Southeast Team Preview
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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 Southeast Spartans. They’re in a tough district but we expect the Spartans to be a tough team week in and week out.
Southeast Spartans
It’s been over a decade since the Southeast Spartans have had a winning season but despite that, they have plenty to be optimistic about as they head into the 2022 season. They’re coming off a year in which they went 4-6 and missed out on the playoffs yet again. However, when you look at the roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball at some of the players who can have an impact, there are several playmakers that have a chance to do some special things in 2022 and the 2021 season was just the beginning. The Spartans are going to have a long road to take in order to be a playoff contender as they are in arguably the hardest district in the state. It features #1 Carl Albert, #2 Bishop McGuinness and #4 Guthrie. Three of the top four teams in our 5A preseason rankings all in the same district. It’s going to be a gauntlet run to the playoffs.
The Spartans do benefit from having the majority of their starters returning on both sides of the ball. On offense, they return seven starters, including some of their best skill position players. If they can come together and get the offensive line going, this offense has a chance to be pretty explosive. On defense, they have eight starters returning. The Spartans gave up a lot of points last season and they look to be improved on that side of the ball. However, with the offense they have returning, if they get into a shootout, they have the players to keep up. The ultimate goal is to be a playoff team and the Spartans are in an absolutely brutal district to get that done. It might surprise a lot of people if the Spartans make the playoffs this year. We won’t be one of them, but they have absolutely no room for error in district play.
2021 Results (4-6 Record – Missed Playoffs)
Sept. 2 – Lost To Elk City 52-21
Sept. 10 – Beat Claseen SAS 39-34
Sept. 17 – Beat US Grant 68-0
Sept. 24 – Lost To Ardmore 56-26
Oct. 1 – Beat Capitol Hill 82-0
Oct. 7 – Lost To Lawton MacArthur 61-13
Oct. 14 – Beat Altus 34-30
Oct. 21 – Lost To Noble 48-28
Oct. 29 – Lost To El Reno 41-8
Nov. 5 – Lost To Duncan 58-14
Key Losses To Graduation
Austin Jackson – Wide Receiver
David Rowaiye – Defensive Lineman
Players To Watch
Ladainian Fields
Ladainian
Fields
6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH
Del City | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Wide Receiver
When we first watched Southeast 2024 wide receiver
Ladainian Fields
Ladainian
Fields
6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH
Del City | 2024
State
OK
on film, we were all in on the Southeast prospect. Despite his team struggling in the win-loss column, Fields was a bright spot throughout the year with big time plays and production in the receiving game. Fields finished the year with 800 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was a big play waiting to happen and he’s become one of the top wide receiver prospects in the state’s 2024 class. Coming into this season, he has to be considered one of the top wide receivers in Class 5A and with a big season, he could see his recruitment on the football field absolutely explode.
Micheal Graham
Micheal
Graham
6'0" | ATH
Del City | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Quarterback
You look at some of the numbers that Southeast 2024 quarterback
Micheal Graham
Micheal
Graham
6'0" | ATH
Del City | 2024
State
OK
had last season and it makes sense that he has weapons like Fields around him. 15 of Graham’s 21 passing touchdowns went to Fields. Graham is a dynamic athlete playing quarterback for the Spartans. He finished with nearly 2,000 yards passing and 21 touchdowns. He also had nearly 400 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Graham is another basketball standout for the Spartans but he’s looking to lead a very explosive Southeast offense. We mentioned how electric this Spartan offense could be and Graham will be leading it throughout the year.
Rodney Fields
Rodney
Fields
6'0" | RB
Del City | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Running Back
Coming into this spring and summer, we knew about the first two players that were returning for Southeast but there’s another explosive playmaker coming back and that’s 2024 running back
Rodney Fields
Rodney
Fields
6'0" | RB
Del City | 2024
State
OK
. Joining Graham in the backfield is Fields and after looking at some of his production from last season, he adds another element to this Southeast offense. On the ground, he finished with over 750 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also a threat to catch it out of the backfield with 450 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Fields is going to be yet another dynamic weapon for the Spartans to use throughout the season in 2022.
More Names To Know
Cortney Freeman – 2023 Defensive Lineman
Joseph Nguyen – 2023 Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Mi’Shaun Graham – 2025 Athlete
Noel Gutierrez – 2023 Defensive Back
2022 Schedule/Games To Circle
Sept. 2 – Capitol Hill
Sept. 9 – AT Classen SAS
Sept. 16 – AT US Grant
Sept. 23 – AT Piedmont
– It’s only week four and it’s the very first district game of the year but this is as close to a “must win” game for Southeast as you’ll find. Because this district is very top-heavy, the battle for that last playoff spot is going to be incredibly competitive. If the Spartans lose to Piedmont on the road in week four, they’re going to have to scratch and claw and also get some help in order to make the playoffs. If they can go on the road and steal a win against the option-running Wildcats, they’re going to be in a great position moving forward. We mentioned earlier that Southeast has no room for error in district play and this is what we mean.
Sept. 29 – Cache
Oct. 6 – Carl Albert
– This begins one of the toughest three-week stretches for any team, with the exception of other teams in this district. Southeast will host perennial powerhouse Carl Albert in week six and they’ll face the Titans, Bishop McGuinness and Guthrie in three consecutive weeks. The Spartans will be underdogs in all three games as these are three of the best teams in Class 5A coming into the season. However, if the Spartans can steal a win in one of these games, it doesn’t matter which one, they will move one step closer to a playoff spot. It’s unlikely to happen but we’ve seen plenty of upsets happen in the past.
Oct. 13 – AT Guthrie
Oct. 21 – Bishop McGuinness
Oct. 27 – Shawnee
Nov. 4 – AT Lawton Eisenhower
Notable
It’s been a very long time since the Spartans made it to the playoffs and even longer since they won a playoff game. You have to go all the way back to 2003 to see the last time they made the playoffs. And the last time they won a playoff game was 45 years ago. So like we mentioned earlier, the Spartans lack playoff experience but just on the gridiron. A lot of the players on this football team are also members of the basketball team. And that includes some of the best players that you’ll see on this team this fall. And they led the Spartan basketball team to the state tournament and one game shy of the state championship game. These kids know how to win games on the biggest stage. They’ll attempt to do it on the gridiron to go along with what they’ve accomplished on the hardwood.
Championship History
1 State Championship
1972 – Beat Okmulgee 14-7