Bixby (Oklahoma) extends nation's longest win streak with decisive win against Broken Arrow

By Buck Ringgold | Photo by Karen Schwartz 

BIXBY, Okla. — Friday night, Bixby High School was seeking to extend its state 11-man record win streak to 56 straight games.

The Spartans ended up with 56 - not just consecutive wins but the amount of points they put on the scoreboard in the opening half.

Seven different Spartans found the end zone as Bixby racked up 56 points and 411 yards of total offense in the half as the Spartans went on roll past Broken Arrow, 77-17, in District 6AI-1 action at Spartan Stadium.

“We practiced well this week, they were excited to come out and play,” Bixby coach Loren Montgomery said. “I think the atmosphere here was great; playing a home game in Bixby is one of the best atmospheres in the state and we knew we had a great opponent and came out and a lot of things went right for us.

“I thought we ran the ball extremely well; had some good looks throwing the ball down the field and converted on some good third downs, so that’s good stuff.”

With their 56-game winning streak, the Spartans (7-0, 4-0) now own the longest current streak of any high school football team in the nation, according to CalPreps.

“I didn’t realize that, but that’s pretty cool,” Montgomery said. “Hopefully, that’s something we’ll look at and celebrate down the way.”

The players, though, look at things as just another day at the office.

“It’s kind of like a routine I guess; Coach Montgomery just has it planned out so perfectly well, just like what he wants us to do like players’ roles and stuff like that, but it’s been a blast,” said senior tight end Luke Hasz, who caught two touchdown passes in Friday’s win.

Another streak continued for the Spartans. It was the fifth straight game they have scored at least 60 points. In addition, they have scored at least 77 points each of their last three ballgames.

Friday, they had 10 different players score touchdowns while Bixby compiled an astounding 645 yards of total offense. The Spartans rushed for 296 yards and passed for 349 more, with three different quarterbacks throwing to 12 different receivers.

“It’s because we have so many weapons; people don’t realize that last game, we had 11 different people score a touchdown and Coach (Tyler) Schneider (the offensive coordinator) has done a good job since he’s been here, just finding breaking points in defenses and letting our guys get after it and go make big plays," Hasz said.

One of the most dominant football teams in the history of the state continued to find new ways to impress.

The Spartans scored on each of their first six possessions, at which point they built a 42-7 lead on the opening play of the second quarter. They added two more TDs in the quarter, including equaling the number of the win streak they now possess.

Bixby got that 56th point with 16 seconds still showing on the clock in the second quarter, as quarterback Austin Havens took in a keeper from a yard out, followed by the PAT from Levi Hoffman that made it 56-7.

The Tigers (2-5, 2-2) actually were tied in the first quarter. After Bixby scored on its opening series, a 1-yard keeper by alternate quarterback Connor Kirby, BA struck back as Kayleb Barnett took a short screen pass from Owen Jones and dashed 86 yards into the end zone, and the PAT evened it at 7-all.

But on the ensuing kickoff, Kordell Gouldsby returned it 72 yards to the BA 12. On the next play, Havens launched a pass to the end zone, where Christian Kaiser made a leaping grab in the back corner. Kaiser then added a two-point run for a 15-7 lead.

“Kordell’s a really good player; he’s electric, he’s hard to tackle, he’s just really strong and elusive, and his role continues to grow in our offense, and he’s really stepping up and making big plays,” Montgomery said.

“Our special teams have been really good; really all year, but the last few weeks, they’ve been exceptional as far as excellent kickoff returns and punt returns."

That 15-7 lead snowballed from there. Havens connected with receiver Cale Fugate on a 38-yard catch-and-run on the Spartans’ next series.

Hasz, a University of Arkansas commit, then joined in on the fun. He caught the next two TD passes, a 19-yarder from Kirby and then a 7-yard sliding catch in the end zone on a ball thrown from Havens for a 35-7 advantage still in the first quarter.

Bixby then made it 42-7 on the first play of the second quarter when Kirby connected with Gouldsby from 24 yards out.

The scary thing about Bixby’s opening-half performance is the Spartans actually could have scored even more points. They had the ball twice inside the BA 35 during the second quarter, but both drives were halted by interceptions.

However, it didn’t deter the Spartans, as they made it 49-7 with 2:56 left until halftime as Jett Turner sprinted in from 8 yards out.

Bixby’s defense then forced a punt, and the offense went back to work, moving 67 yards in just five plays, culminating in Havens’ TD keeper and the 56th point - matching the dominant 56-game win streak the Spartans currently enjoy.

But Bixby wasn’t done scoring in the second half. Cody Crull had an 18-yard TD run in the third quarter, and in the fourth quarter, the Spartans got a 1-yard run from Bode Cairl and a 25-yard run from Braysen Trusty for the final TD with 3:54 left.

Havens completed 13-of-22 passes for 230 yards and three TDs while adding a rushing TD. Kirby threw for 67 yards and two TDs while rushing for 107 yards on 12 carries with a TD.

Owen Jones threw for 142 yards and two TDs, adding a 26-yarder to Kade Mathews in the third quarter. The Tigers got a 27-yard field goal from Hunter Martens in the third as well.