NEW ERA GAINS MOMENTUM: BARTLESVILLE BRUINS CARRY EXPLOSIVE ENERGY INTO DISTRICT OPENER TONIGHT AT CUSTER STADIUM
Bartlesville High School’s Michael Kent (14) and Boden Roberts (2) react after a touchdown last Friday against Yukon at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Bartlesville Bruins defense takes down a Yukon player last Friday at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
By Becky Burch
Oct. 9, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Scores lie. They do it all the time.
If you look strictly at the scoreboard from last Friday night, you will see Yukon defeated the Bartlesville Bruins 76-42.
But if you were actually there on the sidelines, or if you have been watching this program closely, you know that number does not reflect the pulse, the heart, or the true direction of this Bruin squad.
My Friday night was a blur, the usual chaotic sideline hustle of a photographer trying to capture the spirit of local high school sports. I started the evening at the Nowata vs. Summit Christian matchup, zipped over to the Dewey vs. Blackwell game, and spent my time in transit flipping the radio dial.
Between quarters, KWON 1400 delivered tough news: Yukon had jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
Hearing we were down by three touchdowns against a top-tier class powerhouse was grim, but it wasn't a "here we go again" moment. In previous years, a deficit like that might have signaled a long night.
In the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, the Bruins fought through grueling stretches, finishing 3-8 after dropping their first several games.
But this 3-2 Bruin team is built differently.
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A member of the Bruin Brigade performs during halftime of the Bartlesville vs. Yukon football game last Friday at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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When I pulled into Custer Stadium on homecoming night during the Bruin Brigade halftime show and saw the Bruins had exploded for 28 points in the second quarter to make it 42-28, I wasn't actually surprised. How could I be? I have seen what coach Matt Hennesy, his coaching staff, and these athletes have poured into this program since day one.
When Hennesy was hired, he didn't wait for the school calendar to turn. He hit the ground running immediately, implementing a culture of tempo, effort, and accountability. The relentless winter conditioning, the team meetings, the intense film study, building a coaching staff and the mentoring didn't just start in August—it started on the cold mornings of early winter.
Against an undefeated team—in a class that features powerhouse programs like Bixby, Broken Arrow, and Jenks—our boys did not blink. Through my camera lens, the transformation of this team is undeniable. There is a palpable excitement on the sidelines. Hennesy and his staff have cultivated an environment where every single player, starter or backup, feels completely locked into the game.
On Friday night, every catch, every tackle, and every hard-fought yard was treated like a game-winning touchdown. Helmets and fists were pumped into the air as teammates cheered each other on. Even after the starters were pulled late in the game when the margin widened, the energy never wavered.
The Bruins do not trot from the sidelines after a timeout—they sprint. They do not saunter up to the ball after a huddle—they run to the line of scrimmage.
The final score might go down as a loss, but what is happening on that field is a massive victory for the culture of Bartlesville football. It is a new era at Custer Stadium, and it is just beginning.
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Bartlesville Bruin Price Lusk (11) returns a kickoff last Friday against Yukon at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Yukon 76, Bartlesville 42
Yukon jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, pushing the halftime score to 42-28. Out of the third quarter, Yukon scored 21 points, while the Bruins poured in 14. Hennesy pulled his starters late in the fourth quarter, and Yukon added 13 more points to close out the game.
Quarterback Michael Kent led the Bartlesville air attack, throwing for 289 yards on 22-of-38 passing with two touchdowns and one interception. Kent also made a massive impact on the ground, rushing for 118 yards on 19 carries and scoring three touchdowns.
Price Lusk led the Bruins in receiving with 95 yards on seven receptions and one touchdown. Matthew Sears added 76 receiving yards, followed by Wyatt Mathis with 45 yards, Eman George with 33 yards, Boden Roberts with 22 yards, and EJ Belisle with 18 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Evan Goad led the team with seven tackles, while Landen Shaw recorded six. Davin Carter and Kandon Benjamin each logged four tackles. Sears, Carter Hainline, and Sonji Keitku contributed three tackles apiece, and Deandre Russell finished the night with two tackles.
The Bruins open district play at home Friday against Sand Springs (1-3).
A member of the Bruin Brigade performs during halftime of the Bartlesville vs. Yukon football game last Friday at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
A member of the Bruin Brigade and homecoming court performs during halftime of the Bartlesville vs. Yukon football game last Friday at Custer Stadium. Yukon defeated the Bruins 76-42. Bartlesville hosts Sand Springs for their district opener Friday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report