Dobbins named Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year
Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was voted by the LHS head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year
Mason Dobbins had a senior season to remember when it came to athletics.
Dobbins left it all on the field/court/track during his final campaign with the Wildcats and he put his stamp on it. Whether it was winning a league title in football, helping the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish in track or earning all-league honors in three sports — Dobbins enjoyed it all.
Those were just some of the reasons Dobbins was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year.
“It means a lot to me to be named athlete of the year,” Dobbins said. “It feels good to that know that all your hard work pays off.”
He certainly put in a lot of work and it showed throughout the 2022-23 school year. It started during football season as the team’s starting wide receiver.
The Wildcats finished as undefeated Frontier League Champions and Dobbins played a big role in that. Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He was also named honorable mention all-state.
Dobbins returned to the basketball court after taking a couple years off and his 6-foot-7 frame made an immediate impact as he led the team with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and a block per contest. He was later named to the Frontier League All-Defensive Team.
Mason Dobbins was awarded the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Year award. Pictured with Dobbins is his coaches (from left) Ty Pfannenstiel, Andy Wright and Drew Harding.
However it was the track where he made his biggest impact.
Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash.
He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.
At the state meet, Dobbins racked up 30 points to help Louisburg to a state runner-up finish as the Wildcats lost to Andale by just half-a-point.
“This past season was my best one yet,” Dobbins said. “In football we were league champs. In basketball, I thought I played way better than I thought I would. Then in track, I was a state champ and we almost won a state championship. It was a lot of fun.”
As easy as he made it look at times, competing in three sports has its challenges.
“It’s definitely something that I am proud of,” Dobbins said. “Three sports can be a lot on the body, and for me to go without an injury the whole year, was a blessing.”
Now that his high school career is finished, he is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life — with the Northwest Missouri State track and field program.
“I am so excited to start my track career at Northwest,” Dobbins said. “It’s a whole different world than what high school track is, but I am ready for it.”
Ross named Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year
Louisburg senior Adyson Ross was voted by the head coaches as the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.
No matter what sport Adyson Ross competed in this season, she was one of — if not the best — athlete on the field or court.
Her postseason honors more than bare that out.
Ross was a first-team All-Frontier League selection in two of those and also earned all-state honors as well. No matter the sport, she made her team better.
Her success in all three sports — volleyball, basketball and soccer — were just some of the reasons Ross was named the 2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year.
“Being named athlete of the year means so much,” Ross said. “There are so many outstanding athletes at LHS. To be selected for this award is a huge honor and I am so grateful.”
Ross’ memorable senior year started in the fall with the volleyball program. The Lady Cats upset No. 1 seed Baldwin in the sub-state championship and eventually had a fourth-place finish at the state tournament.
However, the season didn’t start out the best. Louisburg had trouble finding that team chemistry it was looking for, and it seemed like they were missing something. Louisburg coach Leanna Willer asked Ross, who is one of the team’s top hitters, to change positions and play the libero spot.
It was shortly after Ross made the move, that the team took off and started to play some of its best volleyball — including a run to the sub-state championship.
“There were so many special moments from this year, but I think one that stands out the most was during volleyball season.” Ross said. “We were playing Baldwin for the championship and it was game point. I was on the line to serve and I just remember thinking in that moment that everything I’d been working for had come down to that one serve. When we won the point it was just the most special and rewarding feeling. It is something that I will remember forever.”
That season led to second team All-Frontier League honors as a libero as she recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces.
Then came basketball where Ross was a starting guard on a Lady Cat team that reached the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals.
With all that, Ross was named to the All-Frontier League first team and earned second team all-state honors. She was also named to the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. Two years ago, she was also a part of the best finish in school history when Louisburg finished third at the state tournament.
She reached the state final four with all three programs during her time at Louisburg.
“The experience was so amazing,” Ross said. “I might be biased, but Louisburg is really a one of a kind place. You just don’t really see the same amount of support for athletics in many other towns. To be able to play in the state final four for three different sports was so cool.”
Louisburg’s Adyson Ross poses with two of her coaches, Adrianne Lane and Leanna Willer, after receiving the Athlete of the Year award.
On the pitch, Ross had one of her best seasons as the team’s starting midfielder. She helped Louisburg to a spot in the regional championship against Bishop Miege.
She also put together a strong final campaign as she finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.
“Even though we didn’t win that last game, I remember looking up in the stands before the game and seeing the stadium filled with purple, and the amount of student support was crazy,” Ross said. “I just thought to myself, how special it is to be a part of something like that. For so many people to come out and support like they did was amazing, despite the team we were going up against.”
Playing three sports at a high level does take a toll at times, and there were moments Ross wasn’t sure if being a three-sport athlete was for her.
“Continuing all three sports through high school is definitely something I’m proud of,” Ross said. “There were a lot of times when I considered dropping a sport so I could spend time to focusing on another. As a freshman I didn’t see myself continuing all three through senior year, because I didn’t think it was possible to fully commit to each sport.
“My coaches were very supportive and flexible, and all of them were totally on board with it, even though it meant sometimes missing workouts and preseason stuff due to conflicts with another sport. I feel like playing three was more of an advantage to me as an athlete. It helped me to be versatile, and not having an off-season kept me in great shape.”
Even with all her successes, Ross is putting athletics in the rear view mirror, for now. She will be attending Kansas State University and is ready to focus more on the academic side of things.
Still, Ross knows she will never forget all the memories she made during her time at Louisburg.
“Even though I’m choosing not to continue my athletic career past high school, I feel so blessed for all the memories and friendships sports have given me. They will for sure last a lifetime.”
Ryals, Vincent represent Louisburg in GKCFCA all-star game
Layne Ryals (33) and Nathan Vincent (51) pose for a picture with Louisburg coach Drew Harding following the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association all-star game on June 16 at Ray-Pec High School.
Layne Ryals and Nathan Vincent were part of a lot of big moments on the football field, including helping the Wildcats to an undefeated Frontier League title last season.
As they both go their separate ways for college, they were reunited on the football field one last time as the two Louisburg players were selected to play in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association All-Star Game.
The contest pitted the best players from the Kansas City metro area from Kansas against the Missouri side on June 16 at Ray-Pec High School, and both players were honored to take part in the game.
“I’m very very thankful to have been able to play in that all star game,” Vincent said. “I loved every second of playing football again and especially because I was going up against some of the top talent in Kansas and Missouri.”
The two players have played football together since elementary school, so for both to have a chance to represent Louisburg made a for special night — to say the least.
Layne Ryals gets a punt off for Team Kansas during the June 16 all-star game at Ray-Pec High School. (Photo courtesy of A.J. Hildreth)
“To be selected for an all star game and compete against Missouri was a big honor,” Ryals said. “I’ve played football with Nathan since the second grade and we’ve watched each other grow as people and players. It was an awesome experience for the both of us to be able to represent Kansas. It was my last high school football game, so it was it was a little emotional when the game was over, but it makes me excited to play at the next level.”
Ryals, who is playing college football at Missouri S&T this fall, handled the kicking duties for team Kansas. He did the kickoffs and was the team’s punter.
“It was my first time playing on a team and being able to focus on just being a specialist rather than playing defense too,” Ryals said “The coaching staff brought in coach (Spencer) Webb, a coach I have worked with in the past at Punt 21. He was able to coach me throughout the week and help me get ready for the game.”
Nathan Vincent played left tackle for Kansas during the GKCFCA all-star game at Ray-Pec High School.(Photo courtesy of A.J. Hildreth)
Vincent, on the other hand, saw a lot of time on the offensive line at left tackle. Even though, Kansas eventually lost a close contest, 16-8, Vincent learned a lot going up against some big talent.
“The whole experience was amazing,” Vincent said. “They had me play left tackle and it was some of the most fun playing football I’ve ever had. We were all just playing for fun and obviously we wanted to beat Missouri but it really let me enjoy football for different reasons than during the regular high school season.
“I really felt like I played some of my best football at the game. It felt amazing to pancake kids that have almost 100 pounds on me.”
Apple ready for new hurdle, opportunity with Missouri S&T track
Louisburg’s Nathan Apple will join the Missouri S&T track and field program next season after earning three state medals as a Wildcat.
When Nathan Apple was introduced to the hurdles in the seventh grade, he had no idea at the time how that event would become a big part in his life.
Since that time in middle school, Apple turned into one of the top hurdlers in school history and was a part of trio of hurdlers that helped the Wildcats to a state championship in 2021, a third place finish in 2022 and a state runner-up performance in 2023.
Apple played a role in all of those trophies, and those successes have now given him another opportunity to continue growing in the sport of track and field.
The recent Louisburg graduate signed his letter of intent to compete for the Missouri S&T track and field program next season.
“Signing for track was a fairly new dream for me,” Apple said. “It wasn’t until my sophomore or junior year that I realized that I could go somewhere with track and college athletics hadn’t even been a thought before. It means a lot to me to be able to continue doing something that I’m passionate about at a higher level of competition.”
Apple made significant strides as a hurdler, including when he qualified for state as a sophomore in the 110 meters. He went on to medal fourth in that event as a junior, and again this past season as a senior.
Louisburg senior Nathan Apple signed his letter of intent to join the Missouri S&T track program. Sitting next to Nathan are his parents Nate and Cindy Apple. Standing (from left) is Louisburg coach Leanna Willer, Nathan’s sisters Erin and Caroline Apple, along with boys head coach Andy Wright.
He picked up his third state medal in the 300 hurdles in May as he finished fourth in that event as well.
“I’ve been hurdling for the past six years and I’ve made a lot of progress in both the form and speed of the race,” Apple said. “Ms. (Leanna) Willer was my first coach in high school and she taught me a lot about how to approach and go over hurdles while, coach (Andy) Wright was responsible for my growth in speed. I owe both of them a lot as I never would have reached this point without them.”
Apple is looking forward to joining a Miner team that will compete at a high level. Missouri S&T is a Division II program based in Rolla, Mo. and competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Before he even accepted the Miners’ track offer, Missouri S&T was already the school of choice for Apple after high school.
“I was already planning on attending S&T for engineering and the ability to run for them was a welcome surprise,” he said. “I haven’t heard a lot about what I’ll be doing there other than hurdles, but I’m looking forward to trying new things.”
Apple is ready to take that next step in his track career, while getting a good education in the process. It is all he wanted.
“I’m looking forward to this next step in my life and I can’t wait to experience it,” Apple said. “I hope to do much better in college both athletically and academically than I did at home. My education is my top priority, but I feel that I can run better, and with the help of a collegiate training program I know that my times will improve.”
Eslinger ready to take next step at Baker University
Louisburg’s Elijah Eslinger, who is coming off back-to-back state medals at the high school level, will wrestle for the Baker University program next season.
Elijah Eslinger didn’t start wrestling till the eighth grade, but that didn’t stop him from accomplishing something great.
Eslinger went on to become a two-time state medalist for the Louisburg wrestling team, and now he is hoping to make even bigger strides at the next level.
The Louisburg graduate signed on to join the Baker University wrestling program and will compete at the NAIA level next season.
“When I signed for Baker, it solidified my goal to continue in the sport that I love,” Eslinger said.
It has been a labor of love for Eslinger as the results didn’t come right away. As the Wildcat heavyweight, he took his fair share of lumps as a freshman and sophomore.
The wins weren’t always there, but Eslinger kept improving and the results started to show as a junior, where he earned a spot in the state semifinals and brought home a state medal.
Eslinger did the same thing his senior campaign as he became known as one of the top heavyweights in Class 4A.
“I’m incredibly excited for Elijah to compete at Baker for a lot of reasons,” Louisburg coach Bobby Bovaird said. “He started wrestling as an eighth grader and then a year later, he got thrown in with the wolves pretty much. As a freshman, he was our only wrestler at 285 lbs., and if he didn’t represent us in duals, we would have been open there.
“He went from being winless as a freshman to making the state semifinals two years straight as a junior and senior. Being a Baker University alumnus, I’m excited for the opportunities for growth that he’ll have at Baker. His potential truly is untapped, and I know he’s going to excel in whatever he takes on.”
Louisburg senior Elijah Eslinger signed his letter of intent to join the Baker University wrestling team. Sitting with Elijah are his parents Dean and Heather Eslinger. Standing (from left) is his sister Leola, Louisburg assistant coaches Shane Miller and Shawn Crossley, Baker assistant coach, Louisburg head coach Bobby Bovaird and Elijah’s brother Trace.
Eslinger enjoyed the challenge of reaching that state podium.
“I feel that I have had a fairly meteoric growth since freshman year,” Eslinger said. “From no wins my freshman year, to a qualifier sophomore year, to placing both junior and senior years, I have had a great time, which helped me continue to get better.”
Baker is the place where Eslinger believes he can take the next step in his wrestling journey. While on his visit, he enjoyed the coaches what the program had to offer.
At the same time, Eslinger, who will major in history, said the school itself was another big reason in his decision.
“Honestly, while the wrestling program is a great program, it was the academic focus that really won me over,” he said. “Right now I’m planning on going into college with no expectations and will just see what happens.”
2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Female Athlete of the Year Nominees
For the sixth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”
Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.
Below are the nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!
Emma Lohse – Senior – Basketball and Track and Field
Louisburg senior Emma Lohse was a big varsity contributor for the Lady Cat basketball team and blazed the track for the Louisburg girls as the team’s top sprinter.
On the track, Lohse recorded three state medals, including a pair of individual medals. She was the state runner-up in the 100-meter dash and later finished seventh in the 200 dash. Lohse was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that medaled third and broke the school record in four straight meets. She also qualified for state in the 4×400-meter relay.
On the basketball court, Lohse was one of the Lady Cats’ top defenders as she played a big role on a team that reached the sub-state championship game.
Emma Prettyman – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field
Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman was a starter, or key contributor on three different Wildcat teams this past school year, including the volleyball, basketball and track and field programs.
On the volleyball court, Prettyman was one of the Lady Cats’ middle hitters as she helped Louisburg to a fourth place finish at the state tournament. She finished with a team-high 60 blocks and had 166 kills.
Prettyman was the starting center for Louisburg basketball as the Lady Cats earned a spot in the sub-state championship game. She was among the team leaders in rebounds with 6.5 a contest and had two assists a game. She was named to the All-Frontier League Defensive Team.
Prettyan was also the top thrower on the Lady Cat track and field team and earned a spot at the state meet in the discus. It was there where she earned her first state medal as she took sixth overall.
Adyson Ross – Senior – Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer
Louisburg senior Adyson Ross started for three different Wildcat programs this past season and it all started last fall in volleyball.
Ross, who started the season as an outside hitter, made the move to libero halfway through the year and thrived in her new role. She recorded 363 digs on the season to go along with 67 kills and 41 aces. She helped the Lady Cats to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament and earned second-team all-league honors.
On the basketball court, Ross was a starting wing for the Lady Cats as she helped them advance to the sub-state championship game. She was the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game and averaged nearly seven rebounds a contest, to go along with two assists and 1.6 steals. Ross was selected first team all-league and earned a spot in the Missouri vs. Kansas all-star game. She also earned second team all-state honors.
On the pitch, Ross was one of the top goal scorers on a Wildcat team that reached the regional championship match. She finished the season with 16 goals and 21 assists to go along with 35 shots on goal. Ross later earned first team All-Frontier League honors and was also named second team all-state.
Rowan Yows – Sophomore – Soccer
Lady Cat sophomore Rowan Yows was a key part of the Louisburg girls soccer team this past season that saw the Lady Cats reach the sub-state championship game.
Yows, who played in the midfield, was the team’s leading scorer with 19 goals on the season and led the team with 50 shots on goal. She also tallied 11 assists on the season.
2023 Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year Nominees
For the sixth consecutive year, Louisburg Sports Zone will be handing out an Athlete of the Year honor to a male and female athlete at Louisburg High School. I wanted the opportunity to recognize those who exemplify what it means to be an “athlete.”
Although I am giving out the award, I wanted the process to be subjective, so I asked the head coaches at LHS to help me out. I asked each coach to send me nominations of who they thought exemplified the Athlete of the Year honor. They will then vote for their top 3 male and female athletes and then I will tabulate the results and determine the winner. The winner will be announced in the coming days.
Below are the nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year award in alphabetical order by last name. Congrats to all those who were nominated and best of luck!
Kaven Bartlett – Senior – Wrestling and Soccer
Kaven Bartlett competed on the Louisburg wrestling and boys soccer team, but Bartlett was a fixture on the mat for the Wildcat wrestling program.
Bartlett qualified for state at 138 pounds and became a 3-time state qualifier for Louisburg and was a state medalist in 2022. He finished with a 119-45 career record and was a two-time team captain and four-year letter winner. Those 119 wins are fifth in program history and he has 158 career takedowns and 726.5 career points, which is both third in team history. He was named the 2023 LHS Wrestler of the Year.
Bartlett was also a defender on the Wildcat soccer team his past season. The Wildcats advanced to the regional championship game.
Declan Battle – Junior – Football and Baseball
Declan Battle had big seasons for both the Wildcat football and baseball programs.
Under the lights on the football field, Battle was the Wildcat starting quarterback as he led his team to an undefeated Frontier League championship. The dual-threat quarterback scored 23 total touchdowns and totaled more than 1,700 yards. That performance led him to a first-team All-Frontier League, along with all-state honors.
On the diamond, Battle was the Wildcats’ starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter. He scored 32 runs on the year, which is a Wildcat program record. Battle also recorded a .429 average to go along with five doubles and three triples. He also stole 17 bases. His performance also earned him second team All-Frontier League and all-state honors.
Mason Dobbins – Senior – Football, Basketball and Track and Field
Louisburg senior Mason Dobbins was a fixture for three Wildcat programs this past season. Dobbins was the starting wide receiver on the football field, starting forward on the basketball team and a state medalist for the track program.
Dobbins stood out the most in the track and field arena. He qualified for state in four events and medaled in all four as he helped the Wildcats to a state runner-up finish this past May.
Dobbins won the state championship in the high jump, and earlier in the year, broke the school record with a jump of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was a state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and also took third in the 200-meter dash. He was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay that also medaled third and set a new school record earlier in the year. In all, Dobbins has won nine state medals in his Wildcat career.
On the football field, Dobbins earned first team All-Frontier League honors at wide receiver with 25 catches, 382 yards and four touchdowns. He also earned honorable mention all-state honors.
On the basketball court, Dobbins was named to the All-Frontier League defensive team. He led the Wildcats with 7.6 rebounds a game to go along with 1.5 steals and 1 block per contest.
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Cade Gassman – Senior – Soccer, Basketball and Track and Field
Cade Gassman was a starter, or key contributor, for three Wildcat programs during 2022-23 school year. Gassman was the starting midfielder and captain for the soccer team, starting guard on the basketball court and a jumper for the track and field program.
Gassman made his biggest impact on the pitch for Louisburg. As a midfielder, Gassman drew a lot of attention from the opposition as he finished with five goals and four assists on the season to lead the Wildcats to the regional title match. In his career, he is one of the more prolific scorers in school history.
The Louisburg senior finished with 47 career goals, which is second in program history and was third in school history with 26 career assists. His 120 career points is also second in Wildcat history. He is a four-time all-state and all-Frontier League first team selection.
On the hardwood, Gassman was the starting guard for the Wildcats and he recorded 39 rebounds and had 22 assists to go along with 14 steals. On the track, Gassman was a state qualifier in the high jump for Louisburg and finished 11th overall at state.
Nathan Vincent, Senior, Football and Track and Field
Louisburg senior Nathan Vincent played big roles for both the Wildcat football team and track and field program. Vincent was a starting lineman for the Wildcat football team and a state medalist in track.
On the football field, Vincent started on both sides of the ball as he earned all-state and all league honors. He finished with 80 tackles as a defensive end to go along with 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. Vincent was a key member of the offensive line as he helped the Wildcats to more than 33 points per game. He earned first team all-league offensive league honors and second team-defense. He also recorded first team all-state honors and was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.
Vincent was the Wildcats’ top thrower for the track and field program. Vincent recorded three state medals as he helped Louisburg to a state runner-up team finish. At state, Vincent medaled third in the shot put, fifth in the discus and sixth in the javelin. In all, Vincent has won five career state medals, with three coming in the javelin.
Colyer Wingfield, Senior, Basketball, Track and Field
Louisburg senior Colyer Wingfield had a big season for both the Wildcat basketball team and track program. Wingfield was the leading scorer for the Wildcat basketball program, and was a part of two state relays in track.
Wingfield earned a lot of success on the hardwood as he was named to the All-Frontier League second team. He led the Wildcats in scoring at 17.4 points per game and pulled down nearly six rebounds a contest.
On the track, Wingfield helped the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay to state medals as both finished third at the state meet last month. The 4×100 relay set a new school record in the process. He also did the long and triple jumps for the Wildcats.
Louisburg had seven players named to the All-Frontier League and all-state teams this past week.
The Louisburg girls soccer team was one of the top programs in the Frontier League and it showed when the all-league selections were announced.
The Wildcats were honored with seven spots on the All-Frontier League team, including three first team selections in Rowan Yows, Lexi Hampton and Adyson Ross. Bree Gassman and Hailey Sword earned second team honors, while Lola Edwards and Macy Lemke were named honorable mention.
“We did quite well,” Louisburg coach Ben York said. “Postseason honors are always subjective. As a head coach, you are always thinking your nominations are what other people are thinking, but a lot of times it is not. There were girls who really showed well this year. The girls that made it were absolutely deserving, and in a really tough league like we were in, it is quite an honor.”
All-State awards were also released earlier this week by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association and seven Wildcats received honors. Yows, Hampton and Ross were second team selections, while Gassman, Sword, Lemke and Ellery Allen were named honorable mention.
The Wildcats received those honors thanks to the season they had. They reached the sub-state championship game and ended the year with a 13-5 record.
Yow sled the Wildcats in scoring from her midfield spot and played a key role on the team as a sophomore. She finished with 19 goals and 11 assists. She also had 50 shots on goal.
“Rowan is the heartbeat of our team,” York said. “She sets the tone with her tenacious high motor and she is near the top in every category on our team. She is a very hard worker, never complains and leads by example. She scored some very impressive goals this year and she is technically good on the ball.”
Hampton tied with Yows for the team lead in scoring as she also tallied 19 goals on the season from her forward spot. The Louisburg junior also had seven assists and 51 shots on goal.
“Lexi is great at finding shots in tight spaces, but also has a good top gear to beat defenders,” York said. “She is equally good with both feet and has the ability to stretch the defense out. She is also very good in the air scoring several goals off crosses/corners with her head. With our different style of play this year, she did a good job adjusting to a more pass heavy offense that shares the ball.”
Ross was a big factor in the scoring from her outside midfielder spot. The Louisburg senior led the team with 21 assists to go along with 16 goals. She also had 35 shots on goal.
“Adyson moved to outside mid this year in the system we played,” York said. “Not only did she lead the team in assists, she had critical goals in many of our close games and really led the team on the field. She showed great leadership and played almost every minute of every game. She is probably the most dangerous player we have because she is left footed and a nightmare to keep up with for pace.”
Gassman, a senior, also had a big season for the Wildcats at forward. She tallied seven goals and nine assists to go along with 16 shots on goal.
“Bree does all the dirty work on the field for us,” York said. “Her fitness is incredible and she has allowed us to use her in different positions throughout the season when other players were injured or we were thin at certain positions. She is very good on the ball and rarely gives up possession. Best tackler on the team and is extremely unselfish. Her stats do not do justice to her importance on the team. She is also a great captain and leader.”
Sword, a junior, was one the team’s top defenders after switching positions from a year ago. The defense as a whole gave up just 17 goals all season, which was less than one per game.
“Hailey moved from the defensive midfield to center back this year and she handled the switch extremely well,” York said “She was the field general for us this year. She was part of a defense that allowed less that a goal a game and had 9 shutouts in the regular season. She is very good at reading the play and organizing the team defensively. Strong in tackles and is fast enough to track down players from behind.”
As a part of that defense, Lemke had a strong first year as a starting goalie. She finished the year with 56 saves to go along with nine clean sheets.
“Macy had a very impressive year,” York said. “She plays very well with her feet, which allows us to use her to keep possession and build out of the back. She is confident and decisive when she comes out and is intimidating. She is good on corners and has good height, so she rarely has trouble with balls in the air or high shots. She is a good vocal leader and good organizer on the field and off.”
Edwards, a junior caption, also played a vital role in the midfield this season for Louisburg. She finished the year with seven goals and seven assists, which was good enough to earn honorable mention all-league honors.
“Lola is the most technical player we have,” York said. “Very good at finding and keeping possession. Didn’t have a statistically impressive season, but was probably involved in the majority of our build ups to goal scoring opportunities. Also a very good and consistent captain and leader.”
Allen was also a key part to the Wildcat defense, but also found herself in plenty of scoring opportunities. The Louisburg junior stopper finished with nine goals, seven assists and 20 shots on goal.
“Ellery was a transfer into our program this year,” York said. “She played stopper for us and had an immediate impact on our team. Very talented on the ball, good distributer and good in the air. Tall and imposing as a defender, and she also pushes up into the offense very well. As a defender, she had a large number of goals for us. She takes all of our set pieces and has an incredible shot.”
Wildcats place seven on all-league team; Battle earns all-state honors
The Louisburg baseball team earned seven spots on the All-Frontier League team, including second team selections Declan Battle, Cade Driskell and Corbin Hamman. Battle was also named second team all-state.
The Louisburg baseball team had a successful season that ended with a 13-8 record, which was its first winning season in more than decade.
Several Wildcats contributed to that success and the Frontier League coaches took notice.
Seven Wildcats were selected to the All-Frontier League team that was released last week, including three second team selections in Declan Battle, Cade Driskell and Corbin Hamman.
Danny Napier, Luke Schultz, Brody McGreer and Nathaniel Lamm were all named to the honorable mention team.
Along with his all-league honor, Battle was also named to the Class 4A all-state second team by the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.
“I felt we were represented really well this year in the all-league voting,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “Everyone in the league knew we had a great team and they were going to have to play well to beat us. There are a ton of great players throughout the league.”
Battle had a big season for the Wildcats as he took over the leadoff spot and put himself in a position to allow his teammates to knock him in. He led the team with a .429 average and tallied 30 hits.
Once he got on the base paths, Battle was dangerous as he scored 32 runs and had 17 stolen bases. He also played centerfield for Louisburg.
“Declan was an outstanding outfielder for us as well as leadoff hitter,” Larson said. “Teams knew he had the power for extra base hits and the speed to leg out infield singles. That’s a tough spot to be in on defense. He also was a menace on the base paths.”
Hamman was the Wildcats’ top starting pitcher and he kept his team in the game for most of his nine starts. He had a team-best 3.25 earned run average and also had three wins on the season.
He added 51 strikeouts to just 12 walks. At the plate, he batted .289 with 11 hits and 11 RBIs.
“Corbin had a great year for us on the mound,” Larson said. “He threw a ton of strikes all season long and that led to a lot of wins for us.”
As for Driskell, his senior season ended prematurely due to injury, but he made a big impact for the Wildcats while he was in there.
Driskell finished with a .372 average and had 16 hits and 13 runs driven in. He also added three doubles on the season, while playing first and third base for the Wildcats.
“Cade was another leader for our team all year,” Larson said. “He was a tough out every time he stepped up to the plate. It was a tough loss for us when he broke his arm. Even with that, he continued being a great leader for us.”
Napier caught all 21 games for the Wildcats this season behind the plate and he was one of the team’s top hitters in the process. The Louisburg freshman had a .322 average, and he had an OPS of 1.235.
The led the team with five home runs to go along with 30 RBIs. Napier also finished with seven doubles and a triple.
“Danny was awesome behind the plate for us this year,” Larson said. “He was great at calling games and held runners in check all season long. He also swung it pretty well, which helped us a ton.”
Schultz was the team’s starting shortstop for most of the season, and also played third base. He swung the bat well with a .368 average, 25 hits, three doubles, three triples, a home run and 16 RBIs.
“Luke was another big bat for us in the lineup,” Larson said. “He did a great job of getting on base and moving runners when needed.”
McGreer shifted between shortstop and second base this season and the Louisburg junior was solid up the middle with just four errors on the year and a .902 fielding percentage.
He also tallied 15 hits on the year and scored 16 runs to go along with a .288 average.
“Brody played really well for us all season,” Larson said. “He was a steady bat in the lineup and you always knew he was going to make the play in the field when it mattered. He did a great job at second base and shortstop for us all season long.”
Lamm also found a lot of success at the plate for the Wildcats. He was second on the team with a .422 average and had 19 hits and 15 RBIs.
“Lamm was a kid that worked hard all season and it paid off in some big situations,” Larson said. “He was always on base, and drove in some key runs for us down the stretch.”
ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE BASEBALL
FIRST TEAM
CATCHER: Logan Wake, senior, Tonganoxie
PITCHER: Trevor McGraw, junior, Tonganoxie; Donovan Johnson, senior, Spring Hill
Lady Cats earn three spots on all-league softball team
The Louisburg softball team earned three players on the All-Frontier League team. Juniors Ashley Moreau was a second team selection, while Izzy Moreland and Megan Quinn were named honorable mention.
All-Frontier League softball teams were released last week and three players from Louisburg caught the eye of the area coaches.
Juniors Ashley Moreau, Izzy Moreland and Megan Quinn were selected to the all-league team as they led the Lady Cats to seven wins on the season.
Moreau was named to the second team, while Moreland and Quinn were voted in as honorable mentions.
“I thought we had a good showing for our league,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “It’s a tough league with a lot of great softball players.”
Moreau had a big season with the bat and in the field at shortstop for the Lady Cats. At the plate, she led the team with a .521 average and an OPS of 1.195. She also had 37 hits, 22 runs scored, six extra base hits and 12 RBIs from the leadoff spot.
She also finished with nine stolen bases to go along with solid defense at shortstop.
“Ashley had a fantastic season at that plate,” Chapman said. “I’m pretty sure she lead the league in batting average. She was a giant threat at the plate. She has developed so much as a triple threat hitter. She can lay a bunt down and beat it out, she can slap to gap, or she can stay in and make great contact on the ball and do damage that way.
“On top of that she is a dangerous base runner. She’s fast and very smart on the bases. She made strides as a shortstop this season, always working to get better. I’m proud of the season she had.”
Moreland earned all-league honorable mention honors for the second consecutive season as an infielder. She was second on the team with a .450 average and an OPS of 1.043.
She added 27 hits, three doubles, a home run and had 17 RBIs. She also scored 16 runs and struck out just six times on the season. As a third baseman and pitcher, Moreland had just four errors on the season.
As for Quinn, she earned her first all-league selection after a strong performance at the plate. She had a .393 average to go along with a 1.171 OPS.
Quinn had 24 hits on the year to go along with six doubles and a team-high five home runs. She also finished with 17 RBIs and struck out just five times.
She committed just five errors in 21 games with her work mainly at first base and pitcher.
“Megan and Izzy had great seasons as well,” Chapman said. “Both are able to hit the ball all over the field and racked up a lot of RBIs between the two of them. Both made very little errors in the field and were solid infielders. I’m proud of the growth they made this season.”
ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOFTBALL
FIRST TEAM
CATCHER: Ellie Seaton, senior, Ottawa
PITCHER: Sam Claire, sophomore, Eudora; Brielle Dee, senior, Spring Hill
