PAWHUSKA HUSKIES FALL IN FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS; HOMINY PLAYS FOR TITLE ON THURSDAY
Pawhuska’s Vann Wildcat (5) reacts after the Huskies lost to Rejoice Christian, 42-34, last Friday in playoff action.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
The Pawhuska defense breaks up a pass during last Friday’s playoff game against Rejoice Christian in Oologah. The Huskies fell 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Dec. 9, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Sometimes the distance between honor and glory can be short.
The stage was the neutral plains of the Oologah High School field. The opponent was Rejoice Christian. The setting was the OSSAA Class A-I semifinals and spectator stands packed with a mass of heavy-coated and loud-throated frenzied faithful on a chilly Friday night.
The final score: Rejoice Christian 42, Pawhuska 34.
But forget about that for a moment. There was no loser — just one survivor.
The Pawhuska Huskies unleashed a storm of power, desire and an inexhaustible supply of gritty gravel in their competitive character.
But Rejoice Christian — another great team and the defending state champion — found a way to win. The explosive Lions will be playing next Thursday for the Gold Ball.
Pawhuska players, meanwhile, had nothing about which to hang their heads.
Despite breaking in fresh starters — including a new quarterback — last summer, the Huskies hammered out an 11-2 record and came up just one touchdown shy of playing for the state title.
These were Huskies defined by steel in their spines and unyielding toughness in their team psyche. They approached game nights with more spit than polish, more rocky resolve than smooth highway, more bulldog than collie.
In the end, they pushed the mighty Rejoice Christian machine to the ultimate limits of survivability.
But bad luck triumphed over pluck.
The teams traded more staggering blows than Ali vs. Frazier — and somehow each squad kept getting off the mat to come up swinging.
Pawhuska simply ran out of time. There could be only one happy ending in this topsy-turvy script that saw four lead changes and 50 combined points scored in the second half.
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Pawhuska High School’s Vann Wilcat (5) scores against Rejoice Christian during playoff action last Friday. The Huskies fell 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Pawhuska delivered the first stunning blow of the game.
After receiving the opening kickoff the Huskies drove the ball 80 yards in nine plays to score on Vann Wildcat’s nine-yard burst over left tackle to the end zone. On the play, Wildcat pushed and fought and clawed through a gauntlet of tacklers and managed to stretch the ball over the goal line as he was going to the ground.
He had handled the ball seven times for 77 yards on the drive — including a 28-yard run during which offensive lineman Jayden Henley acted as a battering ram blocker downfield to help clear the path.
Wildcat’s score pushed Pawhuska ahead 6-0. The two-point run failed. Pawhuska would succeed on only two of five two-point tries on the night.
Rejoice Christian answered swiftly on a 57-yard touchdown pass play. The extra point put Rejoice Christian ahead, 7-6.
After Pawhuska went three-and-punt, Rejoice Christian rang up another quick touchdown — highlighted by a 40-yard pass to inside the five-yard line — to extend its lead to 14-6.
Three touchdowns in the first 6:28 of the game.
Pawhuska lost the ball on a red zone fumble on its next possession. Just prior to that, quarterback Kane Foreman had connected with Jarek Edwards on a 42-yard pass play.
But the Huskie defense stiffened and held Rejoice Christian to three-and-done late in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Huskies turned the ball over on downs. Rejoice Christian then muscled up for another long march all the way to inside the 10-yard line. But the Huskie defense did its job again, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jack Grooms, who sprinted down field before he was stopped at the Rejoice Christian 22-yard line.
That was good enough to set up the Huskies’ second touchdown, on a three-yard bruising touchdown run by Wildcat. Once again the two-pointer failed and Pawhuska still trailed, 14-12.
On Rejoice Christian’s next possession, Edwards intercepted the ball near midfield. Pawhuska’s offense forced it all the way to the three-yard line — where it was stopped on fourth-and-goal.
By halftime, Rejoice Christian still clung to the close lead, 14-12.
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Pawhuska High School’s quarterback Corlin Cass (2) gains yardage during last Friday’s playoff game against Rejoice Christian in Oologah. The Huskies fell 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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The second half started out strong for Pawhuska. Rejoice Christian punted after three downs and Huskie returner Corlin Cass brought the ball back all the way to the Rejoice Christian 19-yard line.
On the next play, Wildcat rumbled for his third touchdown, squeezing through a tight window of bodies at the line of scrimmage and bursting through the other side for an uncontested cannonball run up the middle and into the end zone.
Jenson Snodgrass ran in the two point conversion as Pawhuska reclaimed the lead, 20-14.
But, the lead only held up for 14 seconds. On the ensuing kickoff, a Rejoice Christian returner brought the ball back 82 yards for a touchdown. Pawhuska trailed after the extra point, 21-20.
A few minutes later, Rejoice Christian built its lead to 28-20 after the quarterback scored from 18 yards out.
Pawhuska answered with another 80-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by an incredible 26-yard pass play from Foreman to Tripp Walker. Walker was sandwiched in between two defenders in the middle of the field but somehow managed to hold on to the catch while he was being rolled up. The drive ended with Cass surging 18 yards to the end zone.
The two-point failed again and Rejoice Christian still led, 28-26, late in the third quarter.
Pawhuska soon enjoyed a rare break when a Rejoice Christian punt traveled only about 15 yards, setting up Pawhuska at the Rejoice Christian 40-yard line. But the Huskies again turned the ball over on downs.
That led to a Rejoice Christian touchdown on a 43-yard catch and score. The extra point gave Rejoice Christian a two-possession lead, 35-26, with only 7:30 left.
But Pawhuska refused to be denied so easily. Snodgrass received the kickoff and jolted up the middle and past all would-be tacklers for a 93-yard touchdown return — boosting the spirits of all Huskie faithful.
Cass ran in the two-pointer and the Huskies trailed by only a point, 35-34, with plenty of time left.
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Pawhuska and Rejoice Christian players battle for a pass at the endzone. Rejoice would be awarded the touchdown. The Huskies lost 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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However, then a close call made the difference. On a 35-yard throw to the end zone, a Rejoice Christian receiver and a couple of Pawhuska defenders battled to grab the ball. Some of the Huskie faithful thought one of the Pawhuska players made a pick, but the officials ruled it a touchdown for Rejoice Christian. With the extra point, Rejoice Christian went up, 42-34, with 4:52 left.
Pawhuska then put together a courageous drive that started inside its 20-yard line.
The Huskies had to convert on a fourth down and then faced another fourth down at their 35-yard line. A Huskie ball carrier took the direct snap and circled toward the left, breezing or powering past defenders and breaking off a long run past midfield. But while he struggled and clawed for extra yards, a Rejoice Christian player managed to poke the ball free and the Lions recovered the fumble — barely before the ball rolled out of bounds — to seal their victory.
They converted one first down and the clock ran out.
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The Pawhuska defense surrounds the Rejoice Christian quarterback during last Friday’s playoff game in Oologah. The Huskies lost 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Pawhuska High School’s quarterback Kane Foreman (12) escapes a would-be tackler during last Friday’s playoff game in Oologah. The Huskies fell to Rejoice Christian 42-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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No one could doubt the Huskies’ heart, effort, or desire. No one could doubt their heartbreak.
But at least they were good enough and tough enough to give themselves a chance. They earned the honor. They added another amazing chapter to the Huskie football legacy. Using the lessons they learned from playing and succeeding should earn them different kinds of glory in their individual futures.
For one glowing season, they elevated their ability to within reaching distance of a title — something not many athletes can claim.
Perhaps glory is in the effort. It’s something to think about.
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The Hominy Bucks are headed to the Class A-II state football championship on Thursday,
Courtesy photo
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Hominy 44, Allen 21
The Hominy Bucks are headed to the Class A-II state football championship. On a ten-game winning streak (one by forfeit), the Bucks take on Talihina at noon on Thursday at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The Bucks knocked off Allen 44-21 last Friday.
Bucks quarterback Blaine Hipp threw for 119 yards with two touchdowns, in addition to rushing 96 yards with one touchdown.
Hominy, led by Coach Caleb Christian, has lost only two games this season, including a 44-27 loss to Pawhuska on Sept. 12.
The Bucks have won five state championships in 1973, 1982, 1983, 2001, and 2016.
-Becky Burch contributed to this article.