Clinton Team Preview

<em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em> Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day as we release more individual team previews as we get closer to the start of the 2021 football season. In case you missed it, you can check out our Preseason Rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/06/2021-preseason-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RIGHT HERE</strong></a>. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Overview (Class 4A Preseason Ranking: #4)</strong></span> In most years, the <strong>Clinton Red Tornadoes</strong> making a run to the championship game isn’t much of a surprise. That’s what it ended up being last year as they surprised a few teams on their way to the state championship game. Things really didn’t look good late in the regular season when they lost two of their last three games to finish the regular season 5-3. However, they would upset defending champion Poteau in the quarterfinals and when another close one with Blanchard to punch their ticket to the state championship game. Coming off the Runner Up finish a year ago, Clinton is locked and loaded for another potential state championship run. They come in as the #4 team in our preseason rankings for Class 4A. They bring back nearly everyone on the defensive side of the ball with eight starters returning. On offense, seven starters come back and will give Clinton one of their best shots at competing for a state title in the last decade. Clinton will need all of that firepower and then some as they head into arguably the toughest district in the state, regardless of class. In our preseason rankings for 4A, four of the top eight teams are all in the same district with Clinton, Weatherford, Bethany and Newcastle. Despite being ranked in the top ten right now, one of those teams will have to finish fourth in the district or even possibly miss out on the playoffs all together. That district also has a few teams outside of the top ten that will be tough competition, just adding another element of depth. <hr /> <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2020 Results (8-4 Record - Class 4A Runner Up)</span></strong> <strong>Sept. 4 –</strong> Beat Woodward 26-21 <strong>Sept. 11 –</strong> Lost To Heritage Hall 14-7 <strong>Sept. 18 –</strong> Game AT Millwood Canceled <strong>Sept. 25 –</strong> Beat Elgin 46-7 <strong>Oct. 2 –</strong> Beat Kingfisher 21-10 <strong>Oct. 9 –</strong> Beat Cache 21-14 <strong>Oct. 23 –</strong> Lost To Weatherford 14-0 <strong>Oct. 30 –</strong> Beat Elk City 35-7 <strong>Nov. 6 –</strong> Lost To Bethany 23-19 <strong>1st Round –</strong> Beat Harrah 38-13 <strong>2nd Round –</strong> Bye Week <strong>Quarterfinals –</strong> Beat Poteau 17-10 <strong>Semifinals –</strong> Beat Blanchard 10-7 <strong>Championship -</strong> Lost To Wagoner 42-13 <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></span> <strong>Ben Foster - 2022 Offensive/Defensive Lineman</strong> Clinton won't be the biggest team in 4A by any stretch as they don't have a ton of size with their returning players. However, one of the bigger returning standouts will be senior lineman Ben Foster. He will double on the offensive and defensive lines and give the Clinton offense a boost in opening up the running game that Clinton loves to rely on. As for the defensive side of the ball, Foster will be able to also open things up at the defensive line position. Clinton has a very talented linebacker group and they'll be able to be freed up thanks to Foster. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="38610" first="Caden" last="Powell"] - 2022 Quarterback/Linebacker</strong> Returning for another year is Clinton senior standout [player_tooltip player_id="38610" first="Caden" last="Powell"]. The Clinton senior is one of the more underrated players in the state in our opinion. He’s been committed to play baseball at OU for years and maybe that’s halted his opportunities on the gridiron but he should have more offers. Even if he ends up playing baseball in college, he’s an outstanding linebacker. He also lines up for Clinton at quarterback but we love what he brings to the defensive side of the ball. <strong>Javion Hill - 2023 Athlete</strong> Clinton brings back a wealth of talent in their senior class and the majority of their playmakers are 2022 prospects. However, one of the better 2023 standouts is Javion Hill, who we'll end up seeing on both sides of the ball. He'll give Powell a reliable target at the tight end position on the offensive side of the ball. Then he'll flip to the other side of the ball and play alongside Powell at the linebacker spot. We like what Hill brings on offense as a target for Powell in the passing game and he's also physical enough to be an extra blocker. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>More Names</strong></span> <strong>Aaron Seabolt - 2022 Wide Receiver</strong> <strong>Layden Fuller - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman</strong> <strong>Matthew Nguyen - 2023 Lineman</strong> <strong>Trey Bennett - 2023 Linebacker</strong> <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Notable</strong></span> Last year when Clinton punched their ticket to the state championship game, they were playing for the gold ball for the 26th time in school history. That’s enough to put them all alone in second place in state history. They trail only Jenks, who also played in the state title game last year and sits on top of the state with 27 appearances. Another category they only trail Jenks in is gold balls as the Trojans won their 17th last season, breaking a tie with Clinton for second most championships in state history. However, Clinton is now tied with Carl Albert for third most titles with 16. While Clinton has been one of the more dominant programs in state history, last year’s appearance in the title game was their first title game appearance since 2012. That eight year stretch is one of the longer stretches in program history without a championship game appearance. Clinton is hoping to bring home championship number 17 this fall and inch closer to the all time record of 19, currently held by Ada. <hr /> <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2021 Schedule/Games To Watch</span></strong> Sept. 3 - AT Woodward <strong>Sept. 10 - AT Heritage Hall</strong> - Clinton and Heritage Hall will continue their non-district rivalry this year and once again it will be one of the top non-district match-up’s that week. The Chargers have dominated the series recently, winning the last eight meetings with Clinton. However, here in the last four years, it’s gotten closer to even. Clinton has pushed the Chargers and have made three out of the last four meetings decided by single digits. A win here will give Clinton a ton of momentum with the brutal district schedule right around the corner. Sept. 17 - Millwood Sept. 24 - AT Newcastle Oct. 1 - AT Chickasha Oct. 8 - Cache Oct. 14 - Elgin <strong>Oct. 22 - AT Weatherford</strong> - At this point of the year, we should know or at least have a good idea of who the top dogs in each district are. That might be the case with the exception of this district in 4A. Clinton will close out the season with a road game against Weatherford in week eight and a home game against Bethany in week ten. Clinton lost both of those match-up’s last year and can’t afford to do it again, otherwise the playoff road to Wantland will be absolutely brutal. These two teams are the top two ranked teams from this district in our 4A preseason rankings but only time will tell if they still are come October. Oct. 29 - Elk City Nov. 5 - Bethany <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Championship History</strong></span> <em><strong>16 State Championships (Tied For 3rd Most All Time)</strong></em> 2012 - Beat Anadarko 21-14 2007 - Beat Kingfisher 21-16 2005 - Beat Wagoner 20-7 2004 - Beat Broken Bow 28-0 2003 - Beat Glenpool 28-7 2001 - Beat Sallisaw 41-23 2000 - Beat Sallisaw 41-6 1997 - Beat Elk City 31-13 1996 - Beat Weatherford 28-0 1984 - Beat Idabel 34-13 1982 - Beat Bristow 33-23 1978 - Beat Durant 12-0 1969 - Beat Muskogee Manual 55-6 1968 - Beat Wewoka 42-6 1967 - Beat Broken Bow 34-6 1965 - Beat Broken Bow 34-13