WEATHERFORD – Bethany scored three times in the second quarter en route to a 28-6 playoff win over Weatherford Friday (Nov, 15).

The offensive explosion came after a scoreless first quarter for both teams.

Bethany coach Jon Arthur said slow start on offense was due to Weatherford defensive schemes.

“They do a great job defensively and, and switching, you know, switching defense, different looks. They were giving us a lot of guys in the box and finally figured it out and guys settled in.”

In the second quarter, the Bethany defense led to an offensive score. Broncho junior Evenson Malaska stripped Weatherford senior
Cy Scammahorn after a reception. Bethany senior Jackie Payne recovered the fumble at the Eagle 29-yard line.

That led to Payne connecting with fellow senior Wyatt Geissler for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 9:51 left in the second quarter.

After a short Weatherford punt, the Bronchos scored again. Payne was able to throw the ball before Weatherford senior (and Oklahoma commit) CJ Nickson brought him down. Fellow senior Garrett Johnson caught the pass and lunged across the goal line to make it 14-0 with 4:28 left before halftime.

Weatherford (8-3) answered on the next play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff. Senior quarterback Stone Chism connected with Nickson on a short pass toward the Weatherford sideline. Nickson broke tackles and tip-toed down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown to make it 14-6 (after a missed extra point) with 4:12 left before half.

Bethany scored just as the first half ended when junior Judson Gilliland after a 1-yard run to extend the lead to 21-6.

Neither team scored in the third quarter but the final scoring drive started late in the third quarter. Junior Seth Greiner kept the drive alive with a 17-yard across the middle on fourth down to the Weatherford 12-yard line.

From there, Bethany went backwards with two false start penalties and a holding call to make it a first down and 30 yards to go. A Weatherford pass interference call moved the ball to the 11-yard line. Greiner caught a screen pass to get to the 2-yard line and get the first down.

After the fourth quarter started, Gilliland scored from a yard out to make it 28-6 with 11:56 left in the game.

Gilliland finished with 103 yards unofficially on 25 carries with two scores.

Payne threw for 169 yards (127 yards of that was to Geissler).

Outside of Nickson’s touchdown catch (the only Weatherford completion of the game), Bethany held the Eagles to 46 yards of offense.

Class 4A OSSAA Football Championship
FIRST ROUND/FRIDAY, November 15, 2024
Tuttle 34, Elk City 6
Hilldale 21 Miami 9
Ada 53, Cushing 50
Bethany 28, Weatherford 6
Elgin 43, Ardmore 0
Sallisaw 27, Grove 26 (OT)
Wagoner 49, Poteau 21
Clinton 21, Blanchard 20

QUARTERFINALS/FRIDAY, November 22, 2024
Hilldale at Tuttle, 7 p.m.
Bethany at Ada, 7 p.m.
Sallisaw at Elgin, 7 p.m.
Clinton at Wagoner, 7 p.m.

SEMIFINALS/FRIDAY, December 6, 2024
TBD

CHAMPIONSHIP/SATURDAY, December 14, 2024
TBD, 1 p.m. (University of Central Oklahoma)

UP NEXT

Bethany (9-2) travels to eighth-ranked Ada (8-3) next Friday (Nov. 22) in the 4A quarterfinals. Because the Cougars won District 4A-4, by rule they get to host the Bronchos, a non-district champion.

Ada escaped with a 53-50 win over Cushing Friday (Nov. 15). There were 88 pass attempts between the two both teams in the slugfest.

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	3	4	F
Bethany (9-2)	0	21	0	7	28
Weatherford (8-3)	0	6	0	0	6