Class 5A Season In Review

<!-- 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 2023 football season has come to a close and it's time to start taking a look back at the year in football before we move on to the offseason and looking ahead to 2024. Every day for the next four weeks, we'll have more postseason content on Prep Redzone Oklahoma. From our Season In Review series to player awards and of course our All State teams. Check back each day for a new postseason post on the 2023 season, ONLY on Prep Redzone Oklahoma. In this post, we're continuing our season in review series with a look back at all the top stories and players from Class 5A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>STATE CHAMPION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong><em>Carl Albert Titans (14-0)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ever since they walked off the field at UCO nearly a year ago, Carl Albert was already tabbed as the Class 5A favorite in 2023. Not only did the Titans bring almost everyone back, but they got two terrific move ins during the offseason that are both committed to Oklahoma. So the question then became not whether Carl Albert was the favorite, but would anybody get within two or three scores of Carl Albert? Nobody did for the first two months. The Titans rolled through the non-district schedule, including an impressive 43-20 win over eventual 6A-2 state champion Muskogee on the road.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A showdown with #3 Guthrie loomed in October and we finally saw it in week eight. The Blue Jays had been dominant all season and that defense was ready for the fight again as the champs came to town. But Carl Albert would not be denied and they won 24-21. After a week ten scare from Piedmont, the Titans wrapped up the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record. In their first three playoff games, Carl Albert continued their dominance. They beat El Reno by 28 points, Collinsville in the quarterfinals by 38 points and then in a rematch against rival Bishop McGuinness in the semifinals, they won by 23. That punched Carl Albert's ticket back to the state championship game to defend their title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top-ranked Titans would see #2 Del City in the title game in a battle of Mid-Del rivals. These two teams were #1 and #2 all season and it was a highly anticipated state championship game between two unbeaten teams with plenty of star power on both sides. Carl Albert would capture their second consecutive state championship behind a 35-14 win and they made some more history in the process. With the win over Del City, Carl Albert would bring home their 18th state championship in school history. That puts them in a tie with Jenks for the second most championships in state history. They get a chance to tie Ada for the most titles next year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_9S72AIZAMu0026amp;t=353s","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_9S72AIZAM&amp;t=353s </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>5A PLAYER OF THE YEAR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["215200"],"_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":"Del City senior and Oklahoma State signee [player_tooltip player_id='215200' first='Ladainian' last='Fields'] was the best player in Class 5A football this season. And similar to what we said yesterday in our u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://prepredzone.com/2023/12/class-6a-2-season-in-review-2/u0022u003e6A-2 Reviewu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e, it doesn't matter what metric you use, Fields was at the top. He absolutely dominated all three phases of the game. He was one of the state's best wide receivers, a ball hawk in the secondary and a threat to return any kick he got his hands on. He showed up in a big way in their biggest games, notably the semifinal win followed by his performance in the state title game. Fields has been a true game changer for a few years now, but in different areas of the game. It feels like he put everything together this season and was one of the best overall football players in the state. No matter where he was on the field, you saw the impact.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6584c1e54f6f9"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>BREAKOUT STARS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='670654' first='Aivan' last='Locklin'] - 2026 Quarterback - Lawton MacArthur</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If there was a stock market on high school football teams, we'd go ahead and tell you to buy now on Lawton MacArthur before the price goes up. The Highlanders are extremely talented and some of their top players are all sophomores. Leading the way for the offense this season was sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='670654' first='Aivan' last='Locklin'] and he was a player to watch from the first time we saw him back in August. There's no doubt that he has some playmakers around him but he made this offense go. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='922869' first='Damon' last='Cochran II'] - 2025 Quarterback - Bishop McGuinness</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bishop McGuinness junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='922869' first='Damon' last='Cochran II'] was put into a unpredictable position coming into this season. He had to replace an experienced starter that moved away and he the McGuinness junior made the most of his opportunity. He and the Irish went through some growing pains early on but navigated their way through a brutal district and they were playing some of their best football towards the end of the season. That continued as they made a run to the semifinals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='994657' first='Eli' last='Moroney'] - 2024 Linebacker - Guthrie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guthrie's defense had a special run this season and specifically in the first two months of the season. They were shutting down and shutting out everyone they played and senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='994657' first='Eli' last='Moroney'] was a big part of that. He was racking up some monster numbers in the sack category this season and he was one of the best tacklers in the open field that we watched in 2023. When Moroney got to a ball carrier, that ball carrier went down in a hurry. He became one of the state's best this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1018641' first='Scott' last='Rigby'] - 2026 Running Back - Collinsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The same thing we said about Lawton Mac applies here to Collinsville. The Cardinals have a nice collection of talented sophomores. One of those players is [player_tooltip player_id='1018641' first='Scott' last='Rigby'] at the running back position. Rigby ended up running for more than 1,000 yards this season and he appears to be primed for a big year next fall as he becomes the marquee running back in this Collinsville offense. We like the pieces they bring back on the offensive side of the ball and Rigby is a big part of the production returning. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='911901' first='Stice' last='Smith'] - 2024 Quarterback - Bishop Kelley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bishop Kelley senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='911901' first='Stice' last='Smith'] is another example of a senior that has paid his dues and it paid off in a major way this fall. Smith was one of the best quarterbacks that we watched in 5A football this season. We wrote about him earlier this week as he helped lead his Comets to a fourth quarter comeback win over Claremore in a game that ended up deciding the district championship. Smith was an excellent player for the Comets this season and put up some serious numbers on offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>OTHER TOP PLAYERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='322948' first='Braxton' last='Etheridge'] - 2024 Quarterback - Claremore</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Claremore had a season to remember in 2023 and senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='322948' first='Braxton' last='Etheridge'] emerged one of the better signal callers in the state, regardless of classification. He put up some monster numbers as the Zebras made a run to the Class 5A semifinals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='215197' first='Cannon' last='Wood'] - 2024 Running Back/Linebacker - Piedmont</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Piedmont senior standout [player_tooltip player_id='215197' first='Cannon' last='Wood'] picked up right where he left off last season. He was one of the best two-way players in the state in 2022 and he filled that role again in 2023. Wood was a powerful runner that also turned around and starred at linebacker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='334118' first='Colton' last='Howard'] - 2024 Quarterback - Sapulpa</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've written this a few times but it deserves to be repeated here. Sapulpa senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='334118' first='Colton' last='Howard'] is one of the top quarterbacks in terms of improvement over the last two seasons. Howard's steady growth as a passer turned him into one of 5A's best. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406182' first='Ethan' last='Watkins'] - 2024 Running Back - McAlester</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAlester is quickly turning into one of the top programs in Class 5A in producing standout running backs. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='406182' first='Ethan' last='Watkins'] took the ball and (literally) ran with it this season. Watkins became an absolute star and big play threat in this McAlester offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='584313' first='Gage' last='Deckard'] - 2024 Wide Receiver - Claremore</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We mentioned with Claremore's Etheridge that this was a season to remember for the Zebras. Senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='584313' first='Gage' last='Deckard'] emerged as one of the top wide receivers, not only in Class 5A but in the state. He put up monster numbers and was a game changer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='375219' first='Hudson' last='Henslick'] - 2024 Wide Receiver - Collinsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collinsville senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='375219' first='Hudson' last='Henslick'] was on this breakdown last season as a breakout star. This season, he had higher expectations and it's hard to argue that he didn't meet them. He impacted the game in all three phases and was incredibly clutch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448519' first='Jaylen' last='Harper'] - 2024 Running Back - Guthrie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guthrie senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='448519' first='Jaylen' last='Harper'] came into this season looking to make an impact and he did just that. Like Henslick, Harper was a breakout player last season and then elevated his game this fall. He made 150 yards and three touchdowns look routine. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1045555' first='Joshua' last='Rushing'] - 2026 Wide Receiver - Lawton MacArthur</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We mentioned earlier that you should buy stock now on Lawton MacArthur. Sophomore wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1045555' first='Joshua' last='Rushing'] has the potential to be an absolute star down in southern Oklahoma. Rushing emerged this season as a big play threat for the Highlanders at receiver. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='791632' first='Julian' last='Espinoza'] - 2024 Running Back - Pryor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pryor senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='791632' first='Julian' last='Espinoza'] put up another season of strong production this fall. Espinoza had a good junior year and then backed it up with an even better 2023 season. Espinoza helped guide the Tigers back to the playoffs this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='857392' first='Kenneth' last='Colston'] - 2024 Quarterback - Midwest City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Midwest City senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='857392' first='Kenneth' last='Colston'] led a very balanced and explosive offense this season. Their stable of running backs might get a lot of the credit in terms of production but Colston had a great season leading the way for the Bombers on offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='432374' first='Kevin' last='Sperry'] - 2025 Quarterback - Carl Albert</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We said it a few times but we'll say it again here. What Carl Albert junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='432374' first='Kevin' last='Sperry'] did in the game against Guthrie is still the most impressive thing we saw this season. There was a ton of hype around Sperry moving up from Texas this summer and he lived up to it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='917639' first='Malachi' last='Nicholson'] - 2024 Running Back - El Reno</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We don't think another 11-man player had more yards this season than El Reno senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='917639' first='Malachi' last='Nicholson'] and it might not be close. He had nearly 3,000 yards on the ground and that was highlighted by a 500+ yard performance in one game against Noble. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='360245' first='Marco' last='Smith'] - 2024 Running Back - Sapulpa</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We were fired up to see Sapulpa senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='360245' first='Marco' last='Smith'] back to full strength this season. He made the most of his opportunity and became a touchdown machine for the Chieftains in 2023. After missing a lot of his junior season, Smith was great this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='449039' first='Matt' last='Lund'] - 2024 Running Back - Elgin</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elgin senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='449039' first='Matt' last='Lund'] became the school's all time leading rusher this season. Lund was outstanding when we got a chance to see him in person or on film. He emerged as one of the state's very best football players and helped lead the Owls to a dominant 2023. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='472321' first='Ritson' last='Meyer'] - 2026 Running Back/Linebacker - Elgin</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lund set the school's all time rushing record but sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='472321' first='Ritson' last='Meyer'] might be gunning for it in the next two seasons. Meyer had an excellent season for the Owls and with him returning for the next two seasons, we could be looking at Meyer being the school's top rusher. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='215198' first='River' last='Warren'] - 2024 Quarterback - Del City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Del City senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='215198' first='River' last='Warren'] joined the Eagles this offseason and led a three-headed monster that was one of the best in the state. Warren has long been considered the best senior quarterback in the state and this season backed up that claim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='393974' first='Rodney' last='Fields'] - 2024 Running Back - Del City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Del City standout is senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='393974' first='Rodney' last='Fields'] and there aren't too many players that had better years in 2023 than Fields. From the offseason to his senior season with the Eagles, Fields was routinely one of the best players that we saw. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='360241' first='Sam' last='Rhoades V'] - 2024 Defensive Lineman - Bishop Kelley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bishop Kelley senior defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='360241' first='Sam' last='Rhoades V'] has been a very intriguing big man prospect to watch over the last few years. When we watched Bishop Kelley in person this season, Rhoades was an incredibly disruptive defensive end with a bright future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='598824' first='Trystan' last='Haynes'] - 2025 Athlete - Carl Albert</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Carl Albert junior that was a star this season was [player_tooltip player_id='598824' first='Trystan' last='Haynes'] and it didn't matter where he lined up. Haynes was Carl Albert's leading receiver on offense and a star defensive back. Haynes would also become Carl Albert's top threat in the return game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='360239' first='Xavier' last='Robinson'] - 2024 Running Back - Carl Albert</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carl Albert senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='360239' first='Xavier' last='Robinson'] was an absolute scoring machine this season. He finished the year with nearly 40 touchdowns on the season. He made five touchdowns in a game look like a regular occurrence and was once again one of the best in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>EARLY LOOK AT 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The more things change, the more they look to stay the same. Class 5A is going to see some change in 2024 as we'll see 6A-2 playoff teams Putnam City West and Tahlequah dropping down to Class 5A and joining them will also be a very hungry and talented Booker T Washington squad. The districts will also feel a little more balanced from our first glance at some of the district slates. But make no mistake, Carl Albert will still go into the 2024 season as the team to beat. With so much talent coming back on both sides of the ball, it would be foolish to think they won't be at the top of the 5A ranks. It will be interesting to see how teams like Claremore, Del City and Guthrie rebuild after losing some special classes. Other programs like Collinsville, Elgin and Lawton MacArthur have a ton of young talent and they'll be right back in the mix. Don't count out Bishop Kelley, McAlester and Midwest City, who all seem to be in the mix. So while Carl Albert feels like the easy pick here, they are going to have plenty of competition as they attempt to go after their 19th state championship in school history. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->