Markell Johnson and Edmond Memorial End Santa Fe Streak
EDMOND – A busy Friday night started at Casady High School in Oklahoma City where I saw Tulsa NOAH defensive end and 2024 Oklahoma State offer Daniel Okoye coming off a shoulder injury and showing he was as good as new against the Casady Cyclones (Updated story coming Sunday). The 6-5, 230-pound Okoye is such an elite prospect.
Then I went over to Edmond Memorial for the district opener between the Bulldogs and the dominant Santa Fe Wolves. There was a sign on the Santa Fe side that claimed the seniors in this class were in fourth grade the last time Memorial beat Santa Fe. Those demons were exercised on this night as Edmond broke a 7-7 tie in the third quarter when standout sophomore quarterback David McComb hit tight end Tanner Wolfe for a 45-yard touchdown pass down the middle to make it 14-7.
The Bulldogs on defense made it frustrating for Santa Fe and the ringleader was the same player we have bragged on as an emerging senior. Markell Johnson has overcome grade difficulties and is playing his best football. He lined up at safety, outside linebacker, and defensive end during the game and had three big tackles-for-loss and a sack.
He was a terror on defense and early in the fourth quarter, right when my camera battery died, he caught a 35-yard touchdown pass on a post route from McComb.
Johnson held on as he was hit right when the ball arrived. That made it 21-7 and gave Memorial some breathing room.
The Bulldogs later clinched it with a powerful drive that Rhett Winchester finished with a 20-yard run through the Wolves defense to make it 28-7. Victory formation followed after another defensive stop and the Bulldogs were now 3-1 and 1-0 in district play.
Johnson, who is standing out on both sides of the ball with double digit tackles-for-loss and spotting time on offense with eight carries rushing for 164-yards and a touchdown and three receptions for 99-yards and a touchdown. He is a true all-around athlete. In this game he was the best athlete on the field.
“This is a big accomplishment, not just for me, but for our team and coaches,” Johnson said of the win. “This is for the future of the program and the team. I think this win is just going to help us keep building the rest of this season.
“Thank you for the words (compliment on his play) but it’s all them, the guys upfront and in the gaps and my teammates that help me make those tackles.”
“A little bit, like me and David (McComb) are able to get in some work after practice, running routes like that post,” Johnson said of the big receiver or tight end or H-back role. “We’ve made the most of the time together and are getting close to where he trusts me to make those plays.”
Johnson is 6-4, 210-pounds and as athletic as any player you will find in Oklahoma. He is dunker and scorer in basketball and a sprint and jumps talent in track. His grades are climbing and we hear that his status is climbing on the Oklahoma State recruiting board. Is he interested? He told me he was definitely interested.