OTTAWA — Louisburg squared off with Ottawa for the second time in a week, and although both matches ended up in Wildcat victories, the matches were drastically different.

After a slow start in its previous game with the Cyclones, Louisburg wasted no time getting going as the Wildcats scored six first half goals and cruised to an 8-0 victory at home on May 8. It was also the Wildcats’ eighth consecutive victory. 

Louisburg scored just once in the opening half of the first matchup before pulling away with a 4-goal win.

“We played an absurdly better game against Ottawa the second time around,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised how much more effective we were against them on Thursday at home. 

“When we first played Ottawa, we got bogged down by their defense in our attacking third. Our possession was not bad and we controlled much of the game, but our offensive combinations and finishing was really rough and not team-centric. We talked about some tactical adjustments we wanted to make and the girls not only applied them, they executed them at a very high level.”

Rowan Yows got the scoring started for the Wildcats (12-2) as she chipped a shot over the keeper’s head early in the first half thanks to an assist from Lila Edwards.

Edwards, a defender, put the Wildcats up 2-0 on a shot from about 20 yards out for her second goal of the year. About three minutes later, Yows struck again as she dribbled through the Cyclone defense to make it a 3-goal lead.

Senior Jaden Bentz, another defender, scored her first goal of the season as she had an high-arching shot that was out of reach of the keeper to make it 4-0. 

Just moments later, senior Baileigh Johnson found the back of the net on a cross from Yows. At the end of the first half, freshman Kahlan Harris struck for a goal to give the Wildcats a 6-0 halftime advantage.

Harris scored her second goal of the game about 30 seconds into the second half on an assist from freshman Cora Roche. Then three minutes later, junior Mena Fercho ended the match with a goal in the mercy-rule victory.

In all, the Wildcats had 23 shots, including 16 on target in just 43 minutes of action. 

“Although I am always happy to see Rowan scoring goals, it was also nice to see others getting on the board on Thursday,” Roquemore said. “It says more about our team playing at its full potential. We play at our best when the entire team is playing both offense and defense. Everyone contributes to creating opportunities and stopping threats. If we rely completely on individual players to carry the load, we become easier to anticipate and much less potent in our play.”

Defensively, the Wildcats recorded their ninth shutout on the season as Ally Brown and Ellia Gibbons combined for the clean sheet.

Louisburg will try and continue its winning streak on May 12 as the Wildcats travel to De Soto.

Louisburg shuts out Basehor-Linwood 

Louisburg went on the road to face off with Basehor-Linwood on May 6 and put together another strong showing.

The Wildcats scored four first half goals and that was all they needed in a 4-0 victory over the Bobcats.

“We had an excellent first half against Basehor,” Roquemore said. “I felt that we were playing some of our best soccer with our dynamic possession and opportunities created. We took over and we didn’t give them any chances. 

“During the second half, we experimented with some formation changes that we expect to implement in future games. It was good for learning and getting comfortable with something different and more defensive. However, it also limited our offensive firepower. I’m glad we got the opportunity to try it and I’m hopeful it pays off if we have to use it later in the season.”

Senior Rowan Yows recorded her third straight hat trick to lead the Wildcats, while freshman Cora Roche scored later in the first half.

“I feel like a broken record with Rowan, but she is on fire and is a force to be reckoned with while going to goal,” Roquemore said. “This was her third hat trick in a row which is rare to say the least. I also thought Cora’s goal was excellent. She has been quietly having an excellent season and I want to find ways to incorporate her more into our offensive front.”

Defensively, the Wildcats limited the Bobcats to just one shot on goal and senior goalie Ally Brown recorded the clean sheet.

OTTAWA — For most of the first half, the Louisburg girls soccer team dominated possession and put together several shots on goal during its May 1 game at Ottawa. 

The only problem was many of those shots didn’t want to go in. That all changed in the second half.

Louisburg, which had a one-goal lead at halftime, scored three more times in the second half as the Wildcats cruised to a 4-0 victory over the Cyclones.

It was the sixth straight victory for the Wildcats (10-2) and their second straight shutout.

“Ottawa was a good game for us to grow from,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “Ottawa was firmly planted in defense and bogged us down in the middle throughout the whole game. We found out that playing our normal possession game through the middle was not working as well. We would move the ball into the attacking third and then get clogged by their layered defense. Overall, it was not our best game, but still a win and one that offers some valuable lessons.”

Wildcat senior Rowan Yows continued her goal-scoring tear as she recorded her third hat trick in the last four matches. She scored the team’s lone goal in the first half to give the Wildcats the early lead.

Louisburg freshman Kahlan Harris made it a 2-0 advantage midway through the second half. Yows tacked on two more goals, including one on an assist from Harris, to seal the road victory. 

Defensively, the Wildcats didn’t allow a shot the entire match as the midfield and back line didn’t allow many runs down field.

“Rowan still had a great game creating and finishing opportunities near the goal,” Roquemore said. “I was also really pleased with Lila Edwards’ play this game both in the back and midfield. Cora Roche also had a great game. There was a lot of individual effort from our side across the field. We just lacked some of our usual team chemistry working together as a cohesive whole.

“Although we really didn’t give up any significant opportunities to Ottawa during the game, they did attempt to counter-attack quickly when we found ourselves over-extended. Our defense did a great job recovering, but we want to avoid those moments in the future.”

Louisburg will try for win No. 7 in a row on May 6 as the Widcats travel to Basehor-Linwood. Varsity is set to begin at 6 p.m.

The Louisburg girls soccer team has racked up its fair share of wins the last couple of weeks, and the Wildcats don’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. 

Louisburg earned its fifth consecutive win on April 29 as the Wildcats shutout Baldwin at home, 6-0. They scored three goals in each half in the dominant effort.

The Wildcats are now 9-2 on the season and currently have the best record in the Class 4A east standings.

“The last few years, facing Baldwin has always been a close game,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “We’ve come away with close wins and also losses. On Tuesday, we put on a very dominant performance against a big Frontier League foe.

“When both our defense and offense click together in a seamless way, we become a very dangerous team to play. It was good to see some of our work we’ve been putting in come to fruition in this game.”

Louisburg controlled the match from start to finish as the Wildcats put 18 shots on target. Defensively, the Wildcats didn’t allow a single shot on goal. 

Senior Rowan Yows led the Wildcats with her second hat trick of the season as they had four different goal-scorers on the night.

Senior Baileigh Johnson scored in the game’s opening minutes as she found the back of the net on a shot from 25 yards away thanks to an assist from senior teammate Riley May. Johnson also finished with two assists.

Sophomore Ellia Gibbons scored her first varsity goal of the season midway through the first half. Junior Faith Sewell got the assist as she crossed it into the box right in front of Gibbons, who hit it off her chest and in the back of the net.

Yows scored her first goal late in the first half as she dribbled into the box through the Bulldog defense, and her shot curved into the corner of the net to put the Wildcats up 3-0 at halftime.

The Louisburg senior opened the second half with two more goals to put the Wildcats up 5-0, before junior Lila Edwards got into the action. Edwards, normally a defender, scored her first varsity goal of the year to seal the win for the Wildcats.

“We still had some messy moments and learning opportunities, but our control of the game was outstanding,” Roquemore said. “Rowan has really found her rhythm both individually and in the team system. Baileigh also had some great moments with a killer shot for our first goal of the game and two assists by the end.

“Faith Sewell has continued to keep us dangerous on free kicks. Mena Fercho, Riley May, and Lila Edwards have all been a big part of our success in team possession in the midfield. It was also nice to see Lila get her first goal as well.”

Louisburg will look to continue its winning streak as the Wildcats travel to Ottawa on May 1 for a Frontier League match. Varsity is slated to begin at 6 p.m.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week five of the spring sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.

ROWAN YOWS, SENIOR, GIRLS SOCCER

Louisburg senior Rowan Yows has played key role in the success of the Wildcat girls soccer team and that continued this past week. Yows earned a hat trick over Chanute, and added another goal in a win against Eudora, as she tallied four goals in the two victories to go along with three assists.

Yows has helped the Wildcats to a 9-2 record on the season and currently leads the team with 15 goals scored and also has four assists on the year. She added another hat trick to her resume in a 6-0 win over Baldwin on April 29.

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

Previous winners

Week 1: Luke Schultz

Week 2: Faith Sewell

Week 3: Meade Rutherford

Week 4: Brynley Bauer

EUDORA — Louisburg had revenge on its mind when it traveled to Eudora on April 24 as the Wildcats had hopes of avenging a loss from a year ago.

Although the Wildcats didn’t get off to the best start, they scored a pair of second half goals and got the revenge they were looking for in a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals.

Not only that, but it was also the fourth consecutive win for Louisburg as it improved its record to 8-2 on the season.

“Eudora was a big win for us for a number of reasons,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “First of all, Eudora is a good team with a stadium atmosphere that can distract and frustrate teams. Playing our game on our terms there was a feat in itself. 

“Secondly, this is the first game we’ve had where we have come from behind to pull out a win. It was a good test of our mental fortitude to come back and win in the second half. Finally, we lost to Eudora last year and a few of our players wanted a chance at redemption.”

The Wildcats were able to get that redemption, but had to play from behind to do it. 

Eudora took advantage of a Wildcat mistake midway through the first half as they were called for a handball in the box. That gave the Cardinals a penalty kick and they found the back of the net.

Louisburg had chances to tie the match in the first half, but couldn’t convert and the Cardinals led 1-0 at halftime.

“The Eudora penalty kick was unfortunate, but did create an opportunity for us to prove ourselves,” Roquemore said. “We also did not have a bad first half, putting six shots on goal to Eudora’s three. However, we lost the battle on the scoreboard. 

“Before the second half, we talked about some adjustments and our own mindsets. We came out roaring and scored two goals quickly to get back on top.”

The Wildcats wasted no time getting on the board after halftime as freshman Kahlan Harris got the equalizer 15 seconds in thanks to an assist from senior Rowan Yows.

About four minutes later, Yows got a goal of her own as she dribbled through the Eudora defense and found the corner of the net to get the game-winner.

Louisburg had 16 shots on the night, including ones from Harris, Yows, Layla Sewell, Sydney York, Jaden Bentz and Cora Roche.

It was the Louisburg defense that limited the Cardinals’ looks at the net as Bentz, Roche, Faith Sewell, Lila Edwards, Rylee Moore and others shutdown the Eudora attack.

“Our defensive back line did an incredible job at Eudora,” Roquemore said. “We played physical and smart, shutting down opportunities before they could really begin. Six different players rotated in to our back line during the second half and together they kept Eudora from getting a single shot on goal. I thought Jaden did an especially good job handling one of Eudora’s best forwards.”

Louisburg will try and make it five wins in a row on April 29 as the Wildcats host Baldwin in a Frontier League match. Varsity is set to begin at approximately 5:45 p.m.

It took a little bit to get going, but once the first goal went in for Louisburg, many more followed.

The Wildcats hosted Chanute on April 22 in what was their first home contest in more than two weeks, and they made the most of it.

Louisburg scored five first half goals and never looked back as the Wildcats downed the Blue Comets, 8-0, to earn their third consecutive win. 

The Wildcats got contributions from up and down their lineup as six different players scored and four of the eight goals were assisted. 

“Our game against Chanute was a positive experience, not just because it was a dominant win for both the JV and varsity, but because it allowed time and space for players to mix into different positions and try new things,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “Having six different players score was a testament to our group’s offensive capabilities.”

It was a Louisburg defender that got the scoring started as junior Faith Sewell found the back of the net on a free kick just outside the box and the rest of followed.

Senior Rowan Yows had a big night on the pitch as she earned a hat trick to go along with two assists. Two of those goals came in the first half.

Wildcat senior Baileigh Johnson, along with junior Mena Fercho, added to the list of goal scorers to make it a 5-0 advantage at halftime. Fercho and freshman Kahlan Harris each had an assist.

Louisburg quickly added two goals to begin the second half. Senior Riley May scored on a free kick from 20 yards out and Yows added her third score.

With one goal left before evoking the mercy rule, Roquemore decided to bring goalie Ally Brown out of the net and put her up top to try and get a goal.

It took a few tries, but Yows set Brown up with a pass in the box and the Lousiburg senior put the shot away for a memorable ending that brought the Wildcat bench to their feet.

“After we hit the seventh goal, the girls made it their mission to help Ally get her first high school goal,” Roquemoro said. “Everyone was trying to feed her the ball up top and give her opportunities. She was in for a while and had a few opportunities. After I took her out to give her a breather, she was up for trying again. 

“A couple minutes after subbing her back on to the field, she had a pass from Rowan in the box and was able to put it away. I have never heard our bench cheer so loud all season after that goal. It was a fun moment and one that the whole team celebrated.”

The match also brought attention to the fight against cancer as the Wildcats hosted their annual Cancer Awareness Game. The team’s goal was to raise money for one local family who is battling the disease and they brought in close to $1,000.

“Cindy Apple was the organizer and orchestrator behind the scenes for our Cancer Awareness Game this year,” Roquemore said. “Cindy, along with our parents and shirt sponsor (Advent Health Cancer Institute), made our Cancer Awareness game a huge success. We were able to sell all our remaining shirts and had some big donations come in before and during the game. We were able to raise right around $1,000, which will be going straight to a local family dealing with cancer. I’m really proud of how we showed up as a group for to make this a big benefit fundraiser.”

The Wildcats return to action on April 24 as they try for their fourth straight win as they travel to Eudora. Varsity is set to begin at 6 p.m.

BONNER SPRINGS — For the second time in a week, the Louisburg girls soccer team had to venture out on the road — this time it was to Bonner Springs.

And for the second time in a week, the Wildcats were able to pick up a big road win.

Louisburg scored two first half goals and pulled away for a 3-0 shutout of Bonner Springs on April 17 at Bonner Springs High School. It was a dominant performance for the Wildcats from start to finish. 

“Bonner is not an easy team to score goals on,” Roquemore said. “They hold strong and have a lot of heart. I was proud of our performance against them in possession, attack and defense. Possession-wise, we dictated the majority of the game and stayed dynamic in our movement and attacks most of the game.”

Wildcat senior Rowan Yows had a big night for the Wildcats as she scored both first half goals. Yows’ first goal came midway through first half, as she received a pass from midfielder Mena Fercho and Yows found the back the net. 

Louisburg (6-2) scored again right before halftime as Yows beat the Brave defense on a breakaway opportunity to put the Wildcats up 2-0. 

Senior Baileigh Johnson sealed the win late in the second half with a goal of her own to give the Wildcats back-to-back victories.

“Rowan had a big week for us against both Tonganoxie and Bonner,” Roquemore said. “We’ve been experimenting more with her positioning and it’s been opening gaps for her to exploit. She’s a tough player to guard, not just because of her speed, but her instinctive protection of the ball in her footwork. However, Rowan’s opportunities are created because of team play through opening the field in our possession and attacks.”

Fercho helped create some of those opportunities with her play in the midfield as she helped the Wildcats control the possession.

Defensively, the Wildcats limited Bonner Springs’ chances as Faith Sewell, Cora Roche, Lila Edwards, Jaden Bentz, Sydney York and Rylee Moore put together a strong defensive front. Senior goalie Ally Brown also earned the clean sheet with one save.

“Mena had a really spectacular game,” Roquemore said. “It may not show in her stats, but she was incredible for us in the midfield and she did have an assist to one of Rowan’s goals. Our defense also did an excellent job. Together, they held Bonner to just two shots on goal the entire game.”

Louisburg will try for its third straight win as the Wildcats host Chanute on April 22. Varsity is set to begin at 6 p.m.

TONGANOXIE — Coming off a home loss last week, the Louisburg girls soccer team was hoping to get back on winning track in its next match

To do that, the Wildcats were going to have to win on the road. They got it done in a tight matchup on April 15 at Tonganoxie. 

In a tied contest at halftime, Louisburg senior Rowan Yows scored a pair of second half goals to help the Wildcats past the Chieftains, 3-1, and the Wildcats improved their record to 5-2 on the season.

“It’s always good to bounce back after a loss, especially being able to win on the road,” Roquemore said. “Tonganoxie is a team that gets better each year and they really pushed us hard with their scrappy play and great free kicks. We had some messy moments and some stellar moments in that game.”

The Wildcats had several chances on goal throughout the game — many of which sailed just wide or off the post or crossbar. Despite that, they were able to get on the board when Kahlan Harris scored off a rebound on a shot from Cora Roche midway through the first half.

Tonganoxie didn’t waste much time getting back in it. Natalie Loving scored the equalizer in the next minute on a free kick from more than 30 yards out to make it 1-1.

It stayed that way till 10 minutes into the second half when Yows scored her first goal on a give-and-go from Harris to put the Wildcats up 2-1. Yows added another goal in the final minutes of the match to seal the win for Louisburg.

The Wildcats were on the attack for most of the match as they had 14 shots on goal to just seven for Tonganoxie.

“We created some great opportunities offensively,” Roquemore said. “Beyond our three goals, there were at least four other chances that were prime goal-scoring opportunities created through our play. Kahlan was really aggressive up top, both Baileigh (Johnson) and Cora also created chances. Rowan had a big game in the midfield offensively as well.”

Although the Wildcats were able to limit the Chieftain offense, Tonganoxie was still able to create some dangerous opportunities. That was in part thanks to the speed of Loving.

The Wildcat back line of Caroline Apple, Jaden Bentz, Lila Edwards and Faith Sewell, along with the work of midfielders Rylee Moore and Riley May, were able to limit Tonganoxie’s chances.

“We ran a slightly different formation to keep one of Tongie’s best players marked the entire game,” Roquemore said. “She still made her mark with a fantastic free kick goal, but Rylee Moore and Riley May both kept her well-contained throughout the game by man-marking. Our defense had to scramble a few times, but overall our back four did a great job shutting them down.”

Outside of the free kick goal, Louisburg keeper Ally Brown held the Chieftains out of the net as she put together a solid performance with six saves.

“I was really impressed with Ally coming out of the goal during the game,” Roquemore said. “She was fast and aggressive going to the ball and prevented opportunities by stopping them early in the box. (Michael) Pickman came out to help with some goal-keeper training this season and the work Ally has been putting in with him paid off in this game.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back road wins on April 17 as the Wildcats travel to Bonner Springs. The Braves are 4-1-2 to start the season and haven’t lost since late March.

Wildcats fall to Spring Hill at home

Louisburg had chance to get a big home win over one of the top teams in the Frontier League when it hosted Spring Hill on April 8.

The Wildcats got out to a good start as they scored in the opening minute, but Spring Hill scored four unanswered goals to hand Louisburg a 4-2 loss.

Kahlan Harris found the back of the net off a rebound to put Louisburg up 1-0 early, but Spring Hill scored twice off corner kick opportunities to take a 2-1 lead at halftime.

The Broncos added two more goals in the second half before Wildcat freshman Layla Sewell scored late in the game to make it a 4-2 contest.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the spring sports season, sponsored by Edward Jones-Craig Holtzen.

FAITH SEWELL, JUNIOR, GIRLS SOCCER

Louisburg junior Faith Sewell has played a big part on both ends of the field so far this season for the Wildcat girls soccer team. Sewell, a defender, is toward the top of the list in goals scored through six games. She currently has three goals in six matches for the Wildcats, all while being one of the leaders of the defense.

Sewell, who plays center back, has helped the Wildcats to a 4-2 record on the season and all four of those wins have come by shutout.

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

Previous winners

Week 1: Luke Schultz

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Coming off its first loss of the season, the Louisburg girls soccer team didn’t want to turn one into two.

Not only did the Wildcats have to face off with Piper on Friday in the third place game of the Turner Invitational, but they had to battle rainy and windy weather in the process.

Despite a few scares in the first half, the Wildcats got a goal before halftime and held on for a 1-0 victory over the Pirates at Turner High School. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Louisburg.

“I thought we had a really solid game against Piper, especially in the second half,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “The scoreboard may not have showed it, but we put a dominant performance second half. We had six shots on goal and probably another six or seven great opportunities in their box. Defensively, we did not allow any opportunities or shots in the second half. Despite the rain and low score, I was very pleased with our performance.”

Both team opened the match with a few chances on goal, that were either stopped by the keeper or sailed just wide of the goal.

The Wildcats started to gain momentum late in the first half and got the upper hand thanks to a set piece off a corner kick.

Senior Baileigh Johnson took the corner and passed it off to Briella Diehl, who sent it right back to Johnson. The Louisburg forward shot it from 18 yards out to give the Wildcats a 1-0 advantage.

“We’ve worked on our set piece plays since the second week of the season,” Roquemore said. “Baileigh, with an assist from Briella, pulled off one of our corner plays brilliantly. It was a beautiful shot and it’s always nice when something in your plans works out well.”

In the second half, the Wildcats controlled possession and didn’t allow a shot on target for the Pirates. The back line of Lila Edwards, Caroline Apple, Cora Roche, Jaden Bentz, Faith Sewell, Rylee Moore and Ellia Gibbons limited the dangerous opportunities. 

Senior goalie Ally Brown earned her fourth clean sheet of the season as the Wildcats improved their record to 4-1 on the season.

Today, the Wildcats will face their toughest opponent of the young season, Spring Hill, as they host the Broncos in a Frontier League matchup. Varsity is set for approximately 6 p.m.

“We are going from our busiest week straight into our only one-game week this season,” Roquemore said. “After our game this week, we will have some time to dissect and reflect on our play the last couple of weeks.

“Spring Hill is the perpetual Frontier League champion and we have suffered some big losses to them in the past. However, we had a great game against them last year, bringing them into overtime before losing 2-3. I expect a really good game at home. We will be ready to play.”