Broken Arrow buried Norman North 55-21 on Friday, Sept. 25, handing the Timberwolves their first loss of the 2026 season.
The 34-point defeat dropped Norman North to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in Class 6A-I District 1. Broken Arrow, ranked No. 2 in the state by On3's Massey Ratings entering the week, improved to 4-0. Norman North had been ranked No. 10 in the same poll.
Defense under the microscope again
The 55 points allowed were the most Norman North has surrendered this season. The Timberwolves gave up 18 to Norman High, 21 to Sand Springs and 21 to Piedmont in their first three games, all wins.
Ninth-year head coach Justin Jones flagged the defense as his top concern before the season started. Norman North allowed 33.5 points per game during a 5-6 campaign in 2025, according to the Norman Transcript.
Jones said in an Aug. 27 preseason interview with the Norman Transcript that the defense was "taking steps the right way" but still had to prove itself. "Our defense has to earn it and right now, they haven't," he said.
Broken Arrow's offense, featuring Semaj Stanford, who recorded 80 tackles and 670 all-purpose yards in 2025, overwhelmed a Norman North defense that returned eight starters from last year's unit.
A familiar sting
Friday's margin was even wider than last season's meeting.
Broken Arrow beat Norman North 43-14 in October 2025, according to MaxPreps. Norman North's offense had been rolling before the Broken Arrow game. The Timberwolves scored 45, 44 and 49 points in their first three contests. Junior quarterback Nash Henry threw for 3,222 yards and 29 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2025. Senior running back Byron Mason scored four touchdowns in the season-opening 45-18 win over Norman High on Aug. 28.
Against Broken Arrow, the offense managed just 21 points.
Senior tight end Ben Kolar, a Stanford commit who caught 44 passes for 622 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, and senior safety Ethan Rash, who recorded 159 tackles last season, are among the experienced players Jones is counting on as the schedule moves deeper into district play.
What's next
Norman North travels to Edmond North at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, for another district game. The Timberwolves sit eighth in the 6A-I District 1 standings at 0-1 in conference play.
