Rison, Griggs selected to all-league softball team

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

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