Booker T Washington Hornets OK 2023 Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July and into August, we are publishing well over 100 in-depth team previews to get you completely ready for the 2023 football season. This is something that began in 2021 and has continued to get bigger every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state. From defending champions, to top contenders and plenty of dark horses, we'll have complete coverage every single day with new teams from Class 6A, all the way down to the addition of 8-man coverage this year with Class B and C. In this post, we take a look at the Booker T Washington Hornets.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Booker T Washington Hornets </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #7<br>Preseason Coaches Ranking: #5</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Booker T Washington will once again be one of the teams that we talk about as a contender in Class 6A-2. Last season, they came into the year as the #2 ranked team in our preseason rankings. They had a tough early schedule that resulted in an 0-2 start. But they would go 6-2 the rest of the way to finish third in the district with the only losses coming to Muskogee and Stillwater. After a first round win over Putnam City North, the season came to an end in the quarterfinals in a blowout loss to Deer Creek. As we look ahead to the 2023 football season, the Hornets are determined to join district favorites Muskogee and Stillwater in contention for not only the district, but the state championship. But there's no doubt that the Hornets are in one of the tougher districts in the state. This was a brutal district last season and it appears to be that way once again. Booker T Washington will have plenty of new names to watch this season because they are a program that routinely puts out big time talent.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hornets will be boosted on the offensive side of the ball with five starters back on that side. But there's no doubt that the strength of this team is going to come on the offensive line. The majority of their returning starters are offensive linemen and after watching them earlier this spring, we think that the Hornets might have one of the better offensive line units in Class 6A-2 this fall. They'll set the tone for some of the new names along the offensive side of the ball. And the team as a whole will have to grow up pretty quickly as they bring back just one starter on the defensive side and a ton of talent from their front seven was lost to graduation. But as we mentioned, the Hornets are a program that routinely puts out top talent in the Tulsa area and they already have identified some new names that are ready for big seasons this fall. Besides having to replace the majority of their starters, the biggest hurdle that the Hornets are going to have to overcome this fall is a tough schedule. Arguably their four toughest games of the year are all going to be on the road. Whether it's an early non-district game against a top five team in Class 5A or the three toughest district opponents, all of them will come away from Tulsa.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 RESULTS (7-5 Record - Lost In Class 6A-2 Quarterfinals)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 26 - Lost To Bentonville West, AR. 28-7<br>Sept. 2 - Lost To Del City 27-6<br>Sept. 10 - Beat McLain 53-8<br>Sept. 23 - Beat Bartlesville 41-7<br>Sept. 30 - Lost To Stillwater 38-6<br>Oct. 7 - Beat Tahlequah 47-0<br>Oct. 14 - Beat US Grant 80-0<br>Oct. 21 - Lost To Muskogee 30-6<br>Oct. 28 - Beat Sand Springs 41-14<br>Nov. 3 - Beat Putnam City West 40-6<br>1st Round - Beat Putnam City North 47-7<br>Quarterfinals - Lost To Deer Creek 45-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Key Losses To Graduation</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aiden Walker - Linebacker<br>Amondre Tiger - Defensive Lineman<br>Elias Sherman - Defensive Lineman<br>Lathan Boone - Quarterback<br>Micah Tease - Wide Receiver/Defensive Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["901774"],"_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":"As we mentioned earlier, Booker T Washington is going to have quite a few new faces on the defensive side of the ball. But 2025 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='901774' first='Anthony' last='Harris'] is the lone returning starter and he had an outstanding sophomore season. Behind a very strong defensive line, Harris would rack up nearly 50 tackles and played alongside some very talented players within the front seven. Last fall, Booker T Washington's front seven unit was up there in terms of the best in the state. Harris definitely picked up a thing or two and while last year he might have been a new name, now he's going to be a leader for some of the new guys around him. And after watching the Hornets back in the spring, Harris isn't going to be a man on an island by himself. He's going to have some help around him.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["289517"],"_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":"And speaking of the spring, when we watched the Hornets and specifically the offensive line, we were very impressed and think that the Hornets are going to go into this season with one of the best offensive lines in Class 6A-2. Anchoring that offensive line is going to be 2024 offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='289517' first='Darian' last='Melendez'] at the left tackle position. Melendez has shown steady improvement over the last two years and he has definitely put himself in a position to be considered one of the top offensive linemen in the state's 2024 class. His recruitment has picked up because of that improvement and as the Hornets go from primarily a passing offense to a run-first approach, Melendez and the rest of this Hornet offensive line are ready to pave the way for their speedsters to get into space.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["901773"],"_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":"That offensive line is going to benefit the Booker T Washington running game and 2024 running back [player_tooltip player_id='901773' first='Kuhron' last='Ross'] is definitely a name that's going to take advantage of the running lanes. We were able to catch the Hornets in action earlier this spring at a team camp and we came away very impressed with Ross and his ability to find the running lane and explode through it. One thing that we'll be interested to see is how many times Ross simply takes a direct snap. The Hornets have more than one running back that can change the game in an instant and when they put them both in the backfield at the same time, that's going to be bad news for opponents this fall. Last season, Ross finished with over 500 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. We anticipate that production will explode this fall.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["858873"],"_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 Hornets have a few prospects in the 2026 class that emerged last fall as freshmen that should be among the best at their position in the ‘26 class. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='858873' first='Mykah' last='Washington'] got on the field last fall and would end up having a major impact. He ran for over 400 yards and five touchdowns last season. And as the Hornets figure out some of the other skill positions, Washington is going to provide the Hornets with an electric player on that side of the ball. Washington, along with Ross is going to be a very fun tandem to watch in the Booker T Washington backfield. We watched the 2026 Hornet standout up close at our 7v7 tournament back in February and he was one of the top performers in his division, making play after play throughout the weekend.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ad9c5be679a"} /--> <!-- 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='587268' first='Brooks' last='Barron'] - 2026 Offensive Lineman<br>Daylinn Overstreet - 2025 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Dejuan Craven - 2024 Defensive Lineman<br>Derek Chambers - 2025 Offensive Lineman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='947068' first='Jordan' last='Sells'] - 2024 Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='284116' first='Kenyan' last='Farley'] - 2026 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Korean Williams - 2024 Offensive Lineman<br>Yiramiyah Parry - 2026 Tight End/Linebacker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2023 Schedule/Games To Circle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 25 - Bentonville West, AR.<br><strong>Sept. 1 - AT Del City</strong><br>- These two programs have developed a nice East/West rivalry and the next chapter will be written as the Hornets welcome in Del City in week one. The Eagles are no longer a threat in 6A-2 as they moved down to Class 5A last fall. But just like the last several years when these two take the field, this will be a game that features several players on both sides of the ball that will end up playing D1 football and several other levels of college ball overall. And the Eagles are going to provide this young Booker T Washington defense with a big challenge as they have one of the more talented offenses in the state. <br>Sept. 8 - McLain <br>Sept. 22 - Bartlesville<br><strong>Sept. 29 - AT Stillwater</strong><br>- The Hornets will continue their road gauntlet against the toughest teams on their schedule in week five when they travel to Stillwater. They'll square off with the defending state champion Pioneers in a match-up that is going to absolutely have playoff implications. Both teams areconsidered top contenders in the class as they've both reloaded for another run this fall. After the Hornets fell to the Pioneers last fall, they'll be determined to get a win and take plenty of momentum into the second half of the regular season. And a win here will allow the Hornets to control their own destiny within the district championship race. <br>Oct. 6 - AT Tahlequah<br>Oct. 12 - US Grant<br><strong>Oct. 20 - AT Muskogee<br></strong>- In week eight, the Hornets will hit the road once again to face off with Muskogee. The Roughers are coming into this season as the preseason number one team in Class 6A-2. So when it comes to the district race, the Roughers are also considered the favorites within the district. Needless to say, this is a massive game for the visiting Hornets. If Booker T Washington finds themselves in a position where they are unbeaten in district play, a win here will put them another step closer to the district crown. This match-up features arguably the two best offensive line units in Class 6A-2 this season and should make for an interesting match-up. <br>Oct. 27 - AT Sand Springs<br>Nov. 3 - Putnam City West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hornets have made 13 consecutive trips to the playoffs and that's a streak that shouldn't end this year. Booker T Washington should be able to make it 14 playoff appearances in a row this fall but the Hornets aren't going to feel satisfied with just making it to the playoffs. They are one of the state's premier football programs in the state with nine state championships in school history and are hungry to get back into contention within Class 6A-2. When the split in Class 6A began in 2014, the Hornets were one of the programs that were going to benefit immediately and it played out that way. In the first five seasons of 6A-2 (2014-2018) the Hornets made four trips to the semifinals with one state championship victory in 2017. But in the last four seasons, the Hornets have been bounced out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals each year. This fall, despite a roster full of new names, Booker T Washington is determined to end that streak.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>9 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2017 - Beat Bixby 28-21<br>2010 - Beat East Central 32-3<br>2008 - Beat Carl Albert 28-17<br>1984 - Beat Moore 14-10<br>1973 - Beat Nathan Hale 39-7<br>1971 - Beat Midwest City 36-22<br>1969 - Beat Midwest City 13-8<br>1968 - Beat Northwest 33-12<br>1967 - Beat Midwest City 30-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->