| Register/Jocelyn Sheets Iola High senior Connor Frazell signs a national letter of intent to play football at Butler Community College in El Dorado next year. On hand for last week’s signing were his parents (seated) Tammi and Jay Don Frazell and IHS head football coach Rick Horton. |
Kicking for a national football powerhouse was in the plans made by Connor Frazell when he was little kicking the football in his backyard.
Frazell took a step in that direction last week when he signed a national letter of intent to play football for Butler Community College in El Dorado. The Grizzlies were back-to-back NJCAA national champions in 2007 and 2008.
Butler had eight straight Jayhawk Conference championships. It fell to eventual NJCAA runner-up Fort Scott Community College in 2009 but did finish ranked No. 10 in the nation at 8-3 . The Grizzlies also had national championships in 1998, 1999 and 2003.
“Butler presented me with the best opportunity to compete at the college level coming right out of high school,” Frazell said. “They have quality facilities and I really like the school itself.”
Frazell, who plans to major in construction engineering, said he thought his work ethic and his consistency as a kicker were assets.
“Connor has a very strong leg and is athletic overall,” said Troy Morrell, in a telephone interview with the Register. “We’re very excited Connor is coming to Butler and becoming a part of our program.
“He is the type of individual you want helping build a successful program.”
Morrell said the Grizzlies expect Frazell to “contribute right away because we lost our all-America kicker, Logan Oritz, to graduation.”
He said Frazell would be kicking field goals and doing kickoff duties, plus there’s a possibility of Frazell handling the punting duties.
Frazell was named consensus 2009 Kansas Class 4A’s All-State kicker by the Topeka Capital Journal and the Wichita Eagle at the end of his senior season. As a junior he was named all-state 4A kicker by the Wichita newspaper and was honorable mention in the Topeka listings.
Frazell has been a steady force for the Mustangs four years running
For two years, Frazell has been named the Southeast Kansas League’s top placekicker. Over those two years for the Mustangs, Frazell successfully kicked 48 of 52 extra point attempts. He had 13 field goals, including a 50-yarder this season as he personal best kick.
Frazell, 5-9 and 170, also punted for the Mustangs. He had 42 punts for 1,417 yards, a 33.7 yard average. Frazell caught 12 passes for 94 yards as a receiver.
This past summer he went to kicking camps at Kansas, Kansas State and Kohl’s camp in Kansas City, Kan. Frazell was invited to a national Kohl’s kicking camp where he made 19 field goals in the competition.
Frazell is the son of Tammi and Jay Don Frazell of Iola.
