The Eufaula Ironheads saw their last season in Class 3A come to an end with a 2-8 record overall and 2-5 district play record. The Ironheads first three losses came at the hands of three teams that made the post season. However, Eufaula battled hard in every game with wins over Stigler and Locust Grove and a heartbreaking loss to Checotah in the 110th meeting between schools.

The scoreboard may have not showed the courageous, hard hitting and high light runs, tackles and receptions by the team but apparently multiple senior gridiron standouts have caught the attention of college recruiters as Blayden Neill, Luke Hodgins and Peter Lee have received collegiate offers or have been invited to tour college campuses.

Eufaula head coach Larry Newton will miss this senior class with Lee, Neill, Hickman, Hodgins, Bratton, Cash French, Michael Smith, Clayton Plunkett, Gavin Holman, Beau Tarron, and Simeon Hill.

Eufaula has a lot of great players that will return in the 2026 season in quarterback Koltyn Lane, receiver Doltyn Lane, Logan Plant, Trevor Dodd, Asher Box, Grayson McLaughlin, Zayvion Price and Fischer McAllister just to mention a few.

It is with great pleasure to name the following players as the Eufaula Indian Journal (EIJ) Football Players of the Year:

The EIJ Co-Most Valuable Players are seniors Peter Lee and Blayden Neill.

Lee carried the team offensively. He ran for 1164 yards on 194 carries for 14 touchdowns and finished with 17 receptions for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns for a total of 1458 total offensive yards. Lee bounced back from a hernia surgery he had early in the season. He has great speed, never goes down on first contact and has great vision of the field. Neill was the defensive player that offensive coordinators had to design plays to go to the opposite side of the field. At 6’4”, 220 lbs, he was explosive at the defensive end position. Neill finished with 90 tackles, 11 for a loss, led the team in quarterback sacks with 4, 3 forced fumbles and a pass batted down. Neill is setting on 6 college offers as of print time.

EIJ Offensive Player of the Year is Koltyn Lane.

The junior quarterback threw for 1134 yards completing 80of-135 attempts for 9 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Lane also ran the football for 110 yards and 5 touchdowns. Lane played most of the season with a lower body injury. Lane displayed his toughness throughout the season and showed that he could throw the football in tight windows especially to his tight Logan Plant and Luke Hodgins who caught 11 passes for 297 yards and 3 touchdowns.

EIJ Co-Defensive Player of the Year-Jax Hickman and Luke Hodgins.

Senior linebacker Jax Hickman led the team in total tackles but also the entire division of Class 3A. Hickman finished with 124 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 2 quarterback sacks, a forced fumbles and a pass batted down.

Luke Hodgins came into the season playing multiple positions, quarterback, running back, receiver, linebacker and punter. Hodgins (6’2”, 220 lbs) was devastating on defense as he finished with 99 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss and 2 quarterback sacks. Both Hickman and Hodgins have great speed and strength that allows them to cover from sideline to sideline. Hodgins has received multiple college offers and was offered by Oklahoma Baptist University on the Saturday after the Checotah game to play running back for the Bison.

EIJ Defensive Line Player of the Year-Trevor Dodd.

The junior defensive lineman led all interior linemen with 51 tackles and a tackle for a loss. Dodd (6’2”, 245 lbs) is powerful and incredibly strong and has a quick first step that allows him to cut through opposing offensive linemen and limit backfield movement. He has a high ceiling that has yet to be reached. Look for Dodd to be a key factor in the 2026 season.

EIJ Offensive Line Player of the Year-Brandon Bratton.

The senior lineman played center for most of the season. At 6’, 240 lbs, Bratton anchored the offensive line. Bratton has good vision and instinct and managed to be a great quarterback protector. Most of the time he would be double-teamed by linebackers and nose guards and yet did a good job of stopping the blitzing defenders.