Wynnewood Savages 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 Wynnewood Savages</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Wynnewood Savages</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #4<br>Preseason Coaches Ranking: T7</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wynnewood doesn't miss out on the playoffs very often but coming into the 2022 football season, they only had one playoff appearance in a three year span. And that came in 2020 when they were winless but everyone was allowed into the playoffs because of Covid. So needless to say, the Savages were hungry to earn their way back to the playoffs. They would have a close game with southern Oklahoma foe Davis in non-district play and that would be their only setback early on in the season. They were 6-1 going into a week eight showdown with perennial powerhouse Ringling and the district championship would end up being decided that evening. The Blue Devils would win 41-18 and Wynnewood would have to settle for the 2 seed coming out of their district but the Savages earned their way back into the postseason with an 8-2 record. The Savages would need some late game heroics in their first round game. They would get a game-winning touchdown pass with less than a minute to go to avoid an upset to Minco in the first round. They lost a shootout to Hooker in the following round but the Savages ended the season with some momentum and that appears to have carried over into 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wynnewood is once again squarely in the top ten of Class A and the Savages have to be considered one of the best teams in the class and one of the top contenders for not only their district but for the state title. Wynnewood will bring back seven starters on the offensive side of the ball and another six starters return on defense for a team that is ready to take that next step and return to contending for state championships like we've seen from this program at various times for what feels like decades. One thing we know about Class A is that a team can win a state championship if they have a superstar leading them, especially on the offensive side of the ball. And the Savages absolutely have that in a young superstar that had a monster season last year. He helped carry the Savages last fall and he's ready to do it again in 2023. And like we mentioned, we've seen that kind of thing lead to a state championship. Zaven Collins with Hominy, Wil Amos with Afton, superstars can lead their team to state championships in this class and we could see it again this fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 RESULTS (9-3 Record - Lost In Class A 2nd Round)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 2 - Beat Valliant 46-14<br>Sept. 9 - Beat Tishomingo 60-30<br>Sept. 16 - Lost To Davis 34-28<br>Sept. 23 - Beat Dibble 36-8<br>Sept. 30 - Beat Elmore City 41-0<br>Oct. 7 - Beat Stratford 23-15<br>Oct. 13 - Beat Rush Springs 44-6<br>Oct. 21 - Lost To Ringling 41-18<br>Oct. 28 - Beat Healdton 57-0<br>Nov. 4 - Beat Wayne 35-6<br>1st Round - Beat Minco 26-20<br>2nd Round - Lost To Hooker 41-32</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>Adam Fields - Wide Receiver<br>Derick Fields - Running Back<br>Ethan White - Offensive Lineman</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":["154220"],"_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":"Wynnewood standout [player_tooltip player_id='154220' first='Aaron' last='Lyle'] has been on our radar for what feels like his entire high school career. Lyle was one of the defensive back standouts at our very first prospect camp two years ago in Owasso. Ever since then, he has continued to carve out a path for himself with the Savages on both sides of the football. He had a really strong start to his varsity career early on and we're anticipating that he's going to finish strong this season. Whether it's as a playmaking wide receiver or on defense as a safety in the secondary, Lyle has the ability to be one of the better athletes on the field at any given moment. The Savages have a few of those players and that's a big reason why they're considered one of the best teams in Class A heading into this season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["353410"],"_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":"It's not up for a debate as we head into the 2023 football season. Wynnewood 2025 standout running back [player_tooltip player_id='353410' first='Caden' last='Knighten'] is one of the best football players in Oklahoma. He was the only sophomore that was a finalist for our PRZ-Oklahoma Player Of The Year award and the company he had in that group was the best of the best. Knighten torched teams all year with well over 2,200 yards and 35 touchdowns on the ground. He would also line up and play quarterback and while there was no doubt that Knighten was a running back playing QB, he did finish with over 800 yards and nine touchdowns passing. The Vanderbilt commit is going to come into this season as one of the favorites to win this year's award and we're looking forward to seeing if he can do it.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["896363"],"_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":"While Knighten is a very special athlete and one of the best football players in the state, he can't do it by himself. He's going to need help around him and he will benefit from having a pretty strong offensive line paving the way for him up front. One thing that impresses us about the Wynnewood offensive line is the experience they have in some of the younger classes. Leading that group is 2025 offensive and defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='896363' first='Junior' last='Hernandez']. The Wynnewood big man was arguably Wynnewood's best offensive lineman a season ago when you're talking about how they graded out. He also turned around and played a big role on defense and was incredibly productive from the defensive line position. Hernandez is going to open up some holes for Knighten this fall.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64a77ddcb223c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>More Names To Know</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cole Beasley - 2024 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Drake Dixon - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Hadryan Calderone - 2025 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Jake Everett - 2026 Quarterback<br>Torin Cross - 2025 Athlete</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>Sept. 1 - Valiant<br>Sept. 8 - AT Tishomingo<br><strong>Sept. 15 - Davis</strong><br>- After over a decade of not playing, these two southern Oklahoma powerhouses began another non-district series against one another in 2020. This series has been dominated by the Wolves as they've won the last seven in this match-up and the majority of the games have not been close. But the Savages kept it competitive last season. After losing by 42 points in 2020 and then a 29-point loss in 2021, Wynnewood narrowly lost to the Wolves 34-28 last fall. This game features two teams that are incredibly hungry to become contenders in their respective classes. <br>Sept. 22 - Dibble<br>Sept. 29 - AT Elmore City<br>Oct. 6 - Stratford<br>Oct. 12 - AT Rush Springs<br><strong>Oct. 20 - Ringling</strong><br>- Just like with the Davis match-up, the Ringling match-up has been completely one-sided and Wynnewood is determined to turn things around starting this season. They've lost their last three meetings, all coming in district play as the Blue Devils have not really been challenged in district play over the last several seasons. But coming into the 2023 football season, there is quite a bit of controversy and uncertainty around Ringling football so it's really difficult to project how this season is going to go for them. If it's the same old Ringling that we've seen, this will be a top ten battle. <br>Oct. 27 - AT Healdton<br>Nov. 3 - Wayne</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a new era of Class A football coming in 2024 and really in Oklahoma high school football in general. Class 2A, A and B will each be split into two equal divisions and we'll no longer see some of the smallest schools in the state be in 64-team classes where to win a state championship you have to play in 15 games. Based on the most recent enrollment numbers from last year, Wynnewood would be placed in the upper division of Class A, featuring the 32 largest schools in the Class. Enrollment numbers obviously change from year to year but there is a bit of a cushion between Wynnewood and where they would need to be to be in the lower division. And this upper division of Class A will be absolutely stacked with some heavy hitters and perennial powers. But the Savages will still have one of the best players in the state coming into next season so they immediately are a team we'd look out for in that new class and division.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>6 State Championships</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1992 - Beat Watonga 27-22<br>1991 - Beat Hobart 27-0<br>1988 - Beat Nowata 35-7<br>1987 - Beat Hobart 21-14<br>1965 - Beat Stigler 8-0<br>1949 - Beat Checotah 7-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->