3A State: Metro Christian Players To Watch

<!-- 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>The Class 3A state championship game is set for Thursday night at 7PM in Edmond as #2 Metro Christian squares off with #3 Heritage Hall. It's the third consecutive year that two private schools meet each other for the 3A state championship. In this post, we're taking a look at some of the Metro Christian Patriots that you need to know about heading into Thursday evening's game. Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more 3A state championship content before, during and following the game on Thursday night!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["442209"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Metro Christian's passing game is electric and they spread the ball out to several receivers but leading the way this season has been senior [player_tooltip player_id='442209' first='Breck' last='Nauman']. He leads the team in receptions with 66, yards with almost 1,300 and touchdowns with 18. He was quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='38790' first='Kirk' last='Francis']' top target in the semifinal win over Lincoln Christian last week. And Nauman has been looking to make up for lost time. He missed almost the entire regular season last year as he was dealing with an injury. He was able to make it back in the final weeks of the regular season and then for the playoffs. This season, Nauman has been one of the top breakout stars in Class 3A. Like many receivers with a great quarterback, Nauman obviously benefits from having Francis at QB but he has gotten the job done in a big way this year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["268346"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"While Metro Christian's offense gets a lot of the headlines historically, the Patriots do play a little bit of defense as well. Leading Metro's defense is senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='268346' first='Ethan' last='Hodges']. The senior backer leads the team in tackles and has been a critical part of this defense over the last several seasons. With all of his experience and game IQ, it's almost as if Hodges is an extension of the Metro Christian coaches when he's on the field. When it comes to the game on Thursday night, the game plan is going to be simple for Heritage Hall. Run the ball and keep the Metro offense on the sideline. Hodges and the Metro Christian front seven will be the first line of defense to slow down Heritage Hall's running game and try to get them off the field by either turning them over like against Lincoln Christian or forcing them to punt.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["192621"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"One of the more important two-way players for Metro Christian this season has been junior wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='192621' first='Jaxson' last='Grimes']. On offense, Grimes has been one of the many wide receivers that has put up numbers in the pass-heavy Metro Christian offense. On defense, Grimes has also been one of Metro's best defensive backs and he's been incredibly productive on that side of the ball as well. We mentioned above with Hodges how Heritage Hall is going to look to run the ball. While that's true, they are also an offense that takes pride in being balanced. They can throw the ball and have some talented wide receivers that can make plays. When that inevitably happens and they take shots down the field, Grimes will be one of the players that need to make a play to get stops.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["38790"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"If you're a new reader to Prep Redzone Oklahoma, this is new information to you. But Metro Christian quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='38790' first='Kirk' last='Francis'] has been one of the best quarterbacks in the state since he broke out as a sophomore, leading the Patriots to a state championship in 2020. We've said things along the lines of Francis being the best passer of the football in the state. He can make every throw in the book and he makes it look easy. Francis is completing 71 percent of his passes for over 3,700 yards and 53 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions. Metro Christian has produced some really good quarterbacks over the last decade but head coach Jared McCoy believes that Francis is the best of the bunch. We agree. Francis looks to finish off an impressive career by leading Metro Christian to their third title in four years.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["38802"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"While Francis might be Metro Christian's best player, you can make the argument that fellow senior standout [player_tooltip player_id='38802' first='Tagg' last='Campbell'] can have a greater impact on the game Thursday night. Campbell is a four-year starter for Metro Christian and he has seen a lot of things during his career. On offense, he's Metro's starting running back and is just as dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield as he is in the run game. Then you turn around and look at what he's done on defense. He spent his freshman and sophomore year starting for the Patriots at cornerback. Then he was a linebacker last year before moving to safety this season. At safety, Campbell has much more freedom to roam and make plays. And he flies all over the field on that side of the ball, getting from point A to point B in the blink of an eye.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6388150e217c8"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Austen Dixon - 2025 Linebacker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='370229' first='Isaac' last='Penland'] - 2023 Wide Receiver</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mario Darrington - 2023 Wide Receiver</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->