FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Bartlesville High School’s Cale Granger (39) eyes a receiver during an earlier season game. The Bruins host Muskogee for homecoming.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Oct. 10, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
(Note: For live coverage of Friday’s area prep football action, tune into Bartlesville Radio stations. The Bartlesville game will be carried on KWON (1400-AM and 93.3-FM) and on KWON-TV, available on the Bartlesville Radio website. Other games are usually available on other stations.)
Following are previews of this week’s area prep football menu. All game times are 7 p.m.
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6A-II-2: Muskogee (2-3, 2-0) at BARTLESVILLE (0-5, 0-2)
Last week’s scores: Sapulpa 41, BARTLESVILLE 21; MUSKOGEE 63, Putnam City West 0
2024: Muskogee 55, Bartlesville 0
2023: Muskogee 30, Bartlesville 27
2022: Muskogee 61, Bartlesville 28
OUTLOOK: Muskogee has been that itch that Bartlesville had struggled to scratch during the seasons.
Not that the Bruins haven’t produced some key wins against the Roughers.
— In 2009, the Bruins knocked off Muskogee, 35-30, at Custer Stadium, on Bartlesville’s way to an 8-2 regular season record and playoff run.
— In 2002, Bartlesville swarmed all over Muskogee, 51-21, to clinch the Bruins’ first playoff spot in a decade.
— In 2000, Bartlesville placekicker Ross Novak booted a monstrous field goal in an 18-15 win in the Indian Bowl on Bartlesville’s way to a 5-5 record.
— In 1987, Bartlesville tipped Muskogee, 21-17, at Custer, in the first round of the playoffs.
But the series has mostly belonged to Muskogee — although there have been some close calls. Eight of the games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Even though Muskogee is the defending state champion, it got off to a tough start this season.
Not that the Bruins have exactly been swimming through smooth waters.
On paper, the Roughers are favored coming into Custer Stadium.
But the game is played on turf and victory has to be earned the old-fashioned way.
Bartlesville has displayed plenty of competitiveness and talent in good stretches. But it just hasn’t come all together enough of the time.
The Bruins — who are coached by Harry Wright — staged some impressive yard-gobbling drives last week against Sapulpa — but they didn’t sustain all of them.
Muskogee graduated some key talent off last year’s powerhouse squad but has looked strong in district competition.
The keys for Bartlesville could be to build on the running game that showed some big promise last week, commit fewer turnovers, avoid costly penalties on both sides of the ball and limit the pass rush pressure on throwing downs.
Could this Friday be the night the Bruins howl?
Or at least get closer to putting together the kind of complete effort that will carry them to success the remainder of the season?
Series (since 1987): Muskogee leads 21-10.
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Dewey High School’s Eddie Rice (5) blocks during an earlier season game. The Bulldoggers travel to Wesville on Friday,
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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2A-I-4: DEWEY (1-4, 0-2) at Westville (1-4, 0-2)
Last week’s scores: Tahlequah-Sequoyah 40, DEWEY 0; Tulsa Central 25, WESTVILLE 14
2024: Dewey 34, Westville 16
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: It seems like Dewey has been hanging around Opportunity’s front porch and even pounded on the door a few times.
Perhaps this week the Doggers will crash through.
They face a winnable game on paper against Westville — which Dewey beat last season.
The mixing of personnel and positions — some by experiment and some by necessity — by Scott Sapulpa and his coaching staff might pay major dividends for Dewey during the second half of the season, starting with this showdown.
Sapulpa expressed confidence last week his squad can still qualify for the playoffs. A win against Westville would energize that objective.
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A-I-3: PAWHUSKA (6-0, 3-0) at Tonkawa (4-1, 2-0)
Last week’s scores: PAWHUSKA 42, Pawnee 40; TONKAWA 49, Caney Valley 12
2024: Pawhuska 50, Tonkawa 12
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: With wins against powerhouses Hominy, Woodland and Pawnee behind them, the unbeaten Pawhuska Huskies face the final major test of their gauntlet.
With a win against Tonkawa the Huskies — who are coached by Matt Hennesy — could be in complete control of whether they win the district title.
Most of the time, Pawhuska’s offense has resembled something between an elephant stampede and a wave-ripping torpedo. Led by quarterback Kane Foreman, ballcarriers Jenson Snodgrass and Vann Wildcat and receivers Corlin Cass, Jarek Edwards, Tripp Walker, Dane Jensen and others
Forman has thrown for 1,404 yards and 24 touchdowns — and only two interceptions. Snodgrass is sitting at 415 yards rushing — with an average of 11.5 yards per rush. Cass boasts the most receiving yards (334), followed by Wildcat (258).
But Pawhuska’s defensive strength can’t be underestimated.
Four players are averaging more than 10 tackles per game — Jimmie Wildcat (14.3), Vann Wildcat (13.5), Logan Cass (12.8) and Jensen (11.5).
Jayden Henley has racked up an eye-popping 17 tackles for loss, followed by Jimmie Wildcat with 11. Jensen owns a team best four sacks and three fumbles recovered.
Jack Grooms has scored two defensive touchdowns.
Series (since 2012): Tonkawa leads 5-2
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Caney Valley High School’s Trevor Morgan (3) moves the ball during earlier season action. The Trojans head to Pawnee on Friday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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A-I-3: CANEY VALLEY TROJANS (0-5, 0-2) at Pawnee (3-2, 1-1)
Last week’s scores: Tonkawa 49, CANEY VALLEY 12; Pawhuska 42, PAWNEE 40
2024: Pawnee 60, Caney Valley 0
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: The rebuilding Caney Valley Trojans face another looming test against a Pawnee team coming off its first district loss.
Caney Valley has battled hard this season and slogged through adversity, including a short roster.
But the Trojans put two touchdowns on the board last week against a very strong Tonkawa program and appear to be on the road to progress for first-year head coach Derrick Hammer.
Series (since 1992): Pawnee leads 12-1
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A-I-3: Morrison (2-3, 1-1) at NOWATA (1-5, 1-2)
Last week’s scores: Quapaw 50, NOWATA 34; MORRISON 50, Oklahoma Union 0
2024: Nowata 22, Morrison 20
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: The Nowata Ironmen have been a hard-luck team so far, including a 37-36 loss a couple of weeks ago to Barnsdall and last week’s competitive setback against Quapaw.
The Ironmen pretty much face a must-win stage in order to remain in playoff contention. Last season they knocked off Morrison as a stepping stone to the postseason.
Adrian O’Dell and Asiah Saxton have been Nowata’s primary offensive weapons for Nowata coach Chance Juby.
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A-I-3: Quapaw (2-3, 1-1) at OKLAHOMA UNION (0-5, 0-2)
Last week’s scores: Morrison 50, OKLAHOMA UNION 0; QUAPAW 50, Nowata 34
2024: Quapaw 40, Oklahoma Union 36
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: Oklahoma Union has been trying to put it all together while dealing with a grueling schedule. This week’s game could offer a good chance for OUHS to nail down its first win and climb into the thick of playoff contention.
Series (since 2015) Oklahoma Union leads 4-3
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A-II-4: Ketchum (3-2, 1-1) at BARNSDALL (3-2, 0-2)
Last week’s scores: Woodland 50, BARNSDALL 0; Hominy 34, KETCHUM 14
2024: Ketchum 49, Barnsdall 14
2023: DNP
2022: DNP
OUTLOOK: The feisty promise of mid-September has evolved into a fierce battle for Bartlesville to remain in the playoff hunt.
For the third-straight year injury issues to key talented stalwarts has stumped the Panthers’ potential to fully utilize a powerful lineup put together by head coach Kylee Sweeney.
With the return to action of some of its key assets could give Barnsdall the boost it needs for what looms as almost a must-win game in order to get back to the postseason dreamin’,
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B-II-4: Copan (4-1), Fft., TBD
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Kansas AAA: CANEY VALLEY BULLPUPS (4-1, 1-0) at Fredonia (0-5, 0-1)
Last week’s scores: CANEY VALLEY 44, Cherryvale 0; Neodesha 37, FREDONIA 6
2024: Caney Valley 53, Fredonia 7
2023: Caney Valley 35, Fredonia 0
2022: Caney Valley 24, Fredonia 6
OUTLOOK: Caney Valley has won 16 in a row since 2007 (the teams did not play in 2018, 2019) against Fredonia.
A win Friday should lift the Bullpups to the upper rungs of stepping up to a district championship and playoff return.
Of course, Fredonia's objective will be to do everything it can to spoil that climb.
But Caney Valley’s combination of balanced offensive attack and shark-like defense makes it a difficult beast to tame.
Nothing is settled until the final buzzer. That’s why they play the game under the lights.
Series (since 2004): Caney Valley leads 17-2