Louisburg senior Reese Johnson is looking forward to joining the Iowa Western women’s soccer team this fall.

Looking around at a room full of family and friends, Reese Johnson was a little bit awestruck.

There were people there who supported her through her high school soccer career and helped her become one of the top players in the state in Class 4-1A.

They were there to watch her dream become a reality.

In early May, Johnson signed her letter of intent to play soccer at Iowa Western Community College to continue playing the sport she loves. Just months earlier, she didn’t think she was going to be in this position.

“I have been playing soccer since I was 4-years-old,” Johnson said. “College soccer had always been a dream of mine until closer to the end of high school. Going into my senior season, I did not want to play. I recently decided to give it a shot since it is the only thing I have ever known and not everyone gets this opportunity. I am very excited to play at Iowa Western.

“Without the support of our friends, family and community, I would not be where I am. I was given so many opportunities by my coaches and community and I am so grateful for every person that was there and helped make it possible.”

Johnson wanted to find a program that featured the same values as her Louisburg High School team does. She found a lot of similarities, including a familiar face, as Jamison Parkhill, a Louisburg graduate, serves as the assistant coach.

“What stuck out the most was the family atmosphere,” Johnson said. “At Louisburg we are a family and it is the team above all, when I went and visited it felt like they were the same way. They were always laughing and smiling and the atmosphere seemed fun.”

The Louisburg senior had a big final year for the Wildcats. Johnson led the Wildcats to a 13-5 record and a No. 2 seed in the state playoffs.

She was selected as a first team All-Frontier League and all-state player from her midfield spot. She finished the year with nine goals and a team-high eight assists.

Last season, Iowa Western had a successful season as the Reivers won their 11th district championship and punched their ticket to the national tournament. 

As far as what she hopes for in the college ranks, Johnson is ready to help in anyway she can.

“I don’t know what I am expecting out of myself when I get there, but I am gonna work hard everyday and try to become better everyday,” Johnson said. “My goal is to help the team in any way I can and become a better soccer player. I am gonna fight for a spot and see what I can bring to the table.”

Sierra Hahn loves the game of soccer. She always has, even at the tender age of 3. 

Hahn really couldn’t imagine soccer not being a part of her life. She’s even willing to travel to make sure of it.

In a signing ceremony in early May, Hahn made it official as she signed with Delaware Valley University, a Division III program based in Doylestown, Penn.

“Ever since I was little I had dreamed of being a college soccer player, but the last year I wasn’t too sure and was just going to just choose a college based off of my career path,” Hahn said. “My last club and high school season, however, made me realize that I wasn’t quite ready to give up the beautiful game. I love the sport too much to give it up just yet. When I finally signed with DelVal, I was very relieved.”

Hahn, who has been the starting goalkeeper for the Wildcat soccer program the last two years, is excited to give it a try at the college level.

After this past season, Hahn was selected as a first team All-Frontier League goalie and later earned second team all-state honors. She finished the year with 55 saves and recorded eight clean sheets.

Hahn is looking forward to learning from head coach Ben Wilson and the rest of the Aggie goalkeepers.

“There is a good amount of goalkeepers on the team, but I see myself fitting in quite nicely,” Hahn said. “Coach Wilson is really excited with me joining the team because he feels I will help push the other keepers and he loves my ability to distribute the ball well. 

“He said he will be rotating his keepers evenly during regular season to decide who he believes is best for postseason. So I am guaranteed a good amount of playing time this year.”

However, the soccer program wasn’t the only thing that drew Hahn to travel halfway across the country.

She will be majoring in zoo science and minoring in equine science and Delaware Valley was one of the few schools that offer that type of opportunity. In fact, she chose the school based on her major before deciding on playing soccer.

“I first picked Delaware Valley because of my rare major, but I think what drew me to the team was all of the playing opportunities I will be getting there,” Hahn said. “Not only that, but Coach Wilson was new just as I am. He was someone who had personally worked with keepers before, which is something you rarely see with head coaches.

“I am very excited to be accepted to this program because of the amazing hands on experience and the farm that is on campus. I am also very honored to be a part of the program because they only accept 35 people because of all the program has access to in the zoo system. I am a little nervous and sad to be going so far away but I already have a great support system there. I am super excited for my next adventure, even if it is a little far away.”

Even with all the nerves that going to a new school entails, Hahn is appreciative of the family atmosphere that is awaiting her — just like the one she experienced at Louisburg with head coach Kyle Conley.

“I had always built my friends from soccer and I was worried it would be hard to find a good group of friends moving so far away,” Hahn said. “The girls there have already made me feel welcome and Coach Wilson is very big on all of us being a family much like Coach Conley. I am also super excited to get this chance to challenge myself at the next level.”

Honors continue to come in for the Louisburg girls soccer program.

The Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association released their all-state teams Wednesday and the Wildcats were well-represented.

Six Louisburg players were named to the Class 4-1A all-state team after the Wildcats posted a 13-5 record and earned a No. 2 seed in the state playoffs.

Senior Reese Johnson, along with sophomores Lexi Hampton and Lola Edwards, were named to the all-state first team. Senior Sierra Hahn, junior Adyson Ross and sophomore Hailey Sword were all second team selections.

Johnson had a strong senior year for the Wildcats as she finished with nine goals and a team-high eight assists from her midfield spot.

Hampton, a forward, was Louisburg’s go-to scorer for most of the season as she led the team with 16 goals on the year to go along with two assists.

Edwards was also an important piece in the Wildcats’ attack from the midfield as she tallied five goals and five assists on the year.

Sword helped the team both offensively and defensively in the midfieldand ended her season with a three goals and an assist. Ross did a lot of her work on the defensive side as she was tagged with staying with the opponents’ best players.

Hahn was named as the Frontier League’s top goalkeeper as she finished the year with 55 saves and recorded eight clean sheets.

For the past six years, Louisburg Sports Zone has given out Athlete of the Week awards during each of the three sports seasons. I do it to recognize special athletic achievements and to highlight the athletes.

For the fifth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”

Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Davis Guetterman, Senior, Volleyball and Track and Field

Davis made an impact on a pair of Louisburg athletic programs this past season. The Louisburg senior was a starting setter for the Lady Cats and she was also a thrower on the Wildcat track team.

On the volleyball court, Guetterman finished her year with a 138 kills, 436 assists, 184 digs and 58 aces as she helped the Lady Cats to the sub-state championship this season. In her four year career, she tallied 199 kills, 1,603 assists, 564 digs and 184 aces as she helped the Lady Cats to two state tournament appearances. She also earned honorable mention all-league honors this season as a setter and earned the AVCA Best and Brightest First Team Award and was chosen as the recipient of the 2021 Lady Cat Volleyball award.

In the spring, Guetterman was one of the top throwers on the team in the javelin and earned a state bid in 2021. She will continue her career in both volleyball and track and field at the University of Sioux Falls in the upcoming year.

Reese Johnson, Senior, Cross Country and Soccer

Reese played at a high level for two different Louisburg teams this past season. The Louisburg senior was one of the top runners on the Louisburg cross country team and a starter for the Wildcat soccer program.

In cross country, Johnson helped the Lady Cat team to the Class 4A state meet for the fifth consecutive time. The team finished fifth overall at state and Johnson earned her third state medal of her career as she finished 19^th overall in 21:08 at Wamego Country Club. She was also an honorable mention all-league selection as she finished 16^th at the league meet.

Johnson also played a vital role for the Wildcat soccer team that finished the season in the regional championship and a 13-5 record. She finished with nine goals and eight assists on the season and was a first-team all-league selection from her midfield spot.

Corinna McMullen, Senior, Volleyball and Track and Field

Corinna was a big part of two Wildcat programs this past season as she was a member of the volleyball and track and field programs. She was the starting setter for the volleyball team and threw the discus on the track squad.

In volleyball, not only was McMullen one of the team’s starting setters, she was also the team’s top hitter. McMullen led the Lady Cats to the regional championship and helped the program to two state tournament appearances. This season, she led Louisburg with 284 assists and 224 kills to go along with 194 digs and 35 aces. She was a first-team all-league selection as a hitter and an honorable mention selection as a setter. McMullen also earned all-state honors and was selected to play in the GKCVCA MO-KAN All-Star match. She was named as the team MVP for Louisburg and was given the AVCA Best and Brightest First Team Award.

On the track team, McMullen was the squad’s top discus thrower and earned her second consecutive state medal this past May. McMullen placed third at the Class 4A meet with a throw of 117-4. She threw a personal best of 127-3 to win a Frontier League title. She will be continuing her athletic career at Washburn University as a member of the volleyball team.

Delaney Wright, Senior, Basketball and Track and Field

Delaney was a part of the girls basketball program and track and field team for Louisburg High School this past season. She was a starting guard on the basketball team and competed in four events on the track team.

As a member of the Wildcat track program, Wright competed in the long jump, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and the 4×400 relay. She qualified for state in all four events and won three regional titles. At the Class 4A state meet she brought home three medals. Wright finished as the state runner-up in the 400 dash, took in the 200 dash and medaled fifth in the long jump. She ended her Wildcat career with 10 state medals, three state championships and holds school records in three events.

Wright was also a member of the Lady Cat basketball team and was a returning letter-winner off of last season’s third place finish at state. She was a starting guard on the Lady Cat team and was considered the team’s best defender, before an injury ended her season halfway through.  That injury also cost Wright part of her track season, as well. She will continue her track career at Kansas State University next season.

It was a successful season for the Louisburg girls soccer team.

The Wildcats finished the year with a 13-5 record, the No. 2 seed in the state playoffs, and advanced to the regional championship match.

Louisburg was rewarded for all that success when the All-Frontier League team was released last week. The Wildcats earned eight selections, while seniors Reese Johnson and Sierra Hahn were awarded first team honors.

“This league is so good top to bottom,” Conley said. “I was very impressed with our representation this year. I felt there could have been a couple more kids, and in different spots, but it was good to see the kids get their honors.”

Johnson was a first-team selection from her midfield spot and finished with a strong senior campaign. She was second on the team with nine goals and she also had a team-high eight assists.

Hahn was named as the Frontier League’s top goalkeeper as she finished the year with 55 saves and recorded eight clean sheets.

“Reese and Sierra did a very nice job for us all year long,” Conley said. “They showed everyday and absolutely battled. Reese was one of the best players on the field each and every night. Sierra was just solid for us all year. She made a lot of big saves for us this season when we needed one.”

The Wildcats put three more on the second team in sophomore forward Lexi Hampton, and sophomore midfielders Lola Edwards and Hailey Sword.

Hampton was Louisburg’s go-to scorer for most of the season as she led the team with 16 goals on the year to go along with two assists.

Edwards was also an important piece in the Wildcats’ attack as she tallied five goals and five assists on the year. Sword helped the team both offensively and defensively and ended her season with a three goals and an assist.

“The second team girls could have been very easily first team kids,” Conley said. “They all had really good years and I am very proud of them.”

Junior midfielders Adyson Ross and Bree Gassman, along with freshman forward Rowan Yows, were named to the honorable mention team. 

Yows finished the year with six goals and four assists, while Gassman had a goal and an assist. Ross did a lot of her work on the defensive side as she was tagged with staying with the opponents’ best players.

“Honorable mention kiddos did a great job as well,” Conley said. “I feel like we got a decent amount of recognition in regards to numbers. We had a pretty talented roster top to bottom and I felt we did well. Obviously, it would have been nice to have some more players, but happy for the girls who were honored.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE GIRLS SOCCER

First Team

Payton Vogelbacher, Spring Hill, junior

Sierra Montez, Piper, junior

Ryann Clark, Piper, junior

Reese Johnson, Louisburg, senior

Riley Smith, Baldwin, senior

Mackenzie Hood, Spring Hill, senior

Reagan Downes, Spring Hill, senior

Jayla Erpelding, Eudora, sophomore

Jenna Knight, Bonner Springs, junior

Fisayo Afonja, Baldwin, sophomore

GOALIE: Sierra Hahn, Louisburg, senior

Second Team

Veronica Farris, Spring Hill, junior

Brooke Powell, Spring Hill, senior

Lexi Hampton, Louisburg, sophomore

Cate Milroy, Spring Hill, senior

Hailey Sword, Louisburg, sophomore

Lola Edwards, Louisburg, sophomore

Mallory Vickers, Eudora, senior

Nora Prather, Baldwin, sophomore

Olivia Morton, Ottawa, senior

Jessica Russo, Spring Hill, sophomore

GOALIE: Kambry Shockley, Eudora, junior

Honorable Mention

Mercedes Matlock, Bonner Springs, senior

Kaiya Taylor, Eudora, freshman

Lizzie Fisher, Eudora, freshman

Adyson Ross, Louisburg, junior

Rowan Yows, Louisburg, freshman

Bree Gassman, Louisburg, junior

Eva Romero, Tonganoxie, senior

Reagan Seba, Tonganoxie, senior

Abby Patterson, Baldwin, senior

Alex McBride, Baldwin, sophomore

Jessica Hale, Piper, freshman

Kyndell Letcher, Piper, junior

Madi Welker, Piper, junior

Olivia Infante, Spring Hill, sophomore

Izzy Farris, Spring Hill, junior

Paige Hiracheta, Ottawa, junior

Madison Lee, Ottawa, senior

GOALIE: Avery Young, Spring Hill, sophomore; Reagyn Combs, Piper, sophomore

Louisburg coach Kyle Conley hugs his players following the Wildcats’ 1-0 loss to Topeka-Hayden in the Class 4-1A regional championship match Thursday in Louisburg.

Streaks are meant to be broken eventually, and unfortunately for the Louisburg girls soccer team, its streak of four consecutive state final four appearances came to an end.

The Wildcats saw its season come to a close with a 1-0 loss to Topeka-Hayden on Thursday in the Class 4-1A regional championship game in Louisburg. 

The loss was difficult in its own right. Louisburg also had to say goodbye to its seven seniors, and also to its coach — Kyle Conley — who has led the program since its inception.

It was a more somber mood than most losses after the Wildcats saw their season end with a 13-5 record.

“This team did a lot of good things throughout the season,” Conley said. “They never backed down to an opponent. They played for each other and played so hard. I am extremely proud to coach them. They were a very focused and determined group. I am really going to miss these kids.”

Louisburg and Hayden have had their battles in recent years, including a pair of victories that helped Louisburg to the state championship matches.

However, it was Hayden that struck early in this match as Sloane Sims scored the game’s only goal in the first five minutes and Louisburg was unable to answer.

“It was really tough,” Conley said. “We knew what kind of team they were and how tough they were going to be, but it was just unfortunate we had to play them that early in the playoffs. We faced them twice before in the state semifinal games in 2018 and 2019. Those were incredible games that were fortunate enough to win. This time, I guess it was their turn.”

After Hayden’s early goal, the Wildcats had a few chances to even the score and sophomore Lola Edwards had the best chance with a pair of shots on goal, including one a good save by Hayden keeper Macy Smith.

“I think we were extremely calm after that first goal,” Conley said. “In fact, we may have been a little too calm. We had our heads right and were focused the entire match. I just felt we were going to get one, but it never came.

“We struggled a little finding our feet in the final third, but I really think our press created issues for them. We took advantage of a couple things in their formation, but could capitalize. They are a very tall team that was very aggressive. I think we did a nice job of matching their intensity. It was just a really good game.”

The Wildcat defense played tough and turned away several Hayden opportunities as senior goalie Sierra Hahn finished the game with five saves.

Hahn, along with Reese Johnson, Ruth Minster, Sammy McDaniel, Catie Lemke, Kassidi Lomax and Bailey Hallas all played their final game for the Wildcats.

Louisburg ended its season with one of the best records in Class 4-1A and Conley knows there is nothing his team should hang their heads about.

“Topeka Hayden is a very talented and physical team,” Conley said. “They play really hard and they are always a tough team to beat. They kept a lot of pressure on us early, but I think the second half our press worked well and caused them problems. Our girls played with so much heart and never backed down. We kept fighting until the last whistle. 

“I told the girls they have nothing to be ashamed of after the game. They left everything on the field. We wanted to honor all the people we came to watch us and honor the crest as well. Honor all the players that played before them. We didn’t want to let anyone down.”

Louisburg did nothing of the sort.

Louisburg head boys and girls soccer coach Kyle Conley is stepping down from both programs after seven years. He has led the programs to a combined six state final four appearances.

Louisburg High School head boys and girls soccer coach Kyle Conley is stepping down from his position after seven years.

He was recently hired to lead the boys and girls soccer programs at Blue Valley West, where he will serve as the head coach of both teams.

Conley, who also taught social studies at LHS, informed the players and parents of his decision on May 4. The Blue Valley Board of Education approved his hire on May 9.

“Making the decision to leave Louisburg was extremely difficult,” Conley said. “The players and parents, both past and present, made this decision tough. No parents or players caused this decision. I am very thankful to Mr. (Dave) Tappan and Mr. (Darin) Gagnebin for giving me this opportunity to coach and teach at Louisburg. The amount of support that my teams, my family and I received from Louisburg soccer parents and the community was incredible.”

Conley has the been head girls coach at Louisburg since its inception in 2016 and has led that program to four consecutive state final fours. 

Twice, the Wildcats made the state championship game and finished runner-up on both occasions. He has guided the program to an 82-34-3 record.

Conley took over the boys program in 2016 and finished with a 77-32-3 record. He led the Wildcats to two state final fours during that span, including a third place finish in 2020.

“I am so proud of the things that our student athletes in the soccer programs have accomplished both on and off the soccer field,” Conley said. “I will always cherish the memories that we have made here with the Louisburg soccer programs.”

Conley was named the Class 4-1A Coach of the Year on three different occasions and also earned the Girls Midwest Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches.

Now, Conley will move onto a Blue Valley West program that has won several state championships since its inception in 2001. The move was more than just about soccer, however.

“Blue Valley West provided a teaching atmosphere that is challenging and will push me to be a better educator,” he said. “The opportunity to coach such quality soccer programs, that are rich in history, is just icing on the cake.”

Louisburg seniors (from left) Bailey Hallas, Reese Johnson, Kassidi Lomax, Sierra Hahn, Catie Lemke, Ruth Minster and Sammy McDaniel got a win Tuesday on Senior Night as the Wildcats cruised to a 5-1 win over Ottawa.

The Louisburg girls soccer team came into Tuesday’s home match with Ottawa riding a 5-game winning streak.

However, as much as it means to win, the Wildcats had a different agenda on their minds.

It was Senior Night for Louisburg as the Wildcats honored their seven seniors and the parents prior to the contest. The Wildcats wanted to make this night a memorable one.

They did.

Louisburg scored four second half goals and captured its sixth consecutive victory with a 5-1 win over Ottawa. The Wildcats improved their record to 12-3 on the season.

Seniors Bailey Hallas, Reese Johnson, Kassidi Lomax, Sierra Hahn, Catie Lemke, Ruth Minster and Sammy McDaniel got the win they were hoping for.

“I thought everyone stepped up and wanted to play for each other,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We wanted to play to honor our seniors and the girls wanted to make sure they got a win for them on Senior Night. These are one of the games that you always look back on. It was good for those underclassmen to step up and made sure it was a special night.”

All seven seniors got the start, but found themselves down 1-0 early in the contest as Ottawa scored nine minutes into the match.

That didn’t last long as the Wildcats evened it up three minutes later on a goal from freshman Jaden Bentz and it remained a 1-1 tie going into halftime.

Five minutes into the second half another freshman, Rowan Yows, took a shot close to the 18 and found the back of the net to put Louisburg up, 2-1.

From there, the goals started to come a little easier.

Johnson assisted sophomore Lexi Hampton for a goal a few minutes later and then Lemke got a goal in her final regular season home match to make it, 4-1.

Freshman Baileigh Johnson sealed the win with her first varsity goal as the Wildcats were able to empty their bench and give some of their players more experience.

“I thought we just played hard out there,” Conley said. “We got to play 24 kids and it worked out really well. We had a lot of options out there and a lot of them got experience and had fun. They made a lot of memories and that was the most important thing.”

It was a dominating performance from the Wildcats, who controlled possession throughout. Louisburg outshot Ottawa 43-4, and the Wildcat defense, outside of one play, didn’t allow many dangerous opportunities.

The victory put the stamp on what was a memorable night for the seven Wildcat seniors as they prepare for their final postseason run.

“It is a great class and a special group,” Conley said. “They have been through the trials and tribulations and worked hard. Each year it is a special group of kids that turn into the type of ladies you want them to be. They are servant leaders and want to take care of others and work hard every day. You just have to love them. They are good kids.”

Louisburg will travel to Spring Hill, the Frontier League champion, for a match tonight to conclude the regular season. From there, the Wildcats will focus on doing some damage in the postseason as regional action begins next week.

“It will be (Spring Hill’s) senior night and they are on quite a roll right now,” Conley said. “It is going to be a really tough match and they are extremely talented with two Division I forwards. They have a lot talent and speed and we just have to do our best to prepare.

“As for regionals, we could get the No. 1 or 2 seed, and if that happens, we would get a bye and I think that would help us quite a bit. It is a log jam at the bottom, so we are trying to figure out who we are going to have. The girls are excited for it though.”

Louisburg sophomore Lola Edwards sneaks a shot past the Bonner Springs keeper for the game’s first goal Thursday at Bonner Springs High School.

BONNER SPRINGS — As Lola Edwards found the back of the net to put Louisburg up early in Thursday’s road contest against Bonner Springs, it appeared the Wildcats were well on their way to an easy win.

It wasn’t quite that easy — at least in the first half anyway.

Bonner Springs rallied to tie the match shortly before halftime and the Wildcats were becoming more frustrated they weren’t converting on their numerous chances.

“The first half I felt we were a little lackadaisical,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We were just going through the motions. We were not executing very well and struggled to finish. At halftime, we went over the scouting report again and the girls started to play the right way. They were playing fast, moving the ball well and on their front foot. I think we finally showed up and did a great job executing.”

Louisburg took advantage of those opportunities in the second half as it scored four goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Braves. It was also the fifth consecutive win for the Wildcats.

Sophomore Lexi Hampton scored three of those goals in almost a 10-minute span as she recorded the hat trick and gave the Wildcats a 4-1 advantage in rainy conditions.

“We did a great job of playing faster and knowing when to attack and when to pass,” Conley said. “We moved the ball quick and did a great job of pressing. I think we are a really dangerous team when we put things on goal. It sets the tone and is kind of like a switch for us. It feeds our attack and press. I am excited with how the second half went and our intensity that we played with.”

The Wildcats (11-3) capped the scoring when sophomore midfielder Hailey Sword knocked it in past the Bonner Springs goalie to complete the 5-1 victory.

Sophomore Lola Edwards recorded an assist to go along with her first half score. Senior Reese Johnson also got an assist on a Hampton goal in the second half.

Freshmen Rowan Yows and Jaden Bentz, along with Johnson, also had shots on target for the Wildcats.

In all, Louisburg outshot Bonner Springs 22-2 and dominated possession for much of the match.

“I really liked how we attached and moved the ball,” Conley said. “The second half we were aggressive and played fast. When we play like that we are tough to beat.”

Louisburg will end its regular season with a pair of matches this week, including its Senior Night contest tonight against Ottawa. The Wildcats’ final game with be at Spring Hill on Thursday.

Members of the Louisburg girls soccer team mob senior Reese Johnson after she scored the game-winning goal Tuesday against Basehor-Linwood in double overtime.

As Louisburg coach Kyle Conley looked onto the field trying to figure out who he wanted to take the biggest kick of the game, he decided on a senior.

With the match against Basehor-Linwood tied in double overtime, the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick and Conley gave the nod to senior Reese Johnson.

Johnson wasn’t overly thrilled with the idea.

“Reese isn’t very comfortable taking those, but I am going to push that envelope to see what happens,” Conley said. “I am going to ride our seniors as far we can.

“I just wanted to get her out of her comfort zone. She is a gamer and plays hard and that is what we are looking for.”

Johnson took the penalty kick, and despite a save by the Basehor-Linwood goalie on the first attempt, she put the rebound opportunity away and gave the Wildcats a 2-1 win over the Bobcats.

After it was all over, Johnson appreciated Conley’s trust in her to come through with the game on the line.

“It meant a lot that Conley wanted me to take it,” Johnson said. “He’s believed in me since day one and has given me so many opportunities to show what I’ve got. Knowing that he trusts me with a game-deciding opportunity really means a lot and I’m glad I didn’t let him down.

“Having a coach like Conley who pushes you out of your comfort zone and believes in you is very comforting and makes me wanna work hard every day.”

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Wildcats, who just concluded their fourth match in eight days. Tuesday’s home win was the toughest, most rewarding of the four.

“It was a good win,” Conley said. “It was a team that we lost to 2-1 last year and they are a good team this year. I think we were the ones that brought the intensity to them and we were the team to be on the front foot and we were the aggressor and I think that was the difference. We were subbing five or six at a time and they subbed one. Our kids came ready to go and did their job.”

The Wildcats (10-3) came out firing from the opening whistle as they scored two minutes into the match.

Sophomore Lola Edwards got the rebound off a missed shot and put it away to give Louisburg a 1-0 advantage.

Basehor-Linwood tied the match late in the first half and it stayed that way until the second overtime.

The Wildcats were the aggressor for most of the match as they outshot the Bobcats 19-8 and had 12 shots on target to just four for Basehor.

“We played hard and the adjustments we made on how we were going to play after we scouted Basehor, I think caused some problems for them,” Conley said. “We played really quick and took what they gave us and took advantage of it. We kept attacking and those things paid dividends for us.”

That perseverance paid off as Basehor was called for a handball in the box early in the second overtime and the Wildcats got the break they were looking for.

Johnson took the penalty kick, and despite eventually scoring on the second attempt after the save, the Louisburg senior was a little miffed.

“At first I was not very happy,” Johnson said. “I am very hard on myself even though sometimes I shouldn’t be. I was disappointed my shot was saved the first time, but in the end it found the back of the net and we won that game so that’s all that matters.

“We deserved that win because we outplayed them and had so many opportunities. The team deserved it and Conley deserved it so I am happy that I could be the one to get it for us, even if I did miss the first time.”

Her teammates quickly turned her frown into a bright smile and the Wildcats walked away with their fourth straight win.

Louisburg will try and make it five in a row today as the Wildcats travel to Bonner Springs for a Frontier League matchup.