Rich Brown has spent close to four decades around the sport of volleyball and has held several different positions during that time. 

It is a sport that has consumed much of his life, including the past 15 years as an assistant coach at different levels in the Louisburg school district. Now, Brown will focus on a new role for the upcoming season — as head coach.

Brown was approved to be the next leader of the Wildcat program following the most recent USD 416 Board of Education meeting. He takes over from former head coach Leanna Willer, who resigned to take the same position at Olathe East.

“I’m both excited and nervous, which is pretty much my MO anytime I start something new,” Brown said. “I think I’m fortunate in that I’ve been in the program for more than 15 years as an assistant at all levels. I know there is a culture of success the volleyball program has and I will do what I can to continue that.”

Brown has most spent of his time at Louisburg as an assistant coach under Willer and former head coach Jessica Compliment, who both had state tournament runs during their tenures.

It is that experience working with both coaches that Brown believes will help him with the upcoming season and those moving forward.

“Working with Willer and Compliment helped me immensely,” Brown said. “I have always gone into every job as a learner, and that attitude hasn’t changed even as I get older. Compliment has taught me how important routine is to a team as the season reaches its end. She has also taught me that there is no limit to the amount of things she can fit in her backpack. She could give lessons to the Army. 

“Willer has really helped bring back my love for the game. I feel that she always is looking ahead at what will give the team the best chance at success. And I have never worked with anyone as organized as her. It’s going to be a challenge to try to be 50 percent as organized as she is.”

This won’t be Brown’s first head coaching experience, however. He has spent time as head coach at Ottawa, Central Heights, Lyndon and Topeka West. He also has some collegiate experience as he served as the first assistant at Ottawa University.

“Well I think I started coaching just a couple of years after the sport was invented,” Brown joked. “It feels that way sometimes. I graduated college in ’85 and started coaching in’ 86 when the game was very different when there was side-out scoring and no libero. College matches between good teams could last 3 hours or more.”

Although Brown will have a new title, he is a familiar face around the program as he has coached most of the upcoming varsity players on the junior varsity level.

Despite losing five seniors from last season, the Wildcats will bring back a core group of players from a team that reached the sub-state championship. 

With a new head coach comes some changes, but Brown is looking forward to working this group of athletes. 

“I am very fortunate to come to the head coaching position with a very experienced group of players,” Brown said. “I am hoping to use that experience to allow players to work from a variety of positions and try to open up the offense with better communication between the kids on the court. There are a couple of places where we have made changes in the schedule so we don’t end up playing the same teams three or four times a season. 

“I also want our team to learn to treasure the team attitude and limit the amount of time we are dividing our attention between the court, and the things that happen in the stands. So there will be a little more isolated approach when it comes to competition time.”

With summer workouts approaching in the next couple of months, Brown wants to make sure his team is prepared and ready to go when the season starts.

“This season will have a different feel for the players in many ways,” Brown said. “There are new KSHSAA restrictions on 2-a-days, and length of practices will make the beginning of the season feel a bit frantic in those first 2 weeks of practices. But I also think that will help the players understand just how important it is to be ready to work each day.”

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 2024, 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 2025 will bring. Thank you to everyone for their support and can’t wait for it all to begin again.

10. Coaching Changes: Willer steps down from LHS volleyball, Roquemore takes over girls soccer

Louisburg volleyball and girls soccer saw some big changes in their respective programs. 

Over the summer, Jordan Roquemore was hired as the head coach for the Wildcat girls soccer program after spending several years as an assistant. 

He became the third head coach in the history of Louisburg girls soccer. He replaced former coach Ben York, who coached the Wildcats the last two seasons.

“I feel tremendously honored to take over as head coach,” Roquemore said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to take over an exceptional program with a great group of athletes, supportive parents and invested community members. I don’t take the responsibility lightly, but I am also really excited.”

On the volleyball side, head coach Leanna Willer submitted her resignation in early December.

Willer has spent eight seasons with the Wildcat program, including the last four as head coach. She accepted a new position as head coach at Olathe East.

“This decision is bittersweet, but deep down I know that this is the best decision for me and my life,” Willer said in an email to parents. “The team will move on, and I feel lucky that I could play a small part in the long-standing traditions of the program. To the alumni and class of 2024, I thank you for your commitment to this team and to this program, and for making my time at Louisburg unforgettable. To our younger players, I am sorry for not seeing your journeys all the way through, but please know that you have my unwavering support and I cannot wait to see what you all can accomplish with the time you have left as Louisburg Wildcats.”

9. Brueggen wins state swim medal

For the third straight season, Sabra Brueggen left the Class 5-1A state swim meet with some hardware.

The Louisburg junior showed why she is among the state’s best as she earned a fourth place medal in the 200-yard individual medley — her first ever state medal in that event — Saturday at the Shawnee Mission Aquatic Center.

The 2-day meet provided a lot of ups, and some downs, for the Louisburg swim program, but for Brueggen it was nice to return to the medal stand.

“I was very happy and content with my 200 IM swims last weekend,” Brueggen said. “Not only did I set a new personal best time, but I also walked away with fourth place in an event that is not one of my primaries.”

Janie Harth, Ella Bockelman and Cadence Weichert also joined Brueggen at the state meet as they qualified for the consolation finals in the 200 medley relay 400 freestyle relay.

8. Dixon achieves pro volleyball dream

It was setting up to be an epic finish to Anna Dixon’s collegiate volleyball career.

Dixon, as a graduate transfer, made the move to the University of Florida for her final season and quickly made an impact on the Gators’ roster.

Despite have to learn a new position due to an injury on the team, Dixon seemed to flourish. She helped the Gators out to a quick start and everything was going according to plan.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Dixon suffered a season-ending elbow injury that put a premature end to her collegiate career. It was a devastating blow.

However, instead of sulking, Dixon worked that much harder to get back to the court and achieve her ultimate goal — playing professional volleyball. 

All that hard work finally came to fruition back in July when Dixon, a 2019 Louisburg High School graduate, signed with the Atlanta Vibe, which is a part of the Pro Volleyball Federation.

“I am super excited to compete at the highest level, but also to be able to do that here in the US,” Dixon said. “It has been a dream of mine to be able to play professionally, in front of club girls who are in the same shoes that I was in many years ago. I am excited to give them the opportunity to have something to look forward to and work toward. Blessed for the opportunity and ready to get to work.”

7. Cheer takes third at state

TOPEKA — The Louisburg High School cheerleading squad is no stranger to the finals of the Class 4A Game Day competition. 

Heading into the Nov. 23 showcase in Topeka, the Wildcats have made the final round in each of the last five seasons. Louisburg had no problem making it a sixth straight, and for the fifth time in six years, they came home with a state plaque.

Louisburg finished third in the state competition as it edged out Baldwin for the top three spot in Class 4A.

“Bringing home another trophy from the Game Day Cheer competition was a testament to our team’s hard work, dedication, and growth throughout the season,” Louisburg cheer coach Breanna Kostroske said. “It means so much to us because it reflects their skill, their heart, and spirit—three things we emphasize daily. For our athletes, it symbolizes their resilience and the countless hours they’ve spent perfecting their routines. 

“As coaches, we are incredibly proud of their overall performance. They left it all on the floor, and while there is always room for improvement, they gave a performance that showcased their teamwork, precision, and energy.”

6. Moore medals at state wrestling

SALINA — Louisburg has been no stranger to the medal stand at the Class 4A state wrestling tournament and it was the case again back in February in Salina.

Louisburg junior Ashton Moore reached the semifinals at 190 pounds on the first day to secure himself a medal, and then finished fourth overall on the tournament’s final day.

Moore had several close matches throughout the 3-day tournament at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and was challenged each day. 

“I thought I wrestled some of my best matches of the season and it felt great to have it pay off with a medal,” Moore said. “It felt amazing to win those first two matches and know I was guaranteed my medal. Those wins really helped me gain a lot of confidence going forward in the tournament.”

Five other Wildcats made the trip to state, but faced some tough matchups. Juniors Canaan Clayton (113 pounds), Will Showalter (120), Logan Henry (132), Jay McCaskill (157) and senior Traden Noll (150) each finished 0-2 on the first day.

5. Wildcat boys swim makes history earning 5 medals at state

TOPEKA — The Louisburg boys swim program is still relatively new compared to other teams around the state, but the Wildcats made its presence felt back in February at the Class 5-1A state meet in Topeka.

Louisburg had its best postseason finish in its young history as the Wildcats finished eighth overall in the team standings with 104 points thanks in part to just four swimmers.

Two of those athletes — Colin Brown and Andrew Jamison — each brought home individual medals. Brown, Jamison, Colton Prettyman and Noah Sharp also medaled in the 200-yard medley relay.

Brown hit the pool strong as the Wildcat sophomore medaled fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and later finished fifth in the 100 backstroke with personal best times. 

Jamison, another sophomore, earned two medals of his own. He finished fifth in the 200 individual medley and later took sixth in the 100 breaststroke. 

Prettyman reached the consolation finals in the 50 freestyle and took 13th overall with a personal best time. 

4. Wildcat football nearly pulls upset of Miege as successful season comes to early close

The mountain of playing Bishop Miege is always a tough one for public schools to climb, especially when it comes to football.

Miege, which has won seven state titles in the last 10 years, has never lost to a non-private school in the playoffs during that decade long of dominance.

Louisburg wanted to be the first team to hand it that loss as the No. 2 seed Wildcats hosted the No. 15 Stags in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The Wildcats were so close to that mountaintop, but came up just short as they fell to Miege, 21-14, to end their season with a 7-2 record.

Louisburg was behind 14 points, only to rally and tie the game at halftime. The Wildcats had one final drive to try and tie it again late, but a Miege interception dashed the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset. 

“In this moment, the only word I can come up right now is proud,” Louisburg coach Drew Harding said. “I am so proud of the team. Our biggest emphasis was we had to start fast and we didn’t. They got out to a 14-0 lead, and most times when you play teams like Miege that can snowball and get out of hand quick. Those guys just battled and were able to tie it up at halftime. Then for us to continue to fight and have a chance to tie it at the end — proud is all I can say about them.”

The Wildcats ended their season with back-to-back losses after they won their first seven games of the season. They were in line to win their third straight league title, but lost a close game the week before to Spring Hill that also bumped them off their No. 1 seed line, forcing a matchup with Miege in the first round.

Miege’s streak of state titles came to an end later in the season as the Stags fell to Andover Central in the state championship game.

3. Wildcat girls soccer wins regional championship

For the last two seasons, the Louisburg girls soccer team has seen heartbreak in the Class 4-1A regional championship.

Losses to Topeka-Hayden and Bishop Miege have prevented the Wildcats from that regional title, with their last coming in 2021. 

It is elusive no more.

The No. 1 seed Wildcats shutout No. 8 Maranatha Academy, 2-0, to win the Class 4-1A regional title at Wildcat Stadium. It was a dominating effort from start to finish as the Wildcats improved their record to 13-4-1 on the season.

“This was a preseason goal of ours,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “We fell short last year and we wanted to do as much as we could in the regular season to control our own destiny. The girls put a lot of work in and were focused to get to this game and get a win. They definitely earned this one and it was good to see them enjoy it.”

Louisburg faced a tough matchup in the state quarterfinals as the Wildcats lost to Bishop Miege at home, 7-0.

2. Wildcat baseball earns first regional title in 15 years

The current members of the Louisburg baseball team couldn’t remember the last time the Wildcats made the state tournament even if they tried.

That’s because they were just wee toddlers the last time the Wildcats earned a spot a state — 2009 to be exact. 

These players are going to have a hard time forgetting this one.

For the first time in 15 years, Louisburg is headed back to the state tournament after the Wildcats put together a convincing 10-3 victory over Wamego in the Class 4A regional championship back in May at Lewis-Young Park.

The Wildcats also defeated Parsons, 8-0, in the regional semifinal to put together what was a dominating performance from top to bottom.

“This is just amazing,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “To see how much work these guys have put in, then to come out and get the job done, it is pretty surreal. We had a bunch of guys step up and do exactly what they needed to do. They played great defense, pitched great and everyone in the dug out was into the game. It was a great win.

“It has been awhile and it has been a long time coming. We have had some great teams and this team finally pushed through and got it done.”

In the state tournament, the Wildcats had to battle rival Paola in the first round, but lost in a pitcher’s dual to the Panthers, 3-0.

1. Wildcat sweep pole vault state titles, medal 8 at state

WICHITA — Cooper Wingfield and Maddy Carpenter-Ross found their way atop the medal stand last May at the Class 4A state track meet.

All season, Carpenter-Ross had her eyes set on a second straight state title in the pole vault and she dominated her competition.

Going into the Class 4A state meet at Wichita State, Carpenter-Ross won every competition going away and was ready to do the same against some of the state’s best.

This time, however, it was much harder.

To get this state title, Carpenter-Ross was going to have to have to set a new personal best and break her own school record in the process.

She did it and accomplished that feat on her first try.

With two competitors left at 12 feet, Carpenter-Ross cleared it on her first try as did Holton’s Piper Robinson. Both competitors missed at 12-6, and since they were tied, they decided the winner based on misses at 11-6, where the Louisburg senior got it on her first try.

“It is pretty awesome,” Carpenter-Ross said. “I worked really hard for that and I am so relieved right now. It was a little stressful, but I was in that competitive mindset and I was so happy that I PR’d. Everyone was setting personal records, so I was just like ‘My turn.’”

Wingfield, who was the state runner-up last season, entered the competition at 14 feet. He missed the first two attempts on his opening height, and another miss would not only prevent him from a state title, but a spot on the medal stand.

On the third attempt, the Louisburg junior cleared it with ease and eventually cleared 15 feet on his first attempt, which was the winning height.

“I was really nervous there on that last attempt (at 14 feet),” Wingfield said. “All I needed was a good jump to get in the zone and from there I knew I could jump pretty high. The competition was a lot harder this time around than it was last year. I knew I had to make everything on my first attempt and once I had one good jump, I knew I could do it.”

It had already been a special season in the pole vault for Wingfield, as he earned a league and regional title, and broke the school record.

Other state medalists were Gavin Lohse (third, long jump), Jaymes Melton (seventh, shot put), Ben O’Bryan (seventh, discus), Suzanna Dansel (seventh 100 dash) and Jacob Brown (eighth, pole vault). The girls 4×100 team of Dansel, Kendall Crossley, Emma Vohs and Addi Mallett medaled sixth.

After spending eight years with Louisburg volleyball, including the last four years as head coach, Leanna Willer is saying goodbye to the program.

Willer informed her team last Thursday that she has resigned her post as head coach and will be accepting a new position as the head coach at Olathe East High School.

“This decision is bittersweet, but deep down I know that this is the best decision for me and my life,” Willer said in an email to parents. “The team will move on, and I feel lucky that I could play a small part in the long-standing traditions of the program. To the alumni and class of 2024, I thank you for your commitment to this team and to this program, and for making my time at Louisburg unforgettable. To our younger players, I am sorry for not seeing your journeys all the way through, but please know that you have my unwavering support and I cannot wait to see what you all can accomplish with the time you have left as Louisburg Wildcats.”

Willer was an assistant under head coach Jessica Compliment her first four years, before taking over the program in 2021. She went on to lead the Wildcats to two sub-state championships during that time, including two fourth-place finishes at the Class 4A state tournament.

“I had a very difficult time making this decision, and the Louisburg volleyball family is a huge reason why,” Willer said in the email. “Over the last eight years, I have grown close with many of you and your families, and I feel incredibly grateful that Louisburg welcomed me with open arms so many years ago. The outpouring of love and support from the community that I have felt as part of this program has been overwhelming, and I could not have asked for a better place to begin my career. Louisburg is truly a special place that I will always hold close to my heart.”

She was hired by Louisburg as a graduate out of Washburn University, where she excelled on the volleyball court. Willer earned All-MIAA honors all four years and was a 2-time unanimous selection. She twice earned Academic All-American honors, was a two-time All-American and was the team MVP on two different occasions. 

The Wildcats will have several returning starters next season and Willer knows they will accomplish great things with whoever the new coach will be.

“I know that the Louisburg volleyball program is set up for success, and I know our upperclassmen heading into next year are ready to accomplish some amazing things,” Willer said “I will continue to be Louisburg’s biggest fan and will always celebrate Wildcat victories. I intend to do everything in my power to set up the next head coach to make this transition as smooth as possible.

“I just want to thank the Louisburg staff and administrators for taking a chance and hiring a college girl back in 2017 and providing the mentorship and opportunities for me to grow during my time at LHS. I have been challenged and supported in becoming a better teacher and coach, and I will never forget what being a Louisburg Wildcat has meant to me.”

The Louisburg volleyball team saw its season come to an end in the sub-state championship to the eventual state runner-up in Rock Creek, but the Wildcats still put together another successful season.

It was one that caught the eye of some of the Frontier League coaches as they honored several Wildcat players when the all-league teams were released last week. 

Five Wildcats were honored, including four second team selections in senior Aspen Coulter, juniors McKenna Lohse and Caileigh Kilgore and sophomore Adelyn Moore. Senior Ally Brown was named as an honorable mention.

“Overall, we were well-represented,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “This is the first time in a while that we were able to get multiple girls recognized at a higher level than honorable mention, so I was of course happy to see that. Our team is sometimes difficult to vote for as we are very well-balanced. We don’t necessarily have 1-2 major studs that everyone knows and recognizes immediately as the player that hurt them the most. Throughout the season we had different girls stepping up at different times and different players who led us through those matches. 

“When league coaches vote, they are looking at the season stats that I put in front of them but they are also remembering back to the time(s) that we played against each other and who stood out to them, so it’s encouraging to see so many girls get recognized. I think arguments could be made about other players as well, but to have five players be selected to the all-league team is pretty great.”

Lohse was a starting middle blocker for the Wildcats and did several things well as she led the team in four different categories. She led the way with a team-high 211 kills, along with a team-best 56 aces and a hitting percentage of .236 and was tops in blocks in league matches.

“Kenna was the player for us that needed to get going, and if we could get Kenna going, everyone else seemed to follow,” Willer said. “She also seemed to have very little fear when playing against our tougher opponents this season. In fact, one could argue that her best games were those against the tougher teams. She truly rose to the occasion in those big moments and we are excited to see what we will be able to get from her in her senior season.”

Kilgore was another weapon at the net for the Wildcats as she was the top hitter from the outside and was second on the team with 205 kills.

“Caileigh was a strong hitter for us and led us in attempts as she had the responsibility of getting not only the good sets to put it away, but also a lot of the out-of-system sets as is common with outside hitters,” Willer said “We love that she is not afraid to take a rip at a ball. Her presence was big for us as her kills were often the most impactful for team momentum. She was in the top 10 in the league for kills, which earned her a place on the all-league team. We are looking forward to seeing what Caileigh will bring to our team next year.”

Setting them up for all those kills was Moore, who was in her second year as the setter after sharing those responsibilities last year as a freshman. As a sophomore, all Moore did was lead the Frontier League in assists with 743.

She made her presence known all over the court as he also had 98 kills, 26 blocks, 31 aces and 186 digs.

“Adelyn ran our team and she proved herself to be one of the best setters in the league,” Willer said. “She is an all-around athlete who works hard non-stop. She plays good defense, leads the team with our offense, and has done a great job of making her presence known at the net despite her height. 

“She is the type of kid who puts her head down and gets to work during a match. You’ll never see her complain or get angry with her teammates, and she is always finding a way to get the job done. As she is only a sophomore, we are so excited that she will be back for two more years and can’t wait to see what she can accomplish.”

Coulter earned a spot on the second team for her defense as the team’s libero. As a team captain, Coulter led the team with 301 digs, which was second in the league. 

She was also aggressive from behind the service line with 34 aces and had 65 assists on the season.

“Aspen held down the back court as our libero this year and she did a great job for us defensively,” Willer said. “Additionally, she was our most consistent server and also aggressive from behind the line. She was second in the league in digs this year and made some notably awesome plays on defense, which led to her earning a spot on the all-league team. 

“Her willingness to just go for it on defense as she’s not afraid to hit the floor helped our team on the defensive end all year. Furthermore, she expanded her range to play not only left back but also middle back this season and we are proud of her for taking on a change in her role to help the team.”

Another team captain, Brown earned honorable mention from her defensive specialist spot. She made an impact defensively and from behind the service line. 

Brown was second on the team with 228 digs and was also second in aces with 47. She also led the team in serve attempts and points scored while serving. 

“Ally was largely the heart and soul of this team as a really strong leader,” Willer said. “She was always the one to speak up with words of wisdom, motivation, encouragement, or tough love when needed. She was a defensive specialist for us this year and accepted that role wholeheartedly.

“Her stats earned her a place on the all-league team because coaches recognized the spirit that she brought to the court as well as the great defense she played. Her dig numbers were right up there close to a lot of the Liberos while only being on the court half the time, and that speaks volumes about what she was able to do for our team.”

ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL

First Team

Sydney Buscher, Spring Hill, senior

Adalyn Hemphill, Eudora, senior

Braydee Miller, Eudora, freshman

Finley Rieke, Tonganoxie, junior

Brylynn Wicker, Paola, senior

LIBERO: Haedyn Lynnes, Spring Hill, freshman

SETTER: Miranda Kuntz, Eudora, senior

Second Team

Leah Askins-Dietrich, Ottawa, sophomore

Brooke Beashore, Spring Hill, sophomore

Caileigh Kilgore, Louisburg, junior

McKenna Lohse, Louisburg, junior

Emily Paget, Baldwin, senior

LIBERO: Aspen Coulter, Louisburg, senior

SETTER: Adelyn Moore, Louisburg, sophomore

Honorable Mention

Lauren Berg, Baldwin, senior

Ally Brown, Louisburg, senior

Cami Collum, Baldwin, freshman

Avery Gallagher, Spring Hill, sophomore

Avery Hemphill, Eudora, sophomore

Kamryn Love, Bonner Springs, junior

Indigo Pruitt, Eudora, senior

Kayleigh Rohr, Ottawa, junior

Addy Schooler, Tonganoxie, sophomore

Ellie Trachsel, Paola, sophomore

Olivia Walters, Ottawa, senior

LIBERO

Claire Baker, Baldwin, senior

Caylee Crawford, Paola, junior

Kaitlyn Dale, Tonganoxie, junior

Bailey Hammerschmidt, Eudora, junior
Addison White, Ottawa, senior

SETTER

Ava Anderson, Bonner Springs, senior

Kalea Baldock, Tonganoxie, junior

Kinzley Meinig, Paola, sophomore

Logan Scoby, Baldwin, freshman

ST. GEORGE — For the last two seasons, the Louisburg volleyball team ventured on the road and captured back-to-back sub-state championships.

This season the Wildcats found themselves in the same position and faced a tough task as they traveled to No. 1 seed Rock Creek. 

After a 2-0 victory over Independence in the sub-state semifinals, the Wildcats battled Rock Creek in the championship game in hopes of making it a third-straight trip to state.

Although they battled, Louisburg came up short in a 25-18 and 25-23 setback to the Mustangs on Saturday at Rock Creek High School. The Wildcats finished the season with a 20-16 record.

“The end of any season is always tough, and losing in the championship on Saturday was heartbreaking for sure,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Rock Creek is a great team, but we sure put up a great fight. In the first set I thought we wanted to compete, but let them score too many runs and get too many easy points from us. In the second set, I thought we really went for it and believed that that could be our game. 

“We stepped up every aspect of our game it felt like and we were in it right until the very end. We are very proud of the heart that our girls showed in that match.”

Rock Creek, which came into the tournament with a 32-4 record, provided a lot of challenges for the Wildcats. Mustang middle blocker Ayla Klingenberg was big at the net with 12 kills on the night, while setter Brynna Moeller had 17 assists.

“Rock Creek is a great team,” Willer said. “Their ball control is very solid, and (Moeller) is quite impressive. She is offensive-minded, very athletic and moves the ball around well to put their hitters in good positions. Klingenberg is a force to be reckoned with at the net and we knew it would be a challenge to stop her. 

“Additionally, they are just a strong team from every position. They are tall and strong at the net so they put up a good block, and they have girls that can swing aggressively from each position. As I said before, they are a very strong team and one that I imagine will do well at the state tournament later this week.”

Still, the Wildcats were able to put up a fight, especially in the second set. Louisburg was down 18-14 when McKenna Lohse tallied two kills and Addi Mallett added another to make it 18-17.

Rock Creek went up 19-17, but Lohse added two more kills to tie the match. The Mustangs went up 22-20, but Caileigh Kilgore answered with two kills of her own to tie the match again. 

It wasn’t enough as Rock Creek scored three of the next four points to take the set and the match. 

“We really did leave it all out there on the floor,” Willer said. “After the game, we talked about how we all should walk out of that gym with our heads held high knowing that we gave it our all and played what I think was our best volleyball of the season. The environment in the gym was great – I’ll give credit to the Rock Creek Student Section – they sure brought the noise. 

“That being said, our families, friends, and loved ones that made the trip out there to support us really brought the energy. It means a lot to our girls to be able to look up in the stands and see so much purple.”

Lohse and Kilgore led the Wildcats at the net with seven and six kills, respectively. Senior Evyn Richardson added five. On the day, Lohse tallied 13 kills and Kilgore had 11.

The players also fared well at the net defensively as they challenged several Rock Creek attacks.

“Our hitters did a great job at the net overall,” Willer said. “We minimized our unforced errors which helped us win the semi-final and compete in the championship. Kenna hit .500 on the day with 13 kills and only 1 error on 24 attempts. Caileigh hit .409 with 11 kills and only 2 errors on 22 attempts. 

“Our offense among the rest of our hitters was solid as well – those two just stood out the most for us. On the defensive side of things, I was proud of how well our team blocked against Rock Creek, especially considering they were the taller, bigger team. We played tough at the net and competed well all day.”

Sophomore setter Adelyn Moore had 20 assists, while senior libero Aspen Coulter led the team with nine digs. Moore and Mallett each had five. 

Against Independence, the Wildcats controlled the game from behind the service line and it started with Lohse. The Louisburg junior led the way with six aces in the Wildcats’ 25-19 and 25-14 win. 

In all, Louisburg had 12 aces in the semifinal match, including two from senior Jaden Bentz and junior Delaney Nelsen.

Moore ran the offense well as she recorded 23 assists against the Bulldogs, while Mallett and Lohse each had six kills.

Defensively, Coulter led the back row with six digs and senior Ally Brown had four. Another senior, Katie McKain, finished with a team-high two blocks.

The loss against Rock Creek also meant the final game in a Louisburg uniform for five seniors as Bentz, Brown, Coulter, McKain and Richardson all saw their Wildcat careers come to a close.

“These five seniors have been wonderful with the team this season,” Willer said. “As a group, they faced a unique challenge in the sense that our senior class last year was so big, and really only one of this year’s seniors came in with much varsity experience. That being said, this group didn’t miss a beat and stepped up to the challenge wholeheartedly. 

“I have been so impressed by this group of girls this season because of their selflessness and team first mentality. They walked in the gym every day willing to work hard and wanting to get better, and I think that showed on the court on Saturday. They gave so much of themselves to this team and our program and we are so lucky to have had them be a part of it. We will miss them so much next year.”

WAMEGO — With the Frontier League schedule complete and the postseason right around the corner, the Louisburg volleyball team had two games remaining on its regular season schedule.

As far as the league standings and postseason schedule goes, the matches last Thursday didn’t mean much, but the Wildcats wanted to enter the postseason on a positive note.

Louisburg was able to accomplish that as the Wildcats defeated Wamego and Ottawa during a triangular at Wamego High School.

The Wildcats rallied to beat Wamego, 2-1, in the first match of the night and then took care of business against Ottawa in a 2-0 win. Louisburg finished its regular season with a 19-15 record.

‘It was great to go out to Wamego and get a couple of wins,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “We talked a lot about how it was important to us to finish the regular season on a positive note and having fun as a team. There were moments in both games that were touch and go as we had more errors than we would have liked, but each time we were able to turn it around and play at a higher level later in the game. 

“Both Wamego and Ottawa are scrappy teams that defended us well to start, but our girls did a good job at making some adjustments to end on a more successful note.”

After a tough start in a first set loss to Wamego, the Wildcats were able to rally in the 24-26, 25-13 and 25-19 victory. 

Louisburg served tough to help get back in it as the Wildcats tallied 12 aces, including three from seniors Aspen Coulter, Ally Brown and junior McKenna Lohse. They also had two from Addi Mallett and one from Delaney Nelsen. 

The middles also had a big night as Lohse and senior Evyn Richardson each had nine kills to lead the team, and junior Caileigh Kilgore had seven.

Sophomore Adelyn Moore had a team high 28 assists to help lead the offensive attack.

Defensively, senior Jaden Bentz and Coulter each had nine digs to lead the way and Moore had eight. Senior Ally Brown and Nelsen each had seven.

Against Ottawa, the Wildcats survived the first set with a 28-26 victory, but dominated the second set 25-10 to earn the sweep.

Mallett led the Wildcat attack at the net with seven kills, while Lohse finished with six. Moore also had 16 assists on the night.

Defensively, the Wildcats found a lot of success at the net with 10 blocks, including three from Lohse and two from senior Katie McKain, Moore and Richardson.

In the back row, Brown led the way with six digs and also had an ace, as did Nelsen. 

“Looking at the performances, one of the biggest positives in my mind is that all of our stats were well-distributed among every player,” Willer said. “We had 4 players with double digit kills on the evening, and 4 other players with double digit digs. We’ve been working on balance throughout the season so that was really good to see. 

“Both Kenna Lohse and Ally Brown stood out as Kenna led us at the net with 15 kills and 5 blocks. Ally had a great night in the back row as she led the team with 4 Aces and 13 digs.”

Now the focus will be on the postseason for Louisburg. The Wildcats are the No. 9 seed and will face off with No. 8 Independence at 3 p.m. Saturday during the sub-state tournament at Rock Creek High School. 

If the Wildcats win, they will advance to the championship where they will meet the winner of No. 1 Rock Creek and Labette Co./Fort Scott match.

“As we look ahead to the postseason, we are looking forward to putting in some hard work in the gym in our final guaranteed week of practices so that we are at our best by Saturday,” Willer said. “With the positive energy that this team can bring to the court, we know that we are capable of accomplishing some big things.”

ATCHISON — Going into the Atchison Invitational on Saturday, it had been a pretty tough stretch for the Louisburg volleyball team.

The Wildcats had suffered seven straight losses going into the tournament and needed some positives to happen in the biggest way. They got what they were looking for.

Louisburg won three of four matches at the round-robin tournament and finished second overall in Atchison to improve its record to 17-15 on the season.

The Wildcats opened the tournament with a 25-12 and 25-8 victory over Schlagle, but lost in three sets to Shawnee Mission South, 25-20, 19-25 and 25-19. Louisburg rebounded with a 25-14 and 25-19 win over Atchison and ended with a 3-set win over Perry-Lecompton, 18-25, 25-15 and 25-15.

“It was great to get back on the winning side of things on Saturday and put an end to the rough streak we had been having,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “It was definitely needed. Finishing second at that tournament definitely helped our team confidence, especially ending on that win against Perry-Lecompton. I think we learned some things about our team and we showed some growth throughout the day as well.”

Louisburg faced adversity against Perry-Lecompton as it lost the first set and was the verge of a tough loss to end its day. However, the Wildcats rallied to win the next two sets in convincing fashion.

It started at the serving line for the Wildcats as they tallied 10 aces in the match, including three each from McKenna Lohse and Aspen Coulter, while Addi Mallett had two.

Sophomore setter Adelyn Moore got her hitters involved as junior Caileigh Kilgore had a team-high 10 kills and Lohse was right behind her with nine. Senior Evyn Richardson, Mallett and Moore had five kills each.

Defensively, Mallett, Coulter and senior Ally Brown led the way with eight digs each and Kilgore had seven.

“The final match against Perry-Lecompton was great because we saw a major turn-around between the first and second sets,” Willer said. “We had some leaders step up in big ways, and the rest of the team really bought in to what we wanted to get out of that game. The energy and atmosphere completely changed for the better, and I’m really proud of the whole group for making that happen.”

On the day, the Wildcats had a lot of success serving as they tallied 33 aces in the four matches, including nine from Moore and seven each from Coulter and Lohse.

Moore also directed the Wildcat attack with 84 assists on the day. Lohse led the way at the net with 11 kills, while Kilgore and Mallett each had eight. Richardson and senior Katie McKain had six each.

Defensively, Richardson had a team-high seven blocks, while Coulter had a team-best 33 digs. Brown finished with 20 digs, Moore had 17 and senior Jaden Bentz had 15.

“I thought that both of our middles (Richardson and Lohse) really had a big weekend, and I’ll give credit to Adelyn for making sure that we were running our offense through them when we could,” Willer said. “Bringing them into the picture more often also gave our pin hitters a little more breathing room and space around the block, so it helped everyone be more successful.”

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going Thursday as they travel to Wamego for a triangular with Ottawa in its regular season finale. Matches begin at 5 p.m.

Wildcats drop league finale at Tonganoxie

Louisburg saw its Frontier League schedule come to a close on Oct. 8 when the Wildcats traveled to Tonganoxie.

Unfortunately, they were unable to get that final league victory. Tonganoxie won in straight sets, 25-20, 25-22 and 25-21.

“Ending our league schedule at Tonganoxie last week was tough, and we knew it would be a tough match up after seeing them the previous Saturday at the Ottawa tournament,” Willer said. “We had a stronger game plan going into the match, but unfortunately we couldn’t quite execute it as we had designed. We did not play our best, and struggled with serve receive and making errors in general. 

“To Tonganoxie’s credit, they played a very clean game of volleyball and just didn’t make a lot of errors which put them in the better position to win. Every team in this league is a strong contender. Although I believe we could have performed better, Tonganoxie was the better team that night.”

The Wildcats committed 41 errors on the night, which was hard to battle back from against a good Chieftain team. 

Junior McKenna Lohse led all Wildcat hitters with nine kills, while Addi Mallett had six. Evyn Richardson, Caileigh Kilgore and Delaney Nelsen each had five kills.

Adelyn Moore had 27 assists on the night, while Aspen Coulter and Ally Brown had 10 and nine digs, respectively.

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

ADELYN MOORE, SOPHOMORE, VOLLEYBALL

Louisburg sophomore Adelyn Moore did a little bit of everything for the Wildcat volleyball team last week as she helped the Wildcats to a second place finish Saturday at the Atchison Invitational. Moore, the team’s setter, helped Louisburg to a 3-1 record on the day and led the team with 111 assists.

Moore was also big from behind the service line as she led the Wildcats with nine aces on the week and also tallied 19 kills. She also played well on the defensive end with 23 digs. Moore helped Louisburg to wins over Schlagle, Atchison and Perry-Lecompton in the tournament, with their lone loss coming in three sets to Shawnee Mission South.

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: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Senior Night is always a special moment for any team and it was the case again Thursday as the Louisburg volleyball team hosted Spring Hill for a Frontier League dual.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Spring Hill put a damper on the evening as the Broncos handed Louisburg a 25-16, 25-19 and 25-13 loss in what was the final home game this season.

Still, the Wildcat players and fans had a chance to say thank you to the five Louisburg seniors — Jaden Bentz, Ally Brown, Aspen Coulter, Katie McKain and Evyn Richardson — as they played their last game in the LHS gymnasium.

“Senior Night is always a very special night for our program,” Willer said. “With volleyball, the timing of senior night can be tricky, and this year was no different — senior night is happening yet we still have quite a few games left to play. I think that helps our girls to know that we still have time with our seniors left, but it definitely brings attention to how that time is winding down and how we want to make the most of the time we have left with this particular group of girls.

“These seniors have brought so much fun and energy to our program and they each bring their own unique personality to the gym every day. They have truly impacted our program and are going to leave their mark on the team this year.”

Spring Hill is currently undefeated in Frontier League play and is on pace to win the league title and the Broncos made it tough on the Wildcats.

“Against Spring Hill, we saw our team do some really great things and make some big plays that had us hanging in there, especially in the second set,” Willer said “Unfortunately, we couldn’t string enough of those good plays together to come out on top in the end. Overall, I thought we fought hard and our seniors especially really tried to make the most of playing on our home court for the last time.”

Richardson had a big night in her final home performance as she finished with a team-high 10 kills to go along with two blocks. Juniors Caileigh Kilgore and McKenna Lohse added five kills each.

Louisburg setter Adelyn Moore had a team-high 23 assists to go along with nine digs and two blocks. Brown was also second the team with nine digs.

The Wildcats will try and get back in the win column Tuesday when they travel to Tonganoxie for their final league dual of the season. Varsity is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Louisburg gets league road victory at Paola

It may not have been as easy as the 3-0 score indicated, but Louisburg picked up a win over its rival last Tuesday in Paola.

The Wildcats defeated the Panthers 25-23, 26-24 and 25-22 as they were able to pull out three close set victories on the road.

“Winning another league match is always going to be a positive, especially when we can do it in straight sets,” Willer said. “With Paola being our closest competitor geographically in the league, we have a natural rivalry, so beating them is always important to us. We didn’t play our best, but I’m proud of the team for being able to dig themselves out of some holes in each set and come back to win.”

Serving and defense provided the Wildcats with a good starting point against Paola as Louisburg tallied eight aces in the those three sets, including three each from Ally Brown and Delaney Nelsen.

Brown also stepped up in the back row as she tallied a team-high 21 digs and another senior, Jaden Bentz, had 11 and Nelsen added nine.

Offensively, junior McKenna Lohse had a big night as the Wildcat middle blocker led the team with five blocks and also had a team-high 11 kills. Junior Caileigh Kilgore added nine kills in the win.

Louisburg sophomore setter Adelyn Moore had a team-high 31 assists.

“I thought our defense was really strong and we made some great digs that we were able to then convert to offense which is exactly what we need to do,” Willer said. “Defensively, Ally stood out as she made some really great digs out of middle back. Offensively, I think Kenna stood out as she took some big swings and finished as the kill leader for our team.”

The Louisburg volleyball team put itself to the test Saturday during the Louisburg Invitational.

The Wildcats went up against five bigger schools during the round-robin tournament and finished with a 3-2 record. When it was all said and done, it was enough to garner themselves a runner-up trophy.

Louisburg earned victories over three Shawnee Mission schools — South, West and East — and suffered losses to eventual champion Olathe North and Basehor-Linwood. It was a strong showing in what started a busy week for the Wildcats.

“We are very proud of our second place finish at our home tournament,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “It’s a tough tournament filled with all 5A and 6A schools aside from us, so we always know that it’s going to be a challenge going into it. Teams throughout the day did seem to be pretty evenly matched as many games went to three sets.

“Overall, Saturday was a good day for our team. It was a good test to see what we can do against tough competition all day long, and how we can bounce back from a rough game in the middle of the day. I think we had some good learning moments throughout the day and we learned more about each other as a team and how we respond in tough situations.”

All those evenly-matched teams provided some drama at the end as there was a 3-way tie for second place when it was all finished. Louisburg came out on top due to win percentage and head-to-head battles.

As it turned out, the Wildcats’ victory over Shawnee Mission South proved to be its most important as South was one of the teams tied with Louisburg at the end of the day.

It was a rocky start for Louisburg as it lost the first set 21-25, but rebounded to win the second 25-18. The Wildcats put together a big rally in the third set and eventually held on for the 30-28 victory.

The Wildcats found themselves down 23-17 in the third set, but junior Delaney Nelsen served six straight points and recorded an ace in that stretch to tie it up at 23-all. 

South had match point three different times after that, but all three times junior Caileigh Kilgore staved off elimination with a kill. The Wildcats eventually held on for the victory and forced a couple South mistakes.

“The match against Shawnee Mission South proved to be one of the most exciting of the day as we went extra points in that final set,” Willer said. “ It did take us a little bit to wake up and get going in the morning, but having that high of an intensity level during the first match of the day was good for us moving forward, and we were able to carry that momentum into the game against Shawnee Mission West as well.”

Louisburg took care of business against Shawnee Mission West, 25-14 and 25-22, before moving on to tough matchup with Olathe North. The Wildcats fell 25-15 and 25-12 to the tournament champion.

Basehor-Linwood was next up for the Wildcats in what proved to be another three-set match. After taking the first set, 25-22, the Wildcats couldn’t quite pull off the upset as they lost the next two, 18-25 and 21-25.

“The loss to Basehor was tough as we were close and went back and forth a bit throughout the whole match, but we did recognize that they are a solid team and we just couldn’t quite get over the deficit we built for ourselves,” Willer said. “It wasn’t fun to lose of course, but we held our own more than in the previous match against Olathe North, so I was happy to see that we put up more of a fight even in the loss.”

The Wildcats had a chance to end their tournament with a winning record against Shawnee Mission East, and they took advantage as they went three sets again. Louisburg won the match 25-19, 17-25 and 25-23 to secure the second place finish.

“Going into the last match of the day, we talked about how we wanted to leave it all out there on the floor and end the day on a positive note,” Willer said. “We rallied around each other and pushed hard to make sure that we ended up on top against a solid Shawnee Mission East team and we were happy to walk out that day knowing we finished on a more positive note than we had seen through most of the day.”

Several different players stepped for Louisburg throughout a long day of volleyball and it started with setter Adelyn Moore. The Wildcat sophomore did a little bit of everything as she led the team with 107 assists on the day and had a team-best 37 digs.

Moore finished with 16 kills, five aces and two blocks. She also distributed the well to several different hitters.

Kilgore and junior Addi Mallett led Louisburg with 29 kills on the day and junior McKenna Lohse was right behind them with 28. Senior Evyn Richardson had 26 kills and led the team in blocks, along with Lohse, with five.

The Wildcats also did a lot of work from behind the service line as the team tallied 29 aces on the day. Senior Ally Brown had strong performance with a team-high 10 aces and Lohse finished with six.

Senior Aspen Coulter and Nelsen each finished the day with four aces. Coulter also tied Moore with a team-high 37 digs, while Brown had 29. 

“Throughout the day, I was happy to see different players step up at different times to lead both verbally and by their actions on the court,” Willer said. “We are working to develop our team identity and I think we are growing closer with each and every game.”

Louisburg is back on the court tonight as the Wildcats will celebrate Senior Night against Spring Hill. Varsity is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.