TOP ATHLETE OF THE PAST 30 YEARS: COLTON PENROD (BARTLESVILLE)

By Mike Tupa

Nov. 12, 2025

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

During his nearly 30 years of covering area high school sports for either the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise or the Bartlesville Area Sports Report, Mike Tupa has enjoyed the opportunity to observe some incredible athletes.

This is an ongoing series highlighting each few days one of those athletes from the 1996-97 school year through the present. The list is not in chronological order. The athletes are presented in random sequence.

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Today's Spotlight

COLTON PENROD (Bartlesville)

Multi sports (early-to-mid-2010s)

Go southpaw, young man.

With apologies to Horace Greeley, that was the decision Bartlesville High School head football coach John McKee had to make prior to the 2013 season.

He opted to elevate sophomore left-handed flinger Colton Penrod to the starting quarterback spot.

The rest is (team) history.

By Penrod’s senior season (2015-16), the Bruins burst to a 10-2 record — tops in Bruin history. They finished 9-1 in the regular season — and it would have been 10-0 if not for a 17-14 loss at Tulsa Washington, set up by a lost Bruin fumble (not Penrod) and a field goal drive in the final minute by Washington.

For his career Penrod (6-foot-2, 180) had amassed approximately 10,000 yards of total offense and averaged more than 30 touchdowns passing or rushing per season. His ability to buy time with his legs and athleticism on pass plays, or to take off and burst downfield, made him a multi-threat for opposing defenses.

The Bruins won 20 games during his three years as the starter — an average of nearly seven victories per season. 

Of course, Penrod didn’t do it alone. He might have been surrounded by one of the greatest conglomeration of Bruin football players in one group. Some on this list included: future Big 12 star and NFL player A.J. Parker; future Division I college baseball star A.J. Archambo; all-time Bruin leading career rusher Jarron Hilger; future college player and man-swallowing tackler Tristan Crowder; fast-as-a-lightning-bolt outside receiver Qemar Gray; a pair of powerful linemen in Isaac Barham and Seth Hinnergardt; a quartet of versatile big-play warriors in Dave Wiseman, Nate Hansen, Hunter Gritzmaker, and Easton Hammonds; and many others.

Penrod's 2015 stats bear out his value to the team. He completed 215-of-321 passes (.670) for 3,264 yards and 43 passing touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He also rushed for 630 yards on 81 carries (7.8) for seven touchdowns. That adds up to nearly 3,900 yards of total offense and a direct role in 50 touchdowns for Penrod.

He started the 2015 season like a bonfire that's just been doused with gasoline. He completed his first six passes to six different receivers and proceeded to fling for five touchdowns in the 47-0 win against East Central. That was Bartlesville's first opening day shutout win in 14 years, and its first shutout victory, period, in five seasons.

The Bruin offense averaged 42.1 points per game during the regular season and 39.8 for the full season, including the playoffs.

One can't completely appreciate Penrod's production and leadership in 2015 without looking back at the 2014 campaign. 

The Bruins nosedived to a 1-4 record in the first five games and stood at 2-5 through seven games. But Penrod and the rest of the junior-laden Bruin team straightened out its course and stormed to a 3-0 record in the final three games (outscoring opponents, 135-54) and into the playoffs. On the day of the playoff they had to make the long trip to Lawton to play in brutally cold conditions. Lawton won, 56-24. But the Bruins had built enough momentum during their late-season charge to carry over into the off-season and into the 2015 season.

It became obvious McKee's faith in installing a southpaw sophomore at quarterback in 2013 — along with the battalion of other talented juniors — had produced a virtual miracle in 2015.

Subsequent history has made the work of McKee and his staff appear even more impressive.

In the three seasons from Penrod's sophomore through senior seasons, Bartlesville earned 20 victories. In the nine complete seasons since Penrod & Co. graduated, the Bruins have won only 29 games and haven’t recorded a winning record.

In addition to football, Penrod contributed significantly to the Bruin baseball team. During a 4-3 win in the spring of 2015 against Ponca City, Penrod made a charging catch in center field on a line drive slicing away from him for a third out. Later, he doubled and scored the winning run on Chase Fiddler's extra-base hit.

But Penrod's sports identity at Bartlesville was wrapped around football. 

Where Penrod ranks among Bruin quarterbacks in an historic sense is subject to discussion. He certainly belongs among the best.

Most importantly he was the right man — the rugged warrior and focused force — for his time and helped elevate Bruin football to its most season wins ever.

He remains one of a kind as a versatile, full-pack athlete that was one of the best ever to suit up in area prep sports.

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This series has featured the following athletes, listed in no particular order.

-Jena’ Williams, Bartlesville

-Eric Rolfs, Bartlesville

-Chris Smith, Caney Valley

-Jill Bryan, Copan

-Barron Tanner Jr, Bartlesville

-Hailey Tucker, Bartlesville

-Jeremy Dunkle, Dewey

-Whitney Metcalf, Bartlesville

-Tim Hamilton, Bartlesville

-Danielle Koster, Bartlesville

-Carson LaRue, Dewey

-John Hamman, Wesleyan Christian

-Jamie Elam, Caney Valley

-Sam Mitchell, Bartlesville

-Karissa Jones, Dewey

-Noah Hartsock, Bartlesville

-Tiffany Paper, Copan

-AJ Parker, Bartlesville

-Tiffany Eden, Caney Valley

-Henry Williams, Bartlesville

-Markell Carter, Bartlesville

-Rebecca Schluter, Wesleyan Christian

-Adam Hibdon, Barnsdall

-Tishuana Hunter, Nowata

-Nate Alleman, Bartlesville

-Jessie Burch, Dewey

-Joey McNair, Caney Valley/Bartlesville

-Michael Thompson, Bartlesville

-Kate Steward, Bartlesville

-Jarrett Rouse, Community

-Amanda Warehime, Bartlesville

-Trey Osborne, Dewey

-Heather Lanphear, Barnsdall

-Erin Epperson, Bartlesville

-Levi Wyrick, Caney Valley (Kan.)

-Spencer Magana, Dewey

-Jackie Jo Chaney, Copan

-Haley Downey, Bartlesville

-Cooper Fogle, Caney Valley

-Amanda Brown, Copan 

-Rachel Smith, Pawhuska

-Casey Cassity, Barnsdall

-Stacy Cornforth, Bartlesville

-Gabby Higbee, Dewey

-Kirby Schoenthaler, Bartlesville

-Tyler Kay, Barnsdall

Colton Penrod

Former Bartlesville High School football coach John McKee, left, and Colton Penrod.

Colton Penrod