Bethany Team Preview

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! It’s the month of July and that means it’s preview time! Throughout the month of July, we are publishing 100 team previews to get you ready for the 2022 season. This is something that began last year and has become even bigger and better this year. We’re looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state. From defending champs, to top contenders and dark horses, we’ll have complete coverage every single day with new teams from Class 6A down to A. In this post, we take a look at the Bethany Bronchos. Bethany is once again in the preseason top ten and look to make a deep run in the playoffs. Bethany Bronchos (4A Preseason Ranking: #7) For the second consecutive season, Bethany comes into the preseason as our #7 team in the preseason rankings for Class 4A. The Bronchos are hoping that 2022 treats them better than 2021 did as they got bounced out of the playoffs in the first round. Bethany started off the season in a great spot and would go into week ten with an 8-1 record and looking to capture the district championship. They would lose to eventual state champion Clinton in week ten 49-0. Things went from bad to worse the following week when Blanchard would bounce them out of the playoffs. Blanchard is now a district foe following the redistricting shuffle so you know the Bronchos will have that in mind late in the season. And Bethany is reloading for another run in Class 4A. They bring back seven starters on the offensive side of the ball and another seven starters on the defensive side of the ball. They have to replace some talented players to graduation but the players they bring back should be able to keep Bethany in contention. The district will be one of the biggest hurdles for them to overcome as it features three other teams ranked in the preseason top ten. And the non-district slate should get them ready for the district schedule. Bethany is hoping to make another run in the Class 4A playoffs in November. <hr /> 2021 Results (8-3 Record - Lost In Class 4A 1st Round) Aug. 27 - Beat Jones 27-14 Sept. 3 - Beat John Marshall 30-22 Sept. 10 - Lost To Woodward 17-12 Sept. 24 - Beat Cache 35-28 Oct. 1 - Beat Elk City 27-6 Oct. 8 - Beat Elgin 45-7 Oct. 15 - Beat Newcastle 28-20 Oct. 22 - Beat Chickasha 38-20 Oct. 29 - Beat Weatherford 42-20 Nov. 5 - Lost To Clinton 49-0 1st Round - Lost To Blanchard 24-21 <hr /> Key Losses To Graduation Dax Jaggers - Kicker/Punter Jackson Clark - Wide Receiver/Defensive Back Jocelyn Malaska - Wide Receiver/Defensive Back <hr /> Players To Watch [player_tooltip player_id="383472" first="Jack" last="Gilliland"] - 2023 Linebacker The first of two Gilliland prospects returning for Bethany is 2023 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="383472" first="Jack" last="Gilliland"]. The senior linebacker was Bethany’s leading tackler last season and is looking to lead a defensive unit that brings back almost everyone from last season. Last year was a breakout year for Gilliland after the first two years of his high school career being split between running back and linebacker. The senior focused on being a linebacker last year and it paid off with nearly 100 tackles on the season. He would still get in the game as a running back but he was much more valuable on the defensive side of the ball and that’ll be the case again this fall. [player_tooltip player_id="383471" first="Jaden" last="Gilliland"] - 2023 Running Back The second Gilliland is the offensive weapon and he brings a ton of experience into his senior season. Gilliland has run for more than 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns in his career. That includes a 1,100 yard and 11 touchdown season as a sophomore. Gilliland was limited in what he could do last season and [player_tooltip player_id="157521" first="Taylor" last="Heim"] ended up leading Bethany in rushing. Coming into this season, the Bronchos expect Gilliland to be more like he was as a sophomore in terms of his production. One thing is certain and the Bronchos are going to have some options on the offensive side of the ball. They bring back a wealth of experience there. [player_tooltip player_id="157521" first="Taylor" last="Heim"] - 2023 Athlete One of the more underrated athletes in Oklahoma is Bethany’s 2023 standout [player_tooltip player_id="157521" first="Taylor" last="Heim"]. He played quarterback for Bethany last season and was one of the team’s best athletes and it showed in the numbers he put up. He threw for nearly 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns but also added over 800 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground. And as if that wasn’t enough, Heim also played defensive back on defense and finished with with several interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. Bethany took full advantage of getting the most out of Heim’s athleticism and there’s no reason to think that they won’t do the same this fall. More Names To Know Cale Wetwiska - 2023 Quarterback/Defensive Back Christian Sigler - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id="307901" first="Jordan" last="Strotter"] - 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back Will Strawn - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman Woods Harrell - 2023 Wide Receiver/Linebacker <hr /> 2022 Schedule/Games To Circle Aug. 26 - Jones Sept. 2 - AT John Marshall Sept. 9 - AT Woodward Sept. 23 - Tuttle - A rematch of 2018’s state championship game might end up deciding the district championship this season. Bethany will open up their district campaign at home against Tuttle in a top ten clash in Class 4A. Bethany will look to set the tone against a Tuttle team that comes in at #4 in our Class 4A preseason rankings. While Tuttle comes into the season as the favorite within this district, it’s still going to be very competitive and the Bronchos feel like they definitely belong in that conversation. The winner here will definitely be one step closer to the district championship but with it being week four, there’s a lot of football after this. Sept. 30 - AT Bridge Creek Oct. 7 - Classen SAS Oct. 13 - Tecumseh Oct. 21 - AT Harrah Oct. 28 - Blanchard - One of the other top ten teams within this district is Blanchard and Bethany will square off with them in week nine. Not only will this be a very important district clash, Bethany will be looking for a little revenge as they go into this game. Blanchard eliminated the Bronchos from the playoffs a year ago in the first round and obviously Bethany hasn’t forgotten. Both teams will be scratching and clawing for playoff positioning by week nine and the winner will be in a great position while the loser is going to need a ton of help. Bethany’s experience will also help them as they return the majority of their starters going into this season. Nov. 4 - AT Newcastle <hr /> Notable This is going to be a main theme within the previews for teams in this district. The district is one of the tougher ones in the state. Four of the top ten teams are all within the same district. You have Tuttle at #4 and then #7 Bethany, #8 Blanchard and #9 Newcastle all following the Tigers. Bethany is no stranger to a tough district. The district they were in last season was also tough and had a tough outlook before the season began. The battle for the four playoff spots and ultimately the district championship will definitely be something to watch this fall. Bethany will be right in the middle of that battle and should contend for the district title. <hr /> Championship History 1 State Championship 2003 – Beat Davis 40-6