CLAREMORE ZEBRAS
Coach – JARRETT HURT
OFFENSE
The Claremore Zebras are returning a majority of starters from last season’s squad that went 6-4 and made the Class 5A playoffs. With seven offensive starters and seven defensive starters back, fifth-year head coach, Jarrett Hurt says he is ready to get his guys on the field.
“We are excited about the players we have returning this year,” he said. “I think that the experience we are bringing back will be really beneficial this year.”
Noah Smallwood (5-10, 150, Sr.) started for the team at quarterback last season and was on his way to a solid season before tearing his ACL in the fourth game of the season. Stepping up to fill in after Smallwood’s injury was Scout Cutsinger (6-1, 160, Jr.), who ended the season with 676 passing yards and nine touchdown passes. Returning to anchor the offensive line and be protection for the quarterback will be Blake Bacon (6-1, 240, Sr.), Roman Morris (6-1, 260, Sr.), and Kade Steelmon (6-1, 240, Sr.).
Carson Young (6-3, 170, Sr.) will be back at wide receiver after pulling in ten catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.
DEFENSE
The Zebra’s bring back a lot of familiar faces to a defense that allowed an average of twenty-one points per game a year ago. They will look to slow down the opponents while emphasizing stopping the run. Defensive ends BK Seago (6-0, 195, Sr.) and Seth Bell (6-1, 200, Jr.) are back after combining for 131 tackles, sixteen tackles for loss, and fourteen sacks on the line last season. The linebacker corps of Aidan Stimson (5-10, 180, Sr.), Teagan Panther (5-9, 165, Sr.), and Ethan Grimett (6-1, 240, Sr.) are all three back for their final season and are ready to make a bigger impact this season. Stimson ended last season with 69 tackles, while Panther had 67 tackles and an interception. Also, Grimett tallied 58 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. Before his injury last year, Smallwood played at defensive back and had six interceptions in just four games.
9-3 – vs. Bartlesville
9-10 – vs. Oologah
9-17 – at Catoosa
9-24 – at Glenpool
10-1 – vs. Tulsa Memorial
10-8 – at Collinsville
10-14 – vs. Tahlequah
10-22 – at Tulsa Hale
10-29 – vs. Sapulpa
11-5 – at Pryor
