bruins’ junior earnhart earns 'A' in endurance, set to play college football
Bartlesville High School’s Junior Earnhart recently signed a letter of intent to play football for Avila (Kan.) University.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BARTLESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
By Mike Tupa
February 17, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Durable dream, extraordinary endurance.
That describes, perhaps in a nutshell, a remarkable Bartlesville High School football player named Junior Earnhart.
Since second grade, Earnhart yearned to someday have the opportunity to play college football.
Someday has arrived.
Earnhart — a starting Bruin lineman for three seasons that played every varsity snap in 35-straight games — recently inked a letter of intent with Avila (Kan.) University.
A former Bruin player and assistant coach paved the path for Earnhart to his college connection.
“Caleb Perry was going to Avila at the time and the running backs coach was talking to him about needing more linemen,” Earnhart (5-11, 275) explained. “He (Perry) gave the coach my number. We talked and I ended up getting offered pretty quickly from him.”
Earnhart feels Avila is a good fit for him to continue his football career.
Even though he labored mostly in anonymity as an interior lineman — guard/center — during his middle and high school years,
But last season he also scored one of the most crowd-pleasing touchdowns at Custer Stadium. The scenario was Senior Night. The coaches called Earnhart’s number (62) to carry the mail the final three yards to the end zone.
“We were on the right hash,” recalled Earnhart.
As the popular Earnhart smashed into the end zone the home crowd showered him with a Niagara Falls worth of cheers, applause and foot-stamping.
“It was definitely one of my favorite moments in high school.”
Bartlesville High School’s Junior Earnhart recently signed a letter of intent to play football for Avila (Kan.) University.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
__________
One of the others was being part of the Bruin team that outlasted Lawton High in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, his sophomore year — Bartlesville’s first postseason victory since 2015.
In fact, Earnhart is one of the few seniors that helped the Bruins storm into the playoffs for three-straight seasons (2022, 2023, 2024) — the first-ever time in Bruin football history.
In his freshman year, Earnhart also played a key role for the district championship of the Bruin freshman team.
In both Earnhart’s sophomore and junior seasons, Bartlesville won first-round playoff games — also a program first.
His senior campaign was unfortunately defined by team discord, which resulted in the late-season loss of some key players, including fellow seniors.
Earnhart chose to remain with the team, which was then 0-7.
About his choice Earnhart said, “Growing up with the guys I played with, we ended up staying, we were like ‘This is our last chance to give all we have to this team, to this school and to these underclassmen we’re teaching.’ ”
Bartlesville won the final three games and squeezed into the playoffs.
Junior Earnhart’s parents, Sharon and Kevin look on as he signs a letter of intent to play football for Avila (Kan.) University.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BARTLESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
__________
To put it bluntly, Earnhart is as committed to doing his best as red skies are to Oklahoma summer sunsets.
As mentioned, he started every varsity game — took every snap — in three seasons.
“A big thing is working in the weight room,” he said. “That helped me out a bunch. I also was playing through injuries. I’ve kind of put my head down and played. I’m kind of a go-to-work type of guy.”
He internalized that kind of determined toughness and dedication from the influence of his parents, Kevin and Sharon.
“They’re helped me a tremendous amount,” Earnhart said. “I appreciated them helping me with the little things at home, they’ve been there to help me get my snaps in (as center). … My dad coached me since second grade. I appreciate them being there after games for the tough losses and for the big wins. It’s always helped to have them around for those big moments.”
Earnhart’s favorite school subject is history and — as mentioned — he’s been an important part of Bruin football history.
He hopes he will leave a positive impact on Bruin football.
“I would hope they say I was a leader, not always necessarily by my words but by my actions,” he said. “I hope they would say I always tried to help people when they needed it.”
Looming beyond his college football and studies is the goal of becoming a coach.
Durable dream, extraordinary endurance — Junior Earnhart is one of a kind.