copan, wesleyan CHRISTIAN, barnsdall, nowata, pawhuska teams ready for football state playoffs
Pawhuska High School's Dane Jensen (6) makes a tackle during earlier season action. The Huskies host Hartshorne in Class A-I playoff action on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Nowata High School's Brett Malone (44) makes a tackle during earlier season action. The Ironmen travel to Rejoice Christian for A-I playoff action on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Bartlesville Area Sports Report
It’s that magic time in Oklahoma — the opening of Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association high school football playoffs.
Six Bartlesville area teams have punched their reservations for a postseason berth — Bartlesville, Pawhuska, Nowata, Barnsdall, Copan and Wesleyan Christian.
Of the area’s six OSSAA playoff teams (including Caney Valley, Kan.), three finished with regular season winning records.
Here are Friday’s (Nov. 15) first round area matchups (all times are 7 p.m.):
6A-II: Bartlesville at Putnam City
A-1: Hartshorne at Pawhuska
A-1: Nowata at Rejoice Christian
A-II: Barnsdall at Talihina
B-II (8-man): Cherokee at Copan
B-II (8-man): Wesleyan Christian (2-8) at Covington Douglas (10-0)
In addition, nearby squad Caney Valley (Kan.) qualified for the Kansas state playoffs — but has been eliminated.
The playoffs will proceed by the process of single elimination into December.
This year also marks the 10th Anniversary of Nowata’s surged into the 2014 Class 2A state championship game (it lost to Davis, 20-13) and a 14-1 record.
Regardless of their regular season marks, warriors from each of the area squads is charging with nostrils, flared, eyes on fire and muscles hardened into the postseason like championship contenders.
Following is a little closer look at each of the area games:
(Bartlesville's article is in the Bartlesville Football section.)
__________
HARTSHORNE (7-3) AT PAWHUSKA (8-2)
Pawhuska was untouchable in all eight of its wins, piling up an average winning scoring margin of 42 points! Their most narrow victory was by 19 points against Morrison, 42-23.
On the other hand, in their two losses they gave up 46 points to Woodland and 62 points to Pawnee.
In other words, Pawhuska has been vulnerable only to the state’s elite programs.
Hartshorne put up an impressive record, as well, but is only 1-3 in its last four games, including a 12-10 setback last week against Panama.
Hartshorne has limited eight teams to less than 20 points. Pawhuska is close to that — holding eight opponents to 24-or-fewer points.
BRACKET FUTURE IF PAWHUSKA WINS: It would play Christian Heritage (7-3) or Hinton (5-5) in the second round (Nov. 22) at a site to be determined.
Barnsdall HIgh School's head coach Kylee Sweeney talks to players during earlier season action. The Panthers travel to Talihina for Class A-II playoff action on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
BARNSDALL (6-4) AT TALIHINA (9-1)
These programs are not strangers.
They met in the playoffs back in 2016 and 2017, both games won by Talihina. Both contests had been competitive most the way throughout until Talihina pulled away at the end.
Barnsdall finished this season with a 3-1 mark in its final four games.
This is the seventh season since Kylee Sweeney became head coach in 2016 that Barnsdall has advanced to the playoffs. The only years they’ve sat home during the postseason were 2018 and 2021.
With last week’s rout of Porter, 35-14, Sweeney reached his 59th career win.
In order to get win No. 60 this season his Panthers will have to do something unexpected.
Being that they’re back pretty much at full force — including Mr. Dynamo — otherwise known as Easton Malone. Felled last spring by a wrestling injury, Malone returned to uniform last Friday and could play a pivotal role in the playoff contest.
BRACKET FUTURE IF BARNSDALL WINS: It would play Velma-Alma (8-2) or Texhoma/Goodwell (7-3) in the second round (Nov. 22) at a site to be determined.
__________
NOWATA (3-7) AT REJOICE CHRISTIAN (9-1)
Nowata battled through a season of streaks — 0-4 to start the season, three-straight wins in the middle, and three-straight losses at the end.
But they dropped their final two games by only eight and four points, respectively.
They turned in their signature win against Morrison, 22-20 — a triumph that eventually put them in the playoffs.
Rejoice Christian comes in on an eight-game winning spree during which it outscored opponents, 385-88.
BRACKET FUTURE IF NOWATA WINS: It would play Fairview (9-1) or Wynnewood (8-2) in the second round (Nov. 22) at a site to be determined.
Copan High School's Keeghan Smith (55) closes in on a player during earlier season action. The Hornets host Cherokee for Class B-II playoff action on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
CHEROKEE (5-5) AT COPAN (8-2)
Since Copan opened the season with a 56-point win, it seems like a journey of destiny for the Hornets.
Other than a deeply-disappointing lopsided loss to Wilson (Henryetta), 48-0, to determine the district championship, Copan has been on a steely tear.
Even in their other loss they still hung 34 points on the board.
This will be Copan’s first home playoff game since 2008.
Cherokee never gained much traction in the regular season, its longest winning streak being two games.
Copan and Cherokee played one common opponent, Olive, with similar results — Copan winning, 58-7, and Cherokee winning, 54-9.
BRACKET FUTURE IF COPAN WINS: It would play Seiling (9-1) or Thackerville (6-4) in the second round (Nov. 22) at a site to be determined.
__________
WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN (2-8) AT COVINGTON-DOUGLAS (10-0)
It will be a tall task for the WCS Mustangs to try to knock off unbeaten Covington-Douglas.
Covington Douglas held six teams to less than 10 points, including two shutouts.
But just three or four weeks ago no one expected the Mustangs to even have a chance to appear in the postseason.
After struggling to an 0-7 record, WCS won two of its final three games to qualify for the playoffs out of a six-team district.
WCS limited two opponents to less than 10 points. After scoring double digit points only once in the first six games, the Mustangs scored 14-or-more-points in the last four contests.
BRACKET FUTURE IF WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN WINS: It would play Wetumka (6-4) or Shattuck (6-3) in the second round (Nov. 22) at a site to be determined.
Wesleyan Christian School's Jarrett Jensen (50) lines up during earlier season action. The Mustangs travel to Covington Douglas for Class B-II playoff action on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports