BARTLESVILLE BRUINS DEFEAT PC WEST; IN PLAYOFFS FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

Bartlesville High School’s Dillon Burson (32) is 24-for-24 on extra points this season. The Bruins defeated Tulsa Central last Thursday on the road, 41-0.

BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports


By Mike Tupa

Nov. 3, 2025

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

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Bartlesville 41, Putnam City West 0

Putnam City West walked off the field wondering what bit them.

Many of Bartlesville quarterback Michael Kent’s passes had stung the Patriot defense like cobra fangs.

The Bruin offensive and defensive lines had chewed them up all night.

The Patriots (1-8, 1-5) just had no answers. Bartlesville (2-7, 2-4) was unstoppable — literally — for most of the game.

The Bruins scored on their first four possessions — on yardage drives of 62, 53, 6 (set up by a defensive fumble recovery) and 30 (set up by Matthew Sears’ punt return).

Augmented by Dillon Burson’s four extra points, Bartlesville led 28-0 in the opening 11:31.

Even though the scoring slowed after that, there was no doubt which team was in charge.

Bartlesville scored more than 40 points for the second time in three weeks — and also clinched a playoff spot in two weeks. This will be the fourth-straight year the Bruins  — who are coached by Harry Wright — have qualified for the postseason, a team record.

The motivation extended deeper than that. Still smarting from a one-point loss the previous week to Ponca City, 24-23, the Bruins wanted to prove something Thursday.  Putnam City West had the misfortune of being in their path.

Kent set the tone. The sophomore quarterback unleashed one of his most explosive performances — 33-of-38 passing for 308 yards, no interceptions and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 15 yards.

Of all the other special offensive weapons perhaps Matthew Sears stood out just a little taller — 104 yards receiving and a touchdown on nine catches and a six-yard scoring burst on the ground. He became the first Bruin this season to score both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.

Boden Roberts added 140 yards receiving and one touchdown on just seven grabs.

On the defensive side, Ivan Griffith’s interception shut down a promising Patriots’ drive just prior to halftime, defensive back Cale Granger broke up a touchdown catch in the end zone and Wyatt Davis and Landon Shaw helped shut down fourth-down runs.

One of the biggest special teams’ plays was Davin Carter’s recovery of an onside kick by Bartlesville.

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Bartlesville High School’s Evan Goad carries the ball during an earlier season game. The Bruins defeated Tulsa Central last Thursday on the road, 41-0.

BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports

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STRIKE LIKE LIGHTNING

As mentioned the Bruins surged into the game with a full charge of momentum.

On the game’s first possession, they ripped 62 yards down the field — on just five plays — capped by Sutton Williams’ two-yard touchdown run. The other key play on the drive included a 21-yard run by Daeton Stevens. Bartlesville held the ball for only 2:41.

Bartlesville then poked an onside kick, recovered by Carter, to set up another quick strikeout touchdown. Back-to-back passes of 14 yards to Boden Roberts and 23 yards to Gavin Thomas put the ball on the seven-yard line. Williams scored on a four-yard burst for his eighth rushing touchdown of the season.

The Bruin defense then forced another turnover (a fumble) to set the ball up on the Patriots’ six-yard line. Sears scored on an edge run and Burson’s extra point put the Bruins up, 21-0.

Putnam City West had to punt on its next possession, providing Sears a chance for a long return down to the Patriots’ 30-yard line. A pass completion to Roberts moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Three plays later, Stevens ran through a hole in the left side for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point bumped Bartlesville’s lead to 28-0.

It was still the first quarter — Bartlesville hadn’t been stopped and Putnam City West hadn’t gained a first down.

CHANGE OF PACE

In the final seconds of the first quarter, Putnam City West’s offense finally moved the ball for a few yards — aided by a pass interference call on Bartlesville. But the drive stalled out at the Bruin 37-yard line. Bartlesville then mounted a 28-yard drive that ended on downs.

The Bruins finally played again late in the second quarter — on a 27-yard strike from Kent to Roberts. The key play was a 10-yard scramble by Kent down to the Patriots’ 27-yard line on a 4th-and-9 play.  The half ended with Bartlesville about to score again from the Putnam City West six-yard line.

SECOND HALF ACTION

The Bruins burned up almost half the third quarter on an 11-play, 93-yard drive to a touchdown. Chunk plays on the marathon march included a 13-yard run by Williams, an 11-yard completion to Sears, a 20-yard hookup to Roberts, an 11-yard completion to Williams and a 33-yard strike to Roberts. Sears scored the touchdown on Kent’s 10-yard bullet.

Other than that, the teams just burnt out the time without much dramatic pause and with a running clock. Putnam City West failed to convert on 4th-and-11 at the Bruin 22-yard line and the Bruins went four-and-out on their final possession.

On their last possession, Putnam City West seemed to break up the shutout on a 60-yard pass play that went to the end zone. But the score was negated by a penalty. The game ended two plays later.

WHAT’s AHEAD

Bartlesville again travels west Friday to the Oklahoma City area where it will take on Capitol Hill (0-9, 0-6). The Bruins will be heavily favored to win. The next week they’ll be on the bus again, traveling to a site yet to be determined for the first round of the Class 6A-II playoffs.

NOTES: Kicker Dillon Burson is 24-for-24 on extra points this season. … Kent is close to 2,800 total offensive yards and has a solid chance to surpass 3,000 in this week’s regular season finale. … Ivan Griffith has two interceptions on the season. … The Bruins are 10-7 in their last 17 Week 10 games.

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Bartlesville: 28-7-6-0 — 41

PC West: 0-0-0-0 — 0

First quarter

Bart — Sutton Williams 2 run (Dillon Burson kick), 9:19.

Bart — Williams 4 run (Burson kick), 6:50.

Bart — Matthew Sears 6 run (Burson kick), 5:18.

Bart — Daeton Stevens 8 run (Burson kick), 0:29.

Second quarter

Bart — Boden Roberts 27 pass from Michael Kent (Burson kick), 1:21.

Third quarter

Bart — Sears 10 pass from Kent (Alleman kick fail), 4:46.

BARTLESVILLE LEADERS

Passing — Michael Kent 33-38-0-308 (2 TDs)

Rushing — Daeton Stevens 6-33 (1 TD), Sutton Williams 5-22 (2 TDs), Michael Kent 3-15, Matthew Sears 1-6 (1 TD).

Receiving — Boden Roberts 7-140 (1 TD), Sears 9-104 (1 TD), Daeton Stevens 3-42, Gavin Thomas 1-24, Sutton Williams 2-2.

Onside kick recovery — Davin Carter.

Interception — Ivan Griffith.

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Bruin touchdowns by game:

Vs. Newcastle — Sutton Williams 5 run (Dillon Burson kick); Williams 8 run (Burson kick); Evan Goad 6 pass from Michael Kent (Burson kick); Ivan Griffith 24 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Daeton Stevens 58 pass from Kent) 2-pt pass fail).

Vs. Claremore — Stevens 1 run (Burson kick);  Stevens 3 run (Burson kick); Boden Roberts 11 pass from Kent (bad snap, pass fail).

Vs. Collinsville — Kent 19 run (PAT blocked); Harrison Ketchum 71 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Roberts 19 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Matthew Sears 26 pass from Kent (Burson kick).
Vs. Sand Springs — None.

Vs. Sapulpa — Stevens 7 run (Burson kick); Ketchum 46 pass from Sears (Burson kick); Kent 13 run (Burson kick).

Vs. Muskogee — None.

Vs. Putnam City North — Ketchum 75 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Gavin Thomas 20 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Williams 6 run (Burson kick); Williams 1 run (Burson kick); Sears 34 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Williams 22 run (Burson kick).

Vs. Ponca City — Ketchum 62 pass from Sears (Burson kick); Roberts 65 pass from Kent (Williams run 2-pt); Williams 1 run (Sears score 2-pt).

Vs. Putnam City West — Williams 2 run (Burson kick), Williams 4 run (Burson kick); Sears 6 run (Burson kick); Stevens 8 run (Burson kick), Roberts 27 pass from Kent (Burson kick); Sears 10 pass from Kent (M Alleman PAT miss).

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