Battle named Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year
Louisburg senior Declan Battle had a special season in his final year at Louisburg as he was voted the Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.
Declan Battle has become synonymous with winning — more this past year than ever.
Battle was the starting quarterback for the Louisburg football team that won back-to-back Frontier League titles. Then during the baseball season, he helped lead the Wildcats to a league and regional championship.
It was certainly a year to remember for him and those were just some of the reasons Battle was named the 2024 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.
“This award means the world to me,” Battle said. “It is such an honor to be named Athlete of the Year. I couldn’t have done this without my amazing teammates, coaches and community pushing me to be my best.”
Battle was one of the best in the state when it came to his performance under the lights on Fridays and on the diamond.
Last fall, Battle was a first team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was also an all-state selection from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
His efforts earned him a spot in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be played Saturday (June 29) at Emporia State University. Battle also signed his letter of intent to join the Washburn University football team.
Declan Battle is pictured with Louisburg head coaches Kade Larson and Drew Harding after receiving the athlete of the year award.
“Declan is certainly deserving of this award,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “He was a standout athlete in both football and baseball. Besides that though he always represented himself and Louisburg in the right way.
“Declan was fantastic to coach. Obviously anyone who watched him play could see he was a tremendous athlete. However, Declan was also a great leader for us. He always approached things the right way and was dedicated to making himself, and his teams, better.”
Battle and the Wildcats also had a memorable season in baseball.
Louisburg captured its first Frontier League championship since 2002 and later went on to qualify for its first state tournament since 2009.
Battle was a big part of that group as well. He led the team in triples, stolen bases and runs scored that earned him first team all-league and first team all-state outfield.
He was atop the Wildcat lineup all season and set the tone in several games. Battle finished with a .378 average to go along with 34 hits, five doubles, three triples, a home run and had 23 RBIs.
Battle also led the team with 41 runs scored, which is a school record and had a team-high 15 stolen bases. He holds three individual career team records for runs scored (102), triples (8) and stolen bases (47).
“Declan was a great leader for us,” Louisburg baseball coach Kade Larson. “He found a way to get the job done all year long. It didn’t matter if it was hitting, pitching or fielding, Declan always made a big play when we needed it.”
Now that his Wildcat career has come to a close, Battle had some time to reflect on what was a special time at Louisburg High School — one he won’t soon forget.
“Playing at Louisburg was always great, knowing no matter what happened, the community was there supporting us,” Battle said. “Playing sports at Louisburg was a great experience and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Battle ready to make his own mark with Washburn football
Louisburg’s Declan Battle is excited to make the jump from high school to college football at Washburn this fall.
Football has always been a big part of Declan Battle’s life, so the idea of playing in college has always been something he’s desired.
He certainly did everything he could at the high school level to get to that point. Battle led Louisburg to back-to-back Frontier League titles, became the school’s all-time leading passer and earned numerous all-league and all-state honors.
After making several visits and looking at multiple offers, he found the place that was right for him. Battle will join the Washburn University program this fall after signing with the Ichabods earlier this year.
“Since I first started playing, I always had a dream of playing college football,” Battle said. “It seems crazy to think I am already heading off to do that. It feels amazing.”
The journey to find a home wasn’t always an easy one, but when then time came, Battle found a spot that was very familiar to him — and his family.
Battle’s father, Aaron, played football for Ichabods and his mother, Torrie, was a member of the Washburn softball program. So needless to say, the Battle family bleeds the Yale blue and white.
Declan Battle signed his letter of intent to join the Washburn football program this fall. Seated next to Declan are his parents Torrie and Aaron Battle. Standing (from left) are Louisburg coaches Nick Chapman, Alex Gentges, head coach Drew Harding, Kade Larson, Jake Hinson and Joel McGhee.
“It didn’t play too much of an impact on my decision, but it definitely helped a little bit,” Battle said of the family connection to Washburn. “Washburn gave me a great opportunity to come play in a highly competitive MIAA. They have amazing facilities and an awesome school. I loved it there.
“The recruiting process is definitely the real deal. It was a lot harder than I thought of it would be. Lots of coaches just said no, or wouldn’t respond at all. I just had to let that fuel my fire to keep improving week in and week out. After the season I started getting some more opportunities, but I still had a lot of weight on my shoulders knowing I wasn’t where I wanted to be yet. When I made my decision to make it official to Washburn, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”
Battle will compete at the quarterback spot when he arrives on campus and will look to continue his success from the high school level to college.
He was a first team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was an all-state pick from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
Following the season, Battle also became the school’s all-time leading passer and is fifth on the Wildcat career rushing list. He was the Wildcat starting quarterback the last three seasons.
“I am coming in to play quarterback, what I dreamed of playing as a kid,” Battle said. “There is not really an ‘upperclassman’ quarterback there. Most of us are young and it’s definitely going to competitive every day for the starting spot.
“Having three years of varsity experience has taught me a lot. I truly felt that every year I progressed a ton. Playing in a tough Frontier League is definitely a grind and is something I think has got me more prepared for college football, where it will almost turn into a full time job for me.”
KSHSAA approves several postseason changes
KANSAS STATE HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE
TOPEKA – Changes to postseason formats and championship sites for basketball, football, wrestling and track and field highlight actions approved at the June 12-13 KSHSAA Executive Board Meeting. The postseason formats are set by the KSHSAA Executive Board each year.
Basketball – Beginning in March of 2026, the state basketball tournaments will be moving to four total sites. Four facilities will play host to the seven classifications, 14 championships. By honoring the KSHSAA membership voted in the fall of 2023 to qualify eight boys teams and eight girls teams involved at the final site, modifications to the daily schedule will be developed. The schedule and other event details, including classification designations for each site and venue selection will be determined and announced following the 2024-25 basketball season.
Another basketball postseason change effective with the 2024-25 season will come at the 3A, 2A, 1A DI and 1A DII classifications. Each class will be divided into four regions and then seeded into two sub-states within the region: Substate A: 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16; Substate B: 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15. The winner of each substate will advance to the state basketball tournament. Further format details and dates will be sent to member schools.
Football – As announced in January, the state football championships will be moving to three sites with three games being played at each site. The executive board approved the following sites and schedule for 2024:
Emporia State University:
Class 6A = Friday, November 29 at 2:00pm
Class 4A = Saturday, November 30 at 1:00pm
Class 5A = Saturday, November 30 at 7:00pm
Hutchinson Community College:
Class 2A = Friday, November 29 at 6:00pm
Class 3A = Saturday, November 30 at 12:00pm
Class 1A = Saturday, November 30 at 5:00pm
Kiowa County High School, Greensburg:
Class 8-player DII = Saturday, November 30 at 11:00am
Class 6-Player = Saturday, November 30 at 3:00pm
Class 8-Player DI = Saturday, November 30 at 7:00pm
Wrestling – Girl’s wrestling will now include four classes to mirror the boy’s classification designations. The addition of another class for girl’s wrestling necessitates the addition of another championship site. 6A, 5A, 4A and 3-1A will each have their own site to determine a champion. 3-1A state wrestling will be in Hays and 4A will be in Salina. Park City Arena and one other facility to be named later will house either 6A or 5A. State sites and regional dates will be determined at the September KSHSAA Executive Board meeting. The state wrestling tournament will take place February 28 – March 1, 2025.
Track and Field – Qualification for the state meet was adjusted to now be the top 3 plus the next four best regional performance in each event.
Two committees will be formed to gather input from membership school leaders. One to discuss the details behind the implementation of Esports prior to the possible adoption as a KSHSAA sanctioned activity. The second committee will review the KSHSAA calendar to consider possible alternatives to dates of postseason activities.
2024 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year Finalists
Louisburg seniors Declan Battle and Caden Caplinger, along with junior Ashton Moore, are the three finalists for the 2024 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year award.
For the seventh consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”
Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. Then they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes and I tabulated the results and determined the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.
Below are the three finalists for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.
DECLAN BATTLE — SENIOR — FOOTBALL, BASEBALL
Declan was a three year starting quarterback for the Wildcats and this year became the school’s leading passer and fifth on the list for leading rusher as a team captain. Battle guided the Wildcats to their second straight Frontier League title and an undefeated league record.
Declan was a 1st team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was an all-state pick from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown. He will join the Washburn University football team next season.
On the baseball diamond, Battle helped the Wildcats to its first league title since 2002 and first regional championship since 2009. He led the team in triples, stolen bases and runs scored that earned him first team all league and first team all state outfield. He was also the team’s best reliever earning multiple saves on the mound.
Battle was atop the Wildcat lineup all season and set the tone in several games. He finished with a .378 average to go along with 34 hits, five doubles, three triples, a home run and had 23 RBIs.
He also led the team with 41 runs scored, which is a school record and also had a team-high 15 stolen bases. He also holds three individual career team records for runs scored (102), triples (8) and stolen bases (47).
CADEN CAPLINGER — SENIOR — FOOTBALL, TRACK
Caden was a team captain for the Wildcat football team this past season and was a big piece of back-to-back Frontier League championship teams. Caplinger was an all-league selection on both sides of the ball, as a wide receiver and defensive back. He also holds the most career receptions in Louisburg football history.
Caplinger was named to the All-Frontier League second team at wide receiver and defensive back. He led the Wildcats with 33 catches, 510 yards receiving and four touchdowns. On defense, he finished with 41 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups and an interception.
On the track, Caplinger is a two-time pole vault champion and a state medalist in the 4×100 relay. He was set to try for a third straight, but suffered a knee injury that ended his season. Caplinger won the season opening meet at the Ottawa Invitational, before having to sit out with the injury. He will be joining the Washburn University track team next season.
ASHTON MOORE — JUNIOR — FOOTBALL, WRESTLING, TRACK
Ashton put together a memorable football season for the Wildcats. Moore was one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense this past season. As a first-team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball, he posted a team-high 125 tackles, including eight for a loss. He also had four forced fumbles and two sacks. He was named a finalist for the Bobby Bell Award, which is given annually to the best Class 1-4 offensive lineman/defensive lineman or linebacker in the KC metro area.
Moore was also the team’s starting running back and made things difficult on opposing defenses. He carried the load for the Wildcats as he carried the ball 151 times for 1,110 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also finished with 292 yards receiving and three more scores to earn first team honors.
On the wrestling mat, Moore was a state medalist as he took fourth at 190 pounds after making it to the state semifinals with an injured knee. He finished the season with 38 wins. He leads the program in the following categories: Career takedowns (117), career nearfall-3 (34), career escapes (57), career team points (510), season takedowns (51), season team points (229), and season pins (27). He led the team this year with most wins (38), most nearfall-2 (8), and the fastest pin (7 seconds).
Moore was also a returning state qualifier for the Louisburg 4×100-meter relay, but saw his track season come to an early end due to an injury.
Battle named Bill Snyder Family scholar athlete
Louisburg senior Declan Battle was named as one of 12 Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter scholar athletes.
Louisburg senior Declan Battle saw a lot of accolades come his way for his work on the football field this past season.
Now he is getting recognized for his work off of it.
Battle was one of 12 Kansas high school senior football players that have been selected by the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter of the National Football Foundation as 2023-24 scholar athletes as a result of his performance on and off the field.
The honorees had to be nominated by their head coach. The 12 student athletes will be recognized at the annual chapter awards dinner on May 8, that is conducted at the Burge Union on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence.
Battle had a big season for the Wildcats on the gridiron as the team’s starting quarterback. He is a Kansas Shrine Bowl selection and for good reason.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns.
As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
Battle broke the school record for passing yards in 2023 and he also earned All-Frontier League and all-state honors.
Off the field, Battle is ranked first in his class of 134 academically. He is also a volunteer at Grace Church and for Guys for Christ.
Battle signed with Washburn University to play back in February and plans to major in Business Management.
The other 11 players to be recognized is Bishop Miege linebacker Justyce Betts, Kingman tight end Tristen Davidson, Norton tight end Roman Hauser, Mill Valley offensive lineman Gus Hawkins, Clay Center defensive back Brody Hayes, Washburn Rural linebacker Jaren Heim, Derby defensive end Mason Hopper, Gardner-Edgerton linebacker Dawson Kindler, Conway Springs linebacker Brayden Kunz, Cheney defensive back Colter McDaniel and St. Thomas Aquinas running back Gianni Rizzi.
The mission of the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter National Football Foundation Charter is to recognize outstanding high school seniors who excel on the gridiron, in the classroom and as leaders in their schools and communities. More than 325 high school football players from the state of Kansas have been honored by the chapter since its inception in 1991.
Battle selected to participate in Kansas Shrine Bowl
Louisburg senior Declan Battle was selected to play on the East squad for the 51st Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl later this summer.
Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle was already considered one of the top players in Class 4A this past season after receiving first team all-league and all-state honors.
However, there was more to come.
Battle was selected to participate in the 51st Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl later this summer. The teams were announced during a selection show on New Year’s Day.
“It means a ton,” Battle said of the honor. “Being selected as a top 44 player in the whole East side of Kansas is a huge thing. I am honored to be a part of it. This is something as a freshman I dreamed of being in. Without my teammates, coaches and community pushing me to be my best I would not be where I am at today, and for that I would like to thank them. It’s a huge honor.”
Battle received first-team all-state accolades last month from different media outlets and his Shrine Bowl selection is another honor added to a long list of accomplishments.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns.
As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
Louisburg is no stranger to the Shrine Bowl as several Wildcats have been selected participate in the past. That included last season as Jase Hovey and Nathan Vincent were both selected to play in the game.
The selections are the result of a combination of statewide media votes and Shrine Bowl coaching staff selections from a list of 457 nominees. The game itself will be played on Saturday, June 29 at Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University.
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 Day.
During the Hospital Experience Day, players come to understand that these children have put in the same kind of hard work, dedication and sacrifices they have; only their work has resulted in allowing them to walk, run, play, and live a full life.
Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl along with the support from players’ local communities, has sent over $3.8 million to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Kansas Shrine All-Star Events also include the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Camp, the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals and many other game week events.
Shriner’s Children’s, previously Shriners Hospitals for Children, is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children 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.
Top 10 Louisburg Sports Stories of 2023
It was a successful, and eventful, 2023 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 brought back state hardware.
Below are the top stories from 2023, 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 2024 will bring. Thank you to everyone for their support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.
10. Brings Plenty earns first state cross country medal
WAMEGO — Jerynce Brings Plenty had being eyeing this race since the beginning of the season.
After missing out on the opportunity to run at the Class 4A Kansas State Cross Country Championships in 2022 due to an injury, Brings Plenty was itching at the chance to run against the state’s best.
He got that opportunity at the Wamego Country Club and he took full advantage.
“Getting 12th place and a state medal meant everything to me,” Brings Plenty said. “All season my main focus was to place as high as I could at state, especially since I had only placed 51st as a freshman and didn’t race my sophomore year.”
The 2023 season was a successful one for Brings Plenty as he earned a medal in every race he finished. He also moved up the school’s all-time leaderboard and currently holds the second fastest time.
9. Brueggen wins two state swim medals; Brown earns first boys state medal
Sabra Brueggen and Colin Brown put together a pair of historic seasons for their respective swim teams in 2023.
Brueggen doubled her medal count back in May at the state meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka. The Louisburg sophomore earned state medals in both the 100-yard backstroke and 50 freestyle.
After earning the one medal as a freshman a year ago, Brueggen was happy to find the medal stand in both races this season.
However, it has been a long road for Brueggen to get back to the state meet. After suffering a knee injury last summer, she had to work hard to get back in time for this go-round in a recovery that lasted nine months.
“Going into high school swim this season, I only had one personal goal in mind, making it back to finals at state,” Brueggen said. “Little did I know that I was going to make it back to the ‘A’ final in both my events, allowing me to medal. This truly meant the world to me because this past year has been one of the toughest ones yet. Overcoming this nine month long recovery, and accomplishing this at state, was an indescribable feeling.”
As for Brown, the Wildcat freshman earned the school’s first state medal in boys swimming back in February at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center in Lenexa.
Brown recorded a time of 56.46 seconds in the finals of the 100-yard butterfly to take eighth overall. He swam a season-best time of 55.85 in the preliminaries to garner a spot in the finals.
“Colin’s swim in the medal finals was so fun to watch,” coach Mary Argeropoulos said. “Hardware from state is not easy to earn and he did a marvelous job all season working toward that final.”
In all, Louisburg sent four swimmers to the state meet in Brown, Brayton Brueggen, Colton Prettyman and Andrew Jamison and the Wildcats turned in several times that earned spots in the consolation finals. As team, the Wildcats finished 15th overall with 44 points.
8. Cheer takes fourth at state
TOPEKA — Louisburg cheer has been no stranger to the big stage when it comes to the state competition.
The Wildcats have become a mainstay in the Class 4A Game Day Spirit Showcase in the last several years that has included a state championship and a pair of state runner-up finishes.
Louisburg found itself in position for another state plaque in November at the Stormont-Vail Events Center in Topeka. The Wildcats qualified for the finals with an impressive performance, but came up just short of another state plaque as they took fourth overall in Class 4A.
“I am so proud,” Louisburg coach Breanna Kostroske said. “This team had to welcome not one, but two new coaches and has worked so hard since May on their competition material and it truly showed on the floor Saturday. Being a new coach you are automatically stressed that you haven’t given enough to all aspects of a game day routine, but we put our faith in the team and they showed up and truly represented themselves in a huge way.”
Members of the Louisburg cheer team are: Elizabeth George, Brooklyn Harmon, Addison Drake, Maddie O’Keefe, Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Caroline Dugger, Anna Brizendine, Reece Jones, Addie Vargo, Laney Stohs, Taryn Osborn, Kayleigh Ramsey, Will Leach, Brooklyn Roney, Harper Boyle, Kimmie Powls, Reece Younggren and Reese Anderson. The Wildcats are coached by Breanna Kostroske and Heather Brummel.
7. Pfannenstiel takes AD position, Wildcat basketball hires new coach Ben Doll
The 2023-24 school year for Louisburg High School activities had little different look to it — especially at the top.
Ty Pfannenstiel was hired as the school’s new activities director and took over for Michael Pickman, who will focus on his assistant principal duties and curriculum.
Pfannenstiel, who has been the boys basketball coach for the last six years, resigned his post to take on the activities director position. He also stepped down as an assistant football coach.
“This is very exciting for me,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s definitely going to be a change. I have been a teacher and a coach for 18 years. I still get to be a teacher half-time, and now I get to step into a new role as an administrator. It is going to be all sports and activities and I am looking forward to the new direction.”
Louisburg then hired Ben Doll to replace Pfannenstiel as the new Wildcat boys basketball coach. Doll has patrolled the sidelines as an assistant for two state championship teams and has coached in numerous state tournaments over his 24 year career.
This is Doll’s first head coaching position after spending time as an assistant at St. Thomas Aquinas, Johnson County Community College, Lansing and Blue Valley North.
“I am really excited to get going,” Doll said. “It has been a long time coming. I have a lot of great experiences and I am ready to apply those things I have learned into this job. I am ready to put my own stamp on some stuff as well.”
6. Wrestling qualifies six for state, Eslinger medals
SALINA — Just like a year ago, Elijah Eslinger found himself one win away from a spot in the state championship match.
Eslinger, who has been ranked in Class 4A at different times throughout the season, has had a long road as a Wildcat heavyweight. One that included a rough freshman year, to progressively getting better.
With a spot in the semifinals at the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships already wrapped up, he had already secured his second state medal in Salina. Although he didn’t make that championship match, Eslinger still left Salina with some hardware.
“To make the semifinals was exciting, especially since it was the closest match I had,” Eslinger said. “It was probably close to the hardest match that I had over the weekend. I feel like I could have done better looking at my matches in hindsight.”
The Wildcats nearly had two more wresters earn spots on the medal stand. Junior J’Lee Collins (126 pounds) and sophomore Ashton Moore (175) both made their way to the blood round and needed a win to secure a state medal.
The Wildcats also experienced some heartbreak as senior Kaven Bartlett fell short of his goal of earning another state medal. At 138 pounds, Bartlett finished the state tournament with a 1-2 record.
Senior Trace Eslinger (215) and sophomore Jay McCaskill (157) also represented the Wildcats at the state tournament, but finished with an 0-2 record.
5. Lohse wins three state medals, Lady Cats sixth at state
WICHITA — Emma Lohse blazed the track for the Louisburg girls track and field team all season, and the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships was no different.
Lohse picked up three medals and helped the 4×100-meter relay to another school record at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium. In all, the Lady Cats medaled in five events and finished sixth in the team standings with 29 points.
“Coming back from Wichita with three state medals was something I had to work for and was happy about the outcome,” Lohse said. “Leaving Cessna Stadium one last time, I was very proud of the way I competed and proud of what I came home with.”
Lohse was just inches away from winning a state championship in the 100-meter dash. At the finish line, the Louisburg senior was step-for-step with Rose Hill’s Kate Dare.
As the two leaned for the finish line, Dare edged Lohse for first as Lohse ran a time of 12.46 seconds. Dare ran a 12.44.
Later in the 200-meter dash, Lohse earned another state medal as she took seventh in 26.77 seconds.
Louisburg’s (seated from left) Kendall Crossley, Suzanna Dansel, (standing from left) Mackenzie Rooney and Emma Lohse pose with their third place state medals in the 4×100 relay. The Lady Cats broke their own school record for the fourth straight time in the prelims.
Sandwiched in between those two races, Lohse helped the 4×100-meter relay of Mackenzie Rooney, Suzanna Dansel and Kendall Crossley to a medal of their own.
The Lady Cat relay finished third overall with a time of 49.70 seconds. Andale won in 49.24 and McPherson was second at 49.67.
However, in the preliminaries on Friday, the team broke their own school record for the fourth consecutive time in 49.26 seconds and had the fastest time going into the finals.
Another Lady Cat to find the medal stand was Emma Prettyman. The Louisburg senior put together a strong showing in the discus.
Prettyman earned her first state medal as she finished sixth in the event with a throw of 115 feet, 9 inches.
4. Wildcat pole vaulters dominate 4A state meet
WICHITA — Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Caden Caplinger and Cooper Wingfield had been considered as some of the top pole vaulters in Class 4A for most of the season.
All three had finished at, or toward the top of each of their meets this year, and all of them had high hopes going into state meet at Wichita State.
Carpenter-Ross and Caplinger reached the highest summit Class 4A had to offer as both were crowned state champions following their respective events.
Caplinger became a two-time state champion first as he cleared 15 feet to win the 4A boys pole vault. Wingfield finished as the state runner-up.
“It means a lot and I am just blessed to have the opportunity to be here and win the title, especially with Cooper right on my tail,” Caplinger said.
Carpenter-Ross thrived under the pressure in the girls competition as she, not only looked for her second consecutive state medal, but her first state championship.
The Louisburg junior captured her first state title after she cleared 11 feet, which tied a personal best. This coming off a season where she medaled fifth at state a year ago.
“I think it is fantastic,” Carpenter-Ross said. “Going to 11 feet, I was tied with the one girl and I was hoping that I would get it on my first try. Then when I did, it was just an amazing feeling.
“It was just awesome for me, plus to see my family’s faces up in the stands was really cool too. Being a state champion is awesome and I plan to do it again.”
3. Wildcat football wins back-to-back Frontier League titles
SPRING HILL — It had been 16 years since the Louisburg football team last repeated as back-to-back Frontier League champions.
That drought ended on an October night in Spring Hill.
In a battle of undefeated league teams, Louisburg proved its was the best. The Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points, and shutout the Broncos in the first half, as they cruised to a 35-21 victory.
Louisburg earned back-to-back league crowns for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. The Wildcats also finished the regular season with an 8-0 record.
“It is pretty exciting,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We talked to the guys before the game about how long it is has been since we have won back-to-back league titles and it has only been done four times in our school’s history. So to chalk another one up there feels pretty good.”
The Wildcats advanced to the regional round of the state playoffs in early November, but lost a heartbreaker to Basehor-Linwood, 22-20, and ended a nine game winning streak.
“This season was a lot of fun,” Harding said. “It is a great group of kids and they worked incredibly hard. They were loose and made it fun every single day. I can’t say enough about how good of kids they are and how hard they work. We hoped to still be moving on, but this loss doesn’t take away from what these kids did all year.”
2. Wildcat volleyball takes fourth at state for second straight year
HUTCHINSON — For the second time in as many years, Louisburg is leaving the state volleyball tournament with some hardware.
The Wildcats, for the second straight season, finished fourth Saturday at the Class 4A Kansas State Volleyball Championships in Hutchinson. It marked the 20th appearance for the Wildcats in the tournament.
Getting that hardware and making it to Saturday was certainly a battle for the Wildcats, who had to fight through adversity during pool play on Friday. Louisburg had to deal with injuries and had its fate rest in another team’s hands.
Despite all that, Louisburg left with a fourth place medal following a tough 23-25, 25-8 and 25-16 loss to Andale in the third-place match Saturday at Hutchinson Sports Arena.
“We are very proud of this team for making it back to the state tournament and finishing in the final four again,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “We, of course, will always strive for higher finishes until we reach that ultimate goal of state champions, but we are proud of where we finished the season and were happy with the success of this team.”
Members of the Louisburg volleyball team are (from left) Adelyn Moore, Caileigh Kilgore, McKenna Lohse, Delaney Nelsen, Aspen Coulter, Evyn Richardson, Ashlyn Berck, Katie Elpers, Izzy Moreland, Megan Quinn, Hailey Sword, Madie Williams and head coach Leanna Willer.
1. Wildcat boys track finishes as state runner-up; Dobbins wins state title in high jump as team medals in 13 events
The Wildcats racked up 87 points during the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships at Wichita State.
Louisburg medaled in all 13 events it competed and the Wildcats finished the meet with two individual state champions. The ending was supposed to feature the Wildcats holding up a state championship plaque.
“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year we would score 87 points at state and not win a championship, I would have just ignored you and said ‘Whatever,’” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “No way that would happen.”
As it turned out, the Wildcats found themselves on the outside looking in for a team state title. Andale finished first with 87.5 points. Louisburg had 87.
It was an emotional letdown for the Wildcats as they were so close to that team goal.
“To beat Andale, we had to score 88 and that is just a testament to how good they are,” Wright said. “They have really good athletes, especially in the throws. At the same time, I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and how they competed. It was just so much fun to watch them lay it all out there. They really did have a great season.”
Mason Dobbins reached new heights at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championship.
Ok, well maybe not literally.
Dobbins who broke a school record in the high jump earlier this year, didn’t reach that height at the state meet — but he didn’t need to. The Louisburg senior cleared 6 feet, 6 inches to win the Class 4A high jump title.
It was the first of four state medals that Dobbins would win on the day as he helped lead the Wildcats to the Class 4A state runner-up plaque.
“It meant everything to be a state champion and to be able to medal in all of my events this year since I didn’t last year,” Dobbins said. “Our team trains so hard, and to be able to be runner up by .5 points, is incredible.”
Dobbins nearly earned his second state title in the 110-meter hurdles as he found himself in a battle with Rose Hill’s Teagan Cobb. The two were stride-for-stride going into he final hurdle, but Cobb nipped Dobbins at the finish line.
Later on, he joined Caden Caplinger, Colyer Wingfield and Ethan Ptacek in the 4×100-meter relay and the team medaled third in 43.38 seconds. Ptacek had to run for Ashton Moore, who was injured during the preliminaries.
Then toward the end of the meet, Dobbins, who was sitting seventh in the 200-meter dash after the preliminaries, battled to keep his team in the state championship race and medaled third in 23.07.
Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent got his team a lot of points in the throwing events as he medaled in the javelin, discus and shot put — with the latter being his best event of the weekend.
Vincent, who just started doing shot put this year, put together his best performance of the season. He recorded a personal best throw of 51-8 in the finals to take third overall. He also went on to take fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin.
Sophomore Jerynce Brings Plenty also came away with three state medals in the distance events, but none was more precious to him than the 3,200-meter run.
Brings Plenty broke the school record in the event as he medaled third in 9 minutes and 49.41 seconds. He surpassed the old mark of 9:50.60 that was set by Jason Rose in 2007.
He continued his medal streak for the Wildcats as he joined Hunter Heinrich, Blaise Vohs and Colton Blue to medal seventh in the 4×800-meter relay.
Later in the day, Brings Plenty competed in the 1,600 run and took sixth in 4:34.42.
Louisburg senior Nathan Apple left his final state meet with a pair of medals in both hurdle events. Apple finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.29 seconds on Saturday.
Apple also went on to take fourth in the 300 hurdles in 40.55 seconds as he ended his Wildcat track career on a positive note.
The Wildcats ended the state meet with the 4×400-meter relay as the team of Heinrich, Vohs, Colyer Wingfield and Ptacek needed a third place finish or better to win the state title. Unfortunately, the Wildcats came up just short as they took fourth in 3:23.98.
Louisburg set a new personal record by three seconds and was .25 seconds away from tying the school record. The Wildcats also scored points in all three relay events.
Grateful and humble, Moore reflects on his journey at Kansas State
Kansas State senior, and Louisburg alum, Austin Moore runs onto the Bill Snyder Family Stadium Field on Saturday during Senior Night ceremonies.
MANHATTAN — As Austin Moore stood in the purple-lit tunnel looking out onto Bill Snyder Family Memorial Stadium, all the memories rushing back.
One as a walk-on just trying to make the team, then earning a scholarship and then eventually moving all the way up to a Big 12 Champion and a team captain.
The five years he has spent with the Kansas State football program has been some of the best times of his life. It was, how Moore put it, where his “dreams came true.”
“I was just thinking about my journey here and how grateful I am for everyone,” Moore said. “How grateful I am for my teammates, coaches, fans and I am just grateful for a lot of things.”
At the top of that list is his biggest supporters and fans — his family.
That is who Moore was staring down in the blizzard-like conditions on a rare snowy November night in Manhattan for Senior Night. Down about 50 yards away, were his parents Tommy and Alison, along with his siblings Alyse, Ashton and Adelyn.
So when the public address announcer called his name, Moore found K-State head coach Chris Klieman, gave him a hug and went jogging toward his family.
Austin gives mother a hug on Senior Night while his father Tommy, and siblings, Ashton and Adelyn look on Saturday in Manhattan.
It is what Senior Nights are made for — a chance to thank those people have been so supportive in his journey. Now, that he could be playing in possibly his final home game, it was a lot to digest.
“It is hard to describe,” Moore said. “It has been everything I have dreamed off since I was a young kid. My parents and all my family believed in me and it is what I hoped for and envisioned when I decided to walk-on here. I am just so grateful to everyone here and back in Louisburg who have supported me. It has been really fun.”
What started out as a fun, memorable day turned somber for Moore and his Wildcat teammates as they tried to process the 42-35 loss to Iowa State in their regular season finale.
It wasn’t the way Moore wanted to go out for the final time in front of the Wildcat faithful.
Austin Moore runs in to make a tackle Saturday against Iowa State.
As difficult as the one loss was, Moore’s journey was something he will remember for the rest of life.
It all started in 2019 when the Louisburg all-state player committed to Kansas State as a walk-on and joined Klieman in his first year with the program.
Moore eventually impressed his coaches enough to earn a spot on a scholarship and eventually garnered the nickname — ‘The Machine.’ It started because he didn’t show a lot of emotion and always answered questions fast.
The nickname grew and Moore’s business-like work ethic was contagious and respected by his teammates. He became a starting linebacker his junior year and helped his team to a Big 12 Championship.
As a senior, he was named a team captain and leader of the Wildcat defense — a long way from where he started. He was recently named to the All-Big 12 second team after he finished his senior campaign with a team-high 12 tackles for loss and was second with 59 tackles.
Austin Moore celebrates his fumble recovery in the first quarter of Saturday’s snowy game against Iowa State.
“I think before I get here I was probably a little naive to what it was going to be like, Moore said. “There were times here for sure where I wondered to myself if I was going to make it. But I always had older guys here show me the way and people have always believed in me. I am just really thankful for that.”
People like his family, former teammates and the whole town of Louisburg rooting for Moore to succeed — even the most die-hard Kansas Jayhawk fans in Louisburg wanted the best for Moore.
It is those fans in Louisburg that have kept Moore motivated the last five years, even through the most difficult times.
“It is really special,” he said. “I have people all the time texting me and things like that. I just hope that I can be a good role model to some of those kids back in Louisburg. I hope that I made some people proud back home.”
Austin Moore barks out a call from his linebacker spot Saturday against Iowa State.
As for what the future holds, Moore still has one more game left, which is a bowl game next month. He currently has one year of eligibility remaining, but is undecided if he will be back in the purple and white next season.
“Yeah I have talked with the coaches, but I am still not 100 percent sure of what I am going to do,” Moore said. “I still have a lot of thinking to do and I am going to talk to my family. No matter what I decide, I am so grateful for everything here at K-State.”
Grateful for a program who gave him a chance to achieve his dream and for all those who helped him along the way.
“I’ve loved every minute of it,” Moore said.
Battle, Moore named as Simone Awards finalist
Louisburg’s Declan Battle (left) and Ashton Moore were named as finalists for two different Simone Awards on Sunday. Battle is up for the Frank Fontana Award and Moore made the final four for the Bobby Bell Award.
A pair of Louisburg football players were recognized among the best in the Kansas City area Sunday evening when the finalists for the 41st Annual Simone Awards were released.
The Simone Awards, which gives out five different honors to showcase the best players in the area, announced two Wildcats as finalists for two different awards.
Senior Declan Battle was announced as a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, while junior Ashton Moore was named to the final four for the Bobby Bell Award.
The Frank Fontana Award is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Missouri and Kansas sides of the Metro. Battle, who led the Wildcat offense as a first team All-Frontier League player at quarterback, had a big season for Louisburg.
In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns.
As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
St. Pius X sophomore quarterback Hudson Bailey, Kearney senior running back Cameron Emmons and Warrensburg junior quarterback Kobe Westphal are the other three finalists.
The Bobby Bell award is given annually to the best Class 1-4 offensive lineman/defensive lineman or linebacker.
Moore was one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense this past season. As a first-team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball, Moore posted a team-high 125 tackles, including eight for a loss. Moore had four forced fumbles and two sacks.
As a running back, Moore carried the ball 151 times for 1,110 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also finished with 292 yards receiving and three more scores.
Pleasant Hill senior linebacker Brayden Bush, Grandview senior lineman Derek Joiner and St. Thomas Aquinas senior defensive tackle Kian Payne are the other three finalists.
The Bobby Bell Award winner will be announced tonight on the 6 p.m. sports cast on Channel 41 News, while the Frank Fontana Award recipient will be announced on the 6 p.m. sportscast on Wednesday.
Nine Wildcats earn spots on All-Frontier League football team
Louisburg’s Declan Battle, Ashton Moore, Conlee Hovey and Brayden Yoder each earned first team all-league honors on both sides of the ball.
The 2023 football season was another memorable one for Louisburg thanks to a 9-1 season and its second straight Frontier League championship.
After putting together an undefeated league campaign, the Wildcats were rewarded for their efforts when the All-Frontier League team was released earlier this week.
Louisburg earned four first-team selections as Declan Battle, Ashton Moore, Conlee Hovey and Brayden Yoder were named at the top of the respective positions on both sides of the ball.
Along with the four first team selections, seniors Wyatt Holland and Caden Caplinger were named to the second team, while seniors Brady Hickey, Brody McGreer and Jaymes Melton were selected as honorable mention.
In total, Louisburg had nine players represented on the all-league squad.
“As always the Frontier League was tough week in and week out,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “The league was filled will high quality football teams, and even the teams that have been down recently made good strides this year, so that made every week a challenge. I thought our team was represented well on the all-league team. It is a huge honor to be named to a team by making an impression on opposing coaches.”
Battle led the Wildcat offense as he earned first team all-league quarterback honors. He finished with more than 2,300 total yards and had 32 touchdowns.
The Louisburg senior was also a first-team selection as a defensive back. Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.
In the backfield, Moore carried the load for the Wildcats as he carried the ball 151 times for 1,110 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also finished with 292 yards receiving and three more scores to earn first team honors at running back.
Moore was also one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense. He earned first team honors at linebacker after he posted a team-high 125 tackles, including eight for a loss. Moore had four forced fumbles and two sacks.
Hovey earned first team honors on both sides of the ball at tight end and defensive end. The Louisburg junior finished with 42 tackles on the year to go along with two sacks and a forced fumble.
Offensively, Hovey had 20 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns. He also helped the Wildcat offensive line as well.
Yoder was another first-team selection for his work on the offensive and defensive lines. At defensive tackle, the Louisburg junior finished with 61 stops, including six tackles for a loss.
He was also a big piece of the Wildcat offensive line as he helped pave the way for more than 4,000 yards of total offense.
“To be named all-league on both sides of the ball is a huge honor,” Harding said. “All of those guys had tremendous seasons for us. Declan was really what made us go offensively and was the leader of that unit. He also was very solid on the defensive side of the ball and got the secondary lined up. Ashton was the leader of the defensive unit and had a very productive year from his linebacker spot. He also had a great year at running back and was very difficult to tackle for opponents.
“Conlee was a huge part of our offense as a tight end. He was big for us in the running game as a blocker and then was also a weapon for us in the passing game. I think he played his best defensive football towards the end of the season, so that is exciting to see what he can do next year. Brayden was just rock solid all year. He never came off the field all year and he just played with great effort and energy at all times. He was huge for us offensively and this was his first year playing defensive tackle and for him to be named all league in his first year was very impressive.”
Caplinger was named second team on both sides of the ball at wide receiver and defensive back. He led the Wildcats with 33 catches, 510 yards receiving and four touchdowns.
On defense, he finished with 41 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups and an interception.
As for Holland, he was another leader of the Wildcat defense and earned second team honors at linebacker. Holland was second on the team with 90 tackles, five tackles for a loss and an interception.
“Wyatt and Caden are both for sure first team caliber players,” Harding said. “Caden had a knack for making big time plays in key situations for us throughout the years. His ability to go up and make contested catches for us was huge and he also had a big year for us defensively.
“Wyatt was our second leading tackler on the team and was able to accomplish that playing with a club on his hand pretty much the whole year. He always played with great energy and effort and made a lot of plays for us that he shouldn’t have been able to just by being relentless.”
McGreer earned two spots the all-league team as an honorable mention returner and defensive back. He finished the season with 31 tackles, two for a loss and led the team with 12 pass breakups and three interceptions.
Hickey was named as an honorable mention multipurpose player as he was a vital part of the Louisburg defense. He finished with 70 tackles, three for a loss, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Melton was the team’s starting center and earned honorable mention honors on the offensive line. He led the unit that helped amass more than 4,000 yards of total offense.
“It was nice to see those guys be named to all-league teams as well,” Harding said. “Brady, Brody, and Jaymes were all key to our success this year. Brady was able to play all over the place for our defense and was productive at all spots. Our defense definitely would not of been what it was without Brady being able to play in multiple spots successfully.
“Brody had a good year for us at cornerback and had a huge interception for us against Spring Hill. He also was big for us on special teams units and it was nice for him to be recognized as a punt returner. Jaymes really became the leader of our offensive line from his center spot. We had a pretty good year offensively and that all starts up front. I’m glad to see Jaymes be recognized for his efforts.”
ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL
OFFENSE
FIRST TEAM
QUARTERBACK — Declan Battle, Louisburg, senior
RUNNING BACK — Ashton Moore, junior, Louisburg; Colton McKanna, Spring Hill, senior; Colton Brusven, Tonganoxie, senior
OFFENSIVE LINE — Thomas Cromer, Eudora, senior; Brayden Yoder, Louisburg, junior; Eli Richmond, Paola, senior; Carter Meek, Spring Hill, senior; TJ Leeper, junior, Tonganoxie
