Louisburg head coach Kyle Conley earned his 100th career win Tuesday in the Wildcats’ overtime victory over Tonganoxie.

Kyle Conley has been a part of
many close matches during his time as the Louisburg boys and girls head soccer
coach.

Conley has pulled out his fair
share of wins during his four years between the two programs, so it only seemed
fitting that his milestone victory would come with a little excitement.

Louisburg rallied for a 3-2 overtime win over Tonganoxie, and as a result, the Wildcats gave Conley his 100^th career victory. Following the match, Conley was recognized in front of the crowd and presented with a banner from his players commemorating the special moment.

“I have been blessed with great
kids,” Conley said. “They play their tails off and they work hard, boys or
girls, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t have kids that play hard, then none of
this is possible. Having quality kids who do the things you ask and work so
hard, makes it fun to coach and positive things happen. I am really lucky to be
in Louisburg right now.”

In his four years as head coach,
Conley has posted a 100-46-4 record and has helped the Wildcats to several big
time wins.

On the girls side, Conley was
named the girls’ first-ever coach when the program started in the spring of
2016. He led them to a 14-win season that first year and they reached the state
quarterfinals.

From there, the Louisburg girls
would go on to a fourth place state finish in 2017, followed by back-to-back
state runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 – losing to Bishop Miege in the both
state championship games. Conley has also been named the Class 4-1A Coach of
the Year the last two years.

In his first season as the boys
head coach in the fall of 2016, he guided Louisburg 14-6-1 record and its first
appearance in the state final four. The Wildcats went on to finish fourth in
Class 4A, and then would reach the state quarterfinals the following year with
a 13-win campaign.

Currently, the Wildcats are 9-1-1
this season and have the best record in Class 4-3-2-1A.

 “Starting the girls program and going 14-4-1 that first year and have a chance to go to state was a wonderful memory, but losing to De Soto in the quarterfinals on this field that same year kinda sticks with me,” Conley said. “You know, 100 wins is great, but I probably dwell more on those 46 losses more than I do the wins. There are so many of those games that could have went either way. When you have kids that have heart and passion, it makes it fun to coach.

“Then you have the first boys team to make a state final four in 2016 was a great one, and I will remember the team that played McPherson at home in the state quarterfinals and lost a close 2-1 game that had two shots go off the post in the final five minutes. That was a special team as well. Just honored to be able to coach all of them.”

With so many highs and lows that
teams encounter throughout a season, Conley realizes the people are what makes his
job enjoyable – not necessarily the wins.

“There are so many memories and I have
been able to coach so many good kids,” he said. “I am just blessed to be in
Louisburg and have the opportunity to interact with these student athletes and
hopefully have a positive impact on them. It is an awesome place to be.”

The Kansas State High School Activities Association released its classifications for the 2019-20 school year, along with the football classifications for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

There were a few changes in both areas, but more so on the football side.

Football classifications are determined based on enrollment figures in ninth, 10th and 11th grade. Louisburg is still in 4A with 432 students and is toward the lower half of the classification.

Entering Class 4A beginning in the 2020 school year will be St. James Academy, Lansing and Great Bend, who have all moved down from Class 5A. Wamego also made the jump back in from Class 3A.

Goddard, Pittsburg and Spring Hill all saw their enrollment grow and will be moving up from 4A to 5A next year. Baldwin saw their enrollment decline and will move down to Class 3A in football the next two years.

In the rest of the sports, not much changed with regards to Class 4A for this year.

Enrollment figures for all grades in Louisburg this year is 573, which puts the school in the upper half of Class 4A. The biggest school is Buhler with 661 and Bishop Miege is the second biggest at 656 and Ottawa is third at 653.

Three schools will make the move up to Class 4A this year. Clay Center, Girard and Holton all saw their enrollment increase and will come back to 4A, while Osawatomie, Anderson County and Wichita-Trinity Academy will move out of 4A to 3A this year.

A big change to the Kansas High School
Activities Association (KSHSAA) postseason could be coming sooner rather than
later if a proposal, submitted by the Frontier League, passes the KSHSAA Board
of Directors and its member schools.

Last month the Frontier League,
led by Paola High School principal Jeff Hines and Louisburg superintendent Dr.
Brian Biermann, petitioned KSHSAA to separate public and private schools into
their own postseason competitions.

In order for it pass, the petition
must be signed by 20 percent of the 355 member schools according to KSHSAA
bi-laws. The Frontier League got the 71 needed petitions and have now submitted
this to appear in front of the KSHSAA Board of Directors for vote in their
Sept. 18 meeting.

The board of directors would then
have to pass it by simple majority of those in attendance to bring the proposal
to a vote from all the member schools.

“Kansas needs to catch up with
the rest of the country and get this competitive imbalance under control in our
state,” Hines said. “The longer we wait then more students will be negatively
impacted. We have a responsibility as educators to create the best
opportunities possible for our students. No one can honestly say we have
the best system possible right now. It can definitely be improved.”

The proposal submitted by the Frontier League is the same one the state of Texas uses that keeps the schools in their same classification, but only separates the schools come postseason.

Other options were discussed
before submitting the proposal, such as implementing a multiplier on all
private schools like Missouri currently does. In fact, it is the most popular
proposal among the schools that were surveyed by Hines last January.

They also talked about the “Oklahoma
model” where schools are bumped up a classification based on success for
competitive balance.

Seventy-four percent of the
schools said they would support a population multiplier, 64 percent would
support competitive balance factors and 51 percent would support separate
divisions.

However, KSHSAA would not be able
to make this change with a multiplier due to state statute K.S.A. 72-130 that
states a high school association “must establish a system of classification of
member high schools according to student attendance.”

KSHSAA would not be able to pass a
new bi-law that goes against state statute, and therefore, the Kansas State
Legislature would have reword the statue to allow the association to make those
changes.

The Frontier League believes the Texas model, or separate postseason divisions, does not deal with classifications. Also, this model had more support from 5A and 6A schools as neither classification would likely vote for a multiplier.

“We don’t view that as a classification decision as we are not affecting classification, but KSHSAA and their lawyers view that it is,” Biermann said. “5A and 6A schools that we talked to really wanted us to push for the Texas model because they don’t want to play them (private schools) either. The biggest thing for me is if 5 and 6A schools don’t want to play them, then why do we? As a superintendent, I am supposed to create opportunities for kids. We had four teams last year in both soccer teams, football and volleyball that all saw their season end to Bishop Miege. It is not right that we have kids and coaches that work their tails off and they don’t have the opportunity to win.

“Am I all about state
championships? Absolutely not. But we also know the reality of it in the
current system. Winning state championships is important for communities and is
always a goal. I am not ever going to give up on this idea and neither will the
Frontier League.”

The public versus private school
debate has been going on for the last several years and Hines has been leading
the charge since 2015 when he put together a study that displayed the disparity
of state championships won by private schools.

In 2018-19, private schools won 32
percent of the state championships in Classes 5A through 1A. There are currently
no private schools in 6A. Twenty-one of those 24 state titles were won by
private schools in Class 4A and 5A.

That is a high number considering
that out of the 355 member schools, only 27 of them are private.

The Frontier League wanted to see change, so Hines surveyed the 355 member schools late last year and presented his findings to KSHSAA in January. More than 88 percent of the schools responded, that included 22 private institutions, and 87 percent said they want the current system changed.

Although most schools said they
would support the multiplier model more, Hines and the rest of the league
schools, believe it is the best way to proceed at this time.

“Our
survey indicated that separate divisions was the least popular option among
member schools, however as a league we feel like it is the most appropriate
option,” Hines said. “A multiplier will pass through and will be our next
option if this does not go through.  A multiplier will impact many private
schools that are not quasi sports academies that are not very successful in athletics. The
separate divisions avoids this situation.”

If
the proposal does pass the board of directors, KSHSAA will then put it to a
vote with all 355 member schools and it must pass by a simple majority and by
four of the six classes.

From
there, KSHSAA executive director Bill Faflick would take it to the Kansas
Legislature before change could be implemented.

“We
know it won’t happen overnight,” Biermann said. “Even if this passes, nothing
will change this year and probably not the following year. It could be three
years out with the way football schedules take shape. We are honestly ok with
that if we knew that there was light at the end of the tunnel. If this would
not pass, we would turn right around and do the multiplier one.”

Despite what happens at the
upcoming board of directors meeting, Hines believes changes to the system will
happen sooner rather than later.

“I am now confident something will get done,” Hines said. “I
think it will ultimately take a multiplier to get something done. If the
separate divisions fails then we will propose a multiplier for the spring board
of directors meeting.”

 A lot of obstacles are still in the way for change to happen, whether it has to deal with state statues or member votes, but none of the schools in the nine-member Frontier League are going to stop until they see a more even playing field.

“I am very proud of the Frontier League, and even though we compete against each other, we are very unified on this,” Biermann said. “It is about fairness and equality and I am tired of having my kids at Louisburg High School not having the same opportunity as some others. The throttle is down and it is going to stay down.”

Not many athletes had the
opportunity to experience the success Carson Buffington did during the 2018-19
school year.

Buffington found herself in two state
championship matches and was a team captain in all three seasons. The 2019
Louisburg High School graduate played at a high level in all the sports she
competed in and did so with the respect of her teammates of coaches.

Those are just a few of the reasons why Buffington was chosen as the 2019 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

The award, which is in its second
year, is to recognize an outstanding LHS student athlete. Louisburg Sports Zone
asked the head coaches at LHS to submit nominations and those nominations were
then organized and submitted back to the coaches for a vote.

The coaches then submitted their
top three choices and the number of votes were added up, which decided the
winner.

Buffington began her memorable senior
year on the volleyball court as she helped the Lady Cats to a state runner-up
finish for the second consecutive season. She was an outside hitter on the 2018
squad, which was a position she had to learn on the fly.

She spent the last two seasons as
the team’s starting setter and Buffington made the move to the front line –
which gave her team the best chance to win.

Along with her state runner-up
finish, Buffington also earned second team All-Frontier League honors and was
named to the Greater Kansas City Volleyball Coaches Association Senior All-Star
match.

“Carson was a great leader again this
past season and played a vital role on the team,” Louisburg coach Jessica
Compliment said. “She handled transitioning to a new position with a lot of
grace and was bound and determined to learn the ins/outs of being a hitter,
than a setter. She previously ran our offense as the setter for two years. But
as with each new season, new players are added to the mix and the possibility
of changing positions/rosters arises.

“I was very proud of how she ‘handed’ over the reins of the offense to two freshmen and how she encouraged and pushed them every day in practice. She was a great role model. Carson added a lot of emotional energy when we needed it and made huge plays at important times throughout matches.”

Buffington was also a big part of the
Lady Cat basketball team this past season, despite finishing short of a state
tournament. She earned all-league and all-state honorable mention honors after
she averaged eight points, seven rebounds and three steals per game.

She currently holds a school record with 864
career rebounds and was an all-league player for her entire four year stint
with the Louisburg basketball team.

“Carson is one of the hardest working players that I
have worked with coaching basketball, boys or girls,” Louisburg girls
basketball coach Shawn Lowry said. “She never took a day off and always led by
example. Carson was relentless as a player and was always the first one on
the floor for a loose ball.  As good an athlete, she is an even better
young woman with great character, integrity, unselfishness and passion.”

Buffington might have had her most successful season,
both team-wise and individually, in the spring as the Wildcats’ starting goalkeeper
on the Louisburg girls’ soccer team.

For the second year in a row, the Wildcats were the Class 4-1A state runner-up and Buffington was a big reason why. She started all 20 games and set school records in shutouts (13), saves in a season (115), goals against average (.952) and wins (17).

With all that success, Buffington was named the
Class 4-1A Goalkeeper of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association.

“Carson in her first year as the starting
goalkeeper was unbelievable,” Louisburg girls soccer coach Kyle Conley said. “She
kept us in a lot of games and even won us a few. Carson is in her third year ever playing
soccer as well. She started her sophomore year and has grown so much. She is a
gifted three sport athlete and it shows in her ability to play goalkeeper. She
has a fantastic attitude and work ethic.” 

Louisburg coach Kyle Conley was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association for the second straight season.

Coming off its second consecutive
state runner-up appearance, the Louisburg girls soccer team has had some
positive repercussions recently from its historic season.

However, none bigger came last
week when the all-state teams were released by the Kansas Soccer Coaches
Association. Not only did six Wildcats earn all-state selections, but they were
honored with some of the highest awards out there.

Junior Mackenzie Scholtz was named
as the Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Class 4-1A with Bishop Miege’s Sophia
Stram after she led the Wildcats in scoring.

Louisburg was also recognized on the
other side of the ball as senior Carson Buffington was named the Class 4-1A
Goalkeeper of the Year.

“Seeing Mackenzie and Carson recognized
for their positional player of the years was fantastic,” Louisburg coach Kyle
Conley said. “They both had incredible years.”

The Wildcats weren’t done, as for the second consecutive season, Conley was named as the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year as he guided Louisburg to a 17-4 record. He also led the Wildcats to three consecutive final four appearances.

“It is a great honor to be the coach of the year for the second straight year,” Conley said. “It is extremely humbling to be recognized and voted by my peers. The part that gets left out of these awards is my assistant Michael Pickman. Without Mike, none of this is possible. He is there by my side, each and every day. He is as devoted and supporting as any friend I have. He’s a fantastic coach in his own right. Especially, what he does with our goalkeepers has been outstanding. Our goalkeepers have been exceptional since the beginning and at all levels.”

One of those goalkeeping students has been Buffington as she
took advantage of her first full season starting in net. Buffington broke a
school record with 13 shutouts, saves in a season (115), only allowed 20 goals
all season and recorded 17 wins.

Buffington’s biggest moment of the season came in the state
semifinals when she saved three Topeka-Hayden penalty kicks that helped give
Louisburg a 2-1 win over the Wildcats and a spot in the state championship.

“When I saw I was goalkeeper of the year, I was extremely
surprised,” Buffington said. “I had absolutely no idea I would get it. It is
such an honor. It feels so amazing to receive this award, but without my
defense it would’ve been impossible. I thought I had my best season yet and I
was very confident and determined. It was definitely the most fun season I’ve
ever had and I’m upset it has to be over already.”

The honor came as a surprise for Buffington as she was named a
second-team all-league goalkeeper in the Frontier League just days earlier. For
Conley, the all-state honors is what Buffington deserved.

“Carson, in her first full season, just had an impressive year,”
Conley said. “She broke and set some records that may never be touched. She
saved three big penalty kicks against Hayden for us. I have been in the game a
long time, and in penalty kick shootouts more than my fair share, and it’s
extremely rare to see a keeper at this level save three out of six. I honestly
felt with her stats she should have been first team all-league goalkeeper, but
it is what it is I guess.”

Scholtz also had a record-setting season for the Wildcat offense
as there were times during the 2019 season that she couldn’t be stopped. She
set school records for goals in a season (39), goals in a career (98), hat
tricks in a season (9), hat tricks in a career (18), points in a season (84),
points in career (235) and game-winning goals (10).

The Louisburg junior shared the award with Stram, who scored
four goals against Louisburg in the state championship game and has committed to
Saint Louis University.

“To win offensive player of the year with an SLU commit was
really amazing,” Scholtz said. “What that meant to me was it said that I played
just as hard as her and competed just as well. I felt really proud of myself
and I felt like I gave it all I had.

“I was really determined to make it back to the final four and I
was going to do whatever it took to get us there.”

Conley also liked what he saw from his junior forward that had a
big season in the Frontier League.

“She had an incredible year,” Conley said. “Mac broke so many
records and they were all impressive. It was truly a special season for her.”

Along with Buffington and Scholtz, the Wildcats had three other
players earn first team all-state honors. Juniors Erin Lemke and Trinity Moore
were named as a forward and midfielder, respectively, while defender Kaitlyn
Lewer was also selected to the first team.

Junior defender Avery O’Meara was also recognized for her play
in the back as she earned second team all-state honors.

“It is truly unbelievable to see so many
Louisburg Wildcats receive this tremendous honor,” Conley said. “There are 25 teams
in the classification of 4-1A girls soccer, which is roughly 500-550 kids that
could be eligible for this award and based on our win percentage, we had six
student athletes eligible to represent our school. Every one of these young
ladies truly earned this tremendous honor. Mackenzie and Carson were fantastic.
Erin and Trinity attacked and had really, really good seasons.

“Kaitlyn and Avery were so good for us defensively all season. The defensive players do not always have the eye-popping statistics, only allowing 20 goals all season and posting 13 shutouts speaks volumes what our defensive group has accomplished. These honors are absolutely so deserving for these young ladies. They deserve so much in what they have accomplished as a team in our journey this year.”  

It is a journey that Conley knows
couldn’t have happened without the help from people throughout the community.

“These awards are fantastic, but all this comes back to the community raising all that money to start this program five years ago,” he said. “When I took the job here at Louisburg High, Mr. (Darin) Gagnebin hired me as the head coach to start the program. He told me of the challenges we will have and to always be prepared to handle anything. If the community didn’t raise all that money, none of this is possible. Over the past four years, I told the girls we are always playing for them. Everything we do is to represent our community. We do not take anything for granted. So I feel I need to do everything in my power to honor those people that raised the money, players that played in our program, and for the community members that pack the stands each and every night.

“Regardless where we go, we ALWAYS have the most fans. All those
people who go out of their way to support this team is what motivates us. As a
program, we talk about honoring those who wore the crest and those who support
the crest. Our play is how we can honor them. I could not be prouder of this
group of kids and their motivation to live up to our standard. This program
statistically has been one of the top programs over the past four years
regardless what classification you look at, but you have to keep in mind that
this is only the fourth year of our programs history. What these young ladies
have accomplished is been remarkable. I could not be more proud to be their
coach.”

Louisburg juniors Mackenzie Scholtz (left) and Trinity Moore were recently named to the All-Frontier League first team. They were two of seven Wildcats selected to the all-league squad.

The Louisburg girls soccer team
had another historic season as the Wildcats advanced to the Class 4-1A state
championship match for the second year in a row and they had several key pieces
that helped them along the way.

Those pieces caught the eye of the
Frontier League coaches when they recently sat down to vote on the all-league
team. When all was said and done, the Wildcats had seven players on the
all-league squad and two first team selections.

“All-league was productive for us, but I felt we could have done
better to be quite honest,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “These awards are
only possible because of a fantastic group of girls around them. These type of
individual awards are only possible with a team.”

Juniors Mackenzie Scholtz and Trinity Moore were selected to the
first team and were two of the team’s main offensive threats. Scholtz was named
to the all-league squad as a forward and Moore as a midfielder.

Scholtz had her best season as a Wildcat as she set a school record with 39 goals on the season to go along with six assists. She also had nine hat tricks, which is also a new school record.

“Mackenzie was an absolute beast for us up top,” Conley said. “She took great strides this season and has set the bar extremely high for herself going forward. I am really excited to see what next year holds for her.”

Moore was an all-league defensive player last season, but made to the move to the outside midfield spot and handled her new position well. She finished the year with 12 goals and six assists.

“Trinity really adjusted well after a position change last year,” Conley said. “She was very explosive and attacked a lot. She has a ton of endurance and that made her very explosive attacking the outside.”

Louisburg’s second
leading scorer, Erin Lemke, was also recognized for her effort. Lemke was named
as a second team forward after she finished with 14 goals and a team-high 17
assists on the season. She was one assist away from tying a school record.

“Erin is one of the hardest working kids I
have ever coached,” Conley said. “She has only played soccer for three years
and she has grown so much. She is a handful to defend and plays with such a
high motor. She is a coach’s dream with her work ethic and how coachable she is.”

The Wildcats’ defense had a big presence on the all-league squad as senior Kaitlyn Lewer, sophomore Madison Quinn and senior goalie Carson Buffington were also named to the second team. Senior defender Camdyn Clark was selected as an honorable mention.

Louisburg recorded 13 shutouts on the season
and a .952 goals against average, which are both school records.

 “Carson is in her third year ever playing soccer,” Conley said. “She started her sophomore year and has grown so much. She is a gifted three sport athlete and it shows in her ability to play goalkeeper. This is her first year as our starting varsity goalkeeper and she was incredible.

“Kaitlyn has been a shutdown defender for
us all season. She started at outside back, but was moved to centerback after
Camdyn got hurt. She shows up each and every day and plays as hard as she can.
She played fantastic. Madison is in her second year of playing soccer, and has
excelled at outside back. She at times might have a rare issue, but it’s only
because of her inexperience. She has a great work ethic and that happy go lucky
attitude. She played almost every minute of every game for us this season. 

“Camdyn was our starting centerback, but her season was once again cut short in our game against Baldwin,” Conley continued. “She hurt her meniscus and will have surgery within the next couple weeks. She helped our team to 5 of our 11 shutouts. She was having a fantastic year until her injury. She started every game of her high school career from her freshman year until this injury. She put her heart and soul into this program and was voted by her teammates as captain the past two years. I feel she earned this nomination because of her play over the first eight games of our season.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOCCER

FIRST TEAM

MIDFIELD – Caitlin Countryman, Baldwin, senior; Trinity Moore, Louisburg, junior; Mallory Smith, Spring Hill, senior

FORWARD – Anna Burnett, Baldwin, junior; Mackenzie Scholtz, Louisburg, junior; Kaylen Dawson, Spring Hill, junior

DEFENSE – Josie Boyle, Baldwin,
junior; Bianna Andrade, Piper, senior; Jalyn Stevenson, Spring Hill, sophomore

UTILITY – Kate Erpelding, Eudora,
sophomore

GOALKEEPER – Paige Ellis, Baldwin,
senior

SECOND TEAM

MIDFIELD – Kassandra Green, Bonner
Springs, senior; Ryia Richardson, Piper, sophomore; Anna Stockman, Tonganoxie,
sophomore

FORWARD – Erin Lemke, Louisburg, junior; Jessica Thomas, Piper, sophomore; Anna Soetaert, Tonganoxie, senior

DEFENSE – Lauren Russell, Baldwin, sophomore; Kaitlyn Lewer, Louisburg, senior; Madison Quinn, Louisburg, sophomore

UTILITY – Riley Smith, Baldwin,
freshman

GOALKEEPER – Carson Buffington, Louisburg, senior

HONORABLE MENTION

MIDFIELD – Emelynn Cruce, Ottawa;
Lexi Miles, Piper, sophomore; Grayson Murphy, Spring Hill, junior; Mallory
Putnam, Spring Hill, sophomore

FORWARD – Cambria Crowe, Baldwin,
sophomore; Trinity Jones, Bonner Springs, senior; Lexi Dillon, Spring Hill,
sophomore

DEFENSE – Mercedes Madlock, Bonner Springs, freshman; Camdyn Clark, Louisburg, senior; Kaylin Wisdom, Ottawa

UTILITY – Emma Tucker, Bonner
Springs, senior; Olivia Morton, Ottawa, freshman; Riley Porter, Piper,
sophomore

GOALKEEPER – Emery Mounce, Spring
Hill, junior

For the past three 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 second 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. In the next week, I will announce this year’s recipients.

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!

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

CARSON BUFFINGTON – SENIOR – BASKETBALL, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL

Carson was a 3-time letter winner in her senior season and
was named as a team captain in volleyball, basketball and soccer.

In volleyball, Buffington earned second team All-Frontier
League honors as she helped lead the Lady Cats to a Class 4A state runner-up
performance. She also moved from her starting setter position to the outside
hitter spot and had a lot of success for the Lady Cats as she tallied 130 kills
in her new position. With all that success, Buffington was also selected to the
Greater Kansas City Volleyball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Match.

Buffington also wrapped up a strong career for the Louisburg
basketball team as she averaged eight points and seven rebounds to go along
with three steals a contest. She was named as a Frontier League honorable
mention this past season, and she also was selected as an all-state honorable
mention.

In girls soccer, Buffington was the starting goalie for Louisburg in all 20 games. She posted 13 shutouts, which is a school record and had a .952 goals against average, which is also a school record. Buffington had 90 saves on the season that ended as a Class 4-1A state runner up for the second consecutive year. For her efforts, she was also selected second team All-Frontier League. Buffington was also named first team all-state goalie and was named Goalkeeper of the Year.

ANNA DIXON – SENIOR – VOLLEYBALL

Anna wrapped up her fourth volleyball season as a varsity starter for the Lady Cats and guided Louisburg to its second consecutive Class 4A-state runner-up finish.

Dixon, who is currently with the Kansas State volleyball
team, ended her senior season with 584 kills and had a hitting percentage of
.260. She also added 325 digs, 50 aces and 42 blocks as she played all six
rotations. With those lofty numbers, Dixon earned several big time honors in
her final season.

She was selected as an All-Frontier League first team player
and was also named to the 4A State All-Tournament Team. Those honors continued
as she was named the Kansas Volleyball Coaches Association Class 4A Player of the
Year and earned a spot on KVA All-State First Team.

Following the season, Dixon was also named as an
Under-Armour All-American also earned MaxPreps/American Volleyball Coaches
Association Player of the Week honors.

ALYSE MOORE – SOPHOMORE – BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD

Alyse is a 3-sport varsity letter-winner this past year as she earned letters for the basketball, softball and track and field teams. This past spring season, Moore went to state in two different sports and became the first Wildcat athlete in recent memory to do so.

In her first season in track and field, Moore threw the
javelin for the Lady Cats and went on to become regional champion as she
eclipsed her personal best throw by almost 25 feet in just her third
competition of the season. The following week, she medaled fourth at the Class
4A state tournament with a personal best throw of 131 feet and 9 inches.

Moore was also the starting shortstop for the Lady Cats as
she helped Louisburg to its first regional championship since 2014.

During the basketball season, Moore was a starter for the
Lady Cats and averaged six points, five rebounds and three steals a game.

TRINITY MOORE – JUNIOR – CROSS COUNTRY, SOCCER

Trinity is 2-sport letter-winner for Louisburg this past
year as she had state performances in both cross country and soccer.

During the fall, Moore was the top runner on the Louisburg girls cross country team as she helped the Lady Cats to a regional runner-up finish and qualified for state as a team for the first time in school history. Moore medaled fourth at the Class 4A state meet in Wamego and currently holds the school record for the fastest time in program history. She also earned first-team All-Frontier League honors for her third place finish at the league meet.

In soccer, Moore was a starter on the Wildcat team that recently finished as the Class 4-1A state runner-up for the second consecutive year. At the midfield spot, she finished the season with 12 goals and six assists and was also named to the All-Frontier League first team.

DELANEY WRIGHT – FRESHMAN – BASKETBALL, CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK AND FIELD

Delaney is a 3-sport letter-winner as she took part in cross country, basketball and track and field and competed at the state level in two of those.

Wright found most of her success in track and field as she
earned four medals at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships
in Wichita this past month. She medaled in the long jump, 400-meter-dash,
200-meter dash and as a member of the 4×400-relay.

During the regional meet, Wright broke two school records
(long jump, 400 dash) and earned a regional and Frontier League title in the
long jump. She also earned a medal in the long jump at the Kansas Relays
earlier in the season.

In cross country, Wright was a member of the Louisburg team
that finished as a Class 4A regional runner-up and qualified for the state meet
as a team for the first time in school history. In basketball, Wright saw
playing time at the varsity level as a freshman at different points throughout
the season.

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

BLUE CAPLINGER – SENIOR – BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WRESTLING

Blue is a 4-sport letter-winner in football, wrestling,
baseball and track and field and competed at the state level in two of the
sports.

In football, Caplinger was an All-Frontier League player on
both sides of the ball as he was named to the first team defense as a defensive
back and second team offense as a multi-purpose player. On defense, Caplinger,
who helped Louisburg to a 10-1 record and a regional championship, had 31
tackles from the safety spot and also had two tackles for a loss, two fumble
recoveries and an interception. Offensively, he had 544 total yards and six touchdowns.

On the wrestling mat, Caplinger was a regional champion at
170 pounds and finished his season with a 33-5 record. The Louisburg senior
fell one match short of state medal with a 2-2 record at the Class 4A state
tournament. He currently holds the school record for most career reversals (72)
and most career escapes (86). Following the season, he was also named to the
KWCA Academic All-State first team.

Caplinger split time between baseball and track and field in
the spring. Although he spent time as a reserve and pinch-runner on the
baseball team, Caplinger found a lot of success on the track.

He qualified for state as a member of two relays. Caplinger was a member of the 4×400 relay team that won the Class 4A state championship in 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Caplinger also helped the 4×100 relay to a fifth place finish and went on to garner two state medals.

Caplinger will join the Benedictine football team this fall.

AUSTIN MOORE – SENIOR – FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WRESTLING

Austin is a 3-sport letter winner in football, wrestling and
track and field and was among the state’s best in two of the sports.

Moore thrived on the football field for the Wildcats as he helped Louisburg to a 10-1 record and a regional championship. Moore was a first team All-Frontier League player on both sides of the ball and was the league’s leading vote-getter. He went on to rack up all-state awards as the Louisburg senior earned Class 4A first team all-state honors as a running back from the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Kansas Football Coaches Association. Moore was also named as a Class 4A first team all-state linebacker from the Wichita Eagle.

When the season was all said and done, Moore tallied 1,554
total yards from the running back spot, including 1,428 yards on the ground,
and had 21 touchdowns before he broke his collarbone during the regional
championship game.

With those numbers, he was named the Kansas Small Class
Player of the Year by 810 Varsity and was All-Purpose Player of the Year by
Kpreps.com. Earlier this year, Moore was also named to the Kansas Shrine Bowl
roster.

On the wrestling mat, Moore missed more than half of the
season with his broken collarbone, but came back in a big way. Moore won his
first 14 matches when coming back at 220 pounds, which included a regional
championship. He went on to earn his first state medal as he finished fourth at
the Class 4A state tournament with a 3-2 record. He was also named to the KWCA
Academic All-State first team.

During the spring, he was a member of the Louisburg track and field team and threw the javelin for the Wildcats. He was also on the throwers relay that ranked Top 5 nationally at one point in the season.

Moore will join the Kansas State football team this fall.

KIEFER TUCKER – SENIOR – FOOTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WEIGHTLIFTING

Kiefer is a 2-sport letter winner in football and track and
field and also went to state competition in two activities.

Tucker was a presence on the line of scrimmage for the
Louisburg football team as he was a first team All-Frontier League player on
both sides of the ball and helped the Wildcats to a 10-1 record and a regional
championship.

The Louisburg senior was among on the leaders on the
offensive line as he helped pave the way for more than 3,500 yards of total
offense. On defense, Tucker recorded 55 tackles from the defensive end spot,
including three tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and
a sack. Those numbers helped earn him honorable mention all-state honors and was
also named to the all-state team by the Kansas Football Coaches Association.
The honors kept coming for Tucker as he was recently selected to participate in
the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

During the winter, Tucker was a member of the Louisburg
powerlifting team and certainly made his mark there as well. Tucker won the Class
4A state championship in the 220-pound class and broke a 24-year-old record in
the bench press with a lift of 375 pounds.

In track and field, Tucker qualified for state for the first time in the discus. He finished as a regional runner-up and went on to take ninth at the Class 4A state meet in Wichita, just one spot away from earning a state medal.

Tucker will join the Emporia State football team this fall.

Members of the Louisburg girls soccer team break it down shortly before the Wildcats’ state championship game Saturday against Bishop Miege.

On the surface, Bishop Miege’s
string of four straight state girls soccer titles is an impressive one. Anytime
a program can win the final game of the season in four consecutive years is an
admirable feat.

The Stags have a great program,
with very talented players and a tradition that is second to none as far as
Class 4-1A programs go. They are the crème of the crop.

However, if you dig a little
deeper, you see a program – during the same four year period – that you could
say has made even bigger strides without ever winning a state title. I think
you all can take a guess where I am going with this.

A little more than four years ago,
a group of soccer parents helped raise $39,000 in less than 12 months in order
to have a girls soccer program at Louisburg High School. That, in itself, is an
achievement worth celebrating.

Those parents and community
members would immediately see a return in their investment.

In the program’s first season, the Wildcats would go on to win a regional title and finish one game short of a state final four appearance.

Louisburg wouldn’t have to wait
long as it would win its first state quarterfinal game in 2017 and went on to
finish fourth at state. It was one of those improbable beginnings to a program
that are rarely seen.

As it turned out, the Wildcats
were just getting started. In the last two seasons, they have advanced to the
state championship game only to come up short both times thanks to the big
obstacle of Bishop Miege.

What makes it all the more
impressive is the Wildcats have done this in a small town setting. The
Louisburg school district probably has an estimated population of 4,000 (give
or a take a few hundred) from which it can draw students.

Miege, a private school, can draw athletes
from both sides of the state line and all over the Kansas City metro area. They
aren’t breaking rules, but they are using a system to their advantage (which is
a different column for a different day).

So, I ask, what is the bigger accomplishment
here?

Since the program’s inception,
everything has seemed to have gone right for Louisburg. The school made the
right coaching hires in head coach Kyle Conley and assistant Michael Pickman.

Both coaches have been invaluable to
the growth of the team and they have helped create a connection with the town
that I couldn’t have imagined when it all began. They have great relationships
with their players, and the respect is mutual.

It was all the more evident
Saturday as time was winding down and Conley began to sub his seniors out of
the game – one at a time – giving them one final farewell. Carson Buffington,
Hallie Hutsell, Kaitlyn Lewer, Leia Shaffer and Julianne Finley all left the
field knowing what they had accomplished.

After it was all over, senior Camdyn Clark – a four year starter – who was forced to sit out with an injury midway through the season, also said her goodbyes to her coaches and teammates.

Clark was in the starting lineup
four years ago at Harmon High School when the Wildcats played their first-ever
game, and it all came full circle when it was all over last weekend.

“I think what makes our program so
unique is that every year it’s different,” Clark said. “The dynamic changes,
the chemistry is new, but through our coaching and hard work that each girl gives,
we are successful. Our amount of skill, numbers and talent has varied every year,
but our determination and hard work is what makes our team so hard to beat.

“I knew our team would do big
things from the start because we had things to prove and we wanted to make our
community proud. They fought for this program and everyone who is on our team
knows we couldn’t have done it without them.”

They were the first group of
seniors who had the opportunity to stay with the program all four years. All of
them played roles on a team that won 17 games this season, but also helped
contribute to the team’s past successes.

“It was extremely hard to step off
the field,” Hutsell said. “I couldn’t believe it was our last time playing
together. Everyone was hugging and crying – it was a bittersweet moment. I
cannot express how proud I am of everything the program has accomplished in
four short years. That is more than my freshman year self could have dreamt of
at my first high school practice.

“I remember the first game in
program history and being so unsure about the season. But the past four years
has wiped away any doubt about the LHS girls soccer team. I think we have
showed everyone that we should never be underestimated and we have earned the
respect of other teams in the state. It wouldn’t have been possible though
without Coach Conley and Coach Pickman and I can’t imagine a better pair to run
a program.”

It is that bond between players,
coach and community that has helped the Wildcats rise to the level where they
are today. Sure, a few good players certainly help the cause, but the belief in
each other is what carries the load.

“When you look at our community,
they raised $39,000 to start a soccer program four years ago and that is what
we do,” Conley said. “We are playing for all of those people. We are playing
for the town, we are playing for all the people on Facebook or Twitter that are
trying to follow along because we know that without those people that this
doesn’t happen. We want to try and honor them the best way we know how, and
that is playing hard and doing things the right way. It is unbelievable. The
community is everything to us and everything to me.”

So as the clock hit zero, their season was officially over. It didn’t take long for realization to set in that this was it for the Wildcat seniors

“Every year I looked forward to
soccer season to start and this year my season was cut short, so it was kind of
over before everyone else’s,” Clark said. “Having to accept that my knee would
render me from being out there with my girls, made me feel so guilty and
helpless. I was supposed to be there for my team and I wasn’t.

“The hardest part, however, was
watching them earn their second place state medals. It hit me then that that I
wouldn’t be doing this again. I wouldn’t have another chance to fight for a
plaque at state, I wouldn’t huddle with my team before each game and I wouldn’t
be with these girls next year. My fellow seniors and I were done and this was
our final mark on Louisburg girls soccer history.”

So to recap, in four years time
the Wildcats started a program from scratch, captured four straight regionals
titles, made it to the state quarterfinal in its first season and then rattled
off three consecutive state final four appearances and two state runner-up
finishes.

But for some that isn’t the bigger
story. Winning it all ultimately trumps everything in our society.

Not for this group, though. Sure,
winning a state title will be great, but it is the family atmosphere that is
the Wildcats’ biggest asset – starting with their coaches.

“We are a family and we will
always be there for each other,” Clark said. “That is my favorite part of the
whole thing. The coaches have made a lasting impact on me and will always be a
reason I am who I am today. Both of them have pushed me to be the best I can be
and have helped me through more than they know.

“From the start, I credit a lot of
our success to them. People who have never played soccer in their life have
become varsity players because of what Conley and Pickman have done. I had no
idea how to play soccer coming into the program and they have taught me
everything I know. They have been incredible influences on me and our team.
They’re what make us a family.”

Because when it comes down to it,
family is what truly matters.

Louisburg captains Erin Lemke (left) and Carson Buffington hold up the Class 4-3-2-1A state runner-up trophy Saturday following the Wildcats 4-0 loss to Bishop Miege in the championship game at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.

TOPEKA – When it was all said and done, the Louisburg girls soccer held its team trophy high in front of the Wildcat faithful and the tears were easy to spot.

After nearly 200 minutes of soccer
in a nine-hour time period, including one match that ended in penalty kicks, the
Wildcats were spent. They gave everything they had.

For the second consecutive season,
Louisburg earned the Class 4-3-2-1A state runner up trophy after a wild victory
over Topeka-Hayden in the semifinals and then were shutout by Bishop Miege in
the championship game, 4-0. It was the third consecutive state final four
appearance for Louisburg.

Frustration and sadness was easy
to see following the Wildcats’ loss to the defending state champion, but the
team realizes what they have accomplished in just four years of existence is to
be celebrated.

“Being in this situation two years
in a row is something that doesn’t happen very often,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley
said. “There are a bunch of teams that haven’t been to a state final four and
we have been to three in three years. It is pretty cool and it is special.”

It was a wild 24 hours for the
Wildcats. Louisburg was supposed to play Hayden on Friday in the semifinals,
but severe weather forced the postponement to early Saturday morning.

The Wildcats battled Hayden
through four overtimes and eventually led to penalty kicks. After an intense
first five penalty kicks that left the match still tied, senior goalie Carson
Buffington recorded a big save and then senior Hallie Hutsell converted the
sixth penalty kick to break the tie and give Louisburg a 2-1 win over Hayden.

“We usually play 80 minutes, but
this time we had to play 110 minutes and we were gassed,” Conley said. “We were
holding on and had some chances at the end to win it, but then we went to
overtime and then to penalty kicks. It was all about to see if we could survive.
Emotionally it was just a high for us and an unbelievable response and a great
finish. Carson making a big save, Hallie putting it in for the win – it was
just a great game.”

The two teams battled to a
scoreless first half, but Louisburg junior Mackenzie Scholtz changed all that
as she found the back of the net with 28 minutes left in the match to give the
a Wildcats a 1-0 advantage.

In what was a physical contest on
both sides, Hayden eventually found a crack in the Wildcat defense and tied it
all up with 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Neither team could get a score
in the first two 10-minute overtime periods, and then played two five-minutes
overtimes with the game still tied at 1-all.

“Each side really wanted to win
for a chance to play in the championship,” Hutsell said. “Hayden had not
forgotten that we beat them for that chance last year and it showed throughout
the entire game and four overtimes. Everyone was exhausted, but the team kept
pushing and motivating each other and I think that’s what helped us eventually
win.”

It all forced penalty kicks as
Scholtz, Trinity Moore and Morgan Messer helped Louisburg make three of its
five opportunities. On the other end, Buffington recorded two pivotal saves to
keep the Wildcats’ hopes alive.

“We were not very effective in
taking PK’s in practice so I was a little worried,” Conley said. “We talked to
Carson on how to do things the right way, what to prep for, how to read it and
what is going on. She made three huge saves and there aren’t many goalies in the
state that will make two of those saves in the bottom corner. It was a great
opportunity and a lot of fun.”

Both teams chose their next five
players to take the next set of penalty kicks, but Buffington recorded her
third save on Hayden’s first try on the second round of kicks.

Hutsell ended it all as her shot
found the upper left corner of the net to end it for Louisburg and the Wildcats
were onto the championship match.

“When my name was called I was so
nervous,” Hutsell said. “I actually had no idea my kick was for the win. I was
just worried that I would miss the shot. When I stepped up to the ball though,
some of my nerves went away because I knew the team had my back no matter what.

“When I made the shot I was confused because the team stormed the field. I remember thinking, ‘We still have four more kickers.’ But when the ref blew his whistle I knew and started freaking out. I was so proud of my team for battling it out and earning a place in the championship.”

Bishop Miege went on to defeat
Buhler, 4-0, in the next semifinal match and the Wildcats had a little break
before meeting the defending state champion.

In the championship match, the Stags were just too much for the Wildcats and junior Sophia Stram provided a big spark. Stram scored all four goals for Miege in the title game, all of which came in the first half, and the Wildcats didn’t have an answer.

“They are just so freaking good,”
Conley said. “I think the girls were mentally ready, but I don’t think their
legs were quite ready, but we lost to one of best teams in the state of Kansas.
They have great players, they are well-coached, but our girls played their
butts off.

“(Stram) is a Division 1 kid and
she is special. They have a team full of kids who understand how to play and
they are good.”

Louisburg had won 10 straight matches going into the championship game and the Wildcats finished their season with a 17-4 record. Other than the final result, it was a season to remember for the Wildcats, but they know they can take pride in what they have accomplished.

“It was a fantastic season, but it
stinks right now,” Conley said. “I hate losing, the kids hate losing and I hate
saying bye to kids who aren’t going to be a part of our program anymore. Once I
have time to reflect on how everything transpired with 10 straight wins to
basically end the season, there will be a lot of positives. We broke a lot of
records this year that are going to be really, really tough to beat and this is
a really special group.”

The Louisburg girls soccer team celebrates its 3-0 win over Kansas City Christian on Tuesday at Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats’ win in the state quarterfinals puts them in the state semifinals for the third consecutive season.

The celebration was a little more
muted this time around.

For the third straight season, the
Louisburg girls soccer team earned a spot in the Class 4-3-2-1A state
semifinals after the Wildcats’ 3-0 victory over Kansas City Christian on
Tuesday in Louisburg.

The finish was anti-climatic,
unlike the past two years where the Wildcat secured a semifinal berth with golden
goals. Tuesday’s match might not have had the same excitement, but Louisburg is
thrilled to be able to reach the state’s final four for the third year in a
row.

“It is a lot of fun,” Louisburg
coach Kyle Conley said. “This was our goal, and that is what the kids wanted,
which was to get back and try and do better than they did last year. I
appreciate the kids and their effort and it is really cool. It is powerful and
it is a tribute to the kids and how hard they play.

“The kids just go at it every day
and it is just an incredible run they have been on. There aren’t many teams in
the state that can say they have been to the state tournament three years in a
row.”

Louisburg, which defeated Kansas
City Christian 6-0 earlier in the season, went up against a more determined
Panther team this time around. The Panthers got the first shot on goal and
nearly had the game’s first score, but goalie Carson Buffington got the save.

It also took a little time for the
Wildcat attack to get going, but Louisburg was able find the back of the net 13
minutes into the match.

Junior Mackenzie Scholtz scored
her first of two goals after junior Avery O’Meara sent a long pass over the
Panther defense and Scholtz raced to the ball and beat the Panther goalie for
the score.

Ten minutes later, the Wildcats
struck again. Junior Erin Lemke sent a through ball to fellow junior Morgan
Messer, who found the back of the net and the Wildcats took their 2-0 lead into
halftime.

Despite the lead, it wasn’t the
type of play the Wildcats were looking for.

“The first half we had no purpose and we were just kicking the ball,” Conley said. “The second half, we moved the ball and were attacking a lot more. We had plenty of good chances, we just couldn’t bury one. The second half was much better and we did a good job to get back on track.”

Defensively, the Wildcats were
stingy in giving the Panthers opportunities to score. Buffington recorded her
eighth shutout in the last nine matches.

“I know we came out with a win,
but I know we could have done a lot better,” Buffington said. “We probably
could have beaten them by a little bit more, but we are just going to have to
keep our heads straight, especially with the semifinals coming up.

“We were just more focused last
time around when we played them. I think we were playing hard this time, but I
don’t think we played as smart as we could have like coach said.”

Louisburg controlled possession in the second half and had several opportunities on goal. One of those found the net as sophomore Olivia Barber played a through ball to Scholtz and she put the shot away for the game’s third goal.

The Wildcats also had the
opportunity to play on the new turf at Wildcat Stadium, and while the team had
been practicing on it, it still took some getting used after playing on grass
most of the season.

“It was nice,” Conley said of the
turf. “It was fast, actually it was really fast. I think our girls struggled a
little bit with it. When we are playing on grass, the ball likes to hold up a
little bit and we are ok to go. On here the ball just takes off and it is a
really quick surface. I think it will be good for us moving forward and help us
prepare for the surface out at state.”

Louisburg (16-3) will square off
with Topeka-Hayden (13-4-2) in the state semifinals at 5 p.m. today at Hummer
Sports Complex in Topeka.

The Wildcats knocked off Hayden,
1-0, in last year’s state semifinal game and the Wildcats realize nothing is
going to be easy from here on out.

“We have our work cut out for us,”
Conley said. “They are a really good group of teams and the ones in the West
are pretty solid. We are just going to have to bear down and hopefully our
experience kicks in and we understand what it is expected.

“Hopefully their heads are right
in regards to our expectation and what the state atmosphere is like. We are
experienced enough where I don’t think we will have that deer in the headlights
look anymore. We have to play a much better game and be more aggressive.”

The winner of that match will play
the winner between Buhler (15-4) and Bishop Miege (11-7-1) at 2 p.m. on
Saturday in the championship match. The loser of each game will play for third
at noon.

“I want to play in the
championship game and win state and the other girls feel the same way,”
Buffington said. ‘It would be amazing to win a state title, but we are going to
have to play well.”