A Season In Review

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! The 2020 season has come to an end but that doesn’t mean we’re done having content every day here at Prep Redzone Oklahoma. In fact, we’re just heating up and continuing our postseason series today. Be sure to check back every day for new postseason content from our season in review series to All-State teams and much more! On Monday, we released our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/final-team-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Final Team Rankings</a> for the 2020 season. Tuesday, we announced the ten finalists for our first-ever <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/2020-player-of-the-year-finalists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prep Redzone Oklahoma Player Of The Year</a> award. Wednesday, we kicked off the season in review series with a look back at the 2020 season in <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/6a-d1-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 6A-D1</a>. Then we continued that series with a look back at the season in <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/6a-d2-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 6A-D2</a>. Up next, it was a review of the 2020 season for <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/5a-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 5A</a>. Then we moved on to take a look back at <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/4a-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 4A</a>. Then, we did the same for <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/3a-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 3A</a>. Yesterday, we moved on and look back at <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/12/2a-season-in-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Class 2A</a>. STATE CHAMPION – CASHION WILDCATS Cashion came into 2020 as one of our top teams in Class A as they looked to avenge their loss to Ringling in the 2019 semifinals and their hunger for the Gold Ball showed early and often this season. They opened up the year with impressive wins at Rejoice Christian and 2A Perry. Their next 2 non-district games were against Minco and future Class A runner-up Thomas, who they beat by a combined score of 75-7. Their first district game was at Watonga where they would and allow 12 points, which would be the most they would allow to a district opponent in 2020. Cashion would roll through their district once again and head into the playoffs as one of the top teams in the class at an impressive 10-0. The Wildcats started their long playoff run with wins against Wynnewood, Elmore City, and Hooker by a combined score of 148-28. Their next game in the Quarterfinals came against a hot, one-loss team in Woodland who had the looks of a state title contender. They put up a good fight, but Woodland could not keep up with Cashion as they would fall 41-22. The semifinal matchup would prove to be Cashion’s most difficult challenge as they would have to grind out a 7-6 win in a surprisingly low scoring affair. Then in the state championship, Cashion would take on Thomas again in a game that played out about the same as the first matchup with Cashion controlling the game from the opening kick. The rest is history with Cashion rolling to an easy 34-7 win for the title. PLAYER OF THE YEAR [player_tooltip player_id="38609" first="Caden" last="Harrell"] - Running Back/Linebacker - Cashion Cashion’s <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prepredzone.com/player/caden-harrell/">[player_tooltip player_id="38609" first="Caden" last="Harrell"]<img class=" ls-is-cached lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/07/Caden-Harrell-4-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/07/Caden-Harrell-4-150x150.jpg" /></a> has been an absolute force for the Wildcats over the last two seasons. The senior came into this season hungry to not only make it back to the state title game but to win the whole thing after losing to Ringling in the title game last year. Harrell and the Wildcats were absolutely perfect and finished off a special 16-0 season with the state championship. Harrell was a two-way star for the Wildcats this fall. On offense, he ran for over 1,600 yards and finished with 32 total touchdowns. On defense, he totaled nearly 100 tackles on the season. He was one of the hardest-hitting players in Oklahoma and he played with that physicality on both sides of the ball. Harrell and the Wildcats will always be remembered for not only their state championship but becoming the first school in state history to go 16-0 and that will more than likely never happen again. BREAKOUT STARS Karson Daniel - Quarterback - Ringling Our first of many from Ringling is QB Karson Daniel. Daniel was a first-year starter at QB for Ringling this year and helped lead them to a semifinal appearance for the second straight year with his dual-threat ability. With guys like Kash Lyle, he wasn’t asked to throw the ball a lot each game, but when he did throw he displayed some nice zip on intermediate throws and an ability to extend passing plays with his legs. He is not as polished as a lot of 2023 QBs we have ranked right now, but he has certainly shown the upside to get there, so it will be fun to see his game improve in 2021. [player_tooltip player_id="53312" first="Mason" last="Manning"] - Wide Receiver - Cashion Similar to ringling, this list is loaded with guys from Cashion, the first of them being [player_tooltip player_id="53312" first="Mason" last="Manning"]. Manning was one of three Cashion receivers to have a big season and his may have been one of the biggest. The Junior compiled over 1000 receiving yards and 16 TDs on the season. With Harrell and Green gone next season, Manning may end up as [player_tooltip player_id="52273" first="Ben" last="Harman"]’s top target in 2021, so watch out for a potentially massive Senior season from Manning. Nate Lockert - Quarterback - Woodland Similar to Karson Daniel, this was Lockert’s first full season as a starter at QB for woodland. However, unlike Daniel, the Senior for Woodland had an incredible year in the stat sheets. Lockert did not throw the ball much with just under 500 yards and 7 TDs throwing, but he was virtually unstoppable on the ground with over 1900 yards and 37 rushing TDs. Lockert was one of the leading forces in Woodland’s playoff run that ended in the quarterfinals to Cashion though they put up a good fight. Lockert was one of the best surprises of 2020 in class A. OTHER TOP PLAYERS [player_tooltip player_id="38503" first="Aden" last="Kelley"] - Offensive/Defensive Lineman - Thomas I’m sure the rest of Class A outside of Thomas is glad to see [player_tooltip player_id="38503" first="Aden" last="Kelley"] graduate. The Oklahoma State commit has terrorized opposing offensive lineman for a few years now and 2020 was no different. His sack numbers did not jump off the page, but that has to do more with him getting double or triple-teamed often rather than his ability. He was unable to finish his career as a state champion in 2020, but Aden has a bright future ahead of him as a Cowboy. [player_tooltip player_id="52273" first="Ben" last="Harman"] - Quarterback - Cashion The next of many Cashion players on this list is QB [player_tooltip player_id="52273" first="Ben" last="Harman"]. Harman was one of the best QBs in the state this season and put up some video game numbers. On the season, Harman threw for over 3800 yards, 55 TDs, and only 10 INTs. He was hungry as anyone on this Cashion team to reach the state championship game and come away victorious after coming up short in 2019 and it showed. Harman is one of the few key players on this team that will return in 2021, we’ll see if he can recreate some of the magic from 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="52276" first="Brexten" last="Green"] - Wide Receiver - Cashion Our final Cashion player for 2020 is one of the best receivers in Class A [player_tooltip player_id="52276" first="Brexten" last="Green"]. Green was one of the best athletes in the class this season and seemed to always find the endzone no matter how he got the ball whether it was on a jet sweep, reverse, or through the air as a receiver where he made some acrobatic catches in 2020. Brexten currently has a couple of division 2 offers and will certainly be quite an asset at the next level with his athleticism and versatility. [player_tooltip player_id="38509" first="Bryce" last="Drummond"] - Quarterback - Pawhuska Although he came up short of the Gold Ball in 2020, [player_tooltip player_id="38509" first="Bryce" last="Drummond"] remains our top QB in the class of 2021. The senior for Pawhuska played lights out all year in 2020 and led one of the best offenses Oklahoma has ever seen. Drummond threw for over 4000 yards and 59 TDs to just 6 INTs on the year. Drummond came into the year already committed to North Texas and I’m sure the mean green like what they saw this season as he improved on an already stellar Junior season. Ethan Mullins - Running Back -Wayne Wayne may not have had quite the season they wanted to in 2020 but that did not stop Ethan Mullens from having a career year in 2020. The Junior back finished with over 1500 yards and 22 TDs on the ground and added 65 tackles and 2 sacks on defense. With one year left, Mullins is definitely a player to keep your eye on for next season. Kash Lyle - Running Back - Ringling As hinted above, Kash Lyle was Ringling’s bell-cow back this year and took on a lot of the workload for their offense and he did not shy away from the pressure. The senior RB was one of the best in the class in 2020, finishing with over 750 rushing yards and 11 TDs and was a key playmaker on Ringlings suffocating defense. Ringling has been one of the top teams in class A the past few seasons and it definitely would not have been possible without Lyle. [player_tooltip player_id="38586" first="Kobey" last="Stephens"] - Quarterback/Defensive Back - Wewoka Next up is Wewoka’s 2-way star [player_tooltip player_id="38586" first="Kobey" last="Stephens"]. Stephens was one of the most electric playmakers on both sides of the ball season and finished with nearly 2000 yards passing and 24 TDs in the air, with 1100 yards and 18 TDs on the ground, and 42 tackles and 8 interceptions on defense. Kobey has recently committed to the University of Central Oklahoma where it is unclear what position he will play, but one thing is clear, he’ll be dynamic wherever he lines up. [player_tooltip player_id="59991" first="Mason" last="Gilkey"] - Wide Receiver - Pawhuska Gilkey had one of the best seasons among receivers across the state thanks to Pawhuska’s historic offense. The Junior finished with over 1200 yards and an incredible 26 TDs receiving. Gilkey does not currently have any major offers but with another year in this offensive system and with [player_tooltip player_id="38509" first="Bryce" last="Drummond"]’s little brother Todd ready to take the reigns at quarterback, Gilkey may be primed for another huge season which would almost certainly shoot him up recruiting boards. River Miller - Linebacker - Ringling Ringling had one of the best defenses across the state this season in terms of points allowed and at the head of their team was Linebacker River Miller. Miller is your typical run stuffing LB and the stats back that up for sure as River was among the state leaders in tackles with an astounding 176. Ringling came up just short of repeating as champions in Class A, but that shouldn’t take anything away from how good River and this Ringling defense was in 2020. Silas Isaacs - Quarterback - Konawa Our last player from Class A to highlight is QB Silas Isaacs. Isaacs played for a Konowa team that went 8-3 and nearly upset a few very good teams such as Wewoka, in large part due to Isaacs heroics. He finished the season with 1000 yards rushing and passing and had 34 combined touchdowns. TOP STORYLINE Pawhuska Offense Reaches New Heights, Falls In Semifinals In 2020 we saw a truly historic performance from Pawhuska’s offense. The Huskies broke the state record for scoring this season with 695 points through 10 games. That’s right, 69.5 point per game for a 10 game season. There were very few teams all year that came close to the Huskies as they scored over 80 points a handful of games and had the third or fourth stringers in by the second half in most of their games. Their success continued into the playoffs as they cruised into a semifinal matchup against Cashion that most thought would be the shootout of all shootouts, including myself. However, the game would turn into a defensive struggle that ended with Pawhuska on the wrong side with a final score of 7-6. The loss in the semis surprised the entire state for many reasons. They main being how low scoring the affair was after both these teams had such prolific seasons on offense. EARLY LOOK AT 2021 Despite the losses from Pawhuska and Cashion in 2020 we may be seeing another rematch of these two giants in 2021. Both teams return key players such as [player_tooltip player_id="52273" first="Ben" last="Harman"], Masson Manning, [player_tooltip player_id="59991" first="Mason" last="Gilkey"], and a few more. Nothing is a certainty in football, but my money is on the Huskies and Wildcats to be the top dogs to start 2021.