Week One Players To Watch
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The 2023 football season is finally underway and every Thursday on Prep Redzone Oklahoma, we’re going to give you several names to know before games kick off each week. This week, we have some outstanding games across the state and to read more about them, you can check out our post from earlier in the week right here. For now, we break down five names that will be playing in some of the biggest games this week and even have a few bonus names to know as well. Check back this weekend when we feature the top performers from week one!
Rejoice Christian junior standout Cale Marley Cale Marley 5’9″ | 170 lbs | ATH Rejoice Christian | 2025 State OK is one of the more dynamic players in Class 2A and he showed why in their season opener against Cashion. They were dominant from start to finish and Marley would throw for nearly 200 yards and three touchdowns on 8-9 passing. He also added two carries for 80 yards and both of them went for rushing touchdowns. And he turned around and finished with five tackles and an interception on defense. Rejoice will host Cascia Hall on Friday night and in this match-up last season, we saw Rejoice quarterback Chance Wilson as a one-man wrecking crew for the Eagles. We think that Marley could certainly replicate that production this week. Marley showed flashes of what he can be as a playmaker last season when Wilson was out with an injury. And he could not be stopped as Rejoice rolled to a 59-0 win over Cashion in week zero.
Highlights
The Highway 97 rivalry game with Sapulpa and Sand Springs was one of the more entertaining games of week zero and senior quarterback Colton Howard Colton Howard 6’1″ | 195 lbs | QB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK absolutely lit up the Sand Springs defense. Despite coming up short on the scoreboard, Howard still put up monster numbers. He threw for nearly 400 yards and seven touchdowns and also added a rushing touchdown as well. Most weeks, those kinds of numbers are going to get the job done and then some. If Sapulpa gets another performance like that from Howard as they host 6A-2’s #9 Tahlequah, we expect the Chieftains will be victorious on Friday night. The Chieftains are a team that we like in Class 5A and a lot of it is due to the Emporia State commit at quarterback and this offense overall. We’re looking forward to seeing what Howard and the Sapulpa offense look like in their first home game of the year.
6A-2’s #3 Deer Creek opened up their 2023 football season with a dominant win over Edmond North on Friday night. And their star junior quarterback Grady Adamson Grady Adamson 6’1″ | 215 lbs | QB Deer Creek | 2025 State OK came out and put up strong numbers in the win over the Huskies. He threw for nearly 250 yards and three touchdowns in the win. That sets up another big game this week against an Edmond school as the Antlers will host Edmond Memorial. As we mentioned earlier in the week when we broke this game down, it’s going to feature two of the best 2025 quarterback recruits in the state. Adamson is certainly in that discussion and Edmond Memorial has one of the top guys at the position as well. It’s always good when we see those guys go head to head. Even though they both play quarterback and aren’t on the defensive side of the ball, it’ll be fun to see what these guys can do Friday because they both put up good numbers last week.
Highlights
The Sulphur Bulldogs kick off their season this week when they host defending champion and 2A’s top-ranked Washington on Friday night. The Bulldogs will certainly have their work cut out for them as they face a Washington team that was dominant in their opener last week against Vian. But Sulphur isn’t lacking talent and they should be able to fight back against a very talented Washington team. One player we’ll keep an eye on is junior offensive and defensive lineman Justus Gilliam Justus Gilliam 6’1″ | 250 lbs | OL Sulphur | 2025 State OK for the Bulldogs. Gilliam will look to set the tone on the line of scrimmage and it’s on defense where he will probably be the most valuable. The Warriors and their ground game made it look easy at times last week. Gilliam and the Sulphur defense will look to slow down a Washington offense that put up 55 points last week. Gilliam is a tough, physical player that we like on both sides of the line.
Highlights
Lawton Eisenhower got their 2023 football season off to a great start with a dominant win over Ardmore in week zero. The Eagles lit up the scoreboard and their high-scoring offense was led by junior running back Rashaud Hurt Rashaud Hurt 6’1″ | RB Lawton Eisenhower | 2025 State OK on the offensive side of the ball. The Lawton Ike standout finished the game with just over 200 yards and three touchdowns on the ground on just 15 carries. This week, Hurt and the Eagles head into rivalry week as they’ll face #8 Lawton MacArthur. Hurt will have to take his game up a level as they face a Highlander team that is incredibly talented and they have a defense that flies around all over the field. This week’s game will certainly be a challenge but if Hurt and the Eagles can pull off the upset, they will grab a lot of attention in Class 5A. Hurt was a running back we liked when we saw him in the spring and he’s off to a good start this season.
MORE NAMES TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Deuce Chalk
Deuce
Chalk
6'2" | 175 lbs | WR
Owasso | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Wide Receiver – Owasso
(VS Jenks)
There were simply not many positives for Owasso in their week zero loss to Bixby last week. But one of them was senior wide receiver Deuce Chalk Deuce Chalk 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Owasso | 2024 State OK on the offensive side of the ball. Chalk finished with seven catches for 84 yards in the game against Bixby. In a game where Owasso’s offense struggled, Chalk was a big bright spot. Both Owasso and Jenks are looking to bounce back after losses in week zero and Chalk should have a big impact again.
Malachi Nicholson
Malachi
Nicholson
5'11" | RB
El Reno | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Running Back – El Reno
(VS Piedmont)
In one of the top games this week, #9 El Reno hosts #5 Piedmont and this game features two of the best rushing attacks from week zero. El Reno senior running back Malachi Nicholson Malachi Nicholson 5'11" | RB El Reno | 2024 State OK was a one-man wrecking crew in their win over Chickasha last week. He ran totaled over 300 yards and five touchdowns in the win and also added three sacks on defense. Nicholson is a very physical and violent runner and he faces a stout Piedmont defense.
Mason Torres
Mason
Torres
6'1" | 200 lbs | LB
Lincoln Christian | 2025
State
OK
– 2025 Linebacker – Lincoln Christian
(AT Jones)
3A’s #2 Lincoln Christian will hit the road to face 2A’s #3 Jones as the Bulldogs continue their gauntlet of a non-district schedule. Last week, they opened up the season against Holland Hall and got a shutout win. Junior linebacker Mason Torres Mason Torres 6'1" | 200 lbs | LB Lincoln Christian | 2025 State OK led the team with 13 tackles as the defense shut the Dutch down in the opener. They will be tested in a big way on Friday night against a Jones offense that has one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the state.
PJ Wallace
PJ
Wallace
6'1" | RB
Muskogee | 2025
State
OK
– 2025 Running Back – Bartlesville
(VS Claremore)
At this time last year, we thought Bartlesville running back PJ Wallace PJ Wallace 6'1" | RB Muskogee | 2025 State OK was primed for a breakout season for the Bruins. That’s exactly how his sophomore season played out and it started in their season opener against Claremore. Wallace ran for nearly 200 yards in the win over Claremore and he’s back as a junior looking to replicate that production and then some. Both Bartlesville and Claremore are dark horses to keep an eye on in their respective classes.
Witt Edwards
Witt
Edwards
6'6" | 200 lbs | WR
Wagoner | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Athlete – Wagoner
(AT Coweta)
The last time we saw Wagoner senior Witt Edwards Witt Edwards 6'6" | 200 lbs | WR Wagoner | 2024 State OK on the field, he was making play after play for the Bulldogs in their state title win over Cushing. Fast forward to this week and Edwards has firmly established himself as one of the top prospects in Oklahoma’s 2024 class. He and the defending champion Bulldogs open their season against Coweta in their annual rivalry game with the Tigers. Edwards and Wagoner look to kick 2023 off with a bang.