Lawton Team Preview

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! 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">RIGHT HERE</a>. Overview (Class 6A-D2 Preseason Ranking: #9) After a rare season finishing with a losing record, the Lawton Wolverines are focused on not only getting back to their winning ways, but continuing those winning ways into the playoffs. They come into this season as the #9 team in our 6A-D2 preseason rankings. This comes after going 4-5 and being bounced out of the playoffs in the first round, losing to Booker T Washington in a blowout. What started as a promising 2020 season ended with a first round exit and a tough offseason. Lawton would start the season 3-0 after dominating their three non-district opponents. However, the Wolverines would lose their district opener to Midwest City and after the next two games got cancelled, due to the Covid pandemic, Lawton wouldn't play again until week seven. They struggled down the stretch, losing three of their last four regular season games and then got blown out by Booker T Washington in a playoff that Lawton wouldn't have qualified for in most years. Because of the pandemic, every team was allowed into the playoffs in 2020. With only one district victory in 2020, the Wolverines would have been on the outside looking in. However, that was 2020 and 2021 looks more promising as the Wolverines bring back five starters on both sides of the ball. They also have some serious playmakers that we'll break down further in our Players To Watch feature down below. This district is as tough as it's arguably ever been but Lawton is used to not only making it to the playoffs, but dominating once they get there. We expect the Wolverines to bounce back from a rare losing season and get back to their winning ways. <hr /> 2020 Results (4-5 Record - Lost In 6A-D2 1st Round) Sept. 4 - Beat Duncan 39-12 Sept. 11 - Beat Lawton MacArthur 55-15 Sept. 18 - Beat Lawton Eisenhower 28-0 Sept. 25 - Lost To Midwest City 34-9 Oct. 1 - Game VS Northwest Classen Cancelled Oct. 9 - Game VS Putnam City North Cancelled Oct. 16 - Lost To Stillwater 70-17 Oct. 22 - Beat U.S. Grant 57-6 Oct. 31 - Lost To Deer Creek 20-18 Nov. 6 - Lost to Del City 35-22 1st Round - Lost To Booker T Washington 56-14 <hr /> Players To Watch [player_tooltip player_id="38705" first="Albert" last="Baker"] - 2022 Running Back We got a chance to see Lawton up close during the team camp session in late May and early June. When we watched the Wolverines during the session we attended, the best player on the field was senior running back [player_tooltip player_id="38705" first="Albert" last="Baker"]. When the Wolverines dominated several seasons ago, it was always because of a strong running game. Baker could add his name to the list of standout running backs that have suited up for the Wolverines. He’s an explosive back that we believe could be a breakout star in Oklahoma this fall. If he ends up having a big season, we won’t be surprised at all. [player_tooltip player_id="150089" first="Tyron" last="Amacker"] - 2023 Athlete A lot of the players to watch both here and below will be playing on both sides of the ball so we have them currently listed as athletes. Arguably the best two-way player for the Wolverines this fall will be junior [player_tooltip player_id="150089" first="Tyron" last="Amacker"]. When we got back the info on the Wolverines this offseason, one of the things that was mentioned about Amacker was that he might be the next big time player to play for the Wolverines. It remains to be seen whether or not that will be true and where Amacker shines brightest. Whether it’s offense or defense, he’ll have an opportunity to make an impact this fall. More Names Blake Eastwood - 2022 Athlete Devarious Hardy - 2023 Quarterback Devin Simpson - 2022 Athlete <hr /> Notable The last three years haven’t gone exactly as smooth for the Wolverines as the first few years since Class 6A split into two divisions. With Stillwater emerging as the new power in that 6A-D2 westside district, the Wolverines have struggled just to finish above .500 and have been bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Lawton was the dominant westside team when the class first split into two divisions back in 2014. The Wolverines made it to the 2014 and 2016 state championship games and made several semifinal appearances during that stretch as well. However, they’ve been unable to keep up with the rest of the class during the last several years. When the split first happened, we only saw a handful of teams in the first few years that were dominant and could make a run to the title. Fast forward to today and the class is deeper and more competitive than ever. That westside district has gotten deeper as well with Stillwater raising the bar and Putnam City North dropping down to 6A-D2 last season. Before, it was Lawton and Midwest City. Now you have to really battle to get one of the four playoff spots. <hr /> 2021 Schedule/Games To Watch Sept. 2 - Duncan Sept. 10 - Lawton MacArthur Sept. 17 - Lawton Eisenhower Sept. 23 - Midwest City - After squaring off with their two city rivals, Lawton will open up district play in week four against Midwest City. We just wrote about how when 6A was first split into two divisions, it was Lawton and Midwest City that owned the westside district and were the heavy hitters. Midwest City took a step to returning to that last year with a run to the semifinals. Lawton is hoping to do the same this fall. The Wolverines will host the Bombers in the district opener on a Thursday night. The winner of this match-up is going to have a ton of momentum going into the rest of district play. Oct. 1 - AT Northwest Classen Oct. 8 - Putnam City North Oct. 14 - AT Stillwater - Stillwater hasn’t lost a regular season game since 2017. The Pioneers have been great and have dominated this district over the last three seasons. However, they do have some holes this season and we think this westside district is going to be more competitive than we’ve ever seen before. That doesn’t mean this will result in a Lawton win. The Wolverines will probably be the underdog coming into this Fall Break Thursday night match-up on the road against the Pioneers. If Lawton can pull off the upset and don’t have any other district losses at this point, they’ll become the new district favorites. Oct. 22 - AT U.S. Grant Oct. 29 - Deer Creek Nov. 5 - Del City <hr /> Championship History 4 State Championships 1987 - Beat Edmond 28-0 1970 - Beat Memorial 13-7 1963 - Beat Nathan Hale 36-12 Beat Douglass 27-14