Mason Coons had more than one decision to make when deciding where to continue his education.
The Iola High senior also had to decide what sport to pursue.
Coons enrolled Wednesday to attend Allen Community College in the fall on a baseball scholarship.
“It was very difficult, probably one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Coons said in picking baseball over football. “I love football, but baseball has always been my passion.”
Once he decided on a sport, Coons found it somewhat easier to pick the Red Devils, even though he was recruited to play baseball and football at several universities in the state.
“There were some NAIA schools looking at me, places like that,” he said.
Coons ultimately chose Allen because of its coaching staff with longtime head coach Val McLean at the helm.
He’s joining classmates Aaron Barclay and Levi Ashmore in signing with the Red Devils this spring. He’ll join former schoolmates Clint Heffern, Braden Larson, Jarred Latta, Jerrik Sigg and Drew Walden.
“It’s pretty cool to get to play like that with guys I grew up with,” he said.
Coons is playing several positions this season with the Mustangs but will play primarily first base with Allen. He’s batting .429 this season with 17 runs, 11 hits and eight RBIs in 10 games. He leads Iola with five doubles and is 5-for-5 in stolen bases.
He’s also racked up a 4-0 record with a 3.86 ERA. His 24 strikeouts rank second on the team.
As a junior, Coons batted .452 with 24 RBIs while going 2-1 with a 4.20 ERA on the mound. He batted .310 as a sophomore and .286 as a freshman.
“Mason’s got a great body for baseball,” McLean said. “We like his potential. And it’s always good to sign local talent with a lot of ability.”
Coons also has starred in the classroom, maintaining a 3.97 grade-point average at IHS.
He plans to study pre-med at ACC.
Coons is the son of Iolans Vince and Pam Coons.
Coons signs with Allen
