Bixby rolls past Owasso in 6AI semifinals to move closer to sixth straight state title
Owasso was poised to pull off another shocking playoff upset on a Black Friday.
This time, though, Bixby fended off the Rams' chances at another monumental win. The Spartans broke a 14-all score in the third quarter with three touchdowns in less than two minutes; then went on to a decisive 56-14 win in Friday's Class 6AI semifinal at Sand Springs.
With the win, Bixby (12-0) is one win away from repeating as 6AI champions, not to mention winning its sixth consecutive state title. The Spartans will play for the 6AI title in Edmond on Dec. 1 against the winner of the other semifinal between Jenks and Tulsa Union, being played later on Friday.
It was the fourth time in two seasons the Spartans defeated Owasso. That included a 69-6 win in last season's 6AI title game, as well as a 42-16 win in August when the two schools resumed their "Battle of the Burbs" rivalry.
Bixby utilizes 4 quarterbacks in season-opening win
But on Black Friday of 2022, Owasso stunned an undefeated Tulsa Union team in six overtimes, sending the Rams to play for the 6AI championship.
A similar scenario was unfolding this Black Friday, when Owasso - after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter - tied the Spartans at 14 midway through the third quarter on a 55-yard TD pass from Knox Dyson to Noah Hill.
But moments later, Bixby promptly untied it as Jett Turner rambled 55 yards into the end zone. The Spartans got the ball back after forcing a punt, and upped its lead to 28-14 as Carson Kirby scored from 66 yards out.
Then mere seconds after that, Cooper Parker returned an interception for a TD, giving Bixby three TDs in a span of 1:49.
Bixby then scored three more times in the final quarter, a 50-yard run from Parker, a 22-yard run from Clay Peters and another run from Turner, his third TD on the day.
Turner finished with 141 yards on 16 carries to go along with his three TDs. Bixby had 408 yards of total offense, while Owasso finished with 358.
The Spartans raced out to a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter as Kirby connected with Cord Nolan from 17 yards out; then Turner went in for his first TD run, from 3 yards out.
Owasso (9-3) cut Bixby's lead in half late in the second quarter, when Dyson found Hill from 15 yards out.
Photo of Bixby's Jett Turner (6) by Mike Simons, Tulsa World
-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveOK
