The nation’s longest high school football win streak came to an end Thursday night as
Jenks stunned
Bixby 38-35 in a showdown of Oklahoma powers brought to a national audience by ESPN2.
Bixby (9-1) entered the contest as winners in its last 58 contests, a streak dating back to the opening game of the 2018 season when it also suffered a setback against Jenks (8-2). In addition to being the nation's current longest, it was also the longest in Oklahoma history.
Taking a 17-14 lead into halftime, Jenks cranked up the heat on Bixby on the first offensive play of the third quarter as senior
Jaiden Carroll took the handoff from senior quarterback
Ike Owens and went 80 yards for a touchdown to give the Trojans a 24-14 lead.
Bixby's prolific offense – averaging 67.6 points per game this season – immediately began to move down the field on the ensuing possession but Jenks senior cornerback
Jalyn Stanford put and end to the momentum with a third-down interception.
Jenks quarterback Ike Owens ran for 170 yards and a pair of scores in his team's nationally-televised upset of Bixby. (Photo: Jim Weber)
Once again, Carroll took the ensuing handoff for Jenks and bolted 63 yards before he was brought down at the 4-yard line. On the next play, Stanford took the handoff and scampered into the end zone to give Jenks a 31-14 lead in the third quarter.
Bixby quickly cut the lead to 10 on a 44-yard rush by senior
Connor Kirby. The Spartans then forced a punt to get the ball back but the Jenks defense stepped up, forcing a fumble that was recovered by senior
Ty Walls early in the fourth.
Up 31-21, Jenks started to run clock and faced a third down near midfield. Owens, who ran 14 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns, kept the ball and ran to the outside, breaking free for a 45-yard run to the 5-yard line.
On third down, Jenks fumbled the hand-off and Bixby nearly recovered. When the pileup was uncovered, Jenks had the ball at the 1-yard line.
On fourth down, Owens kept the ball himself and ran into the end zone to give Jenks a 38-21 lead with 6:54 to play.
Bixby scored twice in the final three minutes and attempted an unsuccessful onside kick with less than a minute to play, giving way to a historic win and celebration for Jenks. With the victory, the Trojans earned a share of the Class 6A-I District 1 title. Both teams will begin postseason play next week.
Ty Walls of Jenks hauls in a catch during the first half of a historic upset of Bixby on Thursday night. (Photo: Jim Weber)
