bartlesville football is just 63 days away
Bartlesville High School’s Michael Kent participates in a spring flag football team with elementary school players. The Bruins are set to kick off the 2025 regular season August 29.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
June 26, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Believe it or not, the high school football season is only 63 days away as of this Friday (June 25).
Meanwhile, area teams have been deep into preparation throughout the offseason, including spring football workouts, team camps, position camps, passing leagues and weight room-based conditioning.
Bartlesville High School’s 2024 football season certainly won’t go down as the greatest or the smoothest or the worst or the most enjoyable or the least enjoyable or singularly memorable in virtually any category.
Except one — perhaps it was the oddest.
How last year’s zaniness — and the storylines it spawned — might impact the 2025 campaign is a subject for interesting speculation.
Back in the fold for 2025 from last year's 3-8 squad are numerous sophomores-to-be and juniors-to-be that sharpened their skills last season in major varsity roles.
But they’re still young and some are likely still maturing physically and emotionally as complete competitors.
Will they be able to hold their own against the upper echelon of district powerhouses that are older and more experienced? Only a fool would bet against the young Bruins' potential.
There’s no doubt they have playoff-qualifying capability.
That’s where last season’s weirdness comes into play.
Through the first seven games last season Bartlesville nosedived to an 0-7 record. Not that the team wasn’t as down in the dumps as the record suggested.
During that futile stretch, Bartlesville lost to Claremore by only two points, 35-33; battled Collinsville valiantly in a 37-23 decision; and fell in double-overtime to Sapulpa, 35-28. In addition, they showed a lot of moxie in a 41-20 loss at Sand Springs.
But following back-to-back shutout losses in weeks six and seven, Bartlesville’s team suffered a crisis. The bottom line was that after week seven a handful of key players were no longer with the team for the remainder of the season.
Freshman Michael Kent took charge of the offense at starting quarterback and other former reserve or rotation warriors plugged into other spots. One has to understand that even prior to this seismic shake-up Bartlesville was already dependent on several young players.
But after the change it all clicked — albeit the Bruins also hit the weakest part of their district schedule. They outscored their final three regular season opponents, 132-29, to finish up with three-straight wins and power into the playoffs.
They even made a decent showing in the postseason, losing a competitive first-round game at Norman, 26-14.
Of course that topsy-turvy 2024 campaign is now history. Its only relevance is how do the lessons learned and experience gained and the hunger whetted impact preparation for the 2025 wars.
Kent turned in a solid performance in last month’s spring game, with both his arm and his legs. Returning leading rusher Sutton Williams also attracted the spotlight.
The Bruins’ eye their first regular season battle this coming season on Aug. 29 when they host Newcastle, followed a week later by Claremore coming to town.
Other home games include: Sept. 26 (vs. Sand Springs), Oct. 10 (vs. defending state champion Muskogee) and Oct. 24 (vs. Ponca City).
Prior to the season Bartlesville host Meet the Bruins Night (Aug. 15) and face Bishop Kelley in a scrimmage (Aug. 21).
This will be Harry Wright’s fourth season as Bruin head coach. He is the first coach in Bartlesville football history to guide the team to the playoffs in three-straight seasons.
Bartlesville’s regular season schedule:
— August 29: host Newcastle (Last year: Newcastle won, 49-24)
— Sept. 5: host Claremore (Last year: Claremore won, 35-33)
— Sept. 12: Bye
— Sept. 19: at Collinsville (Last year: Collinsville won, 37-23)
— Sept. 26: host Sand Springs (Last year: Sand Springs won, 41-20)
— Oct. 3: at Sapulpa (Last year: Sapulpa won, 35-28, 2ot)
— Oct. 10: host Muskogee (Last year: Muskogee won, 55-0)
— Oct. 16: at Putnam City North (Last year: P.C. North won, 23-0)
— Oct. 24: host Ponca City (Last year: Bartlesville won, 30-20)
— Oct. 31: at Putnam City West (Last year: Bartlesville won, 40-9)
— Nov. 7: at Capital Hill (Last year: Bartlesville won, 62-0)