Lawton MacArthur Highlanders 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 Lawton MacArthur Highlanders.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Lawton MacArthur Highlanders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #9</strong><br><strong>Preseason Coaches Ranking: UR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lawton MacArthur Highlanders are one of the teams that we think might be flying under the radar in Class 5A that could make plenty of noise when November and the playoffs roll around. At this time last year, the Highlanders were coming off a trip to the 5A semifinals but had to replace a lot of talent from last year's team. It didn't seem like the Highlanders were taking a step back as they would begin the season with a 5-1 record, the only loss coming to rival Lawton in week two. But the Highlanders would lose three straight games from week seven to nine as they would lose to Midwest City, El Reno and Elgin in consecutive weeks. And that dropped them to 5-4 and more importantly, they fell to fourth place in the district. They won a memorable week ten game against Noble to solidify their playoff position. It was win and you're in and the Highlanders would beat the Bears 59-54 in a shootout. The season came to an end the following week when they ran into Carl Albert again in the playoffs and were bounced out as the Titans would go on to win another state championship. But that was last season and the Highlanders look like a team that could go from fourth place in the district to potentially winning the district crown in 2023.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We got a chance to see quite a few teams during the spring at various team camps across the state. And Lawton MacArthur was one of the more impressive 5A teams that we got to see. They have a legitimate star in the making at the running back position and a defense that is absolutely stout. They were in a team camp setting with mostly 6A-1 programs and they were holding their own against teams that will contend for the 6A-1 and 6A-2 state championships this fall. Now, that was a team camp and they don't award district or state titles in May and June. The Highlanders will have to go out and prove it on the field this season. But we like what they have returning on the defensive side of the ball as that unit looks very talented. And the running back will carry the offense while they work in a new quarterback and some of the offensive linemen get replaced from last year's team. The district is going to be challenging again and that three week stretch against Midwest City, El Reno and Elgin is going to be the biggest key to the season for the Highlanders. If they can make it through that gauntlet with no trip ups, they should be considered the favorite in that district. And if they win the district crown, who knows what can happen when the playoffs roll around. But we don't think enough people are talking about the Highlanders as a dark horse in Class 5A. They'll get to prove what they can do this fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 RESULTS (6-5 Record - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 26 - Beat John Marshall 43-18<br>Sept. 2 - Beat Lawton Eisenhower 42-23<br>Sept. 9 - Lost To Lawton 51-26<br>Sept. 23 - Beat Duncan 49-29<br>Sept. 30 - Beat Altus 54-0<br>Oct. 7 - Beat Ardmore 28-20<br>Oct. 13 - Lost To Midwest City 37-14<br>Oct. 21 - Lost To El Reno 32-29<br>Oct. 27 - Lost To Elgin 20-13<br>Nov. 3 - Beat Noble 59-54<br>1st Round - Lost To Carl Albert 45-7</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>Alex Brice - Linebacker<br>Caden Tahbonemah - Offensive Lineman<br>Gage Graham - Quarterback</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":["336358"],"_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":"One of the biggest question marks coming into the 2022 season centered around the running back position and how the Highlanders would replace the production lost from Isaiah Gray. That was answered with 2024 standout [player_tooltip player_id='336358' first='Jeremy' last='Hutcheson'] enjoying a breakout season. Class 5A was absolutely loaded with talent at the running back position last season and Hutcheson's breakout season added him to that group. Last year, the Lawton Mac standout would run for more than 1,600 yards and became the latest Highlander standout at the running back position. Now as we look ahead to the 2023 season, the question shifts to different positions. The Highlanders lose their top offensive lineman and quarterback, Hutcheson will look to carry more of the load this fall.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["332239"],"_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":"We really like the talent and overall star power that the Highlanders bring back on the defensive side of the ball and as we mentioned earlier, that is completely evident when you look at the secondary. Leading that secondary is 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='332239' first='Xzavier' last='Booth'] at the cornerback position and after watching the Highlanders earlier this spring, we think that Booth is primed for a big season of locking down opposing wide receivers. Booth is a player that we're going to be keeping an eye on because he has experience and talent on his side. He's going into his third year as a starter and has just continued to improve every time he steps on the field. This defense can be lights out if they play to their potential and that would put Booth in the conversation as one of the better 5A corners.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64c33608ee089"} /--> <!-- 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='403509' first='Adam' last='Auston'] - 2026 Defensive Back<br>Aiden Vaughn - 2025 Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1294586' first='Boux' last='DeLong'] - 2025 Wide Receiver<br>Braden Brown - 2024 Linebacker<br>[player_tooltip player_id='595658' first='Dominic' last='Collins'] - 2024 Defensive Back</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. 24 - John Marshall<br>Sept. 1 - AT Lawton Eisenhower<br>Sept. 8 - Lawton<br>Sept. 22 - Duncan<br>Sept. 29 - AT Altus<br>Oct. 6 - Ardmore<br><strong>Oct. 13 - AT Midwest City</strong><br>- Every district game is important but this week seven road game against Midwest City kicks off a three-week stretch against the three district foes that beat the Highlanders last season. Lawton Mac looks like a team that can contend for the district championship this season. If that's the case, getting a road win over the Bombers, who won the district last year will put them on the fast track to do just that. Midwest City got the best of the Highlanders last season and it wasn't particularly close. The Bombers are reloading but they are still one of the teams to beat in district play. <br>Oct. 19 - El Reno<br><strong>Oct. 27 - AT Elgin</strong><br>- There is no doubt that the top match-up on the schedule heading into this season is the week nine road game against Elgin. The Midwest City match-up kicks off the three-week stretch that could make or break Lawton Mac's season, but this game puts the Highlanders head to head with the team that appears to be the favorite in the district race right now. The Owls bring back nearly all 22 starters from last year's team and they got the best of the Highlanders last season. If Lawton Mac is a true state title contender, getting a road win in week nine will show us just that. <br>Nov. 3 - Noble</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It seems like every single season, Lawton MacArthur has a running back that becomes one of the best in Class 5A. Last season, as mentioned earlier, they had a breakout star with [player_tooltip player_id='336358' first='Jeremy' last='Hutcheson'] at the running back position. Hutcheson replaced Isaiah Gray, who helped lead the Highlanders to the semifinals in 2021 and was the latest example of a Lawton Mac standout at the running back position. Now, that throne has been passed on to Hutcheson and while he ran for over 1,600 yards last season, he's going to be hungry for more this fall. If the Highlanders are able to make it back to the playoffs and make a deep run, it's not out of the question for Hutcheson to eclipse the 2,000 yard mark on the season. There's no doubt that Hutcheson has the talent and combine that with the Highlanders working in a new quarterback, we think Hutcheson will be one of the better backs in Class 5A, which is a class where the position is incredibly deep.&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>1 State Championship</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2014 - Beat Skiatook 39-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->