AFTON EAGLES
Coach: DUSTY HENRY
0-9
Afton approaches 2026 with a clear mission: “right the ship” after a winless 0-9 season and start playing winning football again. Dusty Henry steps into his first year as head coach after serving the last four seasons as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, giving him continuity with the roster and system. He and his staff are encouraged by the fact that Afton will return a large share of its starters and add a sizeable freshman class, creating competition and much-needed depth.
Offensively, the Eagles return nine starters and will run a spread, multiple offense designed to keep defenses off balance. Senior quarterback Rick Barton (6-0, 179) leads the unit and will be tasked with distributing the ball to a variety of playmakers. Senior Kendal Landrum (6-1, 175) lines up at running back and slot, giving Afton a versatile threat who can run between the tackles or attack the perimeter. Senior running back Blake Ford (6-0, 200) adds more power in the backfield, while senior tackle Tristan Gibson (6-2, 265) and junior guard Carter Landrum (6-0, 270) anchor a big offensive line. Henry’s goal is to get the ball to multiple players in spots that best fit their skill sets, spreading the field and forcing defenses to cover the entire width while still maintaining physicality up front.
Defensively, Afton brings back 10 starters in Henry’s familiar 3-5-3 scheme. The philosophy is to play fast and physical while maintaining strong assignment discipline, something the players have grown comfortable with after four years in the system. The back-end features several returning juniors like corner Ben Reece (5-8, 155) and free safety Levi Turley (6-0, 165), along with outside linebackers Mason Marino (5-6, 150) and Wyatt Cooke (5-10, 160). Sophomore corner Austin Benton (6-1, 165) adds size to the secondary and will be counted on after gaining experience last year. With so many veterans back, Henry expects the defense to set the tone early while the offense continues to evolve.
Afton’s 2026 schedule provides opportunities to measure progress, with non-district trips to Commerce and Ketchum and key clashes against Quapaw, Canadian, Fairland, Woodland, Barnsdall, Oklahoma Union and Hominy. Week-by-week, Henry’s focus will be on cleaning up mistakes, improving execution and turning close calls into wins as the Eagles work to climb out of last year’s hole.
9-4 – at Commerce
9-11 – vs. Quapaw
9-18 – vs. Canadian
9-25 – at Ketchum
10-9 – at Fairland
10-15 – vs. Woodland
10-23 – at Barnsdall
10-30 – vs. Oklahoma Union
11-6 – at Hominy
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