The Louisburg softball team has had some rough patches so far this season, however the May 1 doubleheader opener against Anderson County wasn’t one of them.

Louisburg snapped a four-game losing streak as the Wildcats earned a 10-7 victory over Anderson County at Lewis-Young Park. The Wildcats put together a strong performance, especially at the plate.

Senior Addy Stohs led the charge as she got the Wildcats going in the first inning. After walk by Shyloh Waite and a double from McKinley Harmon, Stohs launched a 3-run home run over the left field fence.

The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead — one they wouldn’t relinquish. 

“I’m really glad we picked up a win on Thursday night,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “We needed it. Still not pretty, but these girls are working to be better everyday and I’m super proud to be their coach.

“Addy has been such a great leader and consistent force on our team. She is fantastic on defense and one of strongest bats. I know she has been searching for that home run all season. I’m so proud of her growth and what she means to our team.”

Freshman Lydia Copeland made it a 5-run lead with a two-run double in the third that scored Raeya Keagle and Annabelle Hathaway. Louisburg then went on to add four more runs in the fourth thanks to four singles and a pair of walks.

Senior Brynley Bauer singled to score Harmon, while Hathaway scored Stohs on a fielder’s choice. Keagle then singled home pinch-runner Camryn Lane and Katie McKain singled in Emily Brotherton to make it a 9-0 advantage.

Anderson County made things interesting with two runs in the fifth, four in the sixth and another in the seventh, but the Wildcats were able to hold on.

Louisburg junior pitcher Paytyn Van Tyle had a big day on the mound. Not only did she pick up the victory, Van Tyle also recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts. 

“Paytyn is a solid force on the mound,” Chapman said. “She makes teams work for their hits and keeps them off balance. She gets our defense the routine play balls. Eleven strikeouts is huge. She has gotten better each game she has pitched. I’m proud of where she is at and where she is going to be as we finish this season off.”

The second game didn’t go as planned for the Wildcats as they dropped the final contest, 9-5, to record a split.

The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead in the first inning once again as Stohs doubled home Waite and then scored on a wild pitch. Hathaway then singled home pinch-runner Hannah Basore.

Louisburg (3-17) had the lead until the fifth when Anderson County tied the game with three runs of its own and then scored six more in the sixth.

Hathaway finished strong at the plate as she had four hits and 2 RBIs, while Bauer added three. Brotherton and Keagle also had two hits a piece, while Harmon and Stohs had an RBI.

Louisburg returns to action on May 6 as the Wildcats travel to Eudora for a single game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Wildcats drop home game to Chanute

In what was a rare Saturday game, Louisburg hosted Chanute as the Wildcats hoped to get back in the win column.

Unfortunately, Chanute had other plans. The Blue Comets struck early and held on for a 6-2 victory over the Wildcats.

“I thought we played fine,” Chapman said. “We just had an inning that we let get away a little bit. We had a tough time staying consistent at the plate and Chanute capitalized. That’s what happens. We had some solid innings on defense. 

“McKinley is staying real consistent at the plate. She had a solid game. Addy had another good game. The bottom of our lineup is starting to get more and more consistent. I know we aren’t winning games, but from where we started against Frontenac until now, we are two different teams. I’m so proud of our progress. Our program is getting better and the wins will come.”

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

BRYNLEY BAUER, SENIOR, SOFTBALL

Louisburg senior Brynley Bauer has been one of the Wildcats’ most consistent hitters all season and that continued last week as she helped Louisburg to a victory over Bonner Springs. In the win, she had three hits and 3 RBIs in the 8-5 victory over the Braves.

On the season, Bauer is toward the top on the team with a .429 batting average and has a team-high 10 RBIs. Bauer is also the team’s starting catcher and has caught 14 of the team’s 15 games this 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: Luke Schultz

Week 2: Faith Sewell

Week 3: Meade Rutherford

It wasn’t the start the Louisburg softball team was hoping for to its season, but things are starting to change for the better.

After losing their first nine games to start the year, the Wildcats have now won two of their last four, which included an 8-5 victory over Bonner Springs in the second game of a doubleheader on April 15 at Lewis-Young Park.

The victory came after losing the first game, 6-3, but the Wildcats didn’t let the one loss hamper them.

“I’m so dang proud of this team,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “I’ve told them everyday this season, that my expectation is that we are getting better than the day before. This team is doing that. Every game we have played, we have gotten better. 

Freshman Annabelle Hathaway came up big for the Wildcats in their latest victory as she contributed on the mound and at the plate.

Hathaway pitched a complete game and gave up just three earned runs on nine hits and struck out three. She also tallied one of the biggest hits of the game.

With Louisburg up two runs in the bottom of the fourth, Hathaway recorded her first varsity home run as it was a 2-run shot to left. It was also a 9-pitch at-bat in which she fouled off four pitches before getting the big hit.

“Annabelle had a heck of a game,” Chapman said. “She kept girls off balance and got some weak hits for our defense. She stayed calm through adversity and her defense had her back. It was a solid defensive game for us, all led by our freshman pitcher. 

“Then she had a big game at the plate. She found her groove again after struggling against Wellsville. I’m very proud of how she made adjustments and had a great night. Her at bat where she hit a bomb was solid. She had to fight for that pitch she got. With two strikes, she had to battle and foul off some pitches and then finally let one rip.”

The rest of the offense followed suit as seven Wildcats had multi-hit games, including a 3-hit performance from seniors Brynley Bauer and Addy Stohs. Bauer drove home a pair of runs and Stohs recorded an RBI single.

Sophomore McKinley Harmon, senior Emily Brotherton, junior Raeya Keagle and Hathaway each had two hits. Harmon and junior Shyloh Waite both had a double.

Senior Katie McKain, Brotherton and Harmon each had a run batted in.

The Wildcats also played strong defense behind Hathaway, which included a diving catch by Waite in centerfield that ended up saving a run early in the game.

In the opener, Bonner Springs began the game with three runs in the first, but the Wildcats responded with two of their own. The Braves added a run in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings to take a 6-2 advantage.

Harmon, Hathaway and Brotherton each had two hits to lead the Wildcats, while Bauer had two runs batted in. Hannah Basore recorded an RBI single in the seventh.

Louisburg (2-11) will try for back-to-back wins tonight as it hosts Tonganoxie for a single game at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

“I’m really proud of our team,” Chapman said. “Our record doesn’t reflect our growth in the first half of our season. We are settling in and figuring out who we are, what we are good at and what we need to keep working at. I believe in these girls and I can’t wait for the back half of this season.”

WELLSVILLE — In what started out as a rough week for the Louisburg softball team, ended with the brightest spot of the season to date for the Wildcats. 

Louisburg picked up its first win of the season on April 10 as the Wildcats traveled to Wellsville for a doubleheader. The Wildcats got the best of the Eagles in the first game as they held on for a 9-7 victory.

Although Louisburg fell 11-0 in the nightcap, the win in game one was exactly what the Wildcats needed after losing three games earlier in the week.

“That win was huge for us,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “We had a long, tough week. We dropped a close one to Baldwin to start the week. We hit the ball real well that night, but it came down to us being able to make plays when we needed it and we just didn’t. We couldn’t put them away and Baldwin did a great job capitalizing on our mistakes. I think we used that as fuel to finish our game on Thursday night. 

“We went and played a really good Spring Hill team on Tuesday, then went out to Wellsville. Everything was on the road. The girls came out after all that and put together a great offensive show. We played the best defense we have all year and found a way to put one in the win column. I’m very proud of how they responded to a tough week and put a complete game together, as a team.”

The Wildcats scored five runs in the first three innings to take a a 5-4 lead going into the fifth. Wellsville scored a run to tie it in the bottom of the fifth.

Louisburg used a 4-run sixth inning to get back out to a big lead. The Wildcats took advantage of three Wellsville errors in the inning to go up 9-5.

Wellsville rallied in the bottom of the seventh with two runs, but the Wildcats were able to shut the door.

Louisburg junior Paytyn Van Tyle earned the complete game victory as she recorded six strikeouts and just two earned runs.

“Paytyn threw really well all week and against Wellsville was no different,” Chapman said. “She struck out 6 and forced them to put the ball in play. She caused a lot of weak hits with how well she can locate a pitch and change up timing of hitters. Our defense was focused on having her back and one of our goals was no snowball innings and we accomplished that.”

The Wildcats got production from up and down their lineup and were led by a two seniors. Addy Stohs and Brynley Bauer each had three hits to lead the attack, while Bauer had 3 RBIs. 

Senior Emily Brotherton had 2 RBIs, while Shyloh Waite and McKinley Harmon each had two hits. Harmon and Lydia Copeland each had a double.

“The stats don’t show it, but Addy has been seeing the ball real well,” Chapman said. “She is consistently hitting the ball hard all over the field. She can also move baserunners real well with a well timed bunt. She has a lot of skills that make her a dangerous threat every at-bat.

“Brynley has been a consistent force at the plate. When we need a big time hit, she’s got it. With her in the 5 spot, she clears the bases pretty well but she can also be a great leadoff when we need it.”

In the second game, the Wildcats managed jut three hits, while Wellsville scored 11 runs in the first four innings to prevent the sweep.

Louisburg will try to build on the victory as the Wildcats host Bonner Springs for a doubleheader on April 15, then a single game against Tonganoxie on April 17.

“Our girls needed to feel what winning was like and put that in the experience bank,” Chapman said. “We have a week where we can keep that confidence and continue to build on our success to bank some more positives as we get to the end of April.”

Wildcats fall to Baldwin, Spring Hill

Louisburg was just a couple innings away from getting that first win of the season on April 7 as the Wildcats traveled to Baldwin for a single game with the Bulldogs.

Louisburg took a 9-run lead into the bottom of the fifth, but Baldwin scored 10 in the final three innings, including six in the fifth to defeat the Wildcats in walk-off fashion, 12-11.

The Wildcat offense had one of its best days of the season as they pounded out 23 hits on the night as eight of the nine batters in the lineup had a multi-hit game.

Emily Brotherton led the way with four hits, including a double. McKinley Harmon, Annabelle Hathaway, Brynley Bauer and Katie McKain each had three hits. McKain and Hathaway had a triple and 2 RBIs, while Harmon and Bauer doubled.

Raeya Keagle led the team with 3 RBIs and a double. Paytyn Van Tyle also had two hits, 2 RBIs and a double, while Addy Stohs added a pair hits.

On April 8, the Wildcats faced one of the top teams in the state in Spring Hill. Louisburg left Spring Hill with a pair of 12-0 and 23-1 losses.

It has been a tough start for the Louisburg softball team as its schedule hasn’t let the Wildcats ease into the season.

Louisburg opened against a 3A state power in Frontenac and a challenging Fort Scott Tournament field that left the Wildcats with four straight losses to open the year.

Those setbacks didn’t get the Wildcats down as they hosted Ottawa in its home opener Thursday at Lewis-Young Park. Although they lost both games, the Wildcats nearly pulled off a big comeback in game one in a 7-6 loss.

Louisburg fell in the nightcap, 12-2, but Wildcat coach Nick Chapman saw a lot of positives from his young team.

“The road has been pretty tough for us to start,” Chapman said. “We have some girls that are stepping into full time varsity spots for the first time and we are still trying to figure out what our identity is. On top of that, we started off with Frontenac who is a powerhouse and they are masters of the small ball game. Fort Scott is experienced and pretty solid. Ottawa has always been consistent, no matter who they have in their lineup. 

“We are working to get better, game-to-game, and learning who we are. The best thing about this group is that they are in it for each other and they just want to help the team get better. We took a big step forward Thursday night and realized that we can be really good when we play clean defense and put the ball in play.”

In the opener Thursday against Ottawa, the Wildcats did a lot of that, especially in the bottom of the fifth inning. Down 7-1 and with two outs, Louisburg used a 5-run fifth to cut the Cyclone lead to just one. 

Junior Peytyn Van Tyle opened the inning with a single and later scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore McKinley Harmon tripled home Emily Brotherton and later scored on an Addy Stohs single. 

Brynley Bauer singled home Stohs, and Annabelle Hathaway scored on another passed ball to make it 7-6. 

The Wildcats tried for another rally in the bottom of the seventh when Stohs opened with single, but was left stranded at first. 

“Instead of putting our heads down, the girls just chipped away,” Chapman said. “We made adjustments, played better defense and held them off their momentum and then we had finally had a big inning ourselves. It was each girl in our lineup finding ways to get on base, move baserunners, and score baserunners. It wasn’t just one girl as 1-9 in our lineup contributed. McKinley, Emily, Brynley, and Addy were seeing it real well all night and making solid contact. We had some girls step up and lay some big time bunts down or just put the ball in play to move baserunners.

“We did most of that damage with 2 outs which was really cool. That’s the best thing about this beautiful game. There’s no clock. You have 3 outs to do as much damage as you can and with 1 out to spare we did just that. We kept that momentum and played great defense to give ourselves a chance in the bottom of the seventh. We just ran out of the magic. I’m so dang proud of them. It was great to see their confidence and belief in themselves finally show up. As a coach, I know we can be good but each girl needs to believe in themselves and trust what they have learned since they have been playing T-Ball because we have some really quality players.”

Brotherton led the Wildcat offense in the first game with three hits, including a double, while Stohs and Hathaway each had a pair of hits.

Van Tyle pitched for the Wildcats and allowed just three earned runs in seven innings and struck out two.

In the second game, the Wildcats jumped out to a 2-1 lead after one inning after Stohs doubled and scored on a triple by Hathaway. Bauer drove home Hathaway on an RBI single.

Ottawa took the lead back with three runs in the second, but used an 8-run fifth inning to secure the sweep over Louisburg. Hathaway and Bauer each had two hits to pace the Wildcat offense.

Louisburg is back in action tonight as the Wildcats travel to Baldwin for a Frontier League matchup. Varsity will begin at approximately 6 p.m.

This year’s version of the Louisburg softball team will look much different than the year before, and for good reason.

The Wildcats had to say goodbye to five senior starters, including both of their starting pitchers, who played on the varsity level since they were freshmen. 

It will be a difficult core to replace, but Louisburg coach Nick Chapman is optimistic about the group he has coming back, including four returning starters and 5-member senior class.

“I’m excited for this season,” Chapman said. “We lost some seniors with a lot of experience last year, but our seniors this year have taken on the leadership role and done a great job with it. They have been positive leaders and role models for our younger girls. Our team culture is fantastic right now. Every girl is bought in and they encourage each other to help our team grow.”

The Wildcats will be led by their four returning starters in seniors Addy Stohs, Katie McKain, Brynley Bauer and junior Shyloh Waite. All four saw a lot of varsity competition last season and Stohs is the team’s returning middle of the order bat.

McKain will start in centerfield for the Wildcats, while Bauer will resume her duties as the team’s starting catcher. Waite will move from her outfield spot a year ago and is the starting shortstop.

“I have high expectations for this group,” Chapman said. “We are still chasing a season of being .500 or better and I want us to win a regional game and find our way into the state tournament. The best part about this group is that they are in it for each other. They don’t come with drama. They want to get better at practice everyday and they help each other get better everyday.”

Brotherton, who is in her first year of varsity action, will start at third base, while Stohs will return as the team’s starting first baseman. Junior Raeya Keagle and Brotherton will share time at second base, while freshman Annabelle Hathaway could also see time at third.

Junior Paytyn Van Tyle, sophomore McKinley Harmon and freshman Lydia Copeland will share time in the corner outfield spots. Copeland will also catch alongside Bauer.

“We’ll be fairly young, but we will still have some good experience,” Chapman said. “Shyloh, Addy, Brynley and Katie have all been varsity starters for the last two or three years. Emily, Raeya, McKinley, and Paytyn all got a taste of varsity at times last year and then we are going to add in two freshmen to the mix this year with Lydia and Annabelle who have shown a lot of potential in practice.

“Offensively, I think we have a great mix of girls who can hit the ball hard anywhere and girls who can play small ball really well. It’s not going to be one girl who we are going to rely on. We are going to rely on 1-9 to make our offense move. Every girl in the lineup is important.” 

Louisburg will also feature some new faces on the mound. Keagle and Van Tyle will start for the Wildcats, while Harmon and Hathaway will also see some varsity innings.

“They each offer something a little different and they work hard to hone their craft,” Chapman said. “We are going to put a solid defense behind them and work together as a unit to have as clean of a defense as possible.”

The Wildcats will open their season Thursday when they travel to Frontenac for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

Mackenzie Rooney has always had love for softball and the sport has treated her well.

The Louisburg High School senior has played competitively since an early age and she has spent years trying to perfect her craft. 

As much hard work as that was, finding a new home to continue that passion was a difficult one at times. Playing college softball has always been a dream and she needed to find the right fit.

She found that place at Wichita State.

Rooney made it official back in November as she signed her letter of intent to join the Shocker program next season and is looking forward to what lies ahead.

“It meant so much to me to sign to play at Wichita State,” Rooney said. “All my hard work finally paid off. I was never really focused on going Division I, I just knew I wanted to play in college, and when the opportunity came I was surely going to take it.

“I always wanted to go close to home and WSU is a perfect distance for me. I loved the campus, atmosphere, and the softball program everyone was very welcoming.”

Rooney had different options to choose from, and for some, the process of choosing a school can be a difficult and stressful situation. It was anything but for Rooney.

“Honestly the recruiting process was more fun than stressful I think,” she said. “I loved the visits I went on and it was a great experience seeing the difference in each campus. It was not a hard decision at all picking WSU as it just felt like home. Wichita State is getting many new upgrades to their facilities as that is also what helped me make my decision.”

Softball has been year-round experience for Rooney, as when she not playing, she is putting in work in the winter months improving her craft.

Rooney plays centerfield for her club team, Select Fastpitch, and has thrived with the program as they travel all over the country in the summer months.

“I’ve played softball my whole life, it’s basically all I know,” Rooney said. “Practice almost everyday, tournaments every weekend, and traveling the country playing in new places each weekend has been fun. Preparing to be a college athlete is a lot of work behind the scenes that no one else sees, but I think it is worth it.”

Rooney played with the Wildcat softball team her freshman season as she was a dual-sport athlete with track. She did track as a sophomore and also earned a state medal.

However, her focus is now preparing herself to join a Wichita State program that ended 2024 in the American Athletic Conference Championship game.

“Some expectations I have for myself is playing my role on the team, whether it’s playing in the outfield, pinch hitting, or even just base running my freshman year,” Rooney said. “Of course I am going to work my butt off to try to get a starting spot my freshman year, which I think I can do. My coaches see me playing outfield and being a key base runner for them because of my speed. I am just super excited to meet new friends and do what I love.”

For the seventh 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. Then they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes and I tabulated the results and determined the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the three finalists for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name.

IZZY MORELAND — SENIOR — VOLLEYBALL, SOFTBALL

Izzy was a starting member of the Louisburg volleyball team that finished fourth at the Class 4A state tournament. Moreland was a middle blocker for the Wildcats. She finished the season with 105 kills and led the team with 48 blocks.

On the softball diamond, Moreland was the Wildcats’ No. 1 pitcher this past season as she helped Louisburg to 11 wins on the year. She was a second team All-Frontier League selection at pitcher. 

Moreland led the Wildcats as she threw 94 innings and struck out 90 batters. She also had a 3.92 ERA. At the plate, Moreland finished with a .306 average, 26 hits, two doubles, two triples and a home run. She also added 19 RBIs on the season.

MEGAN QUINN — SENIOR — VOLLEYBALL, SOFTBALL

On the volleyball court, Megan has been the setter for the Wildcats the last two seasons and helped Louisburg to the state tournament the last two years, including a fourth place finish this season. She led the team with 540 assists in a split-setter role and also had a team-high 43 aces.

Quinn also thrived on the softball field as she was an all-league honorable mention selection on the infield and was also one of the Wildcats’ starting pitchers. She was the Wildcats’ biggest bat in the lineup with four home runs this season and has nine the last two years.

The Louisburg senior batted clean-up for most of the season. She was third on the team with a .342 average to go along with 27 hits and eight doubles to go along with her four home runs and a team-high 38 RBIs.

HAILEY SWORD — SENIOR — VOLLEYBALL, SOCCER

Hailey was a 3-year letter winner for the volleyball team and played all six rotations the past two seasons. Sword tallied a team-high 308 kills and finished second on the team with 42 aces. Defensively, Sword was also strong in the back row as she was second on the team with 295 digs.

She was selected to the KVA All-State Tournament team after she helped Louisburg to a fourth place finish at state. She also earned honorable mention All-Frontier League honors.

Hailey was also a captain of the Wildcat soccer team this past spring as he helped lead Louisburg to a regional championship. She is a four-year letter winner and she was a part of a school record setting defense that allowed the fewest goals in a season. Sword was also named to the All-Frontier League first team.

The Louisburg softball team took a big step forward this season, especially when it came to the win column.

Louisburg racked up 11 wins on the season, which is most the program has seen in more than a decade. Some of the Frontier League coaches also took notice of the Wildcats’ success.

Five Wildcats were selected to the All-Frontier League team that was released last week. Senior Ashley Moreau (infield) was a first team selection and senior Izzy Moreland (pitcher) was named to the second team.

Seniors Rylee Hickey (catcher), Megan Quinn (infield) and Jenna Cauthon (infield) were all named as honorable mentions.

“I thought our team was very well represented,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “I was so glad our 5 seniors earned honors. That just goes to show how great of a group they were. We play in a tough league with a lot of great softball players and these girls were recognized as some of the best softball players in our league.”

Moreau, the team’s starting shortstop, was a first team infield selection. More honors came her way Tuesday as she was also an honorable mention all-state selection by the Kansas Softball Coaches.

She led Louisburg with a .462 average as the team’s leadoff hitter. Moreau led the Wildcats with 36 hits on the season, including three doubles and a triple. She also scored 33 runs.

“Ashley was an incredible shortstop,” Chapman said. “She never stopped working to hone her craft. She was also a great leadoff hitter for us. She could do a lot of things really well at the plate and on the bases. She was recognized as one of the top infielders in our league and that’s saying a lot with the league we play in. She earned this recognition and I’m so proud of her. She is going to be dearly missed on our infield.”

Moreland was the Wildcats’ top pitcher on the season as she threw 94 innings and struck out 90 batters. She also finished with a 3.92 ERA.

At the plate, Moreland finished with a .306 average, 26 hits, two doubles, two triples and a home run. She also added 19 RBIs on the season.

“Izzy was a dominant force on the mound over these last 4 years,” Chapman said. “She ended her career with 216 strikeouts, 90 this season alone. She continued to get better and better as the season went on. Her bat was just as good. She did a lot of things at the plate, behind Megan in our lineup, to keep our lineup going. I’m very proud of her and what she did for our program.”

Hickey, one of the team’s starting catchers, had a successful season behind the plate with just six errors as she split time in the outfield. She recorded 19 hits on the season, including six doubles and 16 RBIs as she batted toward the top of the lineup.

“Rylee had a great season behind the plate,” Chapman said. “She was tough and going to do everything she could to control the bases. She had some very clutch moments for us at the plate as well. It was awesome to see the player she grew into over the last 4 years.”

Quinn, who was the team’s starting third baseman when she wasn’t pitching, had a big season in the middle of the Wildcat lineup. 

The Louisburg senior led the Wildcats with four home runs on the season to go along with a .342 average. She had a team-high 38 RBIs to go along with 27 hits and eight doubles.

“Megan had an incredible season at the plate,” Chapman said. “She had a ton of RBIs and some very big time at bats for us. She made a great third baseman and she accepted that role and worked her butt off to be good at it. I’m very proud of her for taking that on, even if it’s not where she wanted to be, and giving it her all to help her team be successful.”

Cauthon provided several big hits throughout the year as the Wildcats’ starting second baseman. 

She was second on the team with a .393 average and had 33 hits, eight doubles and a triple. She also had 18 RBIs on the year and a team-high 11 stolen bases.

“Jenna had a very solid season at the plate,” Chapman said. “She was a very consistent bat in our lineup. It was a rare night if she wasn’t on the bases in some sort of way. Once she was on the bases, she did everything she could to make things happen, including how she perfected the delayed steal from 2nd to 3rd. It was a thing of beauty. I’m so proud of her commitment to our program and the season she had.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOFTBALL

FIRST TEAM

CATCHER — Reese Pattinson, Eudora, junior

PITCHER — Jaleigh White, Spring Hill, junior; Sam Claire, Eudora, junior

INFIELD — Jaiden Burris, Eudora, junior; Mya January, Spring Hill, junior; Ashley Moreau, Louisburg, senior; Kaylin Wiehe, Tonganoxie, freshman

OUTFIELD — Lexi Born, Eudora, junior; Abby Clarkson, Tonganoxie, senior; Ellie Ruffin, Spring Hill, junior

UTILITY — Addison White, Ottawa, junior

SECOND TEAM 

CATCHER — Kaitlin Base, Baldwin, junior

PITCHER — Sage Issacs, Tonganoxie, senior; Izzy Moreland, Louisburg, senior

INFIELD — Elli Smail, Paola, sophomore; Laiken Buell, Bonner Springs, senior; Kamden Evans, Ottawa, senior; Katie Courter, Eudora, junior

OUTFIELD — Autumn Ashford, Bonner Springs, senior; Blair Sommer, Spring Hill, senior; Krislyn Hadlock, Paola, junior

UTILITY — Nora Burrel, Spring Hill, junior

HONORABLE MENTION

CATCHER — Rylee Hickey, Louisburg, senior; Lily Jevne, Paola, senior; Emma Lara, Bonner Springs, junior

PITCHER — Olivia O’Toole, Eudora, sophomore

INFIELD — Abbi Minton, Bonner Springs, senior; Kenzie Yoder, Eudora, senior; Emma Reeves, Spring Hill, junior; Olivia Fraley, Spring Hill, sophomore; Anna Kane, Paola, senior; Chevy Seaton, Ottawa, senior; Jenna Cauthon, Louisburg, senior; Jordyn Vorbeck, Tonganoxie, freshman; Megan Quinn, Louisburg, senior

UTILITY — Addison Hasset, Bonner Springs, senior; Lily Rife, Eudora, senior

EUDORA — The Louisburg softball team was hoping for a big run through the postseason.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats saw that run end a little prematurely.

Louisburg, the No. 10 seed, traveled to Eudora for the Class 4A regional tournament on May 14 and squared off with No. 7 Tonganoxie. Despite getting out to an early lead, Louisburg’s season came to a close with a 5-1 loss to the Chieftains.

“Going into any regional, you have to expect you are going to get the best version of any team,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “That’s what we got from Tongie. They hit the ball really well. We would make an adjustment and they did something else to find a way to keep their offense rolling. 

“We played top notch defense. We turned three double plays. We made all of our fundamental defensive plays. Izzy and Megan pitched really well. It came down to they hit the ball and we didn’t.”

The Wildcats got off to a good start in the first inning. Rylee Hickey led off with a walk, while Jenna Cauthon and Megan Quinn followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases.

Hickey went on to score on a wild pitch and Louisburg took a 1-0 lead.

Tonganoxie answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning. The game remained tied till the bottom of the fourth inning when the Chieftains scored three to take a 4-1 lead. 

The Chieftains added another run in the sixth and the Wildcats were unable to get much offense after that first inning.

Louisburg senior Izzy Moreland got the start for Louisburrg and pitched four innings and gave up four runs and struck out four. Quinn came in for the final two innings of relief.

The Wildcats ended their season with an 11-15 record, which was the most wins in a decade, and they had to say goodbye to a 5-member senior class in Moreland, Quinn, Cauthon, Hickey and Ashley Moreau — who all have been varsity starters since their freshmen season.

“I’m so proud of this team and the season we had,” Chapman said. “We had our banquet to celebrate our season and I realized we beat all but 2 teams in our league this year. That’s pretty sweet. We lost by 1 to a 6A state tournament team in Blue Valley West. We could have beat Lansing, a pretty solid 5A team that gave Spring Hill fits. We beat the teams we should have beaten and we won a lot of close games that could have gone either way. Eleven wins is nothing to be upset about. 

“These seniors have been put in a lot of work to help us get to this point and they are handing it off to the underclassmen to continue that work and I believe we are only going to get better from here.”