Bartlesville's amazing boys soccer team takes giant step toward state; lady bruins’ season ends
Bartlesville High School’s Austin Hastings tries to get loose during an earlier season game. The Bruins defeated Tulsa Union 2-1 on Tuesday in playoffs. Next up, the Bruins travel Friday to Northwest Classen High School.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
May 9, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Amazing!
That one-word descriptive by Hosteen Walsh described perfectly the ability of Bartlesville High School’s boys soccer team to rise higher than the occasion Wednesday night and capture a rare first-round playoff win.
Austin Bastings nailed the golden goal in the first overtime — off a corner kick by Jacob Robledo — to power the Bruins past favored Tulsa Union, 2-1.
Next up, the Bruins travel Friday to Northwest Classen High School for a play-in match to the state quarterfinals. Starting time is 7 p.m.
Thus Bartlesville continues its season of destiny — and season of clutch success.
After starting out at 0-3 the Bruins burst to a 7-3 record in their next 10 matches — including five wins in overtime.
Heading into Wednesday’s playoff opener, the Bruins were coming off back-to-back losses and barely squeezed into the playoffs.
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Bartlesville High School’s Jacob Robledo (4) sends the ball upfield during an earlier season game. The Bruins defeated Tulsa Union 2-1 on Tuesday in playoffs. Next up, the Bruins travel Friday to Northwest Classen High School.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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They opened their scoring at Tulsa Union off a direct free kick by Braxton Decker in the first half.
The match was knotted 1-1 at the end of regulation, thanks to Bruin goalie Klayton Bastings and the defense and midfielders.
With one minute left in the first overtime, the corner kick by Robledo bounced around in front of the Union goal and “Austin Bastings was able to clean it up in front of the goal,” said Walsh, an assistant coach for Cedric Muteshi.
A few seconds later the final whistle blew, clinching one of the few playoff wins in Bruin soccer history.
“It’s just a tight family group and our players realizing what it takes to be a team,” Walsh said about Bartlesville’s success in crunch time. “Coach Cedric continues to send that kind of message that everyone work as a team.”
Wednesday’s win against Tulsa Union brought no small amount of residual satisfaction. Union had beaten the Bruins in the season opener, 2-0, back on March 4
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Bartlesville High School’s Presli Cox moves the ball during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ season ended,
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville High School’s Joely Eme (11) looks to control the ball during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins season ended.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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GIRLS SOCCER
The Bartlesville girls soccer team dropped their final several decisions in a row to miss out on the playoffs. In their closest setback, they dropped a heartbreaker at Sand Springs, 1-0, in mid-April.
Spencer White coaches the Lady Bruins (3-6).