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.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week six of the spring sports season, sponsored by Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics.

REESE JOHNSON, SENIOR, GIRLS SOCCER

Louisburg senior Reese Johnson guided the Wildcat girls soccer team in a week that featured three matches in a four-day span. Johnson finished the week with two goals and two assists in wins over Ottawa, Eudora and Lansing — two of which were on the road.

On the season, Johnson has led the Wildcats from her outside midfield spot as she has nine goals and six assists on the season. Louisburg currently has a 10-3 record on the year.

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: Lexi Hampton

Week 2: Sabra Brueggen

Week 3: Emma Lohse

Week 4: Nathan Vincent

Week 5: Mia Wilson

Louisburg senior Reese Johnson pushes the ball up field Thursday during the Wildcats’ home contest against Eudora.

LANSING — In the middle of a grueling stretch that has the Louisburg girls soccer team playing four matches in seven days, the Wildcats took the challenge head on of playing Eudora and Lansing on back-to-back days.

The result was a pair of shutout victories.

Louisburg concluded its second game in as many days with a 3-0 shutout of Lansing on the road Friday, that was following a 5-0 victory Thursday over Eudora at home.

“The girls are doing well and starting to see the channels and passing lanes we need them to see,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They are progressing well and this team is a lot of fun to watch.”

The Wildcats (9-3) got out to a good start against Lansing as freshman Rowan Yows scored the game’s first goal and gave Louisburg a 1-0 advantage at halftime.

In the second half, Lansing was called for a penalty in the box and the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick. Sophomore Lola Edwards converted the free shot and doubled the Wildcat lead.

Louisburg sealed the victory later in the second half when the Wildcats scored on an own goal and left Lansing with a shutout. Yows led the way with three shots on target, while Edwards and Lexi Hampton each had two.

“That was our third game in four days, so I think our legs were heavy, but we battled and played pretty hard,” Conley said. “We were also able to get a lot of players in the game and I felt we created a lot of opportunities in a very physical game. I think the girls responded well in an hostile environment and played our game. We had the opportunity to play a lot of kids again and try to save a little bit for our game (today) against Basehor-Linwood.”

The Wildcats’ legs looked fresh against Eudora as they dominated the match from the get-go. 

Louisburg controlled possession and had 13 shots on goal. The Wildcats outshot the Cardinals 23-3, while Edwards and senior Reese Johnson each had a pair of goals to pace Louisburg.

“We came out and played pretty well,” Conley said. “We played fast and moved the ball well. We had a lot of opportunities and played pretty hard. It was also nice to be able to play so many kids to try to save some legs for our game Friday against Lansing. I felt we were pretty creative and played with a lot of heart. We were aggressive and played on our front foot. The girls played well.”

Edwards got things started for the Wildcats early in the first half when she scored following a free kick into the box by junior Bree Gassman.

Then late in the first half, Johnson dribbled the ball down the right side and crossed the ball into the box. The pass found the foot of sophomore Hailey Sword, who scored to make a it a 2-0 game at halftime.

Johnson got her chance to score four minutes into the second half when the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick. The Louisburg senior found the back of the net with a shot to the upper-left corner.

Just a few minutes later, the Wildcats struck again. This time Yows initiated the action by dribbling into the box and crossed it over and Edwards put it away for her second goal of the night.

Midway through the half, Johnson put the game away with her second goal of the match on a shot that tipped off the Eudora goalie’s fingers and into the net.

Defense was a strength for the Wildcats in both games as goalie Sierra Hahn earned the clean sheets. As a team, Louisburg allowed only seven shots between the two games.

Louisburg will try for its fourth straight victory tonight when the Wildcats host Basehor-Linwood. The match is set to begin at 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg sophomore Lexi Hampton splits two Ottawa defenders to go up for the ball Tuesday at Ottawa High School.

OTTAWA — Fresh off back-to-back losses, the Louisburg girls soccer team needed something positive to happen.

The Wildcats traveled to Ottawa on Tuesday and left with some of that positivity they were looking for.

Louisburg dominated possession on its way to a 3-0 victory over the Cyclones. Although they would have liked to tally a few more goals, the Wildcats were happy with the win.

“We did alright,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “To be fair, with as many shots as we had, we probably should have had about eight or nine goals. We didn’t capitalize on our breakaways, but the girls are learning. 

“We have two sophomores, a junior and a freshman that played up top today. We are young all over the field and we are seeing that a little bit, but we are still attacking and aggressive. We are pressing a little bit, but the girls are playing hard and that is good to see.”

The match was scoreless midway though the first half, but that all changed thanks to the foot of Louisburg junior Tehya Harvey.

Harvey scored the game’s first goal with 19 minutes remaining in the first half, and then again shortly before halftime to give the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage.

Early in the second half, the Wildcats struck again. Senior Reese Johnson pushed the ball down the right side and crossed it into the box and found sophomore Lexi Hampton, who tapped it in for Louisburg’s third goal.

Although it took a little while for the Wildcats to get going, Conley was pleased with his team despite all the different defenses getting thrown at them throughout the season.

“I think we are getting used to how different teams are playing us or running at us,” Conley said. “Are they going to play with five or four in the back? Are they going to play 30 yards behind their midfield like Ottawa did? These learning experiences are big for us to sort out. A lot of these girls don’t play year-round and are just learning on the fly.”

Defensively, the Wildcats limited Ottawa’s chances and allowed goalies Sierra Hahn and Macy Lemke to earn the clean sheet.

Ottawa was the first of four games in seven days for the Wildcats as they enter a grueling part of their schedule. Louisburg will host Eudora tonight in the second game of that stretch.

“Four games in seven days is just ridiculous,” Conley said. “Now we are just focused on Eudora, recover quick and play Lansing on Friday. Then we turn around and get a very good Basehor team on Monday. It is a crazy week, and to be quite honest, we played a lot of kids (Tuesday) because we need to get as much fresh legs as possible. This week should be fun though and I’m looking forward to seeing how the girls will do.”

Louisburg junior Bree Gassman goes up for a header Thursday against Piper at the Wildcat Soccer Complex.

Going up against one of the top teams in Class 5A, the Louisburg girls soccer team knew it was going to have one of its biggest tests of the season.

The Wildcats hosted Piper on Thursday, and for the first half, the Pirates looked like the better team as they ran out to a 2-goal lead at halftime.

Louisburg picked its game up to a different level in the second half as the Wildcats scored to cut the Piper lead in half, but the Pirates were able to hang on and hand Louisburg a 2-1 defeat.

Physical play was the focus early for Piper as the Pirates controlled play, but the Wildcats matched that physicality in the second half in what was a rough-and-tumble affair.

“I felt the game got extremely physical,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “Play was let go and the players adjusted. Unfortunately, the game got out of control. We knew they were going to be a physical team, but I never saw much like that on the girls side. We got down 2-0 and at halftime we talked about which team is going to come out and play. We asked if the girls were going to back down to this type of play or rise to the challenge. 

“We knew Piper was going to shoot a lot, but the majority of them didn’t hurt us at all because they lacked being in dangerous positions. We did come out really flat and struggled to find and stay with our marks. The second half, was a much different story. We took the game to them and created a massive amount of dangerous chances. We just couldn’t find the net for the second goal.”

Piper’s Sierra Montez and Ryann Clark scored the two Pirate goals in the first half. Montez was also difficult to stay in front of as she had five shots on target and 15 shots for the match.

The Wildcats (6-2) came out strong in the second half and put the pressure on the Pirate defense. All the pressure eventually led to a Lexi Hampton goal with 19 minutes left in the game to make it 2-1.

“2-0 is the worst lead in soccer because if the team trailing scores, they get all the momentum,” Conley said. “I felt our girls rose to the challenge and then took the game to them. We matched their physicality and created a lot of dangerous opportunities. It was a good game for us to rise up from and see what we were truly made of. I think this game showed that we can play that style of game.”

Louisburg put together several different runs in the half that nearly led to some dangerous opportunities. Sophomore Lola Edwards had two shots on goal in the second half and junior Bree Gassman had the other.

Defensively, the Wildcats also played tougher as Piper had just two shots on target in the second half as senior goalie Sierra Hahn had eight saves on the night.

The back line of Brianne Kuhlman, Ruth Minster, Evyn Richardson, Sammy McDaniel, along with midfielders Hailey Sword and Adyson Ross, limited Piper’s chances in the final 40 minutes.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats plan to use this as a growing opportunity.

“Our girls mental toughness is what stood out the most,” Conley said. “We played alright, but we didn’t back down. I was proud of our battle and how hard we played. We will learn from this game and get better. Our passing in the final third would have helped tremendously. The girls didn’t back down and played really, really hard.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back Thursday when it travels to Baldwin. Varsity is set to begin at 4 p.m.

Louisburg junior Bree Gassman battles Eudora’s Jayla Erpelding for a 50-50 ball Monday at Eudora High School.

EUDORA — Fresh off its first setback of the season, the Louisburg girls soccer team wanted to make sure one loss didn’t turn into two.

The Wildcats traveled to Eudora on Monday and got right back on the winning track as they shutout the Cardinals, 2-0. It was their sixth win of the season and all of them have come by shutout.

“I thought we were ready to go,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “They played hard and with a high amount of energy. That is how we do things and I thought the girls transitioned pretty well knowing Eudora is going to be a solid team.”

Louisburg’s defense once again rose to the challenge as the Wildcats limited Eudora to just six shots on goal, while senior goalie Sierra Hahn earned the clean sheet.

The back line of freshman Evyn Richardson, senior Ruth Minster, junior Brianne Kuhlman and senior Sammy McDaniel didn’t allow the Cardinals to get many good looks on goal.

Midfielders Adyson Ross and Hailey Sword also shadowed one of Eudora’s top players, Jayla Erpelding, most of the night.

“Jayla is a good player and has a massive right leg,” Conley said. “We just wanted to take her away and not give her free looks and I think we did a pretty good job of that all night. I thought we did a good job of taking away their two forwards as well and we just didn’t give them many opportunities. Defensively we stayed sound and did our job for the most part.”

Offensively, the Wildcats (6-1) were on the attack for most of the night. Louisburg had 12 shots on goal and got a couple of them to find the back of the net.

Louisburg scored both of its goals midway through the first half. A Wildcat pass into the box resulted in an own goal from Eudora, and then a few minutes later, senior Reese Johnson crossed a ball into the box for the second score.

“Eudora always plays hard – they play really hard,” Conley said. “We did a good job of producing where we need to go. We had chance after chance, and I think we put so much pressure on them, we were able to get an own goal and a goal. We just kept pressing them to try and put them in bad spots. I would have really liked to score a couple more in the second half when we got them inside the six, but it will come. The girls played hard, did their job and got us a good result.”

Johnson led the Wildcats with five shots on target, while sophomore Lola Edwards had three and fellow sophomore Lexi Hampton finished with two.

Eudora clogged up the middle of the field, so Louisburg attacked from the outside, which gave them several good opportunities on goal.

“Eudora took away the middle and we just burned them on the outside most of the time,” Conley said. “The second half we tried to attack down the middle and it just wasn’t there. There will be also be games where teams take away the outside on us and let us cut down the middle. Eventually teams are going to take that away and that will let us have some good runs and really be dynamic.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back wins today when the Wildcats host Piper. Varsity is set to begin at approximately 6 p.m.

The Louisburg girls soccer team had a couple streaks fade away Thursday following its home match against Spring Hill.

The Wildcats, which had won five games in a row and had yet to give up a goal this season, saw those both come to an end following a 3-0 setback to Broncos. Spring Hill, which is the favorite to win the Frontier League, gave the Wildcats their toughest test of the season to date.

Louisburg also had to battle Mother Nature, who brought gusty winds and cold temperatures. Still, the Wildcats found some positives to take away from their loss.

“Last year, we were 100 percent embarrassed by our results against them in both games,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “We were focused and more determined to play our game (Thursday). The weather conditions were absolutely brutal, but with that being said we played with an incredibly high work rate. The girls left it all on the field and definitely didn’t back down. I think overall, it was our best team effort so far this season.

“We had a few opportunities but couldn’t capitalize. It is the effort that I want to see in every game and have been asking for.”

Senior Reese Johnson and sophomore Hailey Sword had the lone shots for Louisburg. Spring Hill outshot the Wildcats, 21-2, but goalie Sierra Hahn did her best to keep the Broncos out of the net with 10 saves.

Spring Hill took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half on a goal from Isabella Farris, and the Wildcats trailed by just the one goal at halftime.

Early in the second half, Spring Hill doubled its lead on a shot from Reagan Downes, and then followed it up a just a couple minutes later on a direct kick goal from Payton Vogelbacher.

Despite getting down three goals, the Wildcat defense didn’t allow a score in the final 35 minutes.

“We defended really well, and with missing players, and a couple players not nearly 100 percent, I thought we did well,” Conley said. “We would have liked to seen a ball in the back of the net for us, but I thought we played well. We will use this to get better and clean up some things. It was a good game and I thought we did well staying organized defensively.”

Louisburg will try and bounce back today as it travels to Eudora for a Frontier League match. Varsity is set to begin at approximately 6 p.m.

Louisburg junior Tehya Harvey scored the golden goal with four seconds left in the second overtime Tuesday in Topeka and gave the Wildcats a 1-0 victory over Topeka West.

TOPEKA — It waited to almost the last possible second, but the Louisburg girls soccer team left Topeka with its winning streak intact.

In double overtime, Louisburg junior Tehya Harvey battled and scored the golden goal with four seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a 1-0 victory over Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park.

Louisburg has now won five consecutive matches to start the season and Harvey’s goal was the difference between that and seeing that streak end with a scoreless tie.

“Tehya’s goal was fantastic,” Louisburg coach Kyle Conley said. “It was a hustle and work ethic goal. Ball got played in, and she went and got it. She did not give up on the play and wanted it more than Topeka West did. Wish we would have done that a lot sooner, but, oh well, better late than never.”

Harvey’s goal was set up by sophomore midfielder Hailey Sword, who sent the ball into the box and found a running Harvey.

The Wildcats weren’t without their share of opportunities, however. Louisburg outshot Topeka West, 27-1, and 10 of those were on target.

Topeka West kept a lot of players back to protect the goal, which made scoring for the Wildcats more difficult.

“Topeka West did a very good job of staying organized defensively,” Conley said. “They put a lot of players in front of the goal, but when we had really good opportunities. We had countless chances in front of the goal but just could not get one to go. We did a nice job of controlling the tempo and how the game was played. We created a lot of opportunities but just could not find the net. 

“I liked how hard we played. I thought we did a nice job of taking advantage of what they gave us. We saw this against Tonganoxie, but we just did not adjust as well as I liked. It will be a focus at practice this week.”

Freshman Rowan Yows led the Wildcat attack with six shots on the night, while senior Reece Johnson and Sword each had five.

It was another shutout for the Wildcat defense and senior goalie Sierra Hahn earned the clean sheet for Louisburg. The Wildcats have yet to allow a goal through five matches.

However, the Wildcats will face their toughest test tonight when they host Spring Hill — one of the favorites to win the Frontier League. The match is set for 6 p.m. at the Wildcat Soccer Complex.