STILLWATER, SOUTHMOORE HOST SCRIMMAGES

Check out Friday's action from scrimmages in Stillwater and Southmoore

STILL WATER— Qwontrel Walker feels and looks faster.

That's good news for Stillwater High School. It's bad news for opponents.

Walker, the Pioneers' star junior running back, is coming off a breakout season. But he wasn't satisfied, so he worked on his speed.

“Just watching my film,” Walker said. “I would get caught. There was a lot of runs if I was faster I could have scored.”

As Stillwater prepared for its season with a scrimmage against Norman, Yukon, Putnam North and Ponca City on Friday at Pioneer Stadium, focus was on quarterback Gunnar Gundy and receiver Anthony Bland as they put on a show.

Walker remains perhaps the Pioneers' biggest piece, a point he proved with multiple touchdown runs Friday night.

“He looks different in practice,” Stillwater coach Tucker Barnard said. “We've been chalking some of it up to maturity. He's playing faster. He looks really, really fast right now.

“He's 206 pounds. I don't really expect him to be a 4.4 guy. I think he's plenty fast.”

Walker rushed for 2,130 yards and 35 touchdowns while leading Stillwater to the Class 6A-II state championship game. He was on The Oklahoman's All-State team.

His biggest regret of the year was that former Tulsa Washington superstar Dax Hill tripped him up from behind in the state semifinals. He was the lone player to accomplish that, though Walker points out Hill didn't tackle him.

It was still motivation to work on his speed. He also grew an inch and a half from last season's listed height of 5-foot-8.

“I ran track and got a little faster,” Walker said. “Not a lot, but a little bit. I didn't have that break-off speed. Now, I feel like I can break off from most people.”

Norman receivers clicking

Norman quarterback Cade Horton gave Andrew Young the look.

What that is, nobody is saying. But it worked.

Early in the scrimmage, Horton fired a deep pass down the visitor's sideline, a perfect strike to Young for a 40-yard touchdown.

Two weeks before the season, Horton and his receivers are certainly on the same page.

“Our connection is really good,” Young said. “We have our signals. He's been throwing to me since the seventh grade. I knew I was going to burn that kid. He gave me that look and then I went up and caught it.”

Horton, who is committed to Oklahoma for baseball and football, looked on target throughout the night. He connected often with Young. He also connected with Jaden Bray, a basketball star who joined the team and is turning heads.

“They've really shown out,” Horton said.