Louisburg senior Mia Wilson homered and drove home six runs in the Lady Cats’ doubleheader with Osawatomie on Thursday. Wilson also had a complete game performance on the mound with 12 strikeouts.

OSAWATOMIE — Eight games can seem like an eternity when they all end in a loss.

That is what the Louisburg softball team was going through heading into last Thursday’s doubleheader in Osawatomie. Now, the Lady Cats have started a new streak — a better one.

Louisburg snapped its losing skid with an 11-5 and 12-2 victory over Osawatomie at Karl E. Cole Sports Complex as the Lady Cats picked up their first victory since their season opener.

“Those wins were huge for us,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “I’m so proud of every girl in our lineup. We needed that for our confidence going into these last few weeks of our season. Every girl contributed at the plate and in the field. Once we learned to sit back on their pitchers, our bats exploded the way they are capable of. Every girl hit the ball hard.”

The Lady Cats (4-8) pounded out 23 runs in the two games on 27 hits, but had to play catch up in the opener as Louisburg trailed 3-0 after one inning.

That quickly changed as the Lady Cats scored three runs in the second and third innings and added four more in the fifth to seal the win.

Senior Mia Wilson and sophomore Izzy Moreland each led the way with three hits and both recorded a double. Moreland, sophomore Ashley Moreau and freshman Sabra Brueggen each drove home two runs.

Moreau, Amaya Weilert and Addy Stohs each finished with two hits, while Weilert, Wilson and Jenna Cauthon each added an RBI.

The Lady Cats also played solid defense in the two games as they made several plays in the field that halted any attempt at a Trojan comeback.

“In the field, we made the routine plays that we needed to make and we had a couple great effort plays,” Chapman said. “Amaya was a wall behind the plate. Rylee (Hickey) had a great diving catch off a pop up in front of the plate and controlled the bases well. Infielders played really well. Our outfield played well. Very proud of all of our girls.”

Wilson provided the Wildcats with a strong start on the mound despite a rocky start. She settled in and pitched a complete game with 12 strikeouts.

She followed it up with another memorable performance at the plate in game two as she led off the contest with a 2-run home run to give the Lady Cats an early lead. She finished with 5 RBIs in the nightcap.

“Mia had an awesome night,” Chapman said. “She started on the mound, gave up a 2-run home run and another run, had to adjust to the strike zone and then she got going. She had 12 strikeouts and 6 scoreless innings. 

“At the plate she did a lot of great things to help runners get around a score and then she started our huge 1st inning in the second game with a bomb. She was a great example of having to work through some adversity and found ways to be successful. She had one heck of a night.”

Just like the first game, Louisburg got another strong start from its pitchers — this time it came from Moreland. The Louisburg sophomore pitched a complete game and gave up just one earned run and had nine strikeouts.

Moreland got a big lead to work with as the Lady Cats scored all 12 of their runs in the first inning.

Moreau led off for the Lady Cats and finished the game with three hits and an RBI. Cauthon had two hits, including a double and drove home a pair of runs.

Stohs, Moreland and Hickey also had RBI hits in that second game.

Louisburg will try and build on its winning streak Thursday when it travels to Anderson County for a doubleheader.

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

MIA WILSON, SENIOR, SOFTBALL

Louisburg senior Mia Wilson helped the Lady Cat softball team — both in the field and with the bat — last week in a pair of victories over Osawatomie. Wilson started the first game of the doubleheader last Thursday and struck out 12 batters in a 7-inning victory.

Wilson continued that success at the plate. In the three games (two against Osawatomie and one against Ottawa) she tallied six hits and finished her week with eight runs driven in. A few of those came with one swing of the bat when she hit a 3-run home run in the nightcap of the doubleheader against Osawatomie.

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

Louisburg second baseman Jenna Cauthon dives for a ground ball while a Bonner Springs player leaps to get out of the way last Tuesday in Bonner Springs.

TONGANOXIE — The last week wasn’t too kind to the Louisburg softball team.

It started with a pair of losses to Bonner Springs last Tuesday and ended a with a setback Thursday at Tonganoxie.

Louisburg never got any traction against the Chieftains as the Lady Cats fell 11-1 in the one-game outing at Tonganoxie.

The Chieftains scored two runs in the first two innings to take a 4-0 lead. Freshman Addy Stohs doubled home fellow freshman Sabra Brueggen in the top of the third for the Lady Cats’ lone run.

Tonganoxie added three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to seal the win over Louisburg.

Louisburg had just four hits on the night, but two of them came off the bat of sophomore Jenna Cauthon, who had a pair of singles.

The Lady Cats (2-7) battled Bonner Springs last Tuesday and nearly came out with a win in the opener. However, Louisburg lost both contests 7-6 and 11-1.

Louisburg took a 2-0 lead in the first game against the Braves when Brueggen singled home Izzy Moreland and Stohs in the top of the second, but Bonner Springs responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Bonner Springs took a 6-2 advantage into the top of the seventh when the Lady Cats rallied for four runs to tie it.

Brueggen reached on an error that allowed Stohs to score and then Megan Quinn scored on an Ashley Moreau ground out.

Senior Mia Wilson came through with the biggest hit of the game for Louisburg on a single that scored Brueggen and Mackenzie Rooney to tie the game with two outs.

Bonner Springs scored quickly in the bottom of the seventh to win it thanks to an error, a passed ball and a wild pitch.

“Right now we are not playing up to our potential,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “The first game against Bonner, I was really proud of how we came back from a 4-run deficit in the top of the seventh to give ourselves a chance to win the game. That was a fun inning. 

“What’s hurting us is our inability to make routine plays. When we can figure out how to make routine plays consistently and not put as much pressure on our offense, then I think we are going to be really good. This week we are focused on growing and getting better every game we play.”

Wilson started the game and gave up two earned runs in five innings and struck out a pair of batters. She also led the Louisburg offense with a pair of singles, while Brueggen drove in three runs.

Louisburg took an early lead in the nightcap after Rooney led the game off with a single and came around to score on a double from Wilson. 

Bonner Springs responded with six runs in the first inning and never looked back.

The Lady Cats will try and snap their seven-game losing streak tonight when they travel to Ottawa. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg freshman Sabra Brueggen lines a base hit to the outfield Thursday against Wellsville at Lewis-Young Park.

The Louisburg softball team was hoping to build on its first two wins of the season last week as the Lady Cats hosted Spring Hill and Wellsville in a pair of doubleheaders.

Unfortunately for the Lady Cats, neither of them went as well as they would have hoped.

Following a pair of losses to Spring Hill last Tuesday, Louisburg’s offense came to life against Wellsville, but lost a 19-13 extra inning affair in the first game and then lost 18-7 in the nightcap for its fourth straight loss Thursday at Lewis-Young Park.

Although the Lady Cats were able to plate 20 run in the two games, they struggled in the field with eight errors in each game.

“Our bats are hot right now,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “We are hitting the ball well and we are executing situations when needed. We just beat ourselves on defense. We put ourselves in position to win the first game and we didn’t finish it. I was very proud of how we responded going into the bottom of the 6th and 7th innings needing to score runs to give us a chance and we did. 

“Wellsville was a great offensive team but we shouldn’t have to score that many runs to try to win games. I’m glad we can though. We will get back to work and look to put a better product on the defensive side of the ball and continue our hot bats.”

In the opener, the Lady Cats jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, only to see Wellsville respond with seven runs in the sixth. Louisburg answered right back with seven runs of its own in the bottom of the frame.

Wellsville scored three more in the seventh to take a one run lead, but Sabra Brueggen led the bottom of the seventh off with a double and scored on a single from Mia Wilson to force extra innings.

The Eagles took the momentum right back as they scored seven runs in the eighth and the Lady Cats weren’t able to rally this time around.

Sophomore Izzy Moreland led the Lady Cats with three hits, including double and 3 RBIs. Wilson also finished with three hits and 2 RBIs, while Brueggen had three hits, a double and an RBI.

Ashley Moreau, Addy Stohs, Megan Quinn and Brynley Bauer each finished with two hits, including double from Quinn and Bauer. Moreau, Quinn and Rylee Hickey had 2 RBIs each.

In the nightcap, one big inning by Wellsville put the Lady Cats in a hole they couldn’t get out of.

Louisburg (2-4) trailed 8-7 going into the fifth when the Eagles exploded for a 10-run inning to put the game out of reach.

Six players finished with a multi-hit game for Louisburg. Sophomore Jenna Cauthon had two hits, including a double and 2 RBIs, while Stohs also had an RBI double.

Moreau, Wilson and Moreland each finished with a pair of hits and a run batted in, while Brueggen had a pair of singles and two runs scored. Quinn also finished with two singles.

Louisburg will try and bounce back today when it travels to Bonner Springs for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Spring Hill hands Louisburg two losses

Louisburg hosted Spring Hill last Tuesday at Lewis-Young Park and the Broncos are considered to be the league favorite. 

The Broncos showed early and often why they are among the best in the Frontier League.

Spring Hill handed Louisburg 13-1 and 16-4 losses in what was its first setback of the season.

Louisburg took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of the first game after freshman Mackenzie Rooney walked and later scored on an error. In the fourth, Spring Hill broke the game open with a 13-run inning.

“Spring Hill is a really good team,” Chapman said. “They are going to be a tough one to beat in the league and 5A. They took advantage of our mistakes. I thought in both games, we played solid softball for 3-4 innings in each game. We were up 1-0 going into the top of the 4th and Spring Hill was frustrated. They started hitting the ball well and we let that get to us. Same thing in the second game. 

“We allowed some easy runs but we stayed competitive at the plate and frustrated them on the mound. We just couldn’t hold off their bats and make the plays we needed to. We have to learn that we are going to see teams that are going to hit the ball well, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play even better defense.”

In the nightcap, Spring Hill jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the third and scored 10 more runs in the next two innings.

Brueggen led the Louisburg offense with a pair of hits and two RBIs, while Wilson had an RBI double. Rooney finished with an RBI triple and Stohs added a double and scored a run.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the spring sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

SABRA BRUEGGEN, FRESHMAN, SOFTBALL/GIRLS SWIM

Louisburg freshman Sabra Brueggen made big contributions to two different teams for the Wildcats last week. It started on the softball field on Mar. 29 as Brueggen collected four hits, including a 2-run double in the first game, to help the Lady Cats to a sweep of Baldwin. She also scored four runs and had two stolen bases.

Last Wednesday, Brueggen hit the waters for the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg girls swim team and qualified for state in two events in her first meet of the season. Brueggen recorded a time of 26.04 seconds to qualify for state and win the 50-yard freestyle. She later went on to win the 100 backstroke and recorded a state qualifying time of 1:03.82.

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

Louisburg coach Nick Chapman fires up his team after a big inning last Tuesday against Baldwin at Lewis-Young Park.

The 2022 campaign for the Louisburg softball team is already off to an electrifying start.

The Lady Cats competed in all phases of the game Tuesday in their home opener against Baldwin. Louisburg won by playing small ball in the first game in a 5-2 victory, but the Lady Cats showed a different side to themselves in the second.

Louisburg’s bats came alive as the Lady Cats rolled the Bulldogs in the nightcap for a 12-3 victory to win their first two games of the season.

In just their first outing, the Lady Cats already eclipsed their one win from a season ago and it was a memorable start to their season.

“They had confidence in not only themselves, but each other, which is huge for our young team right now,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “They need to believe in each other. They communicated and celebrated with each other. From the girls that started both games to the ones that pinch ran for us, they worked together to make it happen. Once we got through our lineup once and got that first at bat out of the way, they got going. We got down 1 kind of early and for 3 or 4 innings but again I saw the change in them. They never once hung their heads. They worked through it and then we found our big two innings that helped seal the first win. 

“Same thing in the second game, it just happened a little sooner. I think when Sabra (Brueggen) caught that last out in the first game, each of us took a big sigh of relief. Then we were able to play free in the second game. It felt good to me to win those two games but even more important is it allowed the girls to smile and have fun playing this game. It was just a fun night overall. We actually had fun in our team huddle at the end. I started a new tradition last year of giving out game balls after wins. Well I gave out twice as many out Tuesday night as I did all of last year and the girls laughed about it and you could tell there was a lightness that they finally felt and as a coach, that was really nice to see.”

In the first game, Louisburg found itself down 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Rylee Hickey worked a walk and then went to third on a bunt single from Sabra Brueggen.

Hickey went on to score on a passed ball and then Brueggen came around to score when Ashley Moreau reached on an error.

The Lady Cats (2-0) broke the game open in the sixth. Jenna Cauthon singled to open the inning and Izzy Moreland followed with a bunt single and Addy Stohs singled to center to load the bases.

Megan Quinn singled home pinch-runner Brooklyn Harmon and then Brueggen broke the game open when she doubled home Stohs and pinch-runner Sami Lane.

It was that “small-ball” mentality of moving runners that helped Louisburg persevere in that first game.

“The small stuff is what we are going to have to be good at,” Chapman said. “The big inning doesn’t always come from a home run or big hit. For our team, we are fast and sneaky, but also have some power. I have given the girls a lot of freedom to make things happen this year. With a young group, that could be dangerous but it could also create less stress for them. They utilized it well on Tuesday. If something didn’t work out, we talked about and learned from it. 

“Not only is this group athletically talented, they are smart girls. The softball IQ was very high on Tuesday and how they executed things without me saying anything. That’s going to be huge for us if we continue to grow in that aspect.”

Starter Mia Wilson kept the Lady Cats in the game as she allowed one run to go along with seven strikeouts, but had to work around six walks. Moreland came in for the final three innings and gave up just one run on one hit and struck out three.

After a strong performance from Quinn, who allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out three in the nightcap, Moreland came in for the final three inning to close the door as she struck out six.

“Our pitching staff was incredible,” Chapman said. “Mia started and struck out the side in the first inning and set the tone for the night on the mound. She got in some trouble a couple times, but worked herself out of it. Megan started game 2, hit her spots and got girls to hit into our defense. Then Izzy came in in both games and completely dominated to close out both. These three offer different things that batters were never able to get comfortable in the box. They were awesome.”

Louisburg was led by a pair of freshman hitters Tuesday. After Brueggen came through in the first game, it was Mackenzie Rooney’s turn in the second.

Rooney came up twice with the bases loaded, and cleared them both times with a double and triple to finish the night with a team-high 6 RBIs.

“These two definitely came in clutch,” Chapman said. “Sabra was consistent at the plate all night and is the one that helped get that big inning going for us and led the charge as freshman in that inning. Mack struggled in the first game at the plate, with her nerves, but did a lot of great things on the bases. Game two she finally found her bat. The first one is what sparked us and the second one sealed it for us. I’m so proud of these two along with the other freshmen who did a lot of the small things correctly that helped us get girls over and scored.”

Baldwin once again got out to a 1-0 lead, but Louisburg scored three in the third, one in the fourth, four in the fifth and four more in the sixth.

Wilson led the team in hits with three, to go along with 2 RBIs. Moreau also had a pair of hits and 2 RBIs.

Brueggen also had a pair of singles, while Quinn had a two-run single of her own.

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going this Tuesday when it hosts Spring Hill for a doubleheader at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg starting pitcher Mia Wilson is the lone senior on the 2022 Lady Cat softball team and returns as the squad’s No. 1 starter/

It was challenging 2021 campaign for the Louisburg softball team.

The Wildcats finished the year with just one win and missed out on the regional playoffs. It was a team filled with freshmen playing pivotal roles on the varsity level.

As tough as that season was, many of those same players are returning with a year of experience. The 2022 version of Wildcat softball is still a young team with a roster filled with freshmen and sophomores.

With just one senior on the roster in pitcher Mia Wilson, Louisburg is looking to take several steps forward with a young group players.

“This was a young group last year and they experienced a rough season,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “They have definitely grown and have helped me grow as a coach. You can see confidence growing in everything they do from they way take routine reps, to laying out and practicing the top 10 plays, to how they lead and talk to each other. I’ve set expectations for this group and they are working to get there. I’m proud of them and I can’t wait to see them to put it together.”

Wilson is the team’s oldest player as she returns as the Wildcats’ No. 1 pitcher, however the other 12 players on the varsity rosters are either freshmen or sophomores.

Even with younger players, Chapman is excited to see the girls compete and improve as the season goes along.

“They are gaining confidence every day and they are hungry,” Chapman said. “You can tell in the way they practice, in the way they hold each other to a standard of wanting to be better every day, every rep. They cheer each other on, they pick each other up, they hold each other accountable so that our team finds success. From top to bottom, this is a special group of girls, at both levels. The program is growing and I’m excited to get this thing going this year.”

The Wildcats return their entire pitching staff from a year ago and it starts with Wilson, who was an All-Frontier League honorable mention selection a year ago with 47 strikeouts on the year.

Sophomores Megan Quinn and Izzy Moreland will also return and see time on the mound throughout the season.

“Izzy had to become a two game catcher last season and her pitching was not able to be utilized,” Chapman said. “She is going to step in nicely and I’m excited to finally get her on the mound this season. These 3 all offer something different and it’s a special thing that we are trying to grow, and what’s beautiful is they work together and coach each other and make my life way easier as a baseball guy trying to learn the art of softball pitching. This is going to a special staff. I’m excited for them. We are going to put a defense behind them that have their back and get the job done.”

When she is not on the mound, Wilson will play the shortstop position, while sophomore Ashley Moreau will also see time in the middle infield. 

Moreland will play either first or third base, depending on the situation, while returning starter, sophomore Jenna Cauthon, will play second or third.

Sophomores Rylee Hickey and Amaya Weilert will see time at catcher. Hickey will also see time in the outfield with freshmen Mackenzie Rooney and Sabra Brueggen.

Freshman Addy Stohs will also see time as a designate player and freshman Brynley Bauer could see time at catcher and in the outfield. Sophomore outfielder Brooklyn Harmon and freshman infielder Sami Lane are also listed on the varsity roster.

Offensively, this group also looks to improve as they feature players throughout the lineup that can do different things.

“At the plate, our goal is to get runners on, get them over and get them in,” Chapman said. “Team softball. Our lineup 1-9 in my eyes will work together very well and there’s not a point of in our lineup that worries me. We have speedy girls who will get on base any way they can and take advantage of whatever they can on the bases. We have girls that are solid contact hitters that will do a job in any situation and we have girls that have some pop. We just need to put it together.”

Louisburg opens its season Tuesday as the Wildcats host Baldwin for a varsity-only doubleheader at Lewis-Young Park.

Chapman is excited to see what his team can do on opening day and is looking for a lot of positive moments for the 2022 season.

“They want to be good,” Chapman said. “They want success and doing the right things to find that success. My goal every year is state as every competitor should have that goal, be the last team standing. Bigger picture is I want this program to grow into a consistent threat in the Frontier League, which is tough, as well as the state. We will see ourselves in a regional this season and work to break through to the state tournament. .500 is our goal and to make that the new norm for this program.”

Success has seemed to follow Alyse Moore wherever she goes. 

It isn’t by chance, however — Moore has made her own luck.

Whether it was helping the Louisburg girls basketball team to its best finish in school history, eclipsing the 500 rebound plateau or earning a state medal and breaking the school record in the javelin, Moore had a big year for Wildcat athletics.

Those were just some of the reasons Moore was named the 2021 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.

“It means everything to me to be honored as the Female Athlete of the Year,” Moore said. “I am super thankful to have gotten the opportunity to be an athlete at Louisburg and it is great to be able to be rewarded for that.”

Moore began the school year as the starting outside hitter for the Louisburg volleyball team and ended as an honorable mention All-Frontier League player.

She was second on the Lady Cats with 174 kills and also played well on defense as she was second on the team with 195 digs. She also had 19 aces.

“Alyse is an extremely hard worker and was a joy to coach for four years,” former Louisburg volleyball coach Jessica Compliment said. “Her hard work and leadership paid off as a multi-sport athlete, and I enjoyed seeing her excel in each sport. She had a way of bringing out the best in her teammates and pushed herself and her teammates to be the best they could be. Alyse is very deserving of this award, and I am very happy for her.”

On the basketball court, Moore made an even bigger impact as she helped the Lady Cats to a third place finish at the Class 4A state tournament, which the program’s best finish in school history. It was also the first state appearance for the program in 47 years.

Along with eclipsing the 500 career rebound mark, Moore was also an honorable mention all-league player. She led Louisburg in rebounding with 8.6 boards a game to go along with 7.3 points and 1.7 steals.

She also earned honorable mention all-state honors from Sports in Kansas and the Wichita Eagle.

“Alyse is very talented in several different sports, but I feel Alyse is deserving because of her hard work and effort,” Louisburg basketball coach Adrianne Lane said. “No matter what season, Alyse would work hard and contribute to her team. It was an honor coaching Alyse in basketball. She would do whatever the team needed to win and she set a great example for everyone with her effort in practice and her positive attitude.”

It was that tournament run that stuck out to Moore the most and it was a time she will never forget.

“I would have to say my all time favorite memory from this year was the Labette County game that brought us to Salina,” Moore said of the team’s state quarterfinal win. “I have never played in such a loud and fun environment and I am so lucky to have been able to have that experience and get to be in the final four with all of my best friends. I will remember that moment for the rest of my life.”

That success continued over to the javelin as Moore recorded her state straight state medal in the event as she finished fourth. In the process, Moore also broke a 20-year-old school record with a throw of 149 feet.

Next season, Moore will throw for the University of Kansas track and field team as she continues to try and improve in an event she just started trying three years ago.

“Alyse is an amazing student-athlete,” Louisburg girls track coach John Reece said. “She has a great work ethic and that carries over into competition and her leadership as a teammate. She was always willing to put in the extra time needed to make herself even better. This showed with her breaking a longtime javelin record and competing on the big stage at the state meet.

“Since having her in the classroom to now, she has held a high standard for herself and has achieved great things. She will be an asset at the next level and I expect to read about her doing great things in the future.”

Moore also made a little more history following the team’s state tournament run in basketball. She became the first female athlete in school history to participate in four different state athletic events.

As as sophomore in 2019, she went to state in both softball and track. Moore has also placed at the state tournament with both the volleyball and basketball teams.

“To be able to be the first female athlete in school history to participate in the state tournament in four different sports is honestly a dream come true,” Moore said. “It is an amazing opportunity to be able to compete at the state tournament even once, and to be able to do that in four different sports makes me beyond proud. I couldn’t have done it without my coaches and my teammates and I can’t thank them enough.”

Playing in multiple sports has taught Moore different things when it came to competing and other aspects of team sports. It was a memorable four years for the recent Louisburg grad.

“Each sport is slightly different in their own way, but I love each and every one of them and I still have a tough time deciding which one was my favorite,” Moore said. “I loved the crazy celebrations on the court in volleyball. I loved the bond that you create with your teammates in basketball, and I loved the reflection of hard work and technique in track. I enjoyed each sport so much.

“I am so thankful for my time at LHS and for all of my amazing coaches and teammates. I also would like to thank my parents for motivating me every day to work hard and be a good person while doing so. I am going to miss being able to play sports in front of such a supportive community and with unbelievably great people.”

The 2021 season might not have been what the Louisburg softball team had hoped for record-wise with one win, but two Lady Cat players stood out among the Frontier League coaches.

The All-Frontier League Softball Team was released last weekend and two Louisburg players made it on the list.

Senior Brooklyn Diederich and junior Mia Wilson were both given honorable mention honors for their roles with the team this season.

“I think for as young as our team was and the season we had, we were well represented,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “Frontier League softball is tough. There’s never a game that I feel like we could just run away with. There is a lot of talent in our league, which is good because it will help us grow as a program and learn how to win tough games.”

Diederich, who was an honorable mention outfielder, played centerfield for the Wildcats all season and was one of the team’s top hitters. Diederich had 14 hits for the Lady Cats to go along with three doubles, a home run and 6 RBIs. She also scored 13 runs.

“Brooklyn was a true leader for us,” Chapman said. “Even in games that we were getting beat up on, she was still willing to lay out and make plays. She’s so smart on the offensive side of the ball. She’s also looking to find a way on base or get to the next bag. She will be greatly missed.”

As for Wilson, the Louisburg junior was named an honorable mention pitcher as she was the Lady Cats’ No. 1 pitcher on the season. She pitched 43 innings and struck out 47 batters.

“Mia is a tough girl,” Chapman said. “She sustained some injuries throughout the season but never wanted to miss practice or a game. She got a line drive hit right back to her, in the face, and still finished the inning by striking out a girl. She is going to be huge for us next year and I can’t wait to see the growth she makes.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOFTBALL

First Team

PITCHER — Emily Ashford, Bonner Springs, senior; Kira Baker, Eudora, junior

CATCHER — Kaitlyn Bradbury, Piper, senior

INFIELD — Jayla Pierce, Eudora, senior; Harper Schreiner, Eudora, junior; Riley Titus, Ottawa, senior; Maggie Kauk, Paola, sophomore

OUTFIELD — Mariah Herrera, Bonner Springs, freshman; Kylie Vandervoort, Tonganoxie, sophomore; Mya January, Spring Hill, junior

DH/UTILITY — Ella Scoby, Baldwin, junior

Second Team

PITCHER — Alex Powell, Ottawa, junior; Vanessa Murray, Spring Hill, junior

CATCHER — Gaige Pinkerton, Spring Hill, senior

INFIELD — Wren VanCleave, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Kate Ediger, Paola, junior; Sage Grann, Piper, freshman; Paitlyn Flood, Spring Hill, senior

OUTFIELD — Emma Grossoehme, Baldwin, senior; Alexis Chapman, Paola, senior; Shalom Searcy, Piper, sophomore

DH/UTILITY — Kylie Brockman, Piper, sophomore

Honorable Mention

PITCHER — Mia Wilson, Louisburg, junior; Alyssa McClanahan, Piper, sophomore; Emma Moppin, Piper, freshman; Maggie McNally, Spring Hill, junior; Sarah Mays, Tonganoxie, senior

CATCHER — Teenie Super, Bonner Springs, sophomore; Ava Kehl, Paola, sophomore

INFIELD — Elli Han, Eudora, senior; Emma Stottlemire, Ottawa, junior; Lauren Curtis, Ottawa, junior; Kyla Fuller, Paola, junior; Kaia Cordill, Piper, junior; Mariah Hess, Spring Hill, senior; Riann Pinkerton, Spring Hill, junior

OUTFIELD — Zoey LaTessa, Baldwin, junior; Addison Woods, Eudora, sophomore; Brooklyn Diederich, Louisburg, senior; Kirsten Evans, Ottawa, junior; Maddison Woman, Ottawa, senior; Raven Corlee, Piper, junior

DH/UTILITY — Addison Hassett, Bonner Springs, freshman; Alex Powell, Ottawa, junior; Julia Hess, Spring Hill, senior

Louisburg senior Jenna Terry tries to turn a double play during the Lady Cats’ May 11 game against Paola at Lewis-Young Park.

Louisburg’s Senior Night softball games against Paola back on May 11 was an emotional one for many reasons.

Not only did the Lady Cats have to say goodbye to their three seniors – Brooklyn Diederich, Maggie Ming and Jenna Terry — but they also had to say farewell to their 2021 season a little prematurely to what they hoped.

Louisburg’s 21-3 and 20-5 losses to the Panthers ended the Lady Cats’ season with a 1-19 record as they were not able to qualify for the Class 4A regional tournament.

In a season that didn’t feature many wins,  the Lady Cats grew throughout the season and it was something head coach Nick Chapman believes is a testament to his three seniors in keeping the team together and staying positive.

“Our older girls were great leaders in the effort they gave and what they put into the program,” Chapman said. “I’m sad to see our three seniors leave, but I know each of them are going to do great things in the future. 

“This year taught me a lot about being a coach. I’m not perfect by any means, but my goal is that we all learned something this season and want to be better and for this program to be successful.”

In the first game against Paola, the Lady Cats scored three runs on six hits. Diederich and Mia Wilson each recorded a double, while Wilson and Jenna Cauthon both had RBI hits.

Izzy Moreland, Emily Gephart and Ming also had hits in the opener.

In the nightcap, the Lady Cats had a 5-4 lead going into the fourth inning, but Paola responded with four runs in the fourth and fifth innings and ended with an 8-run seventh.

Cauthon led the way offensively with two hits, a double and 2 RBIs and Diederich also finished with two hits. Moreland and Gephart also had RBI singles in the loss.

Despite the rough ending to the season, Chapman liked the improvements that his team made, especially with a young roster.

“I think we got better as the season went on,” Chapman said. “Our record doesn’t show the growth we made as a team. We had five freshmen and two sophomores on varsity to end the year. The rest were made up by a junior and our three seniors. 

“Our younger girls really stepped up and a couple of them led the team in hitting. The future is very bright if we can continue to grow and get better over the summer and throughout next year leading up to the start of the season. We are going to find consistency in how we play and play well. Louisburg softball will be up there with the big dogs and consistently competing for championships, year after year.”