6A-2 State Top Performers

<!-- 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>#1 Stillwater completed a perfect 13-0 season with a 26-21 victory over #2 Choctaw in the 6A-2 state championship on Friday afternoon. And they did it behind a defense that has dominated all season. Coming into Friday's game, The Stillwater defense forced 39 turnovers on the season. They got three more turnovers on three interceptions that held the Yellowjacket offense off the scoreboard for an extended period. For the complete game recap, <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/12/stillwater-completes-perfect-season/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://prepredzone.com/2022/12/stillwater-completes-perfect-season/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CLICK HERE</a></strong>. In this post, we're taking an in-depth look at the top performers from Friday afternoon's game from both sides.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["157517"],"_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":"Coming into this week, we wrote about Stillwater senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='157517' first='Gage' last='Gundy'] and how he didn't start dedicating himself to being a quarterback until his sophomore year. Before that, he had always been one of the better athletes on the team and played multiple positions. On Friday, he went back to his roots to help lead his team to a title. Gundy was only 3-12 for 14 yards and a 10-yard touchdown to [player_tooltip player_id='215206' first='Heston' last='Thompson'] on Friday. On the ground however, Gundy went for 102 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 54-yard touchdown run right up the middle of the Choctaw defense. Gundy reminded the state that not only has he improved as a passer and an overall quarterback, he is still that outstanding athlete that can make things happen with his legs when he needs to.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["50786"],"_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":"Gundy's 54-yard touchdown run up the middle was a symbol of the Pioneers and their determination to run the ball right up the middle, instead of bouncing things to the outside, where Choctaw had good defenders ready for them. Paving the way for that power run game was center and Oklahoma State commit [player_tooltip player_id='50786' first='JaKobe' last='Sanders']. It's no secret that we've been very high on Sanders as an overall prospect for years now. Ever since he finished up his freshman season. And in the biggest game of his career, Sanders showed why he's earned that praise all this time with a dominating performance up front. The Pioneers ran the ball 43 times for 319 yards and only threw it 13 times on the afternoon. They wanted Sanders to lead the way to a title and he did just that, responding to every challenge on Friday.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["211559"],"_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 electric players in 6A-2 this season that not many people have heard of is Choctaw sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='211559' first='JuJu' last='Smith']. This kid is an absolute playmaker and he put his full skillset on display on Friday. Smith was Choctaw's leading receiver with eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. He also had a few touches in the run game. Choctaw used Smith in such a dynamic way in the pass game where they would get the ball out to Smith, with other receivers turning into blockers and he would make things happen. We don't have his official yards after catch on the afternoon but we would assume that the majority of his 95 yards on the day are after the catch. And on the season, we think that the majority of his receiving yards this year were after the catch as well. This was just the beginning for Smith.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["534546"],"_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":"The Stillwater defense has been lights out all season for the Pioneers, forcing turnover after turnover and they were at it again on Friday afternoon. They would force three turnovers on the day, bringing their season total to 42 on the year. One of those turnovers was a [player_tooltip player_id='534546' first='Julius' last='Talley'] interception. Choctaw's QB had thrown four interceptions this season and the Stillwater defense came away with three on the day. Talley would also come up big on the offensive side of the ball. On a trick play before halftime, Talley would catch a 35-yard touchdown on a pass from backup quarterback Talon Kendrick, who was in the game as a wide receiver. Now, full disclosure, it appeared that the ball came out before he got into the end zone. But the call on the field was a touchdown and that's the result we're going with.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["98176"],"_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":"If we had to put a spotlight on the best overall performance from Choctaw on Friday, it would be hard not to pick senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='98176' first='La'Trell' last='Ray']. He was outstanding all afternoon on the offensive side of the ball. He finished with 117 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries throughout the afternoon. He would also combine with [player_tooltip player_id='211559' first='JuJu' last='Smith'] to be dominant in the pass game. He added 98 yards on seven catches. Ray has always been a running back who was just as dangerous carrying the ball as he is taking a handoff and running with it. Ray is a very underrated running back prospect when it comes to the 2023 class. He's not the biggest running back and that's what might be limiting what he can do in terms of his recruitment but look at the production in their biggest games this year and you'll see a baller.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["199948"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"The main part of the dominating run game for Stillwater this season but on Friday specifically has been senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='199948' first='Noah' last='Roberts']. The dynamic running back would finish with just under 200 yards on the ground on 23 carries. Roberts had a 48-yard run late in the game that would all but clinch the state championship victory for the Pioneers. Roberts has been Stillwater's leading rusher all season and has had an outstanding senior campaign. We've written about Roberts a few times this year and about the fact that he was thrown into a new role this season after splitting carries last year with [player_tooltip player_id='215207' first='Holden' last='Thompson']. When Thompson hurt his knee in the offseason, Roberts became the main option in the running game. He took the opportunity and absolutely ran with it this season.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["51854"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"We wrote about Choctaw senior [player_tooltip player_id='51854' first='RJ' last='Jackson'] coming into the championship game and the transition he's made from being a tight end prospect to defensive end prospect in the state's 2023 class. He was one of the leading tacklers for Choctaw on Friday afternoon with 11 tackles on the day. Jackson led the Yellowjackets this season in sacks and tackles for loss and has fully blossomed as a game-wrecker along the defensive line. We still think he could be an outstanding tight end to watch when it comes to being a prospect. But there's no doubt at this point that he's been more productive at the high school level when he plays defense and has his hand in the dirt of is coming off the edge. Jackson is definitely going to be a prospect to watch as his senior film makes the rounds in the next two months.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["38780"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"It wasn't the best game for Choctaw senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='38780' first='Steele' last='Wasel'] on Friday afternoon as he would throw three interceptions on the afternoon but he also went out swinging, showing all the different skills in his game. Wasel finished 19-33 for 281 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. And he was also Choctaw's leading rusher with 132 yards on ten carries. The combination of Wasel and Ray in the backfield was dominant against Stillwater's defense. In fact, the Choctaw offense had a lot of success, but turnovers and penalties would end up hurting them. As a team, Wasel would lead the Yellowjackets to well over 500 yards of total offense. Wasel has been one of the best quarterbacks in the state over the last few years and his overall athleticism was on display on Friday.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-638d236782bb6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->