BARTLESVILLE BRUINS WAGE FIESTY FIGHT FOR FIRST WIN ON THE ROAD
Bartlesville High School’s Michael Kent (14) looks to pass during an earlier season game. The Bruins picked up their first win of the season, downing Putnam City North, 42-28, on the road.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Oct. 17, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
A renewed running game, a revved-up defense, and rugged resolve led to a rip-snortin' performance Thursday night by the Bruin football team of Bartlesville High School.
The previously-winless Bruins (1-6, 1-3) displayed fiery energy for four full quarters to knock off Putnam City North High School, 42-28, in Putnam City.
The Bruins reached the 40-point total for the first time this season and injected themselves squarely back in the chase for a top-four finish in District 6A-II-2 and possibly homefield advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Bartlesville players — who had been shut out in two of the previous three games — came out with fire in their eyes.
After recovering an onside kick to open the game, the Bruins moved the ball quickly for a touchdown on a pass from Michael Kent to receiver Harrison Ketchum. It was one of the few times this season the Bruins have taken the early lead. Dillon Burson’s extra point kick put Bartlesville on top, 7-0.
From that stage of the game, the teams basically traded points for the next several minutes. On its first possession, PC North (2-5, 2-2) drove the ball 51 yards and scored a two-point conversion to go ahead, 8-7.
The Bruin offense answered right away, putting together an 83-yard drive, capped by Gavin Thomas’ touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. The Bruins went up 14-8.
But, Putnam City North scored in the final minute of the first quarter — on a 39-yard burst up the middle by a ballcarrier and reclaimed the lead, 15-14.
Bartlesville bolted back with another touchdown with Sutton Williams scoring from six yards out in a Wildcat formation. It would be the first of three six-pointers by Williams, whose return to tailback boosted the offense.
Bartlesville then attempted its third onside kick, but a PC North player picked up the ball and ran it for a touchdown. The extra point failed, and the score stood tied, 21-21.
Neither team would score in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Bartlesville stopped one PC North drive on a fumble recovery by Adrian Jones.
The Bruins turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, which was in no man’s land (PC North 29-yard line).
After the Bruin defense chased the PC North offense off the field again, the Bruin offense got the ball back but turned it over on downs, again just outside the red zone.
The score stayed knotted, 21-21, at halftime.
In the second half, the Bruin defense did a much better job frustrating PC North’s running attack. The home team would put together only one touchdown drive the final two quarters.
In addition, Ivan Griffith would intercept a PC North pass, and the Bruins would recover another PC North fumble.
Bartlesville went ahead, 28-21, on Williams’ one-yard plunge out of the wildcat formation.
After PC North tied it up, 28-28, the Bruins pieced together an 85-yard drive, capped by Kent’s bullet to Matthew Sears for a 34-yard touchdown pass play — Kent’s 11th passing touchdown of the season. The Bruins went ahead, 35-28.
In the fourth quarter, the Bruins strung together a 62-yard drive — that melted nearly six minutes off the clock — that ended with Williams slicing 22 yards to the end zone for his third touchdown. The extra point put Bartlesville up, 42-28, with less than two minutes left.
That’s how it would end.
(Note: A follow-up with more offensive and defensive details is planned next week.)