Wildcats win second straight as they down Leavenworth in home opener

Louisburg’s Baileigh Johnson celebrates with her teammates after scoring her first of two goals Thursday at home against Leavenworth.

It is two matches and two wins for the Louisburg girls soccer team to begin its season and its latest victory came Thursday against Leavenworth in the Wildcats’ hope opener.

The Wildcats scored a pair of goals and came away with a 2-1 victory over the Pioneers. Although it wasn’t the cleanest of matches, the improvements were definitely there from game one to game two.

“I saw lots of progress,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “We are pretty fit right now and most of them played the entire game. We are having some difficulty in getting our forwards involved, but those are all things that time will fix as we move forward and get more comfortable with each other.”

Louisburg (2-0) got things going late in the first half offensively. Senior Lola Edwards brought the ball up through the midfield and found an open Baileigh Johnson.

Johnson sprinted down the right side, and after a pass from Edwards, Johnson shot the ball over the goalie’s outstretched arms and found the back of the net to give the Wildcats the lead.

Early in the second half, Johnson found the back of the net again. Senior Hailey Sword pushed the ball up the field and found Johnson.

The Louisburg junior took a shot just outside the box and put the Wildcats up, 2-0, less than two minutes into the second half. It was Johnson’s first two goals of the season.

“Baileigh has made a huge improvement and feels more comfortable in what she is doing,” York said. “She killed it at the JV level last year and came up with varsity to play some big minutes at times. She is confident this year and I think she is the most improved player we have right now.”

Louisburg sophomore Mena Fercho settles a pass Thursday against Leavenworth.

Leavenworth broke the shutout a few minutes later, but the Wildcats dominated possession from start to finish. 

“We are still learning and it is a new group with new faces,” York said. “I am giving them some freedom to work some things out in the back. I want them to get better. It is another game where if we play marginally to our strengths, we might win going away. 

“I’m happy with where half of our players are right now. I am gettin what I am expecting out of them and the other half is moving toward that. We have things we want to fix, but that is going to take time. We could be 0-2, and I would still be confident with where we are heading. The wins are good though and that builds confidence. This upcoming week will be a long week, but the most important thing is we need to stay healthy.”

The Wildcats will try for their third straight win tonight as they square off with Sumner Academy in the first round of the Turner Invitational. The match is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

If the Wildcats get a victory, they will play the winner between Turner and Bonner Springs on Wednesday. The final game of the tournament will take place Friday.




Wildcats outlast Lansing to get overtime win in opener

LANSING — As the clock hit zero at the end of regulation, neither Louisburg or Lansing knew who had won.

The Wildcats were up a goal as the buzzer sounded, but Lansing found the back of the net on a wild play that appeared to have bounced off the hand of a Lion player before the shot.

The officials conferred and allowed the goal, which forced overtime. Instead of letting frustration take over, the Wildcats put it to good use.

Sophomore Mena Fercho scored the game-winning goal six minutes into the extra period and gave Louisburg a big 2-1 victory over Lansing on Tuesday in its season opener.

“This was definitely a good win for us,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “We focused on mental toughness in the offseason and it was good to see us refocus and not let a call, or a goal get us down. The girls did a good job of moving on and really thought we did a lot of good things.”

Louisburg took an early one goal lead in the first half on a goal from senior Lexi Hampton and the Wildcats held that lead all the way to the final seconds of the second half.

It was there where Lansing pushed the ball up the field, and after a strong save from goalie Macy Lemke, a deflection went to a Lansing player near the net and scored as time expired.

It was a war of attrition for both teams as they had to deal with a fast-paced match, but it was one the Wildcats were prepared for.

“Both teams had players that were dropping like flies,” York said. “Last 10 minutes of the second half, there were players from both teams who had to leave with cramps. We didn’t sub a whole lot, but we did a ton of extra conditioning to make ourselves ready. The conditioning really helped us out and we were the stronger team later in the game.”

Fercho won the game for the Wildcats as she dribbled into the box, battled through two Lansing defenders, then dribbled the ball past the goalie for the open net opportunity.

“Mena did a great job to stay with it and was great to see her come through there,” York said. “It was good to see the girls refocus in the overtime and they played well. 

“We shouldn’t have put the game in the hands of the referee, and I think we know that. We could have done things where we weren’t in that position, but we had the chance to put the game away before then in regulation and we just didn’t. Good learning experience for sure.”

Louisburg will try for back to back wins today as it hosts Leavenworth in its home opener. Varsity is slated to begin at 6 p.m.




Louisburg girls soccer ready to make another run at state tourney

Louisburg senior Lexi Hampton returns to help lead the Wildcat attack after scoring 19 goals last season.

The Louisburg girls soccer team found itself just one win away from the state tournament last season.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats had a big road block in their way in eventual state champion Bishop Miege. Despite the loss to the Stags in the regional championship game, Louisburg finished with a strong 13-5 record on the season.

After a memorable run in 2023, many of those same Wildcats are back once again as they try to earn a spot in the state tournament. 

The Wildcats return five all-league performers from last season that are included in their seven returning starters. It is a veteran group that has high goals for themselves.

Louisburg is led by seven seniors, including returning starters Macy Lemke, Lexi Hampton, Hailey Sword, Lola Edwards and Ellery Allen. Aliya Klugman and A.J. Fire will also see playing time throughout the year.

“When it comes to leadership, this group has a good handle on it,” Louisburg coach Ben York said of his seniors. “They are a little more serious than some, but they know what they want to try and do. They work really hard. Macy is a 2-year starter, Lexi has started since she walked on the field was a freshman, Hailey has played a lot, as has Lola. 

“There are a lot of leaders in that group and this will be one of those classes that is very easy to coach and they don’t need any extra motivation from me. They will be looked up to by a lot of younger players.”

Although the season hasn’t even started, the injury bug has hit the Wildcats. Allen, who was an honorable mention all-state defender from a year ago, will be out most of the season.

It forced York to shuffle his lineup, but he believes his team can overcome not having her on the pitch.

“There is a small chance that she could join us at the end, but I am pretty heartbroken for her as this is her senior year,” York said. “The best thing is to make sure she is still healthy and we are thinking of her. We have a good cohesiveness from last year’s team. We have some eager young people wanting to get in and prove they can contribute.”

Louisburg junior Rowan Yows is one of the top returning goalscorers for the Wildcats after scoring 19 last season.

The strength of the Wildcat team is up top as they present plenty of firepower, including Hampton and junior Rowan Yows. Hampton, the team’s starting forward, returns after scoring a team-high 19 goals and seven assists.

Yows, who was a first-team all-league midfielder a year ago, also had 19 goals and also finished with 11 assists. Louisburg will lean on that 1-2 punch throughout the season.

Junior Baileigh Johnson will start at forward along with Hampton, while Edwards, sophomore Mena Fercho and junior Riley May will start in the midfield.

On defense, Sword will lead the back line after earning second team all-league last season. She will be joined by junior Jaden Bentz, who started last season on the outside. Sophomores Faith Sewell and Lila Edwards will also start on defense.

Lemke returns for her second year in goal for Louisburg after earning all-league honors last season. She finished with 56 saves and nine clean sheets.

Louisburg senior Hailey Sword will be one of the team leaders in the back this season for the Wildcats after earning all-league honors a year ago.

“We are going to play a little different this year defensively as we are going to play flat in the back with two center backs and see how that goes,” York said. “I think it gives everyone a little more flexibility. That is the main goal. We had plans to move Hailey to the midfield, but with Ellery’s injury that is how we are going to start. There will be time where Lola could play back there as well.”

The Wildcats have set goals for themselves this season, but right now they are more concerned with the present as they prepare for their season opener today at Lansing.

“I don’t want to set an expectation at the beginning of the season, other than just being physically fit and mentally stronger,” York said. “Those two things were key factors and everyone identified with those after last season. I don’t like to have a goal that it is regional championship or state or bust. Our goal is it to be better tomorrow than we are today. 

“No question we have talent on this team, but this is a new year and we need to see how is this team going to work together and getting a starting 11 that works for us. It is a mature group, but will just have to wait to see how it goes. We have team goals that we want, so hopefully we can accomplish some of those.”




Lemke excited to join Coffeyville Community College soccer program

Louisburg senior Macy Lemke recently signed her letter of intent to join the Coffeyville Community College soccer program this fall.

Ever since she started playing soccer in elementary school, Macy Lemke always found herself in the net.

Lemke was always taller than most of the players, so her coaches put her where she could help the team most — in goal. Little did she know, more than a decade later, Lemke will be competing for a starting goalie spot on the collegiate level.

The Louisburg senior signed her letter of intent to join the Coffeyville Community College program and will compete for the Red Ravens this coming fall.

“It feels very weird but very awesome all together,” Lemke said. “I remember first playing indoor soccer and being chosen to be a goalie because I was tall. Little did I know, I am here graduating in a semester going to play soccer in college with the ‘Big Kids.’ 

“But really it’s incredible to start so little and end up somewhere so big. My first grade self would think that’s insane. I’m speechless, but I’m just living In the moment and it’s truly a beautiful thing to be where I am now.”

A lot of things have laid out perfectly for Lemke, that includes the opportunity to join the Louisburg soccer program. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was preparing to enroll at Olathe South.

It was a scary, and uncertain time for her. Macy’s mother, Dana, teaches at Rockville Elementary in the Louisburg district and brought up the idea of transferring to Louisburg. 

Lemke decided to take a leap of faith and it paid off in a big way as she is a two-time starting goalie for the Wildcat program.

“If it weren’t for Covid-19, I would’ve never came to Louisburg,” Macy said. “In many ways I love Covid, and because of it I was able to meet some incredible friends and families and find a place where I felt more belongingness than I did in Olathe schools. I was already enrolled at Olathe South and my parents had talked about moving me to the high school to really get the education and soccer opportunities that I needed. It was a scary decision, but It was the best decision I’ve ever made bringing me to a place that felt like home.”

Louisburg senior Macy Lemke signed her letter of intent to join the Coffeyville Community College soccer program. Seated next to Macy is her mother Dana and brother Devin. Standing (from left) is Louisburg head coach Ben York, her brother Drew, father Marc and Louisburg assistant coach Jordan Roquemore.

Lemke became the starter last season as a junior and made a big impact for the Wildcats as she earned honorable mention All-Frontier League and all-state honors.

In her first full season as a starter, Lemke finished with 56 saves on the season and recorded nine clean sheets.

The feeling that drew her to Louisburg is the same one she felt when she decided Coffeyville was going to be her new home. She also joins a Red Raven program that has put together winning campaigns in seven of the last eight seasons.

“Coming to Louisburg made me realize I loved the smaller school and smaller community a lot more than being in the city,” she said. “I knew I felt most comfortable going to a college that would be small and convenient to play soccer, but also gave me the Louisburg feel. 

“When I went to Coffeyville it felt just like Louisburg, almost better. I knew it was right and being around the soccer girls felt more than amazing. It’s not too far and not too big. I am able to pursue Sociology and continue playing soccer.”




Gassman excited to join defending national champion, Iowa Western

Louisburg’s Bree Gassman will continue her soccer career this coming fall as she signed with Iowa Western Community College. Iowa Western is the defending junior college national champion.

For the past four years, Bree Gassman has been a big part of a very successful Louisburg girls soccer program.

Coming off a strong senior campaign with the Wildcats, Gassman is now going from one successful team to the next.

Last spring, Gassman signed her letter of intent to play soccer for Iowa Western Community College, the defending junior college national champion.

It is an opportunity Gassman couldn’t pass up and one she didn’t think would be possible early on in her soccer career.

“Being able to play at the college level is something I never thought I would be able to do,” Gassman said. “Growing up it was never really a dream of mine. I mostly joined soccer because the rest of my siblings played it. However, I started to really enjoy the sport and wanted to be able to play it to the best of my ability. 

“Going into my senior year I realized that playing at the next level was something I actually wanted to do. I enjoy everything soccer related and fitness, so I figured playing in college would allow me to stay active at a high level for a couple more years.”

Not only was the chance to play for a national champion an enticing offer, but it became even better when she found out she would be able to rejoin a former teammate.

Reese Johnson, a 2022 Louisburg grad, was a big part of Iowa Western’s national championship run, and she spoke highly of the program.

“Knowing their success as a national champion, and the idea that one day I could be a part of it, helped persuade me a lot,” Gassman said. “Not just that, but having Reese there helped persuade me too. Not only is she a familiar face in a different area, but she also talked very highly of the college and I knew it wasn’t just someone trying to sell it to me. It was someone who’s been having a genuinely good time there.”

Bree Gassman signed her letter of intent to join the Iowa Western soccer program. Sitting next to Bree are her parents Tara and Brent Gassman. Standing (from left) is her sister Carlee, Louisburg head coach Ben York, assistant coach Jordan Roquemore and Bree’s brother, Cade.

There is also another Louisburg connection to the Reiver program. Assistant coach Jamison Parkhill is a Louisburg graduate and Gassman believes the coaching staff did a good job to help her feel comfortable with making the move to the college level.

“The coaches at Iowa Western are very kind and helpful,” Gassman said. “Jamison Parkhill, is the one I talked to the most for recruiting. They definitely want the team to be more of a family than anything else. They have this motto for every year they’ve had women’s soccer and this year it’s ‘fam20’ to say that this is the 20th year/family they’ve had. 

“They told me that they really want to be able to expand the team this year with more numbers. So I may just be helping the girls get better during practice, but I’ll certainly work hard and hope to get game time.”

Gassman is coming off a big senior season for Louisburg as she earned second team All-Frontier League honors and was an honorable mention all-state selection.

She helped the Wildcats to the regional championship game against Bishop Miege and finished with seven goals and nine assists for the season.

“Being involved in Louisburg sports has helped me a lot,” Gassman said. “I was able to grow as an athlete and a person. My whole life revolves around fitness, so without it I wouldn’t be me. Playing soccer at Louisburg really allowed me to realize that playing in college is something I wanted to try. I’ve created so many memories with my teammates and coaches that I’m forever thankful for.”




Ross named Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was voted by the head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

No matter what sport Adyson Ross competed in this season, she was one of — if not the best — athlete on the field or court.

Her postseason honors more than bare that out.

Ross was a first-team All-Frontier League selection in two of those and also earned all-state honors as well. No matter the sport, she made her team better.

Her success in all three sports — volleyball, basketball and soccer — were just some of the reasons Ross was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

“Being named athlete of the year means so much,” Ross said. “There are so many outstanding athletes at LHS. To be selected for this award is a huge honor and I am so grateful.”

Ross’ memorable senior year started in the fall with the volleyball program. The Lady Cats upset No. 1 seed Baldwin in the sub-state championship and eventually had a fourth-place finish at the state tournament.

However, the season didn’t start out the best. Louisburg had trouble finding that team chemistry it was looking for, and it seemed like they were missing something. Louisburg coach Leanna Willer asked Ross, who is one of the team’s top hitters, to change positions and play the libero spot.

It was shortly after Ross made the move, that the team took off and started to play some of its best volleyball — including a run to the sub-state championship.

“There were so many special moments from this year, but I think one that stands out the most was during volleyball season.” Ross said. “We were playing Baldwin for the championship and it was game point. I was on the line to serve and I just remember thinking in that moment that everything I’d been working for had come down to that one serve. When we won the point it was just the most special and rewarding feeling. It is something that I will remember forever.”

That season led to second team All-Frontier League honors as a libero as she recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces.

Then came basketball where Ross was a starting guard on a Lady Cat team that reached the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals.

With all that, Ross was named to the All-Frontier League first team and earned second team all-state honors. She was also named to the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. Two years ago, she was also a part of the best finish in school history when Louisburg finished third at the state tournament.

She reached the state final four with all three programs during her time at Louisburg.

“The experience was so amazing,” Ross said. “I might be biased, but Louisburg is really a one of a kind place. You just don’t really see the same amount of support for athletics in many other towns. To be able to play in the state final four for three different sports was so cool.”

Louisburg’s Adyson Ross poses with two of her coaches, Adrianne Lane and Leanna Willer, after receiving the Athlete of the Year award.

On the pitch, Ross had one of her best seasons as the team’s starting midfielder. She helped Louisburg to a spot in the regional championship against Bishop Miege.

She also put together a strong final campaign as she finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.

“Even though we didn’t win that last game, I remember looking up in the stands before the game and seeing the stadium filled with purple, and the amount of student support was crazy,” Ross said. “I just thought to myself, how special it is to be a part of something like that. For so many people to come out and support like they did was amazing, despite the team we were going up against.”

Playing three sports at a high level does take a toll at times, and there were moments Ross wasn’t sure if being a three-sport athlete was for her.

“Continuing all three sports through high school is definitely something I’m proud of,” Ross said. “There were a lot of times when I considered dropping a sport so I could spend time to focusing on another. As a freshman I didn’t see myself continuing all three through senior year, because I didn’t think it was possible to fully commit to each sport.

“My coaches were very supportive and flexible, and all of them were totally on board with it, even though it meant sometimes missing workouts and preseason stuff due to conflicts with another sport. I feel like playing three was more of an advantage to me as an athlete. It helped me to be versatile, and not having an off-season kept me in great shape.”

Even with all her successes, Ross is putting athletics in the rear view mirror, for now. She will be attending Kansas State University and is ready to focus more on the academic side of things. 

Still, Ross knows she will never forget all the memories she made during her time at Louisburg.

“Even though I’m choosing not to continue my athletic career past high school, I feel so blessed for all the memories and friendships sports have given me. They will for sure last a lifetime.”

Previous winners:

2018: Isabelle Holtzen

2019: Carson Buffington

2020: Reilly Ratliff-Becher

2021: Alyse Moore

2022: Delaney Wright




2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year Nominees

For the sixth 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. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Emma Lohse – Senior – Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Lohse was a big varsity contributor for the Lady Cat basketball team and blazed the track for the Louisburg girls as the team’s top sprinter.

On the track, Lohse recorded three state medals, including a pair of individual medals. She was the state runner-up in the 100-meter dash and later finished seventh in the 200 dash. Lohse was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that medaled third and broke the school record in four straight meets. She also qualified for state in the 4×400-meter relay.

On the basketball court, Lohse was one of the Lady Cats’ top defenders as she played a big role on a team that reached the sub-state championship game.

Emma Prettyman – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman was a starter, or key contributor on three different Wildcat teams this past school year, including the volleyball, basketball and track and field programs.

On the volleyball court, Prettyman was one of the Lady Cats’ middle hitters as she helped Louisburg to a fourth place finish at the state tournament. She finished with a team-high 60 blocks and had 166 kills.

Prettyman was the starting center for Louisburg basketball as the Lady Cats earned a spot in the sub-state championship game. She was among the team leaders in rebounds with 6.5 a contest and had two assists a game. She was named to the All-Frontier League Defensive Team.

Prettyan was also the top thrower on the Lady Cat track and field team and earned a spot at the state meet in the discus. It was there where she earned her first state medal as she took sixth overall.

Adyson Ross – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross started for three different Wildcat programs this past season and it all started last fall in volleyball.

Ross, who started the season as an outside hitter, made the move to libero halfway through the year and thrived in her new role. She recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces. She helped the Lady Cats to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament and earned second-team all-league honors.

On the basketball court, Ross was a starting wing for the Lady Cats as she helped them advance to the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals. Ross was selected first team all-league and earned a spot in the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. She also earned second team all-state honors.

On the pitch, Ross was one of the top goal scorers on a Wildcat team that reached the regional championship match. She finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.

Rowan Yows – Sophomore – Soccer

Lady Cat sophomore Rowan Yows was a key part of the Louisburg girls soccer team this past season that saw the Lady Cats reach the sub-state championship game.

Yows, who played in the midfield, was the team’s leading scorer with 19 goals on the season and led the team with 50 shots on goal. She also tallied 11 assists on the season.




Wildcat girls soccer earns seven all-league, all-state honors

Louisburg had seven players named to the All-Frontier League and all-state teams this past week.

The Louisburg girls soccer team was one of the top programs in the Frontier League and it showed when the all-league selections were announced.

The Wildcats were honored with seven spots on the All-Frontier League team, including three first team selections in Rowan Yows, Lexi Hampton and Adyson Ross. Bree Gassman and Hailey Sword earned second team honors, while Lola Edwards and Macy Lemke were named honorable mention.

“We did quite well,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “Postseason honors are always subjective. As a head coach, you are always thinking your nominations are what other people are thinking, but a lot of times it is not. There were girls who really showed well this year. The girls that made it were absolutely deserving, and in a really tough league like we were in, it is quite an honor.”

All-State awards were also released earlier this week by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association and seven Wildcats received honors. Yows, Hampton and Ross were second team selections, while Gassman, Sword, Lemke and Ellery Allen were named honorable mention.

The Wildcats received those honors thanks to the season they had. They reached the sub-state championship game and ended the year with a 13-5 record.

Yow sled the Wildcats in scoring from her midfield spot and played a key role on the team as a sophomore. She finished with 19 goals and 11 assists. She also had 50 shots on goal.

“Rowan is the heartbeat of our team,” York said. “She sets the tone with her tenacious high motor and she is near the top in every category on our team. She is a very hard worker, never complains and leads by example. She scored some very impressive goals this year and she is technically good on the ball.”

Hampton tied with Yows for the team lead in scoring as she also tallied 19 goals on the season from her forward spot. The Louisburg junior also had seven assists and 51 shots on goal.

“Lexi is great at finding shots in tight spaces, but also has a good top gear to beat defenders,” York said. “She is equally good with both feet and has the ability to stretch the defense out. She is also very good in the air scoring several goals off crosses/corners with her head. With our different style of play this year, she did a good job adjusting to a more pass heavy offense that shares the ball.”

Ross was a big factor in the scoring from her outside midfielder spot. The Louisburg senior led the team with 21 assists to go along with 16 goals. She also had 35 shots on goal.

“Adyson moved to outside mid this year in the system we played,” York said. “Not only did she lead the team in assists, she had critical goals in many of our close games and really led the team on the field. She showed great leadership and played almost every minute of every game. She is probably the most dangerous player we have because she is left footed and a nightmare to keep up with for pace.”

Gassman, a senior, also had a big season for the Wildcats at forward. She tallied seven goals and nine assists to go along with 16 shots on goal.

“Bree does all the dirty work on the field for us,” York said. “Her fitness is incredible and she has allowed us to use her in different positions throughout the season when other players were injured or we were thin at certain positions. She is very good on the ball and rarely gives up possession. Best tackler on the team and is extremely unselfish. Her stats do not do justice to her importance on the team. She is also a great captain and leader.”

Sword, a junior, was one the team’s top defenders after switching positions from a year ago. The defense as a whole gave up just 17 goals all season, which was less than one per game.

“Hailey moved from the defensive midfield to center back this year and she handled the switch extremely well,” York said “She was the field general for us this year. She was part of a defense that allowed less that a goal a game and had 9 shutouts in the regular season. She is very good at reading the play and organizing the team defensively. Strong in tackles and is fast enough to track down players from behind.”

As a part of that defense, Lemke had a strong first year as a starting goalie. She finished the year with 56 saves to go along with nine clean sheets.

“Macy had a very impressive year,” York said. “She plays very well with her feet, which allows us to use her to keep possession and build out of the back. She is confident and decisive when she comes out and is intimidating. She is good on corners and has good height, so she rarely has trouble with balls in the air or high shots. She is a good vocal leader and good organizer on the field and off.”

Edwards, a junior caption, also played a vital role in the midfield this season for Louisburg. She finished the year with seven goals and seven assists, which was good enough to earn honorable mention all-league honors.

“Lola is the most technical player we have,” York said. “Very good at finding and keeping possession. Didn’t have a statistically impressive season, but was probably involved in the majority of our build ups to goal scoring opportunities. Also a very good and consistent captain and leader.”

Allen was also a key part to the Wildcat defense, but also found herself in plenty of scoring opportunities. The Louisburg junior stopper finished with nine goals, seven assists and 20 shots on goal.

“Ellery was a transfer into our program this year,” York said. “She played stopper for us and had an immediate impact on our team. Very talented on the ball, good distributer and good in the air. Tall and imposing as a defender, and she also pushes up into the offense very well. As a defender, she had a large number of goals for us. She takes all of our set pieces and has an incredible shot.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS SOCCER

First Team

Payton Vogelbacher, senior, Spring Hill

Rowan Yows, sophomore, Louisburg

Adyson Ross, senior, Louisburg

Perla Backberg, junior, Baldwin

Jayla Erpelding, junior, Eudora

Veronica Farris, senior, Spring Hill

Bailey Smith, junior, Baldwin

Lexi Hampton, junior, Louisburg

Fisayo Afonja, junior, Baldwin

Hailey Bregmann, sophomore, Spring Hill

GOALIE: Avery Young, junior, Spring Hill

Second Team

Nora Prather, junior, Baldwin

Gabby Klein, senior, Bonner Springs

Bree Gassman, senior, Louisburg

Hailey Sword, junior, Louisburg

Jaden Brooks, sophomore, Eudora

Jenna Knight, senior, Bonner Springs

Izzy Farris, senior, Spring Hill

Johannah Jahn, senior, Ottawa

Elizabeth Williams, sophomore, Spring Hill

Jess Russo, junior, Spring Hill

GOALIE: Molly Atchley, senior, Ottawa

Honorable Mention

Madisyn Sprinkle, freshman, Ottawa

Paige Hiracheta, senior, Ottawa

Cooper Garner, senior, Ottawa

Katelyn Bothwell, senior, Tonganoxie

Makenna Blanchat, senior, Baldwin

Alex McBride, junior, Baldwin

Maris Flory, junior, Baldwin

Laura Fisher, sophomore, Bonner Springs

Lauren Grauberger, junior, Eudora

Lizzie Fisher, sophomore, Eudora

Kaiya Taylor, sophomore, Eudora

Xin Clobes, junior, Eudora

Olivia Infante, junior, Spring Hill

Lola Edwards, junior, Louisburg

GOALIE: Kambry Shockley, senior, Eudora; Macy Lemke, junior, Louisburg; Alyssa Reichard, junior, Baldwin

Class 4-1A All-State

SECOND TEAM: Rowan Yows, Adyson Ross, Lexi Hampton
HONORABLE MENTION: Bree Gassman, Hailey Sword, Ellery Allen, Macy Lemke




Big second half from Miege ends Louisburg’s regional title hopes

Louisburg junior Lola Edwards battles a Bishop Miege player for possession Thursday during the Class 4-1A regional title game at Wildcat Stadium.

For the first half of the Class 4-1A regional championship game against Bishop Miege, Louisburg found itself in a dogfight with the six-time defending state champion.

The Wildcats were down just a goal at halftime and had another 40 minutes to try and pull off the upset.

Unfortunately, Bishop Miege had another ideas. 

The Stags scored five goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half and handed the Wildcats a 6-0 defeat to end their season.

“We fought and got them out of their game and had a really good first half,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “I don’t know if all the conditioning in the world would allow you to play two halves the way we did. 

“The first 12 minutes of the second half were just like a blur. We were able to do some things in the first half that allowed us to have success, but they sat some girls in different places in the second half that made it more difficult for us to release and go forward. They are a very talented team that I wish we didn’t have to see this early in the postseason, but that is the way it happens sometimes. Very proud of my team though.”

Louisburg goalie Macy Lemke makes a diving save Thursday against Bishop Miege.

It was a scoreless through the first 15 minutes of the match, before Miege hit a shot from 15 yards out that sailed just off the fingertips of goalie Macy Lemke.

Louisburg had its fair share of chances in the first half, as well.

Off a pair of corner kicks from Adyson Ross, sophomore Rowan Yows had two shots on target, while junior Lexi Hampton also had shots on goal.

Louisburg senior Bree Gassman passes the ball upfield Thursday at Wildcat Stadium.

The match stayed a 1-0 lead for Miege at halftime, before the Stags caught fire and the Wildcats didn’t have an answer. Miege scored in the opening minute of the second half and would score four more times in the following 12 minutes.

“It is an emotional thing for our girls,” York said. “It happened against Spring Hill where they scored a bunch of a goals in a short amount of time. We didn’t get tired, but I think we were emotionally out of it after they scored the first couple in the second half. Miege has some fast girls, so I think after the first couple of goals in the second half, we were just chasing and we probably got tired legs after that.

“I think both teams were pretty aggressive, and I think the first half we made them a little uncomfortable. They have speed and a lot of talent, and for the first half, I think we held them in check a little bit.”

Louisburg senior Brylee Diederich fights to steal possession from a Miege player Thursday at home.

The loss ended the Wildcats’ year with a 13-5 record, as they also had to say goodbye to five seniors in Ross, Brianne Kuhlman, Tehya Harvey, Bree Gassman and Brylee Diederich. However, it was a season filled with plenty of positives.

“It was a wonderful season,” York said. “The attitude was good, the comradery was good, and even after losses, the girls were always ready to go to work the next day in practice. That is just a tribute to who the girls are and what this program is, and it is wonderful. As coaches, it is easier to coach a team that all gets along and works really hard. You can’t ask for a better group of girls. It was a lot of fun.”




Wildcats blank Chanute to earn spot in regional title game

Louisburg juniors Hailey Sword and Ellery Allen were all smiles following Sword’s goal in the first half of Tuesday victory over Chanute.

When the regional brackets were announced late last week, Louisburg saw it would face a familiar first round opponent.

The Wildcats hosted Chanute on Tuesday in the Class 4-1A regional semifinal, and just like earlier in the season, it was the same result. 

Louisburg scored 10 goals en route to a 10-0 victory over the Blue Comets, who just completed the program’s inaugural season. That win set up a different kind of opponent for today’s regional championship.

The No. 3 seed Wildcats go from facing a winless Chanute team, to squaring off with No. 6 Bishop Miege — a team that has won six straight state championships.

It will obviously be a different kind of game in today’s regional title match, as the Wildcats try to reach the state tournament.

Louisburg senior Bree Gassman heads the ball away Tuesday against Chanute. Gassman finished the game with two goals.

“We know this will be a big challenge for us, but is it impossible, of course not,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “It will take our best effort to get it done and I think the girls are up for the challenge. The coaches have watched a lot of film and we will put together a game plan. Hopefully the girls will come with a great attitude and put together a good performance, and will see what happens.”

Against Chanute, the Wildcats found the back of the net early and often as junior Lola Edwards and senior Bree Gassman each had a pair of goals to lead the Louisburg scoring.

Edwards got the scoring started with a goal three minutes into the match, and then followed it up with a shot from 20 yards out to make it a 2-0 contest.

Then a pair of Wildcat defenders got into the scoring column. Junior Ellery Allen blasted a shot from just beyond the 18, then minutes later, junior Hailey Sword got a goal of her own to make it 4-0.

Louisburg junior Lexi Hampton races to the ball as she tries to go in for a goal Tuesday against Chanute.

Freshman Mena Fercho and sophomore Rowan Yows added scores in the final minutes of the first half and the Wildcats took a 6-0 lead.

Gassman opened the second half with a pair of quick goals and senior Adyson Ross followed it up with a score to make it 9-0. A Chanute own goal ended the match early.

Louisburg junior goalie Macy Lemke earned the clean sheet as the Wildcats picked up their fourth straight shutout.

The Wildcats (13-4) will host Bishop Miege at 5 p.m. today for the regional championship at Wildcat Stadium. The first 125 student will get in free with a valid student ID. There will also be a tailgate that begins at 4 p.m. that features a couple different food trucks.