Louisburg senior Will Patterson will look to transition from the high school to college game this fall with the McPherson College football team.

Will Patterson was all ready for his final year of Louisburg football.

The Wildcat senior saw a lot of playing time on the defensive line early on and was hoping to end his Louisburg career on high note.

Unfortunately, Patterson suffered an injury halfway through the year and ended his season prematurely. He wasn’t sure if that was the end of his football career.

Instead, Patterson started focusing on college opportunities and he found the perfect fit.

Patterson signed his letter of intent to play football at McPherson College – an NAIA program in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

“I am very excited,” Patterson said. “Football has always been a major part of my life and I always dreamed of playing at the next level.”

The Louisburg senior had a couple different choices to choose from during the process, but the Bulldogs made the most sense.

“The coaching staff was excellent, and the campus was small and beautiful,” Patterson said. “The football program also has a lot of tradition.”

Patterson will play under Jeremiah Fiscus, who is entering his third season as the Bulldog head coach. Last season, McPherson was 3-4 in a COVID-shortened season, but Patterson is excited for what the future holds.

“The coaches were very kind and had an exact plan for what they wanted to do with me,” Patterson said. “They know how to win. The head coach was on the coaching staff of TCU when they won the Rose Bowl, and my D-Line coach won a D2 National Championship at Delta State University. The coaches we’re very big into weight lifting which is the main reason I am where I am to this day, thanks to my dad in those late night at the gym.”

Patterson will play on defensive for the Bulldogs at nose guard, similar to what he played for the Wildcats. 

He is also looking forward to the school aspect of it all as he plans to major in Criminal Justice, with the hopes of being a federal agent.

As far as football goes, Patterson just plans on putting in the work and see what happens from there.

“My expectations are what they always have been — work as hard as I can and hope an opportunity comes my way,” he said.

There hasn’t been a year like 2020, and for most people, they are ready to put it behind them and forget it ever existed.

Still, with all the challenges that 2020 brought, there were still plenty of positives to talk about when it came to Louisburg High School sports. History-making state places and state medals were plentiful on this list, but it wasn’t all positive. Louisburg had to say goodbye to a beloved town figure and athletes had to deal with the loss of spring sports.

Below are the top stories from 2020, along with a brief explanation of each. Included in the explanation is the link to the actual story from the event.

When putting the list together, I took a lot of things into account – whether it was team vs. individual, popularity of the sport, historical achievements and the interest it drew on the web site. Thanks to the cancellation of spring sports, I don’t have the top 10 like I normally do, but I got close.

This year was a blast to cover, when I had the opportunity, anyway. Still, I am looking forward to what 2021 will bring. Thank you for everyone’s support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

8. Ratliff-Becher wins state powerlifting title

After winning a state championship in 2019 Reilly Ratliff-Becher had every intention of backing up her performance during the Class 4A State Powerlifting Championships on March 7 at Piper High School.

In fact, the Louisburg senior wanted to improve it. Last season, Ratliff-Becher took first in everything but squat, which she got runner-up.

This time around, she got the clean sweep.

Ratliff-Becher took first in bench, squat and clean and that led to her second straight state championship in the 180-pound class.

“It means a lot to me that I was able to win the state title again,” Ratliff-Becher said. “I set a goal for myself to win first in everything since I had got second in squat last year and I achieved it. Even though it wasn’t my best showing with the numbers I got on my lifts.

“The competition was very good this year, as it always is. But, fortunately with all the work I put in to at least maintain my numbers from last year, meant I was able to lift bigger amounts than my competition.”

7. Conley named state and midwest coach of the year

After a third place finish to end the year, Louisburg boys soccer coach Kyle Conley was recognized among the state’s best.

Conley was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association in November.

He guided the Wildcats to a 16-2 record on the season and the team’s highest finish in program history when Louisburg ousted Rose Hill, 3-0, in the state third-place game.

Just a few weeks later, Conley was honored once again – this time on the girls’ side.

Despite the lost season, the United Soccer Coaches wanted to recognize coaches for their past accomplishments and for what this past spring was supposed to hold.

Atop that list was Conley as he was named as the Small School Midwest Coach of the Year. 

“I am absolutely honored to receive this award,” Conley said. “There are so many great coaches in the Midwest, but to me this is a program award. None of this is possible without everyone involved; girls coming to work their tails off everyday, parents traveling and supporting us anywhere and everywhere, community helping with supporting the program, the school supporting the girls, etc. Without the support and buy in from the girls, parents and community none of this is possible.”

The Wildcat girls program has had a successful start in its four years. Conley has a 54-22-2 record during that span, that included two state runner-ups and another state final four appearance. 

6. Louisburg cheer places third at state

The Louisburg cheer squad had to do its postseason competition a little different this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It didn’t seem to bother them much as the defending state champions found themselves right in the thick of things again.

Although they didn’t repeat as champs, they were still among the state’s best as the Wildcats cheerleaders finished third in the state back in November.

Unlike performing in front of judges like they did in 2019, the Wildcats had to video tape their performance and send it in to be judged. It fared well as they tallied 83.35 points to finish in the top 3.

Baldwin earned the state title with 88.85 points and Abilene was second with 85.25.

Members of the Louisburg cheer squad are Bella Feikert, Addison Drake, Brooklyn Harmon, Jayden Trester, Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Sophie Katzer, Sammy McDaniel, Julia Arriola, Andrea Gaza, JoJo Hendrickson, Sydney Dudzik, Abby Bradley, Anna Poe, Sienna Finch, Mable Graham, Audrey Anderson, Zoe Weers, Anna Morrison and Maggie Madison

5. Holtzen, Owens earn state medals for Wildcat wrestling

Ryan Owens and Cade Holtzen both had their own agendas going into the state wrestling tournament.

Owens, qualified for state last year, but left without a win and he vowed to fix that this time around. As for Holtzen, he came up short in his efforts for a second state medal as a sophomore last season and had all the motivation not to come home empty-handed again.

Both wrestlers more than made up for their rough patches a year ago.

Owens and Holtzen left Salina with a state medal during the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. 

Owens made it to the semifinals and wound up earning a fourth-place medal at 120 pounds, while Holtzen finished fifth at 126 pounds.

It also marked the first time since 2016 that Louisburg finished the season with multiple state medalists, when Nathan Keegan and Mason Koechner each brought home medals.

The Wildcats nearly had three medalists as sophomore Brandon Doles finished one win shy of a state medal at 160 pounds with a 2-2 record.

4. Dennis steps down as LHS team doctor

Almost every day of the week, if you were looking for Damon Dennis, he could be found at his office on 11 S. Broadway St., helping treat those pesky aches and pains, taking X-rays, or mending those beaten up athletes after a game.

Doc D – as he his affectionately known – opened Louisburg Chiropractic Office 28 years ago and has served as the Louisburg High School athletic team doctor for almost that same amount of time.

Dennis has seen it all. The walls in his office are lined with mementos from his years of service to both the community and the high school.

He has taped thousands of ankles, seen even more patients and has touched many lives during his time in Louisburg. That is why this week is one of the more emotional times in his life.

In May, he left Louisburg Chiropractic Office and handed the reins over to Dr. Jake Polzin. Add to that, Dennis also stepped away as LHS’ team doctor and left an absence on the sidelines and behind the mic that many in Louisburg have come to know.

“My decision to step down and sell the practice has turned out to be the hardest thing I have ever done,” Dennis said. “I have poured everything I have into my job and community. It has become my entire existence. I was taught from a young age to serve others and your community. I feel like the pressures I have put on myself have become unhealthy. I have put about 40 years work in to 28 and feel like there is never going to be a good time to make such a huge life change. 

“That being said, I feel like I need to make changes while I am still able to do the things that will be best for my family. Dr. Polzin came along and I think he will carry on the work at the office wonderfully. We are a lot alike in many ways. I could not have found anyone better to replace me.”

For many, Dennis has been a big part of people’s lives, especially in the athletic arena. He has served as the LHS team doctor since 1992 and has treated many athletes in those 28 years.

3. Girls Cross Country Takes Third at State

For 23 years, the Louisburg cross country program has been chasing a top three finish at the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats have had several teams qualify, especially in the last few seasons, but have always come up short of their goal. Following Saturday’s race in Wamego, the Wildcats can finally stop running after it.

The Louisburg girls put together an historic performance at the Class 4A Kansas State Cross Country Championships at Wamego Country Club. The Lady Cats earned a state plaque with a third place finish as they surpassed Buhler by eight points to record the school’s first top three state finish.

Junior Reese Johnson, sophomores Claire Brown, Bree Gassman and Nova Ptacek, along with freshmen Lola Edwards, Maddy Rhamy and Erin Apple, will all go down in school history as they became the first Wildcat team to bring home state hardware.

“It means the world to me to be a part of the first team ever to place at state,” Rhamy said. “Coming into the state meet, I was just hoping our team would be in the top half, so you could imagine my excitement when our team placed third. I didn’t even know we made school history until our coaches told us.”

Rhamy was one of two freshmen who earned top 10 finishes individually, along with Edwards. Rhamy finished eighth overall in 20 minutes and 58 seconds, while Edwards was right behind her in 10th in 21:02.

Junior Reese Johnson also garnered a state medal as she was 15th in 21:28 to help the Lady Cats to an historic performance.

It was a proud moment for many in the Louisburg program, and included in that is John Reece. The longtime Wildcat head coach was all smiles following his team’s performance.

“It is 23 years the making,” coach Reece said. “You always have the plans and goals to get to state and then you get a group to go to state and do something great. This year was one of those. With the Frontier League as tough as it is, and then getting third there, put it in our heads that maybe we could do this. They all went out and ran their races, and that just shows their grit and determination and who they are.”

A week earlier, the Wildcats also made history as its was the first time in school history when they qualified the entire boys team to the state meet as they took third at regionals.

2. Boys Soccer Finishes Runner-Up At State

As the Louisburg players huddled around their state plaque, many of them looked at it in awe and wonder.

“Hey guys, we won this,” a player shouted.

The statement was obvious at the time, but nonetheless, their excitement was more than warranted.

For the first time in program history, the Louisburg boys soccer team brought home a plaque from the state final four as the Wildcats defeated Rose Hill, 3-0, on Saturday in the third place match of the Class 4-1A state tournament at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

It was only the second time in school history that the Wildcats had it made it this far, with the other being in 2016, when they finished fourth.

“There are only six teams in the entire state that get to end their year with a win and we wanted to be one of those teams,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We want to be able to hang up a banner on our field and we wanted a plaque so that no one can forget what these kids earned and what they did this season. I am so proud of all of them.”

It was a program defining moment for the Wildcats as they began the weekend searching for a state championship, but lost 2-0 to Bishop Miege on Friday in the semifinals. Still, recording the best finish in school history is nothing for someone to hang their head about, and the Wildcats came out Saturday wanting to make sure they brought some hardware home.

“It’s absolutely crazy to think about what we have accomplished this year, partly because I have only played soccer in high school,” senior captain Logan Faulkner said. “Bringing a state plaque back will just be a reminder of what we did and how we reached our goal.”

1. COVID-19 Cancels Spring Sports

In March, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly closed all schools for the rest of the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of COVID-19.

When most students hear school has been closed, especially in the winter, cheers erupt. In this case, however, the tone was much more somber – especially among the senior class.

Proms were canceled. Any plans they had for a graduation ceremony were put on hold, and for more than 30 seniors, their last opportunity at playing a sport at Louisburg High School was taken away.

In fact, close to 200 students were planning on participating in an activity in the spring, but with no school, the Kansas State High School Activities Association followed suit and canceled the spring season the day after Gov. Kelly’s declaration.

Students, parents and coaches alike have had to come to grips that a season they had been looking forward to all year, was never going to happen. Tears flowed, walls were punched in frustration and some were left speechless.

There would be no game days, no Senior Nights and no postseason runs. Athletes had to figure out how to cope with this fact and it was a challenge for the Louisburg girls soccer, track and field, baseball, softball, golf and swim teams.

Many of those teams had big postseason aspirations after success in 2019 and were left wondering what could have been.

Louisburg senior Andy Hupp was a fixture on the Wildcat defensive line this past season and several other people took notice.

Hupp was recently named to the Kansas Football Coaches Association All-State first team in Class 4A. It is just one of many honors Hupp has come to receive since the season began.

“Andy put in a ton of work over the past four years in the weight room, both during the school year and during the summer,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “Andy made huge gains even when school was not in session last spring, because he wanted it. I was very pleased to see that the other coaches in 4A recognized his hard work and skill and voted for him to be all-state.”

Last month, Hupp was selected to the All-Frontier League first team on defense following a season that finished with 49 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Hupp was a two-way all-league player as he was also named to the all-league honorable mention team.

“Andy has been a very selfless player in this program,” Ebenstein said. “Andy has taken varsity reps at every offensive position except for center, but he would have done it if we asked him to. So I am so pleased to see his approach to the team first and hard work pay off with one of the best individual honors you can receive.”

On Sunday, Hupp and senior teammate Alec Younggren were also selected to the Class 4A Topeka-Capital Journal honorable mention team as linemen. 

Younggren, who missed the first part of the season with an injury, still recorded 23 tackles to earn honorable mention honors.

On offense, Younggren was a key fixture on the Wildcat offensive line that amassed more than 2,400 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns.

The Frontier League always provides difficult competition in football and the 2020 season continued that trend.

With all that, Louisburg was right in the thick of things. The Wildcats finished the regular season with a 4-3 record and finished in a tie for third in the league standings.

Now, five Wildcats are being rewarded for their efforts.

The All-Frontier League team was released last week and the Wildcats earned honors on both sides of the ball.

Senior Andy Hupp was named to the first team defense and was an honorable mention selection on offense. The opposite happened for senior Alec Younggren, who earned first team offense honors and was an honorable mention on defense.

Ben Wiedenmann, a senior running back, was named to the all-league second team. Fellow seniors Weston Guetterman and Konnor Vohs were selected as honorable mention defensive players.

“We did well as we could have hoped for,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “The Frontier League is always tough and this year was no different. We finished tied for 3rd in the league with Piper at 4-3, with Tonganoxie and Paola ahead of us.”

Hupp was one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense and made a lot of plays along the defensive line. He finished with a team-high 49 tackles on the season, including eight for a loss. Hupp also added two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Younggren, who missed the first part of the season with an injury, still recorded 23 tackles to earn honorable mention defensive line honors.

On offense, Younggren was a key fixture on the Wildcat offensive line that amassed more than 2,400 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns. As for Hupp, he was an honorable mention all-purpose player as he saw time at fullback and some at quarterback.

“I was very glad to see the other coaches in the league notice the play of both Andy and Alec,” Ebenstein said. “They were both a major part of our game plans week in and week out on both sides of the ball.”

Wiedenmann had a memorable senior season running the ball for the Wildcats. He finished the season with 1,121 yards on the ground to go along with nine touchdowns on 7.2 yards a carry – numbers which helped him earn second team honors.

“Ben was third in the league in rushing if our league was set up to honor running back and quarterbacks separately,” Ebenstein said. “Unfortunately our league by-laws still combine ‘backs’ as quarterbacks and running backs. The league was full of great backs this year so a second team all-league honor is a great honor.”

Guetterman and Vohs both had strong seasons in the secondary for Louisburg to earn a spot on the honorable mention team.

Vohs finished with 39 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble to go along with 10 batted balls. Guetterman had 32 stops on the season with two interceptions, three tackles for loss a forced fumble and seven batted balls.

“I was glad to see all of their work pay off, and they both played their hearts out,” Ebenstein said. “Konnor unfortunately lost a tie breaker for the second team vote.  Again, our by-laws are in need of restructure, but both of them were without a doubt all league players in my opinion.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL

OFFENSE

First Team

BACKS – Jovanni Blackie, Paola, junior; Tyler Bowden, Tonganoxie, senior; Garrett Williams, Paola, senior

RECEIVER – Dallas Bond, Tonganoxie, senior; Silas Etter, Eudora, junior; Bo Robison, Paola, senior

LINE – Damarius Bassett, Paola, senior; Denver Gardner, Spring Hill, senior; Jerrod Lowe, Tonganoxie, senior; Carter Stanchfield, Paola, senior; Alec Younggren, Louisburg, senior

MULTIPURPOSE – Zach Knowlton, Spring Hill, junior

KICKER – Jackson McWilliams, Tonganoxie, freshman

Second Team

BACK – Brayden Beerbower, Eudora, junior; Blake Poje, Tonganoxie, senior; Ben Wiedenmann, Louisburg, senior

RECEIVER – Cortland Hervey, Bonner Springs, senior; Malakhi Kennon, Piper, senior; Cole Mahaffey, Baldwin, junior

LINE – Camden Beebe, Piper, sophomore; Travis Bohnenblust, Eudora, senior; Conner Bruch, Tonganoxie, junior; Toby Thomas, Baldwin, senior; Zak Van Diest, Eudora, senior

MULTIPURPOSE – Sam Kleidosty, Tonganoxie, junior

KICKER – Zane Busick, Piper, sophomore

Honorable Mention

BACK – Fletcher Aude, Paola, senior; Darius McNeal, Piper, senior; Draven Pipken, Spring Hill, sophomore; Zeke Reazin, Eudora, senior; Jayce Smith, Bonner Springs, junior

RECEIVER – JD Andrewski, Bonner Springs, junior; Lance Bassett, Piper, sophomore; Isaiah Coppage, Piper, sophomore; Teagan Troute, Baldwin, senior

LINE – Trey Bones, Ottawa, senior; Antonio Caballero, Bonner Springs, junior; Zane Clark, Bonner Springs, junior; Tony Cobbs, Piper, senior; Kaden Coons, Baldwin, senior; Tucker Isaacs, Tonganoxie, senior; Tyler Neis, Eudora, senior; Allen Peuser, Paola, senior; Cameron Rogers, Piper, sophomore; Kolton Scott, Baldwin, junior; Carson Stear, Spring Hill, junior; Tanner Thompson, Spring Hill, senior

MULTIPURPOSE – Andy Hupp, Louisburg, senior; Gavin Lang, Baldwin, senior; Cael Lynch, Eudora, senior; Cory Macon, Piper, senior; Brock Pitzer, Paola, senior

DEFENSE

First Team

LINE – Dallas Bond, Tonganoxie, senior; Jake Karr, Paola, senior; Andy Hupp, Louisburg, senior; Carter Stanchfield, Paola, senior

LINEBACKER – Adam Callahan, Baldwin, senior; Anthony Ferguson, Piper, senior; Cael Lynch, Eudora, senior; Branden Martin, Tonganoxie, senior

DEF BACK – Sam Kleidosty, Tonganoxie, junior; Zach Knowlton, Spring Hill, junior; Garrett Williams, Paola, senior

MULTIPURPOSE – Mitch Geiger, Tonganoxie, senior

PUNTER – Garrett Williams, Paola, senior

Second Team

LINE – Demarius Bassett, Paola, senior; Lance Bassett, Piper, sophomore; Nate Criqui, Eudora, senior; Tucker Isaacs, Tonganoxie, senior

LINEBACKER – Isaac Brackner, Paola, senior; Jake Hooker, Spring Hill, senior; Darius McNeal, Piper, senior; Chase Wilm, Spring Hill, senior

DEF BACK – Kale Hammerschmidt, Eudora, sophomore; Malakhi Kennon, Piper, senior; Heston Robbins, Tonganoxie, senior

MULTIPURPOSE – Will Schreiner, Eudora, senior

PUNTER – Reese Fogle, Ottawa, junior

Honorable Mention

LINE – Camden Beebe, Piper, sophomore; Conner Bruch, Tonganoxie, junior; Tony Cobbs, Piper, senior; Sam Darnell, Baldwin, sophomore; Jayden Flores, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Denver Gardner, Spring Hill, senior; Jerrod Lowe, Tonganoxie, senior; Cory Macon, Piper, senior; Daquon Rogers, Paola, senior; Toby Thomas, Baldwin, senior; Alec Younggren, Louisburg, senior

LINEBACKER – Jack Earlywine, Paola, senior; Amarian Graves, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Jaden Hamm, Eudora, sophomore; Gavin Lang, Baldwin, senior; Jerimiah Ledbetter, Bonner Springs, junior

DEF BACK – Weston Guetterman, Louisburg, senior; Divante Herrig-Brittian, Piper, junior; Dominque Herrig-Brittian, Piper, junior; Isaac Meyers, Paola, senior; Brock Pitzer, Paola, senior; Cody Powell, Spring Hill, senior; Tiernan Reed-Cox, Ottawa, junior; Konnor Vohs, Louisburg, senior; Carter Wylie, Bonner Springs

MULTIPURPOSE – Shane Doty, Baldwin, senior; Brandon Sander, Bonner Springs, senior; Brandon Snell, Piper, senior

Louisburg senior running back Ben Wiedenmann carried the ball 34 times for 297 yards and two touchdowns, but the Wildcats saw their season come to a close with a 41-19 loss to St. James Academy.

One by one, the six seniors that suited up for Friday’s first round playoff game against St. James Academy came off the field and were congratulated by their coaches.

It was a bittersweet moment for the eight Louisburg seniors as they got a chance to complete their season, but it came to an end quicker than they would have hoped. The Wildcats didn’t go down without a fight and a couple late touchdowns, but fell to St. James 41-19 at Wildcat Stadium.

“St. James is a good team and they do a lot of things really well,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “Our kids played their heart out, but unfortunately we had the ball three times when it was still a game in third quarter and two of them ended in penalties. We just lacked the explosive touch on offense to make up for those.

“The effort was there, the passion was there and I am glad these kids got to experience their season. We have a great group of kids who are going to be leaving, but a lot of great kids coming up through the program.”

One of those seniors was Wildcat running back Ben Wiedenmann, who saved his best performance for last. Wiedenmann carried the Louisburg offense as he racked up 297 yards on 34 attempts and scored two touchdowns.

Wiedenmann and the Wildcat coaches were able to expose a weakness in the St. James defense. With the help of senior lineman Alec Younggren, and senior fullback Andy Hupp, Wiedenmann found some holes to run through.

“Ben ran hard, and honestly we put Younggren in the spot to be the key blocker, Hupp in the spot to be the key second blocker and Ben ran the ball hard,” Ebenstein said. “As coaches, we kind of thought they were weakest in A and B gaps and that is where we tried to focus. Ben had a great game and executed very well.”

St. James opened the game with a touchdown on its opening possession and the Wildcats had a tough time slowing down the Thunder offense as quarterback Dakota Burritt and running back La’James White accounted for more than 400 yards.

Burritt threw his first of three touchdown passes to Jacob Boone to go up 7-0 in the first quarter, but the Wildcats (4-5) didn’t take much time to answer.

Wiedenmann broke free for a 77-yard run that set himself up a 1-yard touchdown run. Louisburg went for 2 points, but the pass fell incomplete.

The Thunder would go on to score two more touchdowns in the first half and take a 20-6 halftime lead. Louisburg was still in the game, but its offense wasn’t able to get going and was hurt by penalties that allowed St. James to expand its lead even more.

Defensively, sophomore Jase Hovey led the Wildcats with seven stops on the night and also blocked an extra point on special teams. Senior Justin Collins and junior Aiden Barker both had six stops, while senior Weston Guetterman and Younggren had five. Guetterman also recorded an interception.

Guetterman, Younggren, Wiedenmann, Collins, Hupp, Konnor Vohs, Jay Scollin and Will Patterson all played their final game for the Wildcats, but Ebenstein was happy these seniors were able to have a season despite all the restrictions placed on them.

“It has been crazy,” Ebenstein said. “I am so over COVID right now, but I am glad the kids got these opportunities. I feel bad these seniors had a season where there was less than 500 people in the stands and all the extra stuff that went with it. At the same time, they are going to grow up to be resilient men and fathers. They will be productive members of society, I have no doubt. It is all part of the process.”

LOU               6             0             0             13 – 19

SJA                 14           6             7             14 – 41

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

S: Jacob Boone 12 pass from Dakota Burritt (Joshua Kirby kick)

L: Ben Wiedenmann 1 run (pass failed)

S: La’James White 1 run (Kirby kick)

Second quarter

S: Tyler Claiborne 28 pass from Burritt (kick blocked)

Third quarter

S: White 4 run (Kirby kick)

Fourth quarter

S: Claiborne 2 pass from Burritt (Kirby kick)

L: Wiedenmann 21 run (Layne Ryals kick)

S: Tiave Watts 9 run (Kirby kick)

L: Kolby Kattau 9 run (run failed)

LOUISBURG STATISTICS

RUSHING – Ben Wiedenmann 34-297; Weston Guetterman 8-12; Kolby Kattau 2-8; Justin Collins 2-8; Andy Hupp 5-6.

TACKLES – Jase Hovey 7, Justin Collins 6, Aiden Barker 6, Weston Guetterman 5, Alec Younggren 5, Andy Hupp 4, Kolby Kattau 4, Konnor Vohs 3, Ben Wiedenmann 3, Isaiah Whitley 1, Tom Koontz 1, JR Rooney 1, Wyatt Holland 1, Declan Battle 1.

A host of Louisburg defenders try to bring down Paola quarterback Garrett Williams last Friday during the Wildcats’ final regular season game at Paola.

It was a result that no one on the Louisburg sideline was hoping for – nor expecting.

The Wildcats traveled to Paola last Friday in hopes of knocking off the No. 1 team in the state, and rival, Paola. No matter the records, it has historically been a competitive game – and for a little while – it was looking like it was going to be a defensive battle.

In the final three quarters, Paola quickly dashed any of hopes of the Wildcats pulling off the upset. The Panthers scored 49 straight points to open the game and handed Louisburg a 49-7 defeat. Paola also clinched the Frontier League title in the process.

Penalties cost the Wildcats (4-4) in several of their drives as they were flagged eight times for 60 yards and Louisburg had a tough time slowing down the Paola rushing attack.

“To be honest, there were no specific problems other than the ones we created for ourselves,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “Penalties killed us. We have to be better and that falls directly on my shoulders to get us prepared and able to use good technique. We also did a poor job on the attention to detail aspects of the game. We played with poor technique and attention to detail. When you play a very good team with that type of mental approach you lose by a lot, and that is exactly what happened.”

The Panthers (8-0) amassed more than 400 yards of total offense and 394 of those yards came on the ground – many of which were courtesy of running back Jovanni Blackie and quarterback Garrett Williams.

Blackie rushed for 204 yards to go along with three touchdowns, while Williams carried the ball 14 times for 142 yards and two scores.

It was a close game in the first quarter as the Wildcats trailed just 6-0 heading into the second period. Louisburg forced a fumble on Paola’s opening possession, but mistakes and penalties stalled many of the Wildcats’ offensive drives and were unable to find the endzone.

“I was proud of our fight in the first 18 minutes of the game, for sure,” Ebenstein said. “Then we got down by 14 and had trouble on a kick return and had some poor field position and our focus went away. The first quarter our energy was high, but the execution was still poor. We had way too many penalties to take advantage of what opportunities we had. Playing behind the sticks is never easy.”

Paola would score two touchdown in each of the next three quarters to pull away from the Wildcats.

Senior running back Ben Wiedenmann prevented the shutout when he broke free for a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats their lone score of the game. He led Louisburg with six carries for 90 yards, while quarterback Weston Guetterman had 64 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, Guetterman led Louisburg with eight tackles on the night, while seniors Konnor Vohs and Andy Hupp each added seven stops. Senior Justin Collins also forced a fumble for Louisburg.

The Wildcats will get a fresh start to their season as they are the No. 8 seed in the Class 4A playoffs and will host No. 9 St. James Academy (3-4) at 7 p.m. this Friday. The winner of that game will play the winner between No. 1 Paola and No. 16 Ottawa next week.

“St. James is a very solid team and their only losses have come to the other big private schools in the metro (St. Thomas Aquinas, Rockhurst, Miege), and 6A powerhouse Blue Valley,” Ebenstein said. “This is the first year for them being back down in 4A, so we will have our work cut out for us. If we focus on what we can control, we have a very good chance of beating any team in 4A.” 

PAO               6             15           14           14 – 49

LOU               0             0             0             7 – 7

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

P: Jovanni Blackie 5 run (kick failed)

Second quarter

P: Blackie 4 run (Brock Pitzer pass from Garrett Williams)

P: Garrett Williams 1 run (Ian Heid kick)

Third quarter

P: Fletcher Aude 2 run (Heid kick)

P: Blackie 37 run (Heid kick)

Fourth quarter

P: Williams 3 run (Heid kick)

P: Aude 1 run (Heid kick)

L: Ben Wiedenmann 69 run (Layne Ryals kick)

LOUISBURG STATISTICS

RUSHING – Ben Wiedenmann 6-90; Weston Guetterman 16-64; Justin Collins 7-37; Andy Hupp 7-14; Konnor Vohs 1-6

PASSING – Guetterman 2-12-22

RECEIVING – Vohs 2-22

TACKLES – Weston Guetterman 8, Konnor Vohs 7, Andy Hupp 7, Justin Collins 4, Kolby Kattau 4, Ben Wiedenmann 3, Jase Hovey 2, Aiden Barker 2, Alec Younggren 2, JR Rooney 2, Jay Scollin 1

Louisburg’s (from left) Jay Scollin, Konnor Vohs (11) and Aiden Barker (54) celebrate JR Rooney’s touchdown in the third quarter of Friday’s 35-7 win over Ottawa.

From the start, it was obvious it was going to be Louisburg’s night.

Louisburg, which celebrated fall homecoming Friday against Ottawa, had everything go its way in its final regular season home contest. Whether it was a score on their opening possession, a touchdown by two different linemen, or an impressive defensive performance, the Wildcats made for a memorable homecoming night.

The Wildcats scored 35 unanswered points to start the game and never looked back in a 35-7 victory at Wildcat Stadium. The win improved Louisburg’s record to 4-3 on the season as it gets ready for its final regular season contest.

“It was a good win for sure, especially with it being homecoming week, not having school Monday and coming off a loss,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “We put a week’s worth of practice together and we came out and did what we anticipated and hoped we could do. It was good to see them execute.”

Louisburg had it going from their opening drive as quarterback Weston Guetterman broke free for a 27-yard run to put the Wildcats up 6-0 in the opening quarter.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats all but put the game away as they scored three touchdowns. Justin Collins and Ben Wiedenmann recorded back-to-back 25-yard runs to begin the quarter and then Wiedenmann ended the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. Guetterman ran in the 2-point conversion to put Louisburg up 14-0.

On the Wildcats’ next possession, Wiedenmann answered the bell again as he broke free for a 59-yard touchdown. For the game, Wiedenmann carried the ball just seven times, but had 112 yards to go with his two touchdowns.

It was the defense’s turn to find the endzone as junior lineman Aiden Barker picked off an Ottawa pass and ran it back for a 20-yard touchdown to put Louisburg up 28-0 after a Layne Ryals extra point.

The lineman touchdowns continued in the second half. Louisburg had the ball on the 2-yard line, but Guetterman fumbled the snap that went into the endzone and center JR Rooney jumped on the ball for the touchdown and a 35-0 Louisburg advantage.

“I wanted to yell at JR because I thought the snap was his fault that we fumbled it, but Weston took the blame for it, so he gets to be happy with his touchdown,” Ebenstein said.

Louisburg’s defense caused Ottawa problems most of the night as the Wildcats held the Cyclones to just 69 yards of total offense, most of which came in the fourth quarter.

Sophomore safety Jase Hovey had a big game as he recorded one of three Louisburg interceptions on the night, along with a sack, a forced fumble and two tackles for a loss.

Barker and Wiedenmann accounted for the other two interceptions, while Barker also added a sack to his stat line.

“They were playing with a lot of energy and were really flying around out there and hitting people,” Ebenstein said. “The air was brisk out there, it is mid-October and it is time to fly around and it was good to see them have fun out there.”

Louisburg will wind down its regular season this Friday when it travels to Paola for their annual rivalry showdown. It will be a difficult test for the Wildcats as Paola is currently ranked in the top two in many of the Class 4A rankings.

“Paola and Louisburg is old school,” Ebenstein said. “It really doesn’t matter what the records are. Both schools have had good teams over the years and it seems like we have gone back and forth as far as wins go the last few times. It will be a lot of fun and I am excited for the kids to get that game.”

LOU               6             22           7             0 – 35

OTT               0             0             0             7 – 7

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

L: Weston Guetterman 27 run (kick failed)

Second quarter

L: Ben Wiedenmann 8 run (Guetterman run)

L: Wiedenmann 59 run (Layne Ryals kick)

L: Aiden Barker 20 interception return (Ryals kick)

Third quarter

L: JR Rooney 0 fumble recovery (Ryals kick)

Fourth quarter

O: Wyatt Sink 2 run (Reese Fogle kick)

LOUISBURG STATISTICS

RUSHING – Ben Wiedenmann 7-112; Weston Guetterman 11-98; Justin Collins 3-26; Andy Hupp 2-10; Carson Wade 2-5.

PASSING – Riley Van Eaton 1-2-6

RECEIVING – Mason Dobbins 1-6

TACKLES – Ben Wiedenmann 3, Andy Hupp 3, Nathan Vincent 3, Carson Wade 2, Jase Hovey 2, Layne Ryals 2, Aiden Barker 2, Alec Younggren 2, JR Rooney 2, Isaiah Whitley 1, Konnor Vohs 1, Kaven Bartlett 1, Tom Koontz 1, Dominic Owens 1, Jay Scollin 1.

The 2020 Louisburg High School fall homecoming candidates are (front row, from left) Jadyn Amren, Megan Foote, Madi Quinn, Alyse Moore; (back row) Weston Guetterman, Konnor Vohs, Ben Wiedenmann and Jay Scollin.

Homecoming week at Louisburg High School kicked off Monday and events are in full swing. With something going on every day this week, it will be a busy time for students. All of it is, of course, centered around the crowning of the 2020 fall king and queen. Eight students were selected as nominees and here are their names and profiles.

The crowning will take place on Friday before the Wildcats’ home football game with Ottawa. Kickoff for that game is set for 7 p.m., with the crowning to take place at 6:30. Good luck to all the participants and make sure to come out on Friday to support the Wildcat football team if you have the opportunity.

Jadyn Amren

Jadyn is the daughter of Mark and Carmen Amren. She has been involved with choir for four years. Jadyn has participated in cheerleading, FFA, FBLA and National Honor Society for two years. She also was a member of FCCLA for one year. Following graduation, Jadyn plans to attend Missouri State and major in nursing.

Weston Guetterman

Weston is the son of Mike and Jodi Guetterman. Weston has been involved for football, basketball and FFA for four years. He was also a member of the baseball team for two years and track for one year. After graduation, Weston plans to attend college and major in Ag Business.

Megan Foote

Megan is the daughter of Jim and Dana Foote. Megan has participated in basketball for four years, FBLA for three years, National Honor Society, choir and cross country for two years. She has also been a member of the Louisburg Interact Club and softball team for one year. After graduation, Megan plans to go to college and major in psychology or nurse anesthesia.

Konnor Vohs

Konnor is the son of Kevin and Cassi Vohs. Konnor has participated in football, basketball and FFA for four years. He has also been a member of National Honor Society and the baseball team for two years. Following graduation, Konnor plans to attend college and major in business and will shoot competitive shotguns.

Madi Quinn

Madi is the daughter of Danny and Mary Quinn. Madi has participated in volleyball, basketball, softball, student council and band for four years. She has been a member of choir/select choir for three years, along with a member of FBLA, forensics and National Honor Society for two years. Madi is has also been in the Interact Club and debate for one year. Following graduation, Madi will attend Kansas University and major in exercise science.

Ben Wiedenmann

Ben is the son of Bill and Vickie Wiedenmann. Ben has been a member of the football, wrestling and track teams for four years. He has also been a part of student council for four years. After graduation, Ben plans to attend college and is undecided on his choice.

Alyse Moore

Alyse is the daughter of Tommy and Alison Moore. Alyse has been a member of the volleyball and basketball teams for four years and has also participated in choir, the musical and student council for four years. She has been a part of the track team for three years and softball for two years. She has also been a member of National Honor Society for two years and band and FFA for one year. Following graduation, Alyse plans to attend college to continue her athletic and academic career.

Jay Scollin

Jay is the son of Jason and Kashena Scollin. Jay has been a member of the football, track and chess club for four years. He has participated in FBLA and boys volleyball for three years, along with National Honor Society an yearbook for two years. He was a member of student council, the basketball team and debate and forensics for one year. Following graduation, Jay plans to attend the University of Central Missouri and major in safety management.

Louisburg senior Alec Younggren fights through the Smithville offensive line to get to the quarterback last Friday in Smithville.

SMITHVILLE, Mo. – For the first time in several decades, the Louisburg football team traveled across the state line to face off against a Missouri high school.

The Wildcats were scheduled to host Bonner Springs in a Frontier League matchup last Friday, but the Braves team was forced to quarantine and the Louisburg coaches had to scramble to find an opponent.

They found one in Smithville High School and the Missouri Class 5 program hosted Louisburg in a last minute contest. As unique as the matchup was, the Wildcats left Smithville with a bad taste in their mouths.

Smithville scored 35 unanswered points in the final three quarters and handed the Wildcats a 35-7 loss. It was a difficult challenge for the smaller Louisburg program, but the Wildcats (3-3) tried to make the best of a bad situation.

“I think they were up for the challenge and I am proud of the way that they accepted it for what it was,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “You lose a home game against a league team that we wanted to play and one that we have never played before. I would have liked a week to prepare for Smithville, but it is what it is. I am proud of the boys for playing hard.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Smithville scored on two big pass plays in the second that gave the Warriors some momentum going into halftime. The combo of quarterback Andrew Hedgecorth and Keltin Nitsche connected on a pair of touchdowns on almost the same play.

Nitsche caught a 23 and 22-yard touchdown pass on a fade to the endzone on both occasions and the Warriors took a 14-0 halftime lead.

Louisburg’s offense had a tough time getting much going until late in the game, by then the Wildcats found themselves down 35 points.

Smithville (5-2) opened the second half with a touchdown that was aided by three Louisburg penalties and Wildcats were down three scores and was difficult to come back from. The Warriors ran a spread offense, which was tough to prepare for in a short amount of time.

“We gave up 45 yards of penalties in that drive, so that was kind of tough,” Ebenstein said. “That was a killer for sure. But right before halftime, we had a chance to get at least 3 on the board and we threw an interception and that kind of hurt us a little.

“It was a weird week for sure. It was one of those things where we got the exact opposite for what we were preparing for and what we planned on. It is what it is though. We came over here and Smithville has a good team. It was a short week to prepare and it was kind of tough as the scoreboard kind of reflected that.”

Louisburg’s offense got going in the fourth quarter when quarterback Weston Guetterman found Konnor Vohs on a pair of long passes, including one where Vohs made a one-handed grab.

Guetterman then ended the shutout with a 45-yard touchdown run and the Layne Ryals extra point made it 35-7.

Along with his two catches, Vohs also had a big game on defense as he led the Wildcats with 11 tackles on the night. Sophomore Jase Hovey and seniors Ben Wiedenmann and Jay Scollin each finished with six stops and Wiedenmann also had sack.

Louisburg will try and get back on the winning side of things this Friday when it hosts Ottawa for homecoming in a Frontier League matchup. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the crowning will take place at 6:30.

LOU               0             0             0             7 – 7

SMI                0             14           14           7 – 35

SCORING SUMMARY

Second quarter

S: Keltin Nitsche 23 pass from Andrew Hedgecorth (Michael Tyhurst kick)

S: Nitsche 22 pass from Hedgecorth (Tyhurst kick)

Third quarter

S: Adin Murawkski 15 pass from Ryan Pestano (Tyhurst kick)

S: Hayden Sigg 1 run (Tyhurst kick)

Fourth quarter

S: Samuel Calvert 2 pass from Hedgecorth (Tyhurst kick)

L: Weston Guetterman 45 run (Layne Ryals kick)

LOUISBURG STATISTICS

RUSHING – Weston Guetterman 8-82; Ben Wiedenmann 16-76; Kolby Kattau 2-10; Justin Collins 3-4; Andy Hupp 1-2

PASSING – Weston Guetterman 2-10-55

RECEIVING – Konnor Vohs 2-55

TACKLES – Konnor Vohs 11, Jase Hovey 6, Ben Wiedenmann 6, Jay Scollin 6, Kolby Kattau 5, Weston Guetterman 4, Justin Collins 4, Andy Hupp 4, Aiden Barker 4, Alec Younggren 3, Tom Koontz 1, Nathan Vincent 1, JR Rooney 1.

Louisburg running back Ben Wiedenmann breaks a tackle during a game earlier this season. Wiedenmann rushed for 171 yards in the Wildcats’ win over Eudora last Friday.

EUDORA – Just like the previous week, the Louisburg football team was forced to prepare for its upcoming game short-handed.

The Wildcats didn’t have a scout team to work with during practice in an effort to prepare for their game with Eudora, as much of the team was still under quarantine. The big difference was most of those players were able to play Friday against Cardinals.

It turned out to a big help for the Wildcats as they pulled out a 14-8 win over Eudora on Friday at Eudora High School. Louisburg converted the game-winning score midway through the fourth quarter and the Wildcat defense turned Eudora over on downs on its final possession.

“I am very proud of these kids,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “They bought in to our identity, they strap it up and play tough football for four quarters. Any Frontier League game is tough, especially on the road.”

It was a defensive battle, and a fast-moving game, from the start as both teams tried looked to run the ball early and often.

The game was scoreless until the second quarter when Eudora quarterback Zeke Reazin threw for a 22-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. The Cardinals converted the 2-point conversion and took an 8-0 lead.

Louisburg (3-2) was able to bounce back on its next possession. Quarterback Weston Guetterman found the endzone on a 10-yard run and then ran in the 2-point conversion to tie the game at halftime.

Both defenses made things difficult as the Wildcats held Eudora to just 151 yards of total offense, while Louisburg was unable to get anything going through the air. The game came down to the final two possessions.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Wildcats put together a 12-play drive that ended on a 1-yard run from Ben Wiedenmann. It was Wiedenmann that carried the load for Louisburg as he ran the ball 11 of the 12 plays.

Wiedenmann finished with 171 yards on 32 carries, while Guetterman carried the ball 13 times for 89 yards.

The offensive line of Alec Younggren, Dominic Owens, JR Rooney, Nathan Vincent and Jay Scollin, along with tight end Aiden Barker, helped pave the way. Running backs Andy Hupp and Kolby Kattau also found themselves in the front of a lot of those runs as well.

“We have been searching for our identity up front all year, and we found something that gave us success all night on the ground,” Ebenstein said. “Our running backs, Hupp and Kattau, did a great job blocking all night long as well and Weston and Ben were running hard.  All those things combined gave us a 7 yard average per play on the ground.”

Eudora had one final opportunity to tie or take the lead late in the game, but the Wildcat defense came through and forced a turnover on downs with two minutes left. Louisburg was able to run out the clock from there.

“Defensively we played tough and smart all night,” Ebenstein said. “We again had to prepare most all of the week without a scout team, so the speed they were running their flexbone hit us quick on that first drive, then on fourth down they threw a simple slant and we missed a couple tackles and gave them their only score. Still, our defensive backs shut them down in the air pretty much all game.”

Guetterman led the Wildcat defense with six tackles on the night, including two stops for a loss. Sophomore Jase Hovey, Kattau and Barker each finished the night with five stops, while Hupp, Wiedenmann and Scollin tallied four tackles. 

Louisburg was scheduled to play Bonner Springs this Friday at home, but Bonner Springs is currently under quarantine and the school is in the process of trying to find a replacement for the game. Louisburg Sports Zone will keep you up to date with any changes to the schedule.

LOU               0             8             0             6 – 14

EUD               0             8             0             0 – 8

SCORING SUMMARY

Second quarter

E: Zeke Reazin 22 pass (2-point conversion good)

L: Weston Guetterman 10 run (Guetterman run)

Fourth quarter

L: Ben Wiedenmann 1 run (2-point failed)

STATISTICS

RUSHING – Ben Wiedenmann 32-171, Weston Guetterman 13-89, Kolby Kattau 5-9, Andy Hupp 2-7.

TACKLES – Weston Guetterman 6, Aiden Barker 5, Jase Hovey 5, Kolby Kattau 5, Ben Wiedenmann 4, Andy Hupp 4, Jay Scollin 4, Justin Collins 3, Konnor Vohs 2, Alec Younggren 1, JR Rooney 1.