EDMOND —Mike Dunn stood on the 50-yard line, drenched in water from head to toe.
He next took a moment to collect his thoughts. The third-year Carl Albert head coach couldn’t help but reflect on his own journey from his playing days as a lineman for the Titans.
When Dunn joined Carl Albert as a freshman, the program had claimed just four state championships. By the time he graduated in 2002, that number had doubled to eight. Now, 22 years later, Dunn has led the program to its 19th state title.
Carl Albert’s 30-6 win over Guthrie in the Class 5A state championship game tied the school with Ada for the most state football championships in Oklahoma history.
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“At that time, I remember thinking there’s no way anybody could ever get to 19 state championships,” Dunn said.
“To be a player and get to do it, be a coach and get to do it with this group of kids and these coaches and everybody involved — it’s a dream come true.”
Carl Albert has won the state title for three consecutive seasons, and it marks the eighth time in the last nine years that they’ve hoisted the championship trophy.
The historic win also was emotional for Carl Albert.
The team mourned the loss of former OU defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson, who passed away on Friday at the age of 43. Wilkerson was an assistant coach for the Titans and the father of senior tight end Maddux Wilkerson.
Dunn and his players embraced Wilkerson with hugs and prayers in the post-game huddle, rallying behind him in the victory.
“I’m just grateful for this group of guys and what we’ve been able to accomplish these last few years,” Carl Albert senior quarterback Devin Woodring said. “I’m just appreciating this moment cause, in a flash, everything can be gone. We’re going to cherish this one for a very long time.”
Woodring led the Titans’ offense while passing for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
Two of those touchdowns were caught by four-star OU signee Trystan Haynes, who finished with three receptions for 60 yards. Senior linebacker Caden Davis also stood out with 12 tackles in the victory.
Davis, who became Carl Albert’s all-time leader in tackles during Week 10 against Altus, finishes his career with a record 443 tackles.
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Davis and Woodring emerged as Carl Albert’s unsung heroes in 2024. While the team has multiple Division I recruits headed to OU and OSU, the tandem’s impact on the team has been immeasurable.
“This place has built me into the man I am today,” Davis said. “The values that this place and the people that came before me laid down were clear from the start of my freshman year. Carl Albert is just different, man. This program truly is special.”
Carl Albert will enter the 2025 season riding a 39-game win streak.
The Titans will also begin their pursuit of becoming the first Oklahoma high school football program to claim 20 state championships.
But Dunn’s focus remains on the present. As the program celebrates the historic achievement, the goal for the coming weeks is to savor the journey.
“We celebrate everybody in our program,” Dunn said. “We say every day that to win a state championship, everybody involved must play their role. That’s from your weakest link to your strongest link and our guys buy into it. I couldn’t ask for more from our players and coaches.”
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Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Carl Albert beats Guthrie, ties state record with 19th football title
