Handing out mid-season hardware
With the high school football season at its midway point, Jacob Unruh hands out his Mid-season All-City Player of the Year awards for each class.
Just like that it’s Week 6.
In just a short amount of time we’ve reached the midpoint of the high school football regular season. District races have tightened. Big moments and comebacks have highlighted various games.
It’s only appropriate to recognize some of the significant performances from the first half from around the Oklahoma City area.
So, keeping in tradition that Scott Wright started last season, here is a look at the Mid-Season AllCity Player of the Year for each class, but keep in mind this is not a projection for The Oklahoman’s postseason honors.
Class 6A: Jalen Redmond, DE/LB, Midwest City
It’s appropriate to start with a defensive player the caliber of Redmond, an Oklahoma commitment.
He’s big, physical and extremely fast. He’s also the best game-changer in the area right now. Look at his performance two weeks ago in Lawton. With the Bombers clinging to a lead late in the game, he had three straight sacks. The third forced a fumble that he recovered to seal the victory.
He’s capable of doing that every game and could Friday at Choctaw in a big district matchup.
Class 5A: Dominic Richardson, RB, McGuinness
One of the top running backs in the state, Richardson has captivated people around the metro the first half of the season. And he’s only a sophomore.
Against Tulsa Kelley, he rushed for 278 yards. Against Enid, it was 345 yards. Then he had 283 against Woodward. Last week, he had 196 yards. In total, he’s compiled 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns while helping an Irish team that lost a plethora of offensive weapons remain one of the classification’s top teams entering Friday’s huge game at No. 1 Carl Albert.
Class 4A: Brayden James, QB, Tecumseh
The senior dual-threat quarterback doesn’t carry some of the star power other players do, but he’s been huge for a resurgent Tecumseh team.
James has 838 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 9.5 yards per carry, leading Tecumseh to a 3-2 start. The three wins are two more than last season, which ended with nine straight losses. He’s leading Tecumseh into a tough stretch, though, with Ada, Bethany and Tuttle all remaining.
Class 3A: J.D. Head, QB, Jones
Following up a Division I quarterback who was nearly flawless last season is no small task. Someone tell Head that.
The sophomore has been impressive while leading No. 1 Jones to a 6-0 start. He’s completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,239 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s thrown six interceptions, but that can be attributed to his youth.
Class 2A: Peyton Wilson, QB, Luther
Another standout sophomore in the area, Wilson has Luther off to a perfect start as it ascends the Class 2A rankings to No. 6.
Last week, he was incredible. Wilson threw seven touchdown passes in a rout of Crooked Oak. On the year, he’s 72 of 119 for 1,259 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Class A: Seth Brown, WR, Cashion
Brown has been a force for Cashion as it enters Friday’s rivalry matchup with undefeated Crescent.
In a Week 3 win over Prague, he had four touchdown catches and 329 receiving yards on a total of 16 receptions. He and Case Cochran have helped Griffin Lamb transition smoothly to his new school and offense.
Class B: Jordan West, Ath., Davenport
An athletic player who shines in big moments, West has helped turn tough games into routs for No. 2 Davenport, which is undefeated despite a grueling schedule. He played just the second half of last week’s comeback against Dewar, making a big difference.
Class C: Sam Webb, QB, Southwest Covenant
The best player on the area’s best Class C team, Southwest Covenant goes as Webb goes. He’s led the way to a 5-1 start and put his team in position to challenge for the district title.