Marlow 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 reigning 2A champion Marlow. The Outlaws won’t be defending their title as they’ve moved up to Class 3A. Marlow Outlaws (3A Preseason Ranking: Unranked Last season was a year to remember for Marlow as they dominated from the start of the season to when they were lifting the gold ball in Edmond. The Outlaws would finish the season unbeaten and capture their first state championship in over 50 years. The Outlaws had one of the best overall players in the state in Iowa State signee Jace Gilbert. The Iowa State commit led the Outlaws on offense as their quarterback and was also the best kicking prospect in the state. In the playoffs, he also added defense to his duties. Replacing Gilbert will be one of the toughest replacements in Oklahoma this season when you consider his complete impact on the game. As for this season, the Outlaws are going to look a little different all around. In addition to the move back up to Class 3A, the Outlaws only have two starters returning on both sides of the ball. Marlow absolutely dominated their way thru Class 2A over the last few seasons but the schedule is definitely going to be tougher moving forward. One thing that certainly stands out as we take a look at the Outlaws this fall is the schedule. The toughest two games are in the final week of the regular season. That will allow the Outlaws to work in their new starters, go thru the growing pains and be ready by the time late October rolls around. Despite moving up to Class 3A, the goal remains the same and that’s contending for a state championship. Another thing to look out for is Marlow’s streak. They’ve won 24 consecutive regular season games dating back to the 2019 season. <hr /> 2021 Results (15-0 Record - Class 2A State Champions) Sept. 3 - Beat Chickasha 40-14 Sept. 10 - Beat Anadarko 58-6 Sept. 17 - Beat Atoka 42-10 Sept. 24 - Beat Comanche 36-0 Oct. 1 - Beat Lindsay 45-6 Oct. 8 - Beat Coalgate 42-7 Oct. 14 - Beat Davis 35-6 Oct. 22 - Beat Marietta 58-19 Oct. 29 - Beat Frederick 48-7 Nov. 5 - Beat Tishomingo 57-18 1st Round - Beat Purcell 63-20 2nd Round - Beat Chandler 38-7 Quarterfinal - Beat Cascia Hall 38-7 Semifinal - Beat Eufaula 28-16 Championship - Beat Washington 17-13 <hr /> Key Losses To Graduation Jace Gilbert - Quarterback/Kicker Josiah Johnson - Tight End Julian Marroquin - Running Back Kyle Wilson - Linebacker Will Bergner - Wide Receiver <hr /> Player To Watch [player_tooltip player_id="287382" first="Avrey" last="Payne"] - 2023 Wide Receiver While Marlow will have plenty of new starters on both sides of the ball, one key piece they return from last year’s state championship team is 2023 wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="287382" first="Avrey" last="Payne"]. The Marlow starter made several key plays in their championship victory over Washington and will be one of the rare veterans from that title team on this year’s squad. Payne is a big wide receiver that has the size to cause mismatches with whoever he lines up against. We like his potential at the position but he’s also a solid basketball prospect as well. It appears that basketball might be his future at the next level but we still consider him a football prospect as well. The Outlaws are hoping that Payne can help carry them while they bring the new starters along early in the season. <hr /> 2022 Schedule/Games To Circle Sept. 2 - AT Chickasha Sept. 9 - AT Comanche Sept. 16 - Perkins-Tryon Sept. 23 - AT Pauls Valley Sept. 30 - Lone Grove Oct. 7 - AT Dickson Oct. 13 - Douglass Oct. 21 - Sulphur Oct. 28 - AT Plainview - While Marlow is going thru growing pains early on in the season, the district schedule lays out nicely for the Outlaws to make a push for the district championship and one of the top seeds in the playoffs. The top two teams in the district going into the season are Plainview and Heritage Hall and the Outlaws won’t face them until the final two weeks of the regular season. By that point, those new starters will be veterans and they’ll certainly have more confidence going on the road in late October against a Plainview team that is one of the best in 3A. If they get a win here, it could set up a head to head district title clash with Heritage Hall. Nov. 4 - Heritage Hall - After facing Plainview on the road, the Outlaws will return home to face perennial powerhouse Heritage Hall. Even if they fall short to Plainview, they could be playing for the district title or at least a tie atop the district standings. Heritage Hall has been one of the best teams in Oklahoma over the last decade and this week ten will certainly be a tough test for the Outlaws. But if Marlow is going to make the playoffs and be a true contender in Class 3A, this is the perfect test to find out. With these last two games in the regular season, it will seem like the playoffs have come early and if the Outlaws take that approach, good things could happen. <hr /> Notable In 2020, the Outlaws benefitted from dropping down to Class 2A. Marlow made the 3A playoffs in eight consecutive seasons from 2012-2019 but they made it out of the first round only once during that stretch. In 2020, Marlow would go unbeaten in the regular season and make it all the way to the quarterfinal round. They would give eventual state champion Metro Christian all they wanted before eventually falling by four points. They would go a combined 26-1 in their two seasons in Class 2A with the gold ball last year. But it’s back to Class 3A where the Outlaws will look to continue the success they’ve had over the last two seasons. <hr /> Championship History 3 State Championships 2021 - Beat Washington 17-13 1964 - Beat Bixby 25-12 1959 - Beat Hominy 32-0