MT. VERNON, Mo. — National Signing Day for high school athletes across the country was last week, but Tuesday morning one Mt. Vernon Lady Mountaineer made it official as to where she will continue her athletic career at the next level.

At the campus of Mt. Vernon High School in the library, there was a signing ceremony for Ally Burk as she signed to further her softball career at State Fair Community College. Burk helped her team capture the Class 2 State Softball Championship last spring when they defeated West County 6-0.

Burk has played as an outfielder on varsity since her freshman year. She also has a couple of teammates from the Mt. Vernon softball team like Harley Daniels who is waiting on her arrival at State Fair.

This day is an emotional day for Burk and her family.

Ally Burk said, “So I think my grandma shed the most tears, she doesn’t want me to leave, but I could have gone all the way to Florida if I wanted to, but I did not. It’s just an emotional day, especially for my parents, because the hard work they put in and especially the hard work that I put in and I travel ball and everything over the summer and especially the seasons here at Mt. Vernon has been reflected and is going to be put forward at State Fair. And it’s just it’s a really good reflection of our hard work.”