Tonkawa Buccaneers OK 2026 Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!</strong></em></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 2026 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 Tonkawa Buccaneers!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>RELATED</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/DmV3FpBsQg8" type="link" id="https://youtu.be/DmV3FpBsQg8">- Tonkawa Video Preview With HC Trenton Harmon</a></strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Tonkawa Buccaneers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #1 In Class A-1</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach: Trenton Harmon - 2nd Season - 12-2 Record At Tonkawa</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2025 RESULTS (12-2 Record - Class A-1 Runner Ups)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 5th - Beat Newkirk 54-14<br>Sept. 12th - Beat Fairview 27-21<br>Sept. 19th - Lost To Stroud 18-13<br>Sept. 26th - Beat Quapaw 63-14<br>Oct. 3rd - Beat Caney Valley 49-12<br>Oct. 10th - Beat Pawhuska 32-8<br>Oct. 17th - Beat Morrison 35-14<br>Oct. 23rd - Beat Oklahoma Union 63-16<br>Oct. 31st - Beat Pawnee 14-8<br>Nov. 7th - Beat Nowata 62-12<br>1st Round - Beat Haskell 40-7<br>Quarterfinals - Beat Minco 43-22<br>Semifinals - Beat Pocola 37-12<br>Championship - Lost To Rejoice Christian 34-13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2025 Offensive Scoring Average: 38.9 Points Per Game<br>2025 Defensive Scoring Average: 15.3 Points Per Game</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a year of new beginnings for the Tonkawa Buccaneers in 2025. But the expectations remained the same. Compete and contend for state championships. Trenton Harmon took over as head coach for the Buccaneers after a lengthy and successful career from Mike Kirtley came to a close following the 2024 season. Tonkawa came out swinging the sword early on in 2025. They beat A-1 contender Fairview in week two but then dropped a close one to 2A-2 contender Stroud to finish up non-district play at 2-1. From there, the Buccaneers didn't lose again in the regular season. That included a week six clash with Pawhuska where they rolled to a 32-8 victory. They also knocked off Pawnee 14-8 on Halloween night in week nine and that would clinch the district championship. They finished the regular season 9-1 and they weren't done there. They won their first two playoff games each by 20+ points. Then they squared off with a red-hot Pocola squad in the semifinals. Once again, they left no doubt, beating Pocola 37-12 to punch their ticket to the state championship game. They would run into defending champion Rejoice Christian and the Buccaneers fell into a hole early on that they could never climb out of. Rejoice Christian took the opening kick back for a touchdown and ultimately, Tonkawa would fall 34-13 and have to walk off with the silver ball. But in that year of new beginnings, it was good to see the Buccaneers back in the championship hunt. And now, they are hungrier than ever to add some more gold to the hallways in northern Oklahoma.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2026 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tonkawa came up short on winning the gold ball in 2025 but they come into the 2026 season as the favorite to win it all in Class A-1. The Buccaneers are the preseason number one team heading into this season but they will also find several hurdles in between them and that elusive gold ball. First off, the Buccaneers bring back half of their starters from last year's team. They bring back five starters on offense, including the quarterback and the majority of their offensive line. But they will need to replace the majority of their production from the skill positions. This was an offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game last season. If they can get close to that same production this season, those new faces will have enjoyed breakout seasons this fall. Defensively, Tonkawa brings back six starters on that side of the ball but they could have the best group of linebackers in Class A-1. And in fact, they might have one of the better linebacker units in the state, regardless of class. That unit will lead the Buccaneers early while some new faces are broken in on the defensive line and in the secondary. Tonkawa should be improved on that side of the ball and they'll need to be as they prepare for a new but brutal district slate. The two toughest district match-ups will take place away from home and there will be a very good team that finishes third in this district. For Tonkawa, they should contend not only for the district title but for the state championship. Finally, the Buccaneers will have a much brighter spotlight on them this fall. At this time last year, not many were predicting Tonkawa to make a run to the state championship game. This year, not only are the the preseason number one team in Class A-1, but they just showed the entire state eight months ago that they can be one of the best teams in this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>KEY LOSSES TO GRADUATION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cayden Duvall - Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Lucas Keith - Running Back (2025 All State Honorable Mention)<br>Westyn Freeman - Wide Receiver/Defensive Back</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":["1833075"],"_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-6a4a6bf7218b8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">2028 running back and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1833075' first='Carsten' last='Campbell'] returns following a breakout sophomore season on the defensive side of the ball. But Campbell is going to go into this season with an opportunity to have an expanded role for the Buccaneers. He was a hard-hitting linebacker that is one of several returning starters from last year's defense. But this season, Campbell is going to see a lot of playing time on the offensive side of the ball as Tonkawa looks to find their next running back. The plan right now is to do it by committee. Campbell is a guy that could end up getting the bulk of the carries but he's also still a hard-hitting player on this talented defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1833153"],"_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-6a4a6bf72198c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">2027 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1833153' first='Cason' last='Johnson'] returns after enjoying a really strong junior season in 2025. Johnson was thrown into the fire as a first time starter in a new offense. Now, Johnson certainly benefitted from having a very talented group of skill players around him. He wasn't asked to carry this offense on his shoulders in 2025. Fast forward a year and Johnson will definitely have a bigger role in this offense. He's going into year two as the starter and he's expected to take that next step, not only as a leader but as a guy who can be one of the better quarterbacks in Class A-1. Johnson is a guy at the QB position that can get the job done with his arm and his legs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1694451"],"_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-6a4a6bf721a21"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1694451' first='Kace' last='Tautfest'] emerged as one of the better linebackers in Class A-1 last season and apparently, he was just scratching the surface. Tautfest finished his junior season with over 120 tackles and has gotten bigger, faster and stronger during the offseason. He's on the radar of college coaches in this region and he's a 2027 prospect that we believe has a very high ceiling moving forward. He's a serious part of this Tonkawa front seven that might be the best group in Class A-1 this season. It should also be mentioned that, similar to Campbell, Tautfest will also see some playing time on the offensive side of the ball at the running back position.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>(2025 All State Honorable Mention)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1839826"],"_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-6a4a6bf721aaf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 tight end and defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1839826' first='Kade' last='Ditmore'] is one of the more underrated prospects in the state. That includes on our end as we should talk about this guy more as one of the better two-way players in the state. Defensively, Ditmore is an absolute nightmare for opposing offensive linemen. He finished last season with over 50 tackles and nearly ten sacks, coming off the edge. But that wasn't his only impact. Ditmore was also a really solid tight end for the Buccaneers and caught a touchdown in the state championship game. Ditmore is one of the fastest guys on the team and that's terrifying to think about when you see how big he is in person.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>(2025 All State Honorable Mention)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1838615"],"_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-6a4a6bf721b42"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The biggest question for Tonkawa coming into this season is how they replace the production they had at the running back and wide receiver positions from last season. 2027 wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1838615' first='Loudyn' last='Alexander'] is one of the players that Tonkawa coaches are excited about coming into this season. Alexander showcased his playmaking ability mostly in special teams last season. He returned four punts for touchdowns, becoming one of the better small school playmakers. Now, as he prepares for his senior season, expect Tonkawa's coaches to get creative with finding different ways to get him the ball as much as possible in 2026. </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>[player_tooltip player_id='1833064' first='Carter' last='Lopeman'] - 2028 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Elliott Roles - 2027 Defensive Lineman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1829448' first='Kamden' last='Sparks'] - 2029 Running Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1833066' first='Martin' last='Blueback'] - 2027 Offensive/Defensive Lineman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2026 SCHEDULE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sept. 4th - AT Pawnee</strong><br>- The Buccaneers begin the 2026 season with a road game against Pawnee and this is a game that has been a district match-up in each of the last four years and for the majority of the last two decades but now it comes in the season opener. The Buccaneers knocked off the Black Bears 14-8 last season. But this has been a very back and forth series.<br><strong>Sept. 11th - Kansas</strong><br>- In week two, Tonkawa will have their home opener against Kansas and this will be the first meeting between these two teams in recent memory. The Comets will bring an interesting challenge into this season's meeting. Kansas is coming off a 5-5 season in Class 2A-2 but they aren't that far removed from a 10-win season in 2023.<br><strong>Sept. 18th - AT Empire</strong><br>- The Buccaneers wrap up the non-district slate with a road game against Empire in week three and this will be quite the road trip to southern Oklahoma. Empire has had a lot of success recently but they are also moving up from 8-man football to 11-man in Class A-2 this season. They've spent the last decade as an 8-man program.&nbsp;<br><strong>Sept. 25th - Merritt</strong><br>- The district opener will see the Buccaneers host Merritt and this is the first of several district games this season that will feature a new opponent for Tonkawa. The Oilers will come into this season looking for their first winning season since 2018. Tonkawa should be able to take care of business in the district opener, setting up a showdown in week five.<br><strong>Oct. 2nd - AT Hooker</strong><br>- Tonkawa will head west to the Oklahoma panhandle to square off with Hooker in week five. This is an intriguing match-up for a few reasons. First off, it features the last two Class A-1 Runner Ups going head to head. Second, it will feature two teams that expect to contend for the district championship and much more this season.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 9th - Sayre</strong><br>- The Sayre Eagles come to town in week six, following Tonkawa's showdown with Hooker. This is another new match-up for the Buccaneers and Sayre looks like a program that has taken some major steps forward in the last few seasons. They made the playoffs last year for the first time in well over a decade and are hungry for more.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 15th - AT Watonga</strong><br>- On a Fall Break Thursday night in week seven, Tonkawa goes on the road to face Watonga. This is actually not a new overall match-up for the Buccaneers as they have recent history with Watonga. These two teams were district opponents in 2020 and 2021 and the Buccaneers got the best of Watonga in both instances, going 2-0 in that series.<br><strong>Oct. 23rd - AT Fairview</strong><br>- If Tonkawa is unbeaten in district play heading into this week eight showdown with Fairview on the road, a win here could give the Buccaneers the district championship. These two teams met in non-district play last season, with Tonkawa winning 27-21. They also met in the 2021 playoffs and the Buccaneers won that meeting as well. This feels like a head to head clash for the district title.<br><strong>Oct. 30th - Crescent</strong><br>- After two games on the road, Tonkawa returns home for their final time during the regular season in week nine. They'll host Crescent and it will be the first time these two teams have met on the gridiron since they were district opponents in 2020 and 2021. The Buccaneers went 2-0 against the Tigers during that stretch, winning 25-6 in their last meeting.<br><strong>Nov. 6th - AT Hinton</strong><br>- The regular season comes to an end with another road trip for the Buccaneers in week ten. They hit the road and will face Hinton to wrap up the regular season. At this point, they should know exactly where they stand in the district standings. This will be the first meeting between these two since 2021. Tonkawa beat Hinton 33-14 in that meeting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>NOTABLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are only 13 programs in Oklahoma that have more state championships than the Tonkawa Buccaneers and it feels like it's time to add another gold ball to the trophy case. Tonkawa has won seven state championships in program history, they're tied with Davis and Millwood and a couple titles away from cracking the top ten in state history. But when you look at their history as a program, Tonkawa has been successful in each of the last three decades. Starting in 1999, when they beat Turpin to win their third state championship, the Buccaneers have won in each of the last three decades. But they haven't won in this decade. They obviously knocked on the door of getting that done in 2025 and they come into 2026 as the preseason number one team. So maybe 2026 is the year that they capture another gold ball and add another year to their total. In 2023 and 2024, the Buccaneers won a combined 12 games. They won 12 games last season alone. Now, they have their sights set on one thing and that's the state championship.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>LAST FIVE SEASONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 - 12-2 - Class A-1 Runner Ups<br>2024 - 6-5 - Lost In Class A-1 1st Round<br>2023 - 6-4 - Missed Playoffs<br>2022 - 10-2 - Lost In Class A 2nd Round<br>2021 - 9-3 - Lost In Class A Quarterfinals</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>7 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2018 - Beat Christian Heritage 21-6<br>2009 - Beat Stroud 7-6<br>2005 - Beat Washington 28-11<br>2000 - Beat Apache 52-24<br>1999 - Beat Turpin 14-7<br>1953 - Beat Cleveland 26-20<br>1952 - Beat Sequoyah 27-13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->