Putnam City Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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 Putnam City Pirates. With a move down to Class 6A-2, the Pirates look to turn into a playoff contender once again. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong>Putnam City Pirates</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Putnam City Pirates are on the move again after the recent redistricting shuffle. After two seasons in Class 6A-1, they're moving back down to 6A-2 and the Pirates could immediately become playoff contenders. The Pirates are on the outside looking in on the preseason top ten rankings in the class but they could very well be in the rankings early on in the year and be one of the teams fighting for the four playoff spots. Last year, they would go 2-7 and miss out on the postseason. The Pirates had a decent start to the season but would lose their final four games and finish with the 2-7 record. The Pirates are determined to becoming a playoff team once again and for the first time since 2017 when they were in 6A-2. They made an appearance in the 2020 playoffs but every team that wanted in got in that year and they did not finish in the top four of their district. But this year, the Pirates have a good shot of making it back there with the return of half of their starters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five starters return on the offensive side of the ball and the biggest challenge on that side will be the quarterback position as they have to replace an absolute athlete and playmaker at the position. A lot of their touchdowns from a season ago could be attributed to him. We'll go further into the quarterback position and the skill players he'll have around him later on in "Players To Watch". But while the offense is coming along, the defense will be a point of strength as they return six starters on that side of the ball, including one of the top defensive linemen in the state. The Pirates also benefit from the move down to 6A-2 and the district that they're in. Of the two districts, the "west side" district is definitely an easier path to a potential playoff spot. The Pirates are hoping to return to the playoffs as they go into year three under head coach Carter Whitson. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2021 Results (2-7 Record - Missed Playoffs)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 27 - Lost To Enid 35-28<br>Sept. 10 - Beat Putnam City West 55-12<br>Sept. 24 - Lost To Edmond North 23-14<br>Oct. 1 - Lost To Union 35-7<br>Oct. 8 - Beat Southmoore 42-14<br>Oct. 14 - Lost To Norman North 23-0<br>Oct. 22 - Lost To Moore 45-21<br>Oct. 29 - Lost To Mustang 62-28<br>Nov. 5 - Lost To Owasso 56-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Key Losses To Graduation</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>D'Eric Holmes - Defensive Lineman<br>Justis Jones - Defensive Back<br>Marcellous Hawkins - Quarterback</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='392007' first='Judson' last='Keefer'] - 2024 Quarterback<br></strong>The toughest player that Putnam City looks to replace from last year's team is the quarterback Marcellous Hawkins, who was outstanding last season. They'll look to 2024 QB [player_tooltip player_id='392007' first='Judson' last='Keefer'] to step into that role this fall and for him to keep the Putnam City offense rolling. Keefer is going to be more of a prototypical quarterback as opposed to the athleticism we saw from Hawkins last season. Last year, Hawkins had nearly 20 touchdowns rushing and single digit touchdowns passing. That might be reversed this year with Keefer. The benefit that Keefer will have is the top offensive weapon from last year's skill positions will be returning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='392006' first='Shawn' last='Hill'] - 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br></strong>That top skill player is 2023 wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='392006' first='Shawn' last='Hill']. While Putnam City was definitely more of a running team last fall with Hawkins at quarterback, Hill was still the top option when they would throw the ball. He's expected to have a big senior season with Putnam City throwing the ball more this fall. He's a prototypical slot receiver that looks to burn defenses with his speed and then beating defenses after the catch. He's going to turn a short route that should be a 6-8 yard gain into a big play that could even end up being a touchdown. He's going to be racking up the YAC yards this fall and should be one of the better playmakers in 6A-2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='287377' first='Taje' last='McCoy'] - 2023 Defensive Lineman<br></strong>One of the more underrated prospects in the state's 2023 class is Putnam City's defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='287377' first='Taje' last='McCoy']. We cannot wait to see what he does during his senior year after leading the Pirate defense in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. Throughout the offseason, the more his junior film made the rounds among college coaches, the more his recruitment continued to blow up. He's turned into a very valuable prospect in the state's 2023 class and has to be considered a top five defensive lineman in the state's class. We're interested to see what he does production-wise now that more opponents are going to know all about McCoy going into the year. Can he be just as dominant?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>More Names To Know</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1078310' first='Brayden' last='Knox'] - 2025 Defensive Lineman<br>Caymen Brazille - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Dameon Hardmon - 2025 Running Back/Linebacker<br>Ethan Scott - 2024 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Mikey Exum - 2025 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Rylon Basco - 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 Schedule/Games To Circle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 26 - Bishop McGuinness<br><strong>Sept. 2 - AT Muskogee<br></strong>- The first test of Putnam City moving back down to Class 6A-2 comes in week one as they hit the road and go east to face Muskogee. The Pirates will be squaring off with a very young but talented Muskogee squad and this will tell us where the Pirates are at early on in the season. If they get a win here on the road or at the very least or competitive, we definitely need to take the Pirates seriously as they head into district play. A blowout loss won't hurt Putnam City as it has nothing to do with district standings but it will definitely hurt any kind of momentum they could be taking into the rest of the regular season. <br>Sept. 9 - Putnam City West<br><strong>Sept. 23 - AT Lawton<br></strong>- The very first district game of the year comes in week four as the Pirates go on the road to take on Lawton. The Wolverines have been a pretty consistent playoff team in 6A-2 since Class 6A split into two divisions but they're looking to make it back to the postseason this year. It's only week four and it's the very first district game of the year but if Putnam City comes up short here on the road, they'll be scratching and clawing for district positioning for the rest of the season. It's early on in the season but we've seen year after year that playoff spots were decided by head to head match-ups as early as week four. <br>Sept. 30 - AT Deer Creek<br>Oct. 6 - Capitol Hill<br><strong>Oct. 13 - Ponca City<br></strong>- On a Fall Break Thursday night, Putnam City will welcome Ponca City to town in another critical district match-up. While Choctaw and Deer Creek are the top two teams in the district heading into the season, Lawton and Ponca City follow them and then there's Putnam City. If the Pirates can go 2-0 or even 1-1 against the Wolverines and the Wildcats, they'll be in a great spot when it comes to the playoffs. Ponca City is a team on the rise in 6A-2 and they expect to be a team that is contending for one of those four playoff spots. Putnam City is in the same position and a win here will really boost their chances down the stretch.<br>Oct. 21 - AT Putnam City North<br>Oct. 28 - Choctaw<br>Nov. 4 - AT Northwest Classen</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest reason it's time to be optimistic about Putnam City football as we go into the 2022 season is the move back down to Class 6A-2. Not only are the moving down to 6A-2, but they're in the more favorable district of the two in the class. The Pirates don't have to worry about the other district where four of the top six teams are all in the same district. This "west side" district in 6A-2 is definitely going to be a little more wide open with more teams competing for the playoff spots. Since Class 6A was split into two divisions, the Pirates have spent four years in each division and they're looking to find some kind of consistency when it comes to the class that they're competing in. With the growth of communities like Bixby and Deer Creek, the Pirates should be able to stay in 6A-2 for the foreseeable future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>3 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1977 - Beat Putnam City West 21-14<br>1975 - Beat Booker T Washington 24-20<br>1974 - Beat John Marshall 21-17</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->