2A Season In Review
In this article:
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…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingGet 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 Final Team Rankings for the 2020 season. Tuesday, we announced the ten finalists for our first-ever Prep Redzone Oklahoma Player Of The Year award. Wednesday, we kicked off the season in review series with a look back at the 2020 season in Class 6A-D1. Then we continued that series with a look back at the season in Class 6A-D2. Up next, it was a review of the 2020 season for Class 5A. Then we moved on to take a look back at Class 4A. Yesterday, we did the same for Class 3A. Now we move on and look back at Class 2A.
STATE CHAMPION – METRO CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS
I want to start off this section by saying I got Metro Christian dead wrong back in August. Last year, I patted myself on the back for predicting Metro winning it all in 2A. This year, I need to throw myself under the bus because I thought Metro would take a step back after the graduation of Asher Link. We had them at #10 in our preseason rankings and honestly that was just because they were defending champs and we didn’t want to put out a ranking that didn’t have the defending champs. WHOOPS.
The Patriots started off the season with some bumps in the road but it was pretty clear about halfway through the season that they would once again be a threat in Class 2A. After losing to Paris, Texas in the season opener and getting beaten down by Holland Hall, (who didn’t get blown out by the eventual 3A champs) Metro would find their footing and make a run at another state championship. The Patriots would get everyone’s attention in week six when they went on the road and beat Beggs 14-6. The Patriots would run away with another district championship and they would be on the side of the 2A playoff bracket that was a little kinder.
After blanking Rejoice Christian in their playoff opener, Metro would see Vian in the next round. It was a rematch of last year’s state championship game and the result remained the same as the Patriots ended Vian’s season yet again. It was at this point that the Patriots had my full attention and became one of the favorites. They would survive a scare from Marlow in the quarterfinals and then put up a combined 103 points in their semifinal and championship victories. We’ll have more about him in our breakout star section but remember the name Kirk Francis Kirk Francis 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Metro Christian | 2023 State OK . The sophomore quarterback has the chance to be one of the best in the state over the next two seasons.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Carson May
Carson
May
6'5" | QB
Jones | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback – Jones
Jones standout
Carson May
Carson
May
6'5" | QB
Jones | 2022
State
OK
is the best quarterback prospect in the state of Oklahoma today. He has all the tools and it’s only a matter of time before his recruitment blows up. However, his junior season saw May take that next step in becoming that best prospect. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also ran for 650 yards and 14 touchdowns, making him a dual-threat to defend. When it comes to his future, May should be considered a traditional quarterback with some of the best arm talent we’ve seen in the last few years. May can make every throw on the field and he helped lead Jones to becoming one of 2A’s bigger contenders this season. May had some very talented players around him that will be graduating. We’re looking forward to seeing what he does with a new skill group.
BREAKOUT STARS
Collin Matteson
Collin
Matteson
6'0" | 180 lbs | WR
Oklahoma Christian School | 2022
State
OK
– Wide Receiver/Defensive Back – Oklahoma Christian School
We knew about OCS standout
Collin Matteson
Collin
Matteson
6'0" | 180 lbs | WR
Oklahoma Christian School | 2022
State
OK
coming into the 2020 season but he went from being a “name to know” to one of the best players in Class 2A football. Matteson really improved in between his freshman and sophomore seasons and then came back and made another leap in talent. He was one of the best two-way players in Oklahoma, regardless of class. He finished the season on defense with ten interceptions and was one of the best ball hawks in the state. He led OCS to a semifinal appearance. With Matteson coming back in 2021, OCS will still remain a serious contender in Class 2A and we can’t wait to see how he improves going into next year.
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
– Quarterback – Metro Christian
Before the 2020 season, we looked at what Metro Christian’s
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
did as a freshman, playing JV ball. We wanted to see all the skills we saw from Francis translate to the varsity level. Not only did it translate but Francis continued to get better as he helped lead the Patriots to the state championship. In that championship game, Francis played flawless football in a game where Metro only ran the ball a handful of times. The Patriots won their second straight gold ball behind the arm of their sophomore quarterback and it’s very clear that the Patriots once again have one of the best quarterbacks in Oklahoma. And he has two more years to make an impact.
Triton Chandler
Triton
Chandler
6'2" | 195 lbs | QB
Victory Christian | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback – Victory Christian
We stay at the quarterback position for our next breakout star. But we start with a disclaimer. Victory Christian played one of the toughest schedules in 2A football this season. The record wasn’t completely indicative of how talented this team was. The Conquerors enjoyed the breakout season of junior quarterback
Triton Chandler
Triton
Chandler
6'2" | 195 lbs | QB
Victory Christian | 2022
State
OK
. Under first year head coach Ben Palmer, Victory Christian and Chandler put up some monster numbers on the offensive side of the ball. Chandler ended up being one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state this year. He put up some monster numbers throwing and running the ball. Expect more going into the new year.
OTHER TOP PLAYERS
Cade Gibson
Cade
Gibson
6'1" | LB
Metro Christian | 2021
State
OK
– Linebacker – Metro Christian
One of the main returning players for Metro Christian was linebacker
Cade Gibson
Cade
Gibson
6'1" | LB
Metro Christian | 2021
State
OK
. The senior standout was a huge part of their championship run in 2019 and had more of a role as the Patriots went back to back. Gibson not only finished with over 100 tackles on defense, he also showcased his skills on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver. In the state championship game against Washington, Gibson and the Metro defense made things miserable for the Warrior offense. Gibson was consistently in the backfield.
CJ Brown
CJ
Brown
6'1" | RB
Beggs | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back – Beggs
Already committed to Oklahoma State, Beggs junior
CJ Brown
CJ
Brown
6'1" | RB
Beggs | 2022
State
OK
has already established himself as one of the top football players in the state. This year was no different as Beggs would make another trip to the semifinals. Brown is also a standout on the defensive side of the ball but you can’t help but enjoy the tape that Brown puts together at the running back position. Brown is one of the absolute best running backs in the state and there’s a reason why he’s a highlight machine. Brown will have an even heavier load in 2021.
Elijah Reed
Elijah
Reed
5'9" | WR
Jones | 2021
State
OK
– Wide Receiver – Jones
With his quarterback very clearly one of the best in the state, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jones wide receiver
Elijah Reed
Elijah
Reed
5'9" | WR
Jones | 2021
State
OK
was on the other end of some big time plays throughout the 2020 season. However, the main reason he’s on this list is the versatility he played with this season. He was a big time threat when he got the ball in his hands and scored touchdowns in a variety of ways this season for the Longhorns. In addition to standing out as a slot receiver, Reed would also end up with plenty of reps running the ball.
Jace Gilbert
Jace
Gilbert
6'2" | 205 lbs | K
Marlow | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback/Kicker – Marlow
You read that right, Marlow’s
Jace Gilbert
Jace
Gilbert
6'2" | 205 lbs | K
Marlow | 2022
State
OK
is a quarterback and kicker. And his future is honestly brightest as a kicker as he’s one of the best in Oklahoma’s 2022 class. However, he’s a fantastic athlete and also played exceptionally well for Marlow at the quarterback position. Similar to
Logan Ward
Logan
Ward
5'11" | K
Deer Creek | 2021
State
OK
at Deer Creek, Gilbert is a kicker that also happens to be one of the best athletes on his team. But don’t get confused, Gilbert is without a doubt a kicking prospect and he’ll be one of the higher rated at the position going into next year.
Kendal Daniels
Kendal
Daniels
6'4" | DB
Beggs | 2021
State
OK
– Wide Receiver/Defensive Back – Beggs
He’s without a doubt the top prospect in Oklahoma’s 2021 class and has been for over a year now. Beggs senior
Kendal Daniels
Kendal
Daniels
6'4" | DB
Beggs | 2021
State
OK
has signed on the dotted line with Texas A&M. Daniels is headed to College Station as a defensive back but he was a two-way star for the Demons this fall. In addition to standing out on the defensive side of the ball, he was Beggs’ home run hitter at the receiver position. He put up some monster numbers on offense and finished with over 100 tackles on defense. He helped lead Beggs back to the semifinals.
Nate Ratcliff
Nate
Ratcliff
6'0" | 185 lbs | QB
Adair | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback – Adair
Adair won ten games again and were one of the main contenders in 2A before being bounced by Washington in the quarterfinals. Leading the way for the Warriors was junior quarterback
Nate Ratcliff
Nate
Ratcliff
6'0" | 185 lbs | QB
Adair | 2022
State
OK
. The lefty took his game to the next level this year and became even more efficient throwing the ball. Ratcliff is one of the better passers in Oklahoma and that was certainly a skillset that he brought into 2020. However, he exceeded preseason expectations and had a great completion percentage and touchdown to interception ratio.
Noah Alexander
Noah
Alexander
5'9" | RB
Eufaula | 2021
State
OK
– Running Back – Eufaula
Eufaula was one of those teams in 2A that flew somewhat under the radar. Part of that had to do with the 0-2 start. Another reason was they weren’t in one of the marquee districts. However, a big reason why Eufaula dominated their district and had a shot at making a run to the title game was senior running back
Noah Alexander
Noah
Alexander
5'9" | RB
Eufaula | 2021
State
OK
. Like his team, Alexander has flown somewhat under the radar but there is no doubt that he’s one of the better running backs in the senior class. He’s already signed with Army after a successful senior season.
Rickey Hunt Jr
Rickey
Hunt Jr
6'0" | 175 lbs | RB
Millwood | 2023
State
OK
– Running Back – Millwood
Millwood has gone through some growing pains over the last two seasons but they’ll be a force to watch out for in the near future. A big reason behind that is running back
Rickey Hunt Jr
Rickey
Hunt Jr
6'0" | 175 lbs | RB
Millwood | 2023
State
OK
The Millwood standout got hurt early on in his freshman season in 2019 and missed the majority of it. He was without a doubt the best weapon for the Falcons on the offensive side of the ball. Whether he’s taking a hand off, catching a pass or just lining up and taking the direct snap, Hunt is a home run threat every time he touches the ball.
Solomon Wright
Solomon
Wright
6'1" | DL
Vian | 2021
State
OK
– Defensive Tackle – Vian
The first of two dominating defensive players for Vian is senior
Solomon Wright
Solomon
Wright
6'1" | DL
Vian | 2021
State
OK
. The Wolverine defensive tackle has signed to play college ball at Arkansas and 2A coaches have to be happy that this big man is graduating in May and will be terrorizing SEC offenses in the future. Wright has been a one-man wrecking crew against 2A competition and I’ve made this statement several times. It seems unfair for Wright to play against some of the teams that he goes against. His combination of size, speed and strength has dismantled opposing offenses.
Xavin Lackey
Xavin
Lackey
6'2" | LB
Vian | 2022
State
OK
– Linebacker – Vian
We stay with Vian for our last player and stay on the defensive side of the ball with junior linebacker
Xavin Lackey
Xavin
Lackey
6'2" | LB
Vian | 2022
State
OK
. The junior standout enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore and only continued to improve his game going into his junior season. Lackey has already established himself as one of the top linebackers in the 2022 class and his recruiting stock will only continue to go up as his junior film continues to make the rounds. He finished with over ten sacks on the season and will have a much bigger role going into next season.
TOP STORYLINE
Completely Unpredictable
Since Class 3A moved back to just 32 teams, Class 2A has been one of the most competitive and deepest classes in Oklahoma. And that remained the same in 2020. However, it came with a twist. Over the last several years, 2A has been deep but they’ve also had their fair share of big dogs that ran things. This year, Class 2A was completely unpredictable each and every week. Coming into the playoffs, finalists Metro Christian and Washington were ranked #7 and #5 respectively. Both made improbable runs to the state championship game. Here’s the perfect example of just how unpredictable Class 2A became this season. In the regular season finale, Cascia Hall went on the road and beat Keys 34-21. The Commandos locked up the district championship and were one of the main contenders going into the playoffs. After having a bye week in the first round, they would host Keys, just two weeks after beating them on the road. Cascia was upset 16-14 and knocked out of the playoffs in just the second round.
EARLY LOOK AT 2021
It’s hard to look at Metro Christian with quarterback Kirk Francis Kirk Francis 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Metro Christian | 2023 State OK and not have them at or near the top of Class 2A going into 2021. However, when you break down that roster, the Patriots will lose a lot of talented players that stood out around Francis. The two-time champs will have to reload going into 2021. The same argument can be said about Jones with their star quarterback Carson May Carson May 6'5" | QB Jones | 2022 State OK . The Longhorns will have May back but he loses a lot of skill players around him. Washington is a team that always finds a way to win at least ten games and compete for a deep run so there’s no reason to think they’ll be going anywhere. Then you have several teams like Beggs, Millwood and Vian that bring back some really good players but they also lose some key pieces to graduation. Like we mentioned above, over the last several years, Class 2A has been very deep and there’s no reason to think that it won’t be the same in 2021.