohs 1-5; Darby Van Eaton 1-2

PASSING — Alex Saad 10-17-94

RECEIVING — Ashton Moore 4-41; Conlee Hovey 3-33; Reid McCaskill 1-16; Myles Vohs 2-4

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 10, Brayden Yoder 7, Lucas Swartz 6, Logan Henry 5, Russell Wiseman 4, Conlee Hovey 4, Miles Meek 3, Myles Vohs 2, Erik Lien 2, Jimmy DeVary 2, Rickey Giles 1, Reid McCaskill 1, Bryce Thompson 1, Gage Feldkamp 1

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

BRAYDEN YODER, SENIOR, FOOTBALL

Louisburg senior Brayden Yoder helped lead the Wildcat football team to one of their best performances of the season on defense. Yoder was a member of the defensive line that created havoc last Friday at Ottawa. At defensive tackle, Yoder finished with seven tackles, including one for a loss and a sack in the Wildcats’ 17-7 win.

Yoder is also one of the leaders on the Louisburg offensive line that accounted for nearly 300 yards of total offense. On the season, the Louisburg senior has 45 tackles to go along with 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss as he has helped the Wildcats to a 7-0 start.

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

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Week 6: Adelyn Moore

WICHITA — The Louisburg football team took its undefeated record, and No. 1 ranking, on the road Friday against an unfamiliar opponent in Wichita West.

Whatever doubts there were for the Wildcats were quickly dashed by halftime.

Louisburg scored 43 unanswered points against the Class 6A program and left Wichita with a 43-9 victory at Friends University. It was another well-rounded showing for the Wildcats as they improved their record to 6-0 on the season, despite the long travel to get there.

“It was definitely a different circumstance than we are typically used to,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said of the close to 3-hour journey to Wichita. “It was a long road trip, but I thought the guys didn’t let that be a distraction and came out and played a pretty good game overall.”

Wichita West opened the game with the ball and the Pioneers drove down the field on the Louisburg defense, but the Wildcats held firm and forced a turnover on downs. From there, the Wildcat offense took over and never let up.

Senior Darby Van Eaton opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 in the first quarter and the Wildcats put together several scoring drives in the second.

“I felt like we kind of came out trying to feel them out a little,” Harding said. “We were hoping for a faster start, but the defense was able to prevent a score there on the first drive, and after that I think we settled down and played more to who we are.”

Louisburg senior Ashton Moore scored three touchdowns on the night, including a 33-yard run to begin the second quarter. Junior Blaise Vohs ran in the 2-point conversion and the Wildcats were up 15-0.

Moore scored again on a 3-yard run on the next drive and senior Myles Vohs broke free on a 67-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alex Saad and the Wildcats led 29-0 at halftime.

The Wildcats were able to move the ball against a bigger Wichita West front for most of the night and were able to win the line of scrimmage. The Louisburg offensive line of Brayden Yoder, Xander Lucas, Nate Capuro, Johnny Hendrickson and Miles Meek provided several lanes to run through.

“That was definitely the biggest fronts we have seen across the board both offensively and defensively,” Harding said. “I thought our guys up front on both sides of the ball played well.  I don’t think we have ever gone into a game thinking we were bigger than the other team, so those guys know they have to play with good technique and be physical.”

Louisburg added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter on 1-yard run by Moore and a 2-yard touchdown pass from Saad to Myles Vohs.

Moore had a big night on the ground as he carried the ball 18 times for 119 yards and the three scores.

Saad was successful through the air as he completed 13 of 18 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target was Myles Vohs, who had six catches for 129 yards. Senior Reid McCaskill also had a big night with 84 yards receiving.

Senior Logan Henry was all over the field to lead the Wildcat defense. The Wildcat defensive back had a team-high 13 tackles to go along with an interception.

Moore was second on the team with eight tackles, while Russell Wiseman, Erik Lien and Brayden Yoder each had six. Lien also had an interception.

Senior Conlee Hovey had 1.5 sacks, while Yoder and Moore also had a sack. 

“I thought offensively we were pretty efficient,” Harding said. “I thought we were able to run the ball when needed and were able to make some plays through the passing game as well. Defensively, other than maybe a few too many yards on that first initial drive, I thought they played well. This was a team that wanted to speed us up and play in space and I thought we responded well to the challenge.”

Louisburg will try to keep its winning streak alive this Friday as the Wildcats travel Ottawa for a Frontier League matchup. Ottawa is currently 5-1 on the season and Harding knows it will be a challenge.

“It is certainly a big game,” Harding said. “They are off to a really good start and are a good football team. I know Ottawa has some really good athletes and they are well coached, so it will be a challenge for sure. We will need a good week of preparation this week to get ready for them.” 

LOU 7 22 14 0 — 43

WW 0 0 0 9 — 9

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

L: Darby Van Eaton 11 run (Blaise Vohs kick)

Second Quarter

L: Ashton Moore 33 run (Vohs run)

L: Moore 3 run (Vohs kick)

L: Myles Vohs 67 pass from Alex Saad (Vohs kick)

Third Quarter

L: Moore 1 run (Vohs kick)

L: M. Vohs 2 pass from Saad (Vohs kick)

Fourth Quarter

W: Safety

W: 14 yard run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 18-119; Darby Van Eaton 2-10; Myles Vohs 1-2

PASSING — Alex Saad 13-18-247

RECEIVING — Myles Vohs 6-129; Reid McCaskill 2-84; Conlee Hovey 2-20; Ashton Moore 2-10, Darby Van Eaton 1-4

TACKLES — Logan Henry 13, Ashton Moore 8, Russell Wiseman 6, Erik Lien 6, Brayden Yoder 6, Conlee Hovey 5, Tate McGreer 5, Reid McCaskill 4, Bryce Thompson 4, Jimmy DeVary 4, Lucas Swartz 3, Myles Vohs 2, Gage Feldkamp 2, Rickey Giles 1, Josh Holtzen 1, Daniel Aponte 1, Cole Heinrich 1, Will Norton 1, Miles Meek 1, Aiden Kennedy 1, Casey Carpenter-Ross 1.

EUDORA — The last few seasons, the Louisburg and Eudora matchup has come down to the final minutes — if not the final seconds.

There was no suspense in this matchup — the Wildcats made sure of that early

Louisburg scored 35 unanswered points, and forced a running clock in the fourth quarter, as the Wildcats cruised to a 42-14 win at Eudora in what could have been their most complete performance to date.

“I thought they played really well and they were focused,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We talk about 11 white hats all playing together and I think we did a good job of that in the first half. It was nice to score on our opening possession, get a stop and then go score again. We never let our foot off the gas and that was nice to see for sure.”

Senior Myles Vohs provided the Wildcats with a lot fireworks and both sides of the ball and it started on the first drive of the game. Vohs took the pitch from quarterback Alex Saad and sprinted to the endzone for a 58-yard touchdown pass.

After an Ashton Moore 8-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter to put Louisburg up 14-0, Vohs struck again. Saad found a wide open Vohs on a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-0.

Vohs also did some work on defense as he had a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second half as he alluded several Eudora defenders on his way to the endzone. On the day, Vohs had four catches to go along with 157 yards receiving.

“Myles is just a playmaker,” Harding said. “When he touches the ball, good things can happen. You saw that on offense and then he was able to make that pick, which was great in itself. Then for him to get all those yards and run it back for a touchdown was big time.”

Moore, who scored two touchdowns on the night, finished with a team-high 70 yards rushing. Senior Darby Van Eaton was right behind him with 67 yards on the ground to go along with a 19-yard touchdown run.

Saad ran the offense well with 238 yards passing and had the two touchdowns.

However, it all began up front as the offensive line of Brayden Yoder, Xander Lucas, Miles Meek, Johnny Hendrickson and Nate Capuro, along with tight ends Conlee Hovey and Erik Lien, allowed the Wildcats to control the line of scrimmage. 

“It definitely starts up front and you have to be able to run the football,” Harding said. “If you can’t run the football, you are going to be predictable and easier to defend. We challenged those guys to reestablish the line of scrimmages and they did a good job.”

Defensively, the Wildcats more than held their own. Moore led the team with 11 tackles and senior Logan Henry was second on the team with seven. Hovey forced a fumble and senior Jimmy DeVary had the recovery. DeVary also had 1.5 tackles for a loss.

Louisburg is now 5-0 to start the season and is currently ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by the Kansas High School Football Coaches Association rankings. The Wildcats are also the only remaining undefeated team in Class 4A.

The Wildcats will put their perfect record on the line this Friday when they travel to Wichita-West, a Class 6A program. The game will be played on the Friends University campus.

“It certainly is nice to be ranked, but I personally believe that you can’t read too much into it,” Harding said. “They are just numbers and it doesn’t really matter until you step onto the football field. We challenge our team to take it week by week and get better each week. 

“Playing Wichita-West is a unique situation. We don’t know a whole lot about them and I imagine they don’t know much about us. We will exchange film, come up with a game plan and see what happens.”

LOU 14 21 7 0 — 42

EUD 0 0 7 7 — 14

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER

L: Myles Vohs 58 pass from Alex Saad (Blaise Vohs kick)

L: Ashton Moore 8 run (B. Vohs kick)

SECOND QUARTER

L: Myles Vohs 52 pass from Saad (B. Vohs kick)

L: Darby Van Eaton 19 run (B. Vohs kick)

L: Moore 15 run (B. Vohs kick)

THIRD QUARTER

E: Christian Jarrett 30 pass from Braeden Vandonge (kick good)

L: Myles Vohs 39 interception return (B. Vohs kick)

FOURTH QUARTER

E: Vandonge 4 run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Ashton Moore 12-70; Darby Van Eaton 9-67; Alex Saad 2-32; Myles Vohs 1-8; Cole Heinrich 1-2; Bryce Thompson 1-2

PASSING — Alex Saad 11-15-238; Max Amren 1-1-6

RECEIVING — Myles Vohs 4-157; Reid McCaskill 2-27; Conlee Hovey 3-25; Ashton Moore 1-15; Darby Van Eaton 1-14; Tate McGreer 1-6

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 11, Logan Henry 7, Russell Wiseman 6, Conlee Hovey 6, Brayden Yoder 5, Miles Meek 4, Jimmy DeVary 3, Lucas Swarz 2, Erik Lien 2, Myles Vohs 1, Rickey Giles 1, Garrison Bloustine 1, Bryce Thompson 1, Aidan Meyer 1, Gage Feldkamp 1, Johnny Hendrickson 1, Will Norton 1, Aiden Kennedy 1.