Can you spell rout? Bartlesville drubs Tahlequah, secures home playoff game

For only the fifth time in 42 seasons, the Bartlesville High School football team will play under the Custer Stadium lights in a playoff game.

The Bruins clinched home-field advantage in style by flogging the Tahlequah High Tigers, 51-20, in Friday’s regular-season finale, hosted by Tahlequah.

"It was a real good way to end the regular season as far as playing hard," said defensive coordinator Otis Crane, adding the focus now will be on trying to make a strong impact in the postseason.

Despite starting the season at 0-3 — and then losing three brutally close decisions in District 6A-II-1 play — Bartlesville (4-6) finished at 4-3 in district to earn the No. 4 postseason seed and the opportunity to host next week’s playoff opener, likely against Putnam City North.

Bruin junior quarterback Nate Neal put on a passing clinic at Tahlequah, completing 10-of-13 passes for approximately 180 yards and four touchdowns — and that was just in the first half.

P.J. Wallace — who ran like a hurricane with fangs — ripped through the Tiger defense for more than 100 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. In fact, the junior Wallace completed the offensive scoring trifecta — he threw for a score, rushed for two touchdowns and caught another.

Bartlesville’s other joltin’ junior, Damien Niko, grabbed nine catches for 187 yards. The Bruins broke a three-game losing streak, losing those games by an average of just 3.3 points.

It’s been eight years since the Bruins earned home-field playoff advantage, beating Midwest City, 35-14.

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Bartlesville’s home games in the playoffs, and the results, are: 1983, Second round (Tulsa Washington 24, Bartlesville 13), 1987, First round (Bartlesville 21, Muskogee 17), 1988, Second round (Bartlesville 31, Muskogee 29, (ot) and 2015, First round (Bartlesville 35, Midwest City 14).

There was a time span of 27 years between Bartlesville's third and fourth home playoff games.

The Bruins wanted the current drought to end now and came out firing on all cylinders, boosted by turbo-charged intensity, against Tahlequah.

Line upon line

Perhaps no Bruin unit has taken a harder hit this season than the three-man defensive line, which has been whittled down from a five-man rotation to only three regulars, including the loss of four-year starter Cooper Wood.

On Friday, the D-Line, consisting primarily of Colton Hainzinger, Tyler House and Lucas Wilson, stepped up most the night to stop Tahlequah like a stone wall.

"The last three weeks, we've really been tested," said Crane. "It was really nice tonight to have the defensive line make (several) tackles for loss and two sacks. ... It was good to see our guys checking all those boxes, playing hard to the whistle and reaping the benefits."

Trick play gets it going

After Tahlequah had to punt on the game’s opening possession, the Bruins struck quickly — finished off a 90-yard drive on a surprise play, with Wallace hitting Niko for a touchdown pass play that covered 52 yards. The play had been set up by another playbook special, on a reverse by Chase Eaves for 16 yards.

After Niko scored, Braxton Edwards booted the extra point. He would finish 7-for-7 on PATs.

First quarter continues to sizzle

The Bruins added two more scores in the opening quarter — on a safety by the special teams and on a 35-yard aerial strike from Neal to Niko.

Tahlequah, meanwhile, just couldn’t get any traction in the first half against the fired-up Bruin defense.

Hainzinger, House, Wilson, Mason Manley and Aydn Peugh helped lead the charge. Hainzinger led escorted a pack of Bruins into the backfield for a tackle of minus seven yards, while House gobbled up the quarterback for no gain on the next play.

Crane said the key to the D-line's ability to play with two regulars out is the versatility of his three starters to line up as either nose, anchor or fox, which helps matchup better with the diverse packages of opposing offenses.

He said he occasionally lines up one of his less-experienced players at fox, in order to provide a breather.

Second half firestorm

Bartlesville erupted for 35 points in the second quarter to carry a 51-7 lead into halftime.

In fact, the Bruins stormed to those five touchdowns during a span of 8:44.

The scoring frenzy started on a five-yard bulldozer run into the end zone by Wallace, from 15 yards out.

The Bruins got the ball back quickly, leading to a 33-yard connection from Neal to Eaves to up the lead to 30-0 following the extra point.

After the Tigers had to punt quickly on their next possession, Bartlesville took advantage of another short field to add more points, these ones on a five-yard burst by Wallace with 3:42 left until half, to stretch the Bartlesville lead to 37-0.

But, Tahlequah then salvage some pride by ringing up a 66-yard touchdown pass play to break up the shutout.

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However, Bartlesville would add two touchdowns — both in the final minute of the half.

The first was on a 55-yard strike from Neal to Niko for Niko’s fourth touchdown.

The Bruins got the ball back with about 20 seconds left and amassed another touchdown, on a screen play from Neal to Wallace that covered 54 yards.

Second half time burn

Bartlesville kept the ball on the ground in the second half, with Wallace, Stefen Williams and Evan Goad sharing the workload.

The Tigers, meanwhile, generated two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one on a 74-yard run, with the clock in full running mode.

On the upswing

Even though the Bruins recorded an identical regular season record (4-6) as last year, the level of competitiveness between the two teams isn’t comparable.

This year’s team came within a single score of knocking off No. 1-ranked Muskogee and defending state champion Stillwater.

Wallace continued his string of rushing for 100-plus yards in every game in which he’s played this season.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Can you spell rout? BHS Bruins drub Tahlequah, home playoff game next