Class 3A Preview
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Today, we continue our class by class previews. For the next two weeks, we’ll take a look at the best teams in each class, along with the best players, best games and some of the storylines that you should pay attention to going into the new season. All of this will lead us right up to the start of the 2021 season in week zero. We continue with a look at Class 3A. As always, stay tuned to the website for more class by class previews.
PREP REDZONE PRESEASON RANKINGS
1) HOLLAND HALL (Coaches Ranking: #2)
2) VERDIGRIS (Coaches Ranking: #4)
3) LINCOLN CHRISTIAN (Coaches Ranking: #1)
4) PLAINVIEW (Coaches Ranking: #9)
5) HERITAGE HALL (Coaches Ranking: #3)
6) ANADARKO (Coaches Ranking: #7)
7) BERRYHILL (Coaches Ranking: #8)
8) SEMINOLE (Coaches Ranking: UR)
9) CHECOTAH (Coaches Ranking: UR)
10) McLOUD (Coaches Ranking: UR)
ALL 3A TEAM
Offense
QB –
Max Brown
Max
Brown
6'2" | 200 lbs | QB
Lincoln Christian | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Lincoln Christian
RB –
Chase Burke
Chase
Burke
5'8" | RB
Berryhill | 2022
OK
– Senior – Berryhill
RB –
Dontierre Fisher
Dontierre
Fisher
6'0" | RB
Checotah | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Checotah
RB –
Kyron Downing
Kyron
Downing
5'10" | 175 lbs | RB
Vinita | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Vinita
WR –
Gavin Freeman
Gavin
Freeman
5'10" | WR
Heritage Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Heritage Hall
WR –
Morgan Pearson
Morgan
Pearson
6'2" | 220 lbs | ATH
Plainview | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – Plainview
OL –
Davis Dotson
Davis
Dotson
6'6" | 290 lbs | OL
Berryhill | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Berryhill
OL –
Jordan Nolin
Jordan
Nolin
6'5" | OL
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
OL –
Kenyon Bigbow
Kenyon
Bigbow
6'5" | 280 lbs | OL
Anadarko | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – Anadarko
OL –
Levi Lawson
Levi
Lawson
6'4" | 335 lbs | OL
Checotah | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – Checotah
OL –
Tryce Lewis
Tryce
Lewis
6'3" | 285 lbs | OL
McLoud | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – McLoud
Defense
DL –
Brycen Ellisor
Brycen
Ellisor
6'3" | 270 lbs | DL
Kingston | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Kingston
DL –
Omarion Warrior
Omarion
Warrior
6'3" | 310 lbs | DL
Checotah | 2022
OK
– Senior – Checotah
DL –
Kayden Churchill
Kayden
Churchill
6'2" | 225 lbs | DL
Anadarko | 2023
OK
– Junior – Anadarko
LB –
Caden Pickens
Caden
Pickens
5'11" | LB
Plainview | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Plainview
LB –
Nick Jones
Nick
Jones
6'0" | LB
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
LB –
Reese Roller
Reese
Roller
6'0" | 210 lbs | LB
Verdigris | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – Verdigris
LB –
Slade Snodgrass
Slade
Snodgrass
6'1" | 185 lbs | LB
Kingfisher | 2022
OK
– Senior – Kingfisher
DB –
NuNu Campbell
NuNu
Campbell
5'11" | DB
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
DB –
Reis Taylor
Reis
Taylor
6'0" | 210 lbs | ATH
Plainview | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Plainview
DB –
Rylan Hall-Norton
Rylan
Hall-Norton
5'10" | 170 lbs | DB
McLoud | 2022
OK
– Senior – McLoud
DB –
Tre Carter
Tre
Carter
6'1" | DB
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
Kicker/Athletes
K –
Luke Butler
Luke
Butler
6'0" | 170 lbs | K
Heritage Hall | 2022
OK
– Senior – Heritage Hall
ATH –
Clint Campbell
Clint
Campbell
6'0" | 205 lbs | ATH
McLoud | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – McLoud
ATH –
Ethan Roush
Ethan
Roush
6'3" | 180 lbs | WR
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
ATH –
River Faulkner
River
Faulkner
5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH
Heritage Hall | 2023
State
OK
– Junior – Heritage Hall
ATH –
Zane Woodham
Zane
Woodham
6'0" | ATH
Holland Hall | 2022
State
OK
– Senior – Holland Hall
MARK THE CALENDARS
October 22nd – Checotah AT Lincoln Christian
The first of two marquee match-up’s that will be taking place on October 22nd in week eight will feature Checotah traveling to Tulsa to square off with Lincoln Christian. The Wildcats have a really good roster and this might be one of their best teams in recent memory. But this is without a doubt a measuring stick game. Lincoln Christian has been the measuring stick in this district for several years as they’ve absolutely dominated the competition. Checotah wants to go where Lincoln Christian has been the last two years, and that’s the state championship game. They can make quite the statement by getting a win here. It’s not going to be an easy task, but they’ll wake everyone in Class 3A up if they pull the upset.
October 22nd – Heritage Hall AT Anadarko
The more things change, the more they stay the same. About a decade, these two teams were two of the best in Oklahoma. The Chargers have remained as one of the top teams throughout the decade but Anadarko has had some rough seasons in recent memory but they appear to not only be back, but back to contending in Class 3A. Before they can worry about contending for that gold ball, they have to contend for the district crown and that crown has belonged to Heritage Hall for a very long time. Anadarko gets the benefit of having this game at home and they’ll have to find a way to slow down the Chargers and superstar
Gavin Freeman
Gavin
Freeman
5'10" | WR
Heritage Hall | 2022
State
OK
. But if they get the win here, I think it’s time to say that Anadarko is back.
October 29th – Holland Hall AT Verdigris
It’s the last game on this section but that’s just because it’s coming in week nine. However, it’s also the main event as well. If the rankings hold all the way until week nine, it will be #1 Holland Hall hosting #2 Verdigris in a showdown that will no doubt decide the district championship. The district that these two teams are in will be very competitive with Berryhill and Vinita also appearing to be very strong. However, these two are the top two teams for a reason and the winner here will more than likely be the district champ. Holland Hall absolutely smashed Verdigris last year in their regular season meeting and you know that the Cardinals have had this date circled on their calendar since last October.
NOTABLE STORYLINES
Public VS Private
One of the biggest debates in Oklahoma high school football is the Public VS Private debate where some believe that private schools should only play other private schools. It’s pretty simple, private schools control their enrollment and in that sense, have an advantage over public schools. My opinion, which doesn’t matter much since I’m not a decision-maker, is also pretty simple. I don’t believe this debate would exist if CERTAIN private schools, not all, weren’t so successful. I’m not the biggest fan of changing rules just because of the outcomes. But again, that opinion is just that and I understand both sides of the argument. And arguably no class has been dominated by private schools quite like Class 3A. And it doesn’t appear to change. Three of the top five teams in our preseason rankings are private schools. The teams that won the last three state championships were those same three teams at the top of the rankings. #1 Holland Hall, #3 Lincoln Christian and #5 Heritage Hall. Not only did they win those titles, they dominated. Heritage Hall captured the 2018 gold ball with a 50-14 win. Lincoln Christian won in 2019 with a 42-21 victory and Holland Hall won their first ever title last year with a 35-7 win. Coincidentally, it came over Lincoln Christian. And by the way, with all of the dominance from private schools in Class 3A, there’s a good chance it only continues and goes further starting next year. Two-time defending 2A champion Metro Christian and Cascia Hall will be moving up to Class 3A next fall. Just adding two more potential powers and possibly making the gap in 3A a little bigger.
Young Cardinals Ready For The Spotlight
One of the public school teams that could dethrone the private school dominance is Verdigris. This has been a team and specifically a program that has been building something pretty special. They got everyone’s attention in 2019 when they made a run to to the semifinals behind a roster that had several freshmen stepping up and not only playing but starting in those meaningful games that led to their semifinal appearance. Last year, they took another step and had the emergence of a star linebacker in Reece Roller. We have written about this countless times but in case you missed it, Roller had a stretch during the 2020 season when he recorded five sacks in back to back games. Two weeks, ten sacks. Not bad for a sophomore who quickly became one of the top linebackers in the state. Roller is not alone within this special 2023 class that Verdigris has. Quarterback Dylan White, wide receivers
Dalton Person
Dalton
Person
5'10" | 150 lbs | WR
Verdigris | 2023
State
OK
and Tyler Mitchell also return. They also have a new face in
Louie Carlson
Louie
Carlson
6'0" | 200 lbs | ATH
Verdigris | 2023
State
OK
. He’s another junior who moved to Oklahoma from Utah and gives the Cardinals yet another weapon within the 2023 class. There’s no doubt that the Cardinals are building something special and they come in at #2 in our preseason rankings. As mentioned above, that showdown with Holland Hall in late October will give us a good idea if they’re ready for the spotlight of being the top dogs in Class 3A.
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