Vian hosts No. 1 Washington in opener

LEA LESSLEY SPORTS WRITER

Vian begins its 2022 high school football season Friday night when the Wolverines host Class 2A top-ranked Washington inside Charlie St. John Stadium.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. The Wolverines were 10-2 last season and won the District 2A-5 title. Sixth-ranked Vian defeated Atoka 61-0 at home in their playoff opener before falling 44-24 to fifth-ranked Beggs at home in the second round of the postseason.

Vian‚s returning starters on offense are quarterback Diego Ramos, running back Desean Mays, offensive linemen Marshal Ross, Nick Scoggins and Cash Collins and tight end Destry Bethel.

The Wolverines‚ returning starters on defense are Gage Carlton and Collins at the outside linebacker positions, Ross at one of the defensive linemen spots and Ramos and Mays at the corners.

Washington, which is located about 15 miles south of Norman, was 14-1 overall last season after losing 17-13 to Marlow in the Class 2A state championship game.

“Obviously ranked No. 1,” Vian head coach Gary Willis said. “They‚re very well coached. Don‚t make mistakes. Really solid quarterback. Really solid running back. Two big tight ends. They‚re a good team.”

Some of Tuttle‚s standouts on offense are quarterback Major Cantrell (5-foot-10, 178-pound junior), running back Cole Scott (5-10, 180, sr.), tight ends Cooper Alexander (6-4, 215, jr.) and Nate Roberts (6-4, 215, soph.), wide receiver Cage Morris (6-3, 177, jr.) and offensive linemen Wyatt McCauley (5-10, 228, sr.), Caleb Bruce (5-11, 250, sr.) and Tanner Winlock (6-0, 257, jr.).

Last season Cantrell passed for about 2,500 yards and 33 touchdowns, Scott rushed for 1,900 yards and 31 TDs and Morris totaled 534 receiving yards.

“They‚re pretty multiple on offense,” Willis said. “They‚re about 50 percent run, 50 percent pass. They‚ll be spread and then come in with double tight ends so they‚re just kind of a multiple spread offense is what they are. They don‚t use a lot of running backs in the backfield.”

Balance is a defensive key for the Wolverines Friday night.

“They‚re pretty 50/50, they can run it and throw it,” said Willis “They‚re going to get their yards, we just need to make them work for those and not give up big plays.”

Washington‚s base defense is the 3-4 some of their standouts are defensive lineman Hayden Milner (6-5, 224, sr.), safety Jaxon Hendrix (6-0, 170, sr.), outside linebacker Ben Vaughn (5-10, 145, jr.) and defensive ends Nate Roberts and Cooper Alexander.

Last season Milner registered 12 sacks and Vaughn recorded 76 tackles and four sacks.

“They‚re just pretty solid,” Willis said. “They‚re a 3-4 against the spread and you put a tight end in and they adjust and it‚s still a 3-4 but it looks like a 4-3. Pretty base defense and they‚re just good at it.

“Going out and establishing the run is a key for our offense and being able to play-action off of that run.”

Vian scrimmaged at Sequoyah-Tahlequah last Friday.

“I was pleased,” Willis said about the scrimmage. “A lot of young guys stepped up, which we need them to. They‚re not where we want them to be but it was a pretty good scrimmage. Masyn (Wright) looked really good. You couldn‚t tell he was a freshman if you didn‚t know he was. Him, Diego (Ramos) or Desean (Mays), one of those three, would have been near the top three kids in the scrimmage. I know Checotah has a kid getting recruited by Arkansas that is a good player but our three top guys fit right in and Masyn played well.”