Bartlesville High School’s EJ Belisle (13) is tackled following an interception last Friday against Sand Springs during Cancer Awareness Night at Custer Stadium in Bartlesville. The Bruins defeated Sand Springs 44-34. On Thursday, the team travels to Booker T. Washington.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Bartlesville Bruin Matthew Sears (5) runs the ball against Sand Springs last Friday during Cancer Awareness Night at Custer Stadium in Bartlesville. The Bruins defeated Sand Springs 44-34. On Thursday, the team travels to Booker T. Washington.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Becky Burch
Oct. 15, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
It was a busy Friday night for area high school football teams, bringing a mix of tough road losses and big home wins. With local schools out for fall break, the next round of district matchups moves to Thursday night. Here is a look back at last week's game coverage and what to expect on the field tonight.
_____
BARTLESVILLE 44, Sand Springs 34
The Bartlesville Bruins defeated Sand Springs 44-34 last Friday at Custer Stadium during Cancer Awareness night. Trading their traditional blue jerseys for pink ones bearing the names of loved ones, the Bruins rode a dominant first half to victory.
"I was proud of how hard our boys played," Bartlesville head coach Matt Hennesy said. "We are getting better executing, but it is our effort that is winning us games. I am also proud of how we are handling adversity and having a 1-0 mentality."
The Bruins jumped ahead 6-0 in the first quarter and built a commanding 30-12 lead by halftime. The Sandites mounted a third-quarter rally, outscoring Bartlesville 14-8, but the Bruins sealed the win by tacking on six points in the fourth quarter to match eight from Sand Springs.
Bruin quarterback Michael Kent paced the offensive explosive effort, completing 28 of 41 pass attempts for 374 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Kent also added 43 yards and two scores on the ground.
Senior Boden Roberts excelled on both sides of the ball, leading the team with 114 all-purpose yards. Roberts hauled in five receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns, while adding four tackles, two sacks, and an interception on defense.
"Boden Roberts had a good game on both sides of the ball, and Michael Kent continues to improve at quarterback," Hennesy said.
Eman George provided another primary aerial target, catching six passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. Matthew Sears added 66 receiving yards on seven catches alongside a 13-yard rush, and Logan Goins anchored the backfield with 90 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries while catching one pass for 6 yards.
_____
Bartlesville Bruin EJ Belisle (13) intercepts a pass last Friday against Sand Springs’ Dominic Forbes (2) during Cancer Awareness Night at Custer Stadium in Bartlesville. The Bruins defeated Sand Springs 44-34. On Thursday, the team travels to Booker T. Washington.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
_____
Defensively, EJ Belisle stepped up to handle the challenge of shadowing Sand Springs star receiver Dominic Forbes, who entered the night averaging 334 yards per game and ultimately managed a significant performance with nearly 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Belisle limited the damage by snagging two crucial interceptions to go with five tackles and 22 receiving yards.
"I was also proud of EJ Belisle for stepping up and accepting the challenge to cover number two (Dominic Forbes) all night," Hennesy said.
Landen Shaw anchored the defense with a team-high 16 tackles, followed by Drake Ford with 13 stops. Wyatt Mathis and Evan Goad each collected seven tackles, while Belisle and George added five apiece.
Next up, Bartlesville (4-2, 1-0) travels to Booker T. Washington for a Class 6A-II, District 2 showdown Thursday at 7 p.m. The Bruins currently sit in third place in the district, while the Hornets (3-3 overall, 0-1 district) are in fourth.
_____
Bartlesville Bruin Drake Ford (8) tackles a Sand Springs runner last Friday during Cancer Awareness Night at Custer Stadium in Bartlesville. The Bruins defeated Sand Springs 44-34. On Thursday, the team travels to Booker T. Washington.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Dewey Bulldogger Fenix Bolding (11) tries to break a tackle during a game earlier this season. The Bulldoggers fell 66-18 on the road last Friday and will host Chisholm on Thursday at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
_____
Kiefer 66, DEWEY 18
The Dewey Bulldoggers fell to undefeated Kiefer on the road last Friday. The Trojans jumped out to a dominant start, scoring 60 points in the first half.
Fenix Bolding provided a bright spot for the Bulldoggers (4-2, 2-1), rushing for 78 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries while adding three receptions for 57 yards. Under center, Braxton Braden threw for 52 yards in the loss.
Next up, Dewey hosts Chisholm (4-2, 2-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game shapes up to be an offensive battle; the Bulldoggers average 244 total yards per game, while the Longhorns average 348 yards. On the ground, the teams are evenly matched, with Dewey averaging 130.5 rushing yards compared to Chisholm's 136.5 yards. The Bulldoggers also lead defensively with 66.5 tackles per game. Chisholm is currently ranked third in Class 2A-I, District 1, while the Doggers sit in fourth place.
_____
CANEY VALLEY (OK) 8, Commerce 30
The Caney Valley Trojans fell to Commerce 30-8 on the road last Friday. Caney Valley (2-4) struggled to generate momentum against the Tigers (3-3).
Next up, the Trojans hope to secure a victory Thursday against the Classen SAS Comets (1-5). The matchup shapes up to be highly competitive, as both teams are evenly matched on the scoreboard. Classen SAS averages 13.2 points per game, while the Trojans average 14.3 points. The contest will feature a rare daytime kickoff at 1 p.m. in Ramona.
_____
The Caney Valley (Okla.) Trojan defense swarms a Nowata runner during a game earlier this season. The Trojans fell to Commerce 30-8 last Friday and will host Classen SAS on Thursday at 1 p.m. in a rare daytime game.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
_____
BARNSDALL 20, Ketchum 28
The Barnsdall Panthers fell to undefeated Ketchum 28-20 on the road last Friday. The Panthers (4-2, 1-2) are coached by Kylee Sweeney.
Gavin Wood passed for 128 yards and one touchdown in the loss, while Jaxson Vickery rushed for 62 yards on nine carries. Byrce Byers added four receptions for 63 yards.
Next up, Barnsdall will look for its second district win when it hosts Quapaw (3-3, 2-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Panthers are averaging 30.8 points per game, while the Wildcats average 23.8 points.
_____
Quapaw 13, OKLAHOMA UNION 0
The Cougars fell to Quapaw 13-0 on the road last Friday. OKU (0-6, 0-3) put together its strongest defensive performance of the season, holding the Wildcats to just 13 points.
Next up, the Cougars host undefeated Ketchum on Thursday at 7 p.m.
_____
Nowata quarterback Adrian O’Dell (6) prepares to kick off during a game earlier this season while Asiah Saxton (5) looks on as the Ironmen line up. Nowata hosts Colcord Thursday at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
_____
Morrison 53, NOWATA 21
The Ironmen fell on the road to Morrison 53-21 last Friday. Nowata (3-3, 1-1) struggled to contain the Wildcats’offense despite several strong individual performances.
Asiah Saxton led the ground game for the Ironmen, rushing for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Caleb Woolman proved versatile, picking up 45 yards and a touchdown on four carries while adding a 12-yard reception.
Under center, Adrian O’Dell completed 2 of 7 passes for 34 yards with one interception, while also contributing 22 rushing yards on nine carries. Conner Gagan caught one pass for 22 yards, and Bode Smith added 29 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Next up, Nowata hosts the Colcord Hornets (4-3, 1-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m.
_____
Oaks-Mission 12, SOUTH COFFEYVILLE 46
The Lions have won their last two games to climb into third place in Class C, District 3. South Coffeyville (3-3, 2-1) picked up a road win last Friday, defeating Oaks-Mission 46-12.
The Lions dominated early, heading into the locker room with a 22-0 halftime lead. They maintained the pressure in the second half, putting up eight points in the third quarter and adding 16 more in the final period, while the defense limited the Warriors to 12 second-half points.
Up next, South Coffeyville faces a tough challenge when it hosts the Medford Cardinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. Medford leads the district with a 3-0 record, its only blemish on a 5-1 overall record coming against Pond Creek-Hunter back in September.
_____
Looking Ahead
Both the Pawhuska Huskies and Copan Hornets have a bye this week to rest up and regroup for the final stretch of the season. Full feature articles covering their recent games, along with a special look at the undefeated Caney Valley (Kansas) Bullpups, will be posted soon right here on our site.