By Brock Sisney bsisney
FRONTENAC, Kan. — Frontenac senior Avery Johnson signed Tuesday afternoon with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) Lady Norse to continue her academic and athletic career at the next level.
“I liked everything about it,” Johnson said. “I love the coaches. I love the area. I just felt it was a good fit for me. I’m looking forward to meeting new teammates and meeting new people.”
Johnson has been dominant in the circle during her time at Frontenac. She has 463 career strikeouts and a career 1.33 ERA. She earned all-state honors during both her freshman and junior seasons.
“She’s a two-time state champion,” Frontenac softball coach Cassie Rhuems said. “In 2022, she was our freshman starting pitcher and brought home a state title, and she did the same for us last year. Hopefully, she can do it again for us this year.
“We’re really grateful to have her in our program. I’ll never forget when she came to watch us in eighth grade. We were playing Columbus and she was kinda wondering if she wanted to be a Raider. I remember my Dad (Francis Buche) said to her, ‘Listen, Avery, we’re going to win with or without you, but we’d rather win with you.’ We’re really glad that she made the change and we’re happy to have her. We look forward to sending her out the best we can.”
Johnson and the Raiders opened their season in style Monday with a 13-0 run-rule win in five innings on the road against Humboldt.
“They’re like a family,” Johnson said. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. They’re always so encouraging and they’ve helped push me through everything I’ve gone through. Well, I’m looking forward to softball this year. I will just keep pushing forward and getting better.”
Head coach Bailey Burnett and her assistant Abby Ishmael are the Lady Norse coaches. Their current roster includes a variety of players from largely Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
NEO currently owns a 10-15 overall and 3-5 conference record. The Lady Norse play games against Kansas schools Coffeyville, Fort Scott, Independence, Labette and Neosho County.
