Tornado Warning: Cyclone Football Starts 4-1
Grae Zedlitz, Staff Writer
Dominance is not an easy thing to accomplish in any sport. In recent years, “dominance” is the last word on the minds of many Cyclone Football fans, but of late, it’s not so out of the question. Casady began the season 4-1, falling only to Crossings by one score, 20-26. With a game against the Oklahoma City Patriots this week, Casady looks to enter the bye week at a blazing 5-1, which would rank first among class 3A-1 and second among class 2A-1 football teams in the OSSAA. The Cyclones started the season slow offensively, putting up only 38 total points in the first two games. However, the Cyclone defense has been a whirlwind of chaos for opposing offenses.
“I think our defense has honestly been the best throughout the first five games,” Quarterback Ethan Hamilton (‘25) said. “The run defense really hasn’t given up too many rushing touchdowns. The passing defense is getting better, and I think together our defense is probably the best thing about the team.”
The Cyclones defensive line is a nightmare for opponent offensive line groups, posting 15 sacks since week two. “Our defense has definitely been the best part of our season so far,” Lineman Ace Hodges (‘24) agreed. “It’s helped us pull through a lot of the close games we had in the start, and now that our offense is picking up, we’re beginning to blow teams out.”
Last year’s defense was shaky at times, most notably allowing 50 points to Guymon that required a record-breaking performance from the offense to claim victory. “Last year’s defense had a lot of Juniors and Underclassmen, but we have a lot of returning starters this year,” Ace continued. “Fortunately, a lot of the younger kids got varsity playing time last season, so they already have the experience that they otherwise would not have had.”
The Cyclone defense has allowed only 20 points per game this season, rallying behind seniors Connor Phelps (‘24) and Jackson Stewart (‘24) to provide a problem for opposing offenses. However impressive the defense is, the most noticeable improvement throughout the year is the offense. After a shaky start, they have broken out throughout the last three, putting up a flooring 101 points since week two.
A major part of the offensive attack is the ability to keep a balance between the pass and the run, which running back Andrew Fitzpatrick (‘26) leads on the ground. “I think our offense takes a little bit of getting used to. Especially as a quarterback, it’s very tough to play that position in our offense. There’s a lot of reads that Ethan has to go through. I think it’s about getting familiar with the offense. Last year he got a couple of varsity plays, but he had a collarbone injury that kept him from playing a lot. But I think in our last game, we finally found that spark. We’re starting to complete more passes, and the only thing left to improve is the short game. Once we get that down, I think it will be really hard to stop us.”
Andrew has had an amazing season in his first year as the Cyclones true starting running back, having split snaps with linebacker and running back Connor Phelps (‘24) last year. Andrew has posted 137 yards and 5 TDs in the last three weeks, averaging about 46 yards and 1.7 touchdowns per game.
Another major piece of the offense has been the dual-threat ability that Quarterback Ethan Hamilton brings to the offense. “I think it helps in an air-raid offense,” Ethan commented. “Everything’s a triple option. Handing it to Andrew, throwing it to a receiver, or me running it; it adds another threat that the defensive coordinator needs to account for.”
4-1 is no easy task for any team, and the Cyclones have hit their stride at the right time. In the last season of independence, the football team looks forward to improvement and new competition in the OSSAA. As Casady looks forward towards the bye week, there is a lot to be happy about, but always more to work on. As we move towards a new conference, consider the state put on a tornado watch as the Cyclones look to finish their season out with dominance.
