For the last two seasons, Louisburg football has been the cream of the crop in the Frontier League.

The Wildcats are coming off their second straight league title and haven’t’ lost a league contest in that 2-year span. They have been a dominating force and they want to continue that again in 2024.

However, Louisburg knows it won’t be easy and will have a target on its back all season.

“A league title is something they have certainly set as one of their goals,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We have talked a lot about that, but we can’t be focused on that at this point. It has be on a week by week basis, take opportunities given to us and get better. It is certainly a goal of theirs, but we just have to a one game at a time mentality and hopefully put ourselves in a good position at the end of the season.”

Although the Wildcats lost six starters that earned All-Frontier League honors last season, they return several key pieces, along with 24 seniors, from last season’s team and it starts with a pair of Division I recruits in Ashton Moore and Conlee Hovey.

Moore, who committed to Kansas State over the summer, was also one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense at linebacker. He posted a team-high 125 tackles, including eight for a loss. Moore had four forced fumbles and two sacks.

As the team’s starting running back, Moore carried the load for the Wildcats as he carried the ball 151 times for 1,110 yards and had 18 total touchdowns.

As for Hovey, he has earned several Division I offers already and for good reason. The Louisburg tight end is big target down the field and had 250 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished with more than 40 tackles, had two sacks and a forced fumble on the defensive line.

“It is huge to have those guys back with that much experience and the caliber of athletes they are,” Harding said. “We are going to expect a lot out of them this year and we are really excited to see what those guys can do. They are really good football players. 

“Ashton is in very good shape and fully expect him to be the leader of that defense and carrying the load for us on offense. You always want to get your best players the ball and Conlee is a big target with good hands and he helps us a lot in the run game. Getting him involved will be big for us.”

The Wildcats have had the same signal caller the last three seasons in Declan Battle, but the Louisburg graduate has moved on to Washburn and they will have a new quarterback under center.

Senior Alex Saad will take the reins of the Wildcat offense, and after seeing a little bit of time last season, will be thrust into the starting role this year.

“We lost a 3-year starter which is always tough to replace, but the good thing is we have another talented quarterback to step into that role,” Harding said. “Alex is very talented and I think he would have played for a majority of our opponents last year. He can do a lot of really good things for us.

“There will be some differences for sure between Declan and Alex for sure. As coaches, you have to adjust that scheme to what fit your players the best. Both are talented but they are different and we have some things that suit Alex a little better.”

Louisburg also returns a fixture on both the offensive and defensive lines. Senior Brayden Yoder, who earned first team all-league honors on both sides of the ball, is back to lead the players on the line of scrimmage.

Yoder will join Miles Meek, Xander Lucas, Johnny Hendrickson and Nate Capuro on the offensive line, while Yoder, Hovey, Meek, Jimmy DeVary, Capuro and Lucas Swartz could all see time on the defensive line.

“Brayden doesn’t say much, but he just works his tail off every single day,” Harding said. “He doesn’t need a break and that same mentally is still with him this year. He is a tough guy to move on defense and he can move people on the offensive side. We are going to rely on him and excited to see him step up into that leadership role.”

The Wildcats also bring back a few wide receivers who earned varsity minutes last season in seniors Myles Vohs, Josh Holtzen and Reid McCaskill. Senior Garrison Bloustine, along with juniors Rickey Giles, Blaise Vohs and Martin Alicea Soto could see time as well.

On the defensive side, Moore and senior Erik Lien will lead the linebacking crew and the Wildcats will see several new faces in the secondary. 

Swartz, Logan Henry, Russell Wiseman, Rickey Giles and Holtzen will all see time at the safety spot, while Vohs, Saad, McCaskill, Gage Feldkamp and Aidan Meyer will all see cornerback duty.

It will be another different schedule for the Wildcats this season as they open with Tonganoxie on Friday and then turn around to play rival Paola on the road the next week.

It will also feature games against unfamiliar foes in Clay Center and Wichita West, and the Wildcats will also be on the road for three straight weeks in the middle of their schedule.

“It is definitely a unique schedule and we start off with Tonganoxie and next week is your rival in Paola,” Harding said. “Then you play a team (Clay Center) we haven’t played before the week after that. Then we go on the road for three straight. There are no easy opponents and they all have good players and coaches. There won’t be an easy game on the schedule.”

Louisburg has set several goals for itself in 2024, but with a tough schedule, the Wildcats know they will not be able overlook anyone.

“Our expectations is try to keep it week by week,” Harding said. “We have some long term goals, like winning a league title, and we want to go on a playoff run. The players set the expectation to have fun every day and win the next game. It was a cool goal for them to set and it highlights what we are trying to do.”

Ever since his brother, Austin, joined the Kansas State football program, Ashton Moore wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Playing Division I football has always been a goal for Ashton, but like many athletes in Louisburg to come before him, scholarship offers to big time programs have been hard to come by. 

So when he attended a K-State camp early this summer, Ashton’s life changed.

The K-State coaching staff gave him the offer he was looking for, and about a month later, Ashton made it official and committed to the Wildcat program in early July.

“It’s been a goal of mine to play at K-State since I was in seventh grade, so to be able to announce my commitment there was like a dream come true,” Ashton said.  “Committing was definitely a huge relief. For a long time I didn’t have the offers I wanted and didn’t know what decision I would have to make, so being able to commit to K-State really eased a lot of those worries.”

At the Kansas State camp, Ashton put together a strong performance for the Wildcat coaches and assistant Taylor Braet, pulled him aside and told him that head coach Chris Klieman wanted to chat with him. 

The Wildcat coaches knew what they had in his older brother Austin, who is an All-Big 12 linebacker and entering his final year with the program, and they saw a lot of the same traits in Ashton. 

As he walked over to talk with Coach Klieman, Ashton’s father, Tommy, and Austin were watching from the stands. Ashton got the news he was hoping for, but waited till the ride home to tell his family.

With his mom, Alison, on the phone, Ashton informed them all of his good news. Needless to say it was a loud ride home back to Louisburg.

“Getting my offer was one of the best experiences of my entire life,” Ashton said, .”I had a good camp and getting to have my dad and Austin there to experience it with me was amazing. After watching Austin these last few years, I knew before they even offered me that’s where I wanted to go, so it made the decision very easy.”

It was about a month later when Ashton made his commitment official and he will join the Wildcat program for the 2025 season. 

The recruiting journey has been a positive one, albeit stressful at times. Still, Ashton’s life has definitely changed since making his announcement.

“Since committing I’ve definitely met a lot of new people,” He said. “I’ve had a lot of K-State fans reach out to me over social media as well as my future teammates. I also had lots of coaches from other schools I had been talking to reach out and congratulate me and it was good to know all those relationships ended on good terms.”

Ashton had a big junior year for Louisburg as he earned first team All-Frontier League honors on both sides of the ball with 125 tackles at linebacker, and close to 1,500 total yards at running back with 18 touchdowns.

He will help lead the Wildcats this season as they try for a third consecutive Frontier League title.

The Louisburg football team has spent a lot of time this summer preparing for another season and a chance at winning three straight Frontier League titles.

As important as that is, several Wildcats also took time out of their busy schedules to give back to the Louisburg community.

On July 31, more than 50 football players hit the town to do some clean-up work. It was a small way for them to give back to the people around town who support the program.

“I remember when I was in high school we did a couple of community service projects around Louisburg,” Louisburg coach, and alum, Drew Harding said. “We thought this would be something that would be cool to bring back these last couple years. This project is important to us just because this community supports us so much. We know from our road games that nobody is as supported as we are here in Louisburg. We felt it was important for us to give back to the community that supports us so well.”

For close to three hours, players repainted fire hydrants around town, while others went to the cemetery. They focused on the older part of the cemetery, where they cleaned the algae and grime off the headstones.

The players have been busy throughout the summer, whether it is with weights and conditioning, camp, team practices or scrimmages. It takes a lot to prepare for a season, but Harding was proud to see his team come together and do some more hard work off the field.

“It was really cool to see that many boys show up to help out and give back to their community,” Harding said. “They have all had really busy summers, and for that many to show up on their down time demonstrates how important this project was to them. I think it really shows that we have good kids here in Louisburg.”

Doing community service and giving back is a passion of Harding’s, but one that his players share as well.

“The community work day is very important to the entire team because we are super grateful to the Louisburg community for everything they do for us,” senior captain Ashton Moore said. “The amount of support we receive is incredible and we want to show them our gratitude and give back as much as possible.”

Ben O’Bryan hadn’t played football in a few years going into his senior season, but he decided to give it one last try.

It turned out to be a good decision for O’Bryan, who certainly made the most of his short time with the Louisburg football team. It also gave him opportunities at the college level, as well.

O’Bryan will join the Benedictine football team this fall after signing his letter of intent with the Ravens last spring. 

“It meant a lot to me to get the opportunity to play in college and to get to play this sport I have a new found love for,” O’Bryan said. “I knew it was something I wanted to do when I got to play with this team that past season.”

It was a memorable senior campaign for O’Bryan, who was a starting offensive tackle on the Frontier League championship team that finished the regular season undefeated. 

O’Bryan helped the unit amass more than 4,000 yards of total offense. He was pretty hard to miss on the field as well as he was team’s biggest player at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds.

The choice to come back out for football was obviously a positive one for him.

“The experience I had with the guys on the team was priceless and I enjoyed every moment of it,” O’Bryan said. “What made me want to come back out was really my teammates. They were adamant about it and I am glad they were.”

O’Bryan now joins a tradition-filled Benedictine program that competes toward the top of the Heart of America Conference. However, he was looking more than just football in his next stop.

“What made Benedictine the right fit for me was the team and academics there,” O’Bryan said. “I wanted to find a team that was close knit and loved the sport just like Louisburg, and that’s what I found there.”

As much as he is looking forward to his future with the Ravens, he can’t help but think about what his 2023 season was like, and he is hoping for some the same success with Benedictine.

“I felt I had a memorable season with all my teammates,” O’Bryan said. “It was really something special, and the vibes during practice and games were unmatched.

“When I get to Benedictine I want to push myself to a new limit to be the best version of myself for me and my teammates.”

Declan Battle has become synonymous with winning — more this past year than ever.

Battle was the starting quarterback for the Louisburg football team that won back-to-back Frontier League titles. Then during the baseball season, he helped lead the Wildcats to a league and regional championship.

It was certainly a year to remember for him and those were just some of the reasons Battle was named the 2024 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.

“This award means the world to me,” Battle said. “It is such an honor to be named Athlete of the Year. I couldn’t have done this without my amazing teammates, coaches and community pushing me to be my best.”

Battle was one of the best in the state when it came to his performance under the lights on Fridays and on the diamond.

Last fall, Battle was a first team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was also an all-state selection from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro. 

In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown. 

His efforts earned him a spot in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be played Saturday (June 29) at Emporia State University. Battle also signed his letter of intent to join the Washburn University football team.

“Declan is certainly deserving of this award,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “He was a standout athlete in both football and baseball. Besides that though he always represented himself and Louisburg in the right way. 

“Declan was fantastic to coach. Obviously anyone who watched him play could see he was a tremendous athlete. However, Declan was also a great leader for us. He always approached things the right way and was dedicated to making himself, and his teams, better.”

Battle and the Wildcats also had a memorable season in baseball.

Louisburg captured its first Frontier League championship since 2002 and later went on to qualify for its first state tournament since 2009.

Battle was a big part of that group as well. He led the team in triples, stolen bases and runs scored that earned him first team all-league and first team all-state outfield.

He was atop the Wildcat lineup all season and set the tone in several games. Battle finished with a .378 average to go along with 34 hits, five doubles, three triples, a home run and had 23 RBIs.

Battle also led the team with 41 runs scored, which is a school record and had a team-high 15 stolen bases. He holds three individual career team records for runs scored (102), triples (8) and stolen bases (47).

“Declan was a great leader for us,” Louisburg baseball coach Kade Larson. “He found a way to get the job done all year long. It didn’t matter if it was hitting, pitching or fielding, Declan always made a big play when we needed it.”

Now that his Wildcat career has come to a close, Battle had some time to reflect on what was a special time at Louisburg High School — one he won’t soon forget.

“Playing at Louisburg was always great, knowing no matter what happened, the community was there supporting us,” Battle said. “Playing sports at Louisburg was a great experience and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Previous winners:

2018: Austin Moore

2019: Blue Caplinger

2020: Garrett Rolofson

2021: Weston Guetterman

2022: Tom Koontz

2023: Mason Dobbins

Football has always been a big part of Declan Battle’s life, so the idea of playing in college has always been something he’s desired.

He certainly did everything he could at the high school level to get to that point. Battle led Louisburg to back-to-back Frontier League titles, became the school’s all-time leading passer and earned numerous all-league and all-state honors.

After making several visits and looking at multiple offers, he found the place that was right for him. Battle will join the Washburn University program this fall after signing with the Ichabods earlier this year.

“Since I first started playing, I always had a dream of playing college football,” Battle said. “It seems crazy to think I am already heading off to do that. It feels amazing.”

The journey to find a home wasn’t always an easy one, but when then time came, Battle found a spot that was very familiar to him — and his family.

Battle’s father, Aaron, played football for Ichabods and his mother, Torrie, was a member of the Washburn softball program. So needless to say, the Battle family bleeds the Yale blue and white.

“It didn’t play too much of an impact on my decision, but it definitely helped a little bit,” Battle said of the family connection to Washburn. “Washburn gave me a great opportunity to come play in a highly competitive MIAA. They have amazing facilities and an awesome school. I loved it there.

“The recruiting process is definitely the real deal. It was a lot harder than I thought of it would be. Lots of coaches just said no, or wouldn’t respond at all. I just had to let that fuel my fire to keep improving week in and week out. After the season I started getting some more opportunities, but I still had a lot of weight on my shoulders knowing I wasn’t where I wanted to be yet. When I made my decision to make it official to Washburn, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Battle will compete at the quarterback spot when he arrives on campus and will look to continue his success from the high school level to college.

He was a first team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was an all-state pick from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro. 

In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.

Following the season, Battle also became the school’s all-time leading passer and is fifth on the Wildcat career rushing list. He was the Wildcat starting quarterback the last three seasons.

“I am coming in to play quarterback, what I dreamed of playing as a kid,” Battle said. “There is not really an ‘upperclassman’ quarterback there. Most of us are young and it’s definitely going to competitive every day for the starting spot.

“Having three years of varsity experience has taught me a lot. I truly felt that every year I progressed a ton. Playing in a tough Frontier League is definitely a grind and is something I think has got me more prepared for college football, where it will almost turn into a full time job for me.”

KANSAS STATE HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE

TOPEKA – Changes to postseason formats and championship sites for basketball, football, wrestling and track and field highlight actions approved at the June 12-13 KSHSAA Executive Board Meeting. The postseason formats are set by the KSHSAA Executive Board each year.

Basketball – Beginning in March of 2026, the state basketball tournaments will be moving to four total sites. Four facilities will play host to the seven classifications, 14 championships. By honoring the KSHSAA membership voted in the fall of 2023 to qualify eight boys teams and eight girls teams involved at the final site, modifications to the daily schedule will be developed. The schedule and other event details, including classification designations for each site and venue selection will be determined and announced following the 2024-25 basketball season.

Another basketball postseason change effective with the 2024-25 season will come at the 3A, 2A, 1A DI and 1A DII classifications. Each class will be divided into four regions and then seeded into two sub-states within the region: Substate A: 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16; Substate B: 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15. The winner of each substate will advance to the state basketball tournament. Further format details and dates will be sent to member schools.

Football – As announced in January, the state football championships will be moving to three sites with three games being played at each site. The executive board approved the following sites and schedule for 2024:

Emporia State University:

Class 6A = Friday, November 29 at 2:00pm

Class 4A = Saturday, November 30 at 1:00pm

Class 5A = Saturday, November 30 at 7:00pm

Hutchinson Community College:

Class 2A = Friday, November 29 at 6:00pm

Class 3A = Saturday, November 30 at 12:00pm

Class 1A = Saturday, November 30 at 5:00pm

Kiowa County High School, Greensburg:

Class 8-player DII = Saturday, November 30 at 11:00am

Class 6-Player = Saturday, November 30 at 3:00pm

Class 8-Player DI = Saturday, November 30 at 7:00pm

Wrestling – Girl’s wrestling will now include four classes to mirror the boy’s classification designations. The addition of another class for girl’s wrestling necessitates the addition of another championship site. 6A, 5A, 4A and 3-1A will each have their own site to determine a champion. 3-1A state wrestling will be in Hays and 4A will be in Salina. Park City Arena and one other facility to be named later will house either 6A or 5A. State sites and regional dates will be determined at the September KSHSAA Executive Board meeting. The state wrestling tournament will take place February 28 – March 1, 2025.

Track and Field – Qualification for the state meet was adjusted to now be the top 3 plus the next four best regional performance in each event.

Two committees will be formed to gather input from membership school leaders. One to discuss the details behind the implementation of Esports prior to the possible adoption as a KSHSAA sanctioned activity. The second committee will review the KSHSAA calendar to consider possible alternatives to dates of postseason activities.

For the seventh consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. Then they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes and I tabulated the results and determined the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the three finalists for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.

DECLAN BATTLE — SENIOR — FOOTBALL, BASEBALL

Declan was a three year starting quarterback for the Wildcats and this year became the school’s leading passer and fifth on the list for leading rusher as a team captain. Battle guided the Wildcats to their second straight Frontier League title and an undefeated league record.

Declan was a 1st team All-Frontier League quarterback and defensive back. He was an all-state pick from multiple media outlets and was a finalist for the Frank Fontana Award, which is given annually to the best all-around small school player in Class 1-4 on the Kansas and Missouri sides of the metro. 

In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns. As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown. He will join the Washburn University football team next season.

On the baseball diamond, Battle helped the Wildcats to its first league title since 2002 and first regional championship since 2009. He led the team in triples, stolen bases and runs scored that earned him first team all league and first team all state outfield. He was also the team’s best reliever earning multiple saves on the mound. 

Battle was atop the Wildcat lineup all season and set the tone in several games. He finished with a .378 average to go along with 34 hits, five doubles, three triples, a home run and had 23 RBIs.

He also led the team with 41 runs scored, which is a school record and also had a team-high 15 stolen bases. He also holds three individual career team records for runs scored (102), triples (8) and stolen bases (47).

CADEN CAPLINGER — SENIOR — FOOTBALL, TRACK

Caden was a team captain for the Wildcat football team this past season and was a big piece of back-to-back Frontier League championship teams. Caplinger was an all-league selection on both sides of the ball, as a wide receiver and defensive back. He also holds the most career receptions in Louisburg football history.

Caplinger was named to the All-Frontier League second team at wide receiver and defensive back. He led the Wildcats with 33 catches, 510 yards receiving and four touchdowns. On defense, he finished with 41 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups and an interception.

On the track, Caplinger is a two-time pole vault champion and a state medalist in the 4×100 relay. He was set to try for a third straight, but suffered a knee injury that ended his season. Caplinger won the season opening meet at the Ottawa Invitational, before having to sit out with the injury. He will be joining the Washburn University track team next season.

ASHTON MOORE — JUNIOR — FOOTBALL, WRESTLING, TRACK

Ashton put together a memorable football season for the Wildcats. Moore was one of the leaders of the Wildcat defense this past season. As a first-team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball, he posted a team-high 125 tackles, including eight for a loss. He also had four forced fumbles and two sacks. He was named a finalist for the Bobby Bell Award, which is given annually to the best Class 1-4 offensive lineman/defensive lineman or linebacker in the KC metro area.

Moore was also the team’s starting running back and made things difficult on opposing defenses. He carried the load for the Wildcats as he carried the ball 151 times for 1,110 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also finished with 292 yards receiving and three more scores to earn first team honors.

On the wrestling mat, Moore was a state medalist as he took fourth at 190 pounds after making it to the state semifinals with an injured knee. He finished the season with 38 wins. He leads the program in the following categories: Career takedowns (117), career nearfall-3 (34), career escapes (57), career team points (510), season takedowns (51), season team points (229), and season pins (27). He led the team this year with most wins (38), most nearfall-2 (8), and the fastest pin (7 seconds).

Moore was also a returning state qualifier for the Louisburg 4×100-meter relay, but saw his track season come to an early end due to an injury.

Louisburg senior Declan Battle saw a lot of accolades come his way for his work on the football field this past season.

Now he is getting recognized for his work off of it.

Battle was one of 12 Kansas high school senior football players that have been selected by the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter of the National Football Foundation as 2023-24 scholar athletes as a result of his performance on and off the field.

The honorees had to be nominated by their head coach. The 12 student athletes will be recognized at the annual chapter awards dinner on May 8, that is conducted at the Burge Union on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. 

Battle had a big season for the Wildcats on the gridiron as the team’s starting quarterback. He is a Kansas Shrine Bowl selection and for good reason.

In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns.

As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.

Battle broke the school record for passing yards in 2023 and he also earned All-Frontier League and all-state honors. 

Off the field, Battle is ranked first in his class of 134 academically. He is also a volunteer at Grace Church and for Guys for Christ. 

Battle signed with Washburn University to play back in February and plans to major in Business Management.

The other 11 players to be recognized is Bishop Miege linebacker Justyce Betts, Kingman tight end Tristen Davidson, Norton tight end Roman Hauser, Mill Valley offensive lineman Gus Hawkins, Clay Center defensive back Brody Hayes, Washburn Rural linebacker Jaren Heim, Derby defensive end Mason Hopper, Gardner-Edgerton linebacker Dawson Kindler, Conway Springs linebacker Brayden Kunz, Cheney defensive back Colter McDaniel and St. Thomas Aquinas running back Gianni Rizzi. 

The mission of the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter National Football Foundation Charter is to recognize outstanding high school seniors who excel on the gridiron, in the classroom and as leaders in their schools and communities. More than 325 high school football players from the state of Kansas have been honored by the chapter since its inception in 1991.

Louisburg senior Declan Battle was selected to play on the East squad for the 51st Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl later this summer.

Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle was already considered one of the top players in Class 4A this past season after receiving first team all-league and all-state honors.

However, there was more to come.

Battle was selected to participate in the 51st Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl later this summer. The teams were announced during a selection show on New Year’s Day.

“It means a ton,” Battle said of the honor. “Being selected as a top 44 player in the whole East side of Kansas is a huge thing. I am honored to be a part of it. This is something as a freshman I dreamed of being in. Without my teammates, coaches and community pushing me to be my best I would not be where I am at today, and for that I would like to thank them. It’s a huge honor.”

Battle received first-team all-state accolades last month from different media outlets and his Shrine Bowl selection is another honor added to a long list of accomplishments.

In 10 games for the Wildcats, Battle completed 105 passes for 1,364 yards and had 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He also did a lot of damage on the ground with 1,009 yards rushing and 16 more touchdowns.

As a defensive back, Battle finished with 36 tackles and also had an interception for a touchdown.

Louisburg is no stranger to the Shrine Bowl as several Wildcats have been selected participate in the past. That included last season as Jase Hovey and Nathan Vincent were both selected to play in the game.

The selections are the result of a combination of statewide media votes and Shrine Bowl coaching staff selections from a list of 457 nominees. The game itself will be played on Saturday, June 29 at Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University.

In addition to playing in the annual East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine Bowl participants get the opportunity to meet and interact with the Patient Ambassadors from Shriners Children’s during the Hospital Experience Day. 

During the Hospital Experience Day, players come to understand that these children have put in the same kind of hard work, dedication and sacrifices they have; only their work has resulted in allowing them to walk, run, play, and live a full life.

Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl along with the support from players’ local communities, has sent over $3.8 million to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Kansas Shrine All-Star Events also include the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Camp, the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals and many other game week events. 

Shriner’s Children’s, previously Shriners Hospitals for Children, is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding 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.