Bethany’s first big 4A-2 test turned into a slugfest as fourth-ranked Blanchard turned back the Broncho comeback, 48-44, Friday (Oct. 4).

Senior Jackie Payne threw for 238 yards, completing 11-of-23 for two touchdowns while also throwing two interceptions.

On the ground, junior Judson Gilliland scored three touchdowns. He rushed 20 times for 79 yards. Payne had 13 carries for 57 yards.

“We continued to kind of stay balanced,” Bethany coach Jon Arthur said via phone. “They double covered Wyatt Geisler quite a bit, who’s kind of been our go to receiver, but just were able to make some plays with other guys as they were double teaming Wyatt in the passing game.”

Geissler was still the biggest receiver yardage-wise with four catches for 82 yards. However, the senior was kept out of the end zone. Fellow senior Brock Cross caught four passes for 64 yards and a score. Juniors Jagger Weaver, Seith Greiner and Gilliland each had one catch. Payne also caught a pass. Freshman Breck Brady’s one catch was a 12-yard touchdown, pulling Bethany within four points late in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, Bethany plugged up the Blanchard running game. The Lions had 22 carries for 22 yards. Blanchard senior quarterback Perriman finished with minus 12 yards. The leading rusher was senior Vaughan Mcintyre with 19 yards.

Periman threw for four touchdowns and 266 yards. He threw two interceptions which were key to Bethany’s comeback effort.

Periman’s return added new wrinkles to the Blanchard offense.

“He’s really good and had a great night,doing some things that we hadn’t seen from them,” Arthur said.

“We just had to kind of adjust on the fly some defensively,” Arthur said. “Our defensive guys, they had a lot of adjustments to make it halftime and came out and I think they played quite a bit better in the second half for sure.”

NEXT OPPONENT: Tuttle

After roaming central Oklahoma with four straight road games and the bye week since the Aug. 29 opener, Bethany finally returns home Friday (Oct. 11) for homecoming in Tuttle.

A home game means some adjustments as well.

“We’ve kind of been rolling on the road and kind of got on a nice routine,” Arthur said. “But it’s certainly going to be nice to come home.”

With Tuttle and Blanchard tied atop 4A-2 with 2-0 district records, Bethany has another shot at one of the district frontrunners.

Since Tuttle’s 31-24 win over 5A Guthrie Aug. 29, the Tigers have two shutouts and have allowed seven points twice (against 5A Noble and 4A-2 district opponent Ardmore, both in routs). The Tigers are averaging 43.4 points a contest this season.

Tuttle junior Cruz Campbell is averaging 237.4 yards a game and has thrown 14 touchdown passes this season.

The Tigers’ leading rusher is junior Shawn Rounsaville, Jr. He has averaged 79 yards a game and has score nine times this season.

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.