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.

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 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.

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.

Other results are:

GIRLS

800 run: Erin Apple, 9th, 3:03

Shot Put: Kinley Scott, 9th, 29-6; Maddie Yoder, 15th, 25-6

Discus: McKenna Lohse, 9th, 80-3; Cora Wulfkuhle, 13th, 70-0; Yoder, 18th, 60-10

Javelin: Lohse, 14th, 83-4

BOYS

200 dash: Emmett White, 11th, 23.85; Wyatt Holland, 18th, 25.04

400 dash: Aidan Meyer, 14th, 56.63

Shot put: Miles Meek, 11th, 40-.50

Discus: Johnny Hendrickson, 9th, 115-9; Jaymes Melton, 12th, 110-8

Javelin: Miles Meek, 11th, 121-4

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

Brings Plenty earned his first state cross country medal as he took 12th overall in a time of 16 minutes and 57 seconds. It has been a long time coming for the Louisburg junior.

“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.

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

WICHITA — The Louisburg boys track and field team had the resume of a state champion. 

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.

Louisburg senior Katie Elpers is joining the Southern New Hampshire University track and field team next season.

A little less than two years ago, Katie Elpers’ journey to competing in college took a big step forward.

As a sophomore, Elpers put together her best at the most opportune time. After qualifying for state in the javelin in 2022, she put herself among the top throwers in Class 4A when she threw a personal best and earned a state medal.

From there, Elpers’ love for the javelin took off and she realized it was something she wanted to do after high school. She now has that chance.

Last month, Elpers signed her letter of intent to join the track and field program at Southern New Hampshire University – a Division II school in Manchester, N.H.

“It really meant a lot to me when I finally made my commitment official,” Elpers said. “Playing a college sport is something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m so grateful that I was able to do it.

“I decided I wanted to do track in college after state my sophomore year. Ever since then I realized my potential with javelin and I wanted to expand on that.”

Elpers had an interest on expanding her track career away from home and Southern New Hampshire provided that for her. It didn’t take her long to realize it was going to be her future home.

“Southern New Hampshire University was a great fit for me because it had a great program for what I want to major in,” Elpers said. “I loved the campus, and I knew the track team there would be like a second family to me.”

Family has been important to Elpers and it was her family who helped her get started with javelin, and in track. Her mother, Joslyn, helped her in elementary school and had her compete in AAU events.

Since then, she has worked with Louisburg javelin coach Alex Gentges on taking the next step, along with joining the Hot Feet track club. It is there where she has been working on doing a new event in an effort to get ready for college, and is looking forward to working with her new coaches.

“The coaches at SNHU are super supportive, encouraging, and kind,” Elpers said. “To my knowledge, they want javelin to be my main event and then they want me to learn an indoor event too. I’m currently in the process of learning high jump through Hot Feet.”

Elpers experienced a little set back her junior year as she missed part of the season due to an injury, but eventually worked her way back to the state meet for the second year in a row.

She is hoping for another state medal in her final high school season and is ready to keep improving as she transitions to the college level.

“I am beyond excited for my senior season of track,” Elpers said. “I have high expectations for myself this coming season because I’ve been putting in a lot of conditioning work during the offseason.”

Louisburg’s Nathan Vincent will get a chance to compete at the highest collegiate level as he signed to join the Iowa State track and field program this coming season.

Growing up, the idea of doing track and field wasn’t even on Nathan Vincent’s radar.

As much as anything, Vincent was a big time football fan and he knew if we was going to do something in college — football was going to be it.

Then in his sophomore season, Vincent got a hold of the javelin and everything changed. That year he went on to medal fourth at state in the javelin — his first of three state medals in the event.

“Growing up I always pictured myself playing football in college, but as high school went on I realized that throwing would get me farther than football,” Vincent said. “Around sophomore year, I decided I was all in on it.”

That dedication allowed him to receive an offer to compete at Iowa State University next season. After committing to join the Cyclones, Vincent is excited to see what he can do at the collegiate level and against some tough competition in the Big 12 Conference.

“Signing with Iowa State and being able to compete at the Division 1 level is really a dream come true,” Vincent said. “I’ve watched Big 12 sports since I was a baby, and being able to be a part of them now is awesome.”

After garnering interest from different schools, Vincent was intrigued by what Iowa State had to offer. Once he took his visit, he knew this was the place for him.

“Iowa State’s facilities and coaching staff are really what stood out to me,” Vincent said. “The throwers coach is from Topeka-Hayden, so he knows the area and level of competition in 4A.”

Vincent expanded his throwing repertoire this past spring. After doing javelin and discus in the past, he added shot put to the list and the decision was a good one.

Not only did he qualify for state in all three events, but Vincent also came home with state medals in each. It was a learning experience, one that he hopes to use to his advantage when he reports to Iowa State as he tries new events there as well.

“I think doing shot, disc, and javelin this year have helped prepare me for college,” Vincent said. “Each throw has its own unique technique to it and working on those different aspects of each throw will make you better for all of the throws. I know I’m doing javelin there and I hope to do the hammer throw too.”

Vincent’s high school track and field career was a memorable one. Not only was it littered with state medals, he also helped the Wildcats to a state championship in 2021, a third place finish in 2022 and a state runner-up plaque this past spring.

It was an experience he is grateful for thanks to the coaches and his teammates.

“If I hadn’t gone to Louisburg, I don’t believe I’d be where I am today,” Vincent said. “Coach G (Alex Gentges) is one of the best javelin coaches in the state in my opinion and has always pushed with javelin. All of the sports I’ve played through my four years have all contributed to where I am now, each in their own way, especially football. 

“Even in the classroom and outside of school, Louisburg has provided me with lasting memories and experiences that I will take with me and use in the next phase of my life.”

It is that next phase that Vincent is looking forward to tackling, and he plans on wasting no time when he gets to Iowa State.

“I would say I have some lofty goals,” Vincent said. “I expect to place in the top 10 for the Big 12 next year and I expect to break 200 (feet), if not 210’s by the end of the season. I’m incredibly excited to get up there and start working and getting back into the swing of things.”

Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was voted by the LHS head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year

Mason Dobbins had a senior season to remember when it came to athletics.

Dobbins left it all on the field/court/track during his final campaign with the Wildcats and he put his stamp on it. Whether it was winning a league title in football, helping the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish in track or earning all-league honors in three sports — Dobbins enjoyed it all.

Those were just some of the reasons Dobbins was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.

“It means a lot to me to be named athlete of the year,” Dobbins said. “It feels good to that know that all your hard work pays off.”

He certainly put in a lot of work and it showed throughout the 2022-23 school year. It started during football season as the team’s starting wide receiver.

The Wildcats finished as undefeated Frontier League Champions and Dobbins played a big role in that. Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He was also named honorable mention all-state.

Dobbins returned to the basketball court after taking a couple years off and his 6-foot-7 frame made an immediate impact as he led the team with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and a block per contest. He was later named to the Frontier League All-Defensive Team.

However it was the track where he made his biggest impact.

Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. 

He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

At the state meet, Dobbins racked up 30 points to help Louisburg to a state runner-up finish as the Wildcats lost to Andale by just half-a-point.

“This past season was my best one yet,” Dobbins said. “In football we were league champs. In basketball, I thought I played way better than I thought I would. Then in track, I was a state champ and we almost won a state championship. It was a lot of fun.”

As easy as he made it look at times, competing in three sports has its challenges. 

“It’s definitely something that I am proud of,” Dobbins said. “Three sports can be a lot on the body, and for me to go without an injury the whole year, was a blessing.”

Now that his high school career is finished, he is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life — with the Northwest Missouri State track and field program.

“I am so excited to start my track career at Northwest,” Dobbins said. “It’s a whole different world than what high school track is, but I am ready for it.”

Louisburg’s Nathan Apple will join the Missouri S&T track and field program next season after earning three state medals as a Wildcat.

When Nathan Apple was introduced to the hurdles in the seventh grade, he had no idea at the time how that event would become a big part in his life.

Since that time in middle school, Apple turned into one of the top hurdlers in school history and was a part of trio of hurdlers that helped the Wildcats to a state championship in 2021, a third place finish in 2022 and a state runner-up performance in 2023.

Apple played a role in all of those trophies, and those successes have now given him another opportunity to continue growing in the sport of track and field.

The recent Louisburg graduate signed his letter of intent to compete for the Missouri S&T track and field program next season.

“Signing for track was a fairly new dream for me,” Apple said. “It wasn’t until my sophomore or junior year that I realized that I could go somewhere with track and college athletics hadn’t even been a thought before. It means a lot to me to be able to continue doing something that I’m passionate about at a higher level of competition.”

Apple made significant strides as a hurdler, including when he qualified for state as a sophomore in the 110 meters. He went on to medal fourth in that event as a junior, and again this past season as a senior.

He picked up his third state medal in the 300 hurdles in May as he finished fourth in that event as well. 

“I’ve been hurdling for the past six years and I’ve made a lot of progress in both the form and speed of the race,” Apple said. “Ms. (Leanna) Willer was my first coach in high school and she taught me a lot about how to approach and go over hurdles while, coach (Andy) Wright was responsible for my growth in speed. I owe both of them a lot as I never would have reached this point without them.”

Apple is looking forward to joining a Miner team that will compete at a high level. Missouri S&T is a Division II program based in Rolla, Mo. and competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Before he even accepted the Miners’ track offer, Missouri S&T was already the school of choice for Apple after high school.

“I was already planning on attending S&T for engineering and the ability to run for them was a welcome surprise,” he said. “I haven’t heard a lot about what I’ll be doing there other than hurdles, but I’m looking forward to trying new things.”

Apple is ready to take that next step in his track career, while getting a good education in the process. It is all he wanted.

“I’m looking forward to this next step in my life and I can’t wait to experience it,” Apple said. “I hope to do much better in college both athletically and academically than I did at home. My education is my top priority, but I feel that I can run better, and with the help of a collegiate training program I know that my times will improve.”

For the sixth 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. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Emma Lohse – Senior – Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Lohse was a big varsity contributor for the Lady Cat basketball team and blazed the track for the Louisburg girls as the team’s top sprinter.

On the track, Lohse recorded three state medals, including a pair of individual medals. She was the state runner-up in the 100-meter dash and later finished seventh in the 200 dash. Lohse was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that medaled third and broke the school record in four straight meets. She also qualified for state in the 4×400-meter relay.

On the basketball court, Lohse was one of the Lady Cats’ top defenders as she played a big role on a team that reached the sub-state championship game.

Emma Prettyman – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman was a starter, or key contributor on three different Wildcat teams this past school year, including the volleyball, basketball and track and field programs.

On the volleyball court, Prettyman was one of the Lady Cats’ middle hitters as she helped Louisburg to a fourth place finish at the state tournament. She finished with a team-high 60 blocks and had 166 kills.

Prettyman was the starting center for Louisburg basketball as the Lady Cats earned a spot in the sub-state championship game. She was among the team leaders in rebounds with 6.5 a contest and had two assists a game. She was named to the All-Frontier League Defensive Team.

Prettyan was also the top thrower on the Lady Cat track and field team and earned a spot at the state meet in the discus. It was there where she earned her first state medal as she took sixth overall.

Adyson Ross – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross started for three different Wildcat programs this past season and it all started last fall in volleyball.

Ross, who started the season as an outside hitter, made the move to libero halfway through the year and thrived in her new role. She recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces. She helped the Lady Cats to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament and earned second-team all-league honors.

On the basketball court, Ross was a starting wing for the Lady Cats as she helped them advance to the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals. Ross was selected first team all-league and earned a spot in the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. She also earned second team all-state honors.

On the pitch, Ross was one of the top goal scorers on a Wildcat team that reached the regional championship match. She finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.

Rowan Yows – Sophomore – Soccer

Lady Cat sophomore Rowan Yows was a key part of the Louisburg girls soccer team this past season that saw the Lady Cats reach the sub-state championship game.

Yows, who played in the midfield, was the team’s leading scorer with 19 goals on the season and led the team with 50 shots on goal. She also tallied 11 assists on the season.

For the sixth 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. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.

Below are the nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!

Kaven Bartlett – Senior – Wrestling and Soccer

Kaven Bartlett competed on the Louisburg wrestling and boys soccer team, but Bartlett was a fixture on the mat for the Wildcat wrestling program.

Bartlett qualified for state at 138 pounds and became a 3-time state qualifier for Louisburg and was a state medalist in 2022. He finished with a 119-45 career record and was a two-time team captain and four-year letter winner. Those 119 wins are fifth in program history and he has 158 career takedowns and 726.5 career points, which is both third in team history. He was named the 2023 LHS Wrestler of the Year.

Bartlett was also a defender on the Wildcat soccer team his past season. The Wildcats advanced to the regional championship game.

Declan Battle – Junior – Football and Baseball

Declan Battle had big seasons for both the Wildcat football and baseball programs.

Under the lights on the football field, Battle was the Wildcat starting quarterback as he led his team to an undefeated Frontier League championship. The dual-threat quarterback scored 23 total touchdowns and totaled more than 1,700 yards. That performance led him to a first-team All-Frontier League, along with all-state honors.

On the diamond, Battle was the Wildcats’ starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter. He scored 32 runs on the year, which is a Wildcat program record. Battle also recorded a .429 average to go along with five doubles and three triples. He also stole 17 bases. His performance also earned him second team All-Frontier League and all-state honors.

Mason Dobbins – Senior – Football, Basketball and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was a fixture for three Wildcat programs this past season. Dobbins was the starting wide receiver on the football field, starting forward on the basketball team and a state medalist for the track program.

Dobbins stood out the most in the track and field arena. He qualified for state in four events and medaled in all four as he helped the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish this past May. 

Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins has won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.

On the football field, Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors. 

On the basketball court, Dobbins was named to the All-Frontier League defensive team. He led the Wildcats with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and 1 block per contest.

Cade Gassman – Senior – Soccer, Basketball and Track and Field

Cade Gassman was a starter, or key contributor, for three Wildcat programs during 2022-23 school year. Gassman was the starting midfielder and captain for the soccer team, starting guard on the basketball court and a jumper for the track and field program.

Gassman made his biggest impact on the pitch for Louisburg. As a midfielder, Gassman drew a lot of attention from the opposition as he finished with five goals and four assists on the season to lead the Wildcats to the regional title match. In his career, he is one of the more prolific scorers in school history.

The Louisburg senior finished with 47 career goals, which is second in program history and was third in school history with 26 career assists. His 120 career points is also second in Wildcat history. He is a four-time all-state and all-Frontier League first team selection.

On the hardwood, Gassman was the starting guard for the Wildcats and he recorded 39 rebounds and had 22 assists to go along with 14 steals. On the track, Gassman was a state qualifier in the high jump for Louisburg and finished 11th overall at state.

Nathan Vincent, Senior, Football and Track and Field

Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent played big roles for both the Wildcat football team and track and field program. Vincent was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football team and a state medalist in track.

On the football field, Vincent started on both sides of the ball as he earned all-state and all league honors. He finished with 80 tackles as a defensive end to go along with 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. Vincent was a key member of the offensive line as he helped the Wildcats to more than 33 points per game. He earned first team all-league offensive league honors and second team-defense. He also recorded first team all-state honors and was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Vincent was the Wildcats’ top thrower for the track and field program. Vincent recorded three state medals as he helped Louisburg to a state runner-up team finish. At state, Vincent medaled third in the shot put, fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin. In all, Vincent has won five career state medals, with three coming in the javelin.

Colyer Wingfield, Senior, Basketball, Track and Field

Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield had a big season for both the Wildcat basketball team and track program. Wingfield was the leading scorer for the Wildcat basketball program, and was a part of two state relays in track.

Wingfield earned a lot of success on the hardwood as he was named to the All-Frontier League second team. He led the Wildcats in scoring at 17.4 points per game and pulled down nearly six rebounds a contest.

On the track, Wingfield helped the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay to state medals as both finished third at the state meet last month. The 4×100 relay set a new school record in the process. He also did the long and triple jumps for the Wildcats.

Members of the Louisburg boys Class 4A state runner-up track and field team are (front row, from left) Cooper Wingfield, Ethan Ptacek, J.R. Rooney, Blaise Vohs, Myles Vohs, Colton Blue, Hunter Heinrich, Cade Gassman; (back row) head coach Andy Wright, coach Alex Gentges, Caden Caplinger, Nathan Vincent, Mason Dobbins, Nathan Apple, Colyer Wingfield, Jerynce Brings Plenty and coaches John Reece and Shelby Suther.

WICHITA — The Louisburg boys track and field team had the resume of a state champion. 

The Wildcats racked up 87 points during last weekend’s 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.”

As much success as Louisburg had throughout the state meet, the Wildcats always found themselves trying to rein in Andale and couldn’t quite overtake the Indians.

Andale scored 48 of its points in the throws to get the Indians off to a good start. Louisburg opened the state meet with 18 points in the pole vault with Caden Caplinger and Cooper Wingfield’s top two finish and another 10 in the high jump on Mason Dobbins’ state title.

Senior Nathan Vincent was able to help keep the Wildcats within striking distance as he scored points in all three throwing events, while Dobbins and Nathan Apple scored key points in the hurdles.

Sophomore Jerynce Brings Plenty medaled in two individual distance events, while the 4×100 and 4×800 relays also earned the Wildcats big points.

Louisburg also had to overcome an injury bug as Ashton Moore, the 4×100 anchor, suffered an injury in the prelims and Ethan Ptacek had to fill his spot. Ptacek came through as the Wildcats were still able to get third in the relay.

Despite all that success, the Wildcats were on the brink of elimination from the state race going into the 200-meter dash — the second-to-last event. Louisburg was down 11.5 points to Andale. 

It was all up to Dobbins. After the prelims on Friday, Dobbins had the seventh fastest time in the event and he had to finish at least fifth to keep the Wildcats mathematically alive.

He did more than that. In his final race as a Wildcat, Dobbins came through as he took third in 23.07 seconds and scored six points for Louisburg. Dobbins, who was running in lane 1, was just .02 seconds behind the runner-up finisher.

“I got to see him grow up the last three years,” Wright said of Dobbins. “Mason ran an unbelievable race and he did it in a really difficult lane to run in. He knew what he had to do to keep his team in it and he really came through big time. His mental toughness was what stuck out to me and what impressed me the most about him at state.”

With seemingly new life, the Wildcats were now just 5.5 points back of Andale and the Louisburg 4×400 relay of junior Hunter Heinrich, freshman Blaise Vohs, senior Colyer Wingfield and senior Ethan Ptacek needed to get third place for the Wildcats to hoist the state championship plaque.

“Once Mason took third, then I could see those 4×400 guys really start to warm up and get serious,” Wright said. “They knew what was on the line.”

All the relay team did was a run 3-second personal best and was .25 seconds off the school record. They put together a state championship-level performance.

Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough. Bishop Miege edged Louisburg for third place and the Wildcats finished as the state runner-up.

“I knew they would be competitive,” Wright said of the relay. “I had different people running it at the beginning of the year. Found the four I wanted and getting Ethan healthy again was huge. He was the main guy for that relay to be successful, but Colyer ran amazing legs as well. It was great to see the other guys in Blaise, who is freshman, run strong and Hunter is a good first leg and he always keeps us in the running.

“However, the race they put together was unbelievable. To cut three seconds off their time and almost get a school record, that was something I don’t know that I saw coming. They competed so hard. They wanted it for their teammates.”

It was an emotional scene afterward as the Andale team celebrated, while Wildcats had the feeling of a game-winning shot in a state basketball game, just rimming out. They were THAT close to their second state title in three years.

The run Louisburg track has been on the last three seasons has been a memorable one. The Wildcats won a state title in 2021, took third in 2022 and now second this season. 

Even in 2020, the Wildcats were also primed to reach the state podium as a team, but the season was cancelled due to COVID.

“We have been pretty fortunate to have a lot of great athletes come through the program these last few years,” Wright said. “It has been a lot of fun watching all of them compete and grow over time.

“We had so many kids do great things. We can be upset for finishing second at state, but we cannot be upset about the effort. The kids gave everything they had. I’m so proud of all of them for what they accomplished this year.”