Week Two Players To Watch

<!-- 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>The 2023 football season is in full swing 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 <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/week-twos-ten-best-games/">check out our post from earlier in the week right here</a></strong>. 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 two!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["294264"],"_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":"We've had this 8-man clash circled ever since we started preparing for this season. Top-ranked and two-time defending champion Laverne will hit the road to face Seiling in a rematch of last year's state championship game in Class B. Junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='294264' first='Felix' last='Teal'] is one of the best players in the state and that's not just talking about Class B or 8-man football in general. Look what he's been able to do in his two years and there's no doubt that he will have a massive impact on the game Friday night. He was outstanding in their state title win over Seiling a year ago and his breakout moment came in the 2021 state title game when he was just a freshman. Teal put up monster numbers last season and we finally got a chance to see him in person in the spring at our prospect camp. He lives up to the hype and we're looking forward to seeing what he does this week. If Laverne wins another title, Teal will have a big impact on that.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["572034"],"_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 a bounce back week for Class A's #3 Colcord as they face off with Class A's #9 Stroud and both teams are looking to get their first win of the season after falling in week one. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='572034' first='Gabe' last='Winfield'] and the Hornets stumbled last week when they faced off with Kansas and were stunned in the final seconds as the Comets scored the game-winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds to play. Winfield and the Hornets not only look to bounce back and get their first win of the season, but they want to play better overall. They lost to Kansas because they struggled with turnovers in week one and they can't afford to do that again this week. They really took care of business last season in the meeting with Stroud but this is the top match-up in Class A this week. Both of these teams came into this season with high expectations. Neither team expected to start 0-2 but one of them will after Friday.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["110745"],"_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":"We have to tip our cap to Owasso and their senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='110745' first='Knox' last='Dyson'] for the way they bounced back from a week zero loss to Bixby and came out firing on all cylinders against Jenks in week one. The final score was 34-28 but this was a game where the Rams jumped out to a 34-7 lead in the fourth quarter. Dyson, who struggled against Owasso, was flawless against the Trojans. He threw for well over 300 yards and five touchdowns and only had four incompletions on the night. Dyson finished the game 18-22 passing and looks to continue that momentum this week as the Rams play host to another Tulsa-area rival in Broken Arrow. The Rams are looking to have a winning record heading into a much-needed bye week in week three before district play opens up against Union. Dyson's connection with some of Owasso's top playmakers at wide receiver is something we'll be following on Friday. It was outstanding last week and we're watching for an encore.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["915004"],"_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":"Mustang's passing game was outstanding as the Broncos had no problems with Southmoore in their season opener last week. The Broncos now hit the road to face a top five team from 6A-2 in Deer Creek and the Antlers will be hungry for a win after losing a heartbreaker to Edmond Memorial last week. One of the receivers that stood out in Mustang's week one win was senior Lebryan Hayes and he wasn't alone. The Broncos played a few different quarterbacks and Hayes had some other guys at the receiver position that stood out as well. But when you look at this Mustang team, there is no doubt that the future is bright with some really young but talented players in the 2026 and 2027 classes. But Hayes is one of the senior leaders of this offense and he got his senior season off to a great start last week in the win. He's looking for an opportunity to play at the next level and we think that he's going to make the most of his opportunity this fall.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["424595"],"_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":"Two weeks after going on the road to face 2A's top-ranked Washington, Vian now hits the road again to face 3A's #2 Lincoln Christian on Friday night. The Wolverines routinely play one of the more difficult non-district schedules among the top 2A teams and this year is no different. Despite the 55-13 loss to Washington in the opener, sophomore running back [player_tooltip player_id='424595' first='Masyn' last='Wright'] still performed well and has done so in back to back games. Wright is averaging a little over 150 yards per game after the first two games and he's scored two touchdowns in each of their first two games. But Wright and the Wolverines are going up against a tough Lincoln Christian defense. The yards and the touchdowns are going to be hard to come by but if Wright continues to play like he's played so far this season, he's going to be on everyone's radar moving forward and rightfully so. Vian's run of dominant and game-changing running backs is continuing.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64f8bd4024c42"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW THIS WEEK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='597530' first='Conner' last='Thompson'] - 2024 Wide Receiver - Jenks<br>(VS Union)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's Backyard Bowl week and we can't have a preview article without at least one player from the match-up. Jenks senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='597530' first='Conner' last='Thompson'] is coming off a good performance against Owasso last week and we have been believers in Thompson since the start of this year. He had an outstanding offseason of work with Sooner 7 and then was a standout performer at one of our camps. It was only a matter of time before things happened for him on Friday nights. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='595658' first='Dominic' last='Collins'] - 2024 Defensive Back - Lawton MacArthur<br>(VS Lawton)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lawton MacArthur is one of the best teams in Class 5A that not enough people are talking about right now and they get another opportunity to make noise on Friday, trying to lock up the city title against rival Lawton. Senior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='595658' first='Dominic' last='Collins'] is leading a Highlander defense that has come out on fire this season. He already has two pick sixes and the team has been dominant in their first two wins. We can't wait to see what they do against their rival. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406182' first='Ethan' last='Watkins'] - 2024 Running Back - McAlester<br>(AT Ada)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAlester senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='406182' first='Ethan' last='Watkins'] has had a fantastic start to his senior season and the running back position was a big question mark for McAlester heading into this season. They had to replace a star in Erik McCarty, who's now a freshman at OU. Watkins has answered those questions immediately with big plays and strong production so far in the first two weeks. He's run for nearly 250 yards and three touchdowns and he's also the team's leading receiver. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587265' first='Kenny' last='Golston'] - 2026 Running Back - Valliant<br>(AT Lone Grove)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valliant got a big win in week one against a strong Wynnewood team and they did it in impressive fashion. Sophomore running back [player_tooltip player_id='587265' first='Kenny' last='Golston'] was outstanding throughout the game as he ran for just over 250 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Golston stole the show in a match-up that featured another running back that's committed to an SEC program. Golston is off to a fast start and he's very clearly one of the top 2026 running backs in Oklahoma. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231981' first='Tre' last='Stevenson'] - 2024 Running Back/Defensive Lineman - Perkins-Tryon<br>(AT Cushing)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We really liked Perkins-Tryon coming into this season and now we're going to find out just how serious they are as contenders in Class 3A. Senior running back and defensive standout [player_tooltip player_id='231981' first='Tre' last='Stevenson'] will lead the Demons on the road as they take on a Cushing team that is coming off a big win over Bristow in their season opener. Stevenson and the Demons gave Cushing their closest game in the regular season a year ago but they are hungry to get a win this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->