Lessons to learn are always valuable, and that is the motto for Louisburg volleyball this past week.

The Louisburg girls faced tough opponents last week, including a tournament featuring several 6A opponents and some tough league opponents against Eudora and Paola. The team is looking to be positive after this last week, with lots of learning opportunities for the future. “We learned we need to become better defensively against the outside hitter,” head coach Rich Brown said, when asked about what the team learned from this past week. “ We need to mix up our attacks better.”

The leaders this past week for the team were Reagan Varns and Breck Nielson. Nielsen is leading the team in digs, while Varns is doing well in the stat sheet in kills and attack attempts. The two will continue to lead the team while they continue to improve.

Brown mentions that the team is “working on a primary hitter offensive system,” as a way to improve the offense. It “takes some of the pressure off the setter to read blocking schemes,” said Brown. “It does require the hitters to communicate better, so we will have a lot of mistakes in that area as we get comfortable in the new system.”

“This week is a maintenance practice schedule: more scrimmage and game situations with fewer conditioning drills,” said Brown. Brown was also very respectful towards Paola, mentioning several of their players and stating team defense as a strength for Paola. The goal this week? “Getting used to the new offense,” said Brown.” “Pass better and block better. I wish we were to the point where we can focus on the opponent, but we still have too many weak spots to worry about for ourselves before we are in full scout-and-adjust mode.”

The girls took unfortunate setbacks against Paola and Pleasant Hill, suffering two more losses on the year. A bright spot for the team was senior setter Adelyn Moore surpassing 2,500 assists. Moore and the rest of the team look to turn it around at tomorrow’s tournament at Silver Lake High School.

– Mathias Wright

The Louisburg High School volleyball team continues to play well, and with the season in swing, they are beginning to hit their stride.

The girls played two games last week and took home two victories, the first being a 3-2 victory over Bonner Springs, and then 3-1 against Harrisonville.

“I think we are developing a sense of what we are capable of doing as a team,” head coach Rich Brown said. “As a total program, we have had a good week with JV taking 2nd at their home tournament and the freshmen taking third at Wellsville. I think we had some success with our right side defense and switching our defensive alignment as a team made a huge difference.”

Brown mentions a variety of different players who have been major contributors, including seniors through freshmen who have been pivotal for their success. “On varsity Adelyn Moore is taking a stronger leadership role on the court for varsity”, Brown said. “Alice Fyock has been very effective on JV, especially with hitting out of the backrow. For our freshmen, Paige Jewett and Brielle Lierz have started connecting better on quick attacks.”

The sense of capability of the game isn’t just felt by the coaching staff, but also the players themselves can feel the momentum. “From a player’s side, this season has been a year of growth, “said senior Adelyn Moore. “We have many girls that have had little to no varsity experience and they have all done an amazing job stepping up and working hard to be a beneficial aspect for the team.”

Volleyball also has their stiffest challenge of the year so far, playing in multiple games a day in tournaments and triangulars coming up. “I think this week’s tournament will be really good for us,” Moore said. “We will play very tough teams, so they will challenge us and help push us to become a better team.”

Not only has the team been winning and losing they have also been growing and bettering their skills as a whole. They are building confidence with each team they play. “After looking back at last week’s matches, I believe our proudest breakthrough moment was defeating Bonner Springs in five sets,” said senior Regan Williams. “It was a long game, but all of us girls came together and finished the game strong.”

The players also note that defense and playmaking is what is keeping them heading in the right direction. “The highlight of the past few weeks has definitely been our aggressive out-of-system hitting,” Williams said. “We had a couple of plays where a scramble defense turned into a perfect cross-court kill that completely shifted the momentum of the match. Our pin hitters are swinging with immense confidence right now.”

While continuous the team’s skills helps develop by embedding the skill-building into measurable performance gains, and playable results. “We were pushed by Bonner Springs and they are significantly better than they were last season,” Brown said. “I’m glad we managed to come out on top.  Against Harrisonville, we played them last season and it was a long 5 set match. They play defense well and made us work for every point.”

The team fell to Eudora on Tuesday night, but rebounded with a triangular victory over Girard and Fort Scott. They look to compete in the Louisburg Invitational tomorrow, beginning at 8 AM.

– Will Leach

Louisburg Volleyball had a great second week with matches against Piper and Ottawa last week.

They next had a weekend tournament at Frontenac, and then two wins vs. Bonner Springs and Harrisonville.

A busy start to the year, but successful.

They started with Piper, which resulted in a 3-0 win on Tuesday, but fell short on Thursday against Ottawa at a 3-2 loss. 

Against Piper, Louisburg opened with a 25-23 win in the first set, followed by 25-23, and ending 25-19, securing their third win of the season. 

Unfortunately, the Wildcats were handed their first loss against Ottawa on Thursday. Louisburg gave a good fight, but ended up losing 3-2. They started with a 25-22 win, but Ottawa battled back, going into five sets (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 21-25, 14-16). While the loss was disappointing, the Wildcats still played a great game. 

Seniors Breck Nielsen, Alexi O’Dell and Adelyn Moore, juniors Mia Norton and Ellie Vohs, and sophomore Reagan Varns all gave excellent performances last week. These players are not only talented on the court, but also serve as role models and leaders within the team.

“These girls are all people who I can count on to make something happen on the court. and they are all someone I can lean on during tough, close games,” senior Adelyn Moore said.

The Wildcats continue to work well together, and support each other on the court. Head coach Rich Brown has noticed the trust the players have with each other. 

“The personality of this team is total support and trust. We have a unique group of players on varsity who have set their egos aside and know the others on the court have their back,” Brown said. 

The Wildcats next finished 2nd in the Frontenac Tournament on the 12th. Then next faced off against Bonner Springs on Tuesday, which resulted in a 5 set win, and ended the week with a 4 set win against Harrisonville on Thursday.

It’s been a successful year for the Wildcats, as they look to build off of last week’s performances.

– Addy Wiese

The Louisburg Volleyball team had a strong start to their season with wins against Baldwin and Santa Fe Trail last week. Going into the second week of games, they are prepared to keep the momentum going.

Louisburg volleyball beat both of their opponents, winning by a margin of 6-1, with their only losing set to Baldwin. Against Sante Fe Trail, they had a full sweep making their record on the season 2-0 so far.

“We wanted to get off to a solid start and find out if we could play smarter this season: mix up our attacks, limit the opponent’s best hitter, and get one-on-one matches,” said head coach Rich Brown. “We were effective in reaching some of those, but we have work to do others”.

When asked about who stood out, Brown mentioned it was multiple groups who played well. “Our setter and outside hitters probably played the best on Tuesday,” said Brown, “but we looked better with our backrow than I thought we would.”

Brown has put together a well-rounded group of players this year, including seniors Adelyn Moore and Breck Nielsen, junior Ellie Vohs, and sophomore Reagan Varns. Through the next week players will continue to work together to establish their 2026 team.

“I’m not going to get ahead of where we are right now, and instead focus on what to do to get better tomorrow. We will understand our strengths and weaknesses better by next Sunday,” Brown said.

When asked about the upcoming tournament at Frontenac, Brown sees it as an opportunity to get better. “Frontenac is a great challenge for us in a lot of ways,” said Brown. “Everyone will play their heart out there and we get to see teams we won’t see for the rest of the season.”

The Wildcat’s first week of wins is exactly what they needed to set the tone for the season ahead. The players are taking what they learned from last week to improve even further for the season.

“I think the success of our first week boosts our confidence to take on the teams ahead. Success isn’t everything though, it’s what we learned from last week that will assist us in the future,” sophomore Reagan Varns said.

As the Wildcats are early in their season, they still have room for growth within their team. Players are prepared to play difficult matches this week but ready to give another great performance.

“My expectations for this week’s games is that we go out just as strong as we did last week and don’t let up in communication, effort, and teamwork,” senior Breck Nielsen said.

This week the Wildcat Volleyball team will face Piper High School at Piper on Tuesday (a win, 3-0) and Ottawa High School at home on Thursday. They will also have tournaments this Saturday at Frontenac High School.

– Addy Wiese, Mathias Wright

Louisburg volleyball is looking to build off of last year’s season.

They will rely on a strong core of seniors to get the job done.

The Louisburg high school volleyball team won their first two games of the season, with a 3-1 victory over Baldwin on Tuesday, and a 3-0 performance against Sante Fe Trail on Thursday. The team is led by head coach Rich Brown and assistant coaches Kelly Ratliff and Andrew Cornelius

It’s been a long summer of hard work, as the team has been practicing for two straight months building towards the start of the 2026 season. “The volleyball team has done weight lifting three mornings a week, opens gym two days a week, summer league with three different teams, two matches a week for six weeks, team camp at Wichita State for one week, and a team camp here at Louisburg for one week,” said Brown.

In the 25-26 season, the Wildcats was the No. 8 seed and won in the semifinals before losing to Bishop Miege in the sub-state championship match. “Last year’s swan song, we were probably a lot heavy on going outside all the time with our sets whenever we were in a challenging situation,” said Brown. “This year, it feels like we’ve got 4 or 5 good options no matter what our rotation is, so I think overall our ability to hit as a group has improved greatly.”

The team this year is set with a number of five seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores and ten freshmen, to make a total of twenty-three players with three managers. “We have a really strong group of senior leaders and they have a good chemistry with each other, ” said Brown. “They are very responsible there, very determined to make sure the team remains active and participates subsequently.”

Motivated by the ending of last year’s seniors, the Wildcats enter the beginning of this up and coming season with a mission. “We need to beat two teams to improve what we did last year. We need to beat Eudora, in order to get a chance to win league and we probably need to beat Miege to get to state, but we won’t know what that stealing is until about two weeks before.” Brown said.

The team is hoping to continue its hot start, with matches against Piper and Ottawa. They will also compete in the Frontenac tournament on the 12th.

– Will Leach

Eleven years ago, I was a nervous wreck.

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

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

Then an idea hit me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I often felt like Norm from Cheers.

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

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

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

I was lucky enough to see it all.

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

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

Those worries disappeared quickly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you, Louisburg.

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

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

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

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

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

10. Wildcat golf qualifies two for state

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

Not this year, however.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Brueggen earns pair of state swim medals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Jazzy Cats take third at state dance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Louisburg volleyball team saw its postseason run end in the Class 4A sub-state championship, but the Wildcats didn’t leave the year without a strong stamp on the Frontier League. Four Louisburg players were selected to the All-Frontier League Team, including two first-team honorees, after helping guide the program to another strong season.

Senior Caileigh Kilgore and junior Adelyn Moore were both named to the league’s first team, while senior McKenna Lohse and junior Regan Williams earned honorable mention recognition.

For head coach Rich Brown, the group’s league awards were a fitting reflection of their consistency and impact.

“I think we were represented well,” Brown said. “It’s challenging for us when we have so many hitters and blockers that we rely on. Other teams have the one standout player, but I think all our seniors make great progress for our team.”

Kilgore wrapped up her Louisburg career as one of the most productive hitters in the league. She finished the season with 320 kills, a team high, while also placing second with 49 aces and adding 21 blocks. She also added 270 digs as a six-rotation play for the Wildcats.

“Caileigh improved her game as the season progressed,” he said. “She has been able to use her power since she was a sophomore, but her other shots—off-speed, line, everything—made her much more consistent.”

Moore, the Wildcats’ steady junior setter, helped orchestrate Louisburg’s offense at a high level all season. She tallied 976 assists, one of the strongest totals in the area, and also chipped in 216 digs and 102 kills.

“It’s been really fun watching Adelyn become a leader on the court,” Brown said. “She is able to distribute the ball effectively and helped our hitters become more effective. Her defense was also a great help in transition.”

Lohse provided firepower and presence at the net throughout her senior campaign. She led the Wildcats with 55 aces, finished second in kills with 198, and posted a team-best 48 blocks, giving Louisburg a physical advantage at the net.

“Another staple in the offense,” Brown said. “Her ability to take the shots necessary to keep the defense honest was a big part of our effectiveness as a team.”

Williams anchored Louisburg’s back row as the team’s libero, finishing with a team-high 315 digs. Her passing and out-of-system setting kept the Wildcats competitive in long rallies and tight moments.

“We’ve had a lot of one-year starters at libero, but it was a huge plus for Regan to get recognized as a junior,” Brown said. “A great passer, a great out-of-system setter, and really, really good at making us an attacking team when we are under pressure.”

All-Frontier League Volleyball

First team
 
Bailey Hammerschmidt, sr., Eudora; Avery Hemphill, jr., Eudora; Calleigh Kilgore, sr., Louisburg; Kinzley Meinig, jr., Paola; Braydee Miller, so., Eudora; Adelyn Moore, jr., Louisburg; Finley Riecke, sr., Tonganoxie.
 
Second team
 
Izzy Brunkow, jr., Eudora; Caylee Crawford, sr., Paola; Avery Gallagher, jr., Spring Hill; Becca Meyer, jr.,. Ottawa; Dylan Nichols, sr., Ottawa; Addy Schooler, sr., Tonganoxie; Ellie Trachsel, jr., Paola.
 
Honorable mention
 
Leah Askins Dietrich, jr., Ottawa; Kalea Baldock, sr., Tonganoxie; Cami Collum, so., Baldwin; Katelyn Dale, sr., Tonganoxie; Kirby Evans, so., Ottawa Vanessa Haas, sr., Paola McKenna Lohse, sr., Louisburg; Kamryn Love, sr., Bonner Springs; Karis Mason, sr., Eudora; Berkley Meinig, fr., Paola Macie Metcalf, sr., Spring Hill; Emme Nigh, jr. Baldwin; Logyn Scoby, so., Baldwin; Hannah Wegner, fr., Eudora; Regan Williams, jr., Louisburg; Shelby Winkel, sr., Spring Hill.

CHANUTE — The Louisburg volleyball team left everything on the court.

The Wildcats’ postseason run came to an emotional end in the Class 4A sub-state championship Oct. 25 in Chanute, where they fell to perennial power Bishop Miege, 25-23 and 25-19.

Though the loss marked the close of the season, it also capped a year filled with grit, growth and lasting memories for the five Louisburg seniors who played their final match — Delaney Nelsen, McKenna Lohse, Rylee Telken, Caileigh Kilgore and Stella Bohnenstiehl.

Louisburg, the No. 8 seed, swept Independence in the semifinals, 25-20 and 25-18, to move on to the sub-state championship for the second straight year.

“Miege always presents a special challenge for us,” Louisburg head coach Rich Brown said. “They are the perennial champions and come in with a record that doesn’t reflect their talent. We watched film of both them and Chanute as we were looking at what was coming up.”

In the title match, Nelsen led the way offensively with seven kills, while Kilgore added six. Setter Adelyn Moore distributed 18 assists, continuing her strong season running the Wildcats’ attack. Defensively, libero Regan Williams dug up nine balls, while Lohse and Telken combined for nine blocks at the net.

Against Independence, Nelsen served three aces to spark Louisburg’s momentum. Kilgore and Lohse followed with six and five kills, respectively, as Moore tallied 19 assists and Williams again anchored the defense with nine digs.

Brown said he was proud of how his team prepared and competed.

“I think they did a great job against Independence,” Brown said. “In practice, we were able to simulate some of the things they do leading up to sub-state and how we could counter them.”

Even though their championship hopes fell just short, the Wildcats left Chanute with their heads held high. The senior class helped guide a young team through challenges, while setting the tone for the program’s future.

“I really enjoyed this season,” Brown said. “The players responded well to coaching and improved as the season went on. I hope they came out of the season with a positive outlook at what lies ahead for them in the world of volleyball.”

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

ADELYN MOORE, JUNIOR, VOLLEYBALL

Louisburg junior setter Adelyn Moore helped guide the Wildcats to a sub-state championship game appearance after a 2-0 victory over Independence. Louisburg eventually fell to Bishop Miege, 2-0, in the championship game.

On the season, Moore put together a strong junior campaign in her third year as a starter. She finished with 976 assists on the season to go along with 38 aces. She was also strong defensively with 216 digs as she helped Louisburg to a 24-13 season.

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

Previous winners:

Week 1: Owen Marsh

Week 2: Caileigh Kilgore

Week 3: Maddox McGhee

Week 4: Blaise Vohs

Week 5: Evan Moreland

Week 6: Max Amren

Week 7: John Guetterman