Gritty BHS Bruins can't grind past PC Pirates in postseason grueler; full playoff results/schedule
Bartlesville High School’s starting quarterback freshman Michael Kent (14) looks to the sidelines for signs during an earlier season game. The Bruins fell to Putnam City, 26-14, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Putnam City. This was the Bruins third back-to-back trip to the Class 6A-II playoffs.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville High School senior Junior Earnhart (62) talks to a teammate on the sidelines of an earlier season game. The Bruins fell to Putnam City, 26-14, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Putnam City. This was the Bruins third back-to-back trip to the Class 6A-II playoffs.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Bartlesville High School’s football team didn’t need to wait long Friday (Nov. 15) to suspect this might not be their night — just the first 12 seconds, or so.
Putnam City High School’s Gabriel Osborne fielded the opening kickoff, got on his horse and galloped more than 90 yards for a touchdown to set an ominous tone for the visiting Bartlesville Bruins.
Bartlesville dug in valiantly after that — and even eventually snapped into the lead, 14-13, just prior to halftime.
But in the second half, the Bruin offense sputtered as if the turf had turned to quicksand and the host Putnam City Pirates rallied to win, 26-14, in the first round of the Class 6A-II playoffs.
The loss ended Bartlesville’s season at 3-8.
But for Bruin followers the game might have seemed more like a preview of coming attractions than a devastating defeat.
Bartlesville is set to return next season a huge percentage of its starting/main rotation players from a Bruin team that closed out the year like a nuclear-powered locomotive, winning three of its final four games.
That’s right. Bartlesville struggled to an 0-7 record before making major changes to its lineup —including promoting multiple freshmen to prominent roles — and the re-energized Kiddie Storm closing out the regular season 3-0 and earning the No. 5 playoff seed out of the district.
But the talented and more experienced Pirates — the best foe the Bruins had faced in four weeks — proved to be just a bit too much on this evening for the feisty Boys in Blue.
After Osborne’s opening kickoff return for touchdown, the Bruin offense got the ball and went three-and-out.
On Putnam City’s first offensive possession, Bruin defensive terror Davin Carter racked up a sack on third and long. On the subsequent punt attempt, the snap went awry and Michael Kent recovered the ball to set the Bruins up in the red zone.
But they didn’t cash in with any points — perhaps the second major hint the evening would not turn out happily for the Bruins.
A few minutes later, Putnam City added to its lead on Joshua Lombard’s 21-yard run to the end zone. The PAT failed and the Pirates led, 13-0.
Bartlesville would get back in the game, however — with the defense leading the way.
Of course, the offense deserved a big assist by driving the ball to midfield to help flip the field and set up the defense.
The Bruins stopped the Putnam City ‘O” at its 25-yard line and another bad punt snap led to a recovery and touchdown by Evan Goad to put the Bruins on the board and pull within a touchdown, 13-7.
Bartlesville’s defense again forced a turnover (fumble recovery by Sutton Williams, set up by Archer Swisher’s tackle) on the Pirates’ next possession. But once again, the Putnam City defense answered the call and stopped the Bruins in Pirate territory.
The teams continued to trade scoreless possessions through most the rest of the second quarter.
But with less than a minute prior to halftime, Bartlesville’s Daeton Stevens forced another Pirate fumble, this one inside the Putnam City 25-yard line. On the first play following the turnover, Kent threw a strike to Damien Niko for his 11th touchdown of the season (and last of his Bruin career) to tie the game, 13-13. Dillon Burson followed with the extra point to send Bartlesville into halftime on top, 14-13.
Bartlesville collected yet another turnover on Williams’ interception with less than 30 seconds remaining. But the Bruin march stalled out on its half of the field and halftime finally arrived.
The second half continued to feature a fierce defense battle. On one third-quarter possession, the Pirates drove the ball 44 yards — only to turn it over on downs on the Bruin 10-yard line.
But during the final 10 minutes, or so, the Pirates hi-jacked control of the game.
Lombard burst to paydirt from 27 yards out to lift Putnam City back into the lead, 19-14.
Putnam City intercepted the ball back a few downs later, but the Bruin defense stood tough again, the key play being a tackle for loss led by Swisher and Michael Henson.
However on its next possession Putnam City scored the crushing touchdown on a 55-yard jaunt by Lombard. The extra point pushed the score to 26-14.
Bartlesville had just two possessions the final 4:00 but finished with no points in the second half to finish out the third year of Harry Wright as head coach.
During his tenure he has led the Bruins to three-straight playoff seasons — a first in the team’s history.
In looking to next year, the Bruins are in a position to return their starting quarterback, two main running backs, several receivers, multiple front seven starters on defense and much experience on the defensive back end.
One of the biggest potential challenges in 2025 will be the schedule that will require road trips on two different weeks to Putnam City and one to Oklahoma City. On the plus side, Muskogee and Ponca City will both have to travel to Custer Stadium.
Bartlesville High School’s Boden Roberts (23), Noah Newton (20) and Davin Carter (12) line up for a kick off during an earlier season game. The Bruins fell to Putnam City, 26-14, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Putnam City. This was the Bruins third back-to-back trip to the Class 6A-II playoffs.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
COMPLETE OSSAA PLAYOFF GLANCE
CLASS 6A-I
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Norman North at Bixby
Norman at Edmond Memorial
Deer Creek at Owasso
Tulsa Union at Jenks
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Tulsa Union 38, Mustang 21
Norman 69, Westmoore 28
Deer Creek 21, Broken Arrow 19
Norman North 30, Moore 19
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CLASS 6A-II
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Sapulpa at Choctaw
Piedmont at Sand Springs
Putnam City North at Stillwater
Putnam City at Muskogee
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Sapulpa 46, Eisenhower 31
Putnam City 26, Bartlesville 14
Putnam City North 21, Southmoore 0
Piedmont 48, Ponca City 7
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CLASS 5A
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Newcastle vs. Pryor
BT Washington vs. Guthrie
Carl Albert vs. Claremore
Del City vs. Bishop McGuinness
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
BT Washington 25, Collinsville 20
Del City 21, Shawnee 0
Carl Albert 56, Midwest City 0
Newcastle 63, Noble 14
Pryor 38, Bishop Kelley 19
Bishop McGuinness 42, Lawton 7
Guthrie 43, MacArthur 21
Claremore 14, McAlester 0
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CLASS 4A
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Elgin vs. Sallisaw
Wagoner vs. Clinton
Tuttle vs. Hilldale
Ada vs. Bethany
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Ada 53, Cushing 50
Sallisaw 27, Grove 26
Tuttle 34, Elk City 6
Elgin 43, Ardmore 0
Clinton 21, Blanchard 20
Bethany 28, Weatherford 6
Wagoner 49, Poteau 21
Hilldale 21, Miami 9
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CLASS 3A
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Heritage Hall vs. Holland Hall
Lincoln Christian vs. Pauls Valley
Sulphur vs. Idabel
Checotah vs. Bristow
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Pauls Valley 20, Perkins-Tryon 17
Idabel 39, Claremore-Sequoyah 21
Checotah 35, Cascia Hall 28
Holland Hall 21, Berryhill 13
Heritage Hall 43, Seminole 20
Bristow 25, Plainview 14
Lincoln Christian 62, Jay 8
Sulphur 66, Kingfisher 0
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CLASS 2A-I
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Millwood vs. Chandler
Kingston vs. Marlow
Washington vs. Kiefer
Metro Christian vs. Jones
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Kiefer 36, Tahlequah-Sequoyah 13
Millwood 46, Crossings 27
Metro Christian 55, Bethel 6
Washington 42, Perry 0
Marlow 21, Chisholm 14
Jones 44, Lindsay 8
Chandler 36, Hugo 0
Kingston 41, Sperry 6
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CLASS 2A-II
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Stroud vs. Salina
Adair vs. Davis
Holdenville vs. Colcord
Vian vs. Beggs
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Davis 48, Hennessey 34
Colcord 40, Valliant 0
Holdenville 38, Luther 14
Stroud 45, Community Christian 12
Beggs 43, Alva 0
Vian 38, Kansas 7
Salina 26, Henryetta 12
Adair 44, Antlers 14
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CLASS A-1
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Hooker vs. Pocola
Pawnee vs. Cashion
Christian Heritage vs. Pawhuska
Rejoice Christian vs. Fairview
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Pawnee 30, Panama 7
Hooker 20, Minco 0
Christian Heritage 32, Hinton 0
Rejoice Christian 69, Nowata 6
Pawhuska 44, Hartshorne 7
Pocola 52, Tonkawa 14
Fairview 37, Wynnewood 0
Cashion 42, Walters 14
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CLASS A-II
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
T.F. Custer vs. Hominy
Talihina vs. Texhoma/Goodwell
Ringling vs. Regent Prep
Woodland vs. Konawa
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Texhoma/Goodwell 42, Velma-Alma 12
Talihina 30, Barnsdall 20
Konawa 20, Mangum 15
Hominy 44, Central Sallisaw 15
Regent Prep 37, Ketchum 14
T-F Custer 28, Wilson 6
Ringling 44, Mooreland 8
Woodland 48, Gore 14
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CLASS B-1 (8-man)
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Laverne vs. Caddo
Yale vs. Garber
Hollis vs. Drumright
Dewar vs. Turpin
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Dewar 60, Depew 0
Garber 36, Empire 8
Drumright 20, Keota 6
Hollis 46, Pond Creek-Hunter 0
Turpin 52, Waurika 6
Yale 46, Savanna 0
Caddo 47, Foyil 0
Laverne 51, Snyder 0
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CLASS B-II (8-man)
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Seiling vs. Cherokee
Covington-Douglas vs. Shattuck
Weleetka vs. Waukomis
Wilson (Henryetta) vs. Okeene
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Okeene 58, Alex 26
Weleetka 54, Boise City 6
Shattuck 44, Wetumka 20
Cherokee 36, Copan 8
Waukomis 56, Webbers Falls 6
Wilson (Henryetta) 52, Davenport 7
Seiling 66, Thackerville 6
Covington-Douglas 56, Wesleyan Christian 0
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CLASS C (8-man)
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
Timberlake vs. Paoli
Medford vs. Ryan
Tipton vs. Welch
Maysville vs. Tyrone
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
Maysville 68, Watts 20
Paoli 62, Oaks 36
Welch 40, Sasakwa 18
Ryan 52, Waynoka 22
Tyrone 56, Geary 6
Tipton 48, Balko-Forgan 6
Timberlake 54, Mt. View Gotebo 8
Medford 66, Bowlegs 0