This spring, outfielder/pitcher Blake Looney wrapped up a highly decorated career for Davis, which will continue at the collegiate level.
Looney signed his letter of intent Monday to attend Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa. The All-Ardmoreite Super Teamer and Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State selection picked NOC-Tonkawa over Seward County, Dodge City and Cowley County community colleges, all in Kansas.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Looney’s father, Terry, said Tuesday. “He could have went to Southern Nazarene or UCO (for football) but his passion is in baseball. He thanked the coach for giving him the opportunity. I think he’s pretty pleased with what he’s going to try to do.”
“They called and said they wanted me and I said I’m down for it,” Looney said. “I’ve always liked baseball better throughout my life. I was leaning towards that.”
Looney will have a chance to continue as a dual threat in Tonkawa. The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder was recruited to pitch and play the outfield, just as he did at Davis.
Looney’s teammate, John Collette, will join him on the diamond at Northern Oklahoma. Collette, an All-Ardmoreite pitcher and All-State alternate, spurned a football scholarship from Southern Nazarene to sign as a walk-on at Tonkawa.
“Blake has a lot of potential,” Davis coach Micah Noland said. “It’s gonna be up to him how hard he wants to work that determines how far he’s gonna go.
“He’s a lot more talented than I was and I played (minor-league baseball) until I was 29 years old.”
Looney and Collette will be the third and fourth baseball players from Davis to play collegiately, joining Noland and current Davis Middle School teacher Andy Davis. In 88 at-bats this season, Looney hit .466, with 10 doubles, three triples, 34 RBI and a .569 on-base percentage.
According to Noland, Looney, who will play for the Small West team in the All-State game July 27, is the school’s first All-State baseball player.
“I don’t really have the words for it,” Terry said. “I told all these coaches here that I hope they enjoyed him on the field as much as I enjoyed raising him.”
Erik K. Horne
221-6522
