Choctaw Team Preview

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day as we release more individual team previews as we get closer to the start of the 2021 football season. In case you missed it, you can check out our Preseason Rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/06/2021-preseason-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RIGHT HERE</a>. Overview (Class 6A-D2 Preseason Ranking: #2) With nearly everyone back from their runner up finish in 2020, the Choctaw Yellowjackets are determined to finish the job in 2021. Choctaw came into the 2020 season as a team that had a lot of talent but it was unproven talent. After a slow start to the year, Choctaw started picking up momentum from the start of district play and would go on a run to remember. The Yellowjackets would upset Stillwater on a last second field goal in the semifinals. And we say upset as in at the time, it felt like one of the bigger upsets in the state, looking back on it now, it doesn't look like that as much. The Choctaw victory prevented Stillwater from getting a third straight shot at Bixby in the title game. Instead, it would be the Yellowjackets, who lost to the Spartans in the regular season. However, just like in the regular season, Choctaw would push Bixby unlike many teams over the last few years but it wasn't enough. The Spartans lifted another gold ball and Choctaw settled for silver, but immediately started preparing for their very own revenge tour. With a total of 16 starters returning, including nearly everyone on the offensive side of the ball, the Yellowjackets are determined to not only make it back to the championship game, but to win the whole thing. The Yellowjackets come in to this season as the preseason number two team, behind only three-time champion Bixby. Choctaw will be one of the more experienced and talented teams in the state, regardless of class. However, until they get a win over the Spartans head to head, Bixby will have the edge. But Choctaw has been planning for the rematch since walking out of Wantland Stadium with a silver ball. <hr /> 2020 Results (9-4 - 6A-D2 Runner Up) Sept 4 – Lost To Springdale, AR. 46-18 Sept 11 – Beat Van Buren, AR. 28-10 Sept 18 – Lost To Greenwood, AR. 23-12 Sept 25 – Beat Booker T Washington 26-22 Oct 2 – Beat Ponca City 20-14 Oct 9 – Lost To Bixby 24-13 Oct 15 – Beat Muskogee 26-10 Oct 23 – Beat Sand Springs 34-9 Oct 30 – Beat Putnam City West 55-12 Nov 6 – Beat Bartlesville 61-21 1st Round – Bye Week Quarterfinal – Beat Putnam City North 20-7 Semifinal – Beat Stillwater 38-35 Championship - Lost To Bixby 17-14 <hr /> Players To Watch [player_tooltip player_id="38673" first="Cade" last="McConnell"] - 2022 Offensive Lineman The list of players to watch for Choctaw this fall is long but we’ve narrowed it down to just five, with quite a few other names that you should make note of. Leading this section is offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="38673" first="Cade" last="McConnell"]. The Choctaw big man anchors a Yellowjacket offensive line that might be the best OL unit in the state. At tackle, McConnell is expected to protect Choctaw’s quarterback and set things up for the Yellowjackets on the offensive side of the ball. McConnell, a TCU commit since earlier this year, has been one of the best offensive linemen in the state for over a year now. [player_tooltip player_id="61127" first="Desean" last="Brown"] - 2022 Defensive End One of our favorite defensive players to watch last year was Choctaw defensive end [player_tooltip player_id="61127" first="Desean" last="Brown"]. The senior star was an absolute wrecking ball as a junior, earning first team all state honors after finishing the year with well over ten sacks. Brown played on a very talented defense but he ended up shining the brightest by simply dominating against any opponent. Even in the state championship, he made big play after big play, including a very impressive interception that he caused by rushing the passer. He’ll be one of the absolute best pass rushers int he state this fall, regardless of class. [player_tooltip player_id="98176" first="La’Trell" last="Ray"] - 2023 Running Back One player who is on our short list for breakout star of the 2021 season is Choctaw’s junior running back [player_tooltip player_id="98176" first="La’Trell" last="Ray"]. We believe that he could end up being that breakout star in this Choctaw offense if he stays healthy. Ray isn’t the biggest back but he reminds us of where Bixby’s [player_tooltip player_id="38679" first="Braylin" last="Presley"] was at last year. Ray, like Presley, had a busy offseason improving his game as a pass catcher while playing 7v7. We’re not saying Ray is going to have a Player Of The Year season like Presley last year. But he will give Choctaw more options in their already dangerous offense. [player_tooltip player_id="51854" first="RJ" last="Jackson"] - 2023 Tight End We came into the 2020 season having some high hopes for Choctaw’s [player_tooltip player_id="51854" first="RJ" last="Jackson"]. In fact, at this time last year, we weren’t sure which side of the ball we liked him better on, or if he was going to be a football prospect at all. He’s also a fantastic baseball player and he might end up going down that road. However, by the end of the 2020 season, it was very apparent that Jackson had all the tools to become one of the better tight ends in the state. He has size, speed and hands that can catch just about anything that’s in the area. He might end up playing baseball at the next level but he’s a next level football prospect as well. [player_tooltip player_id="38780" first="Steele" last="Wasel"] - 2023 Quarterback The name with Choctaw that many around the state will know thee most is junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="38780" first="Steele" last="Wasel"]. The dynamic QB came into his sophomore season with unreal expectations. However, by the end of his sophomore season, you could see him backing up those expectations and even outshining them. Watching the evolution of Wasel from the start of the year to the end of the year was one of the more exciting things about his season. You could see him go from being a young and unsure QB to poised and ready for anything. During their playoff run, Wasel made plays only P5 quarterbacks make. More Names Alton Robinson - 2022 Offensive Lineman Bolton Hawkins - 2022 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id="144527" first="CJ" last="Smith"] - 2022 Athlete [player_tooltip player_id="38770" first="Ethan" last="Rone"] - 2022 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="38728" first="Gabe" last="Gaines"] - 2023 Offensive Lineman Lamere’on Curry - 2022 Defensive Back <hr /> Notable Choctaw has become a hotbed for recruiting in Oklahoma and college coaches are going to have to make the OKC suburb a must stop now and for the next few years. They just graduated 2021 cornerback [player_tooltip player_id="38492" first="Jordan" last="Mukes"], who was a top five overall prospect in the state. The 2022 and 2023 classes are special as well. In the 2022 class, [player_tooltip player_id="38673" first="Cade" last="McConnell"] and [player_tooltip player_id="61127" first="Desean" last="Brown"] are each Top 12 prospects overall. In the 2023 class, [player_tooltip player_id="51854" first="RJ" last="Jackson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="38780" first="Steele" last="Wasel"] are each Top 10 prospects. All four have offers from schools all across the country. That’s just the elite talent that Choctaw brings to the table. They have several other players that have D1 offers and are featured in our 2022 and 2023 rankings. However, that foursome of Brown, Jackson, McConnell and Wasel make up the best of the best. All four can make an argument that he’s the best at his position. As it stands right now, McConnell is the only one committed, he gave a verbal to TCU earlier this year. <hr /> 2021 Schedule/Games To Watch Sept. 3 - Springdale, AR. - It’s the season opener but it’ll have a little more meaning than just a typical season opener. Springdale absolutely routed Choctaw in the 2020 season opener. In fact, the 28-point Springdale win was the largest margin of the season for Choctaw. All eyes will be on their district games later on with Bixby and Booker T Washington but this season opener will be the start of somewhat of a revenge tour as the Yellowjackets attempt to climb the mountain in 6A-D2. Sept. 10 - AT Dallas Jesuit, TX. Sept. 24 - Booker T Washington - It’s the fourth week of the season and the first game of district play. Choctaw will have two benefits going into their clash with Booker T Washington. The Yellowjackets will be coming off a bye and they get the Hornets at home. They’ll need all the help they can get against a Hornet team that on paper has just as much talent as the Yellowjackets. However, Choctaw will have momentum in this one after scoring a close victory over the Hornets in Tulsa last season. Oct. 1 - AT Ponca City Oct. 8 - Bixby - The obvious main event on the schedule will come in week six as the Yellowjackets will play host to the champs. Bixby and Choctaw are 1 and 2 respectively and if everything plays out they way we’re projecting, they’ll be 1 and 2 in October. It’s been noted how the Yellowjackets gave Bixby their toughest tests last year. This year, Choctaw isn’t settling for any moral victories or close calls. They want to be the champs and they can dethrone Bixby in week six. Oct. 14 - AT Muskogee Oct. 22 - AT Sand Springs Oct. 29 - Putnam City West Nov. 5 - AT Bartlesville <hr /> Championship History 1 State Championship 1960 - Beat Stigler 32-6