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.”

The Louisburg girls soccer team celebrated its fourth straight Class 4-3-2-1A regional title Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Piper in Louisburg.

The Louisburg girls soccer team is
one of the youngest tenured programs in the state, but at the same time, it is
one of the more accomplished.

Louisburg added to its list of
accolades Thursday when it hosted Piper for the Class 4A regional championship.
The Wildcats’ 2-0 victory over the Pirates, not only avenged a loss from
earlier in the season, but gave them their fourth consecutive regional title.

Add to the fact that the Wildcats
are currently just in their fourth year of existence, makes each of these
regional titles special in their own way.

“The feeling is amazing,” junior
Mackenzie Scholtz said. “Winning a regional title shows everyone how much work
we have put in all season and lets us prove to everyone that we work hard all
of the time.

“The feeling hasn’t really changed
over these three years. It’s so much fun getting to win in front of half of the
town and seeing everyone so proud of us. I don’t think it will ever get old
because it is so exhilarating every time.”

Louisburg finds itself in familiar
territory as the Wildcats (15-3) host Kansas City Christian (9-6-1) on Tuesday
for the Class 4-3-2-1A state quarterfinals. The Wildcats have advanced to the
state semifinals the last two seasons, including a state runner-up finish last
year.

Although the Wildcats have had plenty of success in past seasons, they realize they should celebrate the journey, and the win against Piper was no less special than the three previous regional titles.

“It is absolutely incredible what the
young ladies within this program has created in our first four years as a
program,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “I could not be happier with how
hard these girls play and how they play for our community. The girls in our
program acknowledge how much we owe the community for creating this opportunity
for these young ladies. We have been very spoiled here at Louisburg with the
success we have had. Four straight regional championships is unbelievable.

“We have our goals as a program and
playing for a regional championship is on our list every year. These girls
understand the importance of the work it takes to achieve something like this
and to not take it for granted. The girls were ecstatic with our win over a
really quality team in Piper. We felt that we had something to prove after
losing to them earlier in the year.”

The Wildcats used that loss earlier in
the year to the Pirates as motivation and it was evident early in the match
that Louisburg wasn’t going to let the same result happen this time around.

Louisburg was aggressive on the attack as
the Wildcats had several early opportunities on the Pirate defense, but couldn’t
find the net in the first 20 minutes. From there, things opened up for
Louisburg.

Junior Morgan Messer got a pass from
midfielder Erin Lemke near the top of the box and Messer took the shot and
found the right corner of the net to put the Wildcats up 1-0.

Late in the first half, the Wildcats
struck again as Scholtz had a breakaway opportunity down the left side of the field
and beat the Piper goalie for an open net and the Wildcats led 2-0 at halftime.

“It was nice to get some goals early, but 2-0 is the worst lead
to have because as you get up two, you start to get comfortable and stop playing
as hard or as aggressive,” Conley said. “We did a nice job of playing pretty
well in the second half, but the last 10 minutes was a little nerve-racking. We
made some adjustments but struggled to stay aggressive in the midfield. The
girls played hard and did a really nice job with having pressure and cover all
over the field.”

Piper did put some shots on goal in the second half to try and
get back in the match, but the Wildcat defense held firm as goalie Carson
Buffington recorded her seventh shutout in her last eight matches.

The Louisburg defense of Kaitlyn Lewer, Madison Quinn, Skylar
Bowman, Avery O’Meara and Hallie Hutsell has been a stabilizing force in recent
weeks and that includes senior captain Camdyn Clark, who was recently lost for
the season due to an injury.

“Our defense has been fantastic,” Conley said. “Those young
ladies all have played incredible. The defense has posted 12 shutouts and a
.882 goals against average. The girls are playing aggressive and being
fundamentally sound. I love how hard they are playing and the intensity they
are playing with. They have been fantastic all year.”

Before the Wildcats’ match against Piper, they were just coming
off an upset win over Spring Hill at home and they believed that helped them
against the Pirates and will continue to do so moving forward.

“We played a really good first half against Piper and our win
over Spring Hill before that gave us momentum,” Lemke said. “Both teams beat us
earlier in the year, so to pull off wins so late in the year, and in the
postseason, is exciting.

“The win against Piper was huge. We went into that game feeling like we had something to prove. We wanted the regional title, and another shot at state to motivated us through the game.”

Louisburg will have its shot at the state semifinals Tuesday
against Kansas City Christian. The Wildcats, who will host KCC at 5 p.m.,
defeated the Panthers, 6-0, earlier in the season.

“It is going to be a big game,”
Conley said. “Kansas City Christian is a very dangerous team and have some
really talented players down the middle of the field. We will need to play our
game and play well to win. They are very fast up top as well.”

Louisburg players celebrate a 2-1 victory over Spring Hill last Thursday that ended their season with a 13-3 record and a No. 4 seed in the upcoming regional tournament.

The Louisburg girls soccer team
has experienced an immense amount of success in the program’s short history.

However, the one team that has been
a thorn in the side of the Wildcats has been Spring Hill. Louisburg has beaten
Spring Hill just one time in its four years of existence and the Broncos have
caused the Wildcats fits.

On Thursday, the Wildcats got rid
of the thorn.

Louisburg ended its schedule on a
high note as the Wildcats upset Spring Hill, 2-1, and gave their seniors a
send-off to remember. The Wildcats honored their six seniors during a Senior
Night ceremony after the game and it was a fitting way to wrap up the regular
season with a 13-3 record.

“Everyone stepped up and did their
job and played as hard as they could,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “When
a team believes and plays for each other, this is what could happen. Spring
Hill is the best team on our schedule, and for us to get a win on Senior Night,
just doesn’t happen very often.”

Seniors Camdyn Clark, Kaitlyn
Lewer, Carson Buffington, Julianne Finley, Hallie Hutsell and Leia Shaffer played
in their final regular season home game for the Wildcats, and for most of them,
they were the first group of players to play all four years with the program.

“Our seniors have done a great amount to
put our program where it is today,” Conley said “This group of young ladies are
exactly what our program looks create. They are all responsible, dependable,
dedicated young ladies. They are fantastic young ladies not just on the soccer
field, but in the classroom as well. I could not be prouder of this group.”

It was also special night for Clark, one
of the team’s best defenders, as her season was cut short due to an injury she
suffered earlier in the year and will be unable to play in the postseason. That
didn’t stop her from suiting up for a few minutes and was taken out of the game
one final time early in the first half.

“It was really nice to see Camdyn out there again,” Conley said. “She
had a fantastic career for us and played her heart out each and every time she
got on the field. She is a great young lady and leader.”

The Lady Cats’ defense was certainly tested all night as the
Spring Hill attack kept pressure on the Louisburg back line, but they all
passed the test – including goalie Carson Buffington.

Buffington turned away several Spring Hill opportunities as the
Broncos had nearly 10 shots on goal and Buffington saved all but one
opportunity. The Louisburg senior had a couple tip saves in the first half that
kept the game scoreless at the time.

Late in the second half, when the Wildcats had the lead,
Buffington did much of the same and she also got some help from her defense.
Avery O’Meara moved to the sweeper position due to an injury and cleared the
ball away that was near the line and Kaitlyn Lewer also cleared away several
Bronco attempts.

Seniors Hallie Hutsell and Julianne Finley, along with junior Skylar Bowman and sophomore Madison Quinn, provided a lot of help for the Wildcat defense.

“Our defense played amazing,” Buffington said. “They didn’t back
down and they were so confident and played so well. I was very confident in
that game and I really wanted to win and get revenge on Spring Hill. My
teammates just made my job easier.”

Junior Mackenzie Scholtz broke open a scoreless game for the Wildcats midway through the first half as she took the ball down the left side, beat the Spring Hill goalie and put it in the open net for a 1-0 lead and it stayed that way at halftime.

Spring Hill tied it up early in the
second half, but a few minutes later, the Wildcats struck again and this time
it was thanks to the feet of Erin Lemke. The Louisburg junior had a breakaway opportunity
and took advantage as she sailed it over the goalie’s head for what turned out
to be the game-winning goal.

“It was a hustle goal, just like
Mack’s was to start the game,” Conley said. “We talk a lot about pressing up
top and I think Spring Hill was struggling a little to adjust to the ball
moving around in the mud. I told them to challenge everything in the middle. It
was good to see the kids play so hard and it was a big goal for sure.”

Following the score, the Broncos
increased the pressure even more as they had a few opportunities to tie it up,
but the Wildcat defense and Buffington held on.

“We got up a goal and then we changed formations a little due to injuries and shore some things up in the middle,” Conley said. “We were a little helter skelter there in the second half, but about halfway through we got comfortable in that and you could see that the girls start to figure it out. Then we got a little tired toward the end and we had to just hold on.

“Spring Hill had plenty of good
chances, but Carson made massive save after save. Avery saved one off the line
and everyone was just all hands on deck. Carson did really well and was on her
game. They tried to get her four or five times up top and Carson did a good job
of covering it up and tipping it away. Normally those are goals for most people
and she didn’t allow it. She was phenomenal.”

Following the game, it was a bittersweet feeling
for the Wildcat seniors as they realized the end of their careers is near as
postseason play begins later this week.

“Senior Night was very emotional and
really sad,” Buffington said. “Knowing that this is my last Senior Night really
got to me. I love my team so much and I don’t want the season to end.”

Louisburg earned the No. 4 seed in the
regional tournament and earned a first-round bye. That sets up a match with
Piper in the regional championship game at 5 p.m. on Thursday in Louisburg.

Piper defeated Louisburg, 2-0, earlier in
the season and the Wildcats are hoping for some revenge, although they realize
it won’t be easy. Piper, the No. 5 seed, defeated Tonganoxie, 6-0, on Tuesday.

“The regular season only matters for your
seed and this is when the season actually starts,” Conley said. “Piper is a
team that has already beat us, so we will have our hands full. We will prepare
and play like we have something to prove.”

Louisburg junior Erin Lemke sneaks a shot past the Tonganoxie goalie Monday in Tonganoxie. Lemke scored two goals in the Wildcats’ 6-0 win.

The Louisburg girls soccer team didn’t
let a little wet weather get to them earlier this week – in fact – the rain did
little to cool off a Wildcat team that has been on a hot streak.

Louisburg picked up a pair of road wins Monday and Tuesday and now have seven consecutive victories as the Wildcats have just one game left on the regular season.

The Wildcats scored 14 goals in
two games as they defeated Tonganoxie, 6-0, on Monday and then turnaround to
play Ottawa on Tuesday and came away with an 8-0 victory.

Bad weather forced the Wildcats to
move their game with the Cyclones from Ottawa High School to Ottawa University
and they were able to play on turf. That move certainly didn’t slow the
Wildcats down as they jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead and scored five more
times in the second half to complete the shutout.

“The girls came out playing very aggressive and dominated the game start to finish,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “The defense played very well for the most part only allowing one shot. Offensively, we struggled to get a shot on net the first half, missing on four extremely good opportunities.

“The second half, our movement was much
better and we were able to play our game. I was very excited with how hard we
played and how well we possessed. The girls played hard and did a nice job.

Junior forward Mackenzie Scholtz
continued her torrid scoring streak as she added a hat trick to her line to
lead the Lady Cats. Fellow junior Erin Lemke added two goals, including the
match’s first score.

Midfielder Trinity Moore put the Wildcats
up 2-0 with a goal that was assisted by Leia Shaffer. Scholtz then added a goal
shortly before halftime to make it 3-0.

Scholtz found the back of the net to open the second half thanks to an assist from Olivia Barber and then scored again after an assist from Lemke made it 5-0. Lemke made it a six-goal match less than two minutes later.

Sophomore Emma Christy scored her first
varsity goal as she converted a penalty kick late in the second half and then
Louisburg got its final score on an own goal from Ottawa that was knocked in
after a corner kick from Lily McDaniel.

Against Tonganoxie, the Wildcats got out
to a slow start but picked it up in the second half after a goal from Scholtz
and another from freshman Reese Johnson. Scholtz, Lemke, Moore and Morgan
Messer each added scores to put the game away.

Goalie Carson Buffington recorded
shutouts in both matches, while the defense of Kaitlyn Lewer, Julianne Finley,
Avery O’Meara, Hallie Hutsell and Madison Quinn helped limit the opportunities.

“Tonganoxie played a very packed-in style,” Conley said. “We absolutely dominated start to finish, but struggled to put the final pass together. We made some adjustments at halftime and made much better passes and possession.

“I was very happy with our execution in
the second half and our level of play. They girls played much quicker and
executed much more efficiently. We possessed and moved the ball very quickly
and were able to break down their 6 girls on their back line. I was very proud
of their second half performance.”

Louisburg will try and make it eight wins
in a row Thursday when it hosts Spring Hill for Senior Night. The match is set
for 4:30 p.m.

“The girls will come out and be ready to play a really, really
good Spring Hill team to honor their senior teammates,” Conley said. “Our games
with Spring Hill are always action-packed and quality games. They are extremely
well coached and will come ready to play.”

Louisburg senior Carson Buffington finds the back of the net Thursday on this shot to record her first varsity goal. Buffington also earned the shutout as the Wildcats’ goalie in the 10-0 win over Bonner Springs.

Carson Buffington knew this could
be her last shot.

The Louisburg goalie had a chance to play in the field earlier this season against Ottawa in hopes of scoring her first-ever goal. Buffington came up short in her one opportunity and Wildcat head coach Kyle Conley was going to give her one final chance.

“Carson doesn’t have a lot of soccer experience, but she mentioned to me that she wanted to try and score a goal,” Conley said “We tried against Ottawa and couldn’t get it to work. I told her she would get one more chance, but I didn’t know when it would be.”

That chance come on Thursday and
Buffington took full advantage.

With the Wildcats up nine goals on Bonner Springs at halftime in Louisburg, Buffington battled through the Bonner Springs defense as she forced her way into the box and put a shot in the back of the net early in the second half to give Louisburg a 10-0 win.

“She was like a bull in a china
shop,” Conley said. “Carson was just running through kids and bulldozing her
way in there. She is a kid who just started playing her sophomore year and was
scared to death of it at first. We got her some reps last year and has taken
full advantage of being the starting goalkeeper this year.

“Obviously this game got to the
point where we could give her a shot at it. It is a really cool moment for her
and the girls got all excited for her. It is always good to see the kids play
for something that is bigger than themselves and playing for their teammates.
That is the stuff that our program is all about.”

It was an offensive explosion for
Louisburg as it started with Mackenzie Scholtz. The Louisburg junior had a hat
trick 20 minutes into the contest and finished with a game-high five goals as
she ripped through the Bonner Springs defense.

Junior Morgan Messer also had her
best game on the varsity level as she recorded a hat trick and the two players
accounted eight of the team’s 10 goals.

“The kids have been busting their
butt,” Conley said. “We talk all the time if you are the bench that you are
paying attention to what is going on and what to do, so when you get your
opportunity, you take advantage of it. Morgan took full advantage of what they
gave her. It is good to get her going again and it is a pretty good time to do
it.”

Bonner Springs opened the game by
playing a high line and tried to frustrate the Wildcat attack by forcing them
offsides. It worked for the first few minutes of the contest, but the Wildcats
quickly figured it out.

Scholtz scored the first three goals of the match on assists from Erin Lemke and Skylar Bowman. Messer then answered with a goal thanks to an assist from Olivia Barber, and Trinity Moore won a 50-50 ball in the box for a score that led to a 5-0 advantage.

Messer answered with two more goals late in the first half on assists from Emma Christy and Moore, Scholtz added two more to make it a 9-0 halftime advantage.

“Bonner had kind of a jail break on their high line that they played,” Conley said. “They would run everyone up and it took a little while for the girls to read it and understand it. They just needed to give four of five more yards, so when they come running up, then we just run right back at them. We have enough speed on top where we probably left five or six on the board in the first half. The girls played hard and I was pleased with the adjustments they made.”

Buffington’s goal early in the
second half ended the match with the mercy rule and gave the Wildcat keeper
another shutout. Louisburg’s defense didn’t give up many opportunities as
Kaitlyn Lewer, Julianne Finley, Madison Quinn, Avery O’Meara and Hallie Hutsell
all played strong in the back.

The Wildcats (10-3) have one final
week of regular season play remaining and it is a big one as they are scheduled
to play three times this week. Louisburg will begin that gauntlet at 3:30 today
when it travels to Tonganoxie.

“It is a big week and there is a
lot of spots to gain or lose, Conley said. “Looking at the seedings, we are
probably going to be a top four seed regardless of what happens but we could
slide into the two spot or just stay at a three or four and just go from there.
Hopefully we can play well.”

LOUISBURG ROUTS BASEHOR-LINWOOD FOR PROGRAM’S 50^th WIN

The duo of Erin Lemke and
Mackenzie Scholtz proved to be too much for Basehor-Linwood last Monday in
Louisburg.

Lemke had a career night as she
finished with four goals, and Scholtz added a hat trick for herself as the
Louisburg girls soccer team rolled Basehor-Linwood, 7-0, in Louisburg.

It was also an historic showing
from the Wildcats as they recorded the program’s 50^th win in just their
fourth year of existence.

“The girls came out and played
pretty well,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We worked on our inside runs a
lot because the week before was just brutal. We just spent a lot of time in
practice on where to be and where to cut and it just really paid off. It was really
a big night and the girls played hard.

“Between Mackenzie, Erin and the two outside midfielders, we just pressed all the time. We caught defenders on their heels and we were able to play balls through. It is funny because when you get two steps on your defender, they just aren’t going to catch you. We worked on that timing and worked on when to get to that run instead of standing with that last defender. It gave us a head start.”

The Wildcats didn’t need much of a
head start with the speed they have up top as Scholtz and Lemke each scored two
goals to put Louisburg up 4-0 at halftime. The Wildcats didn’t slow down much
as Lemke opened the second half with a pair of scores to all but seal the win.

Louisburg defender Madison Quinn tries to dribble past an Ottawa player Tuesday in Louisburg. The Wildcats picked up a pair shutout victories last week, including a 1-0 win Thursday in Eudora.

The Louisburg girls soccer team
had to deal with two different opponents Thursday when the Wildcats traveled to
Eudora.

Not only did the Wildcats have to contend with the Cardinals, but they also had to go against a blustery wind that didn’t give them many chances in one half of Thursday’s match. Despite that, Louisburg found a way to get a big road win.

The Wildcats used a second-half goal from Erin Lemke to leave Eudora with a 1-0 victory and they have now won three consecutive matches.

“It was a game of two halves against
Eudora,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “The wind was blowing 25 miles-per-hour
in our face and we did a nice job of handling their pressure. We were able to
have 3 or 4 fantastic opportunities but struggled to capitalize in the first
half.

“The second half the wind died down
compared to the first half, but we controlled the game and had tons of chances,
but just couldn’t find the back of the net. I think the girls did a nice job of
limiting their offensive chances, but we struggled at times with our execution.”

Early in the second half, Louisburg (8-3)
was awarded a corner kick and Lemke was in the right place at the right time as
she put the attempt away and found the back of the net.

The Wildcats had plenty of other
opportunities throughout the match, but the Cardinals (4-7) packed their
defense in and didn’t allow many good looks at the goal.

Still, Louisburg was able to leave with
Eudora with a victory as it put together a solid defensive effort, including a
second consecutive shutout from goalie Carson Buffington.

 “I like how hard we played and the
amount of energy we played with,” Conley said. “I think it was a wake-up call
to our girls not to take anything for granted. We didn’t play our best game,
but we were able to survive. Sometimes you need to win ugly games and we did
just that.”

Louisburg has a busy week ahead of
itself as it hosts Basehor-Linwood at 4:30 p.m. today and then will travel to
Tonganoxie tomorrow for a match. The Wildcats will conclude their week with another
home game Thursday when they will host Bonner Springs.

“It is a big week for us,” Conley said. “We have three games with
teams that play really hard, with a lot of energy. I think this week will show
us where we are at and what we are made of. It is going to be a challenging
week, and I think that it will help us for a playoff run.”

Wildcats blank Ottawa

It truly was a team effort Tuesday
when Louisburg hosted Ottawa at Wildcat Sports Complex.

The Wildcats scored six times and never looked back in what was a 6-0 victory over the Cyclones. Although the Wildcats were dealing with some injuries, Louisburg head coach Kyle Conley was able to get all 22 players into the game at one point and a lot of them saw significant minutes.

“We played pretty well and moved the ball very nicely for a majority of the first half,” Conley said. “We worked on some things and put some players in positions we do not usually play, but the girls played hard. I felt we got a little complacent at the start of the second half, but the girls played pretty well for from about the first five minutes of the second half and on.

“We were able to get all 22 kids into the
game and let them continue to get varsity experience. The defense did a great
job limiting them to just one shot, while the offense had 47 shots.”

Juniors Mackenzie Scholtz and Trinity Moore were a problem for the Cyclones all night as the two combined for five of the six Louisburg goals.

Moore scored the game’s first and final goals, while Scholtz had three straight scores as she had a hat trick in the first half. Sophomore Olivia Barber also had a nice goal for the Wildcats late in the first half to give them a 5-0 lead at halftime.

Goalies Carson Buffington and
Sierra Hahn combined for the shutout and Buffington nearly got her first career
goal late in the match. Buffington had three shots on goal, including a penalty
kick opportunity, but was turned away but the Ottawa goalie.

Louisburg junior Erin Lemke (right) battles a Baldwin defender during the Wildcats’ April 15 home match. The Wildcats bounced back with a win over Heritage Christian on April 16.

The Louisburg girls soccer team
was in the midst of a frustrating two-game losing skid in which it saw one
missed opportunity after another.

So when the Wildcats traveled to Heritage
Christian on April 16, they took full advantage of all their chances and they
had plenty of them. Louisburg scored the first three goals and didn’t look back
in a 4-3 victory that provided the Wildcats with the positive momentum they
were looking for.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t without some drama.

Heritage Christian scored two late
goals in the match to cut the Louisburg lead to one after the Wildcats had to
change their lineup due to injuries.

“I thought for 60 or 65 minutes we played really, really well,”
Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We passed and moved the ball pretty
well.  We were aggressive and played very hard. 

“We had several kids hurt/ sick and had to make adjustments. We
had to move kids around in the last 20 minutes or so and put kids in positions
that they usually don’t play to sort of plug holes. They scored two goals
rather quickly and we were just holding on. I think Heritage is a quality side
and it was a good win for us. It was a stressful ending, but a positive result
nonetheless.”

The Wildcats (6-3) got out to big lead early and junior Leia
Shaffer got the scoring started for Louisburg. Shaffer scored her first goal of
the season on an assist from Emma Christy to put the Wildcats up 1-0.

Junior Trinity Moore maneuvered past the Heritage defense later
in the first half and she found the back of the net to give Louisburg a 2-0
advantage and it stayed that way until halftime.

Moore added another goal early in the second half to put
Louisburg up 3-0, but Heritage Christian didn’t back down. The Chargers
followed with their first goal, before Louisburg junior Mackenzie Scholtz found
the back of the net on an assist from Moore to give Louisburg a 4-1 lead.

Heritage answered with two quick scores late in the first half,
but the Wildcats were able to hold on and snap their losing skid.

Louisburg returns to action tonight when it hosts Ottawa in a
varsity-only matchup. The match is set to begin at 5 p.m.

Wildcats fall to Baldwin, Piper

On April 15, the Louisburg girls soccer team had a chance to
hand Baldwin its first loss of the season when it hosted the Bulldogs on their
home field.

In what was an up and down match, it was Baldwin that was able
to take advantage of its chances as it gave Louisburg a 5-2 loss. Baldwin took
a two-goal lead into halftime, and despite a couple quick scores from Louisburg
in the second half, the Bulldogs kept adding onto its lead.

Baldwin scored four minutes into the contest to jump out on top
and later scored again before halftime to take the 2-0 lead.

Louisburg responded with an early second half goal from Trinity
Moore to try and give the Wildcats some momentum. Baldwin didn’t waste any time
as it scored another goal a minute later.

The Wildcats didn’t back down as Lily McDaniel scored her first
varsity goal to make it a 3-2 match, but Baldwin was able counter on several
different occasions and that led to two more Bulldog goals and Louisburg couldn’t
come back.

“We had the possession, we had more chances, but they
just counter attacked every time and just got us,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley
said. “The girls played hard and played well. We did a good job of doing what
we needed to do. We just missed our chances. We hit the post three times, had a
breakaway and their keeper barely gets to it and just nicked it away. It could
have easily went the other way, but it just didn’t this time. I think they had
like six shots on goal and they got five to go in.”

It was the same type of match
against Piper on April 11 as the Wildcats also fell on the road in a 2-0
defeat.

“We had two games like this back-to-back
with Piper too,” Conley said. “We had the better of play, better chances, had
four or five breakaways and just couldn’t get one to go. We go through these,
and it stinks to go through them right now, but it is a learning lesson and we
will get better.”

Louisburg junior Morgan Messer pulls back on the ball to beat a Eudora defender Tuesday during the Wildcats’ 7-0 victory over the Cardinals.

Coming off its first loss of the
season, the Louisburg girls soccer team made sure it didn’t turn into two
Tuesday when the Wildcats hosted Eudora.

Louisburg had four different
players score and the Wildcats took care of business in a 7-0 win over the
Cardinals. Despite being up just one goal at halftime, Louisburg dominated the
second half as it scored six times and recorded its fifth shutout in six games.

“I though the girls played well,”
Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “The first half was a little rough because we
weren’t executing or getting things done. The second half they started
executing and doing what we asked them to do. They played the ball, had some
give-and-go’s and played off each other.

“They were struggling a little early
because we had nine kids gone the last few days and it was a little tough to
get things done at practice. The second half, they executed and figured out
what I was asking them to do and they looked pretty good.”

Junior Mackenzie Scholtz got
things started for the Wildcats with a goal midway through the first half and
the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, the flood gates
opened for Louisburg as it dominated possession.

Scholtz, who finished the match
with a hat trick, scored shortly after halftime and then assisted on the Wildcats’
next goal when junior Erin Lemke found the back of the net.

The combination of Scholtz and
Lemke struck again. Midway through the second half, Scholtz took a shot on
goal, which was knocked out by the Eudora goalie, but Lemke was there for the
rebound near the net and put it away for a 4-0 advantage.

A few minutes later, Scholtz
completed her hat trick thanks to an assist from junior Morgan Messer. Junior
Trinity Moore followed with a goal of her own late in the second half.

With under a minute left, the
Wildcats sealed the win as senior Hallie Hutsell scored her first goal of the
season and the celebration was on.

“For Hallie, we just played the
ball down the middle and she was able to just beat the girl and it worked out
pretty well,” Conley said. “Hallie hasn’t had one for a while, so that was a
good to see her get one there.”

Eudora didn’t have many chances of
its own as the Louisburg defense turned away whatever runs the Cardinals tried
to make. It was also the fifth shutout for Wildcat goalie Carson Buffington on
the season.

The large second half lead allowed
Conley to move players around to different positions and give his bench players
more varsity time – something he has been able to do in several matches this
year.

It is something that he hopes pays
off in the long run on both levels of the team.

“I think we were able to get 20 kids into the game and that is great,” Conley said. “We are able to get kids in and getting them used to being out there and what to expect. I think it also helps them on the junior varsity level because the game is faster up here. I hope it pays dividends because you never know what injuries we might have later in the year. We are just trying to put kids into different spots and see what they can do.”

Louisburg (5-1) will face a tough
road test today when the Wildcats travel to Piper for a 6 p.m. match. The
Pirates are 7-1 on the season and Conley knows his team is going to have to be
ready to play.

“They have a new coach so it is
going to be vastly different from last year,” Conley said. “They are very
talented up top and on the outside and we are going to have to deal with that.
I think it is going be a really good game. They have a really talented
centerback and a solid goalkeeper, so it will be another dogfight. It should be
another great game and hopefully we will be ready to go.”