Class 4A Title First Look

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong><em><strong><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></strong></em></strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class 4A state championship game is set! #1 Wagoner will square off with #3 Blanchard in Edmond on Thursday at 7PM. The Bulldogs are back in Edmond and looking to defend their state championship from a year ago. The Bulldogs are also looking to finish off a perfect season as the wire to wire top-ranked team in Class 4A. For Blanchard, the Lions are hungry for that gold ball and have been playing great football, including a big semifinal win over #2 Poteau. In this post, we take our first look at both teams priors to their title clash on Thursday night. Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more state title first looks! And on Wednesday, when we dive deep into the match-up with our official championship preview, as well as all the players to watch for both teams!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#1 WAGONER BULLDOGS (13-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 1 - Beat Coweta 24-7<br>Sept. 8 - Beat Tahlequah 34-13<br>Sept. 15 - Beat Grove 35-14<br>Sept. 22 - Beat Skiatook 60-13<br>Sept. 29 - Beat Oologah 24-0<br>Oct. 6 - Beat Cushing 15-14<br>Oct. 12 - Beat Cleveland 61-0<br>Oct. 19 - Beat McLain 36-12<br>Oct. 27 - Beat Catoosa 54-23<br>Nov. 3 - Beat Miami 48-14<br>1st Round - Beat Broken Bow 57-7<br>Quarterfinals - Beat Tuttle 30-0<br>Semifinals - Beat Ada 42-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY<br>6-3 All Time - 10th Title Appearance</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head coach Dale Condict has turned this Wagoner program into a complete powerhouse in the last two decades. Before Wagoner's appearance in the 2005 title game, the Bulldogs only had one other title game appearance and it came all the way back in 1945. 2005 was the first season under Condict and he immediately had them playing for titles and they haven't slowed down. The Bulldogs lost their first two championship appearances under Condict but haven't lost since. They won a title in 2011 before rattling off three straight from 2014-2016. And with a win on Thursday, they'll be back to back champs and winners of three in four years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 40 Points Per Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Those unfamiliar with the 2023 Wagoner Bulldogs might be surprised to see the numbers they've put up in the passing game. That's helped lead them to averaging 40 points per game this season. The Bulldogs are throwing the ball quite a bit with an experienced and talented quarterback returning. The thing we like most about Wagoner's offense has been how efficient and more importantly consistent they've been. Combine that with a stingy defense and they are a tough team to beat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 9.6 Points Per Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No surprise here as Wagoner's defense is once again one of the best units in the state, regardless of class. The Bulldogs come into Thursday night's game giving up just under ten points per game. They've given up more than 14 points only one time this season and they have multiple players on that side of the ball that will be playing power five football. But you can certainly make the argument that they haven't faced an offense as talented as Blanchard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>STAR POWER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["294262"],"_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":"Wagoner junior and new Oklahoma commit [player_tooltip player_id='294262' first='Alex' last='Shieldnight'] has been one of the best defenders in Class 4A over the last two seasons. Shieldnight has already set the school record for most sacks in a career. He did that earlier this season and still has senior year next fall. Shieldnight is an absolute terror coming off the edge. He's a special talent and head coach Dale Condict has mentioned multiple times that Shieldnight is the best prospect to come out of Wagoner in the last two decades. Shieldnight is also no stranger to playing offense and lining up at tight end for Wagoner.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65625cea07d16"} /--> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#3 BLANCHARD LIONS (12-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 1 - Beat Noble 61-18<br>Sept. 8 - Lost To Piedmont 21-7<br>Sept. 15 - Beat Shawnee 34-31<br>Sept. 22 - Beat Harrah 46-13<br>Sept. 29 - Beat Newcastle 28-13<br>Oct. 6 - Beat Tuttle 20-6<br>Oct. 12 - Beat Classen SAS 40-12<br>Oct. 20 - Beat Bridge Creek 40-10<br>Oct. 27 - Beat Bethany 27-7<br>Nov. 3 - Beat Tecumseh 42-0<br>1st Round - Beat Cache 27-0<br>Quarterfinals - Beat Sallisaw 55-28<br>Semifinals - Beat Poteau 26-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY<br>2-1 All Time - 4th Title Appearance</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the Blanchard Lions, they are back into the title game for just the fourth time in school history. The Lions have been knocking on the door of contending in Class 4A over the last several seasons and have finally kicked that door down and are making the trip to Edmond. With a win on Thursday night, the Lions can add their third state championship in school history as they currently hold a 2-1 record in the title game. The first championship came back in 1979 and then the Lions made back to back trips to the Class 3A title game in 2012 and 2013. They won the 2012 clash with Kingfisher and settled for the silver ball in 2013. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 34.9 Points Per Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blanchard's offense is averaging just shy of 35 points per game and we really like the balance they have on this side of the ball. It starts with the quarterback position as they have one of the more experienced quarterbacks in the class. He's helped lead them to win after win in one of the toughest districts in the state, regardless of class. And this is an offense that's rolling as they scored 26 points against a stingy Poteau defense that hadn't given up 26 all season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 13.3 Points Per Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the Blanchard defense has also been stingy and they do a great job of forcing teams into uncharacteristic mistakes. The Lions are giving up just under 14 points per game. They do a terrific job of creating turnovers and turning those into points. We saw first hand this season when the Blanchard defense scored three touchdowns on interceptions or fumbles and that ended up being their only scoring. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>STAR POWER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["363852"],"_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":"Blanchard senior quarterback has been one of the better quarterbacks in Class 4A over the last few seasons. He's taken his game to new heights this year. Not only is he one of the top passers in the class but he's shown an ability to tuck the ball and run when he needs to do so. And the scary part about Cooksey is he has weapons at the wide receiver position and he knows how to read defenses. He finds the open man and they have a complete balance at the wide receiver position with their production. Cooksey will look to lead the Lions to their third gold ball in school history.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65625cea07db9"} /-->