Rison, Griggs selected to all-league softball team
- Updated: June 10, 2019
Andy Brown / Louisburg Sports Zone
Louisburg senior Molly Rison (15) earned second team All-Frontier League honors recently after she batted . 453 on the season with just four strikeouts.
The Louisburg softball team finished the 2019 season as the one of the top eight teams in Class 4A and the Lady Cats were well-prepped for a run in the postseason thanks to a tough Frontier League schedule.
Louisburg, along with league schools Paola and Eudora, qualified for the state tournament and lended itself as one of the toughest leagues in 4A.
So, when the league coaches sat down to discuss the all-league teams, it wasn’t a surprise to see a pair of Louisburg players honored.
Senior Molly Rison was selected as a second team All-Frontier League player in the infield, while fellow senior Karson Griggs was an honorable mention selection in the infield.
“I was disappointed a few more of our players did not receive league recognition this season,” Louisburg coach John Ozier said. “However, with that said, I have always been a coach that places more value on the contributions of each player to the overall team goals. During this season, and especially during our postseason run, we had so many kids figure out the importance of the philosophy of ‘what can I do to help the team.’ It took some time, but this approach paid some incredible dividends.”
Rison and Griggs were big parts of that approach as they drove in a lot of runs from the heart of the Lady Cat order.
As the Louisburg first baseman, Rison was a key fixture in the Lady Cat lineup as she batted .453 on the season with a .539 on-base percentage, a .594 slug and a 1.133 OPS. In 76 plate appearances, Rison recorded 10 walks and struck out just four times. She also recorded six doubles, a home run and 21 RBIs.
Griggs had the most power on the Lady Cat team as she recorded a team-high five home runs to go along with a .397 average, 21 RBIs and a team-high seven doubles.
“I was proud to see Molly and Karson get recognition in a very talented league,” Ozier said. “I would have liked to have seen Maddie (Svoboda) get honored, along with some of our underclassmen that were nominated. I look for some of our younger players to receive league recognition in seasons to come.”
ALL-FRONTIER LEAGUE SOFTBALL
FIRST TEAM
INFIELD – Lindsey Toot, Baldwin, junior; Megan Kennedy, Eudora, senior; Hannah Menefee, Paola, senior; Grace Barnes, Piper, junior
OUTFIELD – Audrey Flowers, Baldwin, senior; Aubrey Weatherbie, Paola, junior; Alexis Chapman, Paola, sophomore
PITCHER – Kyla Etter, Eudora, senior; Kierstan Weitze, Paola, junior
CATCHER – Lauren Pappert, Piper, junior
DH/UTILITY – Layney Steging, Spring Hill, senior
SECOND TEAM
INFIELD – Rian Gere, Baldwin, senior; Sierra Smith, Eudora, junior; Molly Rison, Louisburg, senior; Erin Gallagher, Tonganoxie, junior
OUTFIELD – Harper Schreiner, Eudora, freshman; Alli Kerns, Ottawa, senior; Emma Martin, Piper, junior
PITCHER – Sam Reynolds, Tonganoxie, junior; Emily Ashford, Bonner Springs, sophomore
CATCHER – Justine Kennington, Ottawa, senior
DH/UTILITY – Lacey Coffman, Bonner Springs, junior
HONORABLE MENTION
INFIELD – Karson Griggs, Louisburg, senior; Riley Titus, Ottawa, sophomore; Lauren Curtis, Ottawa, sophomore; Bella Gravatt, Piper, junior; Macey Nigh, Piper, senior; Chloe Roberts, Spring Hill, senior
OUTFIELD – Holland Harvat, Eudora, senior; Kaitlyn Bradbury, Piper, sophomore; Avery Anderson, Spring Hill, junior
PITCHER – Sadie Walker, Eudora, freshman; Alex Powell, Ottawa, freshman
CATCHER – Kelsie Klamm, Baldwin, senior; Lauren Gray, Tonganoxie, junior
DH/UTILITY – Emma Stottlemire, Ottawa, freshman
