Louisburg senior Ben Minster looks for some running room during Friday’s season opener against Wyandotte at Wildcat Stadium. Louisburg took care of business against the Bulldogs with a 41-14 victory. 

With only a handful of players returning who started a game on the varsity level last season, it is hard to know what to expect from the Louisburg High School football team in 2017.

At times, the Wildcats showed some of that inexperience Friday against Wyandotte with penalties and miscues.

Then there were other moments – like totaling more than 500 yards of total offense – where the Wildcats looked like a veteran team.

It was more the latter Friday as Louisburg trounced Wyandotte 41-14 as it showcased some new players and a new offense in front of its fans.

“I am pretty excited,” Louisburg coach Robert Ebenstein said. “We only had five kids on our roster that started a game last year. We had 18 kids get their first actual Friday night light football opportunity, so we were excited for them just to come out and experience the speed and play the game at this level.

“The first quarter was a little rough and you could tell. It was just a new offense and a bunch of kids that are excited and nervous. We did a lot of things that we just need to clean up and luckily those are fixable.”

Not only was the win memorable for the players, but for Ebenstein as well, as he earned his first head coaching victory.

“I was nervous,” he said. “I didn’t sleep the night before and my stomach was in a knot the entire day. I feel better now, for sure – at least until I watch it on film.”

What Ebenstein will see on film is a team that racked up a lot of yards – especially on the ground. The Wildcats tallied 500 rushing yards on the night, including several big runs from tailbacks Austin Moore and Ben Minster.

Moore carried the ball 16 times for 175 yards and had two touchdowns, while it only took Minster two carries to hit the century mark. Minster scored on a 92-yard touchdown run late in the game and rushed for 100 yards on the night. Brayden Gage also found the endzone for a touchdown.

The Wildcat backs were able to find those big gains thanks in part to the offensive line of Garrett Lowry, Kiefer Tucker, Garrett Harding, Noah Larson and Brayden White.

Louisburg junior Noah Larson bears down on the Wyandotte quarterback Friday.

“Wyandotte was bigger than us all across the board and I think our kids (linemen) are coached good technique and they use it well and they are in good shape,” Ebenstein said. “It was a good first game for them.

“We tried to spread the ball around with all the backs. I think we got everyone a carry in and the line opened some holes. There were times where the backs made the line looked good, broke some tackles and made some good plays.”

Louisburg (1-0) also played two quarterbacks throughout the night as junior Blue Caplinger and sophomore Madden Rutherford each got reps. Caplinger finished with a pair of touchdowns and 66 yards on the ground, while Rutherford led the Wildcats on a pair of scoring drives as well as he accounted for 74 yards of total offense.

“They are both great kids and great competitors,” Ebenstein said. “Some people could call it a controversy, but I think it is a blessing that we have two kids that can play quarterback very well.”

On the flip side, the Wildcat defense was able to keep Wyandotte in check despite a pair of long Bulldog touchdowns in the first and fourth quarters.

Louisburg held Wyandotte to 161 yards of total offense and 125 of those were on the Bulldogs’ two scoring plays. The Wildcats also forced three turnovers, including a forced fumble by Will Ridley and fumble recovery by Moore, an interception by Desmond Doles.

Moore was also all over the place from the linebacker spot as he led the Wildcats with 14 tackles, while Tucker and Ridley each added seven in the win.

“We wanted the linebackers to play aggressive and sometimes when you play aggressive you lose your assignment and it was a good play for Wyandotte on their first score of the game,” Ebenstein said. “Besides that, (defensive) coach (Jeff) Lohse had them pretty drilled up on where they needed to be and what they needed to do and we are proud of them.”

Louisburg senior Garrett Lowry drags down a Wyandotte player from behind.

Penalties and some miscues on offense hurt the Wildcats early on and they were forced to punt on their opening possession. Wyandotte took the punt and returned it for a long touchdown, but was called back due to a Wyandotte penalty.

The Wildcat defense was able force a Wyandotte fumble on its first possession and Louisburg took advantage when Caplinger scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Drake Varns added the extra point to give Louisburg a 7-0 lead as Varns connected on 5 of his 6 extra points.

Wyandotte responded with a 65-yard touchdown pass to tie it up, but two second quarter touchdowns by Moore, including one on a 36-yard run, gave Louisburg a 21-7 halftime lead.

Rutherford had a 16- and 19-yard run on each drive, and also a 16-yard pass to Moore that helped set up both scores.

The Wildcats opened the second half with 20 unanswered points and ran away with the season opener.

Louisburg will try for its second straight win to start the season Friday when it travels to Piper. The Pirates fell to Paola in its opener, 35-21. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

WYAN           7             0             0             7 – 14

LOU               7             14           14           6 – 41

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

L: Blue Caplinger 1 run (Drake Varns kick)

W: 65 yard pass (kick good)

Second quarter

L: Austin Moore 36 run (Varns kick)

L: Moore 11 run (Varns kick)

Third quarter

L: Blue Caplinger 1 run (Varns kick)

L: Brayden Gage 2 run (Varns kick)

Fourth quarter

L: Ben Minster 92 run (kick failed)

W: 60 yard touchdown run (kick good)

STATISTICS

RUSHING: Austin Moore 16-175; Ben Minster 2-100; Blue Caplinger 11-66; Charlie Koontz 6-52; Madden Rutherford 5-47; Brayden Gage 3-37; Will Ridley 2-36; Jakob Krause 1-1. Totals: 48-500

PASSING: Rutherford 3-7-27

RECEIVING: Moore 1-16; Gage 1-10; Ridley 1-1

TACKLES: Austin Moore 14, Will Ridley 7, Kiefer Tucker 7, Christian Tosterud 4, Blue Caplinger 4, Mitchell Drew 4, Garrett Lowry 4, Desmond Doles 4, Noah Larson 3, Brayden Gage 2, Garrett Harding 2, Beckett Rasmussen 1, Matt Holloway 1, Brayden White 1.

Members of the Louisburg High School football team lined up on the sidelines before kickoff of Friday’s game between the Wildcats and Wyandotte. Louisburg won its season opener, 41-14.

It was a busy night out at Wildcat Stadium on Friday as the Louisburg football team opened its season against Wyandotte. The Wildcats pulled away for a 41-14 victory on a night that gave Robert Ebenstein his first head coaching victory.

It was also band night as the Louisburg Wildcat Marching Band and Jazzy Cats also performed routines throughout the evening along with the Wildcat cheerleaders. Rose Bowl Parade President Lance Tibbet was on hand to officially invite the Wildcat band to participate in the 2018 Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

Here are a few images from a great night. Hope you enjoy them.

Louisburg running back Austin Moore is just one of a handful of starters returning for the Wildcats this season. Louisburg begins play Friday when it hosts Wyandotte at Wildcat Stadium. 

It’s been a season of change for the Louisburg High School football team – one that started when the 2016 campaign came to a close.

The Wildcats had to say goodbye to 16 seniors, several of which played big roles on last season’s 8-3 regional championship team. A few months later, the Wildcats promoted assistant Robert Ebenstein to the head coaching role.

Since then, several new assistants have come on board, they have installed a brand new offense and many new faces will play key positions on the field for the 2017 season. The Wildcat players will even have new designs on their helmets.

It may be a brand new look for Louisburg football, but the mentality is still the same – win a lot of games.

“My expectations are really high,” junior Austin Moore said. “I don’t see any reason that we shouldn’t be any better than last year’s team was. I think we can win some playoff games this year and maybe more than we did last year.”

Louisburg will kick off its season at 7 p.m. Friday when it hosts Wyandotte, and the Wildcats are looking to show off their new product – one they have been working on all off-season.

The Wildcats spent the summer in the weight room, on the practice field and watching film in order to get a jump on the rest of the teams. It also gave them ample opportunity to perfect a new offense.

“We are starting to settle in and we are getting used to each other,” senior lineman Garrett Lowry said. “We are starting to build more chemistry with the offensive line and the backs are getting there. Offense is going to be a lot different than it has been, and it has taken awhile to get used to, but we are getting it down.”

The summer and first few weeks of practice also gave the players a chance to get used to their new head coach and he to them.

“This has gone as smooth as I could have expected,” Ebenstein said. “There are definitely ups and downs and bumps along the way, but the support that has been shown to our team so far this season from the parents, community and school administration has been overwhelming and greatly appreciated.

“The new faces among the coaching staff as well as the others that have been here for a while now have been incredible assets for our team and myself. They are amazing coaches and have made my transition much smoother than expected.”

With a new offense comes a new leader at quarterback. Junior Blue Caplinger (5-10, 170) and sophomore Madden Rutherford (6-3, 180) are battling in practice for the starting job and Ebenstein likes what he sees from both players.

“One of our lingering questions is the quarterback position right now,” he said. “We are very blessed to have both Blue and Madden. They are both great kids, athletes and competitors. Right now we will continue to split reps and continue to evaluate. I am very excited for both of them this season. I think they will both find their fits in whatever roles they end up with.

“As for if it is a good thing, I think it is. Iron sharpens iron, and if those to push each other all season, it will elevate both of their games.”

Senior lineman Garrett Lowry, a 3-year starter at tackle, will lead a young Wildcat offensive line.

The offensive line will be new as well. Lowry (6-5, 250) returns as a 3-year starter at tackle, but the other four spots will feature new faces. Junior Kiefer Tucker (5-10, 195) will join Lowry on the offensive line, but there will be plenty of competition for the other three spots between Noah Larson (6-2, 195), Brayden White (6-3, 240), Garrett Harding (5-11, 220), Matt Holloway (6-0, 230), Jonathan DePriest (6-1, 220), Cole Williams (5-7, 160), Hunter Day (6-0, 260), Will Smith (5-11, 210) and James Foote (6-0, 155).

“As a whole we will be young,” Ebenstein said. “Garrett has started for three years and is definitely our leader up front. We have many kids who are working very hard for those spots, and each of those positions will most definitely be earned and not granted by any means. Kiefer is a kid who we are very excited for and he is an absolute stud – extremely strong, quick, tough and smart.

“Our depth at offensive line is solid and as we continue to grow throughout this season, I think it could be a strength for sure.”

The Wildcats will also have a strong group of running backs to try and run behind them. Moore (6-1, 195) returns after seeing several snaps at the varsity level last season and will see several carries this season along with Will Ridley (5-9, 175), Brayden Gage (5-8, 140) and Charlie Koontz (5-7, 175).

Seniors Christian Tosterud (5-10, 175) and Desmond Doles (6-3, 180) return to lead the Wildcat wide receivers. Tosterud, along with Lowry and Moore, were also named the team captains for the upcoming season.

Kohl Vogel (6-0, 155), Gage and Ben Minster (6-1, 205) will also see some time at wide receiver as well.

Defensively, the Wildcats will be strong again up the middle as Lowry returns in center of line and Moore, a first-team all-Frontier League player on defense last season, comes back to lead the defense at middle linebacker.

Ebenstein believes his defense has a chance to be very good thanks to his players and defensive coordinator Jeff Lohse.

“Jeff’s understanding of the game and how to defeat offensive formations is up there with the best of anyone I have ever seen,” Ebenstein said. “So once Jeff gets his game plans set, I am very confident in our coaches to carry out and teach it to the kids.

“Needless to say we are very excited for Austin this season (on both sides of the ball). With Austin at Mike Linebacker and Garrett at a 3-Tech, we are very confident that we can shut down the inside run game against anybody.”

Lowry will get some help on the defensive line from Tucker, Larson, White and DePriest, while the Wildcats will lean on seniors Mitchell Drew (6-0, 175) and Ridley to help Moore at the linebacker spot.

Doles, Tosterud and Gage will lead the Wildcat secondary and will get help from Caplinger, Rutherford and Minster at times as well.

The Wildcats, like most years, will have a difficult schedule within the Frontier League and district play. However, Ebenstein is confident in his group of players.

“The Frontier League is one of the toughest leagues in the state regardless of classification,” he said. “There are no ‘easy weeks’ and every team has quality coaches and quality players. I think we do as well. I think we will continue to prove that Louisburg football will be a consistent front-runner in the Frontier League standings when it is all said and done.”

Louisburg High School football coach Robert Ebenstein shows the team the new logo that will be going on their helmets for this upcoming season following Friday’s scrimmage at Wildcat Stadium.

The Louisburg High School football team took to its home field Friday for its intrasquad scrimmage at Wildcat Stadium as the varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams all saw action.

Following the game, first-year head coach Robert Ebenstein unveiled the new logo that will be going on the players’ helmets. The Wildcats open their season next Friday at home against Wyandotte.

Check out photos from the scrimmage below.

Louisburg drum major Chloe Philgreen directs the band during the Fall Community Pep Rally on Thursday at Louisburg High School.

Parents and students at Louisburg High School flooded the LHS gymnasium Thursday for the 20th Annual Community Pep Rally that was sponsored by First National Bank.

They were all provided with a free meal courtesy of First National and Chris Cakes, which was followed by the introduction of all the fall sports and activities. The LHS cheerleaders and Jazzy Cats performed routines, while the Wildcat band also performed musical numbers throughout the evening.

Below is a photo gallery from the event on what was a great way to kick off the school year.

Louisburg senior Kris Light goes through a drill during the first day of soccer practice Monday. All four Wildcat teams got their season started with workouts on Monday as the fall sports season kicks off.

Summer time and vacations are coming to an end just in time for fall sports to heat up as four Louisburg High School teams had their first day of practice Monday.

The Wildcat cross country, football, soccer and volleyball teams got the 2017 season kicked off right with either two-a-days or tryouts. Each program also had strong numbers out as they either increased or stayed the same from the year before.

All four Louisburg teams experienced success last season and they hope it carries over into this year.

Louisburg soccer made program history as the Wildcats advanced to the state semifinals for the first time. Cross country also had a big season as it qualified three for the state meet.

Football is coming off a regional championship, while the volleyball team was one victory away from reaching the state tournament.

Louisburg had a lot of positives going its way in 2016, but all four coaches realize it is time to start anew.

The Wildcat football team opened practice with approximately 60 players out as they start two-a-days for the rest of this week under first-year coach Robert Ebenstein. The players will practice in helmets and shoulder pads through Thursday and full pads Friday. They will conclude the week with a scrimmage Saturday morning.

Louisburg junior Austin Moore and the rest of the Wildcat football team begin two-a-day practices this week.

Louisburg, which finished with eight wins last season, is hoping build on that success.

“I thought practice went well,” Ebenstein said. “The guys and coaches were excited to get going and the guys brought a ton of enthusiasm and had a great first day of practice.”

The Wildcat soccer team saw a big jump in numbers as they had 45 players sign up to play this season and the team will be going through tryouts through Wednesday.

Practice opened at the track as the players ran the mile at 7 a.m. Monday, watched a concussion video in the afternoon and hit the practice field for the first time shortly after. The Wildcats are hard at work under second-year coach Kyle Conley, making sure they use the momentum they created after their fourth place finish at state last season.

“I know for the boys and coaches it is fantastic to get back to the field,” Conley said. “We are very excited and anxious to prove last year was not a fluke. We will have to work even harder than we did last year, because we will not be able to fly under the radar. The boys are ready for that challenge and I think they are going to give it their all to see how this journey transpires. The boys are focused and determined. I am really excited to also see what this group can achieve as a team.”

Sophomore Trinity Moore is one of three returning state qualifiers for the Louisburg cross country team.

The cross country team also has high expectations for itself as the Wildcats return three state qualifiers in seniors Wyatt Reece, Tim Smith and sophomore Trinity Moore. Moore garnered a state medal after finishing 19th as a freshman at the Class 4A meet and became the first female runner in Louisburg history to earn a state honor.

Runners hit the streets around town on Monday for a 30-minutre workout to begin to build their base for the season and will progress as the season goes along. Head coach John Reece has 35 runners out this season, which is close to last year’s number, as the Wildcats prepare for what they hope is a special season.

“My summer crew of runners are excited to get going, some even started altering their summer runs on their own to start preparing for the season,” coach Reece said. “We are working on duration runs vs. miles. Instead of going for a 5-mile run, I will have them run for a minimum of say 45 minutes and allow some to extend up to 60 minutes of training, which some runners could reach close to eight miles within the hour. Our non-duration days will be focused on speed and lots of repeats with active recovery. There will be no walking for us.”

The Lady Cat volleyball team felt out of place at the end of last season. Louisburg’s year ended sooner than it would have liked after losing in the substate championship game and didn’t qualify for state for the first time in five years.

Louisburg senior Sophie McMullen goes through a drill during the first day of tryouts Monday at Louisburg High School.

Louisburg is hard at work in hopes of earning a state tournament bid. Head coach Jessica Compliment has 35 players out this season, and after two more days of tryouts, will get practice in full swing.

The Lady Cats open their season at home on Aug. 26 when they host the Frontier League preseason tournament and the junior varsity will compete in Paola. All three teams will play again at home on Aug. 29 against Blue Valley Southwest.

“The coaching staff is excited to get the season started and begin preparing for the preseason league tournament for varsity and junior varsity,” Compliment said. “We are looking forward to a lot of home matches this season and the athletes were ready to start tryouts and get the season kicked off.”

Louisburg High School activities director Jeremy Holloway is looking forward to his new position as he starts his 17th year in the USD 416 school district. 

Growing up, Jeremy Holloway wasn’t one to stay in a place for too long.

Holloway spent most of his childhood and young adult life moving from place to place. He wasn’t the type of person who envisioned himself putting down roots.

“I was a constant migrant,” Holloway said.

That was until he moved to Louisburg with his wife Megan. Now instead of a migrant, Holloway is deep-rooted in a town he loves.

It made his decision, almost two months ago, an easy one.

Back in June, Holloway was hired as the new Louisburg High School activities director and assistant principal, following the resignation of former activities director Darin Gagnebin. Holloway, who has spent the last 16 years as a teacher at Louisburg Middle School, is ready for the new challenge.

“I am really looking forward to it,” Holloway said. “I have been here in Louisburg for 17 years. I never lived anywhere for more than four years in my life until I came to Louisburg. I never knew what it was like to be a part of a community and when I got here I just fell in love with the town. I was excited to become a part of it and Louisburg became important to me. The teaching was great and getting to know all the kids and see them grow up all the way through college was fun. Now I see some of my former students teaching in the building here and it is an amazing feeling. It just felt like home to me.”

Fate seemed to step in at the right time for Holloway. He entered the summer still planning to teach history at the middle school, but the dominoes quickly started to fall into place.

Holloway was well on his way to getting his administration degree this past school year as he was planning on holding on to it until something in Louisburg came open. He didn’t have to wait long.

“I had to get recertified, so I talked with my wife and I said why get an education masters if it is just going to move me on the pay scale,” he said. “Why not get an administration degree to have options? There are other places near here that are looking for people, but that isn’t what I want. The only move I would make is to stay in Louisburg. I happened to be down in Eureka Springs on vacation and I got a text in middle of night that Gagnebin had resigned. I had just got my diploma the day before we left. I applied and it turned out well and hopefully it was a good thing.”

Louisburg USD 416 superintendent Dr. Brian Biermann had to sift through more than 20 different applicants for the job, but he believes Holloway is going to do great things in the position.

“Jeremy has been a loyal and dedicated teacher and coach in our community for 17 years,” Dr. Biermann said. “Jeremy possesses many strong leadership attributes that will allow him to be a strong, instructional leader at Louisburg High School. He is passionate about education, has a strong work ethic and is committed to our community.

“Jeremy is all about building positive relationships with students, staff and the community. For 17 years he has been building these relationships. Now, he will be able to build upon his unique skill set in a leadership position in our district. I am excited to see the great things Mr. Holloway can contribute to our district and community in this new role.”

One of the first things Holloway wanted to do was to get to know his new coaching staff. Several new coaches were hired this past school year and he wanted to see what they were all about.

“I just want them to feel comfortable with me and let them understand that I am approachable,” Holloway said. “That relationship piece is huge. I am getting to know where they are from, how many kids they have and I want them to feel comfortable coming to me. We do lose some great experience, but we have gained some capable coaches and a lot of enthusiasm. I just want to be a positive impact for them.”

Since he started officially on July 24, Holloway has been hard at work in several different areas, but one of the bigger things going on now is the shuffling of the Frontier League.

The league, which will be at seven schools this year, will move up to nine starting for the 2018-19 school year. Bonner Springs, Tonganoxie and Piper will join the league, while De Soto will depart.

Baldwin, an original league member, is concerned the school will move down to Class 3A starting in 2018-19, thanks to changes in the classification system. If it happens, it will create scheduling conflicts for football.

“The biggest conflict right now is Baldwin is right on the edge of becoming 3A and they think it will happen,” Holloway said. “If Baldwin is in our league, which is what we plan on, they are required to play five district games for football, which only leaves them three league games. If only three league teams play Baldwin, then the rest of the league teams have to find another team to play. I have schools from Lansing, Independence, Coffeyville, Chanute and other schools calling me trying to lock up games. There are so many different scenarios so we just have to wait and see. That is one thing that I am really working on right now.”

With the activity season fast approaching, Holloway is excited for everything to get underway. He is also looking forward to getting to know the fan base more.

“I have always been highly impressed of Louisburg and the support of its teams and the turnout we will get, especially for football games,” Holloway said. “I encourage Louisburg to continue the tradition of being a class act. I think that every town has its own culture and a lot of it starts with the coaches. If your coaches are harassing refs, your players are probably going to start to learn that they can do that and that will trickle down to the parents and crowd. Without pointing fingers, there are certain places where that is the climate. I think Louisburg has been great. There are always going to be situations, but I would encourage fans and parents to support our coaches and let them coach.

“I am looking forward to an exciting year. We have great coaches, that are experienced and they are very innovative. They are organized and they all seem truly excited about what is going on. The community can rest assured that the coaches that are in place right now have the best interest of the kids and the programs.”

Mason Koechner, a 2017 Louisburg graduate, was a fixture on the offensive line for the East team on July 29 during the Kansas Shrine Bowl in El Dorado. Koechner enjoyed his week-long experience preparing, and playing, in the annual all-star game.

Mason Koechner and the East team may have lost its game in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, but he was a big winner when it came to the experience itself.

Koechner, who was one of several Kansas seniors voted to play in the annual all-star game, had an opportunity to make a difference in a lot of other lives. The 2017 Louisburg graduate took part in the contest on July 29 at Butler Community College in El Dorado and helped raise money for Shriners Hospitals for Children at the same time.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl, and events surrounding the contest, benefited the health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a non-profit charity raising funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The Shrine Bowl has been in existence since 1974, and since its inception, it has been promoting Kansas talent and the network of hospitals raising more than $2.5 million.

The purpose for the Kansas Shrine Bowl is to raise money every year for Shriners Hospitals across the United States. The Shrine Bowl generates close to $70,000 each year for the hospitals.

They provide pediatric specialty care, innovative research and teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.

“It was a lot of fun,” Koechner said. “I got to play with a lot of good players and made a lot of good friends in the process.”

Koechner spent the week prior to the game practicing with his East teammates, but he also had a few special moments away from the football field.

Several of Mason Koechner’s family and friends traveled to El Dorado to watch him compete in the Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 29.

The players had a chance to meet some of the patients from the Shriners Hospitals for Children and Koechner quickly realized the battles he has on and off the football field pales in comparison to what some of those children are dealing with on a daily basis.

“Meeting those kids was really inspiring,” Koechner said. “They can do everything we do, just in a different way. They overcome obstacles every day that I could never dream of having. It was really a great experience.”

Koechner reported to the Butler campus earlier in the week where he worked at left guard and played most of the game on the East offensive line.

It was the first time Koechner had put the pads on since the end of the 2016 season – one where the Wildcats earned a regional championship. He had knee surgery following his wrestling season and a spent a lot of time rehabbing.

All that hard work paid off as Koechner is healthy and he relished his time on the football field again.

“I enjoyed getting back into the pads and practices were fun,” Koechner said. “Going up against all those talented players made practices feel likes games, which was very competitive.”

Koechner and the East players rallied from a 14-point deficit to start the game and eventually took a 21-20 lead into the fourth quarter.

“With the players both teams had, you never knew when a big play was going to happen,” he said.

That big play came late in the fourth, as East was called for a penalty, which backed it up to its own 1-yard line. The West team then recorded a safety with a minute left in the game to secure the 22-21 win and left the opposite side a little disappointed.

Still, the experience was a positive one for Koechner that he will take with him to Garden City Community College, as he begins his collegiate football journey.

“I reported to Garden City the day after the game and I am really looking forward to playing at the college level,” he said.

Kody Cook, who played at Kansas State during the 2014 and 2015 season, will begin his career as a full-time coach this season with Hutchinson Community College – the school Cook signed with in 2011 when he graduated from Louisburg High School.

The last time Kody Cook roamed the sidelines at Hutchinson Community College was as a player as he led the Blue Dragons to a come-from-behind victory in the Salt City Bowl.

Five years later, he is back on the Hutchinson sidelines – this time as a coach.

Cook, a 2011 Louisburg High School graduate, was recently hired to be the tight end coach for the Blue Dragons after spending his last four years either playing or coaching at Kansas State University.

“It is kind of weird how it has come full circle,” Cook said. “It is a little ironic, especially after that last game gave me an opportunity to play football at my dream school (K-State). It put me on a path to having a successful career as a player and now hopefully I can do that as a coach as well.

“The opportunity came out of nowhere. Coach (Rion Rhodes) called me up and said there was a spot available if I wanted to apply for it. So I did and when he called to offer me the job I was really excited. I have already gotten to know a lot of the players and we have a good room here. We have a lot of talented players and I can’t wait to work with them.”

To know how truly dramatic the Salt City Bowl was, one would have almost had to have been there to believe it. The story is one Cook will never forget and one that put him back on track to reaching his dream.

After not practicing all season at the quarterback position, Hutchinson head coach Rion Rhodes put Cook, a starting wide receiver, in at quarterback in the second quarter after his starter left with an injury. Cook entered Hutchinson as a quarterback from Louisburg after he helped the Wildcats to a perfect season and state championship in 2010. He was moved to wide receiver later in his freshman year, where he stayed until his final game.

Cook quickly shook off whatever rust he had as he led the Blue Dragons to a 41-21 win over Iowa Central. He was named the bowl’s Offensive Most Valuable Player after completing 20 of 30 passes for 277 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for another and his six touchdowns was a bowl record.

That performance caught the eye of Kansas State assistant coach Dana Dimel, who offered Cook a preferred walk-on spot.

“The game gave me chance to play for a school I grew up rooting for,” Cook said. “It was a dream come true for me.”

Cook went on to redshirt at Kansas State in 2013, before playing, and eventually starting at wide receiver in 2014 as a junior.

His senior season was an exciting one, as like at Hutch, he was put in at quarterback against Oklahoma State in an emergency situation. All he did was complete 16 of 22 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats almost rallied to beat the nationally-ranked Cowboys.

On senior night in Manhattan later in the season, Cook was once again brought in at quarterback due to injury and he led the Wildcats to a comeback victory over West Virginia, which made them bowl eligible.

Cook then started at quarterback in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas, where he threw for 163 yards and a touchdown in a loss.

When his playing career was finished, Cook stayed on the Kansas State sideline for the 2016 season as a student assistant coach.

“I knew that when I was done playing football that what I wanted to do was be a coach,” Cook said. “I just love the game and being around it. It was a little weird not playing last year because I still have that itch to get out there, but I got a chance to be around former teammates and learn from some of the best there is on how to be a coach. I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Cook was fortunate to spend the last four years at Kansas State under hall of fame coach Bill Snyder and he knows there is no better person to learn from on how to be a good leader.

“Coach Snyder is a legend and such a great coach,” Cook said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better situation than to learn under him and watch how he does things. When I was playing, I watched how meticulous he was in his preparation and how he led young men like myself. Then I learned a little more when I was an assistant.

“I also got to learn from the best wide receivers coach in the country in coach (Andre) Coleman. Both of those guys have influenced me so much in my career and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in the coaching world.”

He hopes like in his playing days, that his position at Hutch could lead to even bigger things down the road.

“My goal is to keep coaching and doing my best at no matter where I am at,” Cook said. “Like anything else in life, you strive to get to the highest level you can in your job. One day I would love to be an offensive coordinator at a Division I program. To do that though, I have to keep working, learning and getting better.

“When it comes down to it though, I am not worried about all that stuff. I just want to enjoy all the friendships that come along the way. I just love being around the game and the energy that comes with it every Saturday. I just want to enjoy the ride and see what happens. The rest will take care of itself.”

The Louisburg High School football team was one of many bright spots for LHS athletics this past school year. 

We live in a world where, especially in sports, we often don’t take time to reflect on our accomplishments – and instead we are in a rush to move on to the next set of obstacles.

In reality, we are in a “what have you done for me lately” society and sometimes don’t remember, or enjoy, those special moments where our hard work has paid off.

Yes, I understand you don’t want to relish in those accomplishments as that doesn’t make you a better athlete, or whatever your specialty may be, but not taking the time to enjoy the ride can be detrimental.

And what a ride it was for Louisburg High School athletics this past season.

The Wildcats had a special year in several sports, and before we focus on the 2017-18 campaign, we should look back at what the 16-17 season brought us. Just take a look at what these Wildcats accomplished.

• There is probably no better place to start than the Louisburg soccer teams. Both the boys and girls teams earned spots in the state semifinals for the first time in program history and both finished fourth. The boys team made it to state for the first time in their 14 years, while the girls advanced to the state tournament in just their second season. 
  

  The Louisburg High School girls soccer team finished fourth in the state in just their second season. The Wildcat boys also finished fourth as they advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

• It was quite the season for the Wildcat boys basketball team as they advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2005. Louisburg won its sub-state tournament with a 64-52 win over Fort Scott in the championship game.
  

  The Louisburg boys basketball team qualified for state for the first time since 2005.

• The Louisburg football team made quite the run in the 2016 season. The Wildcats won their first playoff game since 2012 and earned a regional title in the process with a win over Independence. Even though their season came to an end in the next round to eventual state champion Bishop Miege, the Wildcats’ still finished with an 8-3 record.
• Wrestling had another big season as the Wildcats qualified eight for the Class 4A state tournament in Salina. Although Ryan Adams was the lone state medalist, as he finished sixth overall at 138 pounds, the Wildcats tied a school record for number of state qualifiers that was set back in 1984.
• In cross country, the Wildcats sent three runners to the state meet and had their first state medalist since 2006 when freshman Trinity Moore finished 19th overall, as she, Wyatt Reece and Tim Smith competed at the Wamego meet. Moore was also the school’s first female runner to earn a state medal.
• Freshman golfer Calvin Dillon became the Wildcats’ first state medalist in several years as he finished 10th at the Class 4A state tournament and was one of two Wildcats, along with Ty Martin, to qualify for state. Dillon could quite possibly be the first freshman golfer in school history to get a medal, but since golf stats aren’t quite as well kept, it is hard to tell for sure.
• T.J. Dover and Isabelle Holtzen came through with state medals of their own following the state track meet. Holtzen finished seventh at the Class 4A meet in the pole vault and Dover was eighth in the discus as both medaled for the first time. Holtzen also broke the school record in the pole vault earlier in the season after she cleared 11 feet, 1 inch.
• The girls basketball and softball teams both had big improvements from a season ago as they each reached 10 wins despite falling in the first round of their sub-state and regional tournaments. Softball doubled their win total from 2016, while the girls basketball team improved by seven victories.
• The Louisburg volleyball team advanced to the sub-state championship game against rival Paola and was just a few points away from advancing to its fifth consecutive state tournament. The Lady Cats also finished the season with 23 victories.

Most schools across the state would love to have the kind of success Louisburg experienced this year and to me that doesn’t seem like it is talked about enough.

Sometimes we get caught up in losses or not meeting expectations, when in fact, compared to a lot of schools, Louisburg exceeds expectations – at least it does mine.

Could these programs be better? Sure they could and the coaches would be the first to tell you. At the same time, we all need to take a step back, look at the big picture and enjoy the success we have.

To me, Louisburg athletics is as healthy as it has been in a long time.

A lot has been made about all the coaches that have left recently. Louisburg will have four new head coaches this upcoming school year and several new assistants.

Some people have considered this a mass exodus due problems at the school. It couldn’t be further from the truth. A lot of it is just coincidence. For some it was retirement, others wanted to spend more time with family and a few more just wanted a change.

Former activities director Darin Gagenbin left to be closer to his family and work in the town where he lives. I know all about how great of an opportunity that is and it is the same thing I did almost 10 years ago when I moved here with my family. Working in the town you live in is something you can’t put a value on.

Louisburg found a great replacement in Jeremy Holloway, who has been with the district for 17 years and is invested in the community. The school has also brought it a lot of new, young coaches that have come in with excitement and new ideas.

It is bittersweet for me as a lot of those coaches I had a chance to get to know really well are now gone. Although I am mainly a solo operation, I consider a lot them my co-workers and it stinks to see them move on, but I also know they are doing the best for themselves and their families.

The same could be said for the class of 2017. The group of seniors I worked with this past year were great to get to know, just like all the senior classes before them.

I appreciated all their support and what I do could not be done without those kids. It is great to see them grow up and watch them become successful outside the classroom. I am not a teacher or coach, but still appreciate all they accomplish.

With 2016-17 in the rear view mirror, it will soon be time to focus on the upcoming season and I couldn’t be more excited to see what accomplishments this group of Wildcats have in store. It has all the makings of a fun and special year.