Louisburg senior Bailey Belcher lets out a scream after scoring the match’s first goal Monday during the Class 4-3-2-1A regional semifinal at Wildcat Sports Complex. Belcher finished with two goals and three assists in the 8-1 win. 

The Louisburg High School girls soccer team had to go up against two opponents during the Class 4-3-2-1A regional semifinal Monday at Wildcat Sports Complex – Basehor-Linwood and Mother Nature.

The Wildcats had to dodge lightning strikes and were forced to sit out for a 45 minute delay five minutes into the match. It wasn’t an ideal start, but Louisburg certainly made the most of a bad situation.

Louisburg scored its first goal 20 minutes into the first half and never looked back as the Wildcats rolled Basehor-Linwood, 8-1, to move on to the regional championship match. Louisburg will travel to Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday to meet Sumner Academy for the right to move on to the state quarterfinals.

“We did a good job for the most part,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “There are so many distractions with the weather, and the stoppages, and wondering whether we were going to get the game in was difficult, plus we needed to get the game in cause we were going to need the rest.

“The girls played well, especially when we moved the ball. When we weren’t selfish, we did a really good job passing the ball and finding feet. We played to everyone, and when we get rid of that selfishness and just play, we are a really good team.”

Sharing the ball was a strength for Louisburg (11-6) as it had five different players find the back of the net and five of the eight goals were assisted.

Sophomore forward Mackenzie Scholtz led the way with three goals and an assist, while senior midfielder Bailey Belcher had two goals and three assists to account for a bulk of the Wildcat offense.

Belcher opened the match with the goal at the 20 minute mark, then five minutes later, struck again on a shot from about 25-yards out to put the Wildcats up two goals.

Scholtz followed suit as she got the ball in the box, faked out the Basehor-Linwood goalie, and scored an empty-netter for the next Wildcat goal. Freshman Olivia Barber found the back of the net less than a minute later to help Louisburg pull away for a 4-0 halftime lead.

Louisburg sophomore Hannah Straub wins a 50-50 ball against a Basehor-Linwood player Monday in Louisburg.

The Wildcats picked up right where they left off in the second half as Scholtz scored two straight goals to put Louisburg up six. With 17 minutes left in the match, after Basehor scored its lone goal, senior Savannah Reinhart was fouled in the box and converted the penalty kick.

In the final minutes, Conley subbed most of his starters out to get his reserves some minutes and that time is something Julianne Finley won’t soon forget. The Louisburg junior, who normally plays on defense on the junior varsity level, was put up top.

Finley got her chance at a goal as Louisburg was awarded a free kick just outside the box and her shot glanced off the Basehor goalie for her first varsity goal.

“I wanted to get everyone in and get some playing time and I told Jules to go up top, and she goes ‘Where?’” Conley said. “I just told her to go up there and run her butt off and give me five good minutes and see what you can do. Then when she got that free kick opportunity, she happened to be in the right spot. The shot went in and it was a pretty cool moment. The girls were pumped for her and it was cool to have things like that and make those lifelong memories. It is a lot of fun.”

Julianne Finley gets a hug from several teammates after scoring her first varsity goal Monday.

Louisburg’s defense held firm for much of the match as it allowed just the one goal and limited the Bobcats’ chances. It was rebound performance after allowing four goals to Spring Hill last week.

“Defensively I thought we did some good things,” Conley said. “We let them get some runs in the middle and they are really good up top. They come at you really hard and we did a good job shifting and covering. We got away with a couple things when we missed the mark, but we were able to stand them up for the most part.

“Our biggest thing right now is trying to get rid of the tunnel vision. We are trying to teach them to focus on what is going on around you and see the field – not just focus on the ball.”

The Wildcats will try for the regional title at 5 p.m., Thursday when they travel to Schlagle Stadium to face off with Sumner Academy. Louisburg defeated Sumner, 7-0, earlier in the season, but Conley knows it won’t be the same this time around.

“Sumner is a good team and a much different team than what we played a while ago,” he said. “We have to get refocused and be ready to go. They had a lot of injuries the last time we played them and they are playing pretty decent right now. We have to pick up the intensity, we are going to ball hunt a little bit and just play our game. We are going to do our job and see what happens.”

Louisburg senior Savannah Reinhart shields a Spring Hill player from the ball Thursday during the Wildcats match on Senior Night in Louisburg. Reinhart scored a goal in the Wildcats’ 4-2 loss to Spring Hill.

It wasn’t the way it was supposed to go.

The Louisburg High School girls soccer team had plans to send its four seniors – Bailey Belcher, Savannah Reinhart, Avery Barber and Shay Whiting – out with a bang with a win over the region’s best team in Spring Hill.

And for 40 minutes, it looked like it was going happen.

The Wildcats held a one-goal lead at halftime, but unfortunately they couldn’t hold it as Spring Hill scored four second half goals en route to a 4-2 win Thursday over Louisburg on Senior Night at Wildcat Sports Complex.

“We played hard enough to win,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We just didn’t execute and they got a couple bounces and beat us to a couple balls in the middle and they came out on top. The girls played hard, did a good job and represented the school and their seniors well. We just couldn’t get the ball to bounce the right way. We had one hit off the keeper’s face and then another with a shot in the penalty box and we just hit it right to her. It is what it is and we will get better.”

The two teams went back and forth at each other in the first half as both had good looks at the goal. Whiting, the Wildcat goalie, turned Spring Hill away on three different occasions with diving saves and Spring Hill did the same on shots from Hannah Straub, Mackenzie Scholtz and Belcher.

With four minutes left in the first half, it was Reinhart’s turn and her shot was able to find the back of the net. The Louisburg senior hit a line drive from near the 18-yard mark that curved into the corner of the net to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Spring Hill tied it all up with 25 minutes remaining in the second half and started what was a string of four goals in 15 minutes. Two minutes later, the Broncos took a 2-1 lead, but the Wildcats came roaring back when sophomore Erin Lemke took a shot that found the upper corner of the net to tie it all up.

“We came out and played hard, with intensity and we just played the right way,” Conley said. “Then they just kept coming at us up the middle and we just struggled to stay disciplined in the back and we let them get loose. Then we just couldn’t answer. We struggled to play to feet a little bit and we didn’t do what I wanted them to, which was to come back to the ball and play a little give-and-go.

“I think we played hard and we played well. I thought Savannah’s goal was really nice to get us started and I thought Erin’s goal was great to get us back even and I thought we were in good shape right there. We just could not keep our shape and it got a little crazy.”

Whiting continued her strong play in goal as she recorded a couple more big saves to keep it tied, but the Broncos continued their attack and placed their shots in the right spots. Spring Hill took the 3-2 lead with 14 minutes left and sealed the win with another goal four minutes later.

“It was good to Shay bounce back with some confidence,” Conley said. “She played with a lot more heart, played better and was more assertive and aggressive. I think that she showed up and did her job and we needed that pretty bad.”

Six Louisburg seniors were honored prior to Thursday’s Senior Night match against Spring Hill. The seniors (from left) are manager Hannah Gurske, Avery Barber, Savannah Reinhart, Shay Whiting, Bailey Belcher and manager Jarod Rose.

The loss ended the Wildcats’ regular season with a 10-6 record as the four seniors walked off their home field with a bad taste in their mouths heading into regional action this week.

“All four seniors play their butts off and are committed,” Conley said. “They buy in and they work hard. It is going to be a tough group to replace with Bailey in the middle, Savannah on the outside, Shay in the goal and Avery giving us good minutes at outside back.

“It is a good group, but we are not done yet. The best part is that we are in the playoffs and we will see how far we can go. They are just good kids and they are what you want your program to emulate and stand for. They play the right way, but unfortunately we just couldn’t get a win for them.”

The postseason starts today for Louisburg as it earned the No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Basehor-Linwood (6-10) at 5 p.m. to start its regional tournament. If the Wildcats advance, they will meet the winner of No. 4 Sumner Academy (11-5) and No. 13 Bishop Ward (6-10) at 5 p.m. Thursday at Schlagle Stadium. Louisburg defeated both Basehor-Linwood and Sumner Academy earlier this season.

“We are all on the same page now and everyone is even,” Conley said. “It would have been nice to be the No. 4 seed and hosting, but that isn’t how it worked out this time. We will just see how it goes, let the chips fall and just do our job and do the best we can.”

Louisburg sophomore forward Mackenzie Scholtz beats a defender during a game earlier this season. Scholtz scored six goals Monday in the Wildcats’ 11-1 rout of Ottawa at Ottawa High School.

Louisburg senior Shay Whiting has been one of the top goalkeepers in the Frontier League for the past 2-plus seasons.

So when she wasn’t in goal in the team’s match with Ottawa on Monday, it was a little different. Instead of playing at the net, Whiting saw action on the Louisburg attack.

It was a memorable moment to say the least.

When it was all said and done, the Wildcats celebrated their 11-1 win over the Cyclones at Ottawa High School, but one goal stood out among the rest.

Whiting got her first career goal in the second half as she got a rebound off a free kick and put it in the back of the net in the 68^th minute.

“I decided to start Carson (Buffington) in goal, because since last summer Shay has been hinting at wanting to score a goal,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We spoke last week, and before the game, and I made the final decision to make her a field player. So as we started to progress throughout the game, we sent her in. She got a through ball right off the bat, but hit it over.

“Then on a free kick we got her set up for a through ball again and this time the keeper made a save but Shay followed it up for the goal. The bench exploded with emotion and Shay was ecstatic.”

The score was just one of many positives for the Wildcat team as they were able to break through the Ottawa defense for several chances on goal and none took advantage more than Mackenzie Scholtz.

Scholtz, a sophomore forward, scored a career-high six goals and added an assist. She scored three goals in each half and recorded a hat trick 33 minutes into the contest.

Senior Bailey Belcher also had strong game with three goals of her own and had four assists. Sophomore Erin Lemke scored the game’s final goal in the 75^th minute to enforce the mercy rule. Olivia Barber and Morgan Messer each also recorded an assist.

Louisburg scored three goals in the first nine minutes to take an early lead, but started to slow down offensively in the first half, but still had a 5-1 lead at halftime.

“We actually didn’t play well in the first half,” Conley said “We are still trying to find some consistency in our play. We show some signs of brilliance, but struggle to be consistent. The last 15 minutes of the game the girls got it and played very well. The kids finished the game at a high level and did a nice job.”

Louisburg (10-5) will try to end its regular season on a high as it hosts Spring Hill on Thursday for Senior Night. The Wildcats will honor their four seniors – Bailey Belcher, Shay Whiting, Savannah Reinhart and Avery Barber – in a pregame ceremony before their 6 p.m. start.

“Spring Hill is currently ranked No. 1 in our region and we are ranked No. 4,” Conley said. “Spring Hill is a fantastic team and are playing really well right now. It’s going to be a fantastic environment for our Senior Night.”

Louisburg junior Hayli Detherage battles a De Soto player for a 50-50 ball Tuesday during the Wildcats’ home contest. Louisburg lost the match 9-0, but defeated Baldwin, 3-1, a day earlier. 

The Louisburg High School girls soccer team had an important couple of days this past week as the Wildcats hosted two teams that had beaten them already this season – one of which was atop the Frontier League standings.

Louisburg played back-to-back days Monday and Tuesday in hopes of getting a pair of wins. The Wildcats had to settle for one as they pulled off a 3-1 victory over Baldwin to exact a loss they suffered from the Bulldogs less than a week prior.

The Wildcats had to battle windy conditions to the get the win, and despite letting the Bulldogs tie the match early in the second half, they were able to pull away with a pair of goals as the Wildcats dominated possession in the final 30 minutes.

“We played so bad the first time we played them, but the girls came out this time and played really hard,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They played with intensity, we marked up tight and we pushed up the field. That is the way we need to play and the girls did a good job with it. Some kids played a ton of minutes, and others just played a short amount of time, but everyone was engaged and in it. It was fantastic to see and the kids played the right way.”

Louisburg (9-5) got a big performance from senior Bailey Belcher as she recorded a hat trick and was responsible for all three Wildcat goals.

Belcher got things going late in the first half as she took a pass from sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz, took a shot, and put it in the back of the net to give Louisburg a 1-0 halftime lead.

Baldwin didn’t waste any time in the second half as Anna Burnett tied the match in the first two minutes. The score didn’t seem to faze the Wildcats.

In the 52^nd minute, Baldwin was called for a penalty in the box and awarded Belcher a penalty kick. Her attempt was knocked away by the Baldwin goalie, but Belcher got the rebound and put it away for a 2-1 lead.

Louisburg defender Camdyn Clark looks to settle a ball Monday against Baldwin in Louisburg.

Then in the game’s final minutes, Belcher sealed the win as she dribbled toward the goal and knocked it over the goalie’s head.

“We had the right build up in the first half, but we were just missing that final pass,” Conley said. “Then we finally broke through and the girls realized what they needed to. We had a couple of other chances that we should have just buried, and our finishing on breakaways has not been very good, but we did a lot better in the second half. That 25 mile-per-hour wind we had to play into was obviously a major factor as well, and there were some difficulties there, but I thought the girls handled it well.”

Other than the one play early in the second half, the Wildcat defense held firm against Baldwin team that scored three goals of its own just a week earlier. Senior goalie Shay Whiting had two big saves in the first half, but limited the Bulldogs’ chances in the second half.

“We have a bend but don’t break philosophy,” Conley said. “You can let them have some hits, but you don’t want them to be good looks. Shay had two or three great saves there in that first half and coach (Michael) Pickman has done a really good job working with the goalies. He challenges them each and every day to get better and they are responding.”

Tuesday didn’t go as well for the Wildcats as they fell to De Soto, 9-0, and suffered from tired legs against a talented Class 5A program, who is currently undefeated in the Frontier League.

The match was scoreless through the first 10 minutes, but De Soto started rolling thanks to a pair of goals and it was also awarded a pair of penalty kicks in a 10-minute span that helped them build a 4-0 lead – which ballooned to 6-0 at halftime.

“Playing back-to-back games was tough,” Conley said. “We just had two freak plays that usually don’t happen in soccer, and they definitely don’t happen within 10 minutes of each other. We got down and we just ran out of gas. De Soto is a good team. They are very confident in their abilities and we just didn’t play very well. This is the last time we are going to play them since they aren’t in the league anymore.

“For a minute there I thought we were going to get mercy-ruled and Carson (Buffington) made a great save there to keep that from happening. Shay made some good saves too, but it was rough. It was definitely not how I envisioned the game going. We just got stretched thin with the game the night before and ran out of gas. Tomorrow is a new day and we just need to get better.”

This week’s will bring Louisburg its final two regular season matches of the year. On Monday, the Wildcats will travel to Ottawa for a 5 p.m. match and then will host Spring Hill on Thursday for Senior Night.

Louisburg senior Bailey Belcher makes her way toward the goal during the Wildcats’ match with Eudora on Friday in Louisburg. Belcher scored four goals in the team’s 8-0 win.

Coming off a frustrating loss to Baldwin earlier in the week, the Louisburg High School girls soccer team wanted to show that its performance against the Bulldogs was all in the past.

The Wildcats took step forward in showing that Friday when they hosted Eudora.

Louisburg took on the Cardinals in front of a packed house of Broadmoor Elementary School students during an early afternoon match and the Wildcats didn’t disappoint. They scored five second half goals and rolled to an 8-0 victory over Eudora.

“Wednesday we watched film, pointed out some things and Thursday I gave them a little butt-chewing on how I wanted things done the right way,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We started getting lazy and not playing hard. Our goal this time was to just be high-pressure all the time. It wasn’t perfect or great, but this is what we are going to do from now on. We are just going to come get people, play hard and be on our toes. I think the kids played much harder than they did at Baldwin.”

Eudora had a difficult time in slowing the 1-2 punch of Bailey Belcher and Mackenzie Scholtz as the two players each recorded hat tricks in the win. Belcher finished the game with four goals and Scholtz added three.

It didn’t take long for the Wildcats to get on the board as Scholtz scored two goals 12 minutes into the match and Belcher scored her first with three minutes left in the first half to give Louisburg a 3-0 halftime advantage.

“They ran off each other a lot,” Conley said of Belcher and Scholtz. “I would like for them to give the ball up a little more, especially in that first half. We had other kids who were making the run and they just held it. They probably should have played that ball through a couple times and put others before themselves. They did work harder and I was getting after those two a lot because it starts from the top and goes back. Their response was good and was pleased with how hard they played.”

Sophomore Erin Lemke dribbles the ball away from a Eudora defender Friday.

Just two minutes into the second half, Belcher had herself a hat trick when she scored a pair of goal right after halftime. Scholtz and Belcher each added a goal to make it 7-0, then in the 63^rd minute, sophomore Trinity Moore was able to find the back of the net for her first goal and sealed the win for Louisburg.

Defensively, the Wildcats didn’t give Eudora many good looks at the goal as the back line of Kaitlyn Lewer, Camdyn Clark, Hannah Straub and Moore turned away any runs the Cardinals tried to make. Goalies Shay Whiting and Carson Buffington combined to earn the shutout.

The victory improved Louisburg’s record to 8-4 on the season and Conley still believes his team has a lot of work to do before the postseason arrives.

“We are behind right now,” he said. “We have lost two games that we shouldn’t have lost. Hosting a regional for us is huge. We are a different team at home, so we have to get after it here. (Today) and Tuesday are really key for us and it is going to be tough. We have to find a way to get positive results out of both games.”

Louisburg won’t have to wait long to get its revenge on Baldwin as the Wildcats host the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. today at Wildcat Sports Complex. The Wildcats will then host league-leading De Soto on Tuesday in back-to-back big games.

“I think the loss at Baldwin woke the girls up a little bit,” Conley said. “We just didn’t show up to play for whatever reason. Hopefully we will be ready to go up against them this time and show them we are ready to go. I think the girls are focused now and hopefully it will be a different game.”

BALDWIN SHUTS OUT LOUISBURG

Louisburg traveled to Baldwin last Tuesday in hopes of getting a big road win for its resume, but unfortunately the Bulldogs had other ideas.

Baldwin put the match away with two second half goals and the Wildcats were unable to get much going offensively in a 3-0 loss.

Goalie Shay Whiting leaps in the air to make a save last Tuesday at Baldwin.

“We were soft, hesitant and we were passive,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We tried to go down the middle the whole time and that is not our game at all.”

Louisburg had a tough time stopping Baldwin’s Anna Burnett as she finished the game with a pair of goals and Katherine Braun scored the other.

Louisburg’s Hayli Detherage gets a hug from teammate Camdyn Clark (7), while Mackenzie Scholtz is all smiles, following Detherage’s goal in the Wildcats’ 9-1 win over Basehor-Linwood on Friday in Louisburg.

It has been a week full of revenge for the Louisburg girls soccer team and its latest victim Friday was Basehor-Linwood.

After falling to the Bobcats last season, Louisburg made amends from last year’s loss as the Wildcats rolled to an easy 9-1 victory in Louisburg after scoring six first half goals. Earlier in the week, Louisburg downed Harmon to get payback from a defeat last season.

“We had to survive some injuries and kids missing games the past two weeks so it was nice to get a lot of kids repetitions in game situations,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We started off a little slow, but then the girls remembered our scouting report and what their responsibilities were. We played well, attacked and moved pretty well off of the ball. I thought we did a nice job.”

Scoring wasn’t a problem for the Wildcats as the team’s top two scorers, senior Bailey Belcher and sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz, each finished the game with a hat trick. Louisburg was able to shred the Basehor-Linwood defense for several chances on goal.

The Wildcats (7-3) also had a handful of one-on-one opportunities with the Basehor goalkeeper, many of which found the back of the net.

“I felt we did a fantastic job taking what they gave us,” Conley said. “The girls were prepped on what they would give us and I think they made a lot of good reads. Our speed of play was a factor as well. I think that the Basehor game was where we left off against Harmon. We came out attacking and moved the ball well.”

The combo of Scholtz and Belcher got going early in the match when Scholtz scored in the fifth minute on an assist Belcher. Louisburg added another goal in the 24^th minute on a shot from sophomore Erin Lemke.

Louisburg would then score three goals in the next five minutes. Junior Hayli Detherage scored on a nice move to the goal and then Scholtz followed that up with back-to-back scores to complete her hat trick and gave Louisburg a 5-0 lead.

Louisburg senior Savannah Reinhart (2) scored a goal to end the Wildcats’ 9-1 win over Basehor.

Belcher added one more goal for Louisburg before halftime to give the Wildcats a six-goal advantage. She added another score nine minutes into the second half before Basehor-Linwood ended the shutout with a goal of its own.

In the 62^nd minute, sophomore Trinity Moore assisted Belcher on her third goal of the match and senior Savannah Reinhart sealed the win for Louisburg with the team’s final score in the 72^nd minute.

The victory ended what was a busy stretch for the Wildcats as they played three matches in five days and outscored their opponents 17-1 in those three games.

“When we are healthy, playing for each other and letting the ball do the work, we can be really good,” Conley said. “I think the girls are figuring that out and we are a lot of fun to watch right now. With all of the injuries, we were able to get a lot of different kids in and allowing them to gain game experience will help us in the long run. Our defense is playing extremely well right now and they allow us to focus on our attacking and pressure. It was a fun three game week.”

Louisburg is back in action today when it travels to Baldwin. Varsity will play at 4 p.m., with the junior varsity to follow.

Louisburg defender Trinity Moore looks to dribble past a Harmon player Wednesday during the Wildcats’ home contest at Wildcat Sports Complex. Moore and the rest of the Wildcat defense shut out Harmon in a 5-0 victory.

A year ago, the Louisburg High School girls soccer team walked off its home field feeling a little deflated after losing to Harmon.

The Wildcats made sure it wasn’t going to happen a second time.

Louisburg scored three first half goals and the Wildcat defense took care of the rest as they shutout Harmon, 5-0, on Wednesday at Wildcat Sports Complex. It was the second consecutive victory for the Wildcats after they defeated Eudora, 3-0, on the road Monday.

“The first half we were a little hesitant and we were going through the motions a little bit and starting to figure it out,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “In the second half, I think we just dominated them. I know they had some wind-aided long balls, but I thought we just killed it out there. We had some really good opportunities, but we just couldn’t quite execute. Still, we were really good and did some nice things.”

A lot of those nice things came on defense where the Wildcats entered the game shorthanded as starter Hannah Straub had to sit out with an injury. Junior Kaitlyn Lewer moved from her outside back spot to fill in at centerback and sophomore Skylar Bowman played Lewer’s outside back spot.

It all seemed to come together for Louisburg as Bowman, Lewer, sophomore Trinity Moore and junior Camdyn Clark frustrated the Harmon offense in the back and allowed for the Wildcats to dominate possession. Goalies Shay Whiting and Carson Buffington then combined to earn the clean sheet.

“Kaitlyn played centerback and filled in for us there with Hannah being out,” Conley said. “That is where she played all last year so I think it worked out alright. She filled a void there and helped us out. With her and Trinity back there, I don’t think anyone is going to run by those two. Skylar shifted over to help outside and she did a good job. It is all about when someone goes down, who is going to be the next one to step up? That is the way we have been playing. I don’t think we have had our full squad at all this year except for maybe one game.

“They are doing a good job staying marked up for the most part. They are playing hard and playing pretty well back there. We are not gambling on things and playing as unit. Avery Barber stepped in a little bit for us tonight as did Skylar. They are a good group and they feed off each other. The chemistry is starting to come together.”

Junior Kaitlyn Lewer heads the ball away Wednesday against Harmon.

Offensively, the Wildcats got on the board quick thanks to senior Bailey Belcher, who returned after missing a week due to injury. Belcher scored the game’s first two goals, including one five minutes into the match off a rebound.

Belcher then took a shot from close to 20 yards out that found the back of the net and gave Louisburg a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz added to the Wildcat lead with a goal late in the first half.

A pair of other Wildcats got into the scoring in the second half as sophomore Erin Lemke took a shot in the box that hit off the top of the post and crossed the line to give the Wildcats a four goal lead.

Moore iced the game for Louisburg (6-3) as she took a penalty kick, but after the shot was saved, scored off the rebound to put the Wildcats up five goals. Lemke and Leia Shaffer each added an assist in the Wildcat victory.

Louisburg will try for its third consecutive win at 6 p.m. tonight when it hosts Basehor-Linwood.

“Basehor is a good team,” Conley said. “They are offensive minded and it will be hard for us. We need to move and defend as a unit and organization is going to be key for us. They have some really good players up top and we just have to do a good job of feeding the ball through and keeping the pressure on them and attack. We need to make it a high intensity game and see where it goes from there.”

Louisburg blanks Eudora on the road

It was slow-going at times for Louisburg when it visited Eudora on Monday for the team’s first ever meeting as Eudora is competing in its first season.

The Wildcats took a one-goal lead into halftime, but created a little more cushion for themselves in the second half as they came away with a 3-0 victory.

Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz opened the scoring for Louisburg with a goal in the first half, and then followed it up with another goal in the second half. Fellow sophomore Erin Lemke also notched a goal to help seal the win for Louisburg.

Scholtz, Lemke and freshman Olivia Barber each had an assist in the win, while senior goalie Shay Whiting earned the shutout.

Louisburg sophomore Avery O’Meara knocks the ball away from a Spring Hill player Thursday in Spring Hill. The Wildcats came up just short against the Broncos in a 1-0 loss. 

SPRING HILL – If playing one of best teams in the state isn’t difficult enough, the Louisburg girls soccer team had to do it without one of its leading goal scorers.

The Wildcats ventured to Spring Hill for a Frontier League match with the Broncos and more than held their own against the 1-loss team. Louisburg couldn’t find the back of the net, but played stingy defense against Spring Hill in a 1-0 defeat.

Louisburg didn’t have many scoring chances throughout the night and it didn’t help that the Wildcats were without their all-state player in Bailey Belcher. Despite that, Louisburg coach Kyle Conley liked what he saw out of his team.

“The girls played their butts off,” Conley said. “Losing Bailey, who is a main goal scorer for us, in the middle is a game changer. We had girls step up in her spot and I thought they did pretty well. We played hard and our work ethic really came through in this game and it showed.”

Defense was a big positive for the Wildcats as they limited the Broncos’ shots on goal. The back line of Trinity Moore, Hannah Straub, Camdyn Clark and Kaitlyn Lewer turned away several Spring Hill opportunities.

Louisburg (4-3) also had a big game from senior goalie Shay Whiting, who recorded several saves. Junior goalie Carson Buffington replaced Whiting with 10 minutes left in the match and made a jump save of her own to keep it a one-goal deficit.

“I think Trinity played really well in the back and Hannah played really well too until she had to leave a couple times due to an injury,” Conley said. “Cammy and Katie were really good too and have been all year, so I thought we played pretty well back there against what is a pretty talented team. I am very proud of them. That is the best team in 4A right there.

Louisburg defender Hannah Straub (21) clears the ball away Thursday against Spring Hill.

“They only had like two dangerous chances and I am not even going to count the corner kick that went in. I think kind of crowded it in to limit their chances and I think Carson had one big save and Shay had the other. We changed the formation at the end to see if we could get lucky, but unfortunately it just didn’t work out.”

Midway through the first half, the Broncos were able to get on the board as they used a corner kick that went into the box, and after a little scrum, Spring Hill’s Anna Watson snuck the ball just over the line for a goal.

It would be all Spring Hill needed as it dominated possession for much of the match and limited the Wildcats’ opportunities.

“Part of our formation is we sit in, let you possess the ball, take a bad ball and then we counter,” Conley said. “Unfortunately that last counter is the one we are missing right now. We are close, but we are not used to playing turf so the ball moves a little faster, but that is no excuse, we just have to be better. We need to do a better job of just controlling and finding feet.”

Louisburg will try and get back on the winning track in what looks to be a busy week for the Wildcats. They begin play today when they travel to Eudora for a 5 p.m. start.

The Wildcats will then host Harmon on Wednesday and Basehor-Linwood on Friday in what they hope will be a successful five day period.

“It will be huge,” Conley said. “We should be in each of these three games and if we can get a few wins I think that would do a lot for us, especially if we can get Bailey back for one or two of those. We will just have to see.”

Louisburg sophomore Morgan Messer settles the ball Monday during the Wildcats’ home match with Ottawa. The Wildcats scored seven first half goals on their way to a 10-0 victory.

Even with the cloudy, cold weather, the Louisburg High School girls soccer team had no problems heating up the nets Monday against Ottawa.

The Wildcats exploded for seven first half goals on their way to a 10-0 victory over the Cyclones at Wildcat Sports Complex, and earned their second straight win in the process.

“We did a good job executing,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Sometimes when we play a team that likes to play a high line, it is tough to stick at what we are good at and what we do. We broke down a little bit, and weren’t very disciplined at times, but it is good to get a lot of kids involved and try kids in new spots. Now we have to focus on the next one.”

Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz had another big night for Louisburg as she finished with four goals and added two assists to lead the Lady Cats. It is the second four-goal game of the season for Scholtz.

Freshman Olivia Barber also came through for the Wildcats with two goals and an assist and sophomore Erin Lemke also scored a pair of goals.

Sophomore Avery O’Meara and senior Bailey Belcher added a goal each, while sophomore Trinity Moore and senior Savannah Reinhart also had assists on the night.

The Wildcats (4-2) didn’t waste a lot of time getting on the board when Belcher scored the game’s first goal two minutes into the contest. Louisburg did suffer a setback when Belcher had to leave the game with an injury and didn’t return.

“It stinks because Bailey and Mackenzie were just starting to get their chemistry together by running off each other and it was all good, but then Bailey had to sit a little bit,” Conley said. “But the girls who were in there did a good job of finding where they needed to be and doing our jobs. It was a good win.”

Scholtz more than picked up the slack as she reeled off three of the next four Wildcat goals. Barber also scored on an assist from Scholtz to make it 5-0 just 15 minutes into the match.

Sophomore Erin Lemke tries to make a move toward the goal Monday against Ottawa.

Barber and Scholtz each finished the first half with a goal to give the Wildcats a 7-0 halftime lead and they never looked back.

O’Meara ripped a hard shot in the box to put Louisburg up by eight in the second half. Lemke then followed with back-to-back goals to end the game with 13 minutes remaining.

Although they didn’t have many chances, the Wildcat back line of Camdyn Clark, Trinity Moore, Hannah Straub and Kaitlyn Lewer turned away Ottawa’s advances. Goalies Shay Whiting and Carson Buffington combined for the clean sheet.

“I thought the backs really played well and Shay only had like one shot in the first half,” Conley said. “Defensively we played with a lot of intensity, and even though it was really cold out, we did a good job of moving the ball and finding feet.”

The schedule will get much tougher tonight as the Wildcats will travel to Spring Hill today for a 6 p.m. start. Spring Hill has just one loss on the season and Conley knows it will be a challenge.

“It should be a big game for us,” Conley said. “It is a huge game for league and Spring Hill is playing really well right now. They have four or five really good freshmen that are playing well, plus they have their returners that are just exceptional. We will be playing on their new field, which is big and spacious, and hopefully we are at full strength. We will have our hands full.”

Louisburg defender Camdyn Clark clears the ball away from the Heritage Christian attack Thursday in Louisburg. The Wildcats defeated Heritage Christian 8-0 to improve their record to 3-2 on the season.

Since it has returned from Spring Break, the Louisburg High School girls soccer team has faced a difficult schedule.

The Lady Cats have suffered losses to defending Frontier League champion De Soto, and Piper, which is currently undefeated to start the season. It has been and up and down start to Louisburg’s season so far, but it went on an upswing Thursday.

Louisburg responded from a loss to Piper the day before to blank Heritage Christian in an 8-0 victory at the Wildcat Sports Complex. The Lady Cats (3-2) used five first half goals to get out to a big lead and the Louisburg defense preserved the shutout.

Senior Bailey Belcher and sophomore Erin Lemke led the Wildcat attack with a pair of goals each, while four other Wildcats would find the back of the net as well.

Sophomore Mackenzie Scholtz put Louisburg on the board early with a goal four minutes into the match. Belcher followed with back-to-back goals to give Louisburg a 3-0 advantage with 23 minutes left in the first half.

Savannah Reinhart put together two big plays to give the Wildcats even more momentum going into halftime. Reinhart scored her first goal of the season with a lazer shot in the box with four minutes left in the first half.

Sophomore Skylar Bowman settles the ball Thursday against Heritage Christian.

The Louisburg junior was on the other end of a goal just a couple minutes later as she crossed the ball to freshman Olivia Barber, who scored and gave the Wildcats a 5-0 halftime lead.

Lemke kept it going in the second half as she recorded two goals and added an assist. Sophomore Morgan Messer also got into the action as she found the back of the net to help secure the win for the Wildcats.

Louisburg dominated possession as it outshot Heritage Christian 16-5 and earned five corner kicks. Even with Heritage’s five shots on goal, the Wildcats weren’t in danger of losing their shutout.

Goalie Carson Buffington got the start for Louisburg and recorded all five saves as the Wildcat junior earned the clean sheet.

Louisburg returns to action today when it hosts Ottawa and will hit the road Thursday when the Wildcats will face undefeated Spring Hill.

Rally comes up short in loss to Piper

Louisburg put itself in a big hole Wednesday on the road at Piper High School.

The Wildcats found themselves down three goals early in the second half and were forced to try and dig out of it. They almost got there.

Louisburg recorded a pair of late goals, and almost got the game-tying score, but came up short in a 3-2 loss to the Pirates.

In a rematch of the state quarterfinal game, in which the Lady Cats won in overtime, Piper scored a goal in an evenly played first half. The Pirates took control of the match after halftime with two quick goals to go up 3-0.

With 20 minutes left in the game, Bailey Belcher recorded Louisburg’s first goal on an assist from Mackenzie Scholtz and then Scholtz added one of her own thanks to an assist from Kaitlyn Lewer.

Louisburg had several looks at the goal in the final five minutes, but couldn’t get the tying goal past the Piper defense.