PAWHUSKA STILL IN PURSUIT OF PLAYOFF GLORY; HOMINY STILL ALIVE; COPAN, CV PUPS, OTHERS OUSTED
Pawhuska High School’s Kane Foreman (20) hands off to Logan Cass (4) during an earlier season game. The Huskies advanced to the second round of playoffs with a 48-6 win over Panama last Friday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
A Caney Valley (Kan.) Bullpup runner gains some yards against Osage City (Kan.) last Friday in Caney, Kan. The Bullpups fell to Osage City (Kan.) 46-14 in their third round of playoffs.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Copan High School’s Elijah Evans (13) tries to break a tackle during last Friday night's playoff action in Copan. The Hornets fell to Coyle 42-18.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Nov. 19, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Pawhuska High School’s football team is on a voyage to go boldly where no Huskie team has never gone before — an appearance in the state championship final.
The Huskies have been on the threshold before, advancing to the state semifinals — most recently in 2009, 2020, and 2021.
Pawhuska got off to a successful playoff launch last weekend by pounding Panama, 48-6.
Next up, the Huskies travel to Wynnewood for this weekend’s Class A-I quarterfinals.
To put it simply, Pawhuska is just two wins away from what would be its first-ever state championship game appearance.
Meanwhile, the playoff dreams for most other area teams crumbled last weekend into the ashes of elimination and what-might-have-beens.
Bartlesville led the list, suffering a setback at Piedmont, 53-28, in the Class 6A-II playoff first round.
Copan fell to Coyle, 42-18, in the Class B-11 (eight-man) tournament while the Caney Valley (Kan.) Bullpups lost in the Kansas Class 2A state quarterfinals to Osage City.
As far as area teams on the periphery, Hominy advanced in the Class A-II playoffs by hammering Regent Prep, 42-7, while South Coffeyville fell to Sasakwa in a Class C (eight-man) playoff opener, 37-14.
Following is a closer look at last week’s area playoff games, with the exception of Bartlesville, for whom a game article already appeared earlier this week.
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PAWHUSKA
The Huskies (10-1) reached the 10-win plateau for the fourth time since Matt Hennesy became head coach in 2018.
Win No. 11 appears to be a definite challenge. Wynnewood is unbeaten (11-0) on the season and has outscored its last three opponents by a cumulative point total of 142-14.
Pawhuska also brings a formidable force to the game. During the past four games, the Huskies have routed their foes by a combined score of 226-46.
This sets up to be an explosive quarterfinal collision.
As the classic old song warns, when the Huskies and the Savages collide on Friday day, “Something’s Gotta Give.”
The only thing Pawhuska gave Panama last weekend was a lot of grief.
Huskie quarterback Kane Foreman delivered nearly a perfect passing performance — 12-of-13 for 188 yards and a 49-yard touchdown pass to Logan Cass.
Foreman also rushed for a score.
Jenson Snodgrass rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries and also scored two two-point conversions. Vann Wildcat added three touchdowns rushing on nine carries for 37 yards. He also ran for three two-pointers.
Tripp Walker grabbed three passes for 69 yards and hauled in a two-point pass from Cass.
Vann Wildcat added 34 receiving yards on three catches.
On the defensive side, Corlin Cass registered a pick-six.
Jimmie Wildcat led in tackles with 13 (eight solo), followed by Logan Cass with eight (6), Vann Wildcat with seven (3), and Jarek Edwards with six (3). Edwards also caused a fumble, broke up three passes, and notched a sack.
Jayden Henley piled up two tackles for loss, and Dakaraii Stewart made two pass breakups and one interception.
It seems like the last 11 games have been a tune-up for this Friday’s test at Wynnewood.
No one said the voyage would be easy — but the chance to forge a new frontier is worth the plunge.
PAWHUSKA LEADERS
Passing — Kane Foreman 12-13-0-188, 1 TD
Rushing — Jenson Snodgrass 11-52, 2 2-pters; Vann Wildcat 9-37, 3 TDs, 3 2-pters; Kane Foreman 3-8, 1 TD.
Receiving — Tripp Walker 3-69, 1 2-pter; Logan Cass 1-49, 1 TD; Vann Wildcat 3-34; Jarek Edwards 2-21; Jenson Snodgrass 4-18.
Tackles — Jimmie Wildcat 13, Logan Cass 8, Vann Wildcat 7, Jarek Edwards 6, Jayden Henley 4, Dakaraii Stewart 4.
Interceptions — Dakaraii Stewart 1, Corlin Cass 1.
Fumble recovery — Jack Grooms 1.
Tackles for loss — Jayden Henley 2.
Sacks — Jarek Edwards 1, Jack Grooms 1.
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Caney Valley (Kan.) Bullpup quarterback Layne Denny (3) looks to pass during last Friday’s playoff game in Caney, Kan. The Bullpups fell to Osage City (Kan.) 46-14 in their third round of playoffs.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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CANEY VALLEY (Kan.) PUPS
There’s something significant to be said for being one of only eight teams left standing in the state playoffs.
But that only softens some of the sting for Caney Valley after being eliminated in last week’s Kansas Class 2A quarterfinals.
Osage City (Kan.) players — defending their home field — came on strong in the final three quarters to defeat the Pups, 46-14, and end their remarkable season at 9-2.
“My kids never quit,” said Caney Valley head coach Criss Davis. “I take my hat off to the kids.”
The Pups absorbed a huge blow when explosive runner Jace Buckley went down with a knee injury, Davis said. Not only did Buckley’s absence hurt the offense but also deprived the Pups of a strong defensive presence.
“We had to make all kinds of changes,” Davis said.
Up to that point, it was a game.
Caney Valley opened the scoring on a one-yard touchdown burst by Buckley, followed by Traxcyn Garton’s two-point run. Unfortunately, those would be the Pups’ only points in the first half.
Meanwhile, Osage City piled up 22 points in the first half.
Caney Valley opened the third quarter scoring with a 12-yard touchdown run by Garton to narrow Osage City’s lead to 22-13.
“But from there the wheels kind of fell off,” Davis said.
Osage City produced two big touchdown passes — of 62 and 60 yards — to finish out the third quarter and increase its lead to 34-13 going into the fourth quarter.
The Pups had no magic left in the moonlight.
For the sixth-or-more time in the past quarter century, the Pups’ season ended in the quarterfinals.
Like the Brooklyn Dodgers’ fans of yore, Caney Valley fans can find only limited consolation in the declaration “wait ’til next year!”
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Caney Valley (Kan.) Bullpup Traxcyn Garton (27) picks up some yardage during last Friday’s third round of playoffs in Caney, Kan. The Bullpups fell to Osage City (Kan.) 46-14..
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Caney Valley: 8-0-6-0 — 14
Osage City: 7-14-12-13 — 46
FIRST QUARTER
CV — Jace Buckley 1 run (Traxcyn Garton run), 9:38.
OSAGE — Reed Silver 10 run (Sawyer Speece kick), 1:17.
SECOND QUARTER
OSAGE — Quenten Stark 12 run (Speece kick), 9:03.
OSAGE — Dylan Theel 27 pass from Silver (Speece kick), 2:11.
THIRD QUARTER
CV — Garton 12 run (run fail), 5:58.
OSAGE — Stark 62 pass from Silver (kick fail), 5:30.
OSAGE — Stark 60 pass from Silver (kick blocked), 2:14.
FOURTH QUARTER
OSAGE — Theel 22 run (Speece kick), 9:43.
OSAGE — Will Brown 5 run, 4:03.
TEAM STATS
First downs: CV 10, Osage 18; Rushing: CV 46-144, Osage 33-250; Passing: CV 2-8-1-19; Osage 9-13-0-235; Fumbles-lost: CV 0-0, Osage 1-1; Penalties: CV 3-35; Osage 4-60; Punts: CV 6-221 (36.8), Osage 1-37.
CANEY VALLEY LEADERS
Rushing — Traxcyn Garton 19-69, Jace Buckley 6-33, Austin Freisberg 9-31, Boone White 8-21.
Passing — Layne Denny 2-8-1-19
Receiving — Garton 1-14, Drake Roberds 1-5.
Tackles — Boone White 6, Angel Martinez 5, Brentley Martin 5, Austin Freisberg 4.5, Jace Wren 4.5.
Sack — Jace Wren 1.
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Copan High School quarterback Zane Stricklin (1) runs the ball last Friday night during playoff action in Copan. The Hornets fell to Coyle 42-18.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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COPAN
Thanks to the heart and guts of a stout-hearted group of seniors, Copan turned the question marks at the start of the season to a giant exclamation mark of success at the end.
To evaluate the achievements of this year’s Copan Hornet team, one has to look in the rearview mirror for six seasons.
In 2020, the Hornets staggered to a 1-10 record — going only to the playoffs because the COVID-caused team shortages meant everyone was invited to the postseason.
The next season, Copan barely improved to 2-8 — making the turnaround seem a long, long way off.
Then arrived 2022 — and with it a quartz-tough quartet of freshmen skill players named Kane Foreman, Teegan Caron, Shooter Brewington and Weston O’Rourke, along with a flint-hard lineman named Bryson Kalivoda.
This Feisty Fivesome — along with older stalwarts such as Karson Woodworth and others — jump-started the revival.
In 2022 the Hornet squad squeezed out a 4-6 record and barely missed the playoffs.
The 2023 team powered to 5-6, including Copan’s first earned postseason berth since 2009.
And in 2024, Copan surged to an 8-3 record and earned a home playoff game (which it lost).
Then arrived the threshold of the 2025 season.
Gone was Foreman (via transfer to Pawhuska).
Gone was head coach Marshall Foreman (who also joined Pawhuska).
Graduated was Woodworth and other sturdy veteran talent.
Some Hornets might have wondered how Copan would fare without Kane Foreman — a three-year starting quarterback — or coach Foreman, the visionary for the Copan football renaissance.
Almost three months later, we know the answer. All those doubts are now dust.
The 2025 Hornets — coached by former assistant Trenton Kallenberger and led by four-year starters O’Rourke, Kalivoda, Brewington, and Caron — duplicated the 8-2 regular season record of the season before and once again hosted a first-round playoff game.
Unfortunately, like last season, they again lost their first-round playoff game.
Coyle outlasted the Hornets, 42-18, in last Friday’s Class B-II postseason opener and Copan ended at 8-3 for the second-straight year.
Still, compared to the 2-8 mark of just four years ago, the progress has been amazing and a credit to the veteran players “who led the team in the direction they wanted to go,” Kallenberger said.
Coyle’s wing-based offense proved to be too tough a matchup for the Copan defense.
“We had a hard time stopping it,” Kallenberger said. “We stopped them on just two possessions. … But our kids played hard.”
Copan also made a nod to the future in this playoff — three non-seniors did all the scoring. They included freshman Payten Call, who caught two touchdown passes from junior quarterback Zane Stricklin, and a five-yard scoring burst by Stricklin.
Call finished with 105 yards receiving on four catches, while Stricklin shone with more than 200 yards passing, although he was picked off twice.
“That was kind of the difference in the game,” Kallenberger said. “We had three possessions end in turnovers.”
Copan also went to battle without O’Rourke in what would have been his final game.
Seniors Brewington and Caron amassed a massive amount of tackles — 16 and 15, respectively.
Caron finished as a 1,000-yard rusher in back-to-back seasons, and Brewington piled up more than 150 career tackles, Kallenberger added.
The four four-year starters will leave a huge gap to be filled next season, but will live always in the legend of Copan football as the ones that led the turnaround.
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Copan High School’s Shooter Brewington (20) makes a tackle last Friday during a playoff game in Copan. The Hornets fell to Coyle 42-18.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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“This senior class … has been the catalyst,” Kallenberger said. “They’ve built the foundation. The next group will continue to build on the foundation they built. … This senior group wanted to build a team. They wanted to learn how to lean on each other.”
Copan is set to return numerous All-District players. Some of them that started or played major roles this past season include seniors-to-be Stricklin, Elijah Evans, Ashton Jeffers, and Keeghan Smith, junior-to-be Marcus Bryan, and sophomores-to-be Call, Edan Thompson, and Slayton Brewington.
In addition, Kallenberger is looking for an infusion of 10 new freshmen that pounded out a 7-1 record in middle school competition.
Thanks to the heart and guts of a stout-hearted group of seniors, Copan turned the question marks at the start of the season to a giant exclamation mark of success at the end.
Their English teacher should be proud — these players certainly learn about power punctuation.
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HOMINY
The Bucks (9-2) are in the chase for their third state championship in the 2000s.
They dismantled Regent Prep, 42-7, in last weekend’s opening round of the Class A-II playoffs and next take aim on Thomas-Fay-Custer this coming Friday at the Hominy Field.
Hominy is riding an eight-game winning streak. Only Class A-II powerhouses Pawhuska and Pawnee defeated Hominy — and that was back in September.
Custer comes into the game with a 10-1 record, including a 19-14 playoff win against Ringling.
Friday’s Hominy-Custer winner moves on to the semifinals on December 5.
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SOUTH COFFEYVILLE
The Lions (3-6) saw their playoff run end with a loss to Sasakwa, 37-14.