Knee injury shelves Blakesley

MRI to determine severity of KU signee's condition

Ottawa High senior Caleb Blakesley doesn’t know exactly what happened Friday night.

He broke through Kansas City Turner’s offensive line in the first half, sacked the quarterback and came up hurting — badly.

Blakesley, who has committed to play football next year at Kansas University, left Ottawa’s 19-18 overtime victory over Turner in the second quarter Friday because of an injured right knee. He didn’t return to the game and still doesn’t know the severity of the injury.

“I’m getting an MRI on Monday,” Blakesley said Saturday. “We won’t know much until then.”

Blakesley said the knee was swollen and in pain Saturday, and a visit to the doctor Saturday morning didn’t reveal much. Until Monday, Blakesley is hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

“That’s pretty much how it is at this point,” Blakesley said.

Rated by rivals.com as the top prospect in Kansas, Blakesley gave KU coach Mark Mangino his oral commitment Aug. 7. He has shown domination on both the offensive and defensive line at Ottawa, and it continued during the first game this season, a 30-13 Cyclone victory over Spring Hill.

Blakesley is the defending Class 5A state champion and Kansas Relays champion in the shot put, throwing better than 60 feet several times. His success with the shot helped get him loads of college football attention, including offers from KU, Wyoming and Tulsa.

Blakesley is one of four known KU commitments for 2005, along with La Puente, Calif., lineman Jose Rodriguez, K.C. Washington defensive back Darrell Stuckey and Newton lineman Adam Welty. Football national signing day isn’t until February.