OKLAHOMA CITY – Western Heights will return to Class 5A football in the fall, athletic director Terry Long confirmed to West Metro Sports.

“We are going to play (5A),” Long said via email. “No more independent for the ‘Heights.’ ”

The Jets played as an independent in 2023, winning its first game since 2019. The Jets went 2-5 with wins over Class A schools Hinton and Watonga.

Western Heights will have a new coach, with J.D. Runnels leaving after one season to take the head job at Mount Saint Mary.

The Jets have hired Travis Burdine to take Runnels’ place. Burdine was most recently at Classen SAS at Northeast, who is moving up from 4A to 5A.

Western Heights will play in Class 5A District 2.

Carl Albert and Guthrie are the only teams in District 2 from last season. The Titans went 14-0, winning its second-straight 5A title and 18th overall. Guthrie went 10-2, losing only to Carl Albert in district play and to Del City in the 5A quarterfinals.

THE NEWCOMERS

• Altus makes the move from District 1. The Bulldogs were 1-9 in 2023, beating Duncan.
• El Reno was 6-5 overall last season, playing in District 1. The Indians exited in the first round at the hands of Carl Albert.
• John Marshall moves up from Class 4A. The Bears went 1-9 with their one win in District 1 play over Woodward.
• Lawton drops down from 6A-II. The Wolverines were 3-8 last season. Lawton beat 5A’s Duncan and 6A-II’s Northwest Classen and Capitol Hill. The two district wins in District 2 were enough to earn a playoff berth. The Wolverines were eliminated by Sand Springs in the first round.
• Noble moves from District 1 to District 2. The Bears went 3-7 with wins over Ardmore (now a 4A school), Duncan and Altus.