He’s among the top playmakers on both sides of the ball anywhere in the state.
Hudson Henslick is the fuel to the fire for the Collinsville Cardinals.
Henslick, who will be a senior this season, is Collinsville’s primary weapon as a wide receiver on offense. He’s also a dynamic defensive back on the other side of the ball.
He was an important piece to the Cardinals’ Class 5A state championship team as a sophomore in 2021, the only sophomore to start in all 14 games.
“Heart and soul of our football team,” Collinsville head coach Kevin Jones said. “An absolute ambassador to what we are and strive to be.”
Henslick is ready for the finale to his high school career. The Cardinals open their season Sept. 1 when they visit Oologah.
“I look forward to playing this last season with the friends I’ve played with since fourth grade and just cherishing every part of it and taking none of it for granted,” said Henslick, who will be in his fourth year as a starter.
Henslick closed his junior year with 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and had 15 total touchdowns. Defensively, he posted a team-high 59 tackles and three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a TD.
Henslick feels he can be even better in 2023.
“I think my personal goal is just to improve on every aspect of football and just to one up and do better than my season last year,” he said.
Some of Henslick’s standout performances last year came against Oologah (six receptions for 111 yards with a touchdown), Skiatook (10 catches for 153 yards and a pair of TDs), Bartlesville (5 receptions for 133 yards and a score), Pryor (10 receptions for 127 yards and two TDs), Bishop Kelley (three catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns), and Tulsa Rogers (eight receptions for 111 yards and one score).
Collinsville went 9-2 overall and 6-1 in District 5A-4 a year ago. The Cardinals’ season came to an end in the opening round of the playoffs with a 27-14 setback to McAlester, who eventually would advance to the state championship game.
Henslick wants to help get the program back to its 2021 level and win another state championship.
“As a team we’re all definitely shooting to go and win that gold ball this year, and if we put in the work, I believe it’s possible,” Henslick said. “I feel like I have definitely improved a lot on both sides of the ball since last year, as well as getting stronger and faster from our lifts we do in the mornings.
“I have also been working trying to become a good role model for these underclassmen this year.”
He has fond memories of his historic sophomore season, and not just in football.“Most memorable high school moment has to be winning a football state championship and then going and winning astate championship myself, as well as a team state championship in wrestling my sophomore year,” said Henslick, who wants to continue his football career at the next level. “Every sport dominated that 21-22 school year and it was just a great experience.”
