Week Nine Players To Watch
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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 nine!
There’s no doubt what is the best game of the week this week in Class 3A and it features top-ranked and defending state champion Heritage Hall hosting #3 Sulphur. The Chargers have been perfect this season and have been led by senior Andy Bass Andy Bass 6’0″ | 195 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2024 State OK at the quarterback position. But this week, they are facing arguably their toughest test of the season and definitely their toughest test since the season opener against Millwood. They’ll face a Sulphur team that is on a roll and just handed Marlow their first loss of the season last week. But on the flip side, Sulphur hasn’t played a quarterback that is quite as dynamic as Bass. And that’s simply because there aren’t many (or any) quarterbacks in the state that are as dynamic. And Bass is coming off one of his best performances this season. He accounted for eight total touchdowns in a win last week while throwing for five touchdowns and then adding three more on the ground.
Highlights
With a win over #10 Bethany on Friday night, #3 Blanchard could lock up the district championship and take another step towards competing for the state championship in Class 4A. Junior standout Brayson Carter Brayson Carter 5’9″ | 155 lbs | ATH Blanchard | 2025 State OK is a player to watch heading into this match-up and we have been incredibly impressed with Carter this season. Coming into the 2023 campaign, we thought of Carter more as a wide receiver and specifically at that position but that has not been the case this fall. Not only is Carter one of Blanchard’s top wide receivers, but he has also been arguably their most dynamic player when you consider all three phases of the game. Carter is a ball hawk on the defensive side of the ball and is a magnet for turnovers. And he’s also taken a pair of kicks back for touchdowns in the return game. We were fortunate to see arguably Carter’s best performance on the defensive side of the ball this year when they beat Tuttle at home.
Highlights
We have two massive games involving unbeaten teams in Class A this week and one we’ll be at features top-ranked Hominy hosting #4 Woodland in a massive showdown. And after several years of reading stat lines, watching film and talking with coaches, we will finally be able to see dynamic Hominy quarterback Jaxon Woods Jaxon Woods 6’0″ | ATH Hominy | 2024 State OK in person. There’s no other way to put it. Woods has been special over the last several seasons for the Bucks and he’s back at it again this year. He has several games already where he has been able to beat up defenses with his arm and his legs. He’s also a threat on the defensive side of the ball and as if that wasn’t enough, Woods also returns kicks. We’re looking forward to getting out to Osage County for this battle of unbeatens. Woodland will certainly provide the toughest opponent for Woods and the Bucks this season. It should be an entertaining game from the start and feel more like a semifinal or state title game than a week nine contest.
More people should be talking about Victory Christian senior wide receiver Michael Doctor Michael Doctor 6’1″ | ATH Victory Christian | 2024 State OK and he has a chance to make them wake up in the next two weeks. The Conquerors will act as if the playoffs are starting this week when they hit the road to face #10 Kansas this week. Next week they wrap up the regular season against #6 Kiefer. And fortunately for Victory Christian fans and unfortunately for Victory Christian’s opponents, Doctor appears to be playing some of his best football right now. In the last two weeks, Doctor has recorded nearly 400 yards receiving and six touchdowns. He had four touchdown receptions in the runaway win over Sperry last week. Doctor is also one of the better dual-sport athletes in the state’s 2024 class as he’s a star on the basketball floor. But more people need to pay attention to the dynamic abilities of Doctor when the pads come on. All eyes should be on Victory in the next two weeks and Doctor can show who he is.
In Class 5A, the state is still talking about the Carl Albert-Guthrie showdown from last week. But meanwhile, #2 Del City continues to win games and remain perfect on the season. This week, they hit the road again to face #7 Coweta for the district championship. The Eagles have been led all season by a dynamic offense that has multiple players that can beat opponents on any given night. Senior quarterback River Warren River Warren 6’4″ | 195 lbs | QB Del City | 2024 State OK has been flawless this season and continues to show, week after week, why he’s arguably the best pure quarterback prospect in the state’s 2024 class. Warren has taken his efficiency to new heights this season, completing over 75 percent of his passes and he’s simply making it look easy at times this season. But the game this week against Coweta will provide a challenge to Warren and the Eagles. Coweta has won six straight games after dropping their first two contests to defending state champions.
MORE NAMES TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Brock Boyles Brock Boyles 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Ada | 2026 State OK – 2026 Quarterback – Ada
In another marquee game featuring unbeaten teams, we’ll see #5 Ada traveling to face #2 Poteau in a Class 4A showdown. And we cannot wait to see what the young sophomore quarterback Brock Boyles Brock Boyles 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Ada | 2026 State OK does when he takes the field against one of the toughest defenses in the state. Boyles has been on fire in the last two weeks and has taken his game to new heights. In those their last two games, he’s thrown for nearly 700 yards and 12 touchdowns with no interceptions.
Jackson Bergt Jackson Bergt 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Newcastle | 2024 State OK – 2024 Quarterback – Newcastle
Another Class 4A showdown will take place when #6 Newcastle travels to face #4 Tuttle in a big district showdown. The winner stays alive for the district title race while the loser is looking at a road game in the first round of the playoffs. Newcastle has had one of the better offenses in the class and they are led by senior Jackson Bergt Jackson Bergt 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Newcastle | 2024 State OK at the quarterback position. Bergt is one of the more experienced quarterbacks in Class 4A this season and he’s played like it so far.
– 2024 Athlete – Owasso
Owasso senior standout continues to be one of the more underrated athletes in Class 6A-1. Last season, he was an absolute star at the wide receiver position and as a return specialist. This season, with the Rams being completely balanced offensively, Thomas is still leading the Rams in receptions by a rather wide margin. The Rams will play host to Edmond Santa Fe. The winner will get a first round bye while the loser is going to have a tougher path in the playoffs.
Joshua Rushing Joshua Rushing 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Lawton MacArthur | 2026 State OK – 2026 Wide Receiver – Lawton MacArthur
We wrote about Lawton MacArthur sophomore wide receiver Joshua Rushing Joshua Rushing 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Lawton MacArthur | 2026 State OK last week as he has emerged as one of the state’s top overall prospects in the 2026 class. Rushing and the Highlanders bounced back from a tough loss to Midwest City by beating up on El Reno last week. Now, they face an Elgin team that’s been ranked in the top five of Class 5A all season and have won every game by at least 30 points. Rushing has shown that he can take a game over and he’ll try to do that this week.
Reed McMurtrey Reed McMurtrey 5'11" | QB Minco | 2024 OK – 2024 Quarterback – Minco
The Hominy-Woodland match-up isn’t the only Class A clash this week featuring unbeaten teams. #5 Minco will host #6 Crescent in a clash of unbeaten teams with the district championship on the line. Crescent comes into this game with an outstanding team but Minco counters with a senior quarterback in Reed McMurtrey Reed McMurtrey 5'11" | QB Minco | 2024 OK that can completely take a game over. Similar to Woods at Hominy, McMurtrey is a nightmare to prepare for with his ability to beat teams in different ways.