Wingfield’s record vault highlights Wildcat track at De Soto
Louisburg’s Cooper Wingfield slips over the bar Monday at the De Soto Invitational as he broke the school record in the pole vault with a clearance of 15-7.
DE SOTO — Louisburg pole vaulters have had a lot of success in recent years, which has included three state titles and a runner-up finish.
Reaching new heights would be quite the feat for the Wildcat vaulters, but junior Cooper Wingfield did something no Louisburg vaulter has done before.
Wingfield broke the school record Monday at the De Soto Invitational as he cleared 15 feet 7 inches to win the event going away. The old mark of 15-6 was set by Jacob Albright in 2012.
Wingfield tried for 15-9 and just narrowly missed the mark on his third attempt.
“We had an excellent day for vaulting, and it showed,” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “Cooper has been working very hard, and got the right conditions to go over 15 feet and he made it happen. I don’t think he is done, and I am excited to see him keep climbing.”
As for the Wildcat teams, they completed in their most challenging meet of the season as they went up against schools from across the Kansas City area in the 17-team meet.
The Louisburg boys finished seventh in the team standings as the Wildcats recorded 36 points and Piper won the meet with 113.
“It was our biggest meet of the year,” Wright said. “We wanted a meet of nice weather and tough competition, and in this meet we got both. I really thought the boys came out, competed, and stepped up among tough competitions.
“Although we didn’t place very many in the top 4 of the event, we had a lot of personal bests. It was a good measure of where we are, and where we need to be. I am encouraged that we are going to be peaking at the right time.”
The Louisburg girls recorded 34 points on the day as they took 12th overall. The Lady Cats got 10 of those points from senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross as she won the pole vault after clearing 11 feet.
“At a tough meet, we had some great performances that might not have scored a point,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “We had several out for other school activities. But the girls continue to work hard and the end of the season should bring some positive performances as we peak at the right time.”
Junior Gavin Lohse also had a big performance on the boys side as he recorded a mark 21-7.75 in the long jump to medal second overall.
Junior Jacob Brown also scored points for the Wildcats in the pole vault as he cleared 12-6 to take fourth overall, while Jaymes Melton had a personal best throw in the shot put of 45 feet to take eighth.
Louisburg’s Hunter Heinrich helped the Wildcats as he scored points in two relays and in the 400 dash.
On the track, the Wildcat boys also scored points in a pair of relays. The 4×400 team of Aiden Meyer, Emmett White, Hunter Heinrich and Blaise Vohs took fifth in 3:29.97, while the 4×100 team of Josiah McCaskill, Lohse, Caleb Feldkamp and Heinrich was sixth in 44.39.
Heinrich also earned a fifth place finish in the 400 dash in a personal best time of 51.99 seconds, while Vohs was eighth in the 800 run in a best of 2:04.08.
On the girls side, the Wildcats scored points in a pair of field events, that included two personal bests.
Freshman Adelyn Moore recorded a personal best throw of 121-7 in the javelin to finish fourth overall, while senior Katie Elpers was fifth at 117-7.
In the shot put, sophomore McKenna Lohse recorded a personal best toss of 36-11 I the shot put to finish fifth overall.
Louisburg sophomore Kendall Crossley finished fifth in the 400 dash Monday in De Soto and set a new personal record.
On the track, sophomore Kendall Crossley also recorded a personal best. In the 400-meter dash, Crossley took fifth in 1:02.27.
Senior Maddy Rhamy ran well in the 3,200-meter run as she took fifth in 12:40, while sophomore Suzanna Dansel was sixth in the 100 dash in 13.24.
Louisburg is back in action Friday as it travels to Wellsville for the Redbud Relays. Events begin at 3:30 p.m.
Other results are:
GIRLS
High Jump: Caroline Apple, 9th, 4-8
Long Jump: Madison Hill, 30th, 13-6.5; Hanna Veres, 34th, 12-5.25
Louisburg track thrives at Spring Hill Invitational
Louisburg junior Cooper Wingfield won the pole vault Monday at the Spring Hill Invitational after he cleared 14 feet.
On what was a rare Monday meet, the Louisburg track and field teams put together another strong performance on the road.
The Wildcat boys won the Spring Hill Invitational with 70 points, while the girls finished runner-up with 59 points. Spring Hill captured the girls title with 102.5 points.
“The meet gave us a chance to find out where we are and spotlighted what work is needed,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “This is the time of year where you have to determine if you are going to keep getting better or are happy where you are at, and we want to keep getting better.”
The Louisburg boys won six events on the day, including four on the track.
Relays were a big success for the Wildcats and it started with the 4×100-meter relay. The team of Josiah McCaskill, Gavin Lohse, Gage Feldkamp and Caleb Feldkamp won with a time of 44.86 seconds.
The 4×400 team of Aidan Meyer, Emmett White, Blaise Vohs and Hunter Heinrich also took gold in 3:37.10. Blaise Vohs, Myles Vohs, Colton Blue and Jerynce Brings Plenty were runner-up in the 4×800 relay in 8:48.
Louisburg’s Colton Blue hands the baton off to Myles Vohs during a leg of the 4×800 relay Monday at the Spring Hill Invite.
Senior Noah Cotter had a big day in the distance races as he won both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. Cotter ran a time of 4:55 in the 1,600 and a 10:46 in the 3,200.
Sophomore Blaise Vohs made it a Louisburg sweep in the distance races as he won the 800 run in 2:07.94.
In the field events, junior Cooper Wingfield took home the pole vault title as he cleared 14 feet to win the competition by more than three feet.
Senior Ben O’Bryan won the discus crown with a toss of 141-2. He also took fourth in the shot put at 45-8 and senior Jaymes Melton was fifth at 44-9.
Junior Gavin Lohse had his best performance of the season in the long jump as he took runner-up with mark of 22-1.5. He was also second the 100 dash in 11.75 seconds.
Also in the field events, the Wildcats got points from Titus Kleveter in the pole vault, (fifth, 8-0) and Tasen Ellison in the javelin (fifth, 142-3).
On the track, the Wildcats scored more points in the sprints. Caleb Feldkamp was second in the 200 dash in 23.97 seconds, while Hunter Heinrich was fourth in 24.51 and Emmett White was fifth in 24.66.
Heinrich and White also scored points in the 400 dash as Heinrich was fourth in 53.40 and White was fifth at 53.42.
Louisburg sophomore Suzanna Dansel leans at the finish to win the 100-meter dash Monday at the Spring Hill Invite.
On the girls side, the Lady Cats captured eight golds on the day and it started in the sprints with a pair of sophomores.
Suzanna Dansel won the 100 dash in 13.67 seconds, while Kendall Crossley took first in the 200 dash in 28.47 seconds. Crossley also took fifth in the 400 dash in 1:06.
The 4×100 team of Crossley, Dansel, Addi Mallett and Emma Vohs also struck gold as they won going away in 51.77 seconds.
Senior Maddy Rhamy dominated the distance events. Rhamy won the 1,600-meter run in 6:02 and also took first in the 3,200 run in 12:48.
Louisburg senior Maddy Rhamy takes the handoff from Erin Apple in the 4×800 relay Monday in Spring Hill. Rhamy won three events on the day.
Rhamy, along with Emma Vohs, Adelyn Moore and Erin Apple, won the 4×800 relay in 11:06. Moore also went on to take fourth in the 800 run in 2:41, while Vohs, Presley Yows, Moore and Crossley took third in the 4×400 in 4:30.
The Louisburg girls also won a pair of field events. Senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross tied her school-record mark of 11-7 in the pole vault to take first.
Junior Hanna Veres also had her best performance of the season in the triple jump as she took gold with a mark of 32-6.
Senior Katie Elpers scored points in the javelin for the Wildcats with a throw of 120-10, which was good for third. Sophomore McKenna Lohse recorded a toss of 36-6 in the shot put to finish fourth overall.
Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week five of the spring sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.
MADDY CARPENTER-ROSS, SENIOR, TRACK AND FIELD
Louisburg senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross put her name in the Wildcat track history book last week at the Louisburg Invitational. Carpenter-Ross, the defending state champion in the pole vault, won the event at her home meet by setting a new school record at 11 feet, 7 inches. She broke the old mark of 11-6 that was set by Isabelle Holtzen in 2018.
It has been a dominating season so far for Carpenter-Ross as she won the pole vault gold in all five of her meets this season, including clearing 11-7 at her home meet and again Monday at the Spring Hill Invitational.
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.
Wildcat boys cruise to Louisburg Invitational title
Louisburg junior Gavin Lohse won three events Thursday at the Louisburg Invitational, including the long jump.
It was a dominating performance for the Louisburg boys track and field team Thursday, and the Wildcats got to do it in front of their home crowd.
The Wildcats ran away with the Louisburg Invitational title as they racked up 225 points. Wellsville was second in the 7-team meet with 131.
Louisburg won 11 of the 18 events on the day and had 23 top three finishes. The Wildcats certainly didn’t let gloomy weather stop them from having success.
Junior Gavin Lohse had a big day for the Wildcats as he won three events, including two individual. Lohse captured the long jump title with a leap of 20 feet, 10 inches.
Then he moved over to the track as he won the 100-meter dash in 11.49 seconds. Louisburg also won all three relays as the 4×100 team of Lohse, Josiah McCaskill, Gage Feldkamp and Caleb Feldkamp took gold in 44.9 seconds.
The success continued in the 4×800 relay as Blaise Vohs, Colton Blue, Myles Vohs and Jerynce Brings Plenty took first in 8:55. The 4×400 relay of Aidan Meyer, Emmett White, Blaise Vohs and Hunter Heinrich won the 4×400 in 3:40.
Louisburg senior Noah Cotter sprints to the finish in the 3,200-meter run Thursday.
The Wildcats dominated the distance races as Noah Cotter won the 3,200-meter run in 11:13, while Brings Plenty took first in the 1,600 run in 4:52. Blaise Vohs took second in the 800 run in 2:07.
Brings Plenty also went on to take second in the 3,200 run in 11:14, while Cotter was third in the 1,600 in 4:59. Truman Ellison was third in the 3,200 in 11:18 and also was sixth in the 1,600 in 5:29. Freshman Levi Cotter was fifth in the 1,600 in 5:26.
In the sprints, Caleb Feldkamp and Gage Feldkamp took first and second, respectively, in the 200 dash. Caleb won in 23.44 and Gage was second at 23.58. Gage also took third in the 100 dash in 11.64.
White took the top spot in the 400-meter dash in 52.78 seconds, while Heinrich (54.64) and Blue (54.88) took second and third, respectively. Meyer was sixth at 55.05.
Also on the track, junior Jay McCaskill took the runner-up spot in the 300-meter hurdles in 45.42. Grant Cannon was fourth at 47.44. Josiah McCaskill was sixth in the 100 dash in 11.94.
Louisburg junior Jay McCaskill clears a hurdle Thursday at the Louisburg Invitational.
Senior Ben O’Bryan earned a gold medal in the field events as he won the discus with a throw of 150-9.
Evan McKitrick also earned first place honors as he won the triple jump with a mark of 39-4 and Tasen Ellison was fourth at 35-9. McKitrick also went on to take third in the jump at 5-6 and Ellison was sixth at 5-2.
Senior Wyatt Holland finished third in the long jump with a mark of 19-4 and junior Myles Vohs was right behind him in fourth at 18-11.
Junior Jacob Brown finished runner-up in the pole vault as he cleared a personal best of 13 feet.
Senior Jaymes Melton took third in a tough shot put competition with a throw of 44-9.5, while O’Bryan was fifth at 43-10.5.
The Wildcats also had three score points in the javelin as Ellison took fourth at 143-5. Miles Meek (135-4) and Brayden Yoder (128-0) were fifth and sixth, respectively.
Other results are:
100 dash: Russell Wiseman, 8th, 12.13; Logan Henry, 10th, 12.23
800 run: Levi Cotter, 8th, 2:23
1,600 run: Spencer Mattison, 7th, 5:33
Triple Jump: Brock McEwen, 9th, 31-5
Discus: Johnny Hendrickson, 8th, 108-10; Miles Meek, 11th, 105-9; Nathan Capuro, 17th, 97-8; Jaymes Melton, 21st, 93-2
Carpenter-Ross breaks school record; Lady Cats win home meet
Louisburg senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross won the pole vault Thursday at the Louisburg Invitational. Carpenter-Ross broke the school record with a new mark of 11-7.
It might not have been the best weather for a track meet, but that didn’t stop the Louisburg girls from putting together a strong performance in their lone home event this season.
Louisburg won eight events, was runner-up in three others and broke a school record in the process. That all added up to a first place team finish Thursday at the Louisburg Invitational.
The Lady Cats racked up 125.5 points and edged Prairie View (118) for the title at the 7-team meet.
“This has been a challenging season to say the least,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Weather has been an issue more than not, but the girls continue to compete well. It is always nice to win our home meet and this year was no exception as the team put together a strong performance.”
One of those performances came thanks to Maddy Carpenter-Ross. The Louisburg senior didn’t let the cool weather stop her from putting her name in the Wildcat record books.
Carpenter-Ross won the pole vault with a clearance of 11 feet, 7 inches and broke the school record. The old record of 11-6 was set by Isabelle Holtzen in 2018.
“Maddy breaking the school pole vault record was awesome,” Reece said. “We hope to see her continue her strong performances and finish out her high school track career strong.”
Louisburg sophomore Kendall Crossley leans at the finish Thursday to help the 4×400 team to a first place finish.
The Lady Cats also won a pair of other field events and it started in the javelin. Senior Katie Elpers won the event with a throw of 121-10, which was just two inches away from her personal best.
In the shot put, sophomore McKenna Lohse had her best throw of the season as she recorded a toss of 36-5.5 to take gold.
On the track, senior Maddy Rhamy took first place in the 3,200-meter run in 13 minutes and 7 seconds. In the sprints, sophomore Kendall Crossley was first in the 400 dash in 1:06.42, and later took second in the 200 dash in 28.03 seconds.
Louisburg also had a pair of relays take first as the 4×800 team of Adelyn Moore, Emma Vohs, Erin Apple and Rhamy won in 11:14.
The Lady Cats closed the meet out in style as the 4×400 team of Vohs, Moore, Presley Yows and Crossley won in 4:30.13. Crossley leaned at the finish to edge second place Prairie View.
Freshman Caroline Apple also took gold in the 300-meter hurdles in 51.88 seconds. She was fourth in the 100 hurdles in 18.04 seconds, while senior Kate Frederick was fifth in both races.
Louisburg’s Kate Frederick (left) and Caroline Apple each scored points in the hurdles Thursday during Louisburg Invitational.
Moore finished runner-up in the 800 run in 2:44, while Rhamy was fourth in the 1,600 run in 6:19. Also on the track, sophomore Addi Mallett took fifth in the 200 dash in 28.86 and Yows was sixth in the 400 dash in 1:09.
In the field events, Hanna Veres took the runner-up spot in the triple jump with a mark of 30-11.
Lohse also scored points in the discus with a throw of 88-11 to take fourth, while Caroline Apple was sixth in the high jump at 4-6. Freshman Kinley Scott was fifth in the shot put at 32-10.5.
Wildcat boys track wins at Anderson County; Lady Cats take second
Louisburg junior Myles Vohs won the long jump Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational.
GARNETT — Conditions weren’t favorable for good times or distances Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational, but the Louisburg track and field teams still found a lot of success.
Gusty winds didn’t stop the Wildcat boys from winning the meet crown as they racked up 217 points and beat second place Ottawa by more than 120 points.
In all, the Wildcats won 10 events and scored points in 17 of the 18 events on the day.
“With the conditions, all we asked was to compete,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “The mindset was to try and get marks, and compete. We knew with the way the weather conditions were, that’s all we could focus on. They all did a great job of focusing and competing in their individual events. We didn’t have personal records or their best marks, but they competed.”
The Louisburg girls also fared well as they took runner-up with 123.50 points and Spring Hill won the meet with 147 points. The Lady Cats won three events and also scored points in all by one events.
“The girls did a good job of managing the variables that they could control and not let the other things, weather, affect them,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “This was the first meet that we ran all three relays which placed some girls in four events for the first time. We continue to compete well in the field events and are improving meet by meet.”
Louisburg scored points in several different areas and it started in the sprints as junior Gavin Lohse won the 100-meter dash in 11.35 seconds and junior Emmett White captured the 400 dash in 52.67 seconds.
Then in the distance races, junior Jerynce Brings Plenty won the 3,200-meter run in 10:39 and sophomore Blaise Vohs did the same in the 800 run in 2:09. Brings Plenty also took second in the 1,600 run in 4:58.
Success in the distance races continued as Vohs, Brings Plenty, Colton Blue and Myles Vohs won the 4×800-meter relay in 8:54.
“It was Jerynce’s first meet to compete in three events,” Wright said. “Times are not where he wants them to be, but ran solid races, and that’s all we want. Blaise also ran a solid time in the 800. We will only see him improve throughout the season, and peak when we want him too.”
Louisburg’s other relay, the 4×400, finished second as the team of Blaise Vohs, Aiden Meyer, Caleb Feldkamp and White ran a time of 3:33.24.
Tasen Ellison won a pair of field events. He took first in the javelin with a season-best throw of 152-11, while teammates Lane Cunningham (139-4) and Miles Meek (133-6) took third and fifth, respectively. Ellison also won the high jump with a clearance of 5-6 and was third in the triple jump at 39-3.5
Juniors Cooper Wingfield and Jacob Brown finished 1-2 in the pole vault. Wingfield cleared 13-6, while Brown was runner-up at 12 feet.
Another junior, Myles Vohs, won the long jump with a personal best mark of 19-5 and Lohse was second at 19-1. Senior Wyatt Holland took fourth with a jump of 18-9.25.
Senior Jaymes Melton captured the shot put title with a throw of 43 feet and senior Ben O’Bryan was second at 41-6. O’Bryan was second in the discus with a toss of 125-7 and Johnny Hendrickson was sixth at 117-5.
Also on the track, Caleb Feldkamp was runner-up in the 200 dash in 23.98 seconds and Gage Feldkamp took fourth in 24.15. Aidan Meyer took runner-up in the 400 dash in 54.20 and Hunter Heinrich was sixth in 55.41.
Blue and Noah Cotter both scored points in the 800 run as Blue was third in 2:19 and Cotter was fourth in 2:27. Cotter also went on to take third in the 3,200 run in 10:51 and fifth in the 1,600 run in 5:07.
In the 300 hurdles, Grant Cannon was fourth in 48.75 and fifth in the 100 hurdles in 19.77. Ellison was also sixth in the 110 hurdles in 19.83.
Louisburg sophomore McKenna Lohse finished third in the shot put last Thursday at the Anderson County Invitational.
The Lady Cats won two events on the track and it started with its 4×100-meter relay. The team of Kendall Crossley, Emma Vohs, Addi Mallett and Suzanna Dansel won with a time 53.49 seconds
Also on the track, senior Maddy Rhamy won the 3,200-meter run in 13 minutes and 20 seconds. Rhamy also finished runner-up in the 1,600, running a time of 6:24 and senior teammate Erin Apple was fifth in 6:41.
In the field events, senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross won her third consecutive pole vault competition as she cleared 11 feet and captured the title by more than two feet.
The Louisburg sprints also fared well as Dansel (13.05) and Crossley (28.16) took runner-up in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, respectively. Crossley also took fourth in the 400 dash in 1:08.
Louisburg continued that success in the relays as the 4×400 team of Vohs, Mallett, Adeyln Moore and Crossley finished runner-up in 4:30. Vohs, Moore, Apple and Rhamy also combined to run the first 4×800 relay of the season and recorded a time of 11:06 to finish second.
Freshman Caroline Apple scored points in a pair of hurdle events as she took second in the 300-meters in 53.69 seconds and was third in the 100 meters in 18.15. Senior Kate Frederick was fifth in 18.24.
Erin Apple rounded out the track point-getters with a fourth place finish in the 800-meter run in 3:02.
In the throws, sophomore McKenna Lohse was third in the shot put with a toss of 33-8 and later finished sixth in the discus with a mark of 85-4.
Senior Katie Elpers and Moore finished second and third, respectively, in the javelin. Elpers had a toss of 117-7 and Moore recorded a best of 101-10.
In the jumps, Annmarie Walton took fourth in the high jump with a clearance of 4-8 and Hanna Veres took fifth in the triple jump at 30-2. Stella Bohnenstiehl was sixth in the pole vault at 7-6.
Louisburg returns to action this Thursday when it hosts its home meet. Events begin at 4 p.m.
(Submitted Photo) Louisburg sophomore Kendall Crossley finished third in the 200 and 400-meter dashes last Thursday at the Paola Invitational.
PAOLA — Although neither finished in the top three of the team standings, both the Louisburg boys and girls track and field teams had plenty of highlights during last Thursday’s Paola Invitational.
The boys had eight top three finishes and racked up 89.5 points, which was good for fourth place overall. The girls also finished fourth as they won one event and had seven top three medalists to earn 79 points.
The Louisburg girls scored some big points in the field events and it started with pole vault. Senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross continued her strong start to the season as she cleared 11 feet to win the event.
Senior Katie Elpers also had her best performance this season in the javelin as she recorded a mark of 121 feet, 4 inches to finish second.
“The girls performed well at Paola,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Katie threw great. Throwing over 120 feet early in the season is awesome and gives her a mark to strive for each meet.”
The Lady Cats also racked up a lot points in the sprints as sophomore Kendall Crossley led the way in a pair of events. Crossley took third in the 200 dash in 27.88 seconds and later finished third in the 400 dash in 1:05.
Sophomore Suzanna Dansel took third in the 100 dash in 13.04 seconds and was fifth in the 200 dash in 28.34.
Senior Emma Vohs (1:06) and junior Presley Yows (1:07) took fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400 dash.
Crossley, Vohs, Yows and Dansel then went on to record a season-best time in the 4×100-meter relay as they finished second in 52.14 seconds.
“Due to some aches and pains, the 4×1 was a wee bit different, which did not matter as we ran a better time than at Ottawa,” Reece said. “They had good hand-offs and posted a solid time. Expect the order and athletes to change over the next few weeks as we look to get the right girls on the right leg to be even better. We continue to improve in the sprints and look to continue the success we had at Paola.”
Also on the track, senior Maddy Rhamy had a top-3 finish in the 3,200 run as she was third in 13:02. She also finished fifth the 1,600 run in 5:55.
Freshman Adelyn Moore took fifth in the 800 run in 2:40 and senior Erin Apple was right behind her in sixth in 2:41.
In the hurdles, freshman Caroline Apple was fifth in the 100 hurdles in 18.29 and senior Kate Frederick was eighth in 19.41.
In the throws, sophomore McKenna Lohse was eighth in the shot put with a season best toss of 34-8.
On the boys side, the Wildcats didn’t win any golds, but they still scored points in 15 events.
Louisburg junior Gavin Lohse took third in the long jump Thursday at the Paola Invitational.
“We haven’t been able to figure out who we are yet as a team, as we have yet to have a full squad as we are combating injuries,” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “It was great to see some of our athletes tested with some competition, and we found out where we need to put in some work. We were able to score points in most events, but I look for us to work to improve our marks and times.”
The Wildcats finished in the top three in all three relays and it started with a season best performance in the 4×100. Caden Caplinger, Gavin Lohse, Hunter Heinrich and Caleb Feldkamp took second in a season-best 44.06 seconds.
Blaise Vohs, Emmett White, Aiden Meyer and Heinrich ended the meet on a good note as they were second in the 4×400 in 3:35, while the 4×800 team of Jerynce Brings Plenty, Myles Vohs, Blaise Vohs and Grant Cannon took third in 8:50.
Louisburg scored several points in the sprints as Lohse took fourth in the 100 dash in 11.40 seconds and Gage Feldkamp was seventh at 11.58. Caleb Feldkamp was fifth in the 200 dash in 23.50.
White went on to take fourth in the 400 dash in a season-best time of 52.99 and Heinrich was sixth in 53.85. Blaise Vohs ran well in the open 800 as he took third in 2:07.
Junior Jay McCaskill scored points in the 300 hurdles as he took eighth in a season-best time of 45.91 seconds.
Field events were also kind to the Wildcats as junior Jacob Brown had his best day in the pole vault as he cleared 12-6 to take second overall.
“Jacob continues to improve every week,” Wright said. “The most exciting part to watch will be that he still has more in him. With the work he is putting in, he has the potential to be a 13-6 or 14-foot or more vaulter by the end of the season.”
Lohse, who is in his first year of high school track, had a big day in the long jump. He finished third with a personal-best jump of 21-1 and took third overall.
“Gavin is a nice addition to our team this year,” Wright aid. “We will be working on technique, as he is just raw in his first year. It is exciting that he is already going over 21 after just his second meet.”
Sophomore Evan McKitrick scored points in a couple of events as he was third in the triple jump with a season-best mark of 39-11, and took fifth in the high jump at 5-8.
In the throws, senior Ben O’Bryan had his best day in the shot put as he recorded mark of 48-1 to take third. O’Bryan also finished fourth in the discus at 127-2.
Sophomore Tasen Ellison was fourth in the javelin with a throw of 141-10, while senior Lane Cunningham was eighth at 130-4. Ellison was also eighth in the high jump at 5-6.
Senior Jaymes Melton scored points in the shot put with a toss of 44 feet to take eighth.
“I saw some of our kids experience some adversity, and as a coach I want that early in the season,” Wright said. “It’s going to help our athletes develop not only physically, but mentally. We want to peak at the end of May, not the beginning of April.”
Louisburg is back in action this Thursday as it travels to Garnett for the Anderson County Invitational.
Other results are:
GIRLS
100 dash: Taylor O’Connor, 17th, 14.18; Maliya Collins, 18th, 14.28
1,600 run: Erin Apple, 14th, 6:32
300 hurdles: Caroline Apple, 9th, 54.56; Kate Frederick, 11th, 58.03
High Jump: Annmarie Walton, 11th, 4-4
Long Jump: Walton, 17th, 12-11.75; Jocelyn Burk, 18th, 12-9.75; Hanna Veres, 19th, 12-7.25
Discus: Johnny Hendrickson, 15th, 110-0; Jaymes Melton, 24th, 91-8
Javelin: Brayden Yoder, 10th, 128-9
Wildcat track fares well in first meet of season at Ottawa
Louisburg senior Ben O’Bryan scored points in both the shot put and discus last Thursday at Ottawa.
OTTAWA — It may have just been the first meet of the season, but both of the Louisburg track and field teams had a strong showing Thursday at the Ottawa Relays.
The Louisburg boys finished second in the team standings with 134.5 points and won two events. The Wildcat girls also won a pair of events, but finished third overall with 90 points in the 11-team meet.
Louisburg had 13 top three finishes in the boys division and it was a good start for the Wildcats as they build toward the postseason.
“I thought we had a good start to the season,” Wright said. “It’s early, and we are building track shape and strength, so most everyone only completed in one or two events. It was the first varsity meet for some of our guys, and I thought they all competed well.”
The Wildcats dominated the pole vault competition as Caden Caplinger won after clearing 14 feet. Junior Cooper Wingfield was right behind him in second at 13-6 and junior Jacob Brown was third at 12 feet.
Louisburg also scored a lot of points in the jumps and throws.
Senior Ben O’Bryan scored points in both the shot and discus. O’Bryan was third in the discus with a throw of 152 feet, 5 inches and was fourth in the shot with toss of 45-8. His senior teammate, Jaymes Melton, was sixth in the shot put at 43-8.
“We are expecting big things from Ben this year,” Wright said. “He has been throwing well in practices. I see him continuing to improve on his marks throughout the season.”
Also in the throws, Tasen Ellison took fifth in the javelin at 140-01 and Brayden Yoder was seventh at 139-4.
In the jumps, junior Gavin Lohse finished runner-up in the long jump with a mark of 19-9.75. Myles Vohs and Wyatt Holland took fourth and fifth, respectively, with a jumps of 18-6 and 18-4.5.
Louisburg’s Evan McKitrick took third in both the high and triple jumps Thursday in Ottawa.
Sophomore Evan McKitrick scored well in both the triple and high jumps. McKitrick was third in the triple jump at 38-2.75 and third in the high jump after he cleared 5-10.
“We will continue to work with technique with Evan, as I see him keep improving throughout the season,” Wright said. “I am encouraged by the potential we are seeing with our jumpers. We have some athletes that are working hard, and we look forward to them producing great marks as we move forward.”
On the track, the Wildcats fared well in the relays, especially in the 4×400. The team of Hunter Heinrich, Blaise Vohs, Colton Blue and Aidan Meyer won in 3:34.58.
Louisburg took second in the other two as Caplinger, Lohse, Heinrich and Ashton Moore ran a time of 44.68 in the 4×100. Blue, Jerynce Brings Plenty, Vohs and Noah Cotter ran a 8:37 in the 4×800.
In the sprints, Heinrich went on to take second in the 400-meter dash in 53.27 seconds and Emmett White was third in 53.61. Moore (11.73) and Lohse (11.74) took fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 100 dash, while Caleb Feldkamp (23.74) was eighth in the 200 dash.
Brings Plenty led the distance runners with a fourth pace finish in the 3,200 run in 10:34 and Cotter was sixth in 10:40.
Jay McCaskill was eighth in the 300 hurdles in 47.14 and also scored points for the Wildcats.
On the girls side, senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross had one of two gold medal finishes for Louisburg. Carpenter-Ross won the pole vault after she cleared 11 feet
Another senior, Maddy Rhamy, captured the 3,200-meter title in 12:54 to lead Louisburg.
“As a team, we did a great job going up against some bigger schools,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “All in all it was a great meet and we look to continue to improve and work together to get as many girls to the state meet.”
Louisburg senior Kate Frederick took third in the 100-meter hurdles Thursday at Ottawa.
Louisburg fared well in the relays as the 4×100 group of Suzanna Dansel, Kendall Crossley, Emma Vohs and Addi Mallett took second in 53.26. The 4×400 relay of Adelyn Moore, Vohs, Presley Yows and Crossley took third in 4:29 and secured the third place overall team finish.
In the hurdles, freshman Caroline Apple was runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles in 18.96 and senior Kate Frederick was third in 19.11. Apple (53.46) and Frederick (57.74) took fourth and eighth, respectively, in the 300 hurdles.
Dansel helped Louisburg in the sprints as she took fifth in the 100 dash in 13.62 and Emma Vohs was fifth in the 200 dash in 29.67. Yows also took fifth in the 400 dash in 1:07.
Along with the win in the 3,200, Rhamy was fifth in the 1,600 run in 6:09 and senior Erin Apple was seventh in 6:56. Adelyn Moore was sixth in the 800 run in 2:43.
Louisburg senior Katie Elpers finished fourth in the javelin last week at Ottawa.
In the field events, Adelyn Moore finished third in the javelin with a toss of 102-6 and Katie Elpers was right behind her in fourth in 102-2. McKenna Lohse was fifth in the shot put with a toss of 31-2.5.
Louisburg is back in action this Thursday when it travels to the Paola Invitational. Events begin at 3:30 p.m.
Discus: Johnny Hendrickson, 9th, 115-9; Jaymes Melton, 12th, 110-8
Javelin: Miles Meek, 11th, 121-4
Wildcat track hoping for another trip to the state podium
Louisburg junior Caden Caplinger returns to help the lead the Wildcat boys track team as a two-time state champion in the pole vault.
The Louisburg boys track and field team has had its fair share of success the last three seasons — to put it mildly.
The Wildcats were state champions in 2021, took third in 2022 and last season suffered heartbreak as they missed a chance at a second state title by a half of a point. Louisburg has been a fixture on the state podium.
Although the Wildcats lost a big chunk of that state runner-up team, they still return a strong nucleus and have added some newcomers to help fill those voids. Louisburg returns eight state qualifiers and seven of those earned state medals.
“Coming off an amazing season in 2023, finishing second in the state was bittersweet,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “I know our athletes would like to see us continue to pick up the work right where we left off. There will be some big shoes to fill in the sprints and throws. We have a handful of new sprinters and jumpers out for track this year that will be working to step into a role. I’m excited to see what they can do and fill in the spots that we lost from last year’s team.”
When it comes to one event, the Wildcats might be the best in Class 4A as they return the top two pole vaulters from last season.
Senior Caden Caplinger is a returning 2-time state champion in the event, while his teammate, junior Cooper Wingfield, was the state runner-up last season. Just like last year, Wright expects his two vaulters to motivate each other.
“Both Caden and Cooper have been working all off season on jumping,” Wright said. “They are already ahead of where we were at this time last year. I’m excited to see these two push each other this season. Being able to have that competition every day at practice to push each other is critical to being able to compete at meets.”
On the track, the Wildcats also return their top distance runner in Jerynce Brings Plenty. At the state meet last season, Brings Plenty was third in the 3,200-meter run and broke the school record. He also finished sixth in the 1,600 run.
Louisburg junior Jerynce Brings Plenty returns after earning three state medals last season.
Along with scoring points at state in the 4×800 relay, Wright believes Brings Plenty can have a big season.
“Jerynce has been looking strong at practice,” Wright said. “He had a great cross country season, but I know he is not satisfied and is looking forward to showing what he can do on the track as well.”
Brings Plenty will also join senior Hunter Heinrich, junior Colton Blue and sophomore Blaise Vohs in the 4×800 relay after the group took seventh at state last season.
The Wildcats will have some holes to fill in their 4×100 and 4×400 relays after they scored in both events out at state. Heinrich and Vohs return to lead the 4×400, while Caplinger and junior Ashton Moore will anchor the 4×100.
“We are going to mix and match the 4×4 and 4×1 relays for the first few meets,” Wright said. “I’m hopeful by midseason we will have a solid 4 for each relay, but that competition for spots on the relays is what makes it great for the athletes as well, as they have to bring their best effort and energy to the track to maintain that position.”
In the throws, seniors Jaymes Melton and Ben O’Bryan return to lead the shot and discus throwers, while senior Lane Cunningham will do the same in the javelin.
Seniors Wyatt Holland, Heinrich, along with Moore, Emmett White, Josiah McCaskill, Jay McCaskill, Caleb and Gage Feldkamp, will compete in the sprints. Juniors Gavin Lohse and Myles Vohs will compete in the sprints and jumps.
Blue and Blaise Vohs will run the 800-meters, while senior Noah Cotter returns in the 3,200 run.
The girls side also returns its fair share of athletes and it starts with a returning state champion.
Louisburg senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross returns to lead the Wildcat girls team after winning the state title in the pole vault last season.
Senior Maddy Carpenter-Ross headlines a group of 31 girls that came out for track this season. Carpenter-Ross is back after winning the state pole vault title and is looking for a repeat performance again this year.
“As the season begins, we will get a better feel for how we compare to our competition,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “We feel good about our group and look for them to be strong competitors in their respective events and move them around to get their best each meet.
“We look for Maddy to have a great year and hope to have a repeat of the state meet. She vaulted well indoors, so we hope to see this continue.”
Louisburg will return half of its 4×100-meter relay from a year ago that placed at state. Sophomores Suzanna Dansel and Kendall Crossley are back, while senior Emma Vohs and sophomore Addi Mallett will compete for the other two spots.
The Wildcats will also run a 4×400 relay with Vohs, Crossley and Mallett and will mix in junior Presley Yows, along with freshmen Adelyn Moore and Caroline Apple. Junior Mackenzie Rooney, who lead off the relays last season, is out with an injury.
Dansel will also play a big role in the sprints for the Wildcats this season after scoring points in several meets in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Vohs is a returning a state qualifier in the 400 dash as well, so the sprints are one of the strengths of the girls team.
Louisburg senior Emma Vohs is a returning state qualifier in the 400-meter dash, along with the 1,600-meter run.
“Suzanna has been working hard and we look for her to make another step forward and lead our sprint crew, along with Emma, Kendall and Addi,” Reece said.
In the distance races, seniors Maddy Rhamy and Erin Apple return to lead Louisburg. Rhamy medaled at state in the 3,200 run as a sophomore.
Senior Kate Frederick will lead the Wildcat hurdlers as she returns in both the 100 and 300.
Louisburg also brings back state experience in the throws. Senior Katie Elpers has qualified for state in the javelin the last two seasons and has one medal.
Sophomore Kenna Lohse returns after qualifying for state as a freshman in the shot put and will do all three throws this season.
“Katie looks to make another run at state and hopefully find a spot on the podium,” Reece said. “She is throwing well to start so we are looking for big gains this season. The sky’s the limit for Kenna. There is a good core group of girl throwers that will push each other so the inner squad competition is fierce.”
Louisburg will open its season today as the Wildcats travel to the Ottawa Invitational.
Top 10 Louisburg Sports Stories of 2023
It was a successful, and eventful, 2023 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 brought back state hardware.
Below are the top stories from 2023, 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.
This year was a blast to cover and I am looking forward to seeing what 2024 will bring. Thank you to everyone for their support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.
10. Brings Plenty earns first state cross country medal
WAMEGO — Jerynce Brings Plenty had being eyeing this race since the beginning of the season.
After missing out on the opportunity to run at the Class 4A Kansas State Cross Country Championships in 2022 due to an injury, Brings Plenty was itching at the chance to run against the state’s best.
He got that opportunity at the Wamego Country Club and he took full advantage.
“Getting 12th place and a state medal meant everything to me,” Brings Plenty said. “All season my main focus was to place as high as I could at state, especially since I had only placed 51st as a freshman and didn’t race my sophomore year.”
The 2023 season was a successful one for Brings Plenty as he earned a medal in every race he finished. He also moved up the school’s all-time leaderboard and currently holds the second fastest time.
9. Brueggen wins two state swim medals; Brown earns first boys state medal
Sabra Brueggen and Colin Brown put together a pair of historic seasons for their respective swim teams in 2023.
Brueggen doubled her medal count back in May at the state meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka. The Louisburg sophomore earned state medals in both the 100-yard backstroke and 50 freestyle.
After earning the one medal as a freshman a year ago, Brueggen was happy to find the medal stand in both races this season.
However, it has been a long road for Brueggen to get back to the state meet. After suffering a knee injury last summer, she had to work hard to get back in time for this go-round in a recovery that lasted nine months.
“Going into high school swim this season, I only had one personal goal in mind, making it back to finals at state,” Brueggen said. “Little did I know that I was going to make it back to the ‘A’ final in both my events, allowing me to medal. This truly meant the world to me because this past year has been one of the toughest ones yet. Overcoming this nine month long recovery, and accomplishing this at state, was an indescribable feeling.”
As for Brown, the Wildcat freshman earned the school’s first state medal in boys swimming back in February at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center in Lenexa.
Brown recorded a time of 56.46 seconds in the finals of the 100-yard butterfly to take eighth overall. He swam a season-best time of 55.85 in the preliminaries to garner a spot in the finals.
“Colin’s swim in the medal finals was so fun to watch,” coach Mary Argeropoulos said. “Hardware from state is not easy to earn and he did a marvelous job all season working toward that final.”
In all, Louisburg sent four swimmers to the state meet in Brown, Brayton Brueggen, Colton Prettyman and Andrew Jamison and the Wildcats turned in several times that earned spots in the consolation finals. As team, the Wildcats finished 15th overall with 44 points.
8. Cheer takes fourth at state
TOPEKA — Louisburg cheer has been no stranger to the big stage when it comes to the state competition.
The Wildcats have become a mainstay in the Class 4A Game Day Spirit Showcase in the last several years that has included a state championship and a pair of state runner-up finishes.
Louisburg found itself in position for another state plaque in November at the Stormont-Vail Events Center in Topeka. The Wildcats qualified for the finals with an impressive performance, but came up just short of another state plaque as they took fourth overall in Class 4A.
“I am so proud,” Louisburg coach Breanna Kostroske said. “This team had to welcome not one, but two new coaches and has worked so hard since May on their competition material and it truly showed on the floor Saturday. Being a new coach you are automatically stressed that you haven’t given enough to all aspects of a game day routine, but we put our faith in the team and they showed up and truly represented themselves in a huge way.”
Members of the Louisburg cheer team are: Elizabeth George, Brooklyn Harmon, Addison Drake, Maddie O’Keefe, Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Caroline Dugger, Anna Brizendine, Reece Jones, Addie Vargo, Laney Stohs, Taryn Osborn, Kayleigh Ramsey, Will Leach, Brooklyn Roney, Harper Boyle, Kimmie Powls, Reece Younggren and Reese Anderson. The Wildcats are coached by Breanna Kostroske and Heather Brummel.
7. Pfannenstiel takes AD position, Wildcat basketball hires new coach Ben Doll
The 2023-24 school year for Louisburg High School activities had little different look to it — especially at the top.
Ty Pfannenstiel was hired as the school’s new activities director and took over for Michael Pickman, who will focus on his assistant principal duties and curriculum.
Pfannenstiel, who has been the boys basketball coach for the last six years, resigned his post to take on the activities director position. He also stepped down as an assistant football coach.
“This is very exciting for me,” Pfannenstiel said. “It’s definitely going to be a change. I have been a teacher and a coach for 18 years. I still get to be a teacher half-time, and now I get to step into a new role as an administrator. It is going to be all sports and activities and I am looking forward to the new direction.”
Louisburg then hired Ben Doll to replace Pfannenstiel as the new Wildcat boys basketball coach. Doll has patrolled the sidelines as an assistant for two state championship teams and has coached in numerous state tournaments over his 24 year career.
This is Doll’s first head coaching position after spending time as an assistant at St. Thomas Aquinas, Johnson County Community College, Lansing and Blue Valley North.
“I am really excited to get going,” Doll said. “It has been a long time coming. I have a lot of great experiences and I am ready to apply those things I have learned into this job. I am ready to put my own stamp on some stuff as well.”
6. Wrestling qualifies six for state, Eslinger medals
SALINA — Just like a year ago, Elijah Eslinger found himself one win away from a spot in the state championship match.
Eslinger, who has been ranked in Class 4A at different times throughout the season, has had a long road as a Wildcat heavyweight. One that included a rough freshman year, to progressively getting better.
With a spot in the semifinals at the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships already wrapped up, he had already secured his second state medal in Salina. Although he didn’t make that championship match, Eslinger still left Salina with some hardware.
“To make the semifinals was exciting, especially since it was the closest match I had,” Eslinger said. “It was probably close to the hardest match that I had over the weekend. I feel like I could have done better looking at my matches in hindsight.”
The Wildcats nearly had two more wresters earn spots on the medal stand. Junior J’Lee Collins (126 pounds) and sophomore Ashton Moore (175) both made their way to the blood round and needed a win to secure a state medal.
The Wildcats also experienced some heartbreak as senior Kaven Bartlett fell short of his goal of earning another state medal. At 138 pounds, Bartlett finished the state tournament with a 1-2 record.
Senior Trace Eslinger (215) and sophomore Jay McCaskill (157) also represented the Wildcats at the state tournament, but finished with an 0-2 record.
5. Lohse wins three state medals, Lady Cats sixth at state
WICHITA — Emma Lohse blazed the track for the Louisburg girls track and field team all season, and the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships was no different.
Lohse picked up three medals and helped the 4×100-meter relay to another school record at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium. In all, the Lady Cats medaled in five events and finished sixth in the team standings with 29 points.
“Coming back from Wichita with three state medals was something I had to work for and was happy about the outcome,” Lohse said. “Leaving Cessna Stadium one last time, I was very proud of the way I competed and proud of what I came home with.”
Lohse was just inches away from winning a state championship in the 100-meter dash. At the finish line, the Louisburg senior was step-for-step with Rose Hill’s Kate Dare.
As the two leaned for the finish line, Dare edged Lohse for first as Lohse ran a time of 12.46 seconds. Dare ran a 12.44.
Later in the 200-meter dash, Lohse earned another state medal as she took seventh in 26.77 seconds.
Louisburg’s (seated from left) Kendall Crossley, Suzanna Dansel, (standing from left) Mackenzie Rooney and Emma Lohse pose with their third place state medals in the 4×100 relay. The Lady Cats broke their own school record for the fourth straight time in the prelims.
Sandwiched in between those two races, Lohse helped the 4×100-meter relay of Mackenzie Rooney, Suzanna Dansel and Kendall Crossley to a medal of their own.
The Lady Cat relay finished third overall with a time of 49.70 seconds. Andale won in 49.24 and McPherson was second at 49.67.
However, in the preliminaries on Friday, the team broke their own school record for the fourth consecutive time in 49.26 seconds and had the fastest time going into the finals.
Another Lady Cat to find the medal stand was Emma Prettyman. The Louisburg senior put together a strong showing in the discus.
Prettyman earned her first state medal as she finished sixth in the event with a throw of 115 feet, 9 inches.
4. Wildcat pole vaulters dominate 4A state meet
WICHITA — Maddy Carpenter-Ross, Caden Caplinger and Cooper Wingfield had been considered as some of the top pole vaulters in Class 4A for most of the season.
All three had finished at, or toward the top of each of their meets this year, and all of them had high hopes going into state meet at Wichita State.
Carpenter-Ross and Caplinger reached the highest summit Class 4A had to offer as both were crowned state champions following their respective events.
Caplinger became a two-time state champion first as he cleared 15 feet to win the 4A boys pole vault. Wingfield finished as the state runner-up.
“It means a lot and I am just blessed to have the opportunity to be here and win the title, especially with Cooper right on my tail,” Caplinger said.
Carpenter-Ross thrived under the pressure in the girls competition as she, not only looked for her second consecutive state medal, but her first state championship.
The Louisburg junior captured her first state title after she cleared 11 feet, which tied a personal best. This coming off a season where she medaled fifth at state a year ago.
“I think it is fantastic,” Carpenter-Ross said. “Going to 11 feet, I was tied with the one girl and I was hoping that I would get it on my first try. Then when I did, it was just an amazing feeling.
“It was just awesome for me, plus to see my family’s faces up in the stands was really cool too. Being a state champion is awesome and I plan to do it again.”
3. Wildcat football wins back-to-back Frontier League titles
SPRING HILL — It had been 16 years since the Louisburg football team last repeated as back-to-back Frontier League champions.
That drought ended on an October night in Spring Hill.
In a battle of undefeated league teams, Louisburg proved its was the best. The Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points, and shutout the Broncos in the first half, as they cruised to a 35-21 victory.
Louisburg earned back-to-back league crowns for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. The Wildcats also finished the regular season with an 8-0 record.
“It is pretty exciting,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “We talked to the guys before the game about how long it is has been since we have won back-to-back league titles and it has only been done four times in our school’s history. So to chalk another one up there feels pretty good.”
The Wildcats advanced to the regional round of the state playoffs in early November, but lost a heartbreaker to Basehor-Linwood, 22-20, and ended a nine game winning streak.
“This season was a lot of fun,” Harding said. “It is a great group of kids and they worked incredibly hard. They were loose and made it fun every single day. I can’t say enough about how good of kids they are and how hard they work. We hoped to still be moving on, but this loss doesn’t take away from what these kids did all year.”
2. Wildcat volleyball takes fourth at state for second straight year
HUTCHINSON — For the second time in as many years, Louisburg is leaving the state volleyball tournament with some hardware.
The Wildcats, for the second straight season, finished fourth Saturday at the Class 4A Kansas State Volleyball Championships in Hutchinson. It marked the 20th appearance for the Wildcats in the tournament.
Getting that hardware and making it to Saturday was certainly a battle for the Wildcats, who had to fight through adversity during pool play on Friday. Louisburg had to deal with injuries and had its fate rest in another team’s hands.
Despite all that, Louisburg left with a fourth place medal following a tough 23-25, 25-8 and 25-16 loss to Andale in the third-place match Saturday at Hutchinson Sports Arena.
“We are very proud of this team for making it back to the state tournament and finishing in the final four again,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “We, of course, will always strive for higher finishes until we reach that ultimate goal of state champions, but we are proud of where we finished the season and were happy with the success of this team.”
Members of the Louisburg volleyball team are (from left) Adelyn Moore, Caileigh Kilgore, McKenna Lohse, Delaney Nelsen, Aspen Coulter, Evyn Richardson, Ashlyn Berck, Katie Elpers, Izzy Moreland, Megan Quinn, Hailey Sword, Madie Williams and head coach Leanna Willer.
1. Wildcat boys track finishes as state runner-up; Dobbins wins state title in high jump as team medals in 13 events
The Wildcats racked up 87 points during the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championships at Wichita State.
Louisburg medaled in all 13 events it competed and the Wildcats finished the meet with two individual state champions. The ending was supposed to feature the Wildcats holding up a state championship plaque.
“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year we would score 87 points at state and not win a championship, I would have just ignored you and said ‘Whatever,’” Louisburg coach Andy Wright said. “No way that would happen.”
As it turned out, the Wildcats found themselves on the outside looking in for a team state title. Andale finished first with 87.5 points. Louisburg had 87.
It was an emotional letdown for the Wildcats as they were so close to that team goal.
“To beat Andale, we had to score 88 and that is just a testament to how good they are,” Wright said. “They have really good athletes, especially in the throws. At the same time, I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and how they competed. It was just so much fun to watch them lay it all out there. They really did have a great season.”
Mason Dobbins reached new heights at the Class 4A Kansas State Track and Field Championship.
Ok, well maybe not literally.
Dobbins who broke a school record in the high jump earlier this year, didn’t reach that height at the state meet — but he didn’t need to. The Louisburg senior cleared 6 feet, 6 inches to win the Class 4A high jump title.
It was the first of four state medals that Dobbins would win on the day as he helped lead the Wildcats to the Class 4A state runner-up plaque.
“It meant everything to be a state champion and to be able to medal in all of my events this year since I didn’t last year,” Dobbins said. “Our team trains so hard, and to be able to be runner up by .5 points, is incredible.”
Dobbins nearly earned his second state title in the 110-meter hurdles as he found himself in a battle with Rose Hill’s Teagan Cobb. The two were stride-for-stride going into he final hurdle, but Cobb nipped Dobbins at the finish line.
Later on, he joined Caden Caplinger, Colyer Wingfield and Ethan Ptacek in the 4×100-meter relay and the team medaled third in 43.38 seconds. Ptacek had to run for Ashton Moore, who was injured during the preliminaries.
Then toward the end of the meet, Dobbins, who was sitting seventh in the 200-meter dash after the preliminaries, battled to keep his team in the state championship race and medaled third in 23.07.
Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent got his team a lot of points in the throwing events as he medaled in the javelin, discus and shot put — with the latter being his best event of the weekend.
Vincent, who just started doing shot put this year, put together his best performance of the season. He recorded a personal best throw of 51-8 in the finals to take third overall. He also went on to take fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin.
Sophomore Jerynce Brings Plenty also came away with three state medals in the distance events, but none was more precious to him than the 3,200-meter run.
Brings Plenty broke the school record in the event as he medaled third in 9 minutes and 49.41 seconds. He surpassed the old mark of 9:50.60 that was set by Jason Rose in 2007.
He continued his medal streak for the Wildcats as he joined Hunter Heinrich, Blaise Vohs and Colton Blue to medal seventh in the 4×800-meter relay.
Later in the day, Brings Plenty competed in the 1,600 run and took sixth in 4:34.42.
Louisburg senior Nathan Apple left his final state meet with a pair of medals in both hurdle events. Apple finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.29 seconds on Saturday.
Apple also went on to take fourth in the 300 hurdles in 40.55 seconds as he ended his Wildcat track career on a positive note.
The Wildcats ended the state meet with the 4×400-meter relay as the team of Heinrich, Vohs, Colyer Wingfield and Ptacek needed a third place finish or better to win the state title. Unfortunately, the Wildcats came up just short as they took fourth in 3:23.98.
Louisburg set a new personal record by three seconds and was .25 seconds away from tying the school record. The Wildcats also scored points in all three relay events.
