SSBR High School Preview: Deer Creek Antlers

The calendar has turned to the a new year and that means the OSSAA high school baseball season will be here soon. Classes A1, A2, and B officially get started February 23 while the rest of the classes begin March 2.

Up until that the beginning of the season, SSBR will be providing previews of as many teams as we can. Recently, SSBR sent out questionnaires to the high school coaches across the state of Oklahoma asking for their top returning players, top newcomers, overall strengths/weaknesses, and their overall assessment where their respective programs are coming into the 2026 season.

What you have below are the responses to those questions in the words of the coaches themselves.

Today’s team: Deer Creek Antlers

Classification: 6A

2025 Results: 22-17 (Regional finalist)

Head Coach: Andrew McGquire

Head coaching experience: 6 years (2 at Deer Creek)

Top Returners

Grant Richards – Sr. 1B/OF Uncommitted, middle of the lineup guy will drive in a lot of runs this year.
Mason Phillips – Jr. SS Uncommitted, 2 year Starter at SS, Very good hitter that can hit for power and average.
Grant Adams – Jr. P/1B Uncommitted, District starting pitcher, will be a big part of the pitching staff again this year.
Dax Chancey – So. C/1B Uncommitted, very good defensive catcher, potential to hit in the middle of the lineup, started 15 games as a freshman.
Tristan Tomlin – Jr. OF Uncommitted, Starting OF as a So. and will be a big part the lineup going into 2026.
Mason Mayhew – So. Utl. Uncommitted, Can play anywhere on the field, a great athlete that can affect the game in many ways.
Hudson Hedrick – Jr. INF/OF/P Uncommitted, primarily a relief pitcher and late game defensive substitution as a sophomore but will play a bigger roll in the lineup and on the mound this year.
Walker Edwards – Sr. UTL Uncommitted, missed 2025 season but was a big contributor in 2024 as a sophomore, will most likely be key piece to the success of the Antlers in 2026

Top Newcomers

Colin Allen – Sr. P Johnson County Community College, missed the 2025 season but will be a big part of the pitching staff going into 2026.
Keagan Skluzacek – So. P/INF Uncommitted, coming off a great freshman year both on the mound and in the infield, he could be a big part of the teams success in 2026.
Collin Driskill – Sr. OF Kansas Wesleyan University, Big bat that will help the offense in many ways.
Zath Carter – Sr. P/INF Uncommitted, Look for him to be a large part of the pitching success in 2026.
Dray Humphrey – Jr. INF/P Uncommitted, will most likely fill a lot of rolls through out the season, left handed hitter that can play anywhere on the infield and can also pitch.

Overall Team Strengths

This team should be a very rounded team that can excel on defense, on the mound and at the plate.

Overall Team Needs to Work On

Pitching and Defense will be the challenge early with some talented newcomers that don’t have experience have to learn on the fly.

Outlook

The 2026 season will present new challenges as Deer Creek moves into an East district and travels to unfamiliar locations for district competition. While we are well equipped for success, we must be prepared to adapt and overcome the unknown variables that lie ahead.

Schedule

Day Date Opponent Time
Monday 2-Mar Vs. Mt. St. Marys 5:00 PM
Tuesday 3-Mar Vs. Piedmont 5:00 PM
Saturday 7-Mar @ Marlow 1:00 PM
Monday 9-Mar @ Union 6:00 PM **
Tuesday 10-Mar Vs. Union 6:00 PM **
Thursday 12-Mar @ Yukon 6pm 6:00 PM
Friday 13-Mar @ Heritage Hall 5:00 PM
Thursday 19-Mar Vs. Ft. Cobb 1:30 PM ESBF
Friday 20-Mar Vs. Dale 1:30 PM ESBF
Saturday 21-Mar Vs. Chaminade 11:00 AM ESBF
Saturday 21-Mar Vs. Bishop Kelley 6:30 PM ESBF
Monday 23-Mar Vs. PC North 5:00 PM **
Tuesday 24-Mar @ PC North 5:00 PM **
Thursday 26-Mar Vs. Enid (@OU) 6:00 PM
Friday 27-Mar
Monday 30-Mar @ Sand Springs 6:30 PM **
Tuesday 31-Mar Vs. Sand Springs 6:30 PM **
Regular Season – April
Day Date Oponnent Time
Thursday 2-Apr Vs. Edmond Sante Fe (@NOC Enid) 3:30 PM EF
Friday 3-Apr Vs. Yukon (@David Allen Ballpark) 11:00 AM EF
Saturday 4-Apr Vs. Westmoore (@David Allen Ballpark) 10:00 AM EF
Monday 6-Apr Vs. Bartlesville 4:30 PM **
Tuesday 7-Apr @ Bartlesville 6:00 PM **
Thursday 9-Apr @ Memorial 6:00 PM
Friday 10-Apr Vs. Edmond Sante Fe 5:00 PM
Monday 13-Apr @ Bixby 6:00 PM **
Tuesday 14-Apr Vs. Bixby 6:00 PM **
Thursday 16-Apr Vs. Southmoore 11:00 AM DCPF
Friday 17-Apr Vs. Choctaw 4:00 PM DCPF
Saturday 18-Apr Vs. Moore 11:00 AM DCPF
Monday 20-Apr Vs. Enid 6:00 PM **
Tuesday 21-Apr @ Enid 6:00 PM **
Thursday 23-Apr Vs. Lee Summit West (@LHS) 3:45 PM RCBF
Friday 24-Apr Vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (@KU) 8:15 PM RCBF
Saturday 25-Apr Vs. Olathe West (@FSHS) 11:15 AM RCBF
Monday 27-Apr Vs. Muskogee 6:00 PM **
Tuesday 28-Apr @ Muskogee 6:00 PM **
Thursday 30-Apr Vs. Mustang 6:00 PM
Regular Season/Post Season – May
Day Date Oponnent Time
Friday 1-May @ Edmond North 6:00 PM

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