6A-2 State – Choctaw Players To Watch

<!-- 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 6A-2 state championship game is set! #1 Muskogee will square off with #2 Choctaw in Edmond on Saturday at 7PM. The Roughers are defending state champions and have been on top of the 6A-2 rankings all season. Meanwhile Choctaw has been knocking on the door of the 6A-2 title for a a few years now. The Yellowjackets are in the title game for the third time in the last five years. In this breakdown, we're putting the spotlight on ten Choctaw Yellowjackets to keep an eye on Saturday night. These ten players have had terrific 2024 campaigns and will look to impact Saturday's game. Keep it locked into Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more state championship preview content!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>RELATED</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/11/2024-6a-2-title-game-first-look/">– Class 6A-2 State Championship First Look</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/6a-2-state-muskogee-players-to-watch-2/">- Muskogee Players To Watch</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='479395' first='Braven' last='McConnell'] - Senior Linebacker</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are four to five different linebackers in this championship match-up that we'll have our eyes on. It's loaded with talent at that position. Senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='479395' first='Braven' last='McConnell'] is one of the better linebackers in Class 6A-2 and we're looking forward to seeing what kind of impact he has against a Muskogee offense that can be incredibly explosive. The Yellowjackets know what they're going against and McConnell is coming into this week's game as one of the more experienced players on the Choctaw defense. The Yellowjacket senior is one of the team's leading tacklers and he's looking to finish off his high school career with a ring. He's had a strong career and will play a big role on Saturday night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='211555' first='Cash' last='Williams'] - Senior Quarterback</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday's state championship game features a fantastic quarterback dual and while a lot of attention will be on the Muskogee signal caller, don't overlook Choctaw's QB1. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='211555' first='Cash' last='Williams'] has been outstanding for two seasons now as he replaced D1 signee Steele Wasel and made the transition look simple. This season, he's been incredibly efficient in the Choctaw backfield. He's thrown for over 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns with just three interceptions. And while the Yellowjackets have an outstanding running back and another QB that can run the ball, make no mistake about it, Williams is a terrific athlete and can make things happen on the ground as well. He's a terrific overall playmaker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1179994' first='Da'Jon' last='Green'] - Junior Defensive Back</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've written about this in the past but it should be brought up again with the Yellowjackets playing in the state championship game. Choctaw has had a great run of defensive backs and specifically cornerbacks over the last five years. Junior DB [player_tooltip player_id='1179994' first='Da'Jon' last='Green'] might be the next guy up and all indications are he is that guy for the Yellowjackets this season. He had a terrific offseason from a recruiting perspective as he blew up as a prospect. And Green has been very productive this season and not just on defense. He's also turned around and had an impact on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver. We're looking forward to seeing how he looks against one of the top quarterbacks in the state on Saturday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='353420' first='Devin' last='Gillispie'] - Senior Defensive Lineman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='353420' first='Devin' last='Gillispie'] is a player that we've known about for a while now and in some ways, it feels like he should already be at the college level because he was on our radar so early. Now, Gillispie is your prototypical defensive tackle or nose guard so he isn't going to have the off the chart numbers that you see from the edge rushers or linebackers. But Gillispie's role is incredibly important to this Choctaw match-up. Gillispie clogging lanes and engaging with multiple offensive linemen frees up those linebackers or edge rushers to make plays in the backfield. And when you're looking at a match-up against Muskogee's backfield, that might be the best in the state, he'll need to bring his A game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1176238' first='Israel' last='Hammons'] - Sophomore Athlete</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buy stock now. Thank us later. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1176238' first='Israel' last='Hammons'] has the potential to be a very special player for the Yellowjackets. This season, Hammons has lined up at all three levels of the defense, had snaps at wide receivers and is one of the leading tacklers on the kickoff team. Needless to say, Hammons has been an absolute breakout star. We watched Hammons back in the spring and he was mostly playing wide receiver and cornerback. We watched him again in person a few weeks ago and he was mostly lined up at linebacker. It also look like he's grown about two or three inches and lived in the weight room. It doesn't matter where Hammons lines up on the defensive side of the ball, he's going to make a play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='211559' first='JuJu' last='Smith'] - Senior Athlete</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This term gets thrown around a lot in sports. "Pound for pound, he's the best..." and you can fill in the blank with any position or sport. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='211559' first='JuJu' last='Smith'] is just that for the Yellowjackets and it's been that way since he was a sophomore. Smith is another example of an Oklahoma prospect that is criminally underrated as a recruit because the kid just makes plays. It doesn't matter if he's lined up at wide receiver, in the backfield, on defense or as a kick returner, he finds a way to be one of, if not the best player on the field every single week. Now, on Saturday, we're talking about a state championship game where there will be a lot of great players. Smith belongs in that conversation and should have a significant impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402379' first='Landon' last='Gatson'] - Junior Quarterback</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='402379' first='Landon' last='Gatson'] has been a quarterback we've known about since his freshman season. Every time we've seen him in person at various camps, he's always impressed us with his pure arm talent and athletic ability. The Choctaw signal caller had to miss almost all of last season with an injury and he's come back stronger than ever. This season, Gatson has come in and has been a big part of what the Yellowjackets do offensively. While Williams has been the starter and the unquestioned QB1, don't overlook the impact that Gatson can have. He's the second leading rusher on the team but he's not just a run-first quarterback. He has one of the strongest arms in the state and can make plays there. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='476091' first='Mayor' last='Morgan'] - Junior Running Back</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='476091' first='Mayor' last='Morgan'] has been one of the biggest breakout stars at running back this season and we're not just talking about Class 6A-2. Morgan has been an absolute force on the offensive side of the ball for the Yellowjackets. He's closing in on 1,200 yards on the season and has scored 17 touchdowns on the ground. But Choctaw gets incredibly creative with how they move their playmakers around on offense. He's also been able to produce at a high level as a receiver. Whether it's catching passes out of the backfield or literally lining up as a receiver. Now, Morgan will play a big role on Saturday because Muskogee's front seven is no joke. If Morgan has another big game, the Yellowjackets will be in a good spot. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1571077' first='Rocco' last='Tartaglione'] - Junior Linebacker</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As you've seen on this breakdown, Choctaw has some dudes on the defensive side of the ball. But junior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1571077' first='Rocco' last='Tartaglione'] was an unknown player to us coming into the season and he's definitely had a breakout year. The Choctaw junior comes into this week leading the team in tackles with over 70 on the season. We got a chance to watch Choctaw briefly earlier in the playoffs and the thing that stands out is his motor and his ability to chase down the ball carrier. After watching him run around in that quarterfinal win, it was obvious to us why he's leading the team in tackles this season. In Saturday's game, Tartaglione will play a big role trying to slow down Muskogee's potent offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1035103' first='Titus' last='Hawk'] - Sophomore Tight End</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another sophomore to keep an eye on this week and moving forward is [player_tooltip player_id='1035103' first='Titus' last='Hawk'] at the tight end position. Hawk was on our radar last year as a freshman and he was originally listed as a potential quarterback but as you can see, the Yellowjackets have been absolutely loaded at the quarterback position for the last two seasons. That has opened the door for Hawk to get onto the field as a tight end this season and it's easy to see why because more times than not, Hawk is the tallest player on the football field. Coming into this week's championship game, Hawk is second on the team in receiving touchdowns and nearly half of his receptions have gone for scores. He's going to be a physical mismatch with his height.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->