COPAN HORNETS STAY PERFECT WITH 40-8 VICTORY OVER YALE
Copan Hornets player Gavin Barnes (7) reacts on the sidelines after a PAT during the first half last Friday in Copan. The Hornets defeated Yale 40-8 to remain undefeated at 5-0.
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Copan Hornet Slayton Brewington (20) puts pressure on Yale quarterback Kaden Teter (9) during last Friday's 40-8 win in Copan.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Becky Burch
Oct. 1, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
The Copan Hornets kept their perfect season intact last Friday, rolling past Yale 40-8 at Sheets Field to improve to 5-0.
Quarterback Zane Stricklin and running back Raydn Martin paced the Hornets' offense, combining for four rushing touchdowns to keep Copan undefeated at the midseason mark.
Stricklin completed 8 of 15 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, while adding 28 yards and two scores on five carries on the ground. Martin carried the workload out of the backfield, rushing for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. He also added two receptions for 19 yards. Elijah Evans also contributed to the ground game with 44 yards on 14 carries.
Despite the decisive 32-point victory, second-year head coach Trenton Kallenberger noted that his team remains hungry for cleaner performances.
"I think we’re in a good position midseason," Kallenberger said. "Credit to the growth of our program, 5-0 isn’t just good enough. Our kids and our coaches know we're leaving some out there on Friday nights, and we will work to continue to improve those areas. That’s very satisfying as a coach, when we’re beating people by 30 and 40 and our guys are apologizing to the team and demanding more of themselves."
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Former Copan Hornets player Teegan Caron watches from the sidelines during last Friday's game against Yale in Copan. Caron, a senior on last year's squad, joined the coaching staff this season to work with the team's running backs, linebackers, and kickers.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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Copan's cultural shift has been aided on the sidelines by a familiar face. Teegan Caron, a senior on last year's squad, has joined Kallenberger's staff this season to coach the running backs, linebackers, and kickers—including the progressing special teams unit.
"There is no learning curve for him; he’s been able to step in and coach right away," Kallenberger said of Caron. "The kids have done a great job separating him from a teammate a year ago to now their coach, and it’s been a huge advantage for us and again a good reflection of the culture of our program."
The Hornets' air attack distributed the ball effectively alongside the run game. Slayton Brewington caught three passes for 32 yards, and Ruger Virden added two catches for 22 yards. Lane Willing made the most of his lone reception, taking it 11 yards for a touchdown.
The Hornets will look to push their record to 6-0 this Friday when they make a long road trip to face Kremlin-Hillsdale in a non-district matchup.
Copan Hornets defenders Gavin Barnes (7) and Raydn Martin (10) tackle Yale's Brayden Greenfield (8) in Copan's 40-8 win last Friday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report