Oklahoma High School Weekly

Hilldale sophomore Hayden Pickering plays both kinds of football. He's a wider receiver and cornerback on the Hornet football team, and he's a high scoring forward on the soccer team. He's on pace to easily surpass 50 goals in his second year on the varsity. He would love to win a state championship, break the state career scoring record and earn a scholarship to play collegiately.

Junior Midfielder Roman Hemphill is one of the state's best soccer players. Roman and his Edmond Memorial Bulldog teammates share a family atmosphere that has helped put them in position to contend for the 6A Boys Soccer State Championship. Roman plays for his Father, Edmond Memorial Coach Jake Hemphill who has helped build and nurture Roman's soccer skills. Roman's next goal will be a Division I scholarship.

Deion revisits his conversations with Booker T. Washington Athletics historian La'mar Burks and Don King, the voice of the Jenks Trojans. Coach Burks grew up near BTW and fulfilled his childhood dream of playing for the Hornets. He was on the BTW state football championship team in 1973. He's made a vocation of compiling and curating BTW's amazing athletic history. He shares more tales from BTW's historic legacy. Don King has a long history of covering high school sports in Oklahoma. He talks about the current state of athletics in Oklahoma.

Stailee Heard is a Senior Combo Guard for the Sapulpa Lady Chieftains. She scored 41 points, including the game winning basket in the waning seconds of Sapulpa's 75-74 win over Holland Hall in the 5A Girls State Basketball Championship Game. Stailee grew up in a basketball family but has competed in volleyball and track as well. Her parents, Tony and Lila played college basketball at the University of Tulsa. Stailee and her sister Tyla have been teammates at Sapulpa where you might say they've exhibited 'Heard Mentality' in their play. Stailee is headed to Stillwater to play collegiately with the Oklahoma State Cowgirls.

Brandon Garrison is the 6'9" Center of the 5A Boys Basketball State Champion Del City Eagles. He will be continuing his basketball career at Oklahoma State. Brandon is a McDonald's All-American who loves his Mother's cooking, English class and basketball. You'll want to hear about his interesting connection to Jay-Z.

Elle Papahronis is a Senior on the Edmond North Huskies 2023 6A Girls State Championship Basketball team. Elle credits the success of her basketball career and the success of their team to the rigorous coaching of her father, Head Coach Pete Papahronis. Under the guidance of Coach Papahronis the Huskies have won their second 6A Girls title in a row. They successfully defended their title in a season where fans expected them to win again. Elle will be going to the University of San Francisco to play college basketball. Elle and Pete share a love of Greek island vacations, Corvettes and championship basketball.

Ford High School Weekly has all the action of the 6A and 5A Girls and Boys State Basketball Championships. Deion Imade reports from the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman as the best teams in the state battle for the right to be called a state champion. Catch the big plays and hear what the coaches and players have to say about hoisting that Gold Ball.

Choctaw's Peyton Hand became Oklahoma's first 4-time state champion in Girls Wrestling. When she began competing as a young child most of her opponents were boys. Now that Oklahoma girls have their own division, Peyton has taken full advantage with four championships and a commitment to Ottawa University. History is one of her favorite subjects so it's appropriate that Peyton's championship excellence is now a part of Oklahoma High School Wrestling history.

Loren Montgomery became the head coach of the Bixby Spartans in 2010. Over the last 12 years he has steadily built the Spartan football program into one of the Oklahoma's perennial powers. Bixby won 7 Class 6A II championships from 2014 through 2021. This year Bixby moved up to Class 6A I where their success continued as the Spartans won their 8th football championship in the last nine years. Also, Michael Knight joins Deion to talk about the 2A title game and the Colorado Buffaloes making recruiting moves in Oklahoma.

Enjoy highlights of all five championship games from week 1 of OSSAA state championship football. Deion Imade has the highlights and talks with the 6A II State Champion Stillwater Pioneers. Michael Knight joins Deion for more analysis of 2022 state championship games.

JV Haney was a key figure in the growth of televised high school sports in Oklahoma. He passed away recently. His longtime broadcast partner Don King shares some of his favorite memories of their work together. JV was also a hall of fame basketball coach. After retiring from coaching in 1986, he built a career broadcasting high school sports events in Oklahoma. Also in this episode Don King, the Voice of the Jenks Trojans talks about how he got started in sports broadcasting and analyzes the high school football playoffs. Later, Michael Knight weighs in on the prospects for the 5A championship game and talks about Prep Redzone Oklahoma's upcoming 7 on 7 event.

Kayla Fourkiller is the Girls Basketball Head Coach at Southmoore High School. In football season she's a line judge at high school football games. Kayla began as a penalty record keeper with an officiating crew that included her husband Will. Working as a game official now she's found coaches and players have welcomed her as part of the game. She tries to keep her interactions with officials as a basketball coach in mind when she's on the football field. Kayla Fourkiller's one of the trailblazers for women and girls who are interested in getting involved in high school football as officials.

Heritage Hall running back/defensive back River Faulkner is having an excellent senior year. Injuries kept him out of playoff games as a sophomore and a junior. He's hoping to participate in the playoffs his senior year and earn a Gold Ball with his Charger teammates. History is his favorite subject so winning a state championship would be a nice historic way to end his high school football career. River also participates in Esports and he's helped coach a 6th grade football team. Michael Knight joins Deion Imade to break down the Class 3A playoff race.

Union Redhawk senior Grayson Tempest was a starting quarterback a year ago. This year he's moved to wide receiver where he's an explosive threat as a pass receiver and returner. The undefeated Redhawks have unearned a first-round playoff bye. Grayson's looking forward to the team getting back on the field to pursue their quest for the Gold Ball. Also, Michael Knight and Deion review the big week 10 battles that featured Jenks and Bixby in 6A-I and Stillwater and Muskogee in 6A-II.

Sophomore Quarterback Jamarian Ficklin and the Muskogee Roughers are undefeated through 8 games. After a 2-8 campaign in '21, Jamarian says the Roughers improvement is the result of a team that has bonded and put in extra effort on the field, and off. Jamarian is a numbers guy who enjoys algebra II and likes the numbers the Roughers are putting up this fall. He's a focused leader working to improve his football skills with football preparation and the benefits of participating in basketball, baseball and track.

Coweta's Na'Kylan Starks didn't get to play as a junior because of injury. Now he's making the most of his senior year. His play at quarterback has led the Tigers to a 7-0 start. Now Na'Kylan and his teammates are hoping to finish strong and go deep into the playoffs. They want to earn a shot at the 5A State Championship and a Gold Ball.

Dean Ruhl of the Tulsa World is in the early months of his tenure as High School Sports Beat Writer for the Tulsa World. He enjoys the world of Oklahoma High School Sports, learning the ropes from veteran reporters like Barry Lewis and Bill Haisten. Dean Ruhl's love of sports led him into a job where sports are the focus of his work. Deion also talks with Prep Redzone's Michael Knight about the stretch drive in high school football and be sure to catch the highlights from the Ford Game of the Week telecasts.

Kamden Sixkiller is getting his moment to shine as the starting quarterback for the Norman North Timberwolves. He had an outstanding performance against Broken Arrow on September 30th. He wants to make that his typical, rather than exceptional level of play. He's overcome a childhood injury to excel at the game he loves. As for wearing number 6, Kamden says it's all in the family if you're a Sixkiller.

Dietrich Moore is a senior linebacker for the Broken Arrow Tigers. He grew up playing baseball and football. Dietrich says he used to 'fly around' the outfield as a baseball player. Now he's flyin' around making plays for the Broken Arrow football team. An injury late in the 2021 season kept him out of playoff games. This year he wants to be in as many playoff games as possible. With an interest in forensics, he's investigating his college options.

Senior Gage Gundy is the starting quarterback for the Stillwater Pioneers. Coming from a family of quarterbacks, football has always been a part of his life. He's hoping the Pioneers can make a deep run into the playoffs this fall. He tries to model his play after dual threat quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Josh Allen. In addition, Gage is also an excellent baseball player who has a lot of options for collegiate athletics. That combination means he's looking at a bright future.

Devin Robinson is a senior defensive back/safety for the Union Redhawks. His star shone brightly in the Backyard Bowl as he blocked a punt, intercepted two passes and returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown. This defensive leader for Union is committed to the University of Tulsa. He's interested in becoming a chiropractor and plans to study sports medicine at TU. But right now, he wants to enjoy his senior season and work for a shot at the Gold Ball in December.

Emily Barkley is the Athletic Director of the Union School District. In a time when Title IX has expanded sports opportunities for girls and women, Emily Barkley has made the most of those opportunities. She played basketball and soccer at Union High School. She oversaw the recent reconstruction of Union Tuttle Stadium and is preparing to host the MidFirst Bank Backyard Bowl for the second year in a row at Union High School. Check out Ford Game of the Week highlights from Edmond Santa Fe at Choctaw and Owasso at Jenks.

Emily Barkley is the Athletic Director of the Union School District. In a time when Title IX has expanded sports opportunities for girls and women, Emily Barkley has made the most of those opportunities. She played basketball and soccer at Union High School. She went to college with the goal of a career in athletics and in 2012 she was named Athletic Director at Union. Hear Emily's story of her path from player to administrator.

You can't wait for high school football to get started and neither does Ford High School Weekly. Deion Imade goes to the Bixby Fall Classic to check out the Spartans, the BTW Hornets and the Broken Arrow Tigers. Michael Knight from Prep Redzone joins Deion to go over teams and players you'll want to be on the lookout for this fall.

Choctaw's senior quarterback Steele Wasel comes from an athletic family. His grandfather also played quarterback at Choctaw and was Steele's childhood coach. In his sophomore year, the Yellowjackets were runners up in 6A II. This year Steele and his teammates want to finish the season with a state championship. Steele will be heading to Akron to play college ball, but this summer he's spending time with friends and preparing for his senior season that he hopes can be super.

Mike Ziegenhorn and Rod Thompson join Deion to talk about the Ford Game of the Week. They'll get you ready for high school football and remind you of great games and memories, and to let you know about some of the great matchups on the Ford Game of the Week this fall. Sand Springs Athletic Director Rod Sitton and Sapulpa Athletic Director Michael Rose talk with Deion about the American Heritage Bank Highway 97 Rivalry. That game featuring Sand Springs at Sapulpa will kick off Tulsa area Ford Game of the Week telecasts on August 26th.

Lathan Boone is a senior at Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School. He's the quarterback of the Hornet football team and a sharpshooter on the basketball team. BTW is part of his family heritage. Math is his favorite area of study in school. So it's no surprise that his numbers add up to success on and off the field. Check out his recruiting prospects and learn how Lathan Boone plans to contribute to the legacy of Booker T. Washington High School.

This week Ford High School Weekly sits down with two leaders from the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association. Executive Director David Jackson talks about preparations for the new school year, arranging venues for championship competitions, implementing new rules and policies, managing reclassifications and the rules and policies for eligibility related to transfers. Director of Officials Grant Gower discusses the challenges that come with being a game official, a new intentional grounding rule and how the OSSAA is responding to a shortage of officials. If you'd like to become an official, go to OSSAA.com and select the Officials tab.

Michael Knight from Prep Redzone surveys the football recruiting scene as the summer commitment season gets hot. Catch up on the latest commitments. See how the Arkansas Razorbacks are raising their recruiting profile in Oklahoma. Find out which players are still deciding and who's improving their position on recruiting charts.

Jalyn Stanford of Jenks is a multi-position player for the Trojans. He sees time in the offensive backfield, the defensive backfield, as a wide receiver and as a kick returner. His athletic skill and versatility put him in a position to accept a football scholarship offer to join the University of Houston Cougars. In 2021, Jalyn and the Trojans won the 6AI State Championship. In his senior year, Jalyn hopes the Trojans can win another Gold Ball trophy at the end of the season. Be sure to check out Jalyn's winning strategy for Big Brother, and his choice of the best NBA players.

For the past two years and nearly 100 episodes, Ford High School Weekly has championed all those who participate in and support high school athletics. From gridiron stars and hoop dreamers to sports reporters and coaches, we've gotten to know them all. Join us as we revisit several past interviews and memorable moments talking with those at the top of athletics in Oklahoma.

Bartlesville's Junior point guard David Castillo is now ESPN's number 1 ranked high school point guard in the class of '24. He was a gold medalist with the 2021 USA Basketball Under 16 National Team winning the championship in Xalpala, Mexico last sumer. He's working with his Bartlesville teammates to make a run on the state title in 2023. Catch his top five favorite musicians, his work to improve his skills, his play with Team Griffin and how recruiting is going as he enters his junior year. Also this week, meet the Union Girls Wrestling team that formed in July of 2021 and won a state championship in their first season this past March.

In part 2 of Ford High School Weekly's two part series on today's world of college recruiting we hear more from the Oklahoman's Cameron Jourdan, Prep Redzone's Michael Knight and Owasso Football Coach Bill Blankenship. The Covid-19 pandemic, rule changes, social media, Name Image Likeness options and the Transfer Portal have created a challenging environment in college athletic recruiting. So how does the hopeful high school athlete navigate this process? The answer is, very carefully. Take advantage of the knowledge and experience of our panel of experts to better understand today's recruiting process.

The Prep Redzone Showcase is an event for high school football players to make an impression on coaches and recruiters. Deion Imade talks with players and coaches about the opportunities that an event like the Showcase can create. Check out the work and the competition at the Prep Redzone Showcase.

Parker Friedrichsen is a combo Guard for the Bixby basketball team who recently committed to Oklahoma State. He's also the number 2 bag on the Spartan golf team where he and his brothers Nick and Luke make up three fifths of the team. Find out how Parker's been working at refining his basketball skills, playing AAU Ball with KC RUN GMC and learn about his family connection to the game of golf. Also, Prep Redzone's Michael Knight spotlights the top football recruits in the class of 2024.

Union's Trent Pierce is a key member of the Redhawk Boys basketball team. At 6'9" he has the skills to play and defend any position on the floor. That's creating collegiate opportunities as he finishes his junior year in high school. He has an affinity for numbers that's reflected in his basketball statistics and his interest in engineering. His summer of AAU ball with Team Griffin will help him improve his performance, and position Trent and his Redhawk teammates to try to fulfill their dream of winning a Gold Ball next spring.

Michael Knight from Prep Redzone Oklahoma updates football recruiting. Get a preview of a prime recruiting opportunity for high school football players. Find out everything you need to know to participate in the Prep Redzone Showcase on April 30th. Don't miss highlights from Ford Game of the Week High School Soccer telecasts featuring Jenks at Union and Broken Arrow at Bixby.

Five years ago terms like Name Image Likeness, Transfer Portal and Covid were unknown. Today they have combined to alter the way colleges recruit high school athletes. Deion Imade talks with Owasso Coach Bill Blankenship, Cameron Jourdan, High School Sports Reporter for the Oklahoman and Michael Knight from Oklahoma Prep Redzone about the way college recruiting works now. They explain what's happening and share insights on how today's high school athletes can navigate this brave new world of recruiting.

Edmond North's Dylan Warlick had a double double with 28 points and 10 rebounds to help lead the Edmond North Huskies to the 2022 6A Boys State basketball championship. He got a lot of minutes as a freshman last year. That experience paid big dividends in '22 as he and his Husky teammates hoisted the Gold Ball in March. Hear the story of his basketball development and his experience playing varsity as a freshman. Find out what his go to pregame meal is, and if he wants to play basketball in college.

Senior Ben Averitt helped lead the Jenks Trojans to the 2022 State Tournament. At Jenks Ben grew in his understanding of the game under coach Clay Martin. He'd like to leave a legacy of competitiveness and winning basketball at Jenks. Next up Ben heads to UCO where the coaches and the on campus atmosphere made his decision easy. Ben loves his Mom's cooking, cool basketball shoes and hanging out with friends. Also catch highlights of the first Ford Game of the Week telecast of high school soccer.

Ford High School Weekly goes to the 2022 OSSAA 5A 6A State Basketball Championships in Norman, Oklahoma. Deion Imade covers all four championship games and talks with OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson about this year's event. Michael Knight has a football recruiting update and his take on Oklahoma state championship basketball.

Edmond North Junior Laci Steele and the Lady Huskies are in the State Tournament. With only one loss, the Huskies have been peak performers all winter long. Laci credits many early morning hours working with her Father for helping her develop the skills to compete at a high level. Under the guidance of Coach Pete Papahronis, Laci and her teammates hope to hoist that 6A Girls Gold Ball.

Tulsa Memorial Boys Basketball Coach Bobby Allison has his Chargers in position to make a run for the 5A Boys Gold Ball. After coming up a little short last year, the '22 Chargers hope to be playing and winning on the last day of the state tournament. Coach Allison enjoys music and cooking, two interests that may help him orchestrate the performance of his team and get the right mix of ingredients that could result in a state championship. He says his career success is built on the shoulders of coaches like Terry Scott, Robert Sprague and Eric Savage.

BTW's Aaron Potter comes from a family of basketball players. His heritage drives him to work hard toward his goals. It's no stretch to say that he's one of the best players in the state. He says a state championship would reward his teammates' efforts and help open the door to college basketball dreams.

Tulsa Central's Caylen Goff-Brown hopes to lead the Braves to the state tournament. Offers from SMU, ORU and UT-Arlington hold the promise of collegiate success and a degree in engineering. He credits his parents with guiding him toward excellence. Keep an eye on this all around performer in the playoffs.

Joshua Berry is in his third year as head coach of the Sand Springs Lady Sandites. He was a member of BTW's 2002 state championship team under the leadership of BTW's legendary Hall of Fame Coach Nate Harris. Coach Berry's Sandite Girls team has a winning attitude that they hope will carry them deep into the post season. Also, check out highlights of the 47th Annual Junior High State Wrestling Championships on Ford High School Weekly

Coach Eli Brown, III of Tulsa's Booker T. Washington Hornets has a smart, strong and talented team in 2022. The Hornets just won the Boys title at the Jenks Union Invitational and have their sights set on another tournament championship in March at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Coach Brown recognizes the meaning of Booker T.'s championship tradition and aims to build on that tradition. Michael Knight shares the latest news from the February 2nd Signing Day.

Tulsa Memorial's Ty Frierson is working to diversify his basketball abilities by adding defense and playmaking to his shot making skills. He has some local college offers but is on the lookout for a Division 1 opportunity. He'd like to add another state championship to Memorial's trophy case. Also, Michael Knight from Oklahoma Prep Redzone previews the February 2nd Signing Day so you'll be in the know about recruiting.

In the four seasons Keith Riggs has been Head Coach of the Jenks Trojan Football team, the Trojans have appeared in 4 straight 6A I state championship games winning titles in 2020 and 2021. Keith talks about the Trojans 2021 championship run, the support of the Jenks community, how he got started in coaching and more on Ford High School Weekly.

Ethan Rolen is the President of the Greater Tulsa Officials Association. Becoming an official gave Ethan the chance to stay in the sport he played and loved in high school. He has the scoop on how anyone who loves high school sports, especially football, can be a part of the game. Training for new officials begins in March. Find out here how to get in the game.

The Bixby Spartans have won their fourth consecutive 6A II state championship. In the course of that accomplishment their 2021 championship game is their 49th win in a row. Bixby's winning streak is now the longest in Oklahoma history as they move past Wagoner's record of 48 straight that ended in 2017. Bixby coach Loren Montgomery and Spartan players Braylin Presley, Jack Puckett and Preston Solomon talk with Deion Imade after their record setting victory. Catch highlights of the 6A- I championship game between Jenks and Union and check in with Prep Redzone's Michael Knight early signing day news.