Members of the Louisburg volleyball team mob each other after winning the sub-state title last Saturday at Baldwin.

It has been a revenge tour of sorts for the Louisburg volleyball team and it all started Saturday against Baldwin.

The Wildcat upset the No. 1-seeded Bulldogs to advance to their first state tournament since 2019. It was also payback from a loss in the sub-state championship game a year ago, and again earlier during the season.

“It has been super exciting,” senior Emma Prettyman said. “I know we were technically the underdogs going in, but we really stepped it up and to beat Baldwin was just really exciting. I can’t wait to see what state brings.”

What the state tournament has given the Wildcats so far is an opportunity to right some wrongs that happened during the season.

Four teams — Tonganoxie (twice), Bishop Miege, Paola and Towanda-Circle — handed Louisburg a loss and are all in the state tournament. Two of them — Tonganoxie and Circle — are in the same pool as the Wildcats.

The Wildcats will get their first shot at revenge at 9:30 a.m. Friday when they open pool play against Circle and then will meet Tonganoxie at 12:30 p.m. Louisburg also has a match with Clay Center sandwiched in between. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals

“I am excited about the rematch and glad this isn’t the first time we are seeing them (Circle),” Willer said. “Even though we lost, we have gotten better since then and the girls see it as an opportunity to show them how much we have grown. We have seen Paola, Tonganoxie and Miege too, and while those didn’t end in our favor the first time around, neither did Baldwin and look what we did.”

Louisburg lost to Circle in three sets in the championship game of the Circle tournament earlier this month. Circle is considered a top-3 team in the state and gives the Wildcats a tough opening match.

Still, the Wildcats aren’t deterred by what happened earlier in the year — they are using it as motivation.

“They were the last game of the tournament and everyone was pretty tired by that point,” senior Claire Brown said. “I don’t think we played them as well as we could have. I think our showing will be a lot different than last time we played them. They are a very good team, but we have a good shot at winning down there.

“We all have high expectations for ourselves. I think everyone is going to bring the best version of themselves for each game.”

It has been an up and down season for Louisburg that ended with an 18-17 record going into sub-state action. It is one that featured different lineups and Willer was doing what she could to get the pieces to fit.

Then she decided to have a chat with Adyson Ross. The Louisburg senior had mainly been known as a hitter, but Willer wanted to try her out at the libero spot. 

It was a change that took some getting used to. 

“Adyson is the type of kid who will do whatever you ask of her,” Willer said. “She knows the only reason we are asking is because it is what is best for the team. She tried it out a little bit over the summer, but she loves to hit. She is always asking in practice if she can hit and she just loves it. She loves blocking, but she also gets a lot of satisfaction being back there and getting a lot of digs. 

“She’s become the voice behind the hitters and she has taken ownership in that. She realizes that the move made our defense so much better and she is just consistent back there. While she can hit and block, we needed her more in that position.”

Ross has done it all for the Wildcats. As sophomore, she was an outside hitter, and as a junior, started on the outside and then moved to a defensive specialist spot, before having to play as a middle blocker due to injury.

Then after starting this season in the front row, made the move to the libero position, and the team started to head in the right direction. It began at the end of September at the Louisburg Invitational, when the Wildcats rattled off five wins in a row and took second.

There have been ups and down since then, but it has been a change for the better.

“Whatever the team needed I was okay with doing,” Ross said. “If the team needed a libero, I was ready to play that position. It is definitely different than swinging, by a lot. You don’t see many 5-9 girls in high school playing libero, but I just want to do whatever I can for the team. It doesn’t matter where I am out on the court, I just want to help out.”

Although the lineup was working better, Willer still noticed a lack of closeness between her team and focused on improving that as sub-state got closer.

Whatever they did, seemed to work as they came out as a team on a mission last Saturday.

“You never realize that it is coming to an end until it gets close, then all of sudden you realize you are never going to get to do this again,” senior Allie Kennedy said. “I am not going to play in college, so I wasn’t ready to for this to an end, and neither were the other girls. It made everyone step up and that it is a team thing. 

“We figured that out and we did a lot of team bonding before sub-state. I think we are just all a lot closer now and that helps with trust and playing for each other.”

Willer knew before the season even started that it was going to take some time for this group to jell together.

“The thing I am most proud of them for is how much they have grown over the season,” Willer said. “Even after taking them to camp over the summer and in summer league, you could tell it was a group that wasn’t really comfortable with one another. They weren’t already friends, which was really the case with the group the last couple of years, so they have put significant time and energy into working together and becoming a team. They have grown to love each other, and you can see that now, but from where we started to where we are now — they are completely a different team.”

A lot players contribute for the Wildcats and it starts up front as Kennedy leads the team with 270 kills on the season and Brown is right behind her with 259. Prettyman and junior Hailey Sword each have 157, while junior Madelyn Williams has 141 kills from her all-around spot.

Louisburg junior Megan Quinn has had a good year as the team’s setter with 885 assists and is second on the team with 41 aces. Sword leads the way in that department with 46.

Brown, who also plays all six rotations, leads the team with 321 digs and Ross is right behind her with 319.

The Wildcats hope they can continue their good play from last weekend as they try for the program’s first state championship.

“I am so ready for this,” Ross said. “This is the kind of thing that every athlete dreams about at the start of the season. We are completely focused and we know that we are just not fighting to stay alive for another week — we want our name up on the wall. We want a state championship. That is exciting, but we are trying to stay as focused as possible.”

Louisburg senior Adyson Ross hoists the sub-state championship trophy Saturday while teammates (from left) Allie Kennedy, Bronwynn Williams and Emma Prettyman were all smiles following the Wildcats’ upset of No. 1 seed Baldwin.

BALDWIN CITY — Hailey Sword passed it. Megan Quinn set it. Allie Kennedy put it away.

Louisburg won its biggest match point in almost four years and earned the title of Cinderella as the Wildcats pulled out maybe the most shocking upset in the state last Saturday.

The Wildcats, the No. 9 seed, knocked off No. 1 seed Baldwin, 25-18 and 25-19, at Baldwin High School in the finals of the Class 4A sub-state tournament. That win puts Louisburg in the state tournament for the first time since 2019.

Cheers erupted, the bench emptied and tears started to flow. The Wildcats accomplished something many people didn’t think was possible — except for themselves.

“It is just so unreal,” senior Adyson Ross said. “There are no words. We all went into the game knowing that we could pull this off. We were all confident in each other and that was an unbelievable feeling to have. Then after it was all over — it is just unreal. It is the best feeling.”

That feeling was one of happiness and a little bit of shock in what was surreal moment for everyone on the floor. The Wildcats had finally put together that complete game and did it at the exact right time.

“To say that I am proud would just be an understatement,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “My heart was so completely full for these girls – I’ve never experienced anything like it. Watching them tackle each other to the ground with overwhelming excitement and love for their teammates gave me so much joy. They played with incredible grit, determination, and heart to earn that trophy. It was a pretty surreal moment, and I am just thankful to be along for the ride.”

The Wildcats, who came into the tournament with a record that was just above the .500 mark, faced off with the No. 2 ranked team in the state in Baldwin. The Bulldogs had just four losses on the season and had beaten Louisburg, 3-1, earlier in the year.

Louisburg put together a completely different performance as the Wildcats made very few errors and made a statement early by winning the first set and putting all the pressure on the Bulldogs.

“It did a lot for our confidence,” senior Claire Brown said. “We wanted to come out firing and we did. It paid off in our favor and we put so much heart into every single ball. Everyone was playing for each other.”

That selflessness all over the floor made the Wildcats a dangerous team on Saturday as each player made an impact. Not only against Baldwin — but also in their 25-18, 17-25 and 25-15 victory over the Fort Scott in the semifinals when their backs were against the wall.

“It is tradition that we all talk before the game,” Kennedy said. “We all talked about how we were the underdogs and that we can really take it. I truly believe that everyone thought that we could do it and we just put it all out there because there was nothing to lose.”

There was a little doubt about how the Wildcats would take the floor Saturday. Senior middle blocker Emma Prettyman twisted her ankle earlier in the week in practice and the team wasn’t sure if she was going to play.

Prettyman came up big for her teammates against Baldwin with five kills and two blocks on a bad ankle.

“We did our best to give her as much time to rest as possible, but I am so glad that she toughed it out and was able to play in Saturday’s matches,” Willer said. “Again, she wasn’t going to let her senior season end from the bench, or at all. She wasn’t at her strongest, but she made her presence known with a couple of huge blocks and key kills throughout the game.”

Kennedy knows all about having her season end with an injury. She saw her season come to a close in the middle of last year with a leg injury and also missed time her sophomore season.

The Louisburg senior made the most of her sub-state appearance. Kennedy led the Wildcats with 16 kills to go along with three blocks and three aces in the two sub-state matches.

“It is just crazy,” Kennedy said. “All my years of high school we have had these amazing teams but we have never gotten this far. So to do this with all my best friends, and it being my senior year, it is just amazing. I am so proud of everyone.

“Sub-state is a big deal for me, especially with this being my senior year, because I knew it could be my last game. I just worked as hard as I could and made sure no ball hit the floor on defense.”

However, that last kill was the one that was that Kennedy and the rest of the Wildcats will remember for awhile.

“Allie had a fantastic game, and she’s been playing really well here at the end of the season,” Willer said. “Her voice and leadership on this team have played a huge role, and her game play has stepped up to match it. I don’t think Megan would have set any other player on game point, and that says a lot about what she means to our team.”

Quinn ran the offense well for Louisburg as she finished 51 assists and handed them out to several different hitters throughout the day.

Junior Madelyn Williams was second on the team with 14 kills to go along with a team-high four aces. Brown finished with 10 kills on the day and had three aces.

Junior Hailey Sword had six kills but also led the Wildcats with four blocks. Ross, the team’s libero, had 12 digs and two aces.

Brown led the Wildcat defense with 19 digs in the two matches, while Williams finished with 17 and Sword added 12.

Along with the state berth, the Wildcats also exacted some revenge as Louisburg and Baldwin squared off last season in the sub-state championship in Baldwin. The Bulldogs ended the Wildcats’ season that time, but Louisburg was able to turn the tables in 2022.

“Our girls played so well against Baldwin – the best they have played all season,” Willer said. “We have talked about how the entire season leads up to this moment and it’s just about showing everyone what we’re made of. Previous record doesn’t really matter when you come to play like that. Heading into the Baldwin match, our girls were amped to say the least. They were focused on getting revenge for last year’s team and doing whatever it takes to continue their season. 

“We have grown so much as a team all year long, and they decided to go out there and give it their all for the girls standing beside them along the way. Our theme of ‘We Over Me’ really clicked with this team as we prepared for our postseason run.”

After winning the first set in convincing fashion, the Bulldogs battled back in the second. Baldwin took an 11-8 lead, but a pair of Kennedy kills helped tie the match.

Tied at 14-all, Louisburg went on a 5-0 run to take a 19-14 advantage. Baldwin didn’t go away as it rattled off four straight points to cut the Louisburg lead to one and Willer called a timeout.

Baldwin eventually tied the match at 19-all.

“I had everybody take a deep breath,” Willer said. “We were getting frazzled, and needed to slow the game down in our minds. We talked about keeping our passes off the net to give Megan room to work, and for everyone to be available as a hitter to take pressure off of our only two front row hitters, Claire and Emma. 

“Everyone on the bench at the time was positive and encouraging, and we knew we just needed to take back control and force Baldwin to play our game, versus the other way around. We told them to stay confident and trust themselves.”

The Wildcats found that confidence again as Sword had two big digs in the back row to force a Baldwin side out and regained the lead at 20-19.

Ross went on to serve the next five points, including an ace. Brown added a kill and Kennedy came through with two kills, including the final one on match point.

“I think honestly, all of us knew that we could win this match,” Ross said. “Just coming together as a team, and having that belief in each other, knowing the your teammate is going to put that ball away and do their job — it is more powerful than anything else.”

Louisburg will now take that team-first attitude into the Class 4A state tournament Friday in Hutchinson. The Wildcats are the No. 7 seed (20-17) will begin pool play against No. 2 Towanda-Circle (34-4) at 9:30 a.m. at Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The Wildcats will also have pool play matches against No. 3 Clay Center (27-10) at 10:30 a.m. and No. 6 Tonganoxie (24-14) at 12:30 p.m. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the state semifinals Saturday.

Still as much as they are looking forward to state, the Wildcats are also relishing this moment, including Willer who won her first sub-state title as a head coach. Last Saturday, also happened to be her birthday and her team couldn’t have given her a better present.

“It means the world to me because I know exactly how much time, effort, and energy that these girls have devoted to our team to get to this point,” Willer said. “There were very few people who even considered state a possibility for this team. I heard it referenced as a ‘rebuilding year’ countless times and we were definitely the underdog heading into Saturday’s matches. This team came in with something to prove and I am so proud of each and every one of them.”

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

ALLIE KENNEDY, SENIOR, VOLLEYBALL

Louisburg senior Allie Kennedy has been a force in the middle for the Louisburg volleyball team this season and Kennedy has led the Wildcats to a strong finish to their regular season. The Wildcats have won six of their last seven matches going into the postseason, and last Thursday against Olathe North and Wamego, Kennedy led Louisburg with 15 kills and four blocks.

On the season, Kennedy leads the team in kills with 254 from her middle blocker spot and has a hitting percentage of .302. She is tied for the team lead in blocks with 49. Kennedy also has 22 aces in 35 matches played.

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: Layne Ryals

Week 2: Nathan Vincent

Week 3: Emma Vohs

Week 4: Claire Brown

Week 5: Ashton Moore

Week 6: Colin McManigal

Louisburg seniors Allie Kennedy (left) and Claire Brown go up for a block Thursday at Olathe North High School.

OLATHE — Going into its final two matches of the season, the Louisburg volleyball team wanted to head into the postseason on a positive note.

Mission accomplished. 

Louisburg traveled to Olathe North on Thursday for a triangular with Wamego and the Wildcats left with a pair of wins. The Wildcats defeated Wamego 25-14 and 25-22 and then followed it up with a 25-17 and 25-23 victory over Olathe North.

The Wildcats have now won six out of their last seven matches on the season as they now prepare for the sub-state tournament in Baldwin on Saturday. They are currently 18-17 on the season.

“Finishing our regular season with those two wins was the perfect way to launch us into sub-state week,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Last year we went 0-2 at that same triangular, so going 2-0 this year was great recognition for the hard work that these girls have put in this season. 

“After those games, we were able to take the weekend off to rest, relax, catch up on sleep, and prepare our minds and bodies for postseason and the team was determined to go into fall break on a high note.”

Louisburg took control of the match against Wamego and played strong all over the court.

Senior Allie Kennedy led Louisburg with eight kills, two blocks and an ace, while junior Madelyn Williams and senior Claire Brown had seven and six kills, respectively.

Junior setter Megan Quinn finished with 24 assists in the match. Senior libero Adyson Ross led the team defensively with nine digs and also had a team-high two aces. Junior Ashlyn Berck and Williams also had an ace.

Against Olathe North, Ross was big from behind the service line for the Wildcats with a team-high three aces and also had nine digs.

Quinn finished with a team-best 18 assists to guide the Wildcat offense and also led the team in digs with 10.

At the net, Brown and Kennedy each paced the Wildcats with seven kills each and Williams added six in the win. Junior Hailey Sword added six digs in the win. 

“We played a solid two matches of volleyball,” Willer said. “I think the girls would agree that we definitely were not perfect or always at our best, but we remained confident and in control throughout the night. We saw quite a few positives. After being plagued with a stomach bug earlier in the week, it was nice to get all the girls back out on the court.

Freshman Delaney Nelson also made her varsity debut against Wamego and recorded her first kill.

“Delaney did a great job,” Willer said. “The rest of the team was so excited for her to play – I think Claire yelled the loudest of the entire night when she got her first kill. It has been pretty awesome to see our upperclassmen love, support and encourage our freshmen throughout the season.”

Now the Wildcats are focused on the postseason. Louisburg is the No. 9 seed and will play No. 8 Fort Scott at 3 p.m in the Baldwin sub-state. Baldwin is the tournament’s No. 1 seed.

All tournament games will be played at Baldwin Jr. High School on Saturday, with the championship match to be held at 4 p.m.

“We are so excited for the postseason,” Willer said. “We talk about it all the time, so we are glad that this week is finally here – this is what we have been working for since the end of May. This team has so much potential and we are looking to play our best at this time in the season. 

“Our attitudes are positive and we will bring competitive energy to practice throughout the week gearing up for Saturday. We’ve been competing with great teams all season long and we are ready to show everyone what Louisburg volleyball is all about.”

The Louisburg volleyball team finished 4-1 on Saturday at the Circle Invitational and took second overall, falling to No. 3 ranked Circle in the championship match.

TOWANDA — In its final tournament action of the regular season, the Louisburg volleyball team got a much-needed boost of momentum Saturday as the Wildcats inch closer to the postseason.

The Wildcats traveled to Towanda and took part in the Circle High School Invitational. Louisburg won four straight matches to advance to the championship match, before falling to Circle, 3-1, and finished runner-up.

“I think we had a great weekend overall and came out of the tournament feeling more bonded as a team and confident in ourselves and each other,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Although we didn’t always play our best, we remained consistent and held strong throughout the day, not dropping a set until the final championship match.”

Louisburg faced off Circle, which is currently the No. 3 ranked team in Class 4A. The Wildcats (16-17) pushed the host team, but fell short in a 25-17, 20-25 and 25-19 loss. Louisburg trailed 13-5 in the deciding third set, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Senior middle blocker Allie Kennedy had a big outing for the Wildcats as she finished with a team-high 13 kills to go along with two blocks and an ace.

Outside hitter Claire Brown added nine kills in the loss and junior Hailey Sword finished with six. Brown and Sword also each had nine digs.

Senior libero Adyson Ross led the Louisburg defense with 10 digs, while juniors Megan Quinn and Madelyn Williams had eight. Quinn also ran the offense well with 33 assists.

“Circle is a strong team,” Willer said. “They were ranked third in the state in 4A and for good reason – they are a well-coached and very solid team. We knew it would be our toughest match of the day going in, but we kept our heads and fought the whole way through. 

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stop them on a long run in the third set that we couldn’t quite overcome. That being said, I am proud of how our girls battled.

Louisburg went 3-0 in pool play to start tournament action as the Wildcats defeated Kingman (25-18, 25-18), Winfield (25-18, 25-19) and Eureka (25-19, 25-21).

The Wildcats then advanced to the semifinals with a 25-11 and 25-15 victory over Wichita North.

Kennedy was big for the Wildcats throughout the tournament as she finished with a team-high 44 kills and was second on the team with nine aces. Kennedy also led Louisburg with seven blocks and had a .450 hitting percentage.

Williams was second on the team with 31 kills and a team-high 10 aces. She also finished with 24 digs.

Ross led the Wildcat defense with 41 digs, while Brown had 29 kills and 29 digs. Quinn handed out 128 assists throughout the tournament and also had 30 digs.

“Allie really stood out this weekend,” Willer said. “In addition to her offense, she led the team in blocks and was second in aces from behind the service line. I was also very impressed with our passers all-around. Adyson, Claire, Madie, and Hailey all contributed here and did a great job putting Megan in a position to run the offense.”

Louisburg will end the regular season today as the Wildcats travel to Olathe North for a triangular with Wamego. Matches begin at 6 p.m.

Louisburg seniors Allie Kennedy (left) and Claire Brown team up for a block Thursday at home against Tonganoxie.

OTTAWA — It had been another busy week for the Louisburg volleyball team, and by the time the Ottawa Invitational was done Saturday, the Wildcats had played seven matches in a span of five days.

Although the Wildcats finished just 2-5 during that stretch, they took several positives away from tournament play Saturday.

Louisburg went 2-3 at the Ottawa Invitational, with two of those wins coming against Basehor-Linwood and Ottawa. The Wildcats also lost a close match to state-ranked Bishop Miege.

“We were hoping to end up with a better record on the day, but I felt that we played pretty well for the most part – even in a couple of the games that we lost,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “We are working on our consistency as a team, even when things may not be going our way. I was proud of the resilience and mental toughness we showed throughout the day to persevere through the challenges we faced.”

The Wildcats opened tournament action with a 25-18 and 25-23 loss to Maize South and then fell to Tonganoxie, 25-11 and 25-20.

Louisburg responded well as the Wildcats avenged a loss from earlier in the season as they defeated Ottawa, 22-25, 25-22 and 25-21. They got back-to-back victories as the downed Basehor-Linwood, 23-25, 25-19 and 25-22.

In their final match of the day, the Wildcats lost to Bishop Miege, 25-22 and 25-21.

“It was great to get a win under our belt right before the lunch break, especially against Ottawa,” Willer said. “Looking back to our match against them earlier this season, we knew it would be a battle again but we really wanted to come out on top this time. We showed some grit in those final plays and we saw some kids step up to shut down the match.

“Although we lost to both Maize South and Bishop Miege, those games were close, intense, and included a lot of really great volleyball. We were neck and neck with both teams and found ourselves contesting both teams every step of the way. The biggest positive for me to see as a coach in those games was that our confidence never wavered and we continued to play great team ball.”

The Wildcats (12-15) got good play at the net as five players earned double digit kill numbers. Senior Claire Brown led the way with 35 kills on the day and junior Madelyn Williams was second with 30.

Senior Emma Prettyman finished with 23, while senior Allie Kennedy and junior Hailey Sword had 21 and 20, respectively. Prettyman and Kennedy also led the Wildcats defense at the net with eight blocks each.

Junior setter Megan Quinn finished the tournament with 104 assists and was also second on the team with five aces.

Sword led the Wildcats from behind the service line with a team-high seven aces, while senior Adyson Ross and Kennedy each had four.

Defensively, Ross — the team’s libero — led the Wildcats in the back with 37 digs. Brown and Williams were right behind her with 36 each.

Louisburg is back in action tonight as the Wildcats travel to Eudora for a Frontier League match. Varsity is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Wildcats fall to Tonganoxie on Senior Night, Baldwin on road

Louisburg seniors Claire Brown, Adyson Ross, Allie Kennedy, Emma Prettyman and Ava Jorn walked onto their home court for the final time Thursday when the Wildcats hosted Tonganoxie on Senior Night.

Unfortunately, it didn’t have the end they all were hoping for.

Tonganoxie handed Louisburg a 25-11, 25-16, 14-25 and 25-17 loss in what was their second straight defeat on the week. Last Tuesday, the Wildcats fell to No. 3 Baldwin on the road, 25-19, 25-19, 11-25 and 25-15.

“Baldwin and Tonganoxie are both strong teams in our league,” Willer said. “Baldwin is currently 24-1 and they have some incredible athletes on their team. Tonganoxie has improved greatly over the past year and their ball control and defense were rock solid on Thursday. They just wouldn’t let anything drop. I give credit to both teams for playing so well, we just weren’t able to match either team’s level of play at the time. 

“That being said, we are so thankful that we were able to honor our seniors on Thursday and are looking forward to putting in the work to continuously improve throughout these final weeks.”

Against Tonganoxie, Kennedy closed out her home career on a strong note as she tallied a team-high 13 kills. Junior Hailey Sword was second on the team with 10.

Setter Megan Quinn recorded 35 assists, while senior libero led the Wildcat defense with a team-high 16 digs. Brown and Prettyman each had a team-best three blocks.

Brown had a big match for the Wildcats against Baldwin as she led Louisburg with 11 kills and had team-highs in aces (4) and blocks (2).

Ross and Williams each had 13 digs to lead Louisburg and Brown was right behind them with 12. Williams was also second on the team with nine kills and also had two blocks.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week four of the fall sports season, sponsored by Louisburg Family Dental.

CLAIRE BROWN, SENIOR, VOLLEYBALL

The Louisburg volleyball team had a successful stretch of matches last week and senior Claire Brown was a big reason for that. Brown helped the Wildcats to a runner-up finish Saturday at the Louisburg Invitational as they won five straight matches to secure second place. Along with wins over Girard and Fort Scott on Thursday, Brown helped the Wildcats to an 7-2 record on the week.

Brown finished her week with a team-high 74 kills and also finished tied for the team best with 12 aces. Defensively, Brown was second on Louisburg with 77 digs as she plays all six rotations.

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: Layne Ryals

Week 2: Nathan Vincent

Week 3: Emma Vohs

The Louisburg volleyball team celebrates a big point against Shawnee Mission West on Saturday during the Louisburg Invitational.

After getting off to a rough start to its season, the Louisburg volleyball team needed something to go its way.

The Wildcats got just that Saturday at the Louisburg Invitational.

In a tournament in which Louisburg is the smallest school of seven, the Wildcats finished second overall with a 5-1 record on the day. Louisburg opened with a loss to Shawnee Mission East, but rallied to win five straight to secure the runner-up finish.

Louisburg improved its record to 10-10 on the season and has now won seven of its last eight matches.

“Saturday was a great day for our team, and it was important for us to finish strong after losing the first match of the day,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Between last Thursday and Saturday we felt a positive shift in team chemistry and we are really starting to play well together as a team. Our confidence is growing and I think that was evident in our play through a long day of six games.”

The Wildcats had to use a different tournament format than normal at the last minute and changed to a round-robin style. It didn’t take long for them to get tested.

Louisburg squared off with eventual champion Shawnee Mission East in the first match of the day, and despite leading the first set late, fell 25-23 and 25-23.

The Wildcats were on the verge of their second loss against Shawnee Mission West. Louisburg won the first set 25-22, but lost the second 25-19.

In what was a back and forth third set, the Wildcats prevailed with a 27-25 win that ended on an ace by senior Adyson Ross. It was the first of many victories for Louisburg on the day.

“Yes, 1,000 percent that match was a turning point for us,” Willer said. “We’ve been in so many close matches that go into extra sets and have been struggling to close them out, but we finished strong against Shawnee Mission West and that energy carried us through the rest of the day. 

“Ending in extra points is always very intense, but we didn’t shy away from the opportunities we were given. Finishing on an ace from Adyson was really just icing on the cake. She had a great tournament and for her to finish that match for our team that way was awesome.”

Louisburg didn’t lose a set the rest of match as it defeated Shawnee Mission South (25-12, 25-19), Olathe North (25-22, 25-14), Leavenworth (25-22, 25-21) and Basehor-Linwood (25-23, 25-18) in straight sets to get the second-place plaque.

It was a balanced effort throughout the day as several different players got attacks and blocks at the net, while others did the work on the defensive end.

Senior Claire Brown did the work on both ends as she led the Wildcats with 42 kills and was second on the team with 36 digs. Brown also had a team-high nine aces on a day where the team had a total of 36.

Senior middle blocker Allie Kennedy was second on the team with 33 kills to go along with seven blocks and four aces. Senior middle Emma Prettyman had 17 kills and a team-high eight blocks.

Junior outside hitter Hailey Sword added 23 kills and was second on the team with eight aces, while junior Madelyn Williams had 15 kills, three aces and was second on the team with 41 digs.

Defensively, Ross led the back row from her libero spot as she tallied a team-best 50 digs to go along with six aces.

Junior setter Megan Quinn also ran the offense well as she recorded 102 assists and also had six aces and 20 digs.

“I love looking back at our stats and seeing balance among all of our players,” Willer said. “We play our best when we can evenly distribute the ball to all of our hitters and can trust any one of them to put it down. When we see close to an even number of kills and digs from all players across the board, it’s easy to see that everyone contributed. 

“When each player can step up at different moments, it relieves pressure on the individual because we can trust our teammates to help carry the load. We played some really great team volleyball.”

Louisburg will try and keep its momentum going tonight as it travels to No. 3 ranked Baldwin for a Frontier League dual. The Wildcats will then return home Thursday for Senior Night against Tonganoxie.

Louisburg’s Emma Prettyman (pictured) and Allie Kennedy combined for 27 kills in the Wildcats’ 2-1 victory Thursday at Fort Scott.

FORT SCOTT — The Louisburg volleyball team walked into the Fort Scott gymnasium Thursday trying to shake a six-game losing streak.

After the Wildcats left Fort Scott, they started a new streak — a winning one.

The Wildcats held on to defeat Fort Scott, 2-1, in the first match of the night and ended with a 2-0 win over Girard. 

“We were due for a win and I am so proud of the girls for how they approached last night,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “They walked into the gym on a mission and were committed to getting those two wins. I thought we played well together as a team and worked hard to make big plays throughout the night. I think everyone stepped up at different moments, which is exactly what we wanted to see.”

The Wildcats were tested at the net in the first match of the night, thanks to the play of Fort Scott’s Kenzie Murphy as she helped keep the Tigers in it the match.

Louisburg’s middle blockers of Allie Kennedy and Emma Prettyman also rose to the occasion and played one of their better matches of the season.

Kennedy had a team-high 17 kills and two blocks in the match, and Prettyman finished with 10 kills to help Louisburg to a 25-20, 20-25 and 25-22 win over the Tigers.

“We bounced back well in the third set,” Willer said. “They never let the second set loss keep them down in the dumps. We used it to fuel our fire going into the third. It was a middle vs middle battle during that game as Fort Scott’s middle Kenzie Murphy is a force to be reckoned with. Our middles were poised and ready to answer back any of her kills with one of their own, and they really couldn’t stop either of them.”

The Wildcats (5-9) also served well as they finished the match with nine aces. Junior Madelyn Williams led the way with four, while senior Claire Brown and junior Megan Quinn each had two. 

Quinn also had a big night for the Wildcat offense as she finished with a team-high 41 assists.

Senior Adyson Ross, who has been up at the net as a hitter for most of the season, switched positions Thursday and was the team’s libero. Ross handled the position well as she helped the Wildcat defense with 15 digs, while Brown had a team-high 18 and Williams finished with 14.

“Moving Adyson to libero has crossed our mind a few times throughout the summer and this season, and we felt like this week was the time to try it out,” Willer said. “Adyson is a great all-around athlete who can play any position, so we love that she is ready and willing to fill any role that the team needs her to play. 

“Her passing and defense were solid all throughout the night and our team recognized her for the big defensive plays she made. Having her consistent presence in the back row seemed to be just what our team needed.”

Against Girard, the Wildcats took care of business from the opening whistle in the 25-15 and 25-22 victory.

Kennedy, Williams and Brown each finished the match with six kills, while Williams and Prettyman eat had two blocks. Brown led the way with 11 digs and Quinn led the Wildcat offense with 18 assists.

Louisburg will try and build on this momentum as the Wildcats host the Louisburg Invitational on Saturday as matches begin at 8 a.m. It is a round-robin tournament that will include Basehor-Linwood, Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission West, Shawnee Mission South, Olathe North and Leavenworth.

“We are excited,” Willer said. “We will play a lot of volleyball tomorrow and we know that we have some great opportunities to grow as a team and win some games in the process. We have a wide variety of teams coming to the tournament that we don’t typically see, so we are focused on taking it one match at a time and playing our best. This is one of the last home events we have this season, so we are hoping to see Louisburg show up and support.”

Louisburg senior Claire Brown puts down a kill Tuesday during the Wildcats’ home match against Ottawa. Brown led Louisburg with 17 kills in the team’s 3-2 loss to the Cyclones.

A difficult early schedule has made life tough on the Louisburg volleyball team to begin the 2022 season

The Wildcats had a chance to get back on track Tuesday when they hosted Ottawa for a Frontier League dual and they were one set win away from stopping a five-match losing skid.

Ottawa had other ideas. The defending state runner-up handed Louisburg a 3-2 loss in what was a highly-contested match on both sides.

Louisburg opened with a 25-21 win in the first set, Ottawa followed with a 25-15 victory in the second, before the Wildcats took the pivotal third set, 25-21. The Cyclones rallied back to take the next two 25-15 and 15-7 to win the match.

“I thought there were moments where we were playing really, really well, but we were unfortunately not as consistent with those moments as we needed to be to end up on top,” Louisburg coach Leanna Willer said. “Playing any five set match is tough, and losing in the end can feel especially draining. That being said, I think we were able to recognize a lot of positive things from our play throughout the night to build on moving forward.”

One of those positives was senior Claire Brown as she made her impact felt all over the floor. Brown led the Wildcats with 17 kills and was also among the team leaders in digs with 12.

“Claire stepped up at the net to lead our team and she became our go-to throughout the night when we needed a kill,” Willer said. “Her court presence was felt by everyone all night long and she seemed to really find her groove.”

After the two teams traded victories in the first two sets, the Wildcats (3-9) came out strong in the third. Louisburg went on an 11-3 run to take hold of the match and seemed to have all of the momentum.

Brown had seven kills in that third set and the Wildcat defense stepped up in the process. Senior Emma Prettyman had a team-high three blocks, while senior Allie Kennedy, along with juniors Megan Quinn and Hailey Sword, each had two.

Junior Madelyn Williams was also strong defensively in the back with a team-best six digs in that third set.

Ottawa took that momentum right back in the fourth. The Cyclones jumped out to a 12-5 advantage and went on to take the set. They used that string of good play to their advantage to take the fifth and final set, as well.

“Ottawa’s outsides are very strong and we had trouble stopping them in the sets we lost,” Willer said. “Additionally, I think Ottawa won the serve and pass game in those final two sets, which cost us in the long run.”

Along with Brown’s play at the net, the Wildcats had six kills each from senior Adyson Ross, Kennedy and Sword. Prettyman finished with a team-high five blocks.

Williams was strong behind the service line with a team-best four aces on the night and also led Louisburg with 17 digs. Ross was second on the team with 14 digs.

Quinn led the Wildcat offense with 34 assists from the setter spot.

Louisburg has a busy rest of the week and will try to get back on track tonight as the Wildcats travel to Fort Scott for a triangular with Girard. First match is set for 5 p.m.

The Wildcats will then host the Louisburg Invitational on Saturday in hopes of righting the ship.

“We are looking forward to the rest of this week as we have seven more games as opportunities to put what we’ve learned about ourselves in action,” Willer said. “We have some great opportunities to showcase what this team can really do in our triangular and home tournament, so I can’t wait to see how our girls attack these next few games.”