Why the battle-tested Bartlesville football team eyes even greater success this fall
A year ago, August started off with a bumper crop of question marks for the Bartlesville High School football team.
Twelve months later, the blossoming byproduct is a hefty exclamation point intertwined with a skinny strand of perplexity. In other words: The Bruins are bigger, savvier, mentally tougher and more experienced than last season — but they still have to establish themselves on the field as a Class 6A-II power.
During Harry Wright’s debut season in 2022 as head coach, the Bruins unleashed a loud roar with five wins (5-7 overall) and a first-round playoff victory for the first time since 2015. Plus, a first-round road playoff win for the first time since 2009.
The opportunity for a greater harvest of success appears promising as the Bruins open their 2023 practice next Monday.
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They return about 75% of their main rotation players from last season, including quarterback Nate Neal and feature tailback P.J. Wallace. Plus, versatile two-way weapons in Damien Niko, Austin Zink and brothers Brett and Chase Eaves while Colton Hainzinger, Cooper Wood, Adyn Peugh and Junior Earnhart return up front. Senior Jett Scully also is back in a two-way role at receiver and defensive back after missing last season with an injury.
Add to the list of possible notable contributors sophomore Archer Swisher, who transferred from Wesleyan Christian School, at which he rushed for more than 800 yards and double-digit touchdowns, as well as excelled on defense.
Swisher’s eligibility to play Bruin varsity ball is in the court of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association, which has yet to decide whether Swisher will have to sit out the year due to his transfer. WCS is a private school.
“He’s a really good athlete,” Wright said. “We’ve seen him run and stuff. He’ll definitely fit in somewhere if he’s able to play this season.”
Even with the high number of battle-tested veterans, there will be some spirited competition at practice for some starting spots, Wright said.
The other four main focuses of practice will be conditioning, execution, preparation for the home scrimmage game against Ponca City and preparation for the regular season opener against Claremore.
“Obviously, with the amount of returning starters we have a pretty good idea of our strengths and weaknesses,” Wright said. “We have that to build on.”
He pointed to Wallace, who finished last season with nearly 2,000 rushing yards, as the leader of what could be a dynamic rushing game. Wright also will be counting on Neal to cut down on some of his unfortunate throws that resulted in more than a dozen interceptions.
“There’s a lot of pressure when you’re playing your first season,” he said speaking in third person. “That pressure can get to you. Now we have some experience in the pocket, where they’ve been there before. … I think (Neal) had a really good offseason. … He had a ton of reps. I’m also pleased with his leadership ability. … The quarterback is a natural leader. When he does lead those guys, they’re more likely to follow him. He knows what he has to do for us to be successful.”
Perhaps the two position groups with the most unknowns are the linebacker and receiving corps.
“We have to have some guys step up,” Wright said. “Now, they have to prove it as we go into camp and see who fill those spots.”
The Bruins believe they're headed in the right direction. They have planned evening practices, which are open to the public, Monday through Wednesday. Starting Thursday, the workouts will be after school.
“Harry came in and changed the culture,” said cornerbacks coach Sonji Ketiku, who was a 2006 football letterman at Oklahoma State. “We support that and feed off each other. … We want to make sure the players understand we … are building a foundation and winning tradition.”
Bartlesville Bruins 6-win seasons
2015: 10-2 (6A-II state semifinals)
2009: 9-3 (6A 2nd round playoffs)
1988: 9-4 (5A state quarterfinals)
1984: 8-3 (5A 1st round playoffs)
2010: 7-4 (6A 1st round playoffs)
2012: 6-4 (no playoffs)
2008: 6-4 (no playoffs)
1991: 6-4 (no playoffs)
1983: 7-5 (5A 2nd round playoffs)
2002: 6-5 (6A 1st round playoffs)
1992: 6-5 (6A 1st round playoffs)
1987: 6-6 (5A, 2nd round playoffs)
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Battle-tested Bartlesville football eyes greater success this fall
