Senior Olivia Barber (left) and junior Reese Johnson were named to the Class 4-1A all-state first team by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.

With any kind of success comes recognition, and the Louisburg girls soccer team has gotten more in the last week.

Louisburg, which finished fourth at the Class 4-1A  state tournament, earned four spots on the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team.

Senior Olivia Barber and junior Reese Johnson were named to the Class 4-1A all-state first team, while freshmen Hailey Sword and Lola Edwards earned second team honors.

“The four girls we had recognized for all-state were very valuable to our success,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Once again, when any individual accomplishes any individual award, it is usually because their teammates help put them in a position to succeed.”

Johnson was one of the team’s main facilitators on offense as she was second on the team with nine assists and also had seven goals.

Barber also had a big final season for the Wildcats as she finished the year with 11 goals and 11 assists.

“Reese and Olivia did a fantastic job for our team’s attack,” Conley said. “They created a massive amount of opportunities for our team and played at such a high level. Olivia had such great vision and did a fantastic job of finding her teammates. Reese was such an unbelievable threat attacking the right side. She was so good all season long.”

Edwards was also another valuable piece to the Wildcat offense as she was second on the team with 15 goals to go along with six assists.

Sword was a big part of the Wildcat defense as she took away the other team’s best players from her defensive midfield spot. She also had three goals on the year.

“Hailey and Lola did a great job for us as well,” Conley said. “As freshmen, they stepped up big time and took on the challenge of replacing some really tough players. Not only did they step up, but they excelled. Hailey took away the middle of the field and Lola played with a massive amount of energy up top for our team. Both these young ladies have a lot of great things ahead of them in their careers.”

For the past five years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

For the fourth straight 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 later this month.

Below are the nominees for this year’s award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

FEMALE

Reese Johnson – Junior – Cross Country, Soccer

Junior Reese Johnson made history in a couple different sports for Louisburg this past season.

In the fall, Johnson played a big role on the girls cross country team. The Lady Cats finished third in Class 4A, as that was the first time a team had placed at state in girls cross country. Johnson also medaled 15th individually and was one of three Lady Cats to earn state medals that day.

In the spring, Johnson was one of the leaders on the girls soccer team that advanced to the Class 4-1A state final four this past season. Johnson earned second team All-Frontier League honors after she finished the season with seven goals and nine assists as the Wildcats finished fourth at state.

Alyse Moore – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track

Alyse Moore ended her senior season as one of the most accomplished athletes in Louisburg High School history. Moore is the first female athlete in school history to compete at the state level in four different sports, including both softball and track in the same season in 2019.

In the spring, Moore earned her second straight track state medal in the javelin as she finished fourth in the Class 4A meet. Earlier in the year, Moore broke a 20-year-old school record with a throw of 149 feet.

Moore was also a starter on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Moore and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall. Individually, Moore eclipsed the 500-career rebound mark and was an honorable mention all-league player. She led the team in rebounds with 8.6 boards a game and also averaged 7.3 points and 1.7 steals.

On the volleyball court, Moore started as an outside hitter for the Lady Cats and was second on the team with 174 kills and 195 digs.

Delaney Wright – Junior – Basketball, Track

Delaney Wright ended the 2020-21 school year with a bang as she became the school’s first athlete to win three state championships in track in one season. 

At the Class 4A state meet in Wichita last month, Wright won state titles in the long jump, 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She broke her own 200 and 400 school records to reach those accomplishments. On the season, Wright set new school records in each of those events.

Wright was also a key player on the girls basketball team and helped the Lady Cats to their best finish in school history. Wright and the Lady Cats advanced to state for the first time in 47 years and took third overall at the Class 4A state tournament. Wright was one of the team’ best defensive players as she averaged two deflections and a steal per game. She was also assigned to the team’s best player.

MALE

Weston Guetterman – Senior – Football, Basketball

Weston Guetterman played big roles for both the Wildcat football and basketball teams this past season.

On the gridiron, Guetterman was the starting quarterback for Louisburg, which finished 4-3 and tied for third in the Frontier League standings. Guetterman earned honorable mention All-League honors on defense for his play in the secondary. He finished the year with 32 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for a loss and seven batted balls. He also finished with 548 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Guetterman was one of the team leaders on the boys basketball team that advanced to its first state championship in school history and took second at the Class 4A state tournament. He was a second-team All-Frontier League selection from the point guard spot and averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals a game. He was also an all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle and Sports in Kansas.

Cade Holtzen – Senior – Cross Country, Wrestling, Track

Cade Holtzen was a three-sport athlete this past season for Louisburg and became the first male athlete (that is known) to participate in state competitions in all three sports, in the same season.

Holtzen helped the Wildcat cross country team to qualify for state for the first time in school history as they finished third at regionals. At state, Holtzen took 56th overall in 18 minutes and 46 seconds.

On the wrestling mat, Holtzen had a year to remember as he finished his career with a 155-19 record and a third-place state finish at 132 pounds. He was a four-time state qualifier for the Wildcats and a three-time state placer. Holtzen served as the team captain this past season and currently holds eight program records, including most season victories and most career wins. He was also chosen to participate in the 2021 Metro Classic.

In the spring, Holtzen earned his second state medal of the year as he helped the 4×800-meter relay team to a third place finish. He also helped the Wildcats to their second team Class 4A state track championship in school history.

Kolby Kattau – Junior – Football, Baseball

Kolby Kattau was a two-sport athlete this past season and had a good year for both the football and baseball program.

In the spring, Kattau helped the Wildcats to their first regional championship game since 2009 as he played both first base and pitcher. Kattau finished the year with a .444 average and racked up 32 hits for the Wildcats to go along with a .560 on-base percentage. He finished with five doubles, two triples, 16 RBIs, scored 26 runs and stole nine bases. He was a first team All-Frontier League selection and was an honorable mention all-state selection by the KBCA.

On the football field, Kattau played on both sides of the ball for a team that finished with a 4-3 record and tied for third in the Frontier League. He finished with two touchdowns from the running back spot and had 41 tackles at linebacker.

Alec Younggren – Senior – Football, Wrestling

Alec Younggren was a two-sport athlete for Louisburg as he shined on the football field and on the wrestling mat.

Younggren, who missed part of the football season with an injury, still played well-enough on the offensive and defensive lines to earn All-Frontier League honors on both sides of the ball. Younggren was named as a first-team offensive lineman and an honorable mention lineman on defense.

He was a key fixture on the Wildcat offensive line that amassed more than 2,400 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns. He also had 23 tackles on defense. Younggren was also an all-state honorable mention selection.

The Louisburg senior had an historic season in wrestling as he advanced to the 220-pound Class 4A championship match, where he finished runner-up. He finished the year with a 37-1 record and had Louisburg’s highest state finish since 2012.

Braden Yows – Junior – Soccer

Louisburg junior Braden Yows was vital part of the Wildcats’ best finish in school history this past season. Yows helped the Wildcats to a third place finish in the Class 4-1A state tournament.

Yows was a first-team All-Frontier League and all-state selection from his midfield spot. He broke a program record with 21 assists and also finished with seven goals on the year.

The Louisburg girls soccer team just finished a memorable season that led the Wildcats to their fourth straight Class 4-1A final four.

Due to all that success, the Wildcats were recognized by the league coaches and earned seven spots on the All-Frontier League team that was recently released. 

Although seven players were honored, it didn’t sit well with the program as the Wildcats were shutout of the first team and five players were named honorable mention.

“Honestly I felt compared to teams we beat we did not receive the representation I felt the girls deserved,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Usually, I don’t tell the girls all-league stuff until our banquet and like it being a surprise, but I felt we had some kids who should have been first team players and some second team players. We used that as our motivation for the rest of the year to keep proving those people who don’t believe in us wrong.”

Junior midfielder Reese Johnson was second team selection, along with freshman midfielder Hailey Sword.

Senior midfielder Olivia Barber and senior defender Madi Quinn were named honorable mention, as was sophomore midfielder Adyson Ross. Freshmen forwards Lexi Hampton and Lola Edwards, the team’s leading scorers, were also named to the honorable mention team.

Johnson was one of the team’s main facilitators on offense as she was second on the team with nine assists and also had seven goals.

As for Sword, she was assigned to the opposition’s best player on many occasions from her defensive-mid spot. She also had three goals on the season.

“Hailey and Reese played really well,” Conley said. “They played vital roles for us and our team. They both stepped up and played really well for us and helped us a lot in key moments of the game. I was really proud of them and how hard they played each and every night.”

The team’s top three scorers — Hampton, Edwards and Barber — were named to the honorable mention team despite have double digit goals on the year.

Hampton finished the season with 16 goals to lead the way for Louisburg, while Edwards had 15 goals and six assists. Barber reached double figures in both goals scored and assisted with 11.

Ross was a big factor for the Wildcats from her midfield spot and also finished the year with two goals and two assists.

Quinn was one of the team captains along with Barber and Ruth Minster. Quinn was also one of the team’s leaders on defense from the center back position.

“The honorable mention girls deserved better in my opinion,” Conley said. “Just based on their position and stats alone, but it wasn’t meant to be. These girls came ready to play and made some fantastic plays this year. This group absolutely stepped up as we had to replace 12 seniors and 4 other players for the 2021 season. 

“This group never made excuses and just battled. They worked so hard and truly earned this recognition, regardless if I felt they deserved better. These girls had a fantastic season and I am very proud of all of them.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS SOCCER

First Team

Ashtin Barnes, Tonganoxie; Lauren Russell, Baldwin; Riley Smith, Baldwin; Sierra Montez, Piper; Ryann Clark, Piper; Lexi Dillon, Spring Hill; Mallory Putnam, Spring Hill; Brooke Powell, Spring Hill; Mackenzie Hood, Spring Hill; Jayla Erpelding, Eudora

GOALIE: Allie Harrington, Spring Hill

Second Team

Kate Erpelding, Eudora; Alex Pasqua, Eudora; Mallory Vickers, Eudora; Hailey Sword, Louisburg; Reese Johnson, Louisburg; Cambria Crowe, Baldwin; Ryla Richardson, Piper; Reagan Downes, Spring Hill; Payton Vogelbacher, Spring Hill; Emelynn Cruce, Spring Hill

GOALIE: Leah Williams, Eudora

Honorable Mention

Charity Seaton, Bonner Springs; Jenna Knight, Bonner Springs; Lola Edwards, Louisburg; Adyson Ross, Louisburg; Lexi Hampton, Louisburg; Olivia Barber, Louisburg; Madi Quinn, Louisburg; Katherine Wombwell, Tonganoxie; Heather Wombwell, Tonganoxie; Abby Patterson, Baldwin; Emma Hawley, Piper; Alexis Simpson, Piper; Alexis Miles, Piper; Samantha Trumbo, Piper; Emma Banks, Spring Hill; Veronica Farris, Spring Hill; Taylor Reynolds, Ottawa; Olivia Morton, Ottawa; Paige Hirecheta, Ottawa; Johnannah Jahn, Ottawa

GOALIE: Sara Lake, Piper; Molly Atchley, Ottawa

Members of the Louisburg girls soccer team are (front row, from left) Lexi Hampton, Missy Meigs, Liz Guzman, Kennady Wilkerson, Sierra Hahn, Macy Lemke, Olivia Barber, Emma Christy, Madi Quinn, Kassidi Lomax, Tehya Harvey; (back row) manager Weston Frank, head coach Kyle Conley, Nova Ptacek, Catie Lemke, Lola Edwards, Bronwynn Williams, Bree Gassman, Adyson Ross, Ruth Minster, Hailey Sword, Reese Johnson, Brianne Kuhlman, Sammy McDaniel, assistant coach Jordan Roquemore and manager Reece Jones.

WICHITA — The Louisburg girls soccer team may have left the Class 4-1A Kansas State Girls Soccer Championships with a pair of losses, but the Wildcats took a lot of pride in what they accomplished.

For the fourth straight season, Louisburg advanced to the state final four and the Wildcats finished fourth in the state – a far cry where many people thought they would end up. The Wildcats lost a pair of 2-1 matches to Mulvane and then to McPherson in the third-place match at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

Louisburg, which lost 12 seniors from a season that didn’t happen due to COVID, returned just three varsity players. Despite all that, the ended up being one of the top teams in the state.

“Playing in another state tournament was everything I could have dreamed of,” Louisburg senior Olivia Barber said. “We may not have won either game, but just making it there is a great accomplishment because we were still one of the top four teams in the state.”

On Friday in the state semifinals, the Wildcats were just minutes away from playing in the state championship. Against Mulvane, freshman Lexi Hampton scored to give Louisburg a 1-0 lead early in the second half.

It didn’t stay that way for long.

Mulvane answered with a goal 10 minutes later to tie it, and then late in the second half, scored the go-ahead goal.

Louisburg had chances close to goal to tie it, but the Wildcats couldn’t find the back of the net and were sent to the third-place match to play McPherson.

“Mulvane has two really good players and I thought we did a good job of taking away their opportunities,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They just got a good backside ball that we weren’t prepared for, then the other one was just a bad bounce and they were able to run through it and get one. 

“We had a couple chances inside the six to at the very least tie it, and maybe win the game, but we just couldn’t get it to go. You know I thought we were the better team overall, but for one reason or another it just didn’t work out for us.”

The Wildcats faced a McPherson team that had just come off a double-overtime loss to Bishop Miege in their semifinal game, and once again, the Wildcats struck first.

After a penalty just outside the box, Barber took the direct kick early in the match and the shot sailed over the goalie’s outstretched arms to give Louisburg the 1-0 lead.

“I’d scored goals before, but I’d never felt the way I did when I scored against McPherson,” Barber said. “Making that goal definitely made all of us play harder because it proved to all of us that we were in it.

“Going into the game against McPherson we were exhausted. We left it all on the field the night before and were a bit nervous because we knew how tough they were. I was so proud of us for staying in the game against McPherson and not giving up.”

McPherson started to take control of the possession midway through the first half, but junior goalie Sierra Hahn kept them scoreless with several diving saves. The Bullpups eventually broke through to tie the match right before halftime.

Then with 15 minutes left in the second half, McPherson scored the game-winning goal to hand the Wildcats their second straight 2-1 loss.

“We all were so admired and proud of each other going to the third place game as we knew we easily could’ve not been in the tournament at all,” senior captain Madi Quinn said. “Out of all the teams I have played with, I have never been so motivated to work hard for the girl next to me. 

“I am so excited to see what these girls accomplish in the coming years in the program. I have been so honored to be a part of this program as I have gained another family.”

Louisburg, which finished its season with a 12-8-1 record, will have several returning players back from this team. However, the fight and never quit attitude is what Conley appreciated the most.

“They just came out and battled all year long and they never quit no matter what the score was,” Conley said. “As a coach, I know that these girls gave me everything they had and they took us pretty far. They didn’t quit entire season and that is what got them to this point. I am so proud of these group of girls.”

The Louisburg girls soccer team was all smiles following its 3-0 victory Tuesday over Heritage Christian in the Class 4-1A state quarterfinals.

OVERLAND PARK — The Louisburg girls soccer team is defying the odds – which is saying something considering its history.

The Wildcats, which have won five regional titles in their five seasons of existence to go along with two state runner-up finishes, have possibly done something more extraordinary. 

On Tuesday in the Class 4-1A state quarterfinals at Heritage Christian, Louisburg left with a 3-0 victory and a spot in its fourth state final four. The way the Wildcats got there was the unexpected part.

Louisburg had to say goodbye to 12 seniors from a team that lost their season due to COVID in 2020 and were expected to vie for a state championship. In 2021, the Wildcats replaced many of those seniors with freshmen and sophomores and it was considered to be a rebuilding season.

Instead, Louisburg has a chance to win its first state championship in school history Friday and Saturday in Wichita as the Wildcats (12-6-1) will face Mulvane (15-4) at 5 p.m. Friday in the state semifinals.

“It is incredible,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “The last time we played in 2019, we lost six seniors. Then in 2020, COVID took our season and we lost 16 kids (12 seniors). This was literally like a rebuild and these kids have done nothing but step up and live up to these expectations. They are beat up to no end and they are still out there battling. We are kind of a MASH unit right now, but we live to see another day.”

The Wildcats do have a few players from their last state runner-up team, including senior Olivia Barber who has advanced to the state final four in all three of her seasons. She realizes this season was a little different than most.

“Not many people can say that they’ve gone to state every year so it really makes this year even more special,” Barber said. “To be completely honest back in March I wasn’t really sure what this season was going to look like, but we’ve defied so many odds and grew so much as a team. 

“I really wasn’t sure if we would make it to where we are now, but I am so proud of us for facing so much adversity and getting to this point. Our first couple weeks of practice we were looking a bit rough, but once we figured it out we didn’t look back.”

It didn’t take long for the Wildcats to get on the board against Heritage Christian. 

About 15 minutes into the match, Barber crossed ball into the box. The Heritage goalie dove, missed it and senior Emma Christy was there to tip it in to score the game’s first goal.

It was a 1-0 game at halftime, but with 25 minutes left in the match, sophomore Adyson Ross knocked a shot from close to 25 yards away to double the Wildcats’ lead.

“We wanted to attack the flanks cause their goalie plays high near post,” Conley said. “If we hit it hard to the back side, we worked on just running through and hitting it and Emma did just that. We missed a couple early, but Emma got there and buried it. 

“On Adyson’s goal, she just hit it hard. She has a powerful left foot, and we just told the girls to hit it hard and low, and it would create problems for them and we did just that.”

Barber sealed the win for the Wildcats with a goal of her own late in the match and the celebrations ensued.

Junior Reese Johnson, who had three shots on goal of her own, was also a part of that state runner-up team in 2019 and is looking forward to going back.

“It really means a lot to me to be able to go to state again,” Johnson said. “I’m very proud of us and although Louisburg soccer always seems to find their way into state, nothing is ever guaranteed, so being able to go means the world.”

Louisburg was strong on the back side as well as the Wildcat defense limited the Chargers’ opportunities. Captains Madison Quinn and Ruth Minster cleared a lot of balls away, while goalie Sierra Hahn earned the clean sheet, including a diving save in the second half.

“I thought the back line did really well and didn’t let much get through,” Conley said. “Madison did a good job of going straight to the ball and sticking it hard. I thought maybe this was her best game of the year.

“Heritage has a really good, young team and they are very athletic. They are going to be good for years to come, but I thought we did a good job standing them up.”

The Wildcats will try to make their third consecutive state championship match at 5 p.m. Friday when it squares off with Mulvane at Stryker Soccer Complex in Wichita. The championship and third place matches will be played Saturday.

“I’m extremely excited for this weekend and know that we can do great things,” Barber said. “It’s gonna be tough, but if we show up and play our game we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week nine of the spring sports season, sponsored by Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics.

Reese Johnson, Junior, Girls Soccer

Louisburg junior Reese Johnson has been one of the veteran leaders for the Wildcat girls soccer team and it showed up at the right time last week. The Wildcats were tied with Eudora in double overtime of the regional championship match, but with 12 seconds left Johnson got the game-winning assist on a goal from Lexi Hampton to help the Wildcats to their fifth regional title.

On the season, Johnson has initiated a lot of the attack for Louisburg as she is second on the team with eight assists and also has nine goals on the year. Johnson and the Wildcats will compete in the Class 4-1A Final Four this weekend in Wichita.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the spring season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous winners:

Week 1: Lexi Hampton

Week 2: Kolby Kattau

Week 3: Jaden Vohs

Week 4: Mia Wilson

Week 5: Johnny Eberhart

Week 6: Alyse Moore

Week 7: Brandon Doles

Week 8: Delaney Wright

The Louisburg girls soccer team hoists its regional championship trophy following the Wildcats’ 2-1 double overtime win over Eudora on Thursday at Wildcat Stadium.

The one thing that the Louisburg girls soccer program has known is regional championships.

In the team’s previous four seasons, the Wildcats have won regional titles in all four and has never known what it is like to lose a regional championship game. 

Louisburg still doesn’t know, thanks to some heroics.

In a double overtime match with Eudora on Thursday at Wildcat Stadium, freshman Lexi Hampton scored the game-winning goal on an assist from Reese Johnson to give Louisburg the 2-1 win over the Cardinals. 

“Winning the regional title meant so much to me and the team because we have worked so unbelievably hard to get where we are,” Louisburg senior Olivia Barber said. “It just proved to us and others that hard work pays off and to never underestimate us.”

The Wildcats are now onto the state quarterfinals for the fifth straight season after missing last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the biggest difference from teams of the past is Louisburg did it with almost a brand new roster.

Louisburg features a lineup full of freshmen and sophomores, and many thought it would be rebuilding year for the Wildcat program.

“We legitimately replaced 15 kids from that roster in 2019 and half of our squad is freshmen and sophomores,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Everyone said this was going to be a down year or a rebuilding year, but if 11-6-1 and a regional championship is a rebuilding year, then ok. These girls have grinded from day one till now and have improved so much. They have raised the standards for themselves. They didn’t want to give up and they didn’t want to stop.”

Louisburg and Eudora, which split their contests earlier this season, played to a scoreless first half. The two teams made up for it with a lot of action in the second half and in the overtimes.

Wildcat sophomore Tehya Harvey found herself in the right place at the right time early in the second half. The Eudora goalie went to dive on a ball into the box, but it squirted away and Harvey found an empty net to put Louisburg on top.

Eudora’s Kate Erpelding tied the match 10 minutes later as she scored on a shot from about 25 yards out, over the head over Louisburg goalie Sierra Hahn to tie the match.

Just minutes earlier, Hahn knocked a a Cardinal shot away from the net to keep them off the board for the time being.

The match then went into overtime – then into double overtime. It appeared like it was headed for a third, but Hampton struck at the right time.

With 12 seconds remaining, Johnson passed the ball into the box and Hampton was there to put it away and send the Wildcats onto the state quarterfinals.

“When Reese made that incredible pass into the box and Lexi scored, I was so happy,” Louisburg senior Madi Quinn said. “I was so proud of us for not giving up and persevering even though we were all so tired. I think we played pretty well, we were aggressive with the ball and were outworking them.”

The game-winning play wasn’t anything new to the Wildcat players. It was a play that Conley has stressed to them on a daily basis.

“Reese did a great job attacking the endline, played it across and Lexi was right there to come through and hit it,” Conley said. “We have practiced that play every day in practice and it finally paid off. It was awesome and a great finish for a freshman. Couldn’t be happier for these girls.”

Louisburg did have opportunities throughout the match and had 10 shots on goal. Johnson, Hampton and Harvey all had two, while Hailey Sword, Ruth Minster, Nova Ptacek and Lola Edwards each had one.

Louisburg will now try for its fourth straight trip to the Class 4-1A state final four Tuesday when the Wildcats travel to face off with No. 1 seed Heritage Christian (14-2). 

The match is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. at Heritage Christian and the Wildcats are hoping to keep the momentum going.

“Heritage Christian will be a challenge for sure, but so was Eudora,” Quinn said. “If we walk off the bus with confidence and the right attitude, the game is ours. I am excited to see what will happen, but being this far into regionals, games like this go to double overtime easy. If we play our game, we can do great things.”

Louisburg freshman Hailey Sword battles a Eudora player earlier in the season. The Wildcats, who beat Bishop Ward 10-0 on Tuesday, will play Eudora for the regional championship today at Wildcat Stadium.

Finding the back of the net and taking advantage of opportunities have been a problem at times for the young Louisburg girls soccer team. 

It wasn’t Tuesday.

The Wildcats hosted Bishop Ward in the Class 4A regional semifinals and Louisburg made the most of its chances in a 10-0 victory.

Louisburg will now play host to Eudora today for the regional championship as the Wildcats look to advance to the state quarterfinals.

“We were in delay several times (due to lightning), but the girls came out and possessed the ball well and attacked,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “I liked how aggressive we were and how our team moved the ball and found the open player. The girls were very unselfish and played a really nice game. They did a nice job communicating and playing simple. It was nice to see the girls play that way.”

The Wildcats (10-6-1) dominated possession as they racked up 33 shots on goal and put away their fair share.

Senior Olivia Barber, along with freshmen Hailey Sword, Lola Edwards and Lexi Hampton, each finished with two goals.

Junior defender Ruth Minster got into the scoring action late with a goal off a corner kick and Catie Lemke came off the bench to score her first varsity goal of the season.

Reese Johnson was a catalyst for the Wildcat attack as she led the way with two assists. Adyson Ross, Tehya Harvey, Bree Gassman, Edwards and Barber each had an assist to their line.

The game also allowed Conley to empty his bench and everyone had the opportunity to play in the first playoff game of the year.

“It was nice to get every girl in the game and for a lot of them it was their first playoff game,” Conley said. “It was fun to watch them compete and play for each other. We dominated possession and did a very nice job of executing our game plan.”

It figures to be a bigger challenge for the Wildcats tonight against Eudora. Louisburg, which will host the Cardinals at 5 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium, split with Eudora during the season as each won ton their home field.

With a regional championship on the line, stakes are much higher and Conley believes his team is ready for the challenge.

“This is going to be an absolute battle,” Conley said. “To me, both teams are solid and play well. I think this game is going to come down to who wants it more and who can execute. Weather could come into play and who can handle that the best will be a factor. Our girls are ready and are prepared. Eudora is a solid team and we will have to play well to beat them.”

It wasn’t the ideal way for the Louisburg girls soccer team to end its season.

The Wildcats recorded a 1-1 tie on the road at Ottawa last Tuesday, before falling to Spring Hill, 7-0, at home on Thursday. Louisburg would have loved a win in one of those matches, but finished its regular season with a 9-6-1 record.

Still, despite the struggles, the Wildcats find themselves in good positions as they earned the No. 4 seed in the Class 4-1A regional playoffs and will host their next two games if they keep winning.

The Wildcats will host Bishop Ward (3-13) at 5 p.m. today at Wildcat Stadium. If they advance, they will meet the winner of No. 5 Eudora (9-6-1) and No. 12 Atchison (4-12) on Thursday for the championship.

“Girls did a great job of playing together and working last week,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We didn’t back down, nor did we give up. This group of girls have something to prove this week.

“The playoffs are what we play the season for. We are ready and will play as hard as we can. We like where we are going into the playoffs, but have work to do. We will focus on Bishop Ward in our first playoff game and take it from there.”

Against Ottawa, Louisburg had numerous chances to put the game away, but couldn’t find the back of the net. For the game, the Wildcats had 17 shots on goal.

Ottawa took a 1-0 lead 15 minutes into the first half, but the Wildcats countered ight before halftime. From 25 yards out, freshman Lola Edwards hit a shot that sailed past Cyclone goalie to tie it up.

A second half and two overtimes later, the game ended there and the Wildcats weren’t able to get the road win.

“We truly just didn’t finish at all,” Conley said. “We had a ridiculous amount of opportunities but couldn’t find the back of the net. We absolutely dominated the game but struggled to execute. The girls played hard and were aggressive. It is the same story all year. In our six losses, we outshot the other team in three of those games.”

Edwards led the attack with six shots on goals and freshman Lexi Hampton added four. Olivia Barber finished with two and Bree Gassman had the team’s lone assist.

The Wildcats had to end their regular season schedule against Frontier League champion Spring Hill on Thursday and the Broncos were tough to hang with.

Louisburg had just two shots on the night as Spring Hill came away with seven goals.

“Spring Hill is a really talented team,” Conley said. “Their first 11 players are incredible. We played extremely hard the entire game and didn’t let up. Unfortunately, we had some let downs that led to them scoring. 

“The girls battled and didn’t quit. In a game like that, it is very easy to give up and not try, but the girls just kept playing. We were able to play almost the majority of the girls to get them experience going forward.”

Freshman Lola Edwards settles a pass during Thursday’s home match against Bonner Springs.

With a three goal lead in the second half, and the match seemingly in hand, the Louisburg girls soccer team had to deal with a more exciting ending than what it had anticipated.

Bonner Springs scored two goals to make it a one score game and the Wildcats found themselves in a battle, both physically and mentally.

Tensions got elevated, and in what was a physical match, the Wildcats were able to hold on for a 4-3 victory Thursday over Bonner Springs. 

“We just literally went round of round with each other,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “It felt like a 12-round boxing match out there. Kids were getting taken out late. We made our fair share of fouls too, but when you see that and nothing gets called it is kind of frustrating. You are dealing with injuries, long stoppages in play and it was tough.

“It was tough to keep your composure. You are up 4-1, then they get two and then all of a sudden we are playing not to lose. We struggled a little bit to find feet and keep it simple. I am really proud of the girls for playing hard and keeping their heads and not retaliating. They played really hard. We are banged up, and this game definitely didn’t help that. We need to get healed up and get back after it.”

Freshman Lexi Hampton opened the game with a goal early in the first half, but Bonner Springs countered with one late to tie it at halftime.

The Wildcats (9-5) seemed like a different team early in the second half as they answered with two goals in the first minute of play. Junior Reese Johnson and Hampton both found the back of the net to put Louisburg up 3-1.

Senior Olivia Barber was a big factor in those goals as she finished with a game-high three assists and was a force in the midfield.

Freshman Lola Edwards made it a 4-1 lead a few minutes later after she scored off a rebound. The game was seemingly in hand.

“I had a nice little discussion with the girls at halftime,” Conley said. “Then we came out and played exactly how we were asking them to do the whole time. It was frustrating that we didn’t start that way. We had a lot of chances throughout and we just didn’t finish them. We were able to let (Bonner) stick around a little bit.”

Bonner Springs answered with a goal midway through the second half, but it came at a cost for Louisburg.

Wildcat goalie Sierra Hahn suffered an injury while going in for a save and had to leave the contest. Her departure took away some of the momentum they developed.

“Any time anyone comes off the field and they are in a lot of pain, your thought goes to your teammate,” Conley said. “It is hard to stay focused because you are so worried about your teammate. We came out really flat after that and struggled because there are bigger things than soccer.”

Goalie Macy Lemke came on to replace Hahn, and despite a goal after her departure, Lemke made a couple saves and the Wildcat defense was able to hold on to preserve the win.

Louisburg will try and make it two wins in a row today when it travels to Ottawa. 

Wildcats lose close match to Basehor-Linwood

On May 3, the Wildcats traveled to Basehor-Linwood and played the tough Class 5A program close, but left with a 2-1 loss.

Louisburg was down 1-0 at halftime, but freshman Lexi Hampton tied it up on an assist from Reese Johnson.

Basehor-Linwood would answer midway through the second half on what would be the game-deciding goal.

“We played great at Basehor,” Conley said. “We played high energy. We had three breakaways in the first half, but we just couldn’t get one to go. They have one really good player, and Hailey Sword basically just took her out of the game. She played unbelievable and played all 80 minutes for us.

“The defense played great as well and the defensive mids played great. They all just played really hard and played simple. It was a back and forth game and we were able to take away a lot of their intermediate chances. Sierra played really well and we just couldn’t get one there at the end.”

Goalie Sierra Hahn led the Louisburg defense with 21 saves. Lola Edwards and Olivia Barber each had two shots on goal, while Tehya Harvey, Adyson Ross, Hampton and Johnson each had one.