2020 Senior Spotlight: Lily McDaniel

August Daniels – Softball

Olivia Chase – Soccer

Colin Cook – Golf

Morgan Messer – Soccer

Carter Anglin – Track and Field

Hannah Straub – Soccer

Reilly Ratliff-Becher – Softball

Madden Rutherford – Baseball

LHS sports preparing to start back up in June with summer workouts

Kansas high school sports has been absent since the middle of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that all could change very soon.

During its board of directors meeting earlier this month, the Kansas State High School Activities Association made a change to its summer regulations. Starting on June 1, school employed coaches may begin summer programs as long as it is permitted by the community’s health authorities and the school district.

Coaches at Louisburg High School are making plans to move forward beginning the first of June, but they must meet some guidelines to do so.

In the first two calendar weeks in June, athletes will need to attend a conditioning session each day. Those must be completed to be able to participate in a coach’s camp or organized competition.

If an athlete is playing football, they must complete an extra five days of conditioning before being able to participate in competition.

The first two weeks of conditioning sessions will not involve weights, indoor facilities or sporting equipment to ensure safety. Masks will be optional at workouts, but six feet of distance will be in place along with no more than the 90 gathering restriction under the phase 3 guidelines put out by the state.

Then on June 15, barring no setbacks, conditioning will include indoor weight sessions and indoor facilities will be allowed. Coaches will also be able to hold camps and competition throughout the summer.

**Louisburg football coach Robert Ebenstein has plotted out summer workouts for his football team beginning with three weeks of conditioning starting June 1**

“I think the guidelines were set to help ensure the safety of all student athletes accords the state, along with their physical health as well as the preparation for the season,” Louisburg football coach Robert Ebenstein said. “Challenges may be there, but overall they are irrelevant as all the teams in the state have to follow the same guidelines. Our school administrators have been very supportive throughout this process.”

Along with the new changes, KSHSAA also lifted the moratorium period at the end of the summer and will allow teams to practice all the way up to the beginning of the school year. Fall sports, however, will take precedence from Aug. 1 through Aug. 15.

For some programs, the changes won’t be much different as what they have experienced in the past, other than practicing social distancing through the first two weeks of conditioning.

“We are still allowed to compete in leagues and camps after all athletes have completed 10 days of conditioning/training,” Louisburg volleyball coach Jessica Compliment said. “Our summer weights program is changing some this summer, so it gives the players a chance to acclimate back into workouts before putting a ball in their hands.

“When you really look at the schedule, we lost the first two weeks in June (in terms of volleyball skill work), but we gained the moratorium week and have full contact until August 16. The fall season starts on August 17. Normally, we can’t have contact, outside of weights and conditioning, after mid-July. This actually gives us about four weeks on the back end of summer to work with the athletes.”

**Louisburg volleyball coach Jessica Compliment has her normal summer scheduled planned out despite a different start.**

Still, the new-look summer won’t be without its challenges – especially in the first 10 days of the summer calendar. However, the coaches and athletes will gladly work around the new rules in order to get back together and competing again.

“I think the new guidelines will help kids get back to some normalcy as long as everything continues to get better, but the six feet of social distancing could be challenging when you are coaching a team sport,” Louisburg soccer coach Kyle Conley said. “We will find a way to overcome these challenges and help the kids develop as much as possible.”

Coaches have already altered their camp schedules for the summer, and that information, along with a list of camps, can be found here.

As for Louisburg cross country, the runners will also be going through a conditioning period like everyone else. They will meet at the football practice field at 7 a.m. for an hour every morning beginning June 1 and that will continue through the summer.

Since school has been out since the middle of March, coaches have tried to find a way to stay in touch with their players – and like with online schooling – the zoom platform has been a big help for coaches.

“Football has been doing online zoom workout together for those currently in high school every Monday, Wednesday and Friday while we have been out of school, so I have still been seeing them and they have been doing some cardio,” Ebenstein said. “We have as normal of a summer planned as possible. We will have our weights sessions, our team camp, review/skills night, and we will have our contact camp that KSHSAA is allowing.”

With everything going on around the state and the country, everything is still in limbo and dates could have to be altered once again depending on what local officials decide. Even with all that, the coaches believe there will be a fall season.

**Louisburg soccer coach Kyle Conley has tried to keep many of his same events for both the boys and girls teams.**

“I am confident our fall season will be played,” Conley said “It may have some things that are different, but we will play. I know that the boys are very anxious in having conversations with some of them.”

Many of the coaches and players are just ready to return to some kind of routine following the spread of COVID-19 and they hope sports can give that to them.

“As of right now, our season is scheduled, and we’ll plan accordingly if told differently,” Compliment said. “But for right now, (activities director Michael) Pickman has stressed that for most of the athletes, a return to summer weights/conditioning/activities will be their first taste of ‘normalcy.’ I’m excited to get back at it and see the athletes and students again.”

2020 Senior Spotlight: Hannah Straub

When the news came down that spring sports were cancelled for the 2020 season, members of the Louisburg girls soccer team were in a state of disbelief.

The Wildcats were considered to be one of the top teams in Class 4-1A again after making the state championship game in back-to-back seasons. Louisburg also had a roster of 12 seniors who had no idea they had played their final game.

However, for senior Hannah Straub, she had no idea that her final game would be played her sophomore year. Straub spent all of last season recovering from an ACL tear and she had been looking forward to this final year of soccer.

“I was extremely excited to be able to play this year, especially since I sat out last year,” Straub said. “Getting a chance to go to state again and play with my family would have been the perfect end to my senior year.”

That perfect scenario isn’t a reality anymore as Straub and the rest of her teammates are left to wonder what could have been. The current reality has been difficult to take at times.

“In the beginning I was extremely upset about the cancelation of senior year and soccer, but I’ve been trying to make the best out of a bad situation,” Straub said. “I feel like the realization that it’s all actually over keeps coming in as I realize what we’re missing out on. I’m in denial that it was all taken away so quickly.”

Straub was a key defender on the Wildcats’ first two state final four teams, and as a sophomore, helped to Louisburg to a second-place state finish. She was all set to return to that role again this year after starting all 42 games she played in her first two years.

“Hannah was a great player for us,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “She would have been a player who would have played every minute of every game if she was healthy. Hannah tore her ACL towards the end of her sophomore year, but still completed that season. Before that injury, Hannah really excelled for us.”

Not being able to play in her final season has hurt her, but for Straub, she will also miss the team comradery with her fellow seniors and being able to be with her coaches.

“The soccer senior class is extremely special because we have gone to state every year that we have been on the team,” Straub said. “This group is always willing to give their all and make any sacrifice needed for the good of the team. The coaches have always pushed us to be our best and work our hardest no matter the outcome. They find a positive with every experience and always support us.”

**Senior Hannah Straub missed her junior season with an ACL injury, but was ready to rake the field one last time with her team.**

Soccer has been a fixture in Straub’s life ever since she was in elementary school and has never given up on it. However, playing the sport almost did happen.

“I have been playing soccer since I was in second grade and I honestly signed up just because one of my friends played,” she said. “I started playing competitively in fourth grade and since then it has been a major part of my life. I’m always playing year round.”

Even though Straub won’t get the opportunity to close out the sports she loves the right way, she still has plenty of good memories with a Louisburg program that accomplished a lot in the last three years.

“My favorite memory of LHS soccer would just be seeing the progress we made each year and how much closer we all really became,” Straub said. “I think it really showed on the field.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Hannah on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

HS: I miss how close everyone gets during the season. Throughout the year we really do become a family and we can rely on each other for anything and I’m going miss that.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

HS: The most memorable moment I had as an athlete for the school was being a starting player on varsity as a freshman. Making an impact on the team in such a way was a rare privilege most wouldn’t get as a freshman going to any other school.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

HS: During the school year I don’t typically have any hobbies really since I’m so busy and would much rather relax. I do enjoy reading, which is a hobby I’ve been able to take up again with this time off.

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

HS: After I graduate I plan to attend KU and major in accounting and pursue that career.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

HS: My proudest accomplishment other than athletics would probably be my grades and being able to keep them up while being busy.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

HS: A lot of people don’t know that I am the hair stylist of the team and I do almost everyone’s hair before every game.

Hannah’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Becky Sauerbrunn

Pro team: US Women’s Soccer

Movie: On the Basis of Sex

TV Show: Brooklyn 99

Song: I don’t have one

Band/Musician: Taylor Swift

Pregame meal/snack: Granola Bar

Class/subject: Accounting

Teacher: Mrs. Lane

Previous Senior Spotlights

August Daniels – Softball

Olivia Chase – Soccer

Colin Cook – Golf

Morgan Messer – Soccer

Carter Anglin – Track and Field

2020 Senior Spotlight: Morgan Messer

Morgan Messer didn’t make the move to Louisburg till the fifth grade, but little did she know, she was going to be a part of something special.

Messer and her parents, along with several other families in Louisburg, banded together to help raise money to start the girls soccer program at the high school. Many of those players and their families were a part of the 12-member senior class this spring season that helped the Wildcats to three straight state final appearances and two back-to-back state runner-up finishes.

Over the past seven years, Messer still remembers the time where it all began for her in Louisburg.

“This senior class is really special,” Messer said. “These are some of the girls that started up the program and made everything happen. I am truly grateful to have been one of those families that started it all. I moved here in the fifth grade and I was still playing soccer up in Overland Park. One evening my sister had a practice at Broadmoor, and as I was walking in with my mom and sister, I had some of my friends playing soccer against a brick wall. I asked if I could join them and so I did. I quit my club team up in the city and joined what was called the Miami County Legends.

“This senior class has been together for so long and we have played ever since we were little and I think it is amazing that none of us have ever stopped loving the game. We have stuck with each other through thick and thin.”

That has included dealing with a canceled spring season that was supposed to bring many more memories to a senior class that has helped the program reach new heights in just a short amount of time.

Louisburg was considered one of the favorites to reach the state final four once again and were poised to try for its first state championship.

“I was really looking forward to this season,” Messer said. “It is the season with so many lasts and it just amazes me still that we are not having it. I have been waiting for this year for so long and we had a really good team this year and the chemistry on the team, I think personally, was already outstanding. I really believed this year was the year we would go back to that state championship game and potentially beat Miege.”

It is the lack of closure that hurts Messer and the rest of the Wildcat team. Along with their lost season, the Louisburg seniors also lost the rest of their final year of high school and everything that goes along with it.

“I have been really upset, frustrated, and confused,” she said. “Senior year is like no other time of your life. You have your prank day, skip day, prom, graduation, last sports season, or even just hanging out in the halls. I never would have thought that any of this would get cancelled. I thought I would be going to FBLA state a week or so after getting back from spring break, but that got cancelled. I never would have thought Friday, March 13 was my last day with my full team and playing with them. I never would have thought March 12 was my last day in the hall or in the classroom with my teachers and classmates.

“I truly wish it did not have to end like this at all because this is some of the the worst pain anybody could go through in my opinion, especially if you have a spring sport and love that sport dearly. I wish it did not have to end so abruptly, but it does and we cannot change that. Yes, I have been quite upset and have many other emotions, but we have to find ourselves and come to a realization that our administration and staff members will do the best they can to make any of this up to us that we have lost and they are greatly appreciated during these times.”

**Senior Morgan Messer finished her Wildcat career with nine goals and five assists.**

Messer was a forward on the Wildcat team a year ago and was set to play the same position this season as she has played a vital role on the Louisburg team the last couple of years. In her career, Messer played in 53 games and finished up with nine goals and five assists.

“Morgan was always a happy go lucky kid,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “She is a young lady who played in a variety of positions for us. Last year, we finally decided she would play forward for us. She had to learn the position, but did just that. She always had an open mind about playing a new position.”

Soccer has played a big role in Messer’s life as she has competed in it since she was 5-years-old and is now preparing for a life of collegiate soccer at Highland Community College. The sport has given her things that are irreplaceable.

“Soccer has always been my sport since I was little,” Messer said. “I fell in love when I was younger and the love for it has grown and grown. I honestly do not even know how or why I fell in love with the game. I told my parents I wanted to try a bunch of different sports out and when I played soccer it just stuck with me until now, 13 years later. I would say it is a big part of my life and I obviously did not want to stop playing, because I am now going to be playing in college.”

Even as she prepares for life in college, Messer can’t help but look back at the all memories she had with the Wildcat program.

“Well I have a lot of great memories, but the LHS girls soccer team is truly one of the best environments that you probably could ever be placed in,” she said. “My favorite moment for me personally was when I was a freshman on the team and we were on the road headed towards a team in the KCMO area and Conley put me in. I was so nervous, but I received a through ball and I had dribbled all the way to the endline in line with the goal and I went to go shoot it and I scored. At that moment, I was so happy it was my first ever varsity goal.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Morgan on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

MM: I have been missing soccer the most. I have been so hyped up about this season for so long and just getting that taken is heartbreaking.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

MM: Honestly, I cannot choose a favorite at all because the amount of stuff I have done as a student is so much and everything was just amazing.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

MM: Probably FBLA. I have worked really close with Mrs. Lane this past year and being in FBLA is an amazing opportunity to have not only for the great people involved but for really preparing ourselves for what is yet to come in the future for us in the real world. It is an amazing thing to have to practice new things and even conquer some fears you may have had before such as public speaking or presenting.

LSZ: I know you are going to Highland next year, but how have you been trying to stay in shape for soccer during a time like this and how tough is it to be able to work on soccer skills during this time?

MM: So, it actually has not been too hard for me personally. I work out once a day, every day whether that be in my house or outside in my yard. It really is not as tough as I thought it would be to work on soccer skills during this time of quarantine.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

MM: Some big accomplishments I have received are being a photo editor of the yearbook my junior year and the commander in chief this year. I also was the reporter for FBLA as well as the conference coordinator.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

MM: That I was born in Indiana.

Morgan’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Mia Hamm

Pro team: Kansas City Chiefs

College team: K-State

Movie: A Star is Born

TV Show: The Flash

Song: Damn Good Goodbye – Mike Ryan

Band/Musician: Kenny Chesney

Pregame meal/snack: Bang (energy drink)

Class/subject: History

Teacher and why: Mrs. Lane because she has helped me so much with everything and I can always count on her to be there when I need her.

Previous Senior Spotlights

Olivia Chase – Soccer

Colin Cook – Golf

2020 Senior Spotlight: Olivia Chase

Olivia Chase had never really given soccer a second thought.

Chase, who hadn’t played soccer before high school, was approached by LHS assistant coach Michael Pickman during summer weights. He asked her to give the sport a try and thought she would make a good addition to the team.

More than two years later, Chase has a second place state medal to show for it and many memories that she will take with her for the rest of her life.

“I am very grateful that he pushed me to do so, because soccer was a huge part of my high school career,” Chase said. “I gained self-confidence by trying something completely new and working to get better at the game.”

Chase, who played mainly junior varsity last season, got the opportunity to suit up on the varsity squad for their state tournament run a season ago and saw some playing time in the state quarterfinals and state championship game.

“Olivia was very new to soccer,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “She is an incredibly smart young lady who always had a fantastic attitude and worked as hard as she could each and every day. Olivia was working hard to learn the game as much as she could to be prepared.”

The senior midfielder/defender was looking forward to her final season with the Wildcats and had every intention of helping Louisburg to reach its ultimate goal – a state championship.

“Soccer season was something I had been looking forward to since the start of senior year,” Chase said. “I was really excited for all the fun times and memories to be made with such a great group of people. It was going to be especially memorable to be seniors with 11 other girls, as we have formed a strong bond over the years and work great together on the field. Our ultimate goal was to go to state again, and I truly believe we would have made it happen.”

Chase was a part of a big senior class, many of whom played big roles in the Wildcats’ three straight final four appearances and back-to-back state runner-up finishes. It was a group of teammates that helped her along in a game she hardly knew.

“The senior class in the girls’ soccer program is very special,” Chase said. “I started playing my sophomore year, and had never played soccer before. One thing I can say is that the girls in my class always helped me out and taught me so much about the game when I was new to it all. The group of seniors on the team really looked out for each other on and off the field.”

That closeness became even more important more than a month ago when Chase and her teammates found out their season was cancelled due to the spread of COVID-19. They were able to help each other deal with a big loss to what was supposed to be a special season.

“Dealing with the cancellation of senior year has been difficult,” Chase said. “It has definitely been emotional, but the team has been able to pick each other up. We had just gotten started with our soccer season and I could tell it would have been one of the best yet. It is disappointing to have such meaningful times be taken away but I know that our health and safety is the most important.”

**Olivia Chase was one of 12 Louisburg seniors this year and was a three-year member of the Wildcat program.**

Although she is left to wonder what this season could have been, Chase is thankful for her time with Wildcat program.

“There have been so many great moments and memories playing on the LHS soccer team, but one of my favorites was when we went to state during my junior year,” she said. “We worked so hard to be at state, and even though we got second we were still proud of ourselves and our program.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Olivia on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

OC: I miss my friends and going to soccer practices the most during this time away from everyone. I even miss running sprints (haha). I miss game days and team dinners and being able to laugh and make jokes with everyone.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

OC: My most memorable moment as an athlete was getting a medal at state because that was the first time I experienced something like that.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

OC: My favorite activity/hobby outside of sports is spending time with friends and family because it helps me relax and have fun

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

OC: After graduation, I will be attending Pittsburg State University and intend on majoring in the Nursing program.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

OC: An accomplishment outside of sports that I am proud of is my grades. It might sound simple but I have put a lot of effort into my grades and it has paid off in the end!

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

OC: Something that people may not know about me is that I love dogs and I want to have a golden doodle when I am older.

Olivia’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Alex Morgan

Pro team: Kansas City Chiefs

College team: Pitt State

Movie: The Help

TV Show: Friday Night Lights

Song: Independent Woman by Destiny’s Child

Band/Musician: Luke Combs

Pregame meal/snack: Sliced apple with peanut butter

Class/subject: Biology or Psychology

Teacher and why: Mrs. Quinn, because I learned the most in her class and she works hard.

Previous Senior Spotlights

2020 Senior Spotlight: Skylar Bowman

Since joining the Louisburg girls soccer program, all Skylar Bowman has come to know is winning.

Of course, the same could be said for the 11 other seniors in the Wildcat program as that class has been a part of three consecutive final four appearances and two Class 4-1A state runner-up finishes.

“I was really looking forward to getting a chance to get to state four years in a row,” Bowman said. “I had been to state all my other years of high school, so it would have been really cool to get there all four years. I would love to get the chance to play one last time with a team that really had it all.”

Louisburg was considered one of the favorites to get back to the championship game this spring as the Wildcats returned 12 seniors and some key underclassmen from last season’s second place squad.

That is what made the news in March all that more difficult to take.

Spring sports across the country were canceled due to COVID-19 – and just like that – Bowman’s soccer career came to a close before her last season could really get started.

“I’m just trying to find a positive in everyday life,” Bowman said. “It has been super hard, but I have come to the realization that there is nothing we can do about it now and what has happened has happened. Knowing that I will never step on the field again with the team that I love was heartbreaking.”

Bowman has played a big role for the Wildcats on the defensive side of the ball and has started in 20 games for the Wildcats. Even before she became a starter, she was also vital player off the bench as she played in 58 games. She finished her career with two goals and two assists.

“Sky was a solid defender and defensive midfielder,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “She did a really good job of anticipating the play and shutting the opponent down. She did a very nice job of keeping the play in front of her and became very dependable in the back for us.”

Soccer has been a large part of Bowman’s life – ever since she can remember. Now, she is preparing for a life away from the game she loves.

“I have been playing soccer since I was 4,” Bowman said. “My mom just signed me up because we had just moved to Kansas and we didn’t know many people. I started playing on Louisburg rec teams and then went competitive when I was 7. It has always been a big part of my life because I have played it for so long.”

Preparing for life without soccer also means preparing for life away from her teammates, which for Bowman, has been difficult. Still, she will remember her time with the Wildcat program with fond memories.

**Senior Skylar Bowman is a returning starter from last season’s state runner-up team.**

“The soccer senior class is really special because we went to state every year that we had played,” Bowman said. “We got a taste of what it was like to go to state and be in the final two. We all wanted the same thing, and it made us closer as a team. The coaches are amazing. They push each and every one of us because they know what we can do. They always believe in us and never doubt us.

“I don’t think I have one favorite memory about high school soccer. My favorite times are just seeing how far we had come from the beginning of the season to the end and to see how hard everyone has worked as a team to get where we were.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Skylar on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

SB: The thing that I have missed most about being away from everyone is just having a team full of people who really care. We all always had something to laugh about and it was nice getting away from the stress of school and other things going on to just practice with a team who was really driven.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

SB: My most memorable moment as an athlete was getting to go to state as a freshman. Most athletes in other schools don’t get that chance but I did.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

SB: My favorite activity outside of school is probably anything outdoors. I also really enjoy art. I just find it super relaxing and to get my mind off of other things that are going on

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

SB: My plans after high school are to go to Johnson County Community College and become an EMT.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

SB: One thing that I am proud of is helping others around me and doing what I can to help the people in the community through volunteer work.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

SB: One thing that a lot of people might not know about me is that I really enjoy art. I enjoy creating art or just seeing what other people have done with their imagination.

Skylar’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Tobin Heath

Pro team: US Women’s Soccer

College team: Kansas State

Movie: Armageddon

TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy

Song: I don’t have one favorite

Band/Musician: For King and Country

Pregame meal/snack: Granola bar or orange

Class/subject: History

Teacher and why: My favorite teacher is probably Conley. He just makes learning easy and fun.

Previous Senior Spotlights

2020 Senior Spotlight: Erin Lemke

Going into the spring of her freshman season, Erin Lemke had every intention of going out for track and really didn’t think about anything else.

Then it was brought to her attention that maybe she should give soccer a try.

“I played a couple of seasons when I was little, but nothing competitive,” Lemke said. “I was planning on running track my freshman year, but was convinced otherwise. Soccer quickly became my favorite sport.”

By the time her freshman year was over, it didn’t take long for Lemke to realize she made the right decision.

During the Class 4-1A state quarterfinal game against Piper in 2017, Lemke scored the game-winning goal in overtime to put the Wildcats in the state final four for the first time in school history. It was also just the second year of the program’s existence.

That goal catapulted the Louisburg girls soccer program to three state final four appearances, including back-to-back state runner-up performances in 2018 and 2019. It was a magical moment for everyone involved.

“Erin has an incredible work ethic and drive,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “She became such an impact player for us in such a brief time. She always put the team first and was a great leader for us. Erin always gave everything she had.

“Scoring that goal was incredible her freshman year. Mack (Mackenzie Scholtz) took the ball down the right side and crossed it in to Erin, and she wanted it more than her defender as she buried it in the left corner of the net to send us to our first ever state final four.”

For Lemke, it led to something special as the Wildcat midfielder/forward was named a team captain in 2019 and then again for this coming season. She was a second team All-Frontier League player in 2019 and was a first team all-state selection by the Kansas Soccer Coaches Association.

Even with all the state success and the game winning goal, it was the team moments that Erin Lemke will remember most – especially an emotional victory over Spring Hill last season on Senior Night.

“My favorite memory playing for LHS soccer was the second time we played Spring Hill last season,” Lemke said. “We had lost to them earlier in the season and it was our revenge game. It was close to going into overtime and we played so well together and it was a really fun game.”

Lemke was also looking forward to a Senior Night of her own as she was one of a 12-member senior class for the Wildcats and it was all set to be a special season. Louisburg was considered one of the best teams in Class 4-1A once again this year and the senior class had played vital roles in the team’s past successes.

It was supposed to be a perfect sendoff for Lemke and her senior teammates. Instead, they are all left wondering what could have been with the cancellation of spring sports due to the spread of COVID-19.

“When I found out it was cancelled, I just immediately started crying,” Lemke said. “I was so disappointed we couldn’t see our work pay off. The team started texting each other and the girls were thanking all of us seniors, so it made it better. Not knowing what this team could have accomplished is definitely the hardest part. I am staying positive about the situation because I know that we don’t have it the worst.

“I was looking forward to this season more than any other because it was like these past three years of taking fourth and then second twice, were building to us winning the state championship this season. We have so many seniors and experience, and we are all really good friends, so as soon as my volleyball season ended I was looking forward to my soccer season.”

**Louisburg senior Erin Lemke was a two-time captain for the Wildcats and was one of 12 seniors returning this year.**

Lemke experienced a lot of success in her high school career, including on the volleyball court. She was a member of the state runner-up team in 2018 and then helped Louisburg to a fourth-place finish in 2019.

Still, she was looking forward to taking that next step on the soccer field with the rest of her senior class. Through the first couple weeks of practice, everything was headed in the right direction.

“From the very first practice, it was like we had not missed a beat, and we were all working so well together,” Lemke said. “We all felt like it was our year. We had so much experience and Conley and (Michael) Pickman felt it was gonna be our year too. They had watched us lose in the championship twice and they wanted it just as much, if not more than us.”

Lemke had a very productive career for the Wildcats as she started 48 of her 59 games and earned all-league and all-state honors as a sophomore and a junior.

She finished her career with 29 goals and 27 assists and Lemke has the second-best assist mark for a season in program history with 17 and is third in career assists. She also added seven game-winning goals.

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Erin on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

EL: I am missing our team dinners and home games the most because that is what I look forward to most in the spring.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

EL: My favorite memory as an athlete would have to be our win against Bishop Miege at Sub-State for volleyball. I love playing revenge games and losing to them the year before in the State Championship motivated our whole team. It was the most fun I had had playing volleyball.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

EL: I don’t really have a hobby outside of sports, besides hanging out with my friends.

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

EL: I plan on attending the University of Central Missouri, but I am undecided on my major.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

EL: Outside of athletics, I am most proud of my involvement in student council. I served as Vice President of Student Council this year, I assisted the President in planning homecomings, fundraisers and led meetings. It was so fun to make the homecoming videos and lead the pep rallies. It created most of my favorite memories from senior year.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

EL: That I like to paint and practice calligraphy.

Erin’s Favorites

Pro athlete: I really don’t have one

Pro team: Chiefs? I don’t watch pro sports to be honest.

College team: I don’t have a specific one, but I like watching college volleyball

Movie: Little Women

TV Show: Parks and Rec

Song: Bluebird by Miranda Lambert

Band/Musician: Kenny Chesney

Pregame meal/snack: Protein balls

Class/subject: English

Teacher and why: My favorite teacher is Conley. He’s taught me for 2 years and coached me for 3, so we have developed a close relationship. He’s a good mentor and coach. We usually have something, as he would say, “snarky”, to say to each other.

Previous Senior Spotlights

Pickman named as new LHS activities director

Michael Pickman (left) was hired as Louisburg High School’s new activities director and assistant principal last week following the USD Board of Education meeting. Current Louisburg AD, Scott Hinkle (right), will move to the middle school to serve in the same capacity starting next school year.

Louisburg High School will have a little different look to its activities department for the 2020-21 school year.

Following the USD 416 Board of Education meeting on April 13, Michael Pickman was hired to serve as the school’s new assistant principal and activities director. Pickman will replace Scott Hinkle, who has been in that position for the last two years.

Hinkle will remain in the district and will move over to the middle school to serve in the same capacity.

“I had known for a while that I wanted to continue my education by getting a second master’s degree, but I didn’t really know which area,” Pickman said. “I talked with current administration and was both inspired and encouraged to explore administrative leadership. This is the job I wanted because it meant staying in Louisburg and continuing to work with the staff and coaches who I know have, can and will achieve great things when it comes to our students and student athletes.

“We are a Louisburg family and I want my daughter in the Louisburg community and school system, so I wouldn’t have done this anywhere else. The atmosphere from district leadership to the building leadership is top notch and I am ready to grow as an educator and work alongside (principal) Jeremy (Holloway) and the administrative staff at the high school and the amazing coaches and support them.”

Pickman has taught English at the high school for the last seven years and has also worked in the Prairie View, West Franklin and Maur Hill Prep school districts.

He has also spent a lot of time in the athletic arena as he has served as the Wildcat boys and girls soccer assistant coach, alongside head coach Kyle Conley, for the last five-plus years.

“It will be tough to give up all aspects of it, but the magic of these soccer programs will be especially difficult,” Pickman said. “Kyle has been an amazing person to coach with and his passion is contagious. Getting to start the girls program with him and the immediate success has been amazing. State finals and big wins and the atmosphere – some don’t ever get to experience that – and lastly the players, both boys and girls who have graduated and those who remain to carry on the greatness are why I said yes to coaching. They make the whole experience amazing and fun.

“So it will be hard, but I would also not have gone anywhere else to do a different job and so I will still be able to support the soccer players and every other student and athlete through my new opportunity and to do so the Wildcat Way.”

As for Hinkle, he spent the last two years as the LHS activities director after coming from Liberal High School. He is excited that his new position at the middle school will allow him to spend more time with family.

“I really enjoyed my time at the high school, even though it was only two years,” Hinkle said. “I am leaving behind a great workplace with a great culture and an unbelievable staff. It was not an easy decision.

“I made the move to the middle school to get back some evenings and weekends. I have been an athletic director for 11 years at the high school level in my career, and I was ready to free up some time. I know I am joining another great staff at LMS, and look forward to the new challenge ahead of me.”

2020 Senior Spotlight: Andie Masten

The sport of soccer and Andie Masten never really crossed paths – that is until late in her junior year.

Louisburg head coach Kyle Conley asked her if she would be a team manager and she agreed. Then as the season got closer, plans started to change.

“The first day of tryouts, he convinced me to just give it a shot,” Masten said. “I borrowed some cleats and showed up the next day. It wasn’t a part of my life at all, until Conley pushed me to tryout. He has a way of convincing people.”

To this day, she doesn’t regret the decision.

Masten played on junior varsity, but was a part of the Wildcat team that finished as the state runner-up last year at the Class 4-1A tournament in Topeka. It was a great experience for her to be a part of something special – but her favorite memory came a lot earlier in the season.

“It is definitely the first time I’ve ever scored a goal in a soccer game,” Masten said. “It was last year, in a JV game at Tonganoxie. The coaches told me to pull forward and go play up top. All of my teammates and coaches were cheering me on and it was just the greatest experience when I FINALLY kicked it in. Hearing all of them cheering and hollering was the best.”

Masten played in three varsity contests in 2019, including the regional and state championship games and was more than ready for her final season.

“Andie is a fantastic young lady who started out wanting to be a manager, but we convinced to actually play,” Conley said. “She started soccer her junior year and she worked as hard as she could to improve. She had a great attitude and always kept practice fun with her personality.”

She was a part of a 12-member senior class that had played together for several years and were a big part of the Wildcats’ three-straight state final four appearances. This year the Wildcats were ready for something special.

“I was very optimistic in what this season was going to hold for us,” Masten said. “This year’s team was something extremely special and I was looking forward to see how this season was going to pan out. Making it to state was always a goal and eventually a priority for us, and I was really eager to see how far we’d make it.”

Unfortunately, a harsh reality set in for the Wildcats, and teams across the state, as spring sports were canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. The opportunity of winning the program’s first state title was no more.

It was a crushing blow – not only to Masten – but to the rest of her team.

“I was extremely upset,” Masten said. “It was my only sport and I was looking forward to making great memories with the other girls and win some games. But if I’m being honest, my heart really goes out to the girls who have been preparing for this season, and soccer is their whole world. For some, it was their last season of soccer. Each day, it gets easier and we still have been reaching out to comfort one another.”

**Louisburg senior Andie Masten received her state runner-up medal from coach Kyle Conley following the state championship game last May.**

Even though Masten only got to play one official season of soccer, it was a time she will never forget and is thankful the Wildcat coaching staff gave her the opportunity to be a part of it.

“I’m not sure I can even put into words how special the soccer program is, none-the-less how fantastic the group of senior girls are along with my coaches,” she said. “When I decided to play last year, these girls were so welcoming and encouraging. I truly had no idea what I was doing, and still am unsure of how to actually play soccer. They were always patient and pushed me to be my best, as did the coaches, who are some of my all-time favorite people. I’ve never had a group of people truly believe in me like they have.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Andie on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

AM: It sounds so goofy, but truthfully I have been missing the silly things like water breaks with the team, and walking to and from practice. I miss talking to each and every one of the girls, making them laugh and working hard. It could’ve been the last time I will ever get to talk to and play with some of the girls.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

AM: My most memorable moment as an athlete is definitely going to state for my first time, last year, and taking second. While the loss was disappointing and upsetting, it was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

AM: It is very boring but I love to read. Quarantine has put me in the position where I have lots of free time and I’ve been flying through books!

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

AM: After graduation, I plan on attending Pitt State and hopefully pursue a degree in Occupational Therapy.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

AM: I guess I would have to say that an accomplishment of mine would be my grades, as of right now. I try my best to take school seriously and work hard to maintain pretty good grades.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

AM: I guess something a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m ambidextrous. I write with my left hand but switch it up on other things or tasks.

Andie’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Patrick Mahomes

Pro team: Texas Rangers

College team: Pitt State

Movie: Step Brothers

TV Show: The Office

Song: Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves

Band/Musician: Khalid

Pregame meal/snack: Rice Krispie treats before every game!

Class/subject: Spanish

Teacher and why: Definitely Mr. Hinkle (assistant principal), although he isn’t technically a teacher. I was his T.A. this past year and he and I just built a great relationship!

Previous Senior Spotlights

2020 Senior Spotlight: Avery O’Meara

Avery O’Meara has had more than her fair share of special memories when it comes to the Louisburg girls soccer team.

O’Meara has started for the Wildcats since her freshman season and has been a part of three Class 4-1A final four appearances and two state runner-up finishes. It has been a ride full of amazing moments.

“Honestly, I don’t think I can pinpoint a single memory that was the best because they are all amazing,” O’Meara said. “The whole experience has just been amazing.”

The Louisburg senior is coming off a strong junior campaign herself as she was named to the Class 4-1A all-state second team as a midfielder. She was hoping to use the momentum of that second place state finish to possibly go even further this season.

“I was really looking forward to this season because this season was supposed to be special, and not just because we are seniors,” O’Meara said. “We all worked so hard in the off-season and during conditioning to get better – underclassmen included – and this was the year that I truly believe we could’ve been a powerhouse of a team. I believe with all my heart that we would’ve made it to the state final four again and that we may very well have won.”

O’Meara was one of 12 Wildcat seniors that won’t get that final opportunity to reach the state’s highest prize as the spread of COVID-19 shut spring sports down across the state, along with the closure of schools.

The news was a shock to O’Meara and the rest of her teammates. It prevented one final run at a state title, but more importantly, a chance to play with a team and coaching staff that have played vital roles in her life the last several years.

“The senior class in general is so special,” she said. “I feel like we are all family, we all get along and support each other. The soccer senior girls are on a whole other level though. The majority of us actually grew up playing on the same team. We didn’t always get along, but we always supported each other no matter what. We got to know each other better than anyone else, and we could say one word or give one look and know the exact meaning behind it. Sure, some of us didn’t grow up playing soccer, but we were all sisters as soon as we hit the field. We were truly a family.

“As for the coaches, they are the best coaches a girl could ask for. They have really made me into the player and person I am today. They have some kind of superhero power that allows them to see what you can be and give you the confidence and direction needed to get you there.”

Head coach Kyle Conley appreciated what O’Meara gave to the team, especially with her presence as a holding midfielder. She was reliable player in critical moments for the Wildcats.

“Avery was one of the hardest working kids on the field each and every time we played,” Conley said. “She worked her butt off and never backed down or said she was tired. She never complained and always gave everything she had. Avery would have been a four-year starter for us and she played extremely hard each and every game.”

**Louisburg senior Avery O’Meara was slated to be a four-year starter for the Wildcats in 2020.**

With the cancellation, O’Meara will now put a sport behind her that she has competed in since she was little and will focus on her future. However, it was soccer that has helped her get to where she is today.

“I have been playing soccer since I was old enough to play on the Louisburg rec team,” O’Meara said. “My step dad played soccer most of his life and got my older sister to play, so I decided to follow suit. Soccer has been a huge part of my life. It has been my outlet my whole life. Practice was always the one place where I could just be me without feeling judged.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Avery on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

AO: The laughter. Both during school and soccer there was always someone who would make everyone laugh or, at least, lighten the mood. It made everything seem fun, and work felt a little less like work.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

AO: This would definitely be the first time I was a varsity starter my freshman year. It was the second game of the season and I had finished the junior varsity game to go right in to warmups. During pre-game huddle with Conley he apparently told me to start, but I was not paying one lick of attention. It wasn’t until the national anthem that anyone realized I was not on the field with the rest of the starters so I had to run out to the middle of the field with everyone watching. According to the entire team during pre-game huddle, Conley had told me I was starting multiple times and every time I nodded my head to say that I had heard him but I don’t remember any of it.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

AO: I really enjoy hiking. It gives me an escape from reality, fresh air, and likely a good view.

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

AO: I will be attending Colorado State University with the intent to earn a Bachelors in Equine Science.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

AO: I am proud of my academic standings. My GPA, grades and ACT got me accepted into my dream college.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

AO: That I absolutely hate running. As a soccer player, that sounds very counter intuitive.

Avery’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Beezie Madden

Pro team: USA Equestrian Team

College team: Colorado State Rams

Movie: The Sandlot or The Little Rascals

TV Show: Outlander

Song: I Hope by Gabby Barrett

Band/Musician: Luke Bryan

Pregame meal/snack: Pop Tarts

Class/subject: Either Math or Science

Teacher and why: All of them. They are all so supportive and fun.

Previous Senior Spotlights

Trinity Moore – Girls Soccer