Eleven years ago, I was a nervous wreck.

I had just been laid off from my newspaper job, one where I had spent seven years covering Louisburg. Like so many others in this profession, I suddenly found myself staring at an uncertain future as newspapers continued to disappear. Jobs were scarce. Stability was gone. And I had a family to support.

I knew I was probably going to have to take a job I didn’t want — something far from journalism — just to make ends meet.

Then an idea hit me.

With news media shifting more and more online, I wondered: Would Louisburg support something like this? Would the community care enough about local sports to follow an independent site dedicated solely to their athletes?

As it turned out, the answer was an overwhelming yes.

Because of the relationships I had built during my first seven years here, there was an appetite from local businesses to support the idea — and many of them never wavered. Eleven years later, a lot of those same businesses were still standing beside Louisburg Sports Zone, believing it was an important piece of the community.

They were right — and I couldn’t agree more.

This past decade-plus has been some of the best years of my life. Through Louisburg Sports Zone, I formed incredible relationships with coaches, athletes, administrators, parents and community members. Even as a graduate of rival Paola, the Louisburg community adopted me as one of their own.

For those of you around my age or older, this might resonate.

I often felt like Norm from Cheers.

Every time I walked into a gym, stadium or field, I’d hear, “Hey Andy!” or “Thanks for coming!” or “We appreciate you.” So many people knew my name — even people I didn’t know — simply because they appreciated what I did.

Instead of an icy cold glass in my hand, I carried a camera. My barstool wasn’t at a counter — it was on the sideline, capturing moments as they happened. And there were plenty of them.

State championships. State tournament appearances. Individual champions and medalists. Record-breaking performances.

I was lucky enough to see it all.

But my favorite part was always watching kids grow — seeing freshmen mature into seniors and leave as confident, capable young adults. That transformation never got old.

My very first event as Louisburg Sports Zone was a home basketball game. I was only a couple months removed from being laid off and still unsure if this idea would work or if anyone would even care.

Those worries disappeared quickly.

As I walked into the gym, Natalie Moore, Kirstin Lowry and Kallie O’Keefe stopped their warmups to smile and wave. Coach Shawn Lowry walked clear across the court to shake my hand and welcome me back.

More than a decade later, I still get those same smiles from athletes and handshakes from coaches and parents alike. Those connections are what made this decision so difficult.

Six months ago, I was offered a position with KSHSAA Covered and the Kansas High School Activities Association. Honestly, I never thought I’d have another writing job outside of Louisburg Sports Zone. I fully intended to keep doing this until the appetite for it simply wasn’t there anymore.

But the opportunity was too good to pass up — and it was the right move for my family.

I knew the connections wouldn’t be the same. Starting over is hard, especially when you know what you’re leaving behind. My favorite part of this job was feeling the appreciation from the community and knowing I was giving people something positive to read.

I wasn’t perfect. I made mistakes along the way. But this community allowed me to grow — as a writer, photographer and a person. I always tried to do the best I could and to cover every sport as fairly and equally as possible.

The last five or six years put me in an interesting position, as my own kids were playing varsity sports. How do you balance being a supportive dad and a journalist at the same time? I hope I did it right.

One of the biggest perks of this job was getting to write about my kids — their first varsity goal, first basket, first shutout or a big volleyball performance. I know how lucky I was to experience that.

None of this would have been possible without my family — especially my wife, Jennifer. I wasn’t home much in the evenings, especially with young kids, and that wasn’t easy. She never stopped supporting me.

To my kids — Jordan, Ally and Carter — thank you for understanding the crazy hours and for supporting me even when I couldn’t be at everything like other parents. I love you more than you know.

I also want to thank all of my advertisers, past and present. Louisburg Sports Zone doesn’t exist without you. Craig Holtzen and Edward Jones, Dixon Contracting Services, White’s Automotive, Prime Accounting Services, Amborn Stone, Wildcat Vet Clinic, Dr. Andy Hill, Destination Fun Travel, Vance Brothers, Go Brolly, First National Bank, First Option Bank, Landmark Bank, Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics, IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Louisburg Family Dental, Vohs Pharmacy, Elliott Insurance, Magnum Equipment, Louisburg Athletic Club, Louisburg Library, Tri-County Pest, Midwest Collision — and so many others along the way.

I also wanted to give a big shoutout to a Louisburg graduate – Kenneth Sweeney. He has been my “web guy” this whole time. He helped design the site and has also been there to help me troubleshoot what problems have come up since then. I couldn’t have done it without him.

Thank you to every coach I’ve worked with. Getting to know you and promote your programs has truly been an honor. I appreciate you enduring my countless emails that I send out every week. You have helped make Louisburg Sports Zone what it is as well. I will miss you all.

And finally, the student-athletes — you are the reason this worked. Thank you for letting me into your lives and giving me so many incredible stories to tell. And consider this a long-overdue apology to anyone I ever did “dirty” with an unfortunate action photo.

So here I am, 11 years later, feeling some of those same nerves as I move into something new. The last six months with KSHSAA Covered have been great, and I’ve been welcomed with open arms.

Still, walking away from something I built was not easy.

I only hope that Louisburg Sports Zone has been as much of a blessing to you as it has been to me. These have been some of the best times of my life — and I will treasure them always.

Thank you, Louisburg.

It was a successful, and eventful, year for Louisburg High School athletics and for those who are connected to the Wildcat program. 

This past year created a lot of school history for LHS and a few programs made their way to state competition. 

Below are the top stories from 2025, along with a brief explanation of each. Included in the writeup is the link to the actual story from the event.

When putting the list together, I took a lot of things into account – whether it was team vs. individual, popularity of the sport, historical achievements and the interest it drew on the web site.

Although 2025 will be the last for Louisburg Sports Zone, I am looking forward to seeing, from a distance, what Louisburg athletics can accomplish in the future. Thank you all for the support in these last 11 years. I will never forget it.

10. Wildcat golf qualifies two for state

A year ago, the Louisburg golf team suffered heartbreak when the Wildcats were completely shut out of the state tournament. 

Not this year, however.

The Wildcats sent two golfers to the state tournament this past May as senior Sam Frederick and junior Derek Frederick both represented Louisburg after earning a spot following the May 19 regional tournament at the Independence Country Club.

Both players competed in their first state tournament, which was held May 27 at the Sand Creek Station Course in Newton. 

Sam Frederick earned a regional medal with a top 10 performance as he led the Wildcat team. The Louisburg senior finished 10th with an 87 on a tough Independence Country Club course. Independence had the top three individual finishers, led by champion Ethan Small, who had a 75.

Derek Frederick was the final individual to qualify for the state tournament as he carded a 91 and took 17th overall. 

9. Coaching changes as Brown, Crossley, Schoning take over volleyball, wrestling, girls soccer programs

There were some coaching changes in 2025 as three teams found new leaders to take charge of their respective programs.

Rich Brown (volleyball), Shawn Crossley (wrestling) and Dawson Schoning (girls soccer) were all hired new Louisburg head coaches.

Brown, who took over from Leanna Willer, helped the Wildcats to the sub-state championship game this past season.

Crossley takes over from long-time coach Bobby Bovaird, who resigned following the season earlier this year. Crossley, who is an LHS alum and former Wildcat wrestler, was an assistant coach the last several years.

As for Schoning, he takes over from former coach Jordan Roquemore who helped lead the Wildcats to a fourth-place state finish a year ago. Schoning, who is new to the district this year, was an assistant coach on the boys team this past fall.

8. Brueggen earns pair of state swim medals

TOPEKA — As Sabra Brueggen stepped onto the state swim podium for the final time, a flood of memories came rushing back.

Memories of when it all started, the friends she made and all her successes along the way. Brueggen has been one of the top swimmers in Class 5-1A the last four years and she proved it once again on May 24 during the Kansas State Swim and Dive Championships in Topeka.

The Louisburg senior ended her high school career with two state medals and a lifetime full of memories.

“Ending my high school career was a very sentimental moment for me,” Brueggen said. “It was the last time I would be racing some of the girls I have been swimming against since age six. Being able to share the podium with them one last time made it even more meaningful, making me very proud of how I performed at my final state meet.”

Brueggen had strong swims throughout 2-day meet that began on May 23 at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. In the prelims, she qualified for the finals in fifth in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke.

In the finals, Brueggen found her way to the medal stand as she finished sixth in the 200 individual medley in 2 minutes and 14.42 seconds.

The 100 backstroke proved to be much of the same for Brueggen there as she also medaled sixth in a time of 58.81 seconds. It completed a string of four straight years of earning a state medal.

7. Wildcat girls make history with first regional cross country title

NEODESHA — For the first time in program history, the Louisburg girls cross country team left a regional meet as champions.

On a rainy, muddy Saturday at Riverside Park in Neodesha, the Wildcats powered through the slick conditions to win the Class 4A regional championship with 39 points — seven ahead of runner-up Paola. The victory also secured a state berth for the entire Louisburg squad.

“It was awesome and emotional to see the girls leave Neodesha as regional champs,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “It has been a long time in the making as we have had multiple teams qualify for state but have never won a regional title. The rankings had us winning the meet, but those are just rankings. The girls showed up to compete and that is exactly what they did.”

It was a youthful lineup that led the Wildcats to history, featuring two freshmen, four sophomores and one junior — and the youngest runners set the tone. Freshman Karissa Williamson finished fourth overall in 22:40.26, just ahead of fellow freshman Maddox McGhee, who took fifth in 22:40.46. Sophomore Hailey Shelton placed sixth in 22:57, giving Louisburg three runners in the top 10.

Sophomore Reese Smith finished ninth in 23:50, junior Talen McMurray placed 16th in 24:16, and sophomores Felicity Allen and Annie Hornberger rounded out the lineup in 23rd and 27th, respectively.

The team went on to run at state along with Truman Ellison, Titus Ellison and Spencer Mattison, who qualified for state on the boys side.

6. Moore state runner-up in wrestling, Wildcats qualify 7 for state

SALINA — In the final match of his wrestling career, Ashton Moore found himself competing for a state championship. 

It was exactly the place he envisioned himself being, even before the season started. The result, however, was a different story.

Moore’s dreams of a state title were dashed Saturday at the Class 4A state wrestling tournament in Salina. Smoky Valley’s Parker Gardner ended his run with a 13-5 major decision at 215 pounds. 

As disappointing as the loss was for Moore, looking back on his long wrestling career helped ease the pain — as did the second place state medal.

“It was tough taking that loss,” Moore said. “I was pretty down about it, but then I had a moment that put things more into perspective for me. After our practice on Friday, Coach (Bobby) Bovaird took us up to the top of the arena to talk about the tournament. Sitting there I remembered being in that same spot as a sixth grader watching the championship round there. At that age I thought those guys were amazing and the toughest people I’d ever seen. 

“So after my loss I thought back to that moment being a sixth grader and I was able to realize how far I’ve come. To see myself at that level now made me very proud I was able to make it to that stage.”

The Wildcat program also had six other wrestlers compete at the state tournament, including two on the girls side. 

Seniors Brayden Yoder (215), Canaan Clayton (120), Mika McKitrick (132) and sophomore Levi Cotter (106) each finished the tournament with an 0-2 mark.

On the girls side, Leola Eslinger and Brooklyn DeWeese became the first Wildcat girls to ever qualify for state.

5. Jazzy Cats take third at state dance

The Louisburg High School Jazzy Cats made their mark in program history on Nov. 21, earning a third-place finish in Class 4A at the State Game Day Spirit Showcase at the Stormont-Vail Events Center in Topeka.

In their first-ever trip to state competition, the Jazzy Cats not only reached the finals but left with some hardware.

Coach Sarah Alexander said the entire experience was meaningful, not only because of the results, but because it was all uncharted territory for the program.

“This was the first time the Jazzy Cats had ever attended state, so the entire experience was brand new for all of us,” Alexander said. “To come home with a state plaque was absolutely incredible. The girls were thrilled just to have the opportunity to compete, and bringing home a plaque made all of their hard work feel truly rewarding. It was such a special moment for the team and a huge milestone for our program.”

Louisburg scored 81.41 in the finals, just enough to edge Holton (81.23) by the slimmest of margins for the final spot on the podium. Ottawa won the state championship with a score of 90.13, while Bishop Miege secured second at 85.77.

4. Louisburg cheer earns Class 4A state runner-up

TOPEKA — The Louisburg High School cheer team added another trophy to its growing collection on Nov. 22, earning the Class 4A state runner-up title at the Game Day Cheer Championships at Stormont-Vail Events Center.

The Wildcats posted an 87.73 in the finals to take second place behind defending state champion Paola, which won with a 94.27. Holton finished third at 85.

For Louisburg, the return to the podium was nothing new. The Wildcats have now finished in the top three six times in the last seven seasons, cementing themselves as one of the state’s most consistent programs.

Louisburg entered the finals in fourth place, boosted by a Fight Song and Crowd Leading routine that ranked second among all teams. The Wildcats had roughly 20 minutes to review score sheets and adjust before stepping back onto the mat—pressure they handled with poise.

“It was truly a special day for all of us,” head coach Breanna Kostroske said. “From the moment we arrived, the athletes were focused, calm, and determined. They’ve poured so much into this season, so seeing them step onto the mat with confidence and joy made the entire experience incredibly meaningful.”

3. Wingfield wins state pole vault title; Meyer, Vohs earn three state medals to lead Wildcat track

For the last four years, Louisburg has dominated the pole vault on the boys side in Class 4A and had its fair share of success on the girls side.

Caden Caplinger and Maddy Carpenter-Ross earned back-to-back state titles during that span and now it was Cooper Wingfield’s opportunity.

Wingfield won gold in the pole vault in 2024 and was the favorite to win again this season — and he did it with ease. The Louisburg senior cleared 15 feet, 6 inches to win his second consecutive state championship during the Class 4A meet on May 30 at Wichita State University. 

“It means a lot to win it back to back, not only for myself, but also to continue what Caden and Maddy had done before me,” Wingfield said. “This year made it four in a row that Louisburg had a state champion in the boys pole vault. It also made me the third back to back pole vault state champion for Louisburg in the last four years. I really wanted to continue that legacy and cement the dynasty we had and I am proud that I did.”

It had been a special year already for Wingfield as he broke his own school record earlier in the year with a clearance of 15-7.75 at the Kansas Relays.

Just like a year ago, his teammate Jacob Brown joined Wingfield on the state podium. Brown earned a fifth place medal after he cleared 14 feet as the Louisburg senior ended his Wildcat career as one of the best in the state.

Aidan Meyer and Myles Vohs each recorded three state medals as they helped the Wildcats to a ninth-place finish with 32 points.

Meyer cemented his place in the Wildcat track history books in one of those events. The Louisburg senior broke a 14-year-old school record in the 400-meter dash as he earned a fourth place finish in 48.83 seconds.

As for Vohs, he opened the state meet with a fifth-place finish in the long jump. Meyer, Vohs, along with Gavin Lohse and Caleb Feldkamp, finished sixth overall in in the 4×100 relay in 43.76 seconds.

Vohs, Meyer, along with Colton Blue and Emmett White, put together an all-senior 4×400-meter relay that took sixth in 3:27.

Another Louisburg senior, Jerynce Brings Plenty, ended his Wildcat track career with a state medal as well. Brings Plenty finished seventh in the 1,600-meter run in 4:39.78.

On the girls’ side, the Louisburg 4×100-meter relay, Kendall Crossley (100-meter dash) and McKenna Lohse (shot put) all found their way to the state podium.

Louisburg’s 4×100-meter relay team of senior Mackenzie Rooney, along with juniors Kendall Crossley, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel finished fourth at state. The Wildcat group broke the school record during the regional meet and posted another fast time of 49.14 seconds during the prelims, which gave them the second fastest time heading into the finals.

That wouldn’t be the only time Crossley found her way to the medal stand.

The Louisburg junior qualified for the finals of the 100-meter dash earlier in the day, and then in the finals, medaled eighth overall in 12.82 seconds.

In the shot put, Lohse put herself in good position in the prelims. She recorded a throw of 37 feet, 1.25 inches in her first three attempts and was sitting in second place going into the finals, before taking fifth overall.

2. Brown first Wildcat to win 2 state swim titles; Wildcats medal in 6 events

LENEXA — Colin Brown was all about making school history Saturday at the Class 5-1A Kansas State Swim and Dive Championships.

Brown became the first Louisburg swimmer in school history to win a state title and did so by winning the 100-yard butterfly. Some athletes would have been content with just the one, but not Brown.

The Louisburg junior took to the water again in the 100 backstroke and won his second state title in a matter of minutes. It was also his fourth state medal of the day, which included a pair of relays.

“It was a surreal experience and an incredible honor,” Brown said. “It was really cool to see all of the hard work and countless hours pay off. It also gave me a sense of pride knowing that I was representing the school while doing so.”

That was the some of the success the Louisburg swim team had at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center. The Wildcats medaled in six events and finished seventh in the team standings with just four swimmers. 

Louisburg junior Andrew Jamison also tallied four medals as made his way to the state podium in the 200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke and two relays. Senior Colton Prettyman and sophomore Noah Sharp joined the other Wildcats as state medalists in the relays.

1. Wildcat soccer takes fourth at state for best finish since 2021

It may have been wet, muddy and just miserable weather for a day in late May, but for the Louisburg girls soccer team, all that didn’t matter.

For the Wildcats, it was a beautiful day. Nothing was going to dampen their spirits. 

Louisburg faced off against Eudora in the Class 4-1A state quarterfinal game on May 25 as it played for a spot in the state final four. 

For the first time since 2021, the Wildcats got it. Louisburg shutout Eudora, 2-0, to earn its first state quarterfinal win in four years.

“It is an amazing achievement to make it to the state final four and I couldn’t be more proud of this team,” senior captain Jaden Bentz said. “This really shows the amount of hard work we’ve all put in throughout the season and it’s nice knowing it has paid off. I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to play with. When the final whistle blew we all were filled with excitement and ran to each other, and that shows the tight sisterly bond our team has.”

Louisburg head coach Jordan Roquemore was an assistant the last time the Wildcats were in the state semifinals and he could tell his team wanted this one more than any game this season.

“I have never seen the team so jazzed about anything all season as when the game was over,” Roquemore said. “We are all really excited for the opportunity to compete in the Final Four this year.”

Louisburg squared off with Rose Hill in the third-place game of the Class 4-1A Kansas State Soccer Championships on May 31 at Wichita’s Stryker Complex. It didn’t take long for the Wildcats to get on the board.

The Wildcats struck first in the game’s opening minutes, but Rose Hill tied it in the first half and scored late in the second to hand Louisburg a 2-1 loss.

Louisburg was coming off a 2-0 loss in the state semifinals on May 28 as it hosted its first state semifinal game against Topeka-Hayden. 

“Honestly, I was really proud of how we played this game,” Louisburg coach Jordan Roquemore said. “Rose Hill is an exceptional squad and we not only kept them at bay defensively, we were very successful in creating attack opportunities. We were nearly even with them for shots on goal and I thought it was a very well-matched game for us.”

For the eighth 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 I sent the nominations back to the coaches and they voted for their top 3 male and female athletes. The recipient will be announced in the coming days.

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

Ashton Moore – Senior – Football, Wrestling

Ashton was a letterwinner for both the Louisburg football and wrestling teams this past season. On the football field, Moore was a first-team All-Frontier League and All-State selection at running back and linebacker for the Wildcats as he led Louisburg to a 7-2 record.

On defense, he became the Wildcats’ all-time leading tackler with 324 stops and he is second in program history with 26.5 tackles for a loss. He also earned the Bobby Bell Award this past season as the Kansas City area’s top small class linebacker/defensive lineman. At running back, he led the Wildcats with 611 yards on the ground to go along with 12 total touchdowns. He was also selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Moore was also the Class 4A state runner-up in wrestling at 215 pounds. Moore is a 4-time state qualifier for the Wildcats and a 2-time state medalist. He finished the 2025 season with a 41-3 record and has 128 career wins for the Wildcat program. Moore was also a team captain for both the football and wrestling teams.

Myles Vohs – Senior – Football, Basketball, Track

Myles was a 3-time letterwinner this season for the football, basketball and track and field teams. On the football field, Vohs was the Wildcats’ favorite target at wide receiver as he had 41 catches for 852 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also averaged more than 20 yards per catch. He was an All-Frontier League first team selection and honorable mention all-state.

On defense, Vohs was an honorable mention all-league selection at cornerback with 20 tackles, 7 pass break-ups and he also had an interception for a touchdown. For his efforts, Vohs was also named to the All-Simone Team and was selected to play in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association all-star game.

On the basketball court, Vohs was the team’s starting point guard and was one of the top scorers on the team with nearly nine points a game to go along with a team-best 56 assists and 32 steals.

On the track, Vohs earned three state medals this past season, including two in a pair of relays. He ran on the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relay teams and both earned a sixth place finish at the state meet. Vohs also placed at state in the long jump as he was fifth with a jump of 21-6.5.

Brayden Yoder – Football, Wrestling, Track

Brayden was a 3-time letterwinner for Louisburg this past season in football, wrestling and track and field. In football, Yoder was a first-team All-Frontier League selection on defense and was a fixture on the Wildcat defensive line. He was second on the team with 68 tackles, including 6 for a loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks.

He was also a second team all-league selection on offense as a lineman. Yoder was one of the leaders on the offensive line that amassed nearly 3,000 yards of total offense. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors.

On the wrestling mat, Yoder was a state qualifier for the Wildcats and finished the season with a 35-12 record at 190 pounds. He was also a regional champion and finished one win shy of a medal during the Class 4A state tournament.

On the track, Yoder was one of the Wildcats’ top javelin throwers on the season and his best throw was just under 150 feet.

Louisburg senior Aidan Meyer heads down the straightaway during the 400-meter dash at the Class 4A state meet in Wichita. Meyer broke the school record in the event and finished fourth.

WICHITA — It was an eventful state meet for the Louisburg boys track and field team.

The Wildcats put together a strong performance as they had eight medalists in six different events. It may have been the most memorable for a pair of seniors.

Aidan Meyer and Myles Vohs each recorded three state medals as they helped the Wildcats to a ninth-place finish with 32 points. Cooper Wingfield was also a big part of that as he captured his second straight state crown in the pole vault, while teammate Jacob Brown also medaled in the event.

“Overall, I’m proud of how this team competed this weekend,” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “This was a special group of seniors, and many came home with medals—some with multiple.”

Meyer cemented his place in the Wildcat track history books in one of those events. The Louisburg senior broke a 14-year-old school record in the 400-meter dash as he earned a fourth place finish in 48.83 seconds

The old record of 49.2 was set by Mark Sitek back in 2011 and it wasn’t even on Meyer’s radar until earlier this season. Holton’s Brayden Peek won the 400 title in 47.70 seconds.

“It meant a lot to place in the 400 at state and break the school record in the process,” Meyer said. “At the beginning of the season, my main goal was to just get sub 50, and when I got that earlier in the season, I knew I could get the record.

“The competition this year for the 400 was very tough. The times this year were much faster this year than they were last year. This helped me a lot at state because it gave me a gauge of where I should be and how it could help me run faster. Those guys in the finals at state truly helped me run the time that I did.”

Meyer and Vohs were also big parts of a pair of state relays that earned medals.

Meyer, Vohs, along with Gavin Lohse and Caleb Feldkamp, finished sixth overall in in the 4×100 relay in 43.76 seconds. Ulysses won the gold in 42.80 seconds.

“It meant the world to medal in both relays, especially with the group of guys that was a part of them,” Vohs said. “It was our goal in the 4×1 to just medal this year after not making it last year. Aidan, Gavin, and Caleb were great teammates and wouldn’t have wanted to run and medal with any other guys.”

Vohs, Meyer, along with Colton Blue and Emmett White, put together an all-senior 4×400-meter relay that recorded the fastest time in the prelims.

The Wildcat team ended up taking sixth in 3 minutes and 27.79 seconds. Although they didn’t have the finish they wanted, it was a memorable season for the four Louisburg runners.

“It meant a lot to medal in the 2 relays,” Meyer said. “Having the group of guys that want it just as much as you do helps out a lot. Everyone on both relay teams worked hard at practice and got better as the season progressed. I’m proud that I was able to run with such a great group.”

“The 4×4 was a blast through and through,” Vohs said. “It didn’t end up how we wanted it to, but to medal at state was still a great achievement. Running with Aidan, Colton, and Emmett was the most fun I’ve had an a while. Great group to get to run with in our last year together.”

Vohs opened the meet as the Wildcats’ first state medalist of the day as he put together a strong performance in the long jump. 

The Louisburg senior finished fifth overall with a mark of 21 feet, 6.5 inches that kicked his state meet off on the right foot.

“It was an amazing accomplishment for me to come away from the state meet and to come home with three medals,” Vohs said. “The year prior I went to state for the 4×8 and we placed ninth, so that satisfaction of getting three this year was a huge thing for me.

“I feel like I performed good, but not the jump I was hoping to pop. It wasn’t a PR at state but a good enough jump to get me a medal, which is what I was chasing for. Coach Wright was telling me before long jump to just go pop one and you won’t need to get a huge pr or jump to medal. He just wanted me to go out there a get a good jump on the board. I went and jumped a 21-6 and was sitting pretty. It was very satisfying just getting to state after not making it a year earlier in the long jump. Just an overall good feeling when I got that medal.”

Blue also earned multiple state medals for the Wildcats. The Louisburg senior, along with the 4×400 relay, finished eighth in the 400 dash in 51 seconds.

Another Louisburg senior, Jerynce Brings Plenty, ended his Wildcat track career with a state medal as well. Brings Plenty finished seventh in the 1,600-meter run in 4:39.78.

Lohse also competed in the 200-meter dash for the Wildcats, but missed out on the finals as he was 14th in 23.12 seconds.

“I thought we competed very well at state, placing in almost every event we qualified for,” Wright said. “Myles started us off by placing 5th in the long jump. Cooper’s back-to-back state championship in pole vault is amazing and he came out ready to defend his title. Jacob placed for the second year in a row, showing great consistency after working hard over the past two years. Both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays competed strong in tough finals, and it was great to see both teams on the podium. Brings Plenty ran a smart race to secure his spot on the podium once again.”

For the last four years, Louisburg has dominated the pole vault on the boys side in Class 4A and had its fair share of success on the girls side.

Caden Caplinger and Maddy Carpenter-Ross earned back-to-back state titles during that span and now it was Cooper Wingfield’s opportunity.

Wingfield won gold in the pole vault in 2024 and was the favorite to win again this season — and he did it with ease. The Louisburg senior cleared 15 feet, 6 inches to win his second consecutive state championship during the Class 4A meet on May 30 at Wichita State University. 

“It means a lot to win it back to back, not only for myself, but also to continue what Caden and Maddy had done before me,” Wingfield said. “This year made it four in a row that Louisburg had a state champion in the boys pole vault. It also made me the third back to back pole vault state champion for Louisburg in the last four years. I really wanted to continue that legacy and cement the dynasty we had and I am proud that I did.”

It had been a special year already for Wingfield as he broke his own school record earlier in the year with a clearance of 15-7.75 at the Kansas Relays.

He had no problem with the competition at the 4A state level as he entered the event at 14-6 and cleared his first two marks with ease. Andale’s Noah Horsch cleared 15 feet on his final attempt, forcing the competition to go a little longer, but Wingfield cleared 15-6 to seal his second state crown.

“I am happy with how I jumped at state,” Wingfield said. “I knew I just had to go out there and make a couple bars to win so that was my focus before anything else. I am happy with what I ended up jumping even though you always wish you jumped higher.”

Just like a year ago, his teammate Jacob Brown joined Wingfield on the state podium. Brown earned a fifth place medal after he cleared 14 feet as the Louisburg senior ended his Wildcat career as one of the best in the state.

“It feels amazing being able to get a medal in back to back years,” Brown said. “It is something to remind me of all the good and bad moments and the never ending hard work it took to get there.

“I didn’t do my best at state. but when it came down to it, I felt more happy to simply be there and just have fun enjoying things rather than stressing about performance. I knew it’d be my last time ever jumping so I just wanted to go have fun and compete.”

It was also a special moment for Brown as he watched his teammate make Wildcat history as he stood atop the state podium for the final time.

“Having a teammate like Cooper has been the best part of the last 4 years,” Brown said. “Everything we did, we did together, and were pushing constantly to be better. To see him go and win feels amazing because he truly deserves it.”

Wingfield was also happy to see his teammate get the recognition he deserved and is thankful Brown was able to help him along his pole vault journey.

“I truly wouldn’t be able to have the success I have had without Jacob,” Wingfield said. On the surface, pole vaulting looks like an individual sport, but I wouldn’t be where I am without the teammates I have had over the years. Jacob and I keep each other accountable and push each other and have been together through the highs and lows. 

“I can certainly say that there has been several times where I’ve been frustrated or upset and Jacob has put me back into the right mindset. Our goal was to get first and second at state this year, and even though we came up short, I am proud of him and thankful for everything he’s done for me.”

Wingfield is not done pole vaulting, however, as he will continue at the collegiate level with Harding University — a Division II program in Arkansas. After winning two state titles, and a state runner-up performance as a sophomore, he is more than satisfied with his Wildcat track career.

“I couldn’t be more happy with how my four years at Louisburg went,” Wingfield said. “I am so thankful for the friends and memories Louisburg track gave me. I never even dreamt that I would become a two time state champion and get second as a sophomore. I really would have liked to put the school record up there higher, but that only motivates and excites me for what is to come. I am hoping to accomplish even bigger things at the next level.”

WICHITA — Going up against the best Kansas has to offer, the Louisburg girls track and field team medaled in three events at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships.

The Louisburg girls 4×100-meter relay, Kendall Crossley (100-meter dash) and McKenna Lohse (shot put) all found their way to the state podium during the May 30-31 meet at Wichita State University.

Louisburg’s 4×100-meter relay team of senior Mackenzie Rooney, along with juniors Kendall Crossley, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel have posted some of the fastest times in Class 4A this season.

The Wildcat group broke the school record during the regional meet and posted another fast time of 49.14 seconds during the prelims, which gave them the second fastest time heading into the finals.

In what was a talented field, the Wildcat relay medaled fourth in 49.46 seconds. Clearwater won the state title in 48.10 seconds, while Coffeyville-Field Kindley was second at 48.69. Buhler was third at 49.07.

“Our 4×100 this year worked hard throughout the season and we were determined to work our way to the top of the podium,” Crossley said. “We all were pushing through injuries, so by state it was hard to work through that with some tough teams at our side. Overall we were proud of what we accomplished at state and throughout the season like setting a new school record and that will set the bar high for next year.”

That wouldn’t be the only time Crossley found her way to the medal stand.

The Louisburg junior qualified for the finals of the 100-meter dash earlier in the day, and then in the finals, medaled eighth overall in 12.82 seconds.

“It was my goal at the beginning of the season to take home more than one state medal so accomplishing that goal made all the challenges I faced throughout the season worth it and made it feel so much more rewarding,” Crossley said. 

It was a special ending for Crossley to the state meet after what was a rough go of it on the first day. Crossley finished ninth in the prelims of the 200-meter dash in 26.52 seconds and missed a spot in the finals and a medal by one place.

However, instead of letting that get her down, she used that as motivation for the 100 dash the next day.

“By just barely missing that mark in the 200 meters, after having huge PRs in that race throughout the season, it was tough to know I was just so close,” Crossley said. “Missing out in that 200 will only push me harder next year. 

“After that you have to move past it and the pressure was on for the 100 meters and I wasn’t going to allow myself to miss out on finals and earn that state medal. It was special to earn that medal because the competition was as hard as it’s ever been and it felt deserving to fit in with all the girls competing with me.”

In the shot put, Lohse put herself in good position in the prelims. She recorded a throw of 37 feet, 1.25 inches in her first three attempts and was sitting in second place going into the finals.

Unfortunately, Lohse couldn’t top that throw, but still earned her first state medal as she finished fifth overall to cap what was her best state performance in the shot put ring. 

“My goal at the beginning of this season was to get back to state again and this time be up on the podium,” Lohse said. “It felt amazing to be up there getting that medal, representing our school, in front of all those people. 

“Honestly, I feel like I could have done better. Ultimately, if I would have thrown closer to my PR, I could have possibly challenged for the gold medal. This will motivate me even more though going into next season.”

It was a special season for Lohse as she had the top throw in Class 4A for a short time this season after setting a new personal record at the Redbud Classic in early May. She is excited to see what can happen in her final season for the Wildcats.

“I am looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish next year,” Lohse said. “One goal I have for myself is to always be better than the previous season and to continue to work harder to meet this. Personally, I have already set several new goals for next year in both shot put and discus. I know Coach (John) Reece and Coach G (Alex Gentges) are going to push me to be my very best next year since it will be my last opportunity to get back out there.”

Sophomore Caroline Apple, who was also in Wichita with the state soccer team, competed in three events on May 30 and just missed her first state medal. 

Apple finished one spot outside of state medal in the high jump after she cleared 5 feet and took ninth overall. She nearly set a new PR at 5-2, but just clipped the bar.

She also competed in both hurdles races. Apple took 15th in the 300 hurdles in 50.08 and was 16th in the 100 in 16.87 seconds.

Freshman Ellie Vohs competed in two events at state, including one individual race in the 1,600-meter run. Vohs, who battled an injured ankle the last few weeks, took 11th overall in 5:42.

Vohs also joined Rooney, Mallett and Crossley in the 4×400-meter relay as they finished 14th overall in 4:15.

Also on the track, senior Marissa Vallejo competed in the 3,200-meter run and took 15th in 13:27. Vallejo, Breck Nielsen, Adelyn Moore and Annie Hornberger took part in the 4×800 relay and was 16th in 11:05.

In the field events, Moore competed in her second event at state in the javelin. She recorded a throw of 114-10 to take 14th overall.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week 10 of the spring sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.

COOPER WINGFIELD, SENIOR, TRACK AND FIELD

Louisburg senior Cooper Wingfield made history at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships on May 30. Wingfield defended his state crown as he won back-to-back state titles in the pole vault after he cleared 15 feet, 6 inches. It was a special season that included, not only another state title, but also broke his own school record at the KU Relays earlier in the season at 15-7.75.

Wingfield has been a fixture in the Class 4A state pole vaulting competition as he won state titles the last two years and was a state runner-up as a sophomore. Louisburg has won the state title in the pole vault the last four years with Caden Caplinger winning the other two.

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

Previous winners

Week 1: Luke Schultz

Week 2: Faith Sewell

Week 3: Meade Rutherford

Week 4: Brynley Bauer

Week 5: Rowan Yows

Week 6: Kendall Crossley

Week 7: Bristol Barbour

Week 8: Aidan Meyer

Week 9: Sabra Brueggen

The Louisburg boys track and field team might not have qualified for state in as many events as it has in the past, but the Wildcats have several who will contend for state medals.

Louisburg qualified for state in seven events following the Class 4A regional meet on May 22 at Louisburg High School. In those seven events, three were regional champions.

Nine Wildcat athletes will make the trip to Class 4A state meet in Wichita on May 30-31.

“The team showed great resilience and determination competing in a very tough regional,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “They came out strong, gave their best effort, and demonstrated significant growth throughout the season. It was exciting to be home for our regional and the fan base was amazing.”

Louisburg seniors Aidan Meyer and Myles Vohs had a big day for the Wildcats as each qualified for state in three events, while Meyer won two regional titles.

Meyer cruised to a gold medal finish in the 400-meter dash in 49.89 seconds. Senior teammate Colton Blue also qualified for state in the event as he finished fourth in 51.03 seconds. 

“Aidan began to showcase his exceptional speed at the end of last season and has firmly established himself as one of the top 400-meter sprinters in Class 4A,” Wright said. “He has recorded multiple sub-50-second times this season, showing both consistency and peak performance. Having experience with the state meet atmosphere, I am confident he will continue to excel and make a strong impact this weekend.”

Meyer ended the meet with another regional title, this time with help of Vohs, Blue and senior Emmett White. The Wildcat quartet won the 4×400-meter relay in 3 minutes and 24.15 seconds.

Louisburg currently has the second fastest time in Class 4A this season as it heads into the state meet.

“The 4×400 relay team continues to take immense pride in their performance and shows consistent improvement every week,” Wright said. “State-level competition will undoubtedly be challenging, but if they keep progressing at this rate, they have a real chance to be contenders for a podium finish.”

The Wildcats also qualified a second relay for state as the 4×100 team of Meyer, Vohs, Gavin Lohse and Caleb Feldkamp took second in 43.50 seconds.

Lohse also went on to qualify in the 200-meter dash as he finished runner-up in 22.63 seconds. It was just the third time this season that the Louisburg senior had competed in the event.

“Gavin faced a tough field but ran a strong race,” Wright said. “His performances in the 200 will continue to improve and compete well at the state level.”

Louisburg senior Jerynce Brings Plenty ran strong in the 1,600-meter run and took second overall with a time 4:38.61 to qualify for state.

Vohs punched his ticket for state in his third event — the long jump. The Louisburg senior put together a career-best performance as he set a new personal record with a mark of 21 feet, 8.75 inches. 

He finished fourth in the event, but the Louisburg regional was one of the toughest in the long jump and Vohs sits with the fifth best mark going into the state meet. 

“Myles’ PR in the long jump was outstanding, particularly given the level of competition,” Wright said. “The fact that the top seven from our regional qualified for state speaks volumes about how challenging it was to advance. Myles is peaking at the right time, and I’m excited to see how he performs at the state meet this week.”

The Wildcats also thrived in the pole vault as they qualified two for state — both who are defending state medalists.

Senior Cooper Wingfield, the defending state champion, won the regional title after he cleared 14-6. Senior Jacob Brown also punched his ticket as the regional runner-up at 14 feet. 

“They are very excited and motivated to return to state,” Wright said. “Their dedication and hard work throughout the season have paid off, and they’re eager to compete at a high level once again. The opportunity to be back to back state champion is going to be difficult, but Cooper is up to the challenge.”

The Class 4A state meet will begin at 1:15 pm on May 30 at Wichita State University. The meet will continue through May 31.

It was a memorable showing for the Louisburg girls track and field team in many ways on May 22 during the Class 4A regional meet at Louisburg High School.

Records were broken, personal bests were set — but more importantly — tickets were punched to the state meet.

The Louisburg girls qualified for state in 12 events and will send 11 athletes to the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships on May 30-31 at Wichita State University.

“The team performed well on Thursday,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “They did what they needed to do to qualify for state and taking 11 girls is awesome.”

Louisburg had one regional champion on the day and it came in the field events. Junior McKenna Lohse took gold in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet, 4.25 inches.

Lohse currently has the third best throw in Class 4A at just under 39 feet and will be vying for a spot on the state podium later this week.

“Kenna threw well and winning the regional championship was fantastic,” Reece said. “She has set herself up for a chance at being the best girl in the shot put in 4A.”

Also in the field events, sophomore Adelyn Moore had one of her best outings of the season in javelin. Moore finished second in a competitive field with a throw of 122-1 to qualify for state for a second consecutive season. 

Junior Kendall Crossley put together a special regional meet performance as she qualified for state in four events and was a part of a new school record in the process.

Crossley, along with Mackenzie Rooney, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel, broke the school record in the 4×100-meter relay as they took second in 49.01 seconds. Coffeyville-Field Kindley won in 48.89 seconds.

They broke the old record of 49.26 that was set in 2023 by Rooney, Dansel, Crossley and Emma Lohse. 

Rooney, Mallett, Breck Nielsen and Crossley also qualified in the 4×400-meter relay as they finished third in 4 minutes and 18.13 seconds.

Crossley punched her ticket to state in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, which both featured some of the top competition in the state. She was fourth in the 100 in 12.72 seconds and fourth in the 200 in 26.25.

“Kendall had a day,” Reece said. “She ran impressive individual races in both the 100 and 200 and the relays really ran well. She has been the rock all season long and has not backed down from any challenge this year. She has done everything we have asked of her.”

Sophomore Caroline Apple also qualified for state in multiple events. She will compete at state in both hurdle races and in the high jump.

Apple took third in the 100-meter hurdles in a season-best time of 16.79 seconds and later finished third in the 300 hurdles in 50.10 seconds. To begin the day, Apple also took third in the high jump after she cleared 4-10. 

It will be a busy upcoming weekend for Apple, as not only will she compete for the Wildcat track team, but is also a part of the Louisburg girls soccer team that will compete in the state tournament this Saturday in Wichita. 

“Caroline had a great day both on the track and in the field,” Reece said. “We knew we had to jump well, and clean, to have a shot at State and she rose to the occasion. She ran two great hurdle races as well and qualifying in three events is outstanding.”

The Wildcats also qualified in three distance races, including one that broke a school record.

Freshman Ellie Vohs, who was running on a bad ankle, not only qualified for state in the 1,600-meter run, but set a new school record in the process. Vohs took fourth in 5:34, which broke the old record of 5:35 that was set by Emma Vohs in 2022.

Vohs, Marissa Vallejo, Annie Hornberger and Moore also qualified in the 4×800-meter relay in a season-best time of 10:33.94. Vallejo later went on to punch her ticket to state in the 3,200-meter run as she took third in 13:04.

“Ellie is a tough athlete,” Reece said. “Not only did she better the school record in the 1,600 by a second, she gave the 800 a try despite her ankle really hurting. Hopefully her ankle gets better this week and she improves again in the 1,600.”

Louisburg begins state competition on May 30 as 4A events begin at 1:15 p.m. at Wichita State University. 

BONNER SPRINGS — It was a record-setting type of day for the Louisburg track and field team. 

At the Frontier League Invitational at Bonner Springs High School on May 15, the Wildcats broke one league and one school record. To add to that, they also brought home two individual league titles.

It was a memorable showing for a Wildcat team that was dealing with the injury bug in one of their more important meets of the season. 

Louisburg senior Cooper Wingfield broke a 17-year-old league record in the pole vault after he cleared 15 feet, 7 inches to win the Frontier title. The previous record of 15-6.50 was set by Gardner-Edgerton’s Isaac Mallory in 2008.

Along with Wingfield, the Wildcats also had a league runner-up in the event in senior Jacob Brown, who took second at 13-6.

“I know the team is still dealing with some injuries, but overall, I’m really proud of how the guys performed,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “Despite the setbacks, we saw a lot of personal bests and strong efforts across the board.

“It was especially exciting to see Cooper set that new league record. It is a testament to his hard work and talent.”

Louisburg senior Cooper Wingfield is the new Frontier League record holder in the pole vault after he cleared 15-7 today at the league meet in Bonner Springs. The old record was 15-6.5 set in 2008. pic.twitter.com/iq1sdEN66C

— Louisburg Sports Zone (@andysportscribe) May 16, 2025

The second record came on the girls side as junior Kendall Crossley put together a memorable race in the 100-meter dash. 

Crossley finished as the league runner-up with a new school record time of 12.34 seconds. The previous record of 12.38 was set by Emma Lohse in 2022.

She later went on to finish as the league runner-up again in the 200-meter dash with a personal best time of 26.16 seconds.

“The girls did a great job at league,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “We had several PR’s and those that competed represented Louisburg well.

“Kendall ran the fastest 2nd place finish 100 I have ever seen and broke the school record to boot. She had the race until the last 15 meters. It was exciting. The same type of race played out in the 200.”

Senor Aidan Meyer captured the boys’ second league title of the day. Meyer won the 400-meter dash in 49.94 seconds.

It was the second straight meet that Meyer has run under 50 seconds. Senior Colton Blue ran a personal best time of 50.37 to take third in the event and Emmett White was fourth in 52.04.

“Aidan’s league title win was a highlight that reflected his consistent effort and growth throughout the season,” Wright said. 

Also on the boys side, the Wildcat 4×100-meter relay of Myles Vohs, Caleb Feldkamp, Anis Ghannam and Gavin Lohse took third in 43.46 seconds.

Jerynce Brings Plenty scored points in a pair of distance races as he finished fourth in the 1,600-meter run in 4:46 and was seventh in the 800 in 2:02. Sophomore Levi Cotter was fifth in the 3,200 run in 11:01.

In the field events, the Wildcats had two point-scorers in the javelin and shot put. 

Senior Brayden Yoder finished sixth in the javelin with a toss of 149-11 and junior Tasen Ellison took seventh at 149-10.

In the shot put, Michael Foote took sixth with a throw of 44-4.5 and senior Miles Meek finished seventh at 44-1.5. Junior Evan McKitrick was sixth in the high jump at 5-10.

Junior McKenna Lohse was bright spot for the girls team as she continued her improvement in the shot put. Lohse was the league runner-up with a throw of 38-5.

It was the second straight week that Lohse has recorded a throw of more than 38 feet as she has one of the top marks in Class 4A. 

Also in the field events, sophomore Adelyn Moore took third in the javelin with a throw of 118-5. Fellow sophomore Breck Nielsen set a personal record in the high jump after clearing 5 feet and finished fourth. 

On the track, the girls 4×800 relay took third in 10.57. 

Sophomore Caroline Apple scored points in both hurdle events. Apple was fourth in the 100 hurdles in 17.34 and took fifth in the 300 in 52.40.

Freshman Taylor Tidd also scored points in the two hurdle events. Tidd took seventh in the 100 hurdles and eighth in the 300.

Louisburg will now prepare for the regional meet. The Wildcats will host the postseason event on May 22 as events begin at 2:30 p.m.

“We look to be ready for regionals and now is the time to step up and be mentally strong and physical tough and qualify for state in as many events as we can,” Reece said. 

Added Wright, “I expect our group to bring the same determination and teamwork we’ve shown all season. With continued focus and effort, I believe we can ac