THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

Bartlesville High School’s football defense played like the combination of a pride of angry lions, a cement wall peppered with spikes, a Paul Bunyan-sized heart and a pack of hungry piranhas. They met challenge after challenge after challenge on Friday night against a fired-up Ponca City Wildcat attack. And, it almost made the ultimate difference. But, Ponca City barely held on to win, 14-12, to hand the Bartlesville Bruins a stinging Homecoming loss in front of a full-house at Custer Stadium. Trailing 14-0 going into the fourth quarter, Bartlesville erupted for two touchdowns — both on aerial specials from quarterback Noah Sunday to fast-and-elusive-as-a-greased-shark receiver Bradley Crawford — to try to rescue the victory. But, a missed extra point, failed two-point conversion try — mixed with a missed field goal in the first half — proved to be the difference that sent Bartlesville to its fourth-straight defeat on the field. But, there were other hiccups that left the Bruins victory-poor when the final buzzer sounded. These included three-straight third quarter possessions that ended in turnovers (interception, fumble, fumble), one of which led to Ponca City’s winning touchdown. The setback dropped the Bruins to 0-5 on the season and — more importantly — to 0-2 in District 6A-II-2. But, Bruin head coach Kyle Ppool refused to sound a panic note after the loss. “We’ve got four ballgames left and we need to win three of them to make the playoffs,” he said. “We have a lot to play for.” But, Bartlesville will have to wait until next year to regain the ConocoPhillips Bowl Trophy, which was up for grabs Friday night. For the first time in six years, Ponca City earned custodianship. The Bruins are scheduled to be off this coming Friday. In two weeks, Sapulpa comes to town. Ppool appreciated the way his Bruins responded following a sluggish first half, which included two punts, a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and only five first downs. Ponca City, meanwhile, managed just one score in the first half against Bartlesville’s ferocious defense — a 29-yard touchdown strike from dangerous sophomore quarterback Justin Andrews to Dalton Vogele. Other than that score — set up when a short Bruin punt gave the Wildcats possession near midfield — Bartlesville clamped down in the ultimate bend-but-don’t-break defensive style. Ponca City punted twice and lost the ball on a fumble in the first half. For the game, the Bruin defense forced the Wildcats to punt six times and turn the ball over once on downs. Thanks to that gigantic effort, the Bruin offense still had a chance in the final 12 minutes to turn the tables. “We did play well down the stretch,” said Ppool. “But, when you’re pressed you can make mistakes and the turnovers got the better of us.” But, once the Bruin ‘O’ got past the give-the-ball-away-itis, it went to work with a vengeance. In the final minute of the third quarter, the Bruins opened up a 61-yard drive that would end with six points. Early in the March, Bruin halfback Laken Clowdus powered for two yards on a fourth-and-one play to keep the possession alive. On the next play, Sunday put up an alley oop that receiver John Cone came down with to put the ball on the Ponca City 40-yard line. That was followed by a 14-yard completion to Cone and a 10-yard jaunt — off a sharp roll around the right end — by DeAndre Young, Following a penalty, the Bruins faced second-and-long at the Wildcat 31-yard line. On the snap, Crawford — who line up wide on the left — went up and slanted toward the middle of the field. Sunday, meanwhile, zipped the ball into his hands. Crawford kept streaking to his right, leaving would-be tacklers grasping at night air, until he rocketed into the end zone. But, the extra point was wide right and Bartlesville trailed by eight, 14-6. The Bruin defense then forced the Wildcats into a three-and-punt — thanks to a major league tackle by Tyler Gillette to hold Andrews to a two-yard gain, and a six-yard sack by Brian Dillon. Bartlesville got the ball back with 8:45 left and journey 40 yards for a score. On third-and-11, Sunday put a jump ball toward Cone — and two defenders — inside the five-yard line. Cone managed to grab the ball, with arms flailing around him, and come down with the catch. Initially, it appeared the ball broke the plane of the end zone as he fell hard. But, the officials ruled it down on the one-yard line. Ponca City’s defense stiffened, but the Bruins garnered the touchdown on a fourth-down pass from Sunday to Crawford, who caught the ball while falling to his back. The two-point play after the score failed, however, and the Bruins still trailed, 14-12. Ponca City then mounted an impressive drive all the way to the Bruin 23-yard line. But, Bartlesville’s defense stopped Andrews on fourth-and-short to give the Bruins one last chance — with 1:13 left — to drive for the winning score. But, Bartlesville turned the ball over on downs and the Wildcats needed to run just one play to drain the clock to zero. The Bruins had been so close, while unleashing at the start a retooled offensive attack that put greater emphasis on the run.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

WILDCATS CLAW OUT 2-PT WIN IN CUSTER STRUGGLE

MIKE TUPA

Bartlesville Examiner | 9/30/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Bartlesville Bruins