Class 2A Playoff Preview
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The 2022 regular season has come to an end and it’s time to start taking a look at the playoffs! Prep Redzone Oklahoma will be your home for the playoffs from now until the last state champion is crowned in Edmond. In this post, we’re taking a complete look at the Class 2A playoffs. From the favorite to all of the contenders and match-ups to keep an eye on, we have you completely covered. Keep it locked in for a Players To Watch feature later on today and throughout the next week for more class breakdowns!
PLAYOFF BRACKET
TEAM TO BEAT
Washington Warriors (10-0)
Washington came into this season as the preseason favorite in Class 2A and nothing has changed since this summer. The Warriors have stayed in the top spot in Class 2A all season and come into the playoffs with a perfect 10-0 record. After back to back trips to the state championship game and returning seven starters on offense and another eight starters on defense, the Warriors appeared destined for a return trip to Edmond. So far this season, they’ve looked like that top team in Class 2A. They started out the season with one of the tougher non-district schedules and won week after week. Then when they got into district play, the Warriors kicked it into an extra gear. The closest game they had in the last two months was a pair of 33-point wins. Their defense hasn’t given up more than a touchdown since non-district play. The defense has been playing lights out and the offense has gotten the job done. After losing in the state title game to Marlow a year ago, Washington came into this season determined to not have their 2022 season end with the same sour taste in their mouth. We have some good teams in Class 2A this year but Washington has been at the top from the start.
TOP CONTENDERS
Eufaula Ironheads (9-1)
After coming up short in the Class 2A semifinals a year ago, the Eufaula Ironheads are determined to make another run this year and potentially make it all the way to Edmond. Eufaula comes into the playoffs at 9-1 with their only blemish coming back in the season opener against fellow 2A contender Vian. Eufaula has been perfect ever since and that includes their week ten clash with Idabel for the district championship. The playoffs came early for the Ironheads as they would face off with Idabel in the final game of the regular season with the district title on the line. Eufaula would escape with a three-point win and that definitely helped the Ironheads in their playoff journey as they avoided the side of the bracket with four of the top six teams in the class. After making that trip to the semifinals a year ago, we weren’t sure where Eufaula would be this season after losing superstar Khelil Deere to graduation. But the offense has maintained their dominance behind their senior quarterback and the Ironheads expect to keep playing for a few more weeks.
Millwood Falcons (9-1)
Last season, the Millwood Falcons missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Falcons ended up playing a ton of younger players, they also didn’t benefit from playing in one of the toughest districts in the class. But the growing pains they went through last year have paid off this season as they are one of the more experienced and talented teams in Class 2A this season. After bringing back nearly everyone on the offensive side of the ball and the defense returning the majority of their starters, it was apparent at the beginning of the year that the Falcons would get back to contending this season. They proved that immediately in week one when they nearly knocked off 3A powerhouse Heritage Hall in the season opener. That would be their only blemish on the schedule this season. From there, the Falcons were dominant, especially once they entered district play. The toughest competition was Oklahoma Christian School and they would go on the road and win by 27 points. The Falcons are back and are for real.
Rejoice Christian Eagles (10-0)
Other than Washington, the only other unbeaten team in Class 2A has been Rejoice Christian. The Eagles have been right there in the same conversation with Washington as the top two teams in Class 2A this season. Rejoice made a statement early on this season with marquee non-district wins over Cashion, Cascia Hall and Beggs in the first few weeks of the season. Rejoice also found themselves in one of the tougher districts in Class 2A with Claremore Sequoyah, Vinita and Pawhuska. And throughout the entire season, the Eagles have been dominant. Now, a big storyline early on in the postseason will be the health of their star quarterback Chance Wilson Chance Wilson 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Rejoice Christian | 2023 State OK as he went down with a knee injury and they played the second half of the season without him. The Eagles haven’t missed a step on offense as they have continued to light up the scoreboard. The Eagles are right there in the conversation with Washington as arguably the best team in Class 2A. Rejoice is looking to contend for a title for the first time in school history.
Vian Wolverines (8-2)
After facing arguably the toughest non-district schedule in Class 2A, Vian was 1-2 following losses to 2A’s #1 Washington and 3A’s #1 Lincoln Christian. They also beat 2A’s #5 Eufaula in the first few weeks of the season. At that point, the Wolverines were more than battle-tested and they would absolutely roll through the district schedule. Now, the Wolverines are 8-2 and they are once again in the mix in Class 2A. The Wolverines have been one of the more consistent teams in Class 2A over the last decade. They’ve won at least one playoff game every year since 2011. The biggest hurdle the Wolverines will have to overcome is their side of the bracket. They are one of the top teams in Class 2A but they are also on the same side of the bracket as the top two teams in Rejoice Christian and Washington. But the Wolverines wouldn’t run into either of them until the semifinal round. Behind a very strong running game and a dominating defense, Vian will once again be a team to watch in Class 2A over the next month.
DARK HORSE
Davis Wolves (9-1)
It seems strange to consider a program like Davis as a “dark horse” coming into the playoffs but that’s where we’re at in 2022. A decade ago, the Wolves were one of the top programs in the state and they would go into each playoff as the team to beat. But the Wolves missed the playoffs in 2018 and have only won a single playoff game ever since. However, coming into this season, the Wolves are back into the top ten and are coming into the playoffs as a district champion. The Wolves are ready to take that next step towards contending for championships and at the very least, making it to Thanksgiving week. Davis dropped a non-district game to fellow southern Oklahoma power Sulphur but have been perfect other than that. And the Wolves have had their share of close calls as well. So they’ll be ready for the competition to be ratcheted up in the playoffs. In Class 2A, the bracket is always loaded but we do like Davis’ playoff path and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make a run to the quarterfinals or semifinals.
MARQUEE MATCH-UP
Hennessey (7-3) AT Chandler (7-3)
Each year, Class 2A feels like one of the deeper classes in the state. This year is no different and because of that, we get some outstanding match-ups right out of the gate in the first round. We could have picked several but we’re going with Chandler hosting Hennessey on Friday night. This will be a clash of styles and overall outlooks as Chandler has one of the best senior running backs in the state with Casmen Hill Casmen Hill 5'11" | 175 lbs | RB Chandler | 2023 State OK . Meanwhile, Hennessey counters with freshman quarterback Titan Hix Titan Hix 6'3" | 210 lbs | QB Locust Grove | 2026 State OK . Both players have put up legitimate numbers all season and we could end up seeing a shootout breakout in this one. Don’t be surprised if the winner here ends up picking up a little momentum and makes a run further on in the playoffs. We’ve seen that happen quite a bit over the last few years and it wouldn’t be crazy if it happened again here.
CRYSTAL BALL
Rejoice Christian Over Millwood
A lot of this prediction does indeed depend on the health and status of Rejoice Christian and their star quarterback. We do believe that Rejoice and Washington are the top two teams in Class 2A and they are destined for a quarterfinal showdown. The winner of that one is our pick to make it all the way to Edmond. If Wilson is back in the lineup and looking like the player we saw in the first month of the season, we’re giving the slight edge to the Eagles to get a little revenge after last year’s quarterfinal loss. If he’s not 100 percent, the Warriors probably have the edge. Either way, the winner here is not only our pick to make it to Edmond, they are our pick to raise the gold ball. On the other side of the bracket, it’s a little more wide open but we’re going with Millwood to find their way to Edmond. The Falcons have been lights out this season and are on a roll as they head into the playoffs.
Keep it locked in for a Players To Watch feature later on today and throughout the next week for more class breakdowns!