GRID COUNTDOWN: E-E's list of top area high school football games in 2023, No. 12

Editor's note: The E-E is counting down what it expects to be the Top 16 area football matchups for the 2023 season.

There are some vital showdowns throughout the high school football season for all area teams, and the E-E has attempted to identify the 16 most significant or competitive matchups. Follow along as we examine them.

Previously:

No. 16: Neodesha at Caney Valley (Kan.), Sept. 29

No. 15: Wyandotte at Oklahoma Union, Sept. 1

No. 14: Copan at Foyil, Sept. 8

No. 13: Caney Valley at Nowata, Sept. 22

Up next...

No. 12: BARNSDALL AT COPAN, Aug. 25

Normally, this matchup would be listed much higher on the list — two geographic rivals that during the years have waged some monumental battles on the basketball court and the baseball diamond.

But, Barnsdall is still relatively new to eight-man football — the Panthers went to Class B in 2020 — and hasn’t established much of a grid tradition against the Copan Hornets.

Last season was their first meeting — at least in decades. As expected, the more experienced and bigger Barnsdall team won, albeit by a lopsided score, 60-14, at Barnsdall.

So, why list this game at all as one of the top 16?

Copan underwent a tremendous growth cycle last season, churning to the program’s best record (4-6) in 13 seasons. The Hornets hadn’t won more than three games in a campaign since 2009 (7-4) — and there’s a whole lot of 2-8, 1-9 and 0-10 seasons sprinkled in-between.

The 2022 clash between Copan and Barnsdall opened the season and featured the debut of the Hornets’ mighty foursome of freshmen, quarterback Kane Foreman along with Teegan Caron, Shooter Brewington and Weston O’Rourke.

Talented? Yes. Green? Definitely.

“I think the biggest thing is the kids were just freshmen last year,” veteran Copan head coach Marshall Foreman said. “That was their first varsity game ever. Barnsdall is always well-coached. When you play Barnsdall it’s always a physical game.”

Barnsdall took advantage of the Panthers’ rawness to ring up the resounding 46-point win.

In fact, Barnsdall bolted to a 21-0 lead between Copan’s first offensive snap and its second.

However, Copan grew up a lot in the game and set a good direction toward the rest of the season. In a signature play of the contest, Copan’s Jarrett Shambles chased down a Barnsdall runner that was on a break-away run, stripped the ball from him and ran the other way for a touchdown.

Barnsdall coach Kylee Sweeney, who in the past season seasons has guided the Panthers to five winning seasons and one .500 campaign, and five playoff appearances, doesn’t expect this year’s meeting to be the same lions vs. lambs type of scenario.

“They bring back a lot of experience,” Sweeney said. “I expect their crew to make the next step forward as sophomores as we did last year.”

He also praised the preparation by the Copan coaches.

Barnsdall still appears formidable going into this game, returning three-year starters at quarterback (Mav Lanphear) and feature ballcarrier (Easton Malone). Malone ran for 140 yards and three touchdowns against Copan.

Breaden Byars, who also is back, added 101 yards of total offense and two touchdowns.

But, Copan should be vastly improved from the young, anxious team that took on Barnsdall last year.

Foreman went on to be one of the state’s premier passers in Class B, with Caron and O’Rourke as major targets and Brewington pounding out hard-earned yards to force opposing defenses. In addition, junior-to-be Karson Woodworth hauled in nearly 900 yards of receptions during 2022.

Copan remains a young crew, but a hungry, battle-tested young crew. It should be better prepared to deal with Barnsdall’s physicality.

“The camps have really prepared them mentally to go up against somebody as tough as Barnsdall,” coach Foreman said. “The kids have matured more. They’re a year older. … They’ve grown.”

On a practical side, Foreman also believes his line could be stronger. The mix includes senior Zach Sharp, returning sophomore Bryson Kalivoda and varsity newcomer Jaxon White.

Kalivoda is ahead of schedule in his development as an impact lineman and White has played up front throughout his youth career, coach Foreman noted.

Overall, “We definitely fell like this … should be a good game and that we should compete a little better,” coach Foreman said. “We want to go into every game feeling like we have a chance to win.”

Barnsdall, meanwhile, is anxious to build on last year’s 7-4 mark as his primary stars motor into their junior campaign. Lanphear has filled out at 180 pounds while Malone is up to 215 or 220 and is “a solid ball of muscle,” Sweeney said.

Byars also is bigger.

Although Barnsdall should be favored against Copan, when it comes to the game within the game, Sweeney summarized Barnsdall’s key as one word: “Execution.”

He’s looking for execution on offense, defense and special teams, including not turning the ball over, forcing turnovers and “making sure tackles.”

The Barnsdall vs. Copan collision should be an exceptional opening-week measuring stick for the competitive verve of both teams.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Copan vs. Barnsdall should be one of area's best grid games