Oklahoma Class 2A state championship preview: Washington, Oklahoma City Millwood get much-anticipated rematch

The Warriors and Falcons survived close calls last week to return to Edmond

Washington High and Oklahoma City Millwood are no strangers to each other.

The two programs met in the final game of the 2022 season with a state title on the line, and it was the Warriors who came away with a hard-fought 17-14 victory to complete an undefeated season with the team’s second-ever championship.

Yet, it had become an urban legend that before Washington went on to celebrate, they told the coaches at Millwood that they would see them next year with a title on the line again.

While that could have been viewed as a throwaway line from a victorious coaching staff, it was more about two programs that respect what the other can do and had a feeling Part 2 was coming.

“We basically told one another, we will see you next year,” Washington coach Brad Beller said. “And then right before the season started, we were leaving the All-State game before our coaches meeting started and (Millwood) Coach (Darwin) Franklin was like, ‘Well, we'll see you guys in December.' And so that's kind of one of those things where I feel like both programs respect each other so much.

"We believe in our programs, but we also believe in who Millwood is and what they're about and the fact that we believe in both of our abilities to get there. So yeah, both of our programs knew that we were going to have a shot to be back in.”

It turns out Beller and Franklin were right. Washington (14-0) and Millwood (13-1) will face off at 7 p.m. Saturday for the Class 2A state championship at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

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The Falcons will be vying for the program’s eighth gridiron championship. However, the last came in 2017.

While both teams cruised throughout much of the regular season, Millwood did have a tougher schedule to contend with early on. In the season opener, they faced 3A defending champion Heritage Hall in what many thought would be the game of the year.

Instead, the Chargers rolled to a 47-24 victory. That would be the last loss the Falcons would suffer this season as they have won 13 straight contests and outscored their opponents 521-183.

But that streak almost came to an end in last week’s semifinal game against Kiefer. It took a superhuman 77-yard kick return touchdown as time expired by University of Oklahoma commit Jaden Nickens in the final seconds to secure a 34-29 victory and a spot in the title game.

"I love this team and this program more than anything," Nickens told local media. "I promised myself and my teammates that we'd come back after we lost last year.

"This feeling right now to be back with the chance to compete for a title again is what pushed me all year to get better — and here we are doing what I said we would."

Along with Nickens, the Falcons are paced by quarterback CJ Turnbull and tailback Cameron Carter.

But Beller observed Millwood is more than a team full of talent.

“I think the biggest thing is matching their discipline. I hate it when people say Millwood is the talented team and they've got all the talent,” Beller said. “Well, they are talented. But what makes Millwood great is their discipline and they are physical. I feel like that's an oversimplification of their program.

"I don't think it gives the kids or their coaches enough credit whenever you just say, they're just talented and that's the reason why they win. They win because they work hard. They're disciplined.”

On the other side of the field, the Warriors' roster is also filled with future college athletes. They include Cooper Alexander (Iowa State), Hudson Howard, Nate Roberts (a standout tight end who earlier this season de-committed from Notre Dame), Max Wilson and Major Cantrell. 

Washington has been even more dominating throughout the season as they have outscored opposing squads, 657-100. That included a string of six consecutive shutouts.

But also like Millwood, Washington’s toughest game came during the semifinals. After spotting Jones an 18-point lead, the Warriors stormed back for a 35-34 win.

This is the fourth straight year that Washington has made it to the season finale. For the senior class, that is 61 weeks of high school football.

But this will be the first time the Warriors enter the game as the defending champion.

“I think it takes some of what you would probably call desperation off of it,” Beller said. “You're already dying to win. You want to win, you push to win. That's what you get at this point. The fact that we won it, I don't feel like there's any pressure.

"Even though we're the defending state champion, I don't feel like there's the pressure that we had last year after losing the previous two. The pressure is just going out and winning a big game versus Millwood.” 

-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK