Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week eight of the fall sports season, sponsored by Edward Jones-Craig Holtzen.
DECLAN BATTLE, JUNIOR, FOOTBALL
Louisburg junior quarterback Declan Battle helped the Wildcat football team to a big victory in their final regular season game of the year. Battle drove the Wildcats 80 yards, and completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Caden Caplinger in under a minute to give Louisburg a 20-17 come-from-behind win over Spring Hill. The victory gave the Wildcats their first Frontier League championship since 2018.
Battle had a pair of big touchdowns in the game. He scored the team’s first touchdown in the third quarter on a 27-yard run that tied the game at 10-all and then followed with the game-winning pass late in the fourth. In all, Battle finished with 205 total yards on the night and guided the Wildcats to their seventh straight victory.
The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.
Last-minute score secures league title for Wildcats on Senior Night
Members of the Louisburg football team celebrate their Frontier League crown with head coach Drew Harding following the Wildcats’ 20-17 come-from-behind win Friday over Spring Hill.
With just over a minute left in regulation Friday, Louisburg was staring at the possibility of their first league loss and was watching an outright Frontier League title slip away.
Spring Hill scored a touchdown and took a four-point lead with 1 minute and 12 seconds left. Things were looking bleak for the Wildcats.
As it turned out, 52 seconds was all the Wildcats needed to pull off one of the season’s most memorable moments. Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle found junior Caden Caplinger in the endzone on an 18-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a 20-17 victory.
The win was the Wildcats’ seventh straight on the season and clinched the team’s first Frontier League championship since 2018.
“There weren’t a lot of people who thought we could be league champions,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “I don’t think it was anything that people expected out of us, and the Frontier League is really good. For this group to come to work, get better every day and to see success is pretty sweet.”
Battle, Caplinger and the rest of the Wildcat offense put together a drive to remember – a drive that gave them a league title and undefeated record in league play.
Louisburg junior Caden Caplinger fights for some extra yards Friday on the Wildcats’ final drive against Spring Hill.
Louisburg started on its own 20-yard line, but the Battle to Caplinger connection was used early and often. Battle hit Caplinger for a 30-yard pass to midfield on the first play of the drive.
The Wildcats found themselves in a big hole after Battle was sacked at the 45 and Louisburg faced a 3rd and 14 with under a minute remaining. Battle competed a screen pass to Riley Van Eaton and Spring Hill was called for roughing the passer on the play, which gave Louisburg new life.
Louisburg (7-1) took advantage as Battle found Caplinger again for an 18-yard pass to the 18-yard line, which set up the go-ahead score on the next play.
“At first I just stood there, I almost felt frozen as I took in the fact that he caught it,” Battle said. “J.R. (Rooney) was next to me and we both started shaking each other celebrating.”
The Battle and Caplinger combo accounted for 66 of the 80 yards on the drive, but it wasn’t the first big play for the duo. Last season, Battle hit Caplinger for a game-tying score against Tonganoxie that forced overtime in an eventual Wildcat win.
“Declan and Caden have been playing together for a long time,” Harding said. “They hooked up for a big play against Tonganoxie as well last year, so for them to be able to it again was pretty cool.”
Another big obstacle for the Wildcats to overcome on the final drive was the Bronco defense, which had stymied the Louisburg offense up to that point. Still, the offensive line of Will Hutsell, Rooney, Jaymes Melton, Brayton Brueggen, Nathan Vincent and Mack Newell helped put together a drive when their team needed it the most.
“Spring Hill had a lot of big guys up front and all week our coaches prepared us for them and put us in a good position to do our job on Friday,” Vincent said. “As far as the final drive, we knew we would have to give Declan the best protection he’s had all season because we knew Spring Hill was going to send a lot of pressure.”
With 20 seconds remaining, Spring Hill would have one more opportunity, but the Broncos fumbled the kickoff and Caplinger recovered it to seal the victory.
The win was extra special for 16 Louisburg seniors as they were also able to celebrate that league title on Senior Night.
Jackson Kush, Nathan Apple, Carson Wade, Isaiah Whitley, Riley Van Eaton, J.R. Rooney, Will Hutsell, Brayton Brueggen, Christian Golladay, Nathan Vincent, Jase Hovey, Mack Newell, Hunter Moore, Mason Dobbins, Corbin Hamman and Layne Ryals all got to end their final regular season home game with a win.
“The Frontier League title means so much to me and this team,” Rooney said. “As a team before the season, the seniors wrote down our goals, and league champs was on everyone’s list. To clinch it on senior night was amazing. Going undefeated at home, to win it on our field in front of our town — it was an indescribable feeling.”
Louisburg senior Declan Battle breaks free for a 27-yard touchdown in the third quarter of Friday’s game against Spring Hill.
The Wildcats were forced to play from behind early as Spring Hill jumped out to a double-digit lead in the second quarter and took a 10-0 advantage.
Layne Ryals gave the Wildcats a little momentum going into halftime with a 27-yard field goal, but they still trailed 10-3.
Battle came up big in the third quarter for Louisburg as he found a rare wide-open look at the end zone when he broke loose for a 27-yard touchdown run down the sideline.
Ryals then came through again as he converted a 43-yard field goal later in the quarter to give the Wildcats their first lead at 13-10. In all Ryals, put eight points on the board in what was a tight game throughout.
“Three points was the difference, so all of his kicks were big for us,” Harding said. “Layne was able to put six points up on the board for us on field goals, and then some extra points as well. He is a huge weapon for us and we have all the confidence in the world in him to go out there and put a field goal through.”
Louisburg senior kicker Layne Ryals celebrates after making a 43-yard field goal to give the Wildcats the lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were forced to punt deep in their own territory and gave the ball back to Spring Hill with a three-point lead.
The Broncos put together a strong drive of their own that ended with Colton McKenna’s second touchdown of the night and Spring Hill was up 17-13.
Despite giving up the touchdown on the Broncos’ final drive, the Wildcat defense limited Spring Hill’s chances and gave up just 10 points through the first three quarters. It also allowed just 179 yards of total offense.
Sophomore linebacker Ashton Moore led the team with 12 tackles. Junior linebacker Wyatt Holland added 10 to go along with a sack and a forced fumble. Jase Hovey and Hutsell each finished with nine stops on the night.
That final Spring Hill touchdown set up the heroics from the Wildcat offense and the rest is history.
“Coming onto the field at the 20 yard line with very little time is never a good feeling for most people,” Battle said. “But I was confident because we practice 2 minute drills every week. I knew we just had to execute our assignments and it would end in our favor.”
Louisburg’s J.R. Rooney (left) and Wyatt Holland douse head coach Drew Harding with the water bucket after the Wildcats’ 20-17 win.
It was one of the more difficult victories on the season for Louisburg, which saw an improved Spring Hill team from the beginning of the year.
“It was a grind, for sure,” Harding said. “Spring Hill is a really good team and they are just getting better and better as the season goes on. We knew it was going to be a battle.
“We started off the game about as bad as you can be, didn’t play well in the first half and it was a struggle offensively through most of the game. But to see no one hang their head when we were down, then put a drive together and come back and win was just awesome.”
Now starts a new season for the Wildcats as they enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed in Class 4A. Louisburg will host No. 14 Bonner Springs at 7 p.m. this Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
“Everybody knows we’re playing for one more game, it’s just that one week at a time mentality that we’ve had all season long,” Vincent said. “I know the seniors are going to give it everything we have to keep playing and so will the rest of the team.”
SCORING SUMMARY
LOU 0 3 10 7 — 20
SH 3 7 0 7 — 17
First Quarter
S: Ryan Jackson 23 FG
Second Quarter
S: Colton McKenna 1 run (Jackson kick)
L: Layne Ryals 27 FG
Third Quarter
L: Declan Battle 27 run (Ryals kick)
L: Ryals 43 FG
Fourth Quarter
S: McKanna 1 run (Jackson kick)
L: Caden Caplinger 18 pass from Battle (Ryals kick)
RECEIVING — Caden Caplinger 3-66; Ashton Moore 2-33; Mason Dobbins 2-28; Corbin Hamman 2-26; Jackson Kush 2-11; Riley Van Eaton 2-9
TACKLES — Ashton Moore 12, Wyatt Holland 10, Jase Hovey 9, Will Hutsell 9, Nathan Vincent 7, Layne Ryals 5, Mack Newell 4, Mason Dobbins 3, Isaiah Whitley 3, J.R. Rooney 3, Hunter Heinrich 2, Brady Hickey 1, Carson Wade 1, Caden Caplinger 1
Wildcats record second straight shutout with win over Ottawa
Louisburg’s Mack Newell (10) celebrates his fumble return for a touchdown with teammate Jase Hovey (22) on Friday in Ottawa. The Wildcats shutout the Cyclones, 44-0.
OTTAWA — Louisburg head coach Drew Harding was a little concerned with how his team would come out in Friday’s road contest at Ottawa.
The players had been out of school for two days, and for some teams, routine is everything.
Turns out, there was nothing to be worried about.
Louisburg jumped on the Cyclones from the start and never looked back in a 44-0 shutout. It was the sixth straight victory for the Wildcats and their second straight shutout.
“I thought we played well overall,” Harding said. “We were a little out of our routine with parent-teacher conferences leading to the players being out of school the last two days. You always worry about a slow start when that happens, but I thought we started pretty fast.”
The Wildcats (6-1) scored on their opening drive as senior Riley Van Eaton found the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown run and Louisburg jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
Louisburg added another touchdown a few minutes later when junior quarterback Declan Battle scored on an 11-yard run to put the Wildcats up 14-0.
That was more than enough for the Wildcat defense as the Cyclones never threatened to scored. It was the second straight week with a shutout, and after their victory against Tonganoxie on Oct. 7, have now won the last two games by a combined score of 93-0.
Louisburg’s Ashton Moore (21) and Will Hutsell (61) bring down an Ottawa player on Friday.
The Wildcats forced a lot of big plays to help themselves on defense.
Senior Nathan Vincent forced two fumbles on the night to go along with a sack. Carson Wade, Brady Hickey, Hunter Moore and Mack Newell all had fumble recoveries.
It was Newell’s fumble recovery in the second quarter that led to a Wildcat touchdown.
Louisburg was up 17-0 after a 28-yard Layne Ryals field goal. On the Cyclones’ next possession, Vincent sacked the Ottawa quarterback and Newell picked it up and ran it in for the 7-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up 24-0 at halftime.
In all, the Wildcats held the Cyclones to just 139 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers.
Sophomore linebacker Ashton Moore led the Wildcats with 12 tackles on the night, including two for a loss. Sophomore Caden Caplinger was second on the team with seven, while Nathan Apple and Vincent each had six.
“Defense has been playing well,” Harding said. “They have been forcing turnovers to give the offense short fields and have done a good job reading their keys and flying around. I think we are getting closer to playing that complete game. There are always things you can improve on, but we are moving in the right direction.”
Louisburg receiver Hunter Heinrich breaks free for a 20-yard reception Friday at Ottawa.
Van Eaton helped the Wildcats put the game away in the second half with two touchdown runs of 11 and nine yards. He finished the game with 154 total yards and had three scores.
Battle scored his second touchdown of the night late in the third quarter on a 6-yard run. He finished with 89 yards rushing, along with 115 yards through the air.
Special teams also played a big role in the win as Ryals converted on five extra point attempts. He was 1 for 2 in field goal attempts, with the lone miss being blocked.
Ryals also set up Cyclones deep in their own territory with several touchbacks, including an 80-yard touchdown back where he kicked off from his own 20-yard line.
“I thought special teams were good,” Harding said. “One focus we had this week was we knew our kickoff team needed to be good. Ottawa has returned several kicks for touchdowns this year and several others into plus territory. We were able to limit that with either Layne kicking it out of the endzone or our coverage guys flying down and making tackles.”
Louisburg’s J.R. Rooney (left) and Brayton Brueggen get off the line for the Wildcat offense.
Louisburg will play to win the Frontier League title outright as the Wildcats host Spring Hill this Friday for Senior Night. The Wildcats are currently undefeated in league play and know they have a tough challenge ahead of them against the Class 5A school.
“Spring Hill is a team that just seems to keep getting better and better,” Harding said. “They are pretty big up front on both sides of the ball. They are able to platoon and keep people fresh so they will pose a big challenge for us. It’s a big week for us and we will need to have a good week of preparation.”
SCORING SUMMARY
LOU 14 10 20 0 — 44
OTT 0 0 0 0 — 0
First quarter
L: Riley Van Eaton 3 run (Layne Ryals kick)
L: Declan Battle 11 run (Ryals kick)
Second quarter
L: Layne Ryals 28 FG
L: Mack Newell 7 fumble return (Ryals kick)
Third quarter
L: Van Eaton 11 run (kick failed)
L: Van Eaton 9 run (Ryals kick)
L: Battle 6 run (Ryals kick)
STATISTICS
RUSHING — Riley Van Eaton 16-102; Declan Battle 10-89; Jase Hovey 1-11; Darby Van Eaton 1-1; Ashton Moore 2-0
PASSING — Declan Battle 10-15-115
RECEIVING — Riley Van Eaton 3-52, Jackson Kush 3-30, Hunter Heinrich 1-20, Mack Newell 1-10, Corbin Hamman 1-9, Mason Dobbins 1-4
TACKLES — Ashton Moore 12, Caden Caplinger 7, Nathan Apple 6, Nathan Vincent 6, Wyatt Holland 5, Brady Hickey 4, Jase Hovey 4, Layne Ryals 4, Isaiah Whitley 3, Mack Newell 3, Will Hutsell 3, Christian Golladay 3, Hunter Heinrich 2, Carson Wade 1, Conlee Hovey 2, Hunter Moore 2, Brayden Yoder 2, J.R. Rooney 2, Mason Dobbins 1, Corbin Hamman 1, Reid McCaskill 1, Jackson Kush 1, Lane Cunningham 1, Erik Lien 1, Josh Holtzen 1.
Wildcats take sole possession of Frontier League with shutout of Tonganoxie
Louisburg seniors Isaiah Whitley (left) and Nathan Vincent celebrate a big play during Friday’s 49-0 homecoming win over Tonganoxie.
With just one team left between Louisburg and being all alone atop the Frontier League standings, the Wildcats made sure they got that top spot all to themselves.
By time Friday’s game with Tonganoxie was over, the Wildcats left no doubt who is the top team in the league.
Both Louisburg and Tonganoxie entered the Wildcats’ homecoming contest undefeated in league play, but it was the Wildcats who stayed that way as they rolled to a 49-0 rout of the Chieftains.
“One of our goals was to win a league title,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “This was an undefeated league team that came in and obviously we had to win to keep those hopes alive. The boys really stepped up to the challenge.”
It started on the defensive end for the Wildcats as the pitched a shutout and never gave the Chieftains a good look at the endzone. Louisburg forced two turnovers and also had two sacks on the night.
Senior safety Jase Hovey recorded an interception, while senior Nathan Vincent got a sack and a forced fumble, that was recovered by Mack Newell. Vincent led the Wildcats with 10 tackles, including four for a loss, and Newell also finished with sack.
Junior linebacker Wyatt Holland was second on the team with eight stops. As a team, the Wildcats also had 11 tackles for a loss.
Louisburg junior Wyatt Holland brings down a Tonganoxie runner Friday.
“I think we are negative this year in the turnover battle, so this week we made it a priority to win the turnover battle,” Harding said. “We got a lot of short fields out of it and that obviously helps the offense.”
Special teams also played a factor as Holland got a hand on a punt that gave Louisburg a short field to work with. Kicker Layne Ryals was 7-for-7 on extra points and also had a punt downed inside the 5.
Combine that with more than 350 yards of offense, and the Wildcats put together one of their more complete performances of the season.
“I think it is close,” Harding said of his team playing a complete game. “We still have things that we can improve upon, but that has been our goal all year is to play a complete game. We played well tonight on offense, defense and special teams. We started the game strong in the first half and just carried it over in the second.”
The Wildcats forced a punt to open the game and Holland tipped the ball to give Louisburg good field position to start. Quarterback Declan Battle put Louisburg up early with a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior Mason Dobbins.
Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle breaks free for a long run Friday. Battle rushed for 204 yards in the contest.
It was the first of several touchdown for Battle and the Wildcats. Battle, along with senior running back Riley Van Eaton, finished with three touchdowns each as Louisburg took control early.
Battle broke free for several runs and finished 204 yards on the ground on 10 carries and two rushing scores. Van Eaton had 82 yards rushing to go along with his three touchdowns.
Louisburg controlled the line of scrimmage despite missing starting right tackle, Will Hutsell, who was out with an injury. Senior Christian Golladay filled in and joined J.R. Rooney, Jaymes Melton, Brayton Brueggen, Vincent and Newell paved the way for the Wildcat attack.
The Louisburg defensive front did the same as the Wildcats were able to control all the action at the line.
“Offensive line did a good job of firing out and we were able to just run down hill,” Harding said. “Defensively, I think we really controlled the line of scrimmage and limited their ability to get explosive plays in the run game. The big boys up front played well.”
The Wildcats took a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter on scores that were helped by two Tonganoxie turnovers. The Hovey interception led to a 5-yard touchdown by Van Eaton.
Louisburg’s Ashton Moore (left) and Jase Hovey team up to bring down a Tonganoxie player Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
Vincent’s strip sack would help set up a 10-yard touchdown by Van Eaton and the Wildcats had a firm hold of the game from there.
In the second quarter, Battle broke free for a 45-yard run that set up a 3-yard score by Hovey, and after another Van Eaton touchdown, the Wildcats took a 35-0 halftime advantage.
Battle had a big third quarter as he scored on runs of 65 and 27 yards to ice the game for Louisburg.
“We had some really good individual performances, but as a team we played really well,” Harding said. “Our defense played phenomenal and really complemented our offense. Special teams was phenomenal and I just felt like our guys were selfless. They were excited for the team success over their individual success and if we keep doing that then I think we can be pretty good.
Louisburg, which has now won five straight, will try to make it six this Friday when the Wildcats travel to Ottawa. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
“We still have work to do,” Harding said. “We are getting closer to the playoffs and it is time for us to peak. I think we took a step in that direction.”
RUSHING — Declan Battle 10-204; Riley Van Eaton 15-82; Jase Hovey 1-3; Darby Van Eaton 2-1
PASSING — Declan Battle 9-14-67
RECEIVING — Mason Dobbin 4-35; Jackson Kush 1-13; Caden Caplinger 1-10; Mack Newell 1-5; Riley Van Eaton 2-4
TACKLES — Nathan Vincent 10, Wyatt Holland 8, Ashton Moore 6, Brayden Yoder 6, Isaiah Whitley 5, Mack Newell 5, Erik Lien 5, Reid McCaskill 4, Brady Hickey 4, Carson Wade 3, Conlee Hovey 3, Mason Dobbins 2, Layne Ryals 2, Christian Golladay 2, Hunter Heinrich 1, Jase Hovey 1, J.R. Rooney 1
Harding named Kansas City Chiefs Coach of the Week
Louisburg head coach Drew Harding poses with his team for a picture after he was awarded the Kansas City Chiefs Coach of the Week award prior to Tuesday’s practice.
If winning an overtime game on the road last week wasn’t good enough, the Louisburg football team got even more good news Tuesday — more specifically the coaching staff.
Louisburg head coach Drew Harding was named as the Kansas City Chiefs Coach of the Week for the state of Kansas after he led his team to a 28-27 overtime win over previously unbeaten Eudora last Friday.
Harding has guided the Wildcats to four consecutive wins after losing their first game of the season to Rogers Heritage (Ark.). Louisburg now sits atop the Frontier League standings with a 4-0 record in league play.
Former Kansas City Chief player Gary Spani presented Harding with the award prior to the team’s practice Tuesday and the Louisburg first-year coach knows this is more than just about himself.
Drew Harding shakes hands with former Kansas City Chiefs player Gary Spani on Tuesday, who came to present him with the coach of the week award.
“I would say I was surprised to receive the award and it is an honor,” Harding said. “However, this is much more of a team award than it is a me award. The award should go to the players who worked hard all week to learn and execute the game plan on Friday night.
“All the assistant coaches should also be highlighted as they were the ones who taught the game plan to players throughout the week. We are happy to receive this award to highlight the players’ hard work and preparation for last Friday’s game.”
With the honor, Harding received a plaque from the team, along with a signed ball from Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
It didn’t stop there.
Louisburg High School will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation. Harding is now qualified for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which will be voted on later this fall. The Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award is selected by a panel comprised of the Missouri and Kansas Boards from the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
In its 26th season, the 2022 High School Coach of the Week is a joint initiative of the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. This program is designed to recognize and reward Kansas City area high school coaches for superior performance on a weekly basis while honoring individuals who are shaping today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week.
Louisburg knocks off undefeated Eudora in overtime thriller
Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent celebrates with his teammates after the Wildcats earned a 28-27 overtime victory Friday at Eudora.
EUDORA — As Layne Ryals took the field with just seconds left in regulation Friday in Eudora, he was ready to convert the ultimate walk-off.
Louisburg drove down the field against Eudora to set up what would be a game-winning 55-yard field goal to cap what would be an epic win for the Wildcats. Ryals lined it up and gave it his best shot.
“I have made a 55-yard field goal in practice, so I knew I had the capability to do it so I went out there telling myself I can make it,” Ryals said. “If you don’t believe in yourself being able to do it then you definitely won’t make it.”
The belief was there, but the kick sailed just wide to the right and the game — which had big Frontier League implications — went to overtime. It wasn’t more than 10 minutes later and Ryals had the chance again to win the game for his team.
After Eudora scored first in the overtime and failed on its 2-point conversion, Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle found Mason Dobbins in the corner of the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie it up.
It gave Ryals one more chance to win it for his team, this time from a much closer distance. The Louisburg senior converted the extra point and the Wildcats captured the 28-27 overtime win and gave the Cardinals their first loss of the season.
Kicker Layne Ryals celebrates with holder Corbin Hamman (4) after making the game-winning extra point.
“Standing on the sideline, it’s nerve racking for sure, but once I step out on the field and take a couple of practice swings I forget everything and just focus on kicking the ball,” Ryals said.
The kick put the Wildcats (4-1, 3-0) atop the Frontier League standings as they vie to get their first league title since 2018.
“This game wasn’t easy and it was a challenge for both teams,” Dobbins said. “Eudora is a really good team and we came in knowing that. We just had to play sound defense and play well on offense and that is what we did.
“It is an amazing feeling, almost surreal. I wanted to win really badly and I know the rest of the team did as well. To make that come true, it really meant a lot.”
It was a contest full of big plays, twists and turns and a number of opportunities — for both teams — to win the game. For awhile, it didn’t appear to be the Wildcats’ night.
Louisburg turned the ball over three times, had a number of penalties and couldn’t take advantage of a Eudora muffed punt late in the fourth quarter. It had all the markings of a game the Wildcats weren’t supposed to win.
“It felt like we were spoiling opportunities that were given to us,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We had like three turnovers, there was a muffed punt that we couldn’t take advantage of and there were so many things that weren’t going our way. For our players to keep battling, for our coaches to keep battling, it was awesome and I’m very proud of all these guys.”
Louisburg’s Isaiah Whitley (7) and Will Hutsell (61) teammate up to bring down Eudora’s Octavius Lyles.
Despite the mistakes, the Wildcat defense kept Louisburg in the game as they held Eudora to just one touchdown in the final three quarters. Louisburg came up with big stops and limited the Cardinals’ explosive plays.
Louisburg sophomore Ashton Moore led the team with tackles from the linebacker spot with 18 on the night, including 11 solo stops. Junior Wyatt Holland also registered double digit tackle numbers with 11.
Senior Nathan Vincent finished with nine tackles and a sack, while senior Mack Newell also recorded a sack. Battle and Ryals each forced a Eudora fumble.
“We gave up some big plays and they are a really explosive team,” Harding said of Eudora. “Their backs are fast and their offensive is such where all 11 guys on defense have to do their job, and if you don’t, they are going to get a big play. That happened a couple times, but for a majority of the night the defense did a phenomenal job. Coach (Ty) Pfannenstiel and the rest of the assistants did a good job preparing them and getting ready for his test.”
Eudora scored on the first play of overtime as tight end Jaden Hamm made a juggling 10-yard catch in the corner of the end zone on a pass from quarterback Kole Manley to give the Cardinals the lead. Eudora, however, failed on its 2-point conversion, and left the door open for Louisburg.
Louisburg sophomore Ashton Moore dives into the endzone for a touchdown Friday at Eudora.
The Wildcats took advantage, and after a pair of Jase Hovey runs, Battle found Dobbins on the 4-yard touchdown to tie it on a third down.
“Coach called the play, and at first I thought that I was going to have to run it in,” Battle said. “But Mason really sold the post corner on that and I was just able to float it into his arms and he made the play.”
Dobbins wasn’t about to drop the pass in what was pivotal moment in the contest.
“When coach called the pass play, I knew I had the talent to beat the corner,” Dobbins said. “When Declan threw that ball up, I just told myself that this was game. I practice every day to catch balls and make big plays like that. Before the game, our group always breaks down on ‘playmakers’ and that is what I was trying to be.”
Then came Ryals’ extra point, which to many of the players and coaches, seemed more like a formality than anything else.
“I knew we won,” Dobbins said. “I trust Layne 100 percent and he is a great kicker. It was great to celebrate after he made it.”
Still, there might have been a little uneasiness with the game on the line.
“I was very nervous,” Harding said. “Eudora usually gets a good rush and they have some athletic kids over there, but to see it go through and see all the kids celebrating, was a lot of fun.”
Eudora opened the game with the touchdown when Manley found Hamm for a 32-yard touchdown pass to put the Cardinals up 7-0. The Wildcats put together a drive of their own late in the first quarter, and after a couple of long completions to Dobbins, scored on a 1-yard run by Hovey to tie it up.
The Cardinals quickly grabbed the lead back as Octavius Lyles broke free for a 77-yard touchdown run as time expired in the first quarter.
Louisburg senior receiver Mason Dobbins stiff arms a Eudora defender for some extra yards Friday.
Louisburg would tie it up again in the second quarter when Moore scored on a 7-yard touchdown run to even the score at 14-all and it remained that way till halftime.
The Wildcats opened the second half with another strong drive that ended on a 1-yard touchdown by Riley Van Eaton and gave Louisburg a 21-14 advantage. It was also the first time Eudora had trailed all season.
Late in the third, the Cardinals responded when Manley found Brayden Hoobler for a 33-yard touchdown pass to tie it 21. It stayed that way till the overtime.
There was still big moments in the fourth quarter when a Louisburg punt hit off the back of a Eudora player and Moore recovered the loose ball to give the Wildcats new life.
Although they wouldn’t score, the Louisburg defense held firm and gave the offense another chance to score on Ryals’ long field goal attempt to the end the fourth quarter.
“We felt like we had a better chance of him making that than trying a Hail Mary,” Harding said. “I think he had the leg on it, but it was just a little bit to the right. That is obviously a really tough kick to make, but to bounce back and make the extra point with everything on the line was huge.”
The Wildcats will try for their fifth straight win this Friday when they host Tonganoxie (3-2) for homecoming, who is also unbeaten in the league standings.
“Hopefully this just gives us more confidence,” Harding said. “We have not played a complete game yet and that is something we are striving to do. We have another great test against Tonganoxie coming up, and they are also undefeated in league, so another big game next week and we have to be ready to go.”
SCORING SUMMARY
LOU 7 7 7 0 7 — 28
EUD 14 0 7 0 6 — 27
First quarter
E: Jaden Hamm 32 pass from Kole Manley (kick good)
L: Jase Hovey 1 run (Layne Ryals kick)
E: Octavius Lyles 77 run (kick good)
Second quarter
L: Ashton Moore 7 run (Ryals kick)
Third quarter
L: Riley Van Eaton 1 run (Ryals kick)
E: Braylen Hoobler 33 pass from Manley (kick good)
Overtime
E: Hamm 10 pass from Manley (2-point failed)
L: Mason Dobbins 4 pass from Declan Battle (Ryals kick)
STATISTICS
RUSHING — Riley Van Eaton 17-58; Jase Hovey 10-54; Ashton Moore 5-23; Declan Battle 5-17
PASSING — Declan Battle 11-19-123
RECEIVING — Mason Dobbins 5-77; Riley Van Eaton 2-22; Caden Caplinger 2-16; Jackson Kush 1-5; Mack Newell 1-3
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week five of the fall sports season, sponsored by Edward Jones-Craig Holtzen.
ASHTON MOORE, SOPHOMORE, FOOTBALL
Louisburg sophomore Ashton Moore was all over the field for the Wildcat football team in their 28-27 overtime victory Friday over previously undefeated Eudora. Moore made an impact in all three phases of the game and it started on defense. The Wildcat linebacker led Louisburg with 18 tackles on the night, including 11 solo stops.
On offense, Moore scored one of the Wildcats’ four touchdowns on the night on a 7-yard run in the first half. Then on special teams, Moore recovered a muffed punt late in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats a chance to win the game in regulation.
The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.
Wildcats score 51 unanswered points in rout of Bonner Springs
Louisburg running back Riley Van Eaton gets some running room thanks to offensive linemen Will Hutsell (61) and J.R. Rooney. Van Eaton rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 51-7 win Friday.
For most of the first half in Friday’s home contest against Bonner Springs, Louisburg couldn’t put much together offensively.
Bonner Springs dominated possession in the first half and even took a one-point lead at halftime. The Wildcats just couldn’t get any rhythm offensively.
That all changed in the second half.
Louisburg scored 51 unanswered points — 45 coming in the second half — on its way to a 51-7 rout of Bonner Springs. The Wildcats went from being down at halftime to a running clock in the fourth quarter.
“Honestly there was no magical speech at halftime or anything, we just went in there and told them that we were fine,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We didn’t play well in the first half and it was stuff we were doing to ourselves, like mental errors and penalties. Once we cut those things out, we were efficient and able to move the football.”
Bonner Springs’ lone score of the game came midway through the second quarter. Quarterback Kahliek Rainey scored on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 that completed a 16-play drive that started in the first quarter.
From then on, it was all Louisburg.
Wildcat quarterback Declan Battle scored on a 3-yard touchdown run late in the first half, but a failed 2-point conversion left Louisburg still behind at halftime.
Louisburg’s Nathan Apple (left) and Brayden Yoder (56) bring down a Bonner Springs player early in Friday’s home win.
Louisburg’s offense got going in the second half. Battle opened the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run. Battle then hit Ashton Moore for the 2-point conversion to go up 14-7.
Senior running back Riley Van Eaton also had a big second half with three touchdowns, including two in the third quarter. Van Eaton finished the game with 200 yards rushing on 13 carries.
The offensive line of Nathan Vincent, Brayton Brueggen, Jaymes Melton, J.R. Rooney, Will Hutsell, Christian Golladay and tight end Mack Newell paved the way for 320 yards of total offense.
“Getting that touchdown at the end of the first half was good to see and then we were able to get the ball in the second half and do the same thing,” Harding said. “After that, we got rolling from there.
“The offensive line got it figured out and really started to wear on them in the second half. We blocked well on the perimeter and our backs and quarterback all ran hard, which is good to see.”
Louisburg senior Mack Newell brings down Bonner Springs’ quarterback Kahliek Rainey for a loss Friday.
The Wildcat defense was flying all over the field and held the Bonner Springs offense in check, minus the one first half drive.
Sophomore linebacker Ashton Moore led Louisburg with 14 tackles on the night. Junior Wyatt Holland finished with 12 and Vincent was also in double figures with 10.
Vincent also finished with a sack and a forced fumble, while Rooney also had a sack and a tackle for loss.
“We struggled to get the offense going early, but the defense played great all night,” Harding said. “We had one drive where they moved the football on us, but the rest of the time we locked it down.”
After a pair of Van Eaton touchdowns in the third quarter, the Wildcat defense forced a Bonner Springs punt deep in its own territory. The Braves mishandled the snap and the kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety.
Louisburg kept it moving in the fourth quarter as Moore scored on a 1-yard run, then Van Eaton answered with this third touchdown. Van Eaton reversed fields and scored on a 69-yard run to put Louisburg up 44-7.
Louisburg junior Wyatt Holland returns a kickoff for 51 yards, which set up a second half score Friday against Bonner Springs.
His brother, Darby Van Eaton, sealed the win late in the contest with a 9-yard run of his own. Kicker Layne Ryals was also 5-for-5 on extra points on the night.
The Wildcats have now won three straight after losing their week one contest to Rogers (Ark.) Heritage. Louisburg will be tested once again this Friday.
Louisburg will travel to undefeated Eudora in a game that could have big implications on the Frontier League title.
“Week one we made a lot of errors and it was a game we felt like we should have won,” Harding said. “To win three straight feels good, but we have a tough stretch here the rest of the way and that starts with Eudora. Hopefully we can keep this momentum going.
“It is a big game, there is no doubt about that. Eudora is undefeated and they have talented and very skilled kids. It sets up a big game for us and we have to be ready to play.”
LOU 0 6 24 21 — 51
BON 0 7 0 0 — 7
SCORING SUMMARY
Second Quarter
B: Kahliek Rainey 1 run (kick good)
L: Declan Battle 3 run (2-point failed)
Third quarter
L: Battle 10 run (Ashton Moore pass from Battle)
L: Riley Van Eaton 2 run (Layne Ryals kick)
L: Van Eaton 17 run (Ryals kick)
L: Safety (punt out of end zone)
Fourth quarter
L: Ashton Moore 1 run (Ryals kick)
L: Van Eaton 69 run (Ryals kick)
L: Darby Van Eaton 9 run (Ryals kick)
STATISTICS
RUSHING — Riley Van Eaton 13-200; Declan Battle 8-70; Jase Hovey 3-14; Darby Van Eaton 2-14; Ashton Moore 3-9
TACKLES — Ashton Moore 14, Wyatt Holland 12, Nathan Vincent 10, Layne Ryals 8, J.R. Rooney 7, Jase Hovey 6, Caden Caplinger 3, Will Hutsell 3, Brayton Brueggen 3, Declan Battle 2, Mason Dobbins 1, Hunter Heinrich 1, Reid McCaskill 1, Isaiah Whitley 1, Mack Newell 1, Carson Wade 1, Nathan Apple 1, Hunter Moore 1, Brayden Yoder 1
Battle scores four touchdowns as Wildcats roll Baldwin in home opener
Louisburg junior quarterback Declan Battle scored four touchdowns Friday against Baldwin as the Wildcats cruised to a 41-13 win at Wildcat Stadium.
It had been almost 11 months since the Louisburg football team had a chance to play a game on its home field.
After going out on the road in the playoffs last season, and then starting the first two weeks on the road this year, the Wildcats were looking forward to a return home.
The Wildcats got the homecoming they were hoping for as they rolled to a 41-13 win over Baldwin on Friday at Wildcat Stadium in a game that featured a running clock in the fourth quarter.
“It felt really good to finally play at home,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “With going on the road for our jamboree, and then first two games away, it seemed like it had been forever. We had a really good crowd and it was an awesome environment for us to play in.
“Overall, I thought we played pretty well. We definitely played sloppy at times and still had some self inflicted wounds with penalties and mental errors. We need to continue to work on limiting those types of mistakes.”
Louisburg quarterback Declan Battle made his presence known early as he hurt the Bulldogs with his legs and his arm.
Battle scored four touchdowns, including two on the ground, to lead the Wildcats. He finished the game with 142 yards through the air and another 137 yards rushing.
“I felt like we had a lot of individuals play well and Declan was one of those,” Harding said. “He did a good job with his reads and he ran the football well when the opportunity presented itself. He threw some good balls and hit his receivers in stride so they could make yards after the catch.”
Battle got the Wildcats going early as they scored on their first drive that ended on a 44-yard touchdown pass to senior Mason Dobbins.
The Louisburg special teams got involved next. The Wildcats forced Baldwin to punt on its first possession and had the Bulldogs pinned near the goal line.
Louisburg senior Carson Wade and junior Wyatt Holland converged to block the punt. Junior Brady Hickey then picked up the loose ball in the endzone for the Wildcats’ second score of the game.
Louisburg offensive linemen Will Hutsell (left) and J.R. Rooney take on a pair of Baldwin defenders Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
In the second quarter, Battle struck again, this time on a 49-yard touchdown run to put the Wildcats up three scores. Senior Riley Van Eaton added a 12-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up 28-0 at halftime.
For the game, the Wildcats amassed more than 400 yards of total offense, thanks to its offensive line. Nathan Vincent, Brayton Brueggen, Jaymes Melton, J.R. Rooney and Will Hutsell, along with tight end Mack Newell.
“To have over 400 yards of offense is a testament to how the offensive line played,” Harding said. “They did a really good job adjusting to what Baldwin was trying to do up front. I thought they played physical all night. Our perimeter blocking was better as well. In order to have some of those big plays you have to have backs and receivers blocking down field and I thought they did a better job of that this week.”
Senior punt returner Jackson Kush runs for some extra yards Friday against Baldwin.
The Wildcats (2-1) scored two more touchdowns in the second half. Battle opened the third quarter with a 34-yard touchdown run and then connected with senior Corbin Hamman for a 26-yard score to go up 41-0.
Senior kicker Layne Ryals also had a good night as he was 5-for-6 on extra points.
The first string defense pitched a shutout for Louisburg as the Bulldogs didn’t score until late in the third quarter.
Sophomore linebacker Ashton Moore led the Wildcats with 10 tackles on the night, while Vincent finished with seven. Vincent also had the team’s lone sack, while Holland forced a fumble and Ryals earned the recovery.
“I thought we were in a much better position against the pass this week,” Harding said. “We were in their hip pocket for most of the night. We can still improve on playing the ball, but our positioning was much better. There were a few missed tackles here and there, but overall I thought we played the run pretty well. We were also able to score on special teams this week, which is huge.”
Senior Hunter Moore drags a Baldwin runner down by his jersey late in Friday’s game.
Harding also had the opportunity to empty his bench and give his reserves some well-earned varsity time.
“I thought it was really good to get some of those younger players in the game,” Harding said. “They work their butt off on the scout team all week, so it was nice for them to get some playing time on Friday. It is good experience for them and hopefully benefits us down the road.”
Louisburg will try for its third straight win this Friday when it hosts Bonner Springs. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
TACKLES — Ashton Moore 10, Nathan Vincent 7, Isaiah Whitley 6, Wyatt Holland 6, J.R. Rooney 6, Carson Wade 4, Hunter Heinrich 3, Erik Lien 3, Reid McCaskill 2, Brady Hickey 2, Jase Hovey 2, Darby Van Eaton 2, Hunter Moore 2, Brayden Yoder 2, Will Hutsell 2, Declan Battle 1, Mason Dobbins 1, Logan Henry 1, Layne Ryals 1, Brayton Brueggen 1.
Week 2 Athlete of the Week: Nathan Vincent
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the fall sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.
NATHAN VINCENT, SENIOR, FOOTBALL
Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent played a big role, on both sides of the ball, in the Wildcats; 35-14 win over rival Paola on Friday. As a defensive end, Vincent led the Wildcats with 13 tackles on the night. He also recorded a sack and had a fumble recovery.
Vincent is also the starting left tackle for the Wildcats. He helped lead an offensive line that paved the way for nearly 350 yards of total offense against the Panthers, including 225 yards on the ground.
The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.
