Seniors on the Louisburg High School football team huddle up one final time to hold the Class 4A Division I sectional runner-up plaque. The Wildcats overcame a lot of adversity and came together for a special season.

Thinking about what to write about following Friday’s playoff loss to Bishop Miege, I had several different options from which to choose.

There is ol’ “private schools have an unfair advantage” mantra and how hard it is for public schools to compete against them. All true – but don’t want to go there today.

Or what about how broken the classification system is in the Kansas State High School Activities Association? Again, very true. However, there is something else that deserves top billing.

Instead of griping how it is unfair for teams like Louisburg to have to compete against teams like Bishop Miege on the Class 4A level, it is important to recognize the Wildcat football team and all it has accomplished this season.

The Wildcats were faced with an uphill battle from the start of the season, and just like Friday in facing the best team in Class 4A, they took the challenge head on and didn’t back down.

Imagine being a player on the football team. You worked hard all summer, put in the time to get better and you realize this season has a chance to be something special. A group of 16 seniors and coaches did everything they could to put the team in the right spot to succeed.

Then a week before the season, head coach Kyle Littrell resigned his post and the Wildcats were left wondering who their leader was going to be. It was a difficult situation for everyone.

However, the players didn’t sulk about it. They weren’t going to let it affect their season and they got some help along the way.

Former head coach, and current assistant, Gary Griffin and assistant Jeff Lohse took on the head coaching responsibilities. Robert Ebenstein watched over the special teams, while coaches Jason Spradling, Joel McGhee and Zach Livingston all filled in where they were needed.

Those guys took the players under their wing and kept them focused on the task at hand and it was a difficult one – one that featured a tough schedule and lots of distractions.

All the Wildcats did was win five straight games to start the season and crept their way into the state rankings. They could have let a close road loss to Spring Hill, or a district playoff loss to Ottawa get them down – but they didn’t.

The players bounced back in each instance and were stronger for it. Following the Ottawa loss, the Wildcats were faced with a must-win situation in the final game of the season on the road at rival Paola – a team they haven’t beaten since 2010.

It was an important game in more ways than one. The Paola game was one the Wildcats had circled since before the season started and it was a contest Littrell wanted his players to get.

Even though he wasn’t pacing on the sideline, the players still heeded Littrell’s words and went out and downed the Panthers 35-7. The Wildcats also secured a playoff berth at the same time.

Following the game, all the senior players tracked down Littrell to get a picture with their former coach and made he sure got to enjoy the victory, a win that had been a long time coming.

Louisburg wasn’t done celebrating, though.

The next week, the Wildcats ventured to Independence for the regional playoffs and earned a 20-0 shutout to get their first playoff win since 2012. It was an amazing night for these group of players as they reveled in what it felt like to get a victory in the playoffs.

They also made sure their former coach got to touch the regional championship plaque as the entire team ran to the opposite end of the field to track down Littrell and they all celebrated around him.

You see, this team has been a family since day one. They have stuck by each other through the good times and bad, and they wanted to achieve that ultimate prize.

To get there, the Wildcats knew they would have to conquer the highest mountain of all in defending state champion Bishop Miege. Louisburg was unable to reach the top, and to be honest, no other team in Class 4A will get close – the Stags are just that much better than everyone else.

When Friday’s game was done, the 16 Louisburg seniors had to contemplate life without football. No more Friday night lights, no more pregame meals, film sessions are done and grueling practices are only a memory.

Despite the loss, these players should not hang their heads. They should be proud of what they accomplished and look forward to what is ahead – whatever it may be.

All that stuff seems cliché, I know. But it’s true.

It is a team that made a community proud in some of the most difficult circumstances. They showed tremendous character, worked hard and never backed down.

In the end, that is all you can ask.

Louisburg senior quarterback Grant Harding tries to find some running room as teammate Korbin Hankinson (31) looks to make a block Friday during the Class 4A Division I sectional game in Louisburg.

The Louisburg High School football team walked off the field at Wildcat Stadium and the disappointment was evident.

Louisburg saw its season come to an end with a 49-6 loss to No. 1 Bishop Miege on Friday in the sectional round of the Class 4A-Division I playoffs. Going into the contest, the Wildcats knew it was going to be difficult to knock the defending state champion Stags off their perch.

Still, the Wildcats were right with Bishop Miege toward the end of the first half as they nearly made it a one score game going into halftime. Louisburg just couldn’t slow down Miege’s high-powered offense in the second half.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said of his team. “We fought our butts off and we didn’t quit. Miege is just a really good team.”

The Wildcats (8-3) cast some doubt in the outcome late in the second quarter as quarterback Grant Harding found Korbin Hankinson for a 28-yard pass that gave them the ball on the Miege 5-yard line with 5 seconds left before half, down 22-6.

Harding tried to run it in on the next play, but the Stag defense corralled him for just a yard gain.

“Maybe if we get that touchdown in before halftime, we get a little momentum there,” Griffin said. “They can just score from anywhere on the field at any time. You try to prevent them from throwing, you give up runs or if you try and stop the run you give up big passes. They are about as well-rounded as it gets.”

Louisburg opened the game with a strong first drive as it converted three first downs down to the Miege 33-yard line, before turning the ball over on downs. The Stags scored a minute later when quarterback Carter Putz threw the first of his four touchdown passes for a 5-yard completion to Jafar Armstrong, then converted the 2-point conversion.

The Wildcat defense kept it 8-0 into the second quarter when they forced a Miege fumble on the goal line that was recovered by Thomas San Agustin.

Senior lineman T.J. Dover tries to bring down a Bishop Miege running back Friday at Wildcat Stadium.

Bishop Miege held the Wildcats on their next possession and responded with two touchdown drives that put the Stags up 22-0. Miege’s defense also came up big as Landry Weber intercepted Harding twice in the first half to stall Wildcat drives.

Late in the second quarter, Louisburg got a 25-yard run from Harding and a 16-yard run from San Agustin that set up a 7-yard touchdown run from Harding to make it 22-6 after a failed 2-point conversion.

Louisburg’s defense responded again as Desmond Doles sacked Putz to force a Miege punt and gave the Wildcats the ball near midfield with 57 seconds left. Harding’s long pass to Hankinson gave the Wildcats some life, but couldn’t get the score before time ran out.

“We played hard,” Griffin said. “We threw a couple picks in the first half, including one where they scored a couple plays later. I wish we had that back, but you have to take some chances. You can’t just let them run over you. They kids really played hard in the first half and I thought they played hard the whole game. Miege is just so explosive and tough to defend.”

It was all Miege in the second half as they responded with four touchdowns, including one in which it scored 90 seconds into the third quarter.

The Wildcats were able to move the ball at times on the Stags as they gained 330 yards of offense and Harding led the way with 112 yards on the ground to go along with his touchdown.

After it was over, it was all about reflection for the Wildcat players and coaches. It was a successful season for Louisburg as it snapped a playoff drought and racked up eight wins for the first time since 2012.

The Wildcats also said a final farewell to their senior class of Lyndon Smith, Connor Green, Grant Harding, Thomas San Agustin, Jake Hill, Korbin Hankinson, Jackson Ewalt, Nick Hull, Ben Hupp, Owen Staver, Dalton Frazier, Mason Koechner, Matt Rison, Dustyn Rizzo, T.J. Dover and Tommy Dalton.

“It is a great group of kids to work with,” Griffin said. “The senior leadership was excellent. We had our ups and downs, but we played some good football. We held our own and competed hard.”

LOU               0          6          0          0 – 6

BM                  8          14        13        14 – 49

First quarter:

B: Jafar Armstrong 5 pass from Carter Putz (Putz pass)

Second quarter

B: Cameron Clark 7 run (kick good)

B: Landry Weber 7 pass from Putz (kick good)

L: Grant Harding 7 run (pass failed)

Third quarter

B: Brison Cobbins 5 run (2 pt failed)

B: Armstrong 34 pass from Putz (kick good)

Fourth quarter

B: Weber 66 pass from Putz (kick good)

B: Clark 40 run (kick good)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Grant Harding 13-112; Thomas San Agustin 15-58; Austin Moore 9-46; Will Ridley 8-29; Korbin Hankinson 9-28, Jake Hill 7-10.

PASSING – Grant Harding 4-13 47

RECEIVING – Korbin Hankinson 1-28; Dalton Ribordy 1-12; Jake Hill 1-7

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Connor Green 2; Austin Moore 2; Desmond Doles 2; Grant Harding 1; Thomas San Agustin 1; Jake Hill 1; Korbin Hankinson 1; Nick Hull 1; Ben Hupp 1; Dustyn Rizzo 1; T.J. Dover 1.

FUMBLE RECOVERY – Thomas San Agustin

Running back Austin Moore gets a handoff from quarterback Grant Harding and waits to get blocks from teammates Jake Hill (24) and Thomas San Agustin (12) last week in Independence. The Wildcats will host Bishop Miege tonight in the Class 4A Division I sectional round of the state playoffs.

On paper, tonight’s game with Bishop Miege might seem like a daunting task – but the Louisburg football team isn’t looking at it that way.

Sure, the Stags are the No. 1 team in Class 4A-Division I and are considered one of the best teams in the state. They have rolled through the district and regional playoffs, and despite the odds, the Wildcats are excited for the matchup.

“We are looking forward to it,” Louisburg senior Korbin Hankinson said. “They are a tough team and everyone knows they are going to come in ready to go. We will see what happens and we have to come ready to play.”

The Wildcats will host Bishop Miege at 7 p.m., tonight at Wildcat Stadium in the sectional round of the Class 4A Division I state playoffs. Louisburg has turned in its best season in four years as it won its first playoff game since 2012 last week in a 20-0 victory over Independence.

The Stags will be a handful for Louisburg as the Wildcats will try and contain their high-powered offense. Miege quarterback Carter Putz, who has committed to play baseball at Notre Dame, has thrown for more than 2,000 yards on the season and close to 40 touchdowns.

Many of those scores have been to receivers Jafar Armstrong, a Missouri commitment, and Landry Weber. The two Stag receivers each have more than 900 yards receiving on the season and both have 15 touchdowns.

Miege (9-1) also features a freshman running back in Brison Collins, who has more than 600 yards on the ground and has seven touchdowns.

Throughout the playoffs, Miege has outscored its four opponents 222-19, including three shutouts.

“They are very explosive on offense,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said. “We need to try to limit those big plays and make them drive the ball. It is great to play at home and we have done well there this year, outside of one game. We need to play our best game and hope for some breaks.”

Linebacker Nick Hull holds an Independence running back by the jersey as lineman Mason Koechner looks to clean up the play during a game last week in Independence.

For the Wildcats offensively, they will try and do their part to keep the Miege offense off the field. Louisburg hopes to put together some long drives and limit the Stags’ chances at the endzone.

The Wildcats (8-2) are hoping to get a push from their offensive line of Dalton Frazier, Mason Koechner, T.J. Dover, Dustyn Rizzo and Garrett Lowry, and have their four running backs – Thomas San Agustin, Austin Moore, Jake Hill and Korbin Hankinson – chip away at the Stag defense.

Louisburg also hopes to get some big plays from quarterback Grant Harding, who has connected with Hankinson on several big pass plays this season.

“Miege is solid everywhere,” Griffin said. “We are hoping that our power game is something that they have not seen a lot of this year. We have more size then they do on their defensive line so we are hoping that we can move them around a little bit, and try to move the chains. We are going to have to make some explosive plays on offense or on special teams and hopefully create some turnovers.”

The Louisburg Wildcat seniors raise the regional championship trophy following the Wildcats’ 20-0 victory over Independence on Friday in Independence. The Wildcats captured their first playoff win since 2012.

INDEPENDENCE – It had been four years since the Louisburg High School football team brought home any kind of plaque.

Playoff wins have been hard to come by for Louisburg as it hasn’t won a postseason game since 2012. The Wildcats ended that streak Friday and did it in convincing fashion.

Louisburg shutout Independence 20-0 in Independence to finish as regional champions and the Wildcat players walked off the bus with that all-important plaque to put into the trophy case.

“It means everything to us, especially since we haven’t had one in the four years that I have been here,” Louisburg’s Korbin Hankinson said. “I am a senior, so this was our last time to do it and it is nice to have something in the school that we can always come back and look at and say we did that.”

The Wildcats (8-2) were able to do enough offensively to get the victory, but it was the defense that led the way. Louisburg played with a bend-but-don’t-break attitude as it intercepted two Independence passes.

Louisburg forced the Bulldogs to turn the ball over on downs three different times and also stopped a fake punt try to start the second half.

Louisburg seniors Dustyn Rizzo (left) and Ben Hupp pressure the Independence quarterback Friday during the Class 4A Division I regional playoff game.

It started up front with the defensive line comprised of seniors T.J. Dover, Matt Rison, Dustyn Rizzo, Ben Hupp and Mason Koechner, along with juniors Dalton Ribordy and Garrett Lowry, as they controlled the line of scrimmage and shut down the Bulldog rushing attack.

“This time of year, I think your defense can win you some ballgames and I thought our defense played as good as it has all year,” Louisburg co-head coach Jeff Lohse said. “Our front four did an outstanding job, and after we made a few changes, we were right there to make plays in the passing game. It was a heck of an effort by them.

“We rely a lot on our front four. We like to take the run game away from teams and make them one-dimensional and that has worked for us.”

The Louisburg front four were able to funnel the Independence running backs to the linebackers and the Wildcats were there to clean it up. Senior linebackers Thomas San Agustin and Nick Hull, along with sophomore Austin Moore, each finished the game with a team-high 11 tackles, while Hankinson and Connor Green each had an interception.

Louisburg picked the perfect time for its defense to come through with a big game as the Wildcat offense struggled to move the ball at times. Independence actually outgained Louisburg 305 to 201 in total offense and the Bulldog defense caused a lot of confusion.

Senior Connor Green goes up for the interception in the second half of Friday’s playoff game.

“It was hard to move the ball because you never know when they were going to blitz, and when they did, they did it hard,” Louisburg quarterback Grant Harding said. “The stunted almost everything so it was hard to pick them all up.”

The Wildcats were able to score in the first quarter when Hankinson dove for the pylon to finish off a 9-yard touchdown run to put Louisburg up 7-0.

Harding was able to come up with a big play when the Wildcats needed it most right before halftime. A Hankinson interception in the redzone prevented an Independence score late in the second quarter, then Harding connected with Hankinson on a 61-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to make it a two-score game.

“Grant is an excellent quarterback,” Hankinson said. “I have to give it all to him. If he can’t throw a good ball then I can’t catch it. Going into half, you always want to have that momentum so I knew it was going to be a big play. I just wanted to make sure I caught it and make it to the endzone.”

Harding and the Wildcat coaches saw something in the Independence defense that gave them the opportunity to try for the score.

“It was huge,” Harding said of the score. “We ran the same play twice. The first time we tried to hit the tight end across the middle, then we came back and I knew Korbin would be open so we ran it again and I just threw it up and let him catch it.”

Co-head coach Jeff Lohse signals for a touchdown following Grant Harding’s 61-yard pass to Korbin Hankinson.

Louisburg’s special teams rose to the occasion in the second half as it sniffed out an Independence fake punt to start the third quarter and the Wildcat defense took care of the rest.

Green intercepted a Bulldog pass late in the fourth quarter, which eventually led to the Wildcats’ final score of the game – a 3-yard touchdown from San Agustin with 43 seconds left.

“We got the monkey off our back,” Lohse said. “For these seniors, this is the first time they have won a playoff game and were able to bring a plaque home, so they are pretty excited.”

The Louisburg football team poses for a picture with their regional championship trophy.

So, what is the Wildcats’ reward for finally snapping that playoff drought? A date with quite possibly the best football team in the entire state of Kansas.

Louisburg will host the top team in Class 4A Division I – Bishop Miege – at 7 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium. The Stags have rolled through the district and regional playoffs, winning their four games by a combined score of 222-19.

Miege’s lone loss of the season came in its season opener against one of the top teams in Class 6A – Blue Valley.

“Everyone knows what we are going to get,” Lohse said. “They are probably the best team in the state at any level. I would put them and Blue Valley up there with anyone right now. This time of year you never know what could happen. We will show up on Friday night, we will play our tails off and whatever happens, happens.”

LOU                7          6          0          7 – 20

IND                 0          0          0          0 – 0

First quarter

L: Korbin Hankinson 9 run (Nick Hull kick)

Second quarter

L: Hankinson 61 pass from Grant Harding (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

L: Thomas San Agustin 3 run (Hull kick)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Korbin Hankinson 11-42; Grant Harding 9-42; Thomas San Agustin 9-32; Jake Hill 4-14; Austin Moore 3-10

PASSING – Grant Harding 1-7-61

RECEIVING – Korbin Hankinson 1-61

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Thomas San Agustin 11; Nick Hull 11; Austin Moore 11; Mason Koechner 7; Dustyn Rizzo 6; Grant Harding 5; Connor Green 4; Korbin Hankinson 4; Jake Hill 3; Matt Rison 3; Kiefer Tucker 3; T.J. Dover 3; Dalton Ribordy 3; Lyndon Smith 1; Blue Caplinger 1; Will Ridley 1; Owen Staver 1.

INTERCEPTIONS – Korbin Hankinson 1, Connor Green 1

Louisburg senior Korbin Hankinson looks for a few extra yards against Paola last week. The Wildcats travel to Independence tonight for their regional playoff game.

As exciting as it was for the Louisburg football team to beat its rival in blowout fashion last week, the Wildcats didn’t get a lot of time to celebrate.

The Wildcats’ focus went directly to the state playoffs and their first opponent – Independence. Louisburg will travel to Independence tonight for the 7 p.m. kickoff in the Class 4A Division I regional round.

Louisburg (7-2) faces an Independence (8-1) team that has just one loss on the season and the Wildcats know they will have a challenge from the team in Southeast Kansas.

“We have had a very good week of practice leading up this game,” Louisburg co-head coach Jeff Lohse said. “Our team is excited for the challenge ahead of us. We need to grind out first downs on offense and keep them from having big plays when we are on defense. As always, we want to take care of the football and limit our penalties.”

The two teams don’t have many common opponents as the Bulldogs have beaten Caney Valley, Fort Scott, Parsons, Anderson County, El Dorado, Labette County, Field Kindley and Chanute by a combined score of 263-135. Independence’s lone defeat came in September in a 46-6 loss to Basehor-Linwood.

Fort Scott is the lone common opponent between the two. Independence defeated the Tigers 14-11 in the second week of the season, while Louisburg downed Fort Scott 35-6 in district play.

The Wildcats have earned their second consecutive trip to the state playoffs, but they are looking for their first win since 2012.

Louisburg has seen several types of offenses throughout the Frontier League and the Wildcats might see a mixture of those tonight. Independence is a threat to both run and throw the ball, and the Wildcat defense, which holds teams to an average of 13 points per game, will have to be on their toes to prevent big plays.

“Indy has a pretty balanced offense,” Lohse said. “Their quarterback throws the ball well and their running backs run hard.  They have some big boys up front on their offensive line who can move.  We are going to have to play disciplined and fast on defense.”

However, the Wildcats haven’t seen what the Bulldogs bring on the defensive side of the ball. Independence likes to stunt its two inside linebackers, which could cause confusion for the offensive line, but according to Lohse they have been preparing for the different look all week.

“This can create a problem if you aren’t prepared for it,” he said. “We haven’t seen too much like this in the Frontier League, but have been working real hard in practice trying to simulate the different looks we might see tonight.”

If the Wildcats survive their test this evening, they will continue to the sectional round of the playoffs and will play the winner between Bishop Miege and Piper at 7 p.m. next Friday.

Louisburg sophomore Austin Moore gets a block from his offensive line and breaks free for a long gain Friday in Paola. Moore rushed for 122 yards and four touchdowns in the 35-7 over Paola.

PAOLA – It had been five years since the Louisburg football team walked off the field and had anything to celebrate following a game with Paola.

The last five meetings with the Panthers, the Wildcats found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard. All that came to an end on Friday.

Louisburg had a lot to celebrate as it rolled Paola 35-7 at Panther Stadium in Paola. Not only did the Wildcats snap the losing streak to the Panthers, but they also earned a spot in the Class 4A, Division I playoffs.

After a loss to Ottawa the week before, the Wildcats had to win Friday to keep their season alive and they didn’t leave much doubt from the opening kickoff.

“You beat Paola and make the playoffs in the same night – that is really big,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said. “These kids don’t want to be done. They have more football in them and they are good bunch of kids. The coaches really like being around them.”

Although the Wildcats had to win to get into the playoffs, the contest with Paola was considered a must-win before the season started. Former head coach Kyle Littrell stressed the importance of this game to his players throughout the summer and in practice.

Then when Littrell resigned his post shortly prior to the season, his players wanted to make sure they honored him on the field.

“It feels awesome,” senior lineman Mason Koechner said of the win. “Coach Littrell told us before the season started that even if we didn’t win a single game all year that he wanted us to win this game. I think we went out there and played the best game we could and we did it for him.”

Quarterback Grant Harding waits for a block from teammate Jake Hill to get a few extra yards Friday in Paola.

Louisburg had it going in all phases of the game. The Wildcats racked up 429 yards of total offense and had five rushing touchdowns.

The Wildcat defense also held Paola to 227 yards, had two interceptions and had a shutout going until the final two minutes of the contest. Louisburg also converted on all five of its extra points from Nick Hull on special teams.

“This win feels really good for a lot of reasons,” Griffin said. “That is the best game we have played for four quarters – offensively, defensively and on special teams. We stiffened and made some plays on the goal line and picked off a couple passes. That is what we have been waiting for this team to do this year. Offensively we were pretty efficient as well.”

On a team dominated by seniors, it was sophomore Austin Moore who came through with the biggest performance of the night. Moore carried the ball 15 times for 122 yards and had four touchdowns.

Moore was also all over the field defensively as he led the Wildcats with eight tackles, including two for a loss and had an interception.

“Austin is a gamer,” Griffin said. “He knows he didn’t play very good against Ottawa and he wanted to come out and atone for it. You have to give those touchdowns to the offensive line. They opened some holes for him; he is a hard runner and he made some plays.”

Seniors Dustyn Rizzo (left) and Mason Koechner team up for a tackle.

The offensive line of Koechner, Dustyn Rizzo, Dalton Frazier, T.J. Dover and Garrett Lowry paved the way for 283 yards on the ground and gave quarterback Grant Harding a lot of time to make some big pass plays down the field.

“The offensive line just made some really big holes, I read the blocks and it was all thanks to them,” Moore said. “I am thankful that I get another week with these seniors. I really enjoy playing with them all and happy that we can keep it going.”

Louisburg (7-2 overall, 2-1 district) made a statement early as the Wildcats drove down the field on the game’s first possession for a touchdown. The Wildcats faced a fourth-down-and-1 near midifield, they went for it and Moore broke free for a 29-yard run that set up a 4-yard touchdown run from Thomas San Agustin.

Right before the end of the first quarter, Harding found Korbin Hankinson for a 65-yard pass that put Louisburg inside the 10-yard line. Moore then scored on a 4-yard touchdown to put Louisburg up 14-0.

Paola took its next possession down the field to try and answer. The Panthers faced a fourth down on the Louisburg 14-yard line, but Moore intercepted the Paola pass to stall the drive.

Moore then responded with a 43-yard run, Harding scrambled for 21 yards and eventually Moore scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to put Louisburg up 21-0 right before halftime.

Harding was a big part of the offense for the Wildcats as he tallied 146 yards through the air and 79 yards on the ground. Hankinson was other end of some of those passes as he caught five balls for 108 yards.

“It is awesome,” Koechner said of the win. “We knew we were one and done and that we had to win this game. We had the best week of practice that we had all year. We were focused and came out and did it.”

The Panthers used a little trickery to try and get back in the game to start the second half as they went for a fake punt near midfield and converted. Then as Paola looked toward the endzone with a long pass, Hankinson intercepted it to thwart another Panther drive.

Louisburg scored late in the third as Moore scored on a 4-yard run and then scored again on a 6-yard scamper to the endzone to put the Wildcats up 35-0 midway through the fourth quarter.

Now the Wildcats will focus their sights on the playoffs as they hit the road to face Independence at 7 p.m. Friday. Should the Wildcats advance, they will meet the winner between Bishop Miege and Piper.

“If we improve as much next week as we did this week, then we will play a few games,” Griffin said. “We just have to take them one game at a time.”

LOU    7          14        7          7 – 35

PAO    0          0          0          7 – 7

First quarter

L: Thomas San Agustin 4 run (Nick Hull kick)

Second quarter

L: Austin Moore 4 run (Hull kick)

L: Moore 3 run (Hull kick)

Third quarter

L: Moore 4 run (Hull kick)

Fourth quarter

L: Moore 6 run (Hull kick)

P: Donovan Sutti 10 pass from Bryce Huber (kick good)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Austin Moore 15-122; Grant Harding 9-79; Thomas San Agustin 10-54; Jake Hill 4-16; Korbin Hankinson 2-8; Will Ridley 2-2; Owen Staver 1-2.

PASSING – Grant Harding 7-11-146

RECEIVING – Korbin Hankinson 5-108, Thomas San Agustin 2-38

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Austin Moore 8, Mason Koechner 6, Matt Rison 5, Thomas San Agustin 4, Dustyn Rizzo 4, Lyndon Smith 3, Connor Green 3, Jake Hill 3, T.J. Dover 3, Grant Harding 2, Nick Hull 2, Ben Hupp 2, Kiefer Tucker 2, Dalton Ribordy 2, Brayden Gage 1, Korbin Hankinson 1, Tommy Dalton 1.

SACKS – Matt Rison 1

INTERCEPTIONS – Austin Moore, Korbin Hankinson

Louisburg senior Grant Harding tries to knock down a pass in front of Ottawa’s Cooper Diel last Friday in Louisburg. The Wildcats lost their district game against Ottawa, 48-28 and will try to earn a spot into the playoffs this Friday against Paola.

Halloween was still more than a week away, but big plays haunted the Louisburg football team Friday in its final regular season home contest.

Ottawa came into Louisburg on Friday and scored seven touchdowns of 40 yards or more and left with a 48-28 district win and spoiled senior night for the Wildcats. The Cyclones scored three unanswered touchdowns to start the game and forced the Wildcats to play from behind early.

Louisburg didn’t help itself with penalties and the Wildcats also turned the ball over four times as they suffered their second loss of the season. Any more losses and their season is over as the Wildcats will travel to Paola this Friday for the final district game of the season, with the winner grabbing a playoff spot.

“There is a lot riding on it now,” Louisburg co-head coach Jeff Lohse said of the game. “It is an even bigger game than it was before and Paola is always a big game. We are going to have a great week of practice and I think our kids are going to bounce back.”

In a game that featured a combined 76 points, Friday’s contest actually started slow for both teams. Louisburg threw an interception on its first possession, the Wildcat defense then forced Ottawa to punt on a three-and-out, before turning the ball over on downs themselves in the redzone.

Ottawa then found a hole in the Wildcat defense as running back Devion Bethea scooted toward the endzone on a 42-yard run to take an early lead. The Cyclones expanded their lead in the second quarter on a 74-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Isaac McCullough and a 79-yard run from Bethea to go up by three touchdowns.

Junior Garrett Lowry brings down Ottawa’s Devion Bethea during Friday’s game in Louisburg.

Louisburg (6-2 overall, 1-1 district) finally got on the board late in the first half when Thomas San Agustin scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 2-yard run to cut the lead to 21-7 at halftime.

Going into the second half the Wildcats were still in the game, but it took just a few seconds to change all that. Ottawa’s Perry Carroll fielded the opening kickoff off a bounce and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.

“We knew their offense was going to be really good and their quarterback (McCullough) is a really good player,” Lohse said. “Big plays just killed us. The kickoff return right after halftime was a huge play in the game.”

The Wildcats marched down the field later in the quarter and scored on a 1-yard run from San Agustin to cut the Ottawa lead to two touchdowns.

Two minutes later, Ottawa answered again and this time it was on the arm of McCullough who found Cooper Diel for a 51-yard score and all but put the game out of reach for Louisburg.

Louisburg didn’t stop fighting as it used a little trickery to try and get back in it. San Agustin hit Desmond Doles for a 37-yard halfback pass that set up a 3-yard touchdown run for San Agustin.

McCullough threw his third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter and Diel intercepted a Wildcat pass and returned it for another score to seal it for the Cyclones. Louisburg running back Austin Moore tacked on a 13-yard touchdown run for the Wildcats’ final score late in the game.

“Even though we were down early, it didn’t change a whole lot of what we were trying to do,” Lohse said. “We knew we’re still in it for a while, but we hurt ourselves. We hurt ourselves with penalties and we turned it over a couple times. We can’t do that against good teams.”

The Wildcats were able to move the ball against the Cyclones as they racked up 412 total yards of offense, including 305 yards on the ground. Quarterback Grant Harding led the Wildcats with 123 yards rushing and San Agustin added 81 yards on 15 carries.

The final game of district play is now on tap for Louisburg as it tries to forget about this game and prepare for rival Paola. A win against the Panthers would give Louisburg a spot in the Class 4A state playoffs for the second straight season.

“We are a pretty resilient team,” Lohse said. “If we win our next game we are in and that is what we have to focus on.”

OTT    7          14        13        14 – 48

LOU    0          7          13        8 – 28

First quarter

O: Devion Bethea 42 run (kick good)

Second quarter

O: Blaine Ray 74 pass from Isaac McCullough (kick good)

O: Bethea 79 run (kick good)

L: Thomas San Agustin 2 run (Nick Hull kick)

Third quarter

O: Perry Carroll 90 kickoff return (kick failed)

L: San Agustin 1 run (Hull kick)

O: Cooper Diel 51 pass from McCullough (kick good)

L: San Agustin 3 run (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

O: Ray 30 pass from McCullough (kick failed)

O: Diel 30 interception return (McCullough run)

L: Austin Moore 13 run (Moore run)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Grant Harding 15-123, Thomas San Agustin 15-81, Jake Hill 9-34, Austin Moore 7-34, Korbin Hankinson 7-33

PASSING – Grant Harding 9-25-70; Thomas San Agustin 1-1-37

RECEIVING – Desmond Doles 3-58, Thomas San Agustin 4-26, Korbin Hankinson 3-23

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Austin Moore 6, Mason Koechner 6, Jake Hill 5, T.J. Dover 5, Dustyn Rizzo 4, Thomas San Agustin 3, Nick Hull 3, Garrett Lowry 3, Matt Rison 2, Lyndon Smith 1, Connor Green 1, Grant Harding 1, Ben Hupp 1, Kiefer Tucker 1.

FOOTBALL, CHEER AND CROSS COUNTRY SENIOR NIGHT

PHOTO GALLERY

Louisburg senior T.J. Dover stops a Fort Scott running back behind the line of scrimmage Friday during the Wildcats’ district opener against the Tigers at Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats defeated Fort Scott 35-6.

Louisburg wanted to make a statement following its one-point loss in its last game, and unfortunately for Fort Scott, the Tigers were next on the Wildcats’ schedule.

The Wildcats began district play against Fort Scott on Friday at Wildcat Stadium and took their aggression out on the Tigers as they rolled to a 35-6 victory. Louisburg scored 28 unanswered points in in the first half as it took control of the game from the opening kickoff.

The win allowed Louisburg to quickly forget its first loss of the season the week before against Spring Hill where the Wildcats fell in the final seconds. One more win and the Wildcats would more than likely secure a spot in the state playoffs.

“It was really big,” senior T.J. Dover said of the win. “We were preaching all week that we couldn’t let Spring Hill beat us twice and I thought we came out in the first half and showed what we can do. I think we came out and made a statement and it was fun. It was good that everyone played well together and it is time to build off of it.”

Dover was a part of an offensive line that included Dalton Frazier, Garrett Lowry, Dustyn Rizzo and Mason Koechner, which paved the way for the Wildcats’ 435 yards of total offense. Along with tight ends Ben Hupp and Dalton Ribordy, Louisburg opened up several holes in its running game as the Wildcat tallied 304 yards on the ground.

Korbin Hankinson hauls in a touchdown pass from Grant Harding on Friday in the Wildcats’ district opener with Fort Scott.

Senior running back Thomas San Agustin took advantage of the blocking as he tallied 109 yards rushing on just 10 carries to go along with two touchdowns. Sophomore Austin Moore also had 15 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats (6-1 overall, 1-0 district) were also dangerous through the air as senior quarterback Grant Harding threw for 135 yards, and 112 of those yards went to senior Korbin Hankinson.

Louisburg made a statement early on the game’s opening drive. The Wildcats drove the field in nine plays that ended on a 3-yard touchdown run from Harding. Louisburg’s first play from scrimmage was a 23-yard run from San Agustin.

“There were holes there to run through and the backs did a good job running through them,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said. “I thought Grant threw the ball pretty decent in the first half and we were able to make some big plays in the passing game. That helps with the running game. We started the game really physical and we got a nice crack block on a sweep on our first drive and that set the tone. That was a nice first drive for us.”

Late in the first half, the Wildcats got their passing attack going as Harding hit Hankinson for a 37-yard pass, which eventually resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run from Moore. Harding ran in the 2-point conversion to put Louisburg up 14-0 going into the second quarter.

Louisburg’s defense came through next as Fort Scott turned the ball over on downs in the redzone. Then the Harding-Hankinson combo struck again and this time it was for six points.

Following a 30-yard run from Jake Hill, Harding hit Hankinson in stride for a 68-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats a three-score lead.

On Fort Scott’s next possession, Dover forced a fumble and Moore recovered to give the Louisburg offense one last chance in the first half. The Wildcats took full advantage as San Agustin scored on a 19-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left in the quarter.

“I think the first half was the best we have played offensively,” Griffin said. “We made some big plays in the passing game and we were consistently able to run the football. I was happy with the way our kids bounced back. We had a good week of practice and I thought we showed it. We were a lot more physical.”

Fort Scott responded in the second half with a 13-play drive that took seven minutes off the clock and scored a touchdown to cut the Wildcat lead to 28-6.

It took less than a minute for the Wildcats to answer.

Austin Moore (21) leads a host of Wildcats tacklers as they bring down a Fort Scott player Friday in Louisburg

San Agustin went 75 yards in just two plays. He took the kickoff 40 yards and then scored on a 35-yard touchdown run on the first play of the drive to put the Wildcats up 35-6 and sealed the win.

“It was real nice to see us bounce back there,” Griffin said. “That is a part of growing up too. I think that kind of demoralized them a little bit. They were able to get a little momentum, but then we were able to get a nice kickoff return and we scored on the very next play. We have done that a few times this year and it was big for us to answer.”

The Wildcats got a good performance from their defense as Hill led Louisburg with nine tackles on the night and Moore was right behind him with eight. Louisburg was able to limit Fort Scott to 181 yards of total offense with three injured cornerbacks, but reserves Desmond Doles and Brayden Gage filled in well.

Louisburg will need to get healthier this Friday when it hosts Ottawa on senior night. The Cyclones defeated Paola 38-7 in their opener.

“We just have to get better,” Griffin said. “We have struggled with spread teams this year and Ottawa is going to spread you out. They will just pick you apart so we are going to have to get to work at practice. We are going to have to get some kids healthy. Our top three corners are banged up and didn’t play much. I thought Desmond and Brayden played well for being first time starters.”

FS                    0          0          6          0 – 6

LOU               14        14        7          0 – 35

First quarter

L: Grant Harding 3 run (kick failed)

L: Austin Moore 3 run (Harding run)

Second quarter

L: Korbin Hankinson 68 pass from Harding (kick failed)

L: Thomas San Agustin 19 run (Dalton Ribordy from Harding)

Third quarter

F: Brady Tourtillott 13 pass from Jesse Jones (kick failed)

L: San Agustin 35 run (Nick Hull kick)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Thomas San Agustin 10-109; Austin Moore 15-92; Jake Hill 4-39; Will Ridley 5-34; Grant Harding 4-25; Owen Staver 1-5; Blue Caplinger 1-3.

PASSING – Grant Harding 4-16-131

RECEIVING – Korbin Hankinson 3-112; Thomas San Agustin 1-19

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Jake Hill 9, Austin Moore 8, Mason Koechner 5, Nick Hull 4, Will Ridley 2, Dustyn Rizzo 2, T.J. Dover 2, Desmond Doles 2, Grant Harding 1, Thomas San Agustin 1, Kiefer Tucker 1.

FORCED FUMBLE – T.J. Dover

FUMBLE RECOVERY – Austin Moore

Louisburg senior Mason Koechner (53) and Nick Hull bring down a Spring Hill player during Friday’s contest in Spring Hill. Koechner led Louisburg with 11 tackles in the Wildcats’ 28-27 loss.

SPRING HILL – As the clock hit zero, and the Spring Hill players ran onto the field to celebrate, the feeling of disgust and disappointment started to invade members of the Louisburg High School football team.

The Wildcats entered Friday’s contest in Spring Hill with a perfect record and a No. 4 ranking in the state. Both of those things are gone now.

Louisburg fell in a heartbreaking 28-27 defeat to the Broncos despite a dramatic ending that had everyone in the stadium on their feet.

“It was definitely a tough loss,” Louisburg co-head coach Jeff Lohse said. “We knew coming in that Spring Hill was a good team and they were going to be ready for the challenge. The guys took this one very hard.  There are a lot of things we need to get better at going into district play.”

The Wildcats (5-1) trailed by seven points with three minutes left in the contest after Spring Hill broke the tie with a touchdown. Louisburg drove down the field, made a couple big plays and quarterback Grant Harding hit Korbin Hankinson on a screen pass and Hankinson dove for the pylon for the score with one second remaining.

Korbin Hankinson dives for the pylon for a touchdown Friday in Spring Hill. Hankinson scored on the play to cut the Spring Hill lead to one.

Instead of trying to send the game to overtime with an extra point, the Wildcats decided to go for two points and the win. Harding hit Hankinson on a quick pass, but he was unable to get past the line of scrimmage as the Spring Hill defense made the stop.

“The decision to go for two at the end was a no-brainer at that point,” Lohse said. “We had the momentum and the guys all wanted to go for the win on the road.”

Mistakes haunted Louisburg through much of the game as penalties and a turnover took away some big plays. Some of those plays included a punt return for a touchdown and a fake punt for a first down that were called back due to penalties in the first half.

Louisburg also fumbled in the redzone in the fourth quarter, in which Spring Hill recovered and went on to score the go-ahead touchdown.

“We just couldn’t seem to get out of our own way at times,” Lohse said. “There were definitely some very big penalties that halted drives or touchdowns. Those little things come back to haunt you at the end of close ballgames.”

Still, despite those mistakes, the Wildcats came up with big plays when they needed them. Hankinson took a punt return to the Spring Hill 13-yard line and the Wildcats were able to score on an Austin Moore 3-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. The 2-point conversion failed and Louisburg still trailed by a point.

It didn’t stay that way for long as two possessions later, Harding hit Hankinson in stride for a 50-yard touchdown pass. Thomas San Agustin ran in the 2-point conversion to give Louisburg a 14-7 lead with a minute to go in the first half.

Instead of going into the locker room with a lead, Louisburg allowed two big pass plays from Spring Hill, including a 37-yard screen pass with 24 seconds left in the first half to tie the game.

Dustyn Rizzo brings down Spring Hill running back Ty Straw on Friday in Spring Hill.

Spring Hill quarterback Jacob Letellier, who had three touchdowns in the game, broke open a tie game with a 20-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to put Spring Hill up 21-14.

Louisburg answered right back when Harding found San Agustin for one of his three touchdown passes on the night. Harding hit San Agustin for a 36-yard score and a Nick Hull extra point tied the game.

Still, the Wildcats had a hard time holding the Spring Hill offense. After Louisburg turned the ball over in the redzone late in the fourth quarter, Spring Hill responded with a touchdown drive that ended on a 1-yard score with 3:08 left in the game.

Spring Hill amassed 355 yards of total offense and did damage on the ground and through the air.

“Spring Hill did a good job of converting on third down,” Lohse said. “We just couldn’t seem to get them off the field and get the ball back to our offense.”

Despite being down seven points, the Wildcat offense got in gear and drove 65 yards for a score themselves. San Agustin recorded a 16-yard run on the drive and Harding connected with Desmond Doles and Christian Tosterud on two big passes.

With six seconds remaining, Harding hit Hankinson for the 7-yard score to cut the Spring Hill lead to one.

“I thought we showed a ton of character driving down and scoring with under two seconds to play,” Lohse said. “Our guys are hurting and are ready to get back on the field as soon as possible. We have some great leadership on this team and I believe those seniors will push everyone a little bit harder this week knowing that there is a lot at stake these next three games.”

The next three games will determine whether the Wildcats make the playoffs as they enter what is a difficult district play. Louisburg will host Fort Scott (3-3) this Friday and will also face off with Ottawa (4-2) and rival Paola (3-3).

“We are in a very tough district,” Lohse said. “We have got to take things game by game and be more prepared and more focused than we have been up to this point. This loss will help bring things back into perspective for us. There are many uncharacteristic things that we keep doing, on both sides of the ball, that we will get fixed this week.”

LOU                 0          14        7          6 – 27

SH                   7          7          7          7 – 28

First quarter

S: Jacob Letellier 2 run (kick good)

Second quarter

L: Austin Moore 3 run (run failed)

L: Korbin Hankinson 50 pass from Grant Harding (Thomas San Agustin run)

S: Ty Straw 37 pass from Letellier (kick good)

Third quarter

S: Letellier 20 run (kick good)

L: San Agustin 36 pass from Harding (Nick Hull kick)

Fourth quarter

S: Straw 1 run (kick good)

L: Hankinson 7 pass from Harding (pass failed)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Grant Harding 11-63; Thomas San Agustin 8-46; Austin Moore 4-18; Jake Hill 4-13; Korbin Hankinson 12-minus 2

PASSING – Grant Harding 9-16-153

RECEIVING – Korbin Hankinson 4-79; Thomas San Agustin 2-46; Christian Tosterud 1-14; Desmond Doles 1-12, Jake Hill 1-2.

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Mason Koechner 11, Austin Moore 7, Dustyn Rizzo 7, T.J. Dover 7, Lyndon Smith 6, Connor Green 5, Grant Harding 4, Korbin Hankinson 3, Nick Hull 3, Thomas San Agustin 2, Dalton Ribordy 2, Christian Tosterud 1, Jake Hill 1, Will Ridley 1, Garrett Lowry 1.

Louisburg running back Thomas San Agustin forces his way across the goal line for one of his two touchdowns Friday at Wildcat Stadium. San Agustin had 148 yards on the ground in the Wildcats’ 36-8 win over Baldwin.

As Korbin Hankinson took the opening kickoff, the Louisburg senior raced down the sideline untouched for a touchdown.

It would be a sign of things to come for the Wildcat football team Friday against Baldwin. Louisburg found the endzone four more times and rolled to a 36-8 victory over the Bulldogs in the Wildcats’ annual homecoming contest.

Despite the 28-point win, Louisburg left Wildcat Stadium knowing the game didn’t go exactly as it wanted. Penalties, empty trips in the redzone and offensive mistakes had the Wildcats lamenting not being able to play a complete game.

“We are still focusing on playing well for four quarters and we have yet to do that,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said. “Normally it is the second half where we haven’t played well, but this time it was the first half. The last few years we haven’t played very well on homecoming, so it is nice to get this one out of the way.”

Louisburg senior lineman T.J. Dover brings down a Baldwin player Friday.

Even with all the homecoming distractions, the Wildcats (5-0) were still able to play well at times and it started on the opening kickoff as Hankinson had a wall of blockers that escorted him to the endzone and the Wildcats were rolling early.

Quarterback Grant Harding broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to put Louisburg up 14-0. Then following a Baldwin score, the Wildcats marched down the field in less than two minutes to score on a 3-yard touchdown from sophomore Austin Moore.

Louisburg running back Thomas San Agustin had a 37-yard run on the drive and Dalton Ribordy caught a 15-yard pass from Harding that set up Moore’s score to put the Wildcats up 21-8 at halftime.

Still, the first half left the Wildcats frustrated as they came up empty on three trips in the redzone. The Louisburg defense set up one of those opportunities.

Linebacker Nick Hull and lineman Dustyn Rizzo pressured Baldwin’s quarterback late in the first quarter and forced an interception by Moore, but the Wildcats were unable to convert.

“It is very frustrating,” Griffin said of the empty redzone opportunities. “There are a lot of reasons why that happened. I didn’t call a very good game in the first half and that is on me. We didn’t execute very well either. Baldwin just played harder than we did for a while.”

At the end of the first half, and into the third quarter, the Wildcats were able to move the ball better and resulted on a San Agustin 4-yard touchdown run in the third. A bad snap on the extra point turned into two points for Louisburg as Harding gathered the ball, rolled out and found Moore for the 2-point conversion.

San Agustin scored his second touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run to seal the win for the Wildcats. The Louisburg senior had a big night on the ground with 148 yards on 12 carries to go along with the two touchdowns.

The Wildcat offensive line of Garrett Lowry, Dalton Frazier, T.J. Dover, Mason Koechner and Rizzo did a good job opening holes for the Louisburg backs as they tallied 357 yards on the ground.

“Baldwin has a history of having tough kids and they came out in the first half and I thought they played really well and tough football,” Griffin said. “Offensively I don’t think we executed very well. I think they won the line of scrimmage the first two-thirds of the first half. Then that last third and all of the third quarter I thought we got back to doing what we do. We have some inconsistencies that we have to overcome.”

Louisburg wide receiver Christian Tosterud stretches out for a pass in the endzone Friday.

Other than allowing the one touchdown in the second quarter, the Louisburg defense came through again with another stout performance. Louisburg limited Baldwin to just 94 yards of total offense and held the Bulldogs to just 30 yards rushing on 29 carries.

Koechner led the Wildcat defense with five tackles and a sack, while Harding and Moore each recorded an interception. Senior Lyndon Smith also had a team-high five tackles.

The Louisburg defense has been strong all season as the Wildcats have held their opponents to a combined 31 points, which has been a big reason to their perfect start to the year and their No. 4 ranking in Class 4A-Division I.

“Defensively I thought we played real well outside of the one drive they scored on,” Griffin said. “In this league and the competition that we have to go up against, I am happy with 5-0. I am not satisfied and I don’t think the kids are either. That is the good part is they aren’t happy with the way they played and they know they can do better.”

Louisburg will go for its sixth consecutive win Friday when it travels to Spring Hill for its final game before district play. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

LOU               7          14        8          7 – 36

BAL                0          8          0          0 – 8

First quarter

L: Korbin Hankinson 80 kickoff return (Nick Hull kick)

Second quarter

L: Grant Harding 55 run (Hull kick)

B: Justin Howard 2 run (pass good)

L: Austin Moore 3 run (Hull kick)

Third quarter

L: Thomas San Agustin 4 run (Harding pass to Moore)

Fourth quarter

L: San Agustin 5 run (Hull kick)

STATISTICS

OFFENSIVE

RUSHING – Thomas San Agustin 12-148; Grant Harding 8-92; Korbin Hankinson 6-49; Austin Moore 11-47; Jake Hill 5-20; Will Ridley 1-2.

PASSING – Grant Harding 3-7-22

RECEIVING – Dalton Ribordy 1-15; Austin Moore 1-7

DEFENSIVE

TACKLES – Lyndon Smith 5, Mason Koechner 5, Jake Hill 4, Korbin Hankinson 4, Connor Green 3, Will Ridley 3, Nick Hull 3, Christian Tosterud 2, Austin Moore 2, Garrett Lowry 2, Grant Harding 1, Blue Caplinger 1, Kiefer Tucker 1, Dustyn Rizzo 1, T.J. Dover 1, Dalton Ribordy 1

SACKS – Mason Koechner 1

INTERCEPTIONS – Grant Harding 1, Austin Moore 1