Metro Christian 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 2A Preseason Ranking: #1) </strong></span> We learned our lesson after last year that the <strong>Metro Christian Patriots</strong> are a team that you can’t write off. We were fairly certain that the Patriots would take a step back in 2020 after capturing their first ever state championship in 2019. Whoops. The Patriots lost two of their first three games and it looked like we were going to be right on that prediction and then Metro didn’t lose another game for the rest of the year. The Patriots finished 12-2 and captured their second straight state title in an impressive victory over Washington. It wasn’t an easy path to the gold ball but the Patriots once again got the job done and come into 2021 as the two-time defending state champs and we’re not going to make the same mistake twice. The Patriots come into this season as our preseason number one ranked team but make no mistake, this is not the same team that took the field in 2020 and once again the Patriots will have to reload going into the new year. Only nine total starters return off last year’s championship team with four on offense and five on defense. The biggest loss for the Patriots will without a doubt be senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="63292" first="Cade" last="Gibson"], who was the heart and soul of a Patriot defense that flashed moments of elite talent. However, Metro does bring back one of the best quarterbacks in the state, who continued to get better and better last season. Class 2A looks deeper than ever before and the race to Wantland is going to be exciting, but Metro will once again be in the mix. <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>2020 Results (12-2 Record - 2A State Champion)</strong></span> <strong>Aug 28 –</strong> Lost To Paris, TX 34-14 <strong>Sept 4 –</strong> Beat NOAH 44-7 <strong>Sept 18 –</strong> Lost To Holland Hall 42-7 <strong>Sept 25 –</strong> Beat Okmulgee 42-0 <strong>Oct 2 –</strong> Beat Henryetta 45-0 <strong>Oct 9 –</strong> Beat Beggs 14-6 <strong>Oct 15 –</strong> Beat Victory Christian 49-21 <strong>Oct 23 –</strong> Game VS Morris Cancelled <strong>Oct 30 –</strong> Beat Kiefer 47-7 <strong>Nov 6 –</strong> Beat Seminole 45-28 <strong>1st Round –</strong> Bye Week <strong>2nd Round –</strong> Beat Rejoice Christian 47-0 <strong>3rd Round –</strong> Beat Vian 34-22 <strong>Quarterfinals –</strong> Beat Marlow 35-31 <strong>Semifinals –</strong> Beat Oklahoma Christian School 55-28 <strong>Championship -</strong> Beat Washington 48-37 <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></span> <strong>Isaac Penland</strong> - 2023 Linebacker It’s without a doubt the biggest question we have about Metro Christian heading into 2021. Who’s going to replace the production of [player_tooltip player_id="63292" first="Cade" last="Gibson"]? Last year, it was who was going to replace Asher Link and we got the answer to that question with QB [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"]. This year, it’s all about the linebackers and who can replace Gibson and what he’s brought to the Metro defense over the last three years. Isaac Penland is just one of several linebackers that the Patriot coaches are excited about. He’s also one of several 2023 prospects, especially on defense that have the Metro coaches excited. Penland will have big shoes to fill but he won’t be alone. <strong>Jaxon Grimes</strong> - 2024 Wide Receiver It’s usually a good thing to be a wide receiver in the Metro Christian offense because this certainly is an offense that will pass the ball all over the yard. One young prospect that the Patriots are very excited about to see come along is 2024 wide receiver Jaxon Grimes. The young big man has really good size, standing 6’2 and will give his quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] a big target in the passing game. Metro has a few receivers that return with plenty of experience but Grimes has the potential to be the breakout player for the Patriots this fall. <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] - 2023 Quarterback</strong></span> [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] had one of the toughest jobs in 2020 and that was replacing Metro superstar Asher Link at the quarterback position. We thought Francis would be able to make it happen and he did not disappoint. The more experience he got throughout the season, the more comfortable he got in the Metro passing game and absolutely lit up opposing defenses. Francis has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the state, regardless of class and goes into the 2021 season as a contender for Player Of The Year. <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="38802" first="Tagg" last="Campbell"] - 2023 Defensive Back</strong></span> Metro Christan’s 2023 class actually has quite a few players that we like which is bad news for the rest of 2A football as they’ll have to deal with them for at least two more seasons. Another 2023 prospect we’ll certainly have our eyes on, specifically on the defensive side of the ball is [player_tooltip player_id="38802" first="Tagg" last="Campbell"]. We mentioned near the top that the Patriots lost some big names on the defensive side of the ball and Campbell will give them a boost, especially when defending the pass. We like his abilities at the cornerback position but wouldn’t be surprised to see him utilized wherever Metro needed him. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>More Names</strong></span> <span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>Breck Nauman</strong> - 2023 Wide Receiver </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>Dax Dancer</strong> - 2022 Linebacker </span><strong>Dempsey Gilman</strong> - 2022 Athlete <strong>Ethan Hodges</strong> - 2023 Linebacker <span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>JJ Shelby</strong> - 2022 Athlete <strong>Rhett Ruefer</strong> - 2023 Offensive Lineman <strong>Jack Michalsik</strong> - 2024 Offensive Lineman <strong>Corley Wagner</strong> - 2024 Running Back/Linebacker</span> <hr /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Notable</strong></span> </span> Here are two things that might come as a surprise to anyone who didn’t go to a Metro game last year or have been paying attention to Metro in the past decade. First, head coach Jared McCoy never coaches on the sidelines. He coaches from the press box and defensive coordinator Adam Taylor acts as Metro’s coach on the field while McCoy watches over the field and focuses on the offensive side of the ball. Another rare fact from Metro’s championship run in 2020 was their start quarterback never started. Metro would always start a different quarterback, who would play the first few series before Francis would come in. Despite not ever getting the start, Francis would still put up massive numbers. I guess we shouldn’t assume anything but we do believe that 2021 will be different and Francis will have the ball from the start of the game. You can’t really knock what Metro did in 2020 with it ending in another gold ball. <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>2021 Schedule/Games To Watch</strong></span> Aug. 27 - Crossover Prep Sept. 3 - AT NOAH <strong>Sept. 17 - Holland Hall</strong> - We mentioned how big this game would be in the Holland Hall preview for the Dutch and a lot of what we wrote can be echoed right here. The Holland Hall game was the last game that Metro lost before rattling off 12 straight wins, ending in a state championship. However, that loss to Holland Hall was an absolute rout and the Dutch manhandled the Patriots in a game that Metro just wasn't ready for. Both teams come into this year as defending champs and preseason number one teams. Metro will certainly be ready for the intensity needed when Holland Hall comes calling in week three before the Patriots go into district play the following week. Sept. 24 - Okmulgee Oct. 1 - AT Henryetta <strong>Oct. 8 - Beggs</strong> - The Holland Hall game will be huge in September but the date that all Metro Christian fans should have circled is October 8th in week six as the Patriots travel south down Highway 75 to face Beggs. As it stands right now, Metro and Beggs are #1 and #3 respectively in our preseason rankings and it's not crazy to think that this could end up being a 1 VS 2 match-up and potential state championship preview and we get it in October. These two teams played a very low-scoring affair with Metro getting the win, giving them the advantage in the district title hunt. While other teams will have something to say about it, this week six battle will more than likely decide the district crown. These two teams are forming a nice rivalry as district foes and Metro knocked Beggs out in the 2019 semifinals. Oct. 14 - AT Victory Christian Oct. 22 - AT Morris Oct. 29 - Kiefer Nov. 5 - AT Haskell <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Championship History</strong></span> <em><strong>2 State Championships</strong></em> 2020 - Beat Washington 48-37 2019 - Beat Vian 42-34