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St. Paul baseball: Johnson commits to play baseball at Temple College

  • Zak Johnson accepted an offer from Temple College to play baseball. A ceremony was held May 19 to celebrate his achievement. Seated from left is Beth Johnson, Zak Johnson and Ron Johnson.Standing from left is athletic director Jake Wachsmuth, assistant baseball coach Jeremy Rodriguez, head baseball coach Charlie Mieschen, assistant baseball coach Jeff Natho, Blue Hybner and Ryan Geiger. Photo by Mark Lube.
    Zak Johnson accepted an offer from Temple College to play baseball. A ceremony was held May 19 to celebrate his achievement. Seated from left is Beth Johnson, Zak Johnson and Ron Johnson.Standing from left is athletic director Jake Wachsmuth, assistant baseball coach Jeremy Rodriguez, head baseball coach Charlie Mieschen, assistant baseball coach Jeff Natho, Blue Hybner and Ryan Geiger. Photo by Mark Lube.

    BY MARK LUBE/SPORTS EDITOR

    SHINERSPORTS@SBCGLOBAL.NET

    Three-sport Cardinal athlete Zak Johnson had solidified a huge chunk  of his collegiate plans.
    Johnson has accepted an offer from and has committed to Temple College in central Texas to play baseball at the junior college level.
    “It feels like all the hard work I have done in the past few years with my dad, the team and the coaches has paid off,” he said. “I am really happy and excited.”
    Johnson has competed in football and basketball in addition to baseball but as far as playing in college, he had set his sights on the hardball field.
    “I was always wishing to play college baseball,” he said. “I’ve always felt that is what I was going to do after high school.”
    He said his grandpa coached the son of the Temple College coach, Craig McMurtry.
    “Coach McMurty is real smart and good coach,” Johnson said. “I was looking for that in a coach more than anything. He was nice; the whole team was nice and it was a good atmosphere.”
    During his junior year, Johnson emailed prospective schools and attended camps to get his foot in the door of college baseball.
    He said he expects the Leopards program to utilize his pitching skills and only his pitching.
    “I am going as a PO (Pitcher Only),” Johnson said. “I won’t be hitting or playing infielder. I am excited because I will be able to focus on and work on pitching. I think it will help me become a better pitcher.”
    Johnson will spend all his time hurling balls, in practice or games, but with all the pitching his arm will be doing, he will be prepared, physically and in every other way.
    “I will do a lot of specialized workouts for pitching. It will be a great feeling to either start a game or come in and close two games in a week, or go the whole week without pitching,” he said. “It will vary but I will be excited to be in the ball park, having fun with the guys.”
    The Leopards compete in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference (NTJCAC) and as of May 19, are 33-21 overall and 15-17 in conference play. They were 39-16 and were third in the conference. The Leopards currently have three National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series Appearances — 2006 (7th), 2010 (5th) and 2018 (5th).
    “They are a very solid program. Players are great and coaches are great,” he said.  
    Johnson said playing for a junior college meant the players are only freshman and sophomores, and  that will make team closeness easier to accomplish.
    He said his overall academic track will point toward a degree in construction science.
    “I hope to specialize in construction management,” he said.
    Johnson will get his basics done at Temple and they will transfer over later to a bigger school, and will get assistance if needed from  Temple College academic counselors.
    Johnson will miss the bonds he formed with peers since he started attending school at SCS.
    “I will miss all my friends that I have known since the very beginning of attending Shiner Catholic School,” he said.