Hilldale Hornets OK 2024 Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July and even into August, we are publishing well over 100 of the most in-depth team previews that you'll find anywhere to get you completely ready for the 2024 football season. This is something that began for us at PRZ-Oklahoma in 2021 and it continues to get bigger and better every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state in every class. From defending champions, to the top contenders and plenty of dark horses and other teams to know, we'll have complete coverage every single day. There will be multiple previews dropping every single day! In this post, we take a look at the Hilldale Hornets!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Hilldale Hornets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #8 In Class 4A<br>Preseason Coaches Ranking: UR In Class 4A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Head Coach: David Blevins - 6th Season - 37-19 Record At Hilldale</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2023 RESULTS (5-5 Record - Missed Playoffs)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 1st - Beat Edison 21-0<br>Sept. 8th - Beat Nathan Hale 48-6<br>Sept. 15th - Lost To Claremore 63-13<br>Sept. 22nd - Beat Stilwell 24-21 (OT)<br>Sept. 29th - Lost To Ada 7-0<br>Oct. 6th - Lost To Poteau 56-0<br>Oct. 13th - Lost To Salliasw 14-10<br>Oct. 20th - Lost To Broken Bow 35-7<br>Oct. 27th - Beat Madill 20-14<br>Nov. 3rd - Beat Fort Gibson 48-28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2023 Offensive Scoring Average: 18.8 Points Per Game<br>2023 Defensive Scoring Average: 24.4 Points Per Game</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At this time last year, the Hilldale Hornets knew that the 2023 football season was going to bring some new challenges. They were a team that only brought back one starter on offense and one starter on the defensive side of the ball. So needless to say, the Hornets would have to deal with growing pains throughout the 2023 season. They started off the year with back to back wins over Tulsa Public Schools programs but then gave up a season-high 63 points to Claremore in the final non-district game of the season. Then they played back to back close games to open district play. There was an overtime win over Stilwell in week four, followed by a 7-0 loss to Ada in week five. That Ada loss would start a four-game losing streak and would take the Hornets out of contention for a playoff spot. They lost to Poteau, Sallisaw and Broken Bow and could have just packed it up once they were essentially eliminated from playoff contention. But they finished off the season strong with a win over Madill and a 20-point win over Fort Gibson to end the season with a 5-5 record. That four-game losing streak just hurt the Hornets and they couldn't overcome it with the standings. But you can make the argument that this team overachieved in 2023. The loss to Ada was by seven points and the Cougars made it to the 4A semifinals. They only lost by four points to Sallisaw and they made a run to the quarterfinals. And with only one starter back on both sides of the ball, this was a team that got thrown into the fire. Now, all of that youth and inexperience has turned into talented veterans ready to return to the playoffs and much more.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2024 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Hilldale lacked experienced starters coming into the 2023 season, that is not close to being the case as we start looking ahead to the 2024 season. 21 out of 22 starters are back and because of that Hilldale is going from a 5-5 team to a preseason top ten team in our 4A rankings. All 11 starters are back on the offensive side of the ball and this is a unit that has the potential to be one of the better balanced units in 4A football. They have a talented quarterback that is getting better and better, a solid receiver core, a strong running game and an offensive line that has all five starters back. On defense, the Hornets also bring back ten starters and we feel the same way about this side of the ball. They could end up being lights out throughout the 2024 season. We got a chance to watch Hilldale in person this spring at a team camp and while you can't put a ton of stock in a May team camp, it was hard not to be impressed with Hilldale's defense and how they fly to the ball with all 11 guys on the field. They hit, they like to hit and they are absolutely relentless. If they can play this season with that same energy that we saw in May, this season could end up being a special one. Now, the district is going to be very challenging. District foes Ada and Poteau are both ranked ahead of the Hornets heading into the 2024 season. But the gap between Hilldale and those other two teams is closing and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Hornets make a run to the district title. And if they are able to capture a district championship, that will set them up for a memorable playoff run in November.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["382955"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669bc94f7880f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Junior standout [player_tooltip player_id='382955' first='Brady' last='Scott'] is going to be one of the better playmakers in Class 4A football this season. You started to see glimpses of his potential last season. He would finish his sophomore season with well over 1,000 all purpose yards. He emerged as Hilldale's top threat in the passing game as well as a very good kick returner that teams need to try to avoid kicking to this season otherwise he'll make them pay. Scott has blazing speed in the open field and if last season was any indication, he's primed to elevate to another level this fall. It wouldn't be surprising to see his production on offense and special teams get close to doubling last year's output. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["948920"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669bc94f7888a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Senior [player_tooltip player_id='948920' first='Cash' last='Schiller'] is one of the more unique players to watch coming into the 2024 season. Schiller is one of Hilldale's top offensive linemen and led the team in pancakes a year ago. But Schiller is without a doubt one of the best kickers in the state. You don't get that offensive line/kicker combination very often. But Schiller has got a leg that not many other schools will be able to compete with. He has a career-long field goal of 54 yards and he also has a ton of momentum going into this season. Schiller has performed very well on the camp circuit this offseason. And when a team has a legitimate threat in the kicking game, it can put them over the top. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["933579"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669bc94f788e4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Offensive and defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='933579' first='Kaiden' last='Ford'] had a very successful freshman season for the Hornets. Ford would then get on our radar during the offseason at one of our camps. He was a breakout star during our camp in January and we've become bigger fans of his game ever since. Ford is an absolute monster on the line of scrimmage and we specifically like what he does on the defensive line. He doesn't have the prototypical size for a defensive tackle or nose guard but it also rarely matters. His skillset is very advanced and he has a deep bag of tricks to beat his opponents. And what's scary is he'll just be a sophomore this fall so he has three more years to get better. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1340799"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669bc94f78939"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another player along the Hilldale defensive line to keep an eye on is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1340799' first='Mason' last='Forhan'] and he has a lot of momentum following an outstanding junior season. Forhan would lead the team in tackles with 80 on the season. He emerged as the team's top tackler last fall and is looking to continue that dominant play throughout the 2024 season. That 1-2 punch with Ford and Forhan is going to give Hilldale a very impressive defensive line. We mentioned earlier in the preview how the Hornets have a defense with a ton of potential. It starts up front on the line of scrimmage. Forhan is a guy that knows how to get into the backfield and cause problems. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["595692"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669bc94f78990"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another Hilldale sophomore to watch is [player_tooltip player_id='595692' first='Talon' last='Shaffer'] at the quarterback position. Shaffer got onto the field last season as a freshman and ended up starting four games for the Hornets. We've written about Shaffer a few times this offseason and we've been impressed with his performance last season as well as what we've seen from him in person. Between 7v7 tournaments and seeing Hilldale at their team camp, we've seen quite a bit of Shaffer over the last six months. Shaffer is another player on this Hilldale team that could take that next step this season. He's a quarterback that is not afraid of the spotlight and ready to perform at a high level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Braxton Corbett - 2028 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1684461' first='Brayson' last='Parker'] - 2026 Linebacker<br>Chris Gonzalez - 2027 Running Back/Linebacker<br>Cole Marshall - 2025 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Dawson Fields - 2026 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Gage Roland - 2025 Running Back<br>Harry Williams - 2026 Linebacker<br>Parker Ireland - 2025 Tight End/Linebacker<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1683118' first='Ty' last='Gaither'] - 2027 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Zander Markavics - 2028 Athlete</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2024 SCHEDULE/GAMES TO CIRCLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 6th - AT Edison<br>Sept. 13th - Fort Gibson<br><strong>Sept. 20th - AT Claremore<br></strong>- In the final week of non-district play, Hilldale will hit the road and face a Claremore team that is coming off an appearance in the Class 5A semifinals last season. Not to mention that when these two teams squared off in 2023, it did not go well for the Hornets. Claremore won by 50 but we'll see a completely new Claremore team in 2024 after graduation hit the Zebras hard. And before district play begins, this will be a serious measuring stick game for the Hornets to find out where they are. <br>Sept. 27th - Sallisaw<br>Oct. 4th - AT Glenpool<br><strong>Oct. 11th - Ada<br></strong>- The biggest home game of the season takes place in week six when they host traditional powerhouse Ada. The Cougars are in a similar boat to Hilldale where they bring almost everyone back from last season and they have incredibly high expectations entering this fall. These two teams have been district foes over the last two seasons and Hilldale won in 2022 while Ada took last season's meeting. This year, this meeting will have playoff implications and both teams aspire to be district champs. <br>Oct. 17th - AT Broken Bow<br>Oct. 25th - Stilwell<br><strong>Nov. 1st - AT Poteau<br></strong>- In week nine, Hilldale will hit the road and face off with Poteau and this is a game that will definitely have playoff implications. The Pirates have absolutely dominated this series over the last six seasons. Poteau has won six straight and only two of those victories were decided by less than 14 points. So on paper, this match-up looks very one-sided but Poteau was another team hit hard by graduation. Hilldale will have the advantage in terms of experience and they look to turn things around in this series. <br>Nov. 8th - McLain</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>NOTABLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hornets definitely have experience on their side coming into this season with 21 out of 22 starters returning in 2024. And Hilldale is coming off a 5-5 season where they missed out on the playoffs but there are multiple signs that the Hornets could be primed for a massive bounce back season. The last time Hilldale missed out on the playoffs was 2019 when they went 4-6. They followed that up with a 2020 campaign where they went 11-2 and made it to the Class 4A quarterfinals. Class 4A is absolutely stacked this season but Hilldale definitely belongs in the conversation for playoff contenders. If they find a way to win double digit games this season, that means they'll be playing deep into November and all of a sudden, this dark horse might turn into one of the favorites. There's a lot of football to be played but Hilldale will be improved in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>LAST FIVE SEASONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 - 5-5 - Missed Playoffs<br>2022 - 9-3 - Lost In Class 4A Quarterfinals<br>2021 - 8-3 - Lost In Class 4A 1st Round<br>2020 - 11-2 - Lost In Class 4A Quarterfinals<br>2019 - 4-6 - Missed Playoffs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>0 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->