Louisburg sophomore Ashton Moore squeezes through a hole for a touchdown thanks to the blocking of Jase Hovey (22) on Friday in Paola.

PAOLA — Louisburg couldn’t have asked for a better start against its rival on the road.

The Wildcats scored two quick touchdowns against Paola on Friday, but that run was short-lived only to see Paola take the lead back in a matter of minutes.

It was a see-saw battle through the first quarter-and-a-half, but it was the Wildcats who dominated the rest of the way.

Louisburg scored 22 unanswered points and came away with a 35-14 victory over the Panthers. It was the Wildcats’ first win of the season, and for head coach Drew Harding — who is also a Louisburg graduate — it was the perfect time for him to get his first career win as a head coach.

“It is a big time rivalry, so anytime you can beat Paola it feels good,” Harding said. “It is a little different playing them this early in the year, but it is still fun.

“We are never going to be sad about to win, but we know we have some things that we need to clean up. The good thing is it is only the second game of the season and we can hopefully continue to get better.”

Louisburg (1-1) got the opening kickoff and drove right down the field. A 25-yard pass from quarterback Declan Battle to Mason Dobbins, set up a 4-yard touchdown run by sophomore Ashton Moore.

Senior Nathan Vincent recovered a Paola fumble on the Panthers first play from scrimmage and the Wildcats took advantage.

Battle hit Mack Newell for a 22-yard pass, which put the ball on the 1-yard line. From there, senior Jase Hovey ran the ball in for the touchdown, and after a failed extra point attempt, the Wildcats led 13-0.

Paola answered as they went on a 92-yard drive to score its first touchdown, then on the first play of the second quarter, quarterback Jett Osbern hit Landon Taylor for a 51-yard touchdown pass and the Panthers took the 14-13 lead.

“We came out hot and drove it right down the field,” Harding said. “We had success right off the bat, but then I felt like we let our foot off the gas pedal a little bit. Paola made some good plays too and you have to give them credit. We responded in the second half, and even though it was still a little sloppy, we were able to put drives together when we needed to.”

One of those drives came midway through the second quarter. Facing a fourth-and-1 on the Paola 36-yard line, Battle ran a bootleg around the left side and went untouched for a 36-yard score and running back Riley Van Eaton ran in the 2-point conversion.

Louisburg’s defense rose to the occasion next as Hovey scored his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 46-yard interception return for a score. After a Layne Ryals extra point, the Wildcats took a 28-14 halftime lead.

“Jase plays that centerfield safety position for us and he is big, athletic and he can run,” Harding said. “He can make a lot of plays for us and he made a couple big ones for sure.

“As a defense, we started off a little slow, and struggled against their pass a little bit, but we made some adjustments and I thought it was a good defensive game.”

The Wildcats shut out Paola in the second half as they held the Panthers to just 88 total yards in the final two quarters and just 56 yards on the ground.

Nathan Vincent led the Wildcat tacklers with 13 on the night, including a fumble recovery in the first quarter, and a sack. Junior Wyatt Holland and Moore also finished in double digit tackles with 11 and 10, respectively, while senior Will Hutsell added nine of his own.

Louisburg had success moving the ball down the field with their rushing attack — specifically Van Eaton and Moore.

Van Eaton broke several tackles on his way to 111 yards the ground on 25 carries. Moore had four carries for 56 yards, while Battle had 57 yards rushing.

The offensive line of Vincent, Hutsell, J.R. Rooney, Jaymes Melton and Brayton Brueggen provided the open holes to run through.

“We challenged them and we told them that we wanted to see them run the football downhill and for the most part we did that,” Harding said. “Offensive line was firing out and hitting people, so overall it was a good game for us.”

Louisburg will try and make it back-to-back wins this Friday when it hosts Baldwin for its home opener.

“I like where we are,” Harding said. “We are nowhere near a finished product and we aren’t close to our potential. We just have to keep getting better and it will be nice to finally be at home. It feels like we haven’t played a game there in so long, so it will be fun.”

LOU 13 15 0 7 — 35

PAO 7 7 0 0 — 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

L: Ashton Moore 4 run (Layne Ryals kick)

L: Jase Hovey 1 run (XP failed)

P: Landon Taylor 11 pass from Jett Osbern (kick good)

Second quarter

P: Taylor 51 pass from Osbern (kick good)

L: Declan Battle 36 run (Riley Van Eaton run)

L: Hovey 46 interception return (Ryals kick)

Fourth quarter

L: Riley Van Eaton 26 run (Ryals kick)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Riley Van Eaton 25-111; Declan Battle 7-57; Ashton Moore 4-56; Jase Hovey 1-1

PASSING — Battle 10-16-119

RECEIVING — Van Eaton 3-36; Mason Dobbins 2-32; Mack Newell 2-27; Moore 2-23; Caden Caplinger 1-1

TACKLES — Nathan Vincent 13, Wyatt Holland 11, Ashton Moore 10, Will Hutsell 9, Carson Wade 5, Jase Hovey 5, Layne Ryals 5, Mason Dobbins 3, Hunter Heinrich 3, Mack Newell 3, Brady Hickey 3, J.R. Rooney 3, Caden Caplinger 2, Declan Battle 1, Jackson Kush 1, Brayton Brueggen 1

Louisburg running back Riley Van Eaton runs for some extra yards despite having his helmet ripped off Friday at Heritage High School in Rogers, Ark. The Wildcats fell to the War Eagles, 20-16.

ROGERS, Ark. — There were a lot of first for the Louisburg football team on Friday.

For one, it was the Wildcats’ first game of the season. Second, for the first time in school history, Louisburg made the 3-hour trip to play a school in Arkansas.

It was also the first game for Drew Harding as the Wildcat head football coach.

A lot of unknowns plagued the Wildcats Friday against Heritage High School in Rogers, Ark. Despite all that, the Wildcats found a lot of positives going up against a 7A program in a different state.

Unfortunately, the one thing the Wildcats wanted to leave with, they couldn’t.

Louisburg nearly came back to Kansas with its first win of the season, but fell short in a 20-16 loss to the War Eagles.

Two turnovers, penalties and miscues all hampered the Wildcats’ efforts to win their season opener. Still, Louisburg found itself with a chance to win the game late and Harding found a lot of positives.

“We saw a lot of really good things,” Harding said. “I am not discouraged at all after this game about what our potential can be. We had a lot self-inflicted wounds that will get cleaned up. That is a big difference from week one to week two. If we clean those up, it is a different ball game.”

After both teams punted on their opening possessions, the Wildcat defense had Heritage backed up once again with a 1st and 20. Instead, the War Eagles connected on a 33-yard short pass that resulted in a touchdown.

The Wildcats appeared they were going to answer as they took the ball to midfield, but fumbled the ball and stopped one of many drives on the night.

The first score of the season for Louisburg came thanks to Ashton Moore, but not from his running back spot. Moore, a linebacker, tracked down a War Eagle running back for a safety late in the first quarter to cut the Heritage lead to 7-2.

Louisburg then answered on its next drive as senior Riley Van Eaton and Moore broke off big runs that set up a 4-yard score by Van Eaton. The Wildcats went for two points, and a Declan Battle tipped pass found the hands of a diving Isaiah Whitley to give them a 10-7 lead.

Heritage followed that up with a drive of its own that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown by quarterback Carter Hensley. Louisburg senior Jase Hovey blocked the extra point to keep it at a 3-point game.

Right before halftime, the Wildcats drove the ball down the field and was highlighted by a long run by Moore that set up a 25-yard field goal by Layne Ryals to tie it at 13-all.

It was a defensive battle in the second half as both teams had trouble finding the end zone. 

Ryals gave Louisburg the lead for the second time as he converted a 32-yard field goal to put the Wildcats up 16-13 in the third quarter.

Van Eaton and Moore provided a bulk of the offense for the Wildcats as the two combined for 160 yards on the ground. Van Eaton carried the ball 15 time for 109 yards and Moore finished with 51 on just three carries.

Louisburg had to face more obstacles as several players had to leave the game with cramping issues, including Moore and senior tight end Mack Newell.

“Downhill running was our best offense for sure,” Harding said. “We started to get some cramps, and that hurt us as we weren’t able to keep our two-back sets going. We are a better passing team than we showed out there and I think that is going to improve.”

The Wildcats tried extend their lead in the fourth quarter. They drove the ball down the field, including a conversion on fourth down, but a bad snap on the Heritage 30-yard line put the Wildcats out of field goal range at the 45, for a 15-yard loss on a third down with under nine minutes left.

“We were driving and doing well,” Harding said. “We had a third and 8 and had a play called that would get us five yards or so and we were planning on going for it on fourth and short. We didn’t take care of what we needed to and that swung the momentum a little bit.”

Up until that point, the Wildcat defense had only given up one first down in the second half. However, the War Eagles opened their next drive with a 35-yard pass and ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Hensley on third and goal with six minutes left.

The Wildcats had time for a game-winning drive, but Heritage intercepted a Battle pass and the Wildcats didn’t get another chance.

Defensively, the Wildcats held firm against Heritage, but gave up 253 yards through the air, including several big plays that led to scores for the War Eagles.

“At times we struggled to defend the pass a little bit,” Harding said. “You have to give some credit to them as well. They have a good quarterback and some good receivers that can get open. They are a quality team. But we had some misalignment stuff and some of those first game mistakes.”

Against the run, the Wildcats gave up just 56 yards on the ground. On special teams, Lucas Swartz forced a fumble on a mishandled Heritage punt in the second half and Ryals recovered.

Even with the cramping in the second half, Moore led the Wildcats with 13 tackles, including three for a loss. Junior Wyatt Holland and Hovey also finished in double figures with 12 stops each.

Although the Wildcats had a long trip back home, there is a lot of optimism for what lies ahead for the season.

“Obviously we would have liked to win, but I don’t regret the experience at all,” Harding said. “They have a beautiful facility that we were able to come play at and it was a cool experience for the kids. We wanted to finish a little better in the game, but if we correct the things we need to, then I think this will be a positive for us in the long run.”

Louisburg will try for its first win on the season Friday when the Wildcats travel to rival Paola. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

HER 7 6 0 7 — 20

LOU 2 11 3 0 — 16

First quarter

H: Tillman McNair 33 pass from Carter Hensley (kick good)

L: Ashton Moore safety

Second quarter

L: Riley Van Eaton 4 run (Declan Battle pass to Isaiah Whitley)

H: Hensley 1 run (kick blocked)

L: Layne Ryals 25 FG

Third quarter

L: Ryals 32 FG

Fourth quarter

H: McNair 9 pass from Hensely (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING — Riley Van Eaton 15-109; Ashton Moore 3-51; Declan Battle 9-33; Wyatt Holland 1-0

PASSING — Declan Battle 8-21-41

RECEIVING — Mason Dobbins 3-29; Riley Van Eaton 3-7; Caden Caplinger 2-5

TACKLES — Ashton Moore 13, Wyatt Holland 12, Jase Hovey 12, Layne Ryals 9, Nathan Vincent 7, Carson Wade 6, Declan Battle 4, Will Hutsell 4, J.R. Rooney 4, Mack Newell 2, Conlee Hovey 1, Isaiah Whitley 1, Brayden Yoder 1

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

LAYNE RYALS, SENIOR, FOOTBALL

Louisburg senior Layne Ryals kept the Wildcat football team in the game with his leg last Friday during the team’s trip to Heritage High School in Rogers, Ark. Ryals converted both of his field goal attempts from 25 and 32 yards in the team’s 20-16 setback.

As the team’s punter, he pinned the opposition inside the 20 on four of his six punts. Ryals also made an impact as the team’s starting safety. He finished the game with nine tackles and had a fumble recovery.

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.

Louisburg junior quarterback Declan Battle returns as the Wildcat signal caller this season after Battle recorded 20 touchdowns as a sophomore.

This isn’t just any normal season for the Louisburg football team — in fact — it is almost the exact opposite.

The Wildcats are under new leadership as Drew Harding begins his first season as the team’s head coach. It is a new voice and different way of doing things for the players.

If that wasn’t a big enough change, the schedule is another one.

Louisburg will travel outside the state to play Rogers Heritage High School in Rogers, Ark. for the season’s first game on Friday. Not only will the Wildcats be traveling, but they will playing a large 7A program in the process.

Then, in a game normally reserved for the final week of the season, Louisburg will face off with rival Paola in week two.

In what seems like a hectic beginning for many, there is a semblance of familiarity. Louisburg brings back 16 seniors to this season’s team, and several returning starters from last year.

It is that experience that Harding hopes can provide smooth sailing for a hectic first part of the season.

“I am definitely lucky coming in with 16 seniors,” Harding said. “It is really nice from a leadership standpoint. From a competitive standpoint, when you have some seniors who aren’t all on one side of the ball, you can put together a good scout team and gives us a good look. Those guys have been willing to do whatever. In practice, if they aren’t playing on defense, they are going in to help out on offense. It has been good in developing some depth on the lines. 

“Most of these guys have been playing for awhile now, so hopefully that pays off for us and that game experience is something that you can’t replicate. It is really beneficial, especially early in the season.”

Offensively, they return nearly the entire side of the ball from 2021 and it all starts with junior quarterback Declan Battle.

Battle, who amassed more than 1,800 yards and 20 touchdowns last season as an honorable mention all-league player, will lead the Wildcat offense behind an experienced offensive line and backfield.

Harding is hoping his signal caller can take another step forward this season.

“From what I have seen so far, his decision making is better and he is a lot more comfortable I would say,” Harding said. “We try to give him some simple reads where he can have one quick read and then get rid of the football. Same way in the run game. Having a year under your belt as a quarterback on Friday nights is huge. I think he is primed for a big season for us.”

Behind Battle, senior Riley Van Eaton and sophomore Ashton Moore return at running back after seeing varsity time a year ago. Junior Wyatt Holland also made the move to running back as all three will get their fair share of carries.

Senior Mason Dobbins, who earned second team all-league receiving honors a year ago, will lead the wide receiver group. Seniors Jackson Kush, Corbin Hamman, along with juniors Caden Caplinger, Brady Hickey and Hunter Heinrich, will all see time on the perimeter.

On the offensive line, the Wildcats will see a rotation of seniors Nathan Vincent, J.R. Rooney, Brayton Brueggen, Will Hutsell, Christian Golladay, junior Jaymes Melton and sophomore Conlee Hovey.

The biggest change on offense will be at the tight end spot. Senior Mack Newell made the move from soccer to football this fall and brings size to the position.

Newell, who is 6-3 and 230 pounds, will provide help in the run game and also a big target for Battle in the open field.

“That is a big addition for us,” Harding said. “There aren’t many high school football players who have the frame that he has. The ability to move and have the strength is going to help us in the run game as a blocker. He also is a big target over the middle in the pass game. There probably won’t be too many secondary guys excited to try and bring him down. The scrimmage (last Friday) was really good for him since he hasn’t played in two years and he was able to get the nerves out.”

Defensively, the Wildcats also return several starters from a year ago.

Rooney will anchor the interior of the defensive line after being named a first-team all-league player last season. He will be joined by a rotation of Brueggen, Golladay and Hutsell. From the defensive end spot, Newell, senior Isaiah Whitley, Vincent and Hovey will all see playing time there.

At linebacker, Holland and Moore will lead the way along with sophomores Lucas Swartz and Brayden Yoder.

Senior Jase Hovey leads the secondary from the safety spot after being named a first-team all-league player last year and will be joined by fellow seniors Layne Ryals and Carson Wade. Battle, Heinrich, Dobbins and Hickey will all see time at the cornerback spot.

“We are fast,” Harding said of his defense. “The sideline to sideline speed is really, really good. Our linebackers are really fast, our safeties can run really well and we have a lot of team speed. Our defensive line is really athletic as well. We aren’t the biggest by any means, but I think our speed can give teams some trouble.”

Louisburg also returns its veteran kicker as Ryals, who was a second team all-league punter and honorable mention kicker a season ago, looks to take another step forward this season.

The Wildcats will certainly get a test out of the gate as they travel to face a bigger Rogers Heritage team that has struggled in recent years. Still, Harding knows it will be a challenge going up against a bigger program.

“It is definitely a different start than I was picturing when I first took over,” Harding said. “We are excited to go to Rogers and I think it will be a cool experience for us. We are playing a 7A school and it is something we are looking forward to. We are going to do some different stuff and hopefully this experience is something our kids will remember forever. There is no one in Louisburg, Kansas who said they have played a school from Arkansas.”

Louisburg is anxious to get back to the postseason after falling in the first round to the eventual state champion, St. James Academy. And despite having schools like St. James, Bishop Miege and St. Thomas Aquinas in 4A this season, Harding has high hopes for his group of players.

“Their goal every year is to win a state championship,” Harding said of his players. “We want to compete each and every game, but we can’t get there unless we get better. I know it is cliche, but we have to get better every single day. We need to come together as a team and we have a lot of potential. If we do those things, I think we have a chance to be pretty good.”

Louisburg head football coach Drew Harding speaks to his players in the huddle during a practice this week. Harding is in his first year as head coach after serving as an assistant for several years.

It’s only four days into practice, but all four Louisburg High School fall coaches have liked what they have seen so far out of their teams.

Numbers have been steady as each program has high expectations for the upcoming 2022 season.

There are also plenty of new faces this year as the Wildcats will feature two first year coaches in Bobby Bovaird (boys soccer) and Drew Harding (football). Leanna Willer (volleyball) is in her second season, while cross country coach John Reece is entering his 20th season.

On the gridiron, the Wildcat football team is returning several starters from last year’s team that lost to St. James Academy in the first round of the playoffs.

Louisburg currently has 70 players out for football this season, including 15 seniors that will help lead the way.

“Practice has been going well so far,” Harding said. “We have a lot of competition for spots and competition brings out the best in everybody. We are very excited for the upcoming season.  We have a large senior class and a junior class that has gained lots of experience from last year so we are excited to see what we can do.”

Having a new head coach can bring a learning curve, but the Wildcats worked hard over the summer. Along with their annual team camp, they had several scrimmages, 7-on-7 competitions and skill sessions.

“The team did a good job picking up on our installs on both sides of the ball so we were able to get a lot of really good reps that will hopefully help us in this upcoming season,” Harding said.

As for the boys soccer team, the Wildcats will try and reach the state final four for the second time in three years after falling to Bishop Miege in the regional championship match a season ago.

Louisburg returns another experienced group as it enters the season with 15 seniors after earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs a year ago. Numbers are once again high for the program as 40 players are out this year.

“Nine of them (seniors) saw some pretty solid varsity playing time last year, and five of them got playing time in the state tournament two years ago when we finished in 3rd place,” Bovaird said. “Practice has been running very smoothly. We’re getting a great look at the players during our tryouts this week, and we’re seeing lots of leaders emerge every day.”

The Wildcats also had a busy summer with camps and team workouts. It was a good way for Bovaird to get to know his players as a first-year head coach.

“Almost everyone was able to participate,” Bovaird said. “They were getting together for informal kick-arounds, they were either lifting weights with the school’s summer program or they were lifting together on their own, and I’m loving the buy-in that they’ve shown. We’re looking at the potential to have another outstanding season this year. Of course, conditioning is a factor and we’re working on improving that during practice. 

“This year, we’ve got the motto ‘United,’ which comes from the fact that many soccer clubs use that word with their club names — Manchester United, New Mexico United, etc. I chose that motto because we have kids with all sorts of experience, from those who play year-round club soccer to kids who only play in the fall. They’ve grown up playing all over the place, whether it’s a club up in the city, Louisburg Rec, or somewhere in another district or community. But we’re here right now, and we have to come together to be united as a soccer family if we want to achieve our goals. This group of seniors has had a taste of state success, and they’ve had a taste of falling short of the team’s goals. I think they have the hunger to buy into what the coaching staff is striving to provide for them and they are willing to make a commitment to get to the top this year.”

As for cross country, Reece has liked what he has seen from his runners so far after a successful season a year ago in which both teams qualified for state.

He currently has 25 runners out this season, while 18 are out on the middle school level. The girls team is already being thought of as one of the top squads in the state as they are ranked in the top five in Class 4A by Kansas MileSplit.

“We are down a little in numbers but return many state qualifiers,” Reece said. “Practices are going well and we are enjoying this stint of cooler weather. We are again focusing on the end of the season and are setting a goal to return both teams to state again. It is going to be an exciting year.”

Volleyball also has strong numbers out as they had 36 athletes out for tryouts for the first three days and have settled at 30 for the rest of the season between the three levels.

Despite losing four starters from last season’s team that fell one game short of reaching the state tournament, Willer is excited to see what this group can do.

“We’ve had a great first few days and are seeing really awesome things from our girls that have us excited about what we’ll be able to do at all three levels this year,” Willer said. “We see a lot of potential at all ages and we are hungry for the opportunities to keep improving and make some noise in the league.”

The squad had a busy summer with its team camp in early June, followed by summer league action for two months and the varsity traveled to the University of Nebraska team camp in July. Add in the normal open gyms and weight sessions, Willer is pleased with how her players have improved.

“This was a very busy summer of all sorts of crazy twists and turns with the high school being under construction and schedules constantly changing,” Willer said. “Those that were able to dedicate time and effort consistently throughout the summer improved, not only in skill, but also in confidence. The coaches and athletes were typically here working four days a week with weights, conditioning, and open gyms. 

“We love having these summer opportunities to get to know our team better and to start working on our team chemistry as much as possible. As a whole, we have grown a lot over the past couple months and we are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish here in the next couple.”

It was the middle of December, with the temperature near freezing, and Tom Koontz was at the track.

Yes, the outdoor track at Wildcat Stadium. As you might expect, there weren’t many people around on that frigid day.

Almost six months earlier, Koontz won a state title in the 110-meter high hurdles as a junior, but it was the 300 hurdle race that haunted him. He just couldn’t get over finishing as a state runner-up.

“All I could think about was winning state and winning the 300s this time around,” Koontz said. “It drove me so much, so winning that race, when it came down to the inches, was basically the definition of achieving a dream.”

The hard work, and practicing his craft, all paid off as he got his revenge and won state in the 300 hurdles along with defending with 110 hurdle title in Wichita back in May.

It was Koontz’s drive that helped him become one of the pillars of a team that finished as the state champion in 2021 and also one that took third at state this past May.

It was also one of the reasons why Koontz was chosen as the Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.

“To win this is a huge honor because it adds me to a list of former Louisburg athletes like Blue Caplinger and Weston Guetterman, both people I looked up to for a long time,” Koontz said. “Now it feels like I can be one of those people to be looked up at, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

There weren’t a lot of people necessarily looking up at Koontz on the track — a lot of them were trying to catch him from behind.

Koontz dominated both hurdle races all season long and only lost on a few different occasions. It is a sport, and event, that is a passion of his and it started as freshman.

He came out of nowhere and qualified for state in the 300 hurdles and that lit the spark for what he was to become.

“Track started simply as another sport, but as I started to get better and impress myself with what I was capable of, I felt the need to devote more and more time to it,” Koontz said. “I changed so much for it, like my diet and sleep habits, where I went and who I hung out with, what I did after practice, etc… It was the most important thing to me for a long time.”

Still, as much as he wanted to win a state title in the 300 hurdles, he wasn’t exactly loving it. 

“Since I started running the race freshman year, I never really liked it,” Koontz said. “In fact, I despised it and only liked it for the feeling of finishing it. But coach (Leanna) Willer knew I had potential to be great at it. 

“It was the only event I qualified in freshman year, and I was the only freshman on the list for it. So to come back my junior and just barely lose, stuck with me and it was my focus to win this year.”

Not only does Koontz have three state titles under his belt, he has eight career state medals, including four as a member of the 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams. He was a member of the 4×100 that broke the school record at the Frontier League meet last month.

As much love as he has for track, football is right up there for Koontz.

He found himself as one of the Wildcat starting cornerbacks this past season. Koontz finished the year with 46 tackles, four deflections and a forced fumble.

“Football was a sport for me to be a part of a team, that really made me feel like a part of something,” he said. “So finally getting to play the field the whole season was exhilarating, and I wish I could do it again. Having to say goodbye to it was difficult, just ask any of them who saw me after the St. James (playoff) game.

“Playing a sport that creates such powerful emotions like football and track and anything else helped me grow as a person and an athlete, and each one sharpened my ability in and out of the classroom. It’s hard work, but the work is rewarding.”

After four years of competing at the high school level, Koontz doesn’t really have a favorite moment. It is the overall experience that he will remember most.

“It’s hard for me to pick just one thing that sticks out about high school,” Koontz said. “I couldn’t just pick one day. What does stick with me is the idea that one day, I’m not sure when, I went from someone admiring those who could do amazing things, to being the person doing those things. Being able to win homecoming king or be a state champion. It’s unreal that it happened.

“So I would say if anything sticks out the most, it’s the surrealness of it all, and how I was able to make a name for myself, in high school at least. But I’m also glad I could make such good friends and have such great coaches and teachers to support me.”

Previous winners:

2018: Austin Moore

2019: Blue Caplinger

2020: Garrett Rolofson

2021: Weston Guetterman

Louisburg’s Brandon Doles is excited for the opportunity to join the Ottawa University football program this fall after a strong senior season for Louisburg.

There was a time where Brandon Doles felt football just wasn’t in the cards.

That time came his junior season when he sustained a gruesome leg injury that ended his football and wrestling seasons. It was a long road to recovery.

Doles also had a love for baseball and thought it was the sport he wanted to focus on the most. Still, he wanted to give football one last shot and had a strong season for Louisburg in his senior campaign. 

What he found out was, his love for the game was still there. So much so, Doles is continuing on at the college level.

Doles signed his letter of intent to play football at Ottawa University earlier this spring and he can’t wait to make the jump from high school to college.

“The past couple of years I thought I wanted to play college baseball, especially after my injury,” Doles said. “But after I got back on the field my senior year, I knew that football was what I wanted to do and I can’t wait to continue to play at the next level.”

Ottawa is a familiar place for Doles as his brother, Desmond, also played football for the Braves and he grew up following the Ottawa.

So when it came to make a decision, he leaned on his brother for some guidance.

“Definitely Dez playing there helped with my decision,” he said. “Watching the team play the last four years has been so much fun. He showed me how great the atmosphere was with the team and on campus and helped me make my decision.”

However, there will be something new to the program that Doles didn’t see much in those four year — a new coach.

Nick Davis was chosen to take over the program after serving as the defensive coordinator last season.

Defense is where Doles will try to thrive on the football field as the Braves hope to used him as a middle linebacker, along with some time as a long snapper.

“They have some of the best facilities which was a major factor and I really liked their coaching staff when I came and visited,” Doles said. “I’m excited to play for the new head coach in Coach Davis.”

Doles had a big final season for the Wildcats as he was a first-team All-Frontier League selection from the linebacker spot. He finished with 90 tackles and averaged more than 11 per game. He also forced two fumbles.

Now, he hopes some of that success transfers over to the college level.

“Playing college football has always been a dream of mine ever since I was little,” Doles said. “Seeing all my friends and family there at my signing day, supporting me, was the best feeling ever and always knowing they are there to cheer me on is amazing.

“As a freshman it’s gonna be hard to get playing time but I will be working hard all summer and all fall to try and see some time on the field.”

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

For the fifth 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. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Aiden Barker, Senior, Football and Wrestling

Aiden Barker played big roles on both the Louisburg football and wrestling teams this past season. Barker was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football program and wrestled at 195 pounds for the wrestling team.

Barker was a key fixture on both sides of the ball for the Wildcat football team, but his biggest impact came on the defensive side. He was a first team All-Frontier League selection on the defensive line, where he finished with 58 tackles on the season to go along with 11 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.

On the wrestling mat, Barker finished his season with a 31-8 record and earned a fifth place medal at the Class 4A state tournament in Salina. He was named the Wildcats’ wrestler of the year and is a two-time first team KWCA Academic all-state winner. He finished with titles at the December Duals, Tonganoxie and Louisburg Invitationals. He finished his career with a program record of career reversals with 74. He will continue his athletic and academic career as a member of the MidAmerica Nazarene University football program this fall.

Brandon Doles, Senior, Football, Wrestling and Baseball

Brandon was a starter on three Wildcat programs during the 2021-22 school year. Doles was the starting linebacker on the football team, he was a varsity captain and 182-pound wrestler on the wrestling team and played the outfield and pitched for the Louisburg baseball program.

In football, Doles was a key part of the Wildcat defense as he earned first team all-league honors from the linebacker spot. He finished the season with 90 tackles and averaged 11 stops per contest. He also forced two fumbles and had 11 tackles for a loss during the Wildcats’ 4-5 season.

Injuries hampered most of Doles’ wrestling season, but he was able to make a comeback late in the season and made his way to his third state tournament. At 182 pounds, Doles was win one short of a medal and finished the year with a 9-5 record. Doles ended his career as a two-time team captain and first team KWCA Academic All-State recipient.

On the baseball diamond, Doles was one of the Wildcats’ top hitters during the 2022 season that saw them end with an 8-14 record and a spot in the regional championship game. Doles, who started in left field, finished with a .338 average and a .969 OPS. He also had 24 hits, seven doubles and two home runs to go along with 17 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Doles also earned second team All-Frontier League honors.

Kolby Kattau, Senior, Football and Baseball

Kolby was a senior starter for both the Louisburg football and baseball teams this past season. Kattau was the starting first baseman and pitcher for the baseball program that reached the regional championship. He was a two-way starter on the football team at running back and safety.

On the baseball diamond, Kattau thrived for the 2022 season as he was named as a first-team All-Frontier and all-state selection for his play at first base. Kattau had a team-high .471 average in 82 plate appearances. He had an OPS of 1.294 and had 33 hits on the season with seven doubles, five triples and a home run. He also scored 24 runs and had 13 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He started five games for the Wildcats and earned three wins with 25 strikeouts. Kattau was also selected to participate in the KABC all-star game.

On the football field, Kattau was one of the team’s starting running backs and recorded two touchdowns with more than 200 yards of total offense. He also started at safety for much of the season as well, and finished with 27 tackles and three deflections.

Tom Koontz, Senior, Football and Track and Field

Tom was a starting defensive back for the Wildcat football team that finished with a 4-5 record, along with being a hurdler and sprinter on the Louisburg track team.

On the track, Koontz helped the Wildcats to a third place team finish at the Class 4A state meet as he earned a pair of state titles in the hurdles and two more medals on relays. Koontz won the 300-meter hurdles with a school record time of 38.98 seconds and also won the state title in the 110 hurdles for the second straight year in 14.61 seconds.

He also helped the 4×400 relay to a fourth place state finish and the 4×100 relay to a sixth place medal. Koontz was also a part of the 4×100 team that broke the school record earlier in the year. He ends his Wildcat career as a 3-time state champion in the hurdles and garnered eight state medals. He was also a member of the 2021 state championship team.

Koontz also made his presence known on the football field as he was a starting cornerback for the Wildcats. He finished the year with 46 tackles, four deflections and a forced fumble.

Maverick Rockers, Senior, Basketball and Baseball

Maverick played key roles for the Wildcat basketball and baseball teams this season. Rockers was the starting point guard in basketball and made an impact on the baseball team as the starting shortstop.

On the baseball diamond, Rockers helped the Wildcats to their second straight regional championship game and had a big year at the plate. Rockers finished with a .406 batting average with a 1.111 OPS. He recorded 28 hits, seven doubles and two home runs to go along with 22 runs scored and 16 RBIs. He also had just six errors from his shortstop position. Following the season, he was named as a second team All-Frontier League player.

Rockers also had a big year on the basketball court as the team’s starting point guard. He averaged 11 points a game to go along with three rebounds, two assists and 1.5 steals a game.

Michael Seuferling, Senior, Soccer and Basketball

Michael had big seasons for the Louisburg soccer and basketball teams in 2021-22. Seuferling was a starting defender for the Wildcat soccer team that made it to the regional championship game and was a starting guard for the Wildcat basketball program.

On the soccer field, Seuferling was one of the best outside backs in the Frontier League and was a first team all-league performer for Louisburg. He was also a first-team all-state player as he helped the Wildcats to a No. 1 seed in the Class 4-1A state playoffs.

Seuferling was also one of the top basketball players in the Frontier League as earned honorable mention honors after leading the Wildcats in scoring. He averaged 13.3 points per contest to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Braden Yows, Senior, Soccer

Braden had a big season for the Louisburg boys soccer team as he helped lead the Wildcats to the No. 1 seed in the Class 4-1A state playoffs and a spot in the regional championship game.

Yows was named as a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state player from his midfield spot and was named team captain. He ended his season with a 17 goals and 11 assists. He will continue his soccer career this fall at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Louisburg senior Aiden Barker recently signed his letter of intent to play football at MidAmerica Nazarene University this coming fall.

Football has always been a big part of Aiden Barker’s life, and by the time his high school career was done, Barker wasn’t ready to leave the sport he loves in the rear view mirror.

Instead, Barker gets a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream close to home.

In late April, the Louisburg senior signed his letter of intent to play at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe next season and he is ready to get started.

“College football has been a dream of mine since a was a little kid running around with a football in my hands hoping to be the next great player,” Barker said. “It meant a lot to me to sign in front of my friends and family and to have all those who have supported me and pushed me to get where I’m at now being able to sign and play at the collegiate level.”

Barker was a force on the offensive and defensive lines for the Wildcats, but it was his performance on the defensive side where he made his mark.

As a defensive end, Barker was a first-team All-Frontier League selection as he finished with 58 tackles on the season to go along with 11 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.

He will be playing a similar position with the Pioneers, but one that offers more flexibility and fits his strengths better. He will be playing as a standup defensive end that will drop back and play like a linebacker.

Although it is going to be a big transition for him, Barker knows he will have a chance to succeed if he puts the effort into it.

“I’m really excited to move onto the next level of football,” Barker said. “I put pretty high expectations on myself to go out and perform at my best.”

When weighing his options, Barker felt right at home when he made his visit to MidAmerica and he felt at ease with the Pioneer coaching staff, and head coach Paul Hansen.

“I picked this coaching staff because they came off as great people and they really wanted to get to know you so that they could evaluate if you could fit in with the others and if you were going to be able to build a better program in the future.,” Barker said. 

“I liked MidAmerica because they stood out to me as really genuine people and I think that the program is going to be able to mold me into a better player.”

Garrett Griffin, who spent the last six seasons with the New Orleans, will sign a contract with the Detroit Lions according to multiple reports.

After six seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Garrett Griffin will have a new home in the National Football League.

According to multiple reports from NFL writers Aaron Wilson and Tom Peliserro, Griffin will sign with the Detroit Lions. Griffin is currently in Colorado Springs taking care of his yearly commitment with the Air Force Academy.

Garrett Griffin (Saints) is signing with the Detroit Lions, per a league source. Griffin played for Dan Campbell when Campbell coached tight ends for the Saints. Griffin is currently taking care of his yearly Air Force commitment in Colorado Springs

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 17, 2022

Former #Saints TE Garrett Griffin is signing with the #Lions, per source. Griffin played for Dan Campbell when Campbell coached TEs for the Saints. Griffin is currently taking care of his yearly Air Force commitment in Colorado Springs.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 17, 2022

Griffin, who is a 2012 graduate of Louisburg High School, worked his way on to the Saints roster in his five years, despite battling numerous injuries. He recorded five catches for 43 yards in the regular season during those five years.

His most memorable moment came in the NFC Championship game in 2018 when he caught two passes for 12 yards, including a touchdown from Drew Brees.

According to those reports, Griffin chose the Lions based on his relationship with Detroit head coach Dan Campbell. Campbell served as the Saints tight end coach during much of Griffin’s time in New Orleans.

Last season, the Lions finished with a 3-13-1 record and finished fourth in the NFC North.