Last fall, each of the four
Louisburg High School athletic programs had something to brag about.

Whether it was football’s 10-1
season that ended with a regional championship, volleyball’s state runner-up
finish, cross country’s two state medalists and state qualifying girls team or
the boys’ soccer regional championship appearance – the Wildcats had plenty to
cheer about and several athletes took notice.

Numbers are up for all four programs following the first day of practice Monday and the coaches and athletes are excited to get the season started after last year’s successes.

The Wildcat football team saw a big jump in numbers as they have 70 students out this season and football coach Robert Ebenstein and has liked what he seen through the first couple days of workouts.

“Our numbers are up and based on the numbers at the middle school and youth programs and I expect them to keep growing,” Ebenstein said. “I am very excited for practice to get going. When you finish the season off with a loss in the playoffs it sticks with you and the opportunity to go play another game creates that energy and that eager feeling to get going. So far I am very pleased with our kids’ focus and effort. We need to continue to get better every day.”

Louisburg volleyball has also seen a spike in its numbers as 40
athletes have attended tryouts. Those tryouts will go through Wednesday and
head coach Jessica Compliment believes those high numbers will be beneficial
down the road.

“The players are excited, but I
think some are nervous as well with tryouts and cuts these first few days,” Compliment
said. “Forty is the most we’ve had tryout for quite some time. Generally we
have around 35. The higher numbers leads to more competition for uniforms and
playing time.”

Cross country head coach John Reece is pulling
double duty this season as he, and assistant coach Paul Restivo, will also be
leading the new Louisburg Middle School program. The Wildcats have a combined
59 runners out between the two programs, including 37 on the high school side.

Louisburg returns a majority of its girls team
that qualified for state a year ago, including its two state medalists in
senior Trinity Moore and sophomore Reese Johnson.

Despite a little hiccup with the heat during
the first two days of workouts, coach Reece likes what he sees from both teams.

“It was great to get started, and yes the
heat caused us to change our workout a little bit, but we still got in our
miles,” Reece said. “We had a good turnout during summer running, so as a whole
they are ready to get to the good stuff and go compete.

“There is definitely a huge difference
with LMS joining the crew. Two coaches managing 59 kids is a lot, and we might
need more help for supervision as we get more personalized with workouts for
different levels of runners, but this is a good thing for Louisburg’s cross
country program. It is going to be a fun year.”

Soccer also saw a big increase in
interest as the Wildcats have 44 athletes trying out this season and they will
continue the tryout process through Thursday. It is a good problem to have for
head coach Kyle Conley and he has liked what he has seen so far as the Wildcats
look to take another step forward this year.

“The kids worked hard, but showed we have
a lot of work to do,” Conley said. “We had a really, really good summer, but we
got a little rusty with the month off. This year we are getting back to focus
on our culture and getting back to playing for each other. The boys have been
focused and determined to improve this season.”

However, the first two day of practices weren’t without their challenges as intense heat and humidity caused some of the programs to change their schedules, including soccer, which moved its practice to the evening on Tuesday and spent some time indoors Monday.

“The
heat was an interesting factor to go along with the late start due to the
KSHSAA schedule,” Conley said. “We started in the AUX gym for the first hour
and 15 minutes then transitioned outside for an hour. It was frustrating but
the boys handled it very well.”

With
the heat advisories, teams had to take precautions with their athletes and
everything seemed to go smoothly with the hot weather.

“There is nothing you can do about the heat, and it is not centralized to Louisburg, so everybody has to deal with it,” Ebenstein said. “So you just do what you have to do when it comes to moving practice to the evening or whatever. I do not mind these hot early practices as it sets the tone that athletes need to take care of their bodies, and the acclimatization process gets going from the beginning. I would much rather have it this way instead of it being cool and the first hot week comes on a game week.”

With the first day of practice starting
later than normal, the start of competition will also be pushed back. Team
scrimmages will be the Friday before Labor Day and actual competition won’t
start until Sept. 3.

Soccer will host Fort Scott in its season
opener on Sept. 3 and volleyball will travel to Paola for dual on the same day.
Cross country opens its season on Sept. 5 at the Anderson County Invitational
and football will travel to Spring Hill on Sept. 6.

Dennis Stiles (top left), John Lohse (top right), Jason Burk (bottom left) and Krystal (Bowes) Grojean will be inducted into the Louisburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.

It has been 11 years since
Louisburg High School had inducted a class into its athletic hall of fame, but
the wait for a new class is finally over.

The USD 416 Endowment Association, which oversees the LHS Athletic Hall of Fame, has announced a new 4-member class. Dennis Stiles (Class of 1969), John Lohse (1995), Jason Burk (1999) and Krystal (Bowes) Grojean (2001) were the top four vote getters in this year’s hall of fame voting and will be honored in an induction ceremony sometime this fall.

“Louisburg has a history of great athletes,” said Damon Dennis, a USD 416 Endowment Association board member. “We had a good cross-section of both young and older voters this year that really took their job seriously. The four athletes chosen represent several generations of former Wildcats and each one were dominant in their particular era and sports. The Endowment Association is excited to get the Hall of Fame going again and plan on some big things in the future.”

More than two dozen voters, that includes current members of the hall of fame, long-time Louisburg residents, teachers and coaches, voted on the class in June. Each voter was asked to submit their top four choices for the hall and votes were then tabulated.

To be eligible for the hall of fame, the inductee must wait at least 10 years following graduation to be nominated.

The last class that was inducted was in 2008 and Dennis, and the rest of the Endowment Association, is committed to making this a yearly occurrence moving forward.

Here
are the accomplishments of each of the newest hall of fame inductees. Look for
more information on an induction ceremony in the coming weeks.

Dennis Stiles – Class of 1969 – Football, Basketball, Track

Stiles
lettered 4 years in football and
track and 3 years in basketball. His senior year he was named all-league and
all-state in football and was co-captain on the Wildcat team that finished the
year 4-4.

As sophomore, he played on the varsity basketball team which was 12-0 in
league play, finished the year 19-3 and were district champions. He earned
honorable mention all-state honors his sophomore and junior seasons and was
second-team all-state his senior year. Stiles was at one time the school’s
career scoring leader.

 Stiles competed at the state
track meet as a junior and senior where he placed fourth in the discus his
senior year. He previously held school records in the discus and triple jump.
He also received a football scholarship to Kansas State University.

John Lohse – Class of 1995 – Football, Basketball and Baseball

Lohse lettered all four years in baseball and was selected to represent
Kansas in the all-star baseball classic his senior year. He was an all-league
pitcher and centerfielder for the Wildcats his sophomore through senior years.
He had a .510 average his junior and senior seasons with 10 home runs his
junior year and 12 more his senior season.

In football, Lohse was a 3-year letterwinner. He was an all-league wide
receiver his junior and senior seasons. In his senior year, he had 850 yards
receiving and 11 touchdowns and was later selected to represent Kansas in the
Metro Classic All-Star Game.

Lohse was also a 3-year letterwinner in basketball and was an
all-league selection his junior and senior seasons. He averaged a double-double
his junior and senior years.

Post-graduation, Lohse attended Pittsburg State on a baseball
scholarship and played on the Gorilla team for four years. He was selected to
the all-MIAA team his sophomore and junior seasons before injuring his shoulder
his senior year. He had a .315 average his junior and senior seasons. In his
first collegiate at-bat his freshman year, Lohse hit a game-winning grand slam
to give Pitt State its first win over Missouri Southern in five years.

Jason Burk – Class of 1999 – Track and Football

Burk was a 4-year letterwinner for the Louisburg track and field team
and qualified for state in all four years in four events. He accumulated 12
state medals, 16 regional track medals and 14 Frontier League medals. Burk was
selected to the Kansas City All-Metro track team in 1998 and 1999.

During his senior season, Burk was a state champion in both the triple
and long jump. He won the triple jump with a leap 48 feet and the long jump
with a mark of 22-5. He also finished fifth in the 100-meter dash and sixth in
the high jump. As a junior, Burk won a state championship in the triple jump
with mark of 46 feet and won three more state medals. He took second long jump,
fourth in the 100 dash and sixth in the 200 dash. As a sophomore, Burk won
state medals in the triple jump (second), long jump (fourth) and 4×100 relay
(third). He was a member of the 4×100 team that took second at state as a
freshman in 1996.

At one time, Burk held seven school records. He currently holds school
records in the triple jump, high jump and long jump. Burk holds the school
record for most points in a season with 326.

Burk also played football, where he was a part of bi-district, district
and regional championship teams.

Krystal (Bowes) Grojean – Class of 2001 – Volleyball, Basketball, Track

Bowes was a 4-year letterwinner in track before she was offered a
scholarship on the Wichita State track and field team.

In her senior season at Louisburg, Bowes earned three state medals,
including a second-place finish in the javelin with a throw of 145-10. She was
also third in the discus with a toss of 126-9 and fifth in the shot put at
37-5. As a sophomore and junior, she finished sixth in the discus at state. In
all, Bowes racked up five state medals in her high school career before moving
on to Wichita State. She is the current Louisburg record holder in the javelin
(146-10) and discus (137-11).

At Wichita State, she earned academic All-American honors and was a
team captain all four years. Bowes was a two-time NCAA national qualifier and
finished fifth in the javelin and was second in the Missouri Valley Conference
in 2006. In 2004, Bowes took first in the MVC in the javelin and fourth in the
discus. In 2003, she won the Missouri Valley Conference discus title, was
second in the javelin and fourth in the hammer throw. Bowes was also a member
two Shocker teams that won conference titles.

In volleyball and basketball at LHS, Bowes was a 3-year letterwinner in each sport and earned first-team all-Frontier League honors each season.

Current members of the LHS Hall of Fame

Class of 2005:

Tom
Stevens – 1934 – Track and Field (High Jump)

1947/48
Undefeated Football Teams

Richard
Meiers – 1949 – Basketball/Football

Don
Meek – 1965-1998 – Coach/Administrator

Larry
Harding – 1976-1994 – Volleyball/Golf Coach

Amy
Dodson Goode – 1986 – Volleyball/Basketball

Class of 2006:

Jim
Wells – 1936 – Track and Field (Pole Vault)/Football

Doug
Eaton – 1971 – Wrestling

Sue
Truman Apple – 1974 – Track and Field/Volleyball/Basketball

Mike
Meek – 1985- Football/Wrestling/Track and Field

Jamie
Waite – 1991 – Track and Field (Pole Vault)/Football/Basketball

Class of 2007

Alan
Taylor – 1949 – Football

Tim
Dozier – 1987 – Wrestling/Football

Beth
Dodson Dixon – 1989 – Volleyball/Basketball

Jeff
Lohse – 1991 – Baseball/Football/Basketball

Class of 2008

Greg
Kahmann – 1987 – Baseball/Football/Basketball

Mark
Buckingham – 1994 – Basketball

Blue Caplinger made history in a few different ways for Louisburg High School during the 2018-19 season.

Caplinger, along with fellow LHS student Alyse Moore, became the first Wildcat athlete in recent memory – if ever – to participate in two sports during the same season. All that led up to what was a spectacular finish to his senior year.

Caplinger helped the 4×400-meter
relay to a state championship in late May, which was the school’s first individual
track title since 2015. When all was said and done, Caplinger lettered in four
sports this past year.

These are just a couple of the
reasons why Caplinger was chosen as the 2019 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete
of the Year.

The award, which is in its second
year, is to recognize an outstanding LHS student athlete. Louisburg Sports Zone
asked the head coaches at LHS to submit nominations and those nominations were
then organized and submitted back to the coaches for a vote.

The coaches then submitted their
top three choices and the number of votes were added up, which decided the
winner.

Caplinger was one of the leaders
of the Wildcat football team that reeled off 10 straight wins to start the season
and captured a regional championship before falling to eventual state champion
Bishop Miege.

He was an All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball as he earned first team defensive honors from the safety spot with 31 tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Caplinger played a couple different positions offensively and earned second team all-league honors as a multi-purpose player. He had 310 yards rushing and four touchdowns to go along 234 yards receiving and two more scores.

He was also the lead blocker on a
lot of the big runs that teammate Austin Moore – who was a first-team
all-league and all-state running back – had during the season.

“Blue was the most all-purpose player we had,” Louisburg football coach Robert Ebenstein said. “He was the ideal teammate who put the team first all the time. He always did anything that was asked of him. He was a tough competitor and a great all-around person.”

During the wrestling season, Caplinger was a state-ranked
wrestler at 170 pounds for much of the year. He ended his season with a team-high
33-5 record and was a regional champion.

At the Class 4A state tournament, Caplinger finished one win shy of his first state medal. In all, Caplinger finished with a team high in wins and also holds the school record for most career reversals (72) and most career escapes (86). He ended his Wildcat career with a 111-57 record.

“Anyone who knows Blue understands what a great young man he
is,” Louisburg wrestling coach Bobby Bovaird said. “Blue embodies so much
about what wrestling is all about. I wanted him to get that state medal so
badly, and he came so close not once, but twice. With these sorts of setbacks,
Blue has demonstrated that he’s gained the resilience to be a champion in life.”

In the spring, Caplinger became a dual-sport athlete as he
participated in both baseball and track and field.

Although his focus was on track, Caplinger helped out the
Wildcat baseball team as a pinch-runner as he stole five bases in eight games.

However, Caplinger did a lot of his damage on the track as he was one of the Wildcats’ top sprinters. He joined Justin Collins, Ben Wiedenmann and Chris Williams to win the Class 4A state title in the 4×400-meter relay.

Caplinger, along with Charlie Koontz, Wiedenmann and Collins, also medaled fifth at state in the 4×100 relay. Both relays broke school records this past season in the Frontier League and regional meets.

Caplinger will continue his athletic career this fall as he plans to attend Benedictine College on a football scholarship.

Louisburg’s Austin Moore (left) and Kiefer Tucker will represent the East side of the state Saturday during the Kansas Shrine Bowl in Dodge City. They will be joined by Louisburg head football coach Robert Ebenstein, who is an assistant coach on the team.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is one of
the premier all-star football games as it pits the best high school seniors
from each side of the state.

As it turns out, Louisburg High
School is going to have two representatives.

Austin Moore was selected to join
the East squad back in December along with Louisburg head coach Robert
Ebenstein, but the Shrine Bowl rules state that only one player from each
school can be chosen – that is unless an opening comes up shortly before the
game.

So when an opening became available, Kiefer Tucker, who was a first team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball for Louisburg, got a text from his high school coach.

Tucker is going to get one more chance to play alongside his former teammate and coach as he was selected as a replacement to play in the Shrine Bowl and practiced with the East team earlier this week in Ottawa.

“Being selected to play in the Shrine Bowl is a great honor and I was smiling pretty big when I got the text from Coach E saying there is a spot open for me,” Tucker said. “I’m excited to be able to go up against great talent.”

Moore, who won first team
all-league, all-state and player of the year honors following his senior season
last fall, will be one the East’s top players on defense. He will start at linebacker
and is looking forward to the challenge of going up against the West.

“The defense we are running is a 3-5 and I will be one of the ‘dog linebackers,’” Moore said. “The dog linebackers are to the outside of the middle backer. I’m just really excited to represent Louisburg again on Saturday and to play another football game.”

Tucker, on the other hand, will
see a lot of time on the offensive side of the ball. He is going to play at the
guard spot after originally starting on the defensive side and will be coached
by Ebenstein, who is working with the offensive line.

Tucker is looking forward to suiting up one final time with his teammate and coach, as they will each go their separate ways after this game.

“Being able to play with Austin
one last time is one of my favorite parts about this coming weekend,” Tucker
said. “The last time we were on the field together, Austin’s season was taken
from him early (broken collarbone) and to be able to play with him again means
a lot to me. One top of that, to be able to get coached by Coach E one more time
is a pretty great thing. To be able to end my high school career with both of
them right by me will mean a lot.”

Moore feels the same as the three
Louisburg representatives have gotten a chance to relive some of the Wildcats’
past successes.

“It has been really fun being out
on the field with Coach E and Kiefer one more time,” Moore said. “We’ve been
talking about all of the fun times we’ve had over the past four years, and it
has definitely made me miss playing for Louisburg even more.”

Although the game is what Moore
and Tucker have been preparing for, they both also realize this week is more
than just a game.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior,
East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine.
It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charity that produces annual events and related
activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children. The
Kansas Shrine Bowl has sent over $2M to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Notable alumni of the game include current Oakland Raiders
All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, former
Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12
Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau
and many others.

Both Moore and Tucker traveled from Ottawa to Dodge City
yesterday and will spend the rest of this week preparing for the game. They
will also get the opportunity to meet some of the patients from the Shriners
Hospital.

“I’m just honored to be selected because the Shrine Bowl is
more than just a game,” Tucker said. “On the day where we meet some of the kids,
I hope to be able to spread a few smiles and share some laughs with them.”

Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday at
Memorial Stadium in Dodge City and the game will be streamed at www.kansasshrinebowl.com.

For the past three 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 second straight 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. In the next week, I will announce this year’s recipients.

Below are the nominees for this year’s award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

CARSON BUFFINGTON – SENIOR – BASKETBALL, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL

Carson was a 3-time letter winner in her senior season and
was named as a team captain in volleyball, basketball and soccer.

In volleyball, Buffington earned second team All-Frontier
League honors as she helped lead the Lady Cats to a Class 4A state runner-up
performance. She also moved from her starting setter position to the outside
hitter spot and had a lot of success for the Lady Cats as she tallied 130 kills
in her new position. With all that success, Buffington was also selected to the
Greater Kansas City Volleyball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Match.

Buffington also wrapped up a strong career for the Louisburg
basketball team as she averaged eight points and seven rebounds to go along
with three steals a contest. She was named as a Frontier League honorable
mention this past season, and she also was selected as an all-state honorable
mention.

In girls soccer, Buffington was the starting goalie for Louisburg in all 20 games. She posted 13 shutouts, which is a school record and had a .952 goals against average, which is also a school record. Buffington had 90 saves on the season that ended as a Class 4-1A state runner up for the second consecutive year. For her efforts, she was also selected second team All-Frontier League. Buffington was also named first team all-state goalie and was named Goalkeeper of the Year.

ANNA DIXON – SENIOR – VOLLEYBALL

Anna wrapped up her fourth volleyball season as a varsity starter for the Lady Cats and guided Louisburg to its second consecutive Class 4A-state runner-up finish.

Dixon, who is currently with the Kansas State volleyball
team, ended her senior season with 584 kills and had a hitting percentage of
.260. She also added 325 digs, 50 aces and 42 blocks as she played all six
rotations. With those lofty numbers, Dixon earned several big time honors in
her final season.

She was selected as an All-Frontier League first team player
and was also named to the 4A State All-Tournament Team. Those honors continued
as she was named the Kansas Volleyball Coaches Association Class 4A Player of the
Year and earned a spot on KVA All-State First Team.

Following the season, Dixon was also named as an
Under-Armour All-American also earned MaxPreps/American Volleyball Coaches
Association Player of the Week honors.

ALYSE MOORE – SOPHOMORE – BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD

Alyse is a 3-sport varsity letter-winner this past year as she earned letters for the basketball, softball and track and field teams. This past spring season, Moore went to state in two different sports and became the first Wildcat athlete in recent memory to do so.

In her first season in track and field, Moore threw the
javelin for the Lady Cats and went on to become regional champion as she
eclipsed her personal best throw by almost 25 feet in just her third
competition of the season. The following week, she medaled fourth at the Class
4A state tournament with a personal best throw of 131 feet and 9 inches.

Moore was also the starting shortstop for the Lady Cats as
she helped Louisburg to its first regional championship since 2014.

During the basketball season, Moore was a starter for the
Lady Cats and averaged six points, five rebounds and three steals a game.

TRINITY MOORE – JUNIOR – CROSS COUNTRY, SOCCER

Trinity is 2-sport letter-winner for Louisburg this past
year as she had state performances in both cross country and soccer.

During the fall, Moore was the top runner on the Louisburg girls cross country team as she helped the Lady Cats to a regional runner-up finish and qualified for state as a team for the first time in school history. Moore medaled fourth at the Class 4A state meet in Wamego and currently holds the school record for the fastest time in program history. She also earned first-team All-Frontier League honors for her third place finish at the league meet.

In soccer, Moore was a starter on the Wildcat team that recently finished as the Class 4-1A state runner-up for the second consecutive year. At the midfield spot, she finished the season with 12 goals and six assists and was also named to the All-Frontier League first team.

DELANEY WRIGHT – FRESHMAN – BASKETBALL, CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK AND FIELD

Delaney is a 3-sport letter-winner as she took part in cross country, basketball and track and field and competed at the state level in two of those.

Wright found most of her success in track and field as she
earned four medals at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships
in Wichita this past month. She medaled in the long jump, 400-meter-dash,
200-meter dash and as a member of the 4×400-relay.

During the regional meet, Wright broke two school records
(long jump, 400 dash) and earned a regional and Frontier League title in the
long jump. She also earned a medal in the long jump at the Kansas Relays
earlier in the season.

In cross country, Wright was a member of the Louisburg team
that finished as a Class 4A regional runner-up and qualified for the state meet
as a team for the first time in school history. In basketball, Wright saw
playing time at the varsity level as a freshman at different points throughout
the season.

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

BLUE CAPLINGER – SENIOR – BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WRESTLING

Blue is a 4-sport letter-winner in football, wrestling,
baseball and track and field and competed at the state level in two of the
sports.

In football, Caplinger was an All-Frontier League player on
both sides of the ball as he was named to the first team defense as a defensive
back and second team offense as a multi-purpose player. On defense, Caplinger,
who helped Louisburg to a 10-1 record and a regional championship, had 31
tackles from the safety spot and also had two tackles for a loss, two fumble
recoveries and an interception. Offensively, he had 544 total yards and six touchdowns.

On the wrestling mat, Caplinger was a regional champion at
170 pounds and finished his season with a 33-5 record. The Louisburg senior
fell one match short of state medal with a 2-2 record at the Class 4A state
tournament. He currently holds the school record for most career reversals (72)
and most career escapes (86). Following the season, he was also named to the
KWCA Academic All-State first team.

Caplinger split time between baseball and track and field in
the spring. Although he spent time as a reserve and pinch-runner on the
baseball team, Caplinger found a lot of success on the track.

He qualified for state as a member of two relays. Caplinger was a member of the 4×400 relay team that won the Class 4A state championship in 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Caplinger also helped the 4×100 relay to a fifth place finish and went on to garner two state medals.

Caplinger will join the Benedictine football team this fall.

AUSTIN MOORE – SENIOR – FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WRESTLING

Austin is a 3-sport letter winner in football, wrestling and
track and field and was among the state’s best in two of the sports.

Moore thrived on the football field for the Wildcats as he helped Louisburg to a 10-1 record and a regional championship. Moore was a first team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball and was the league’s leading vote-getter. He went on to rack up all-state awards as the Louisburg senior earned Class 4A first team all-state honors as a running back from the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Kansas Football Coaches Association. Moore was also named as a Class 4A first team all-state linebacker from the Wichita Eagle.

When the season was all said and done, Moore tallied 1,554
total yards from the running back spot, including 1,428 yards on the ground,
and had 21 touchdowns before he broke his collarbone during the regional
championship game.

With those numbers, he was named the Kansas Small Class
Player of the Year by 810 Varsity and was All-Purpose Player of the Year by
Kpreps.com. Earlier this year, Moore was also named to the Kansas Shrine Bowl
roster.

On the wrestling mat, Moore missed more than half of the
season with his broken collarbone, but came back in a big way. Moore won his
first 14 matches when coming back at 220 pounds, which included a regional
championship. He went on to earn his first state medal as he finished fourth at
the Class 4A state tournament with a 3-2 record. He was also named to the KWCA
Academic All-State first team.

During the spring, he was a member of the Louisburg track and field team and threw the javelin for the Wildcats. He was also on the throwers relay that ranked Top 5 nationally at one point in the season.

Moore will join the Kansas State football team this fall.

KIEFER TUCKER – SENIOR – FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WEIGHTLIFTING

Kiefer is a 2-sport letter winner in football and track and
field and also went to state competition in two activities.

Tucker was a presence on the line of scrimmage for the
Louisburg football team as he was a first team All-Frontier League player on
both sides of the ball and helped the Wildcats to a 10-1 record and a regional
championship.

The Louisburg senior was among on the leaders on the
offensive line as he helped pave the way for more than 3,500 yards of total
offense. On defense, Tucker recorded 55 tackles from the defensive end spot,
including three tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and
a sack. Those numbers helped earn him honorable mention all-state honors and was
also named to the all-state team by the Kansas Football Coaches Association.
The honors kept coming for Tucker as he was recently selected to participate in
the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

During the winter, Tucker was a member of the Louisburg
powerlifting team and certainly made his mark there as well. Tucker won the Class
4A state championship in the 220-pound class and broke a 24-year-old record in
the bench press with a lift of 375 pounds.

In track and field, Tucker qualified for state for the first time in the discus. He finished as a regional runner-up and went on to take ninth at the Class 4A state meet in Wichita, just one spot away from earning a state medal.

Tucker will join the Emporia State football team this fall.

Brayden Gage is ready to take the next step in his football career as he joins the Pittsburg State football team this fall.

The decision wasn’t an easy one
for Brayden Gage, but the one thing the recent Louisburg graduate wanted to do
was to play college football.

The idea of playing football at the next level was a simple one for Gage, but he wanted to make sure he found the right place. As it turned out, Pittsburg State was the best fit for him.

Gage accepted a preferred walk-on spot to play for the Gorillas in the fall and he is looking forward to the opportunity of playing Division II football.

“I am very excited,” Gage said. “The
process was long, and I think I waited too long, but I am glad to finally know
where I am going and what I am doing. I think I went on about six visits and it
was pretty tough. I wasn’t sure on what I wanted to do and I didn’t know where
I wanted to go, but I am glad to have the opportunity at Pitt State.”

Gage received offers from Baker,
William Jewell and Ottawa, but none felt like they were the right fit. Then the
opportunity arose with the Gorillas and he was able to connect with the
coaches, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

“The defensive coordinator is also
the safeties coach at Pitt,” Gage said. “He is the one that has been talking to
me and I really like him. The rest of the coaches are great guys and they have
a lot of experience. I am ready to go down there and get to work.”

Along with a new team comes a new
position. Gage, who played cornerback in high school, will move to the safety
position in college.

Gage was a first team All-Frontier
League wide receiver last season as he led Louisburg with 283 yards through the
air. He also had 258 yards rushing and a total of five touchdowns.

He hopes the speed he displayed on
both sides of the ball last season will translate well at his new safety
position.

“I am excited about the change and
I think it is going to be a good move,” Gage said. “At the Division II level,
the corners are all really tall because they have to match up with the
receivers, so I think I will fit in better at safety.”

His time with the Louisburg
football team was a memorable one as the Wildcats finished this past season
with a 10-1 record and a regional championship, before falling to eventual
state champion Bishop Miege.

However, Gage realizes his
experience with Wildcat football was more than just about wins and losses.

“Louisburg football is amazing,”
he said. “I could talk a lot of about it, but then I would be here all day. It
is a true brotherhood. The friendships you make are going to last forever and I
had a lot of fun these last four years. It is a hard sport, but it is worth it.”

Now, Gage will leave his Wildcat uniform behind and he will solely focus on Pittsburg State. He hopes to use that walk-on spot and turn it into something bigger and he might the get the opportunity to see some former Wildcats on the other side of the field.

“I just want to work hard every single
day and see what happens,” Gage said. “I would love to have a scholarship maybe
my junior or senior year. I am very excited to play against the competition
down there. Kiefer (Tucker) is going to Emporia State, and that is our rival,
so I will be pretty excited to go up against him one day.”

Louisburg senior Blue Caplinger, who earned first-team all-league defensive honors last season, is excited for his new challenge after he recently signed with Benedictine College.

Blue Caplinger played a lot of
positions during his time with the Louisburg football team.

Caplinger saw some time at quarterback, was used as a blocking back – and then for his senior year – had some snaps at running back. However, the place where he felt right at home was at safety.

The Wildcat defensive back loved
to hit the opposition whenever he had the chance and he thrived at that
position. However, now that his time as a Wildcat is over, he needed to find a
new place to bring the pain.

Caplinger found the perfect spot
with one of most successful programs in the NAIA. In front of family and
friends last month, the Louisburg senior made it official as he signed his
letter of intent to play at Benedictine College next season.

“They are a really awesome
football program,” Caplinger said. “Their campus is great and academically they
just really fit me well. They have a great group of coaches and they were
honest with me. I am looking forward to getting to work when I get down there.”

Benedictine is coming off one of the best seasons in its program’s history as the Ravens advanced to the NAIA National Championship game and finished second in the nation.

The Ravens have had a lot of
success in the Heart of America Conference under head coach Larry Wilcox and
his staff. Wilcox just finished his 40^th season as the Ravens’ head
coach and has won more than 250 games during that span.

“In a way, their success played a part in my decision,” Caplinger said. “I was looking at Baker too, and they are both really good programs, and both have had a lot of success, but Benedictine was a great option for me and it was hard to pass up.

“They have an older group of
coaches, but they are all great guys. Coach Wilcox and his defensive
coordinator have been there for over 40 years so they definitely have the
experience and they have a great program. I feel it is a great fit for me.”

Caplinger was a key figure in a Wildcat defense that helped Louisburg to a 10-1 finish and a regional championship this past season. From his safety spot, he finished with 31 tackles, two for a loss, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

That performance helped him earn first-team All-Frontier League honors on defense and Caplinger was also a second team selection at running back after racking up 544 total yards and six touchdowns.

It’s his experience with the Wildcat football program that helped him mature as a player and get ready for the collegiate level.

“Louisburg football has done everything
for me,” Caplinger said. “Growing up as a kid and getting all that football
experience with my friends, and then getting into high school and having
awesome seasons is something that I will always remember.”

As much fun as his high school
football days were, Caplinger is looking forward to the challenges of playing
college football at one of the NAIA’s best programs.

“I don’t expect to play right away
and I will probably redshirt, which is fine for me because their engineering
program is five years,” Caplinger said. “After that, hopefully I can make my
way onto special teams and maybe get a starting position one day. That is the
goal. I am really excited for the opportunity and can’t wait to get down there.”

Louisburg senior Jonathan DePriest was a big part of the Wildcat offensive line this past season and hopes to do the same next season at Ottawa University.

He may not have played football
till the sixth grade, but football has always been a big part of Jonathan
DePriest’s life.

DePriest’s uncle, Adam Helm,
played quarterback at Kansas State under Bill Snyder in the late 90s and engineered
one of the best comebacks in K-State history in 1999. His grandfather, J.D.
Helm, was an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1980s and was
the assistant director of player personnel before that.

Needless to say, DePriest has
always been around the game and he got a chance to make his mark with the Wildcat
football team this past season.

The Louisburg senior was on the
Wildcat offensive line that helped Louisburg finish the season with a 10-1
record and a regional championship. It was a year to remember for DePriest and
the Wildcats, but his football career is far from over.

DePriest made it official on Feb.
6, in front of family and friends, as he signed his letter of intent to play
football for Ottawa University as an offensive lineman for the Braves.

“Honestly it is a huge blessing to
have the opportunity to play at the next level and I am really excited for it,”
DePriest said. “It is a great campus and they have great coaches and I think it
is going to be a great experience there.”

DePriest will join an Ottawa
program that has found a lot of success in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic
Conference (KCAC) and in the NAIA. He will play under head coach Kent
Kessigner, who is in his 16^th year with the Braves and during that time
he has won four KCAC titles.

Kessinger also guided the Braves
to a successful season in 2018 that ended with a No. 20 national ranking.

“Coach
Kessinger and his coaching staff have a completely different philosophy
when it comes to football than other colleges and that really resonated with
me,” DePriest said. “The Ottawa football program is more like a family in the
way they support you, hold you accountable and make you strive to be the best
you can be. The campus is easy to navigate, everyone I met was welcoming
and the athletic facilities are state of the art.

“They
see me fitting in on the offensive line, probably at the guard spot or
something like that. They have won some championships and they have a really
good coaching staff. The whole campus was really nice and I couldn’t turn it
down.”

Playing collegiate football is something
that takes a lot of dedication and hard work, but DePriest is ready for the
challenge and he believes playing for the Louisburg program has helped prepare
him for what to expect.

As a member of the Wildcat
offensive line, DePriest helped pave the way for 3,500 yards of total offense
at the tackle position.

“It has taught me a lot of things,”
DePriest said of the Wildcat program. “It has made me a better person, whether
it is waking up at 6 in the morning for weights in the summer or the practices –
it builds a lot of character.”

DePriest, who would like to major
in psychology, is excited for what his future holds with the Braves’ program
and he hopes to be a big part of it.

“I am just very thankful for the
opportunity that I have been given,” DePriest said. “I am ready to work hard
and hopefully this is just the beginning.”

Louisburg senior Kiefer Tucker, who earned first-team all-league honors last season, is excited for his opportunity with the Emporia State football team.

Kiefer Tucker remembers the exact
moment and time when he fell in love with football – at soccer practice.

Tucker was in first grade, and
like many other kids his age, he was learning how to play soccer when he looked
around and noticed some other kids at a flag football practice.

“I told my parents I wanted to
play football, so the next day they took me over to the practice and I was on
the team,” Tucker said. “I have loved football ever since.”

As it turned out, that day put Tucker on a course that would eventually give him the opportunity to play the sport he loves on a high level.

During a signing ceremony on Feb.
6, in front of family, friends and teammates, the Louisburg High School senior
made it official as Tucker signed his letter of intent to play football at
Emporia State University.

“This really means a lot,” Tucker
said. “It is going to be sad that I won’t be able to play football anymore with
the same guys I have played with since first grade. Even with the ones starting
in high school, I made a lot of memories with them too. It will be sad to see
that go, but I still love the game and I am excited to have the opportunity to
continue to play it. I am excited to see what the next four or five years have
for me and see how the program will develop me.”

Tucker enjoyed the family
atmosphere with the Louisburg program and he was looking for the same type of
fit in college. It didn’t take long for Tucker to find it with the Hornets.

While on a campus visit, Tucker
listened to the players and coaches talk about the program and he knew it was
going to be the right landing spot for him.

“When I first went there, they
told me that they have this brick that they give out to players who that week
showed toughness, character, had a good attitude and showed that family is more
important than anything,” Tucker said. “Right when they said that, I was sold.
I really believe that all the players follow that mantra and you can tell that
by hearing them talk. They had some bad years, but they are grinding now and
they are on the up and up. It will be fun and it is a good town. Emporia just
felt like home.”

Tucker will line up on the defensive side of the ball for Emporia State and he expects to play a little different position in college. Tucker, who lined up at defensive end for Louisburg, will do some of the same at Emporia, but the coaches also see him as a walk-up linebacker in certain situations as well.

Tucker was among the
leaders on the line scrimmage for the Wildcats as he helped pave the way for
more than 3,500 yards of total offense. Defensively, Tucker was a force from
his defensive end position as he recorded 55 tackles, three tackles for a loss,
three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack.

His season helped him earn first
team All-Frontier League on both sides of the ball and he was also honored with
an all-state selection as well.

Despite his success in high school, Tucker knows it is going to take him awhile to get acclimated to the college level.

“It will take a little time for them to teach me up and get a little more size on me, but I am fine with that,” he said. “Everything is a process and I am not going to go in there and be a starter as a freshman. I fine with grinding for a couple years, and then when my time comes, I know I will be ready.”

As for his time in Louisburg, life
under the Friday night lights and the relationships he has built is something
Tucker won’t soon forget.

“It meant
everything,” Tucker said. “These guys are my friends. When I came to Louisburg
in kindergarten I didn’t know anyone. I truly
believe that the Louisburg football program made me who I am today. The coaches
taught me everything I know and it taught me to be strong minded and how to
deal with problems.

“Most importantly it has taught me how to be a good teammate and
help the community that supports you and how to be man. Football is a
brotherhood and is something you never forget.”

Louisburg senior Austin Moore had big season for the Wildcat football team on both sides of the ball. Moore, however, will walk-on to Kansas State next season as a linebacker.

Austin Moore has spent most of his
young life rooting on the crimson and blue of the University of Kansas.

It was all Moore knew as he was
raised a Jayhawk fan and had visions of maybe one day playing in Lawrence.

His rooting interests have now changed – at least on the football sides of things – and he is pretty happy about it.

On Feb. 6, Moore made it official that he would be attending Kansas State University as a preferred walk-on for the Wildcat football team. Playing Division I football trumped any loyalty he might have for his – now – rival school.

“That has always been a goal of
mine, ever since I was little and it has been a dream to be able to play
Division I football,” Moore said. “It makes me happy to be able to accomplish
that and have that chance to play at that level.”

Moore will join the K-State team as a linebacker as he slowly works his way up the depth chart and hopes to one day earn a scholarship – something several walk-ons have done with the Wildcats over the years, including another former Louisburg Wildcat, Kody Cook.

The recruiting process was a stressful one at times for Moore as he weighed his options about whether to take a scholarship at a smaller school or walk-on at K-State. The Louisburg senior is definitely satisfied with his decision and is looking forward to his time in Manhattan.

“I am definitely grateful for the
opportunity,” Moore said “I definitely wanted a scholarship and I was waiting
to see if I could get some at other places. I had a couple smaller schools that
gave me offers, but I wanted to be able to play at the highest level I could. K-State
has a good walk-on tradition and I thought this would be a good opportunity for
me.”

Moore was recruited by head coach
Bill Snyder and his assistants, but when Snyder retired and defensive
coordinator Blake Seiler left for a different job, the Wildcat assistants
wanted to make sure to let Moore know they were still interested.

Kansas State special teams coach
and Director of Recruiting, Taylor Braet, stayed in touch with Moore and he got
a chance to meet the new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Scottie
Hazelton. Moore also chatted with new head coach Chris Klieman the day before he
made it official, and Moore felt comfortable with his decision.

“I talked with Coach Klieman and
he said that by next spring I will have a really good chance of getting a lot
of playing time,” Moore said. “He told me they were excited to have me and some
the other younger kids they signed.

“The main coach who was recruiting me, coach Seiler, left and went to West Virginia. But I still knew Coach Braet and I met the new defensive coordinator (Hazelton) and really like him as well. It was a tough decision to make, but I knew I wanted to stay close to home and it was a good fit.”

Moore would have been a good fit
on several teams as he had a big senior season that ended with a regional
championship and first team all-league and all-state honors on both sides of
the ball.

Prior to breaking his collarbone in the next to last game of the year, Moore led Louisburg in tackles with 83 and had seven tackles for a loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Offensively,
he tallied 1,554 total yards, with 1,428 yards of those on the ground and also
had 21 touchdowns. Those stats also helped Moore earn a spot on the Shrine Bowl
roster this summer as he prepares for his journey to Manhattan.

“I am very excited for Austin,” Louisburg
coach Robert Ebenstein said. “K-State will be very young at linebacker after
next season, which should give Austin a great opportunity to compete for a role
on defense or special teams.”

As for becoming a K-State fan, Moore
knows it will be a difficult transition outside of football and it will be an
adjustment.

“Basketball season might be kind
of weird,” he said. “I might have to cheer for KU every once and while, but now
it is time to start cheering for K-State.”