Bartlesville’s John Torres

By Bryce McKinnis

John Torres brings the energy to Bartlesville High School’s Custer Stadium.

“To be a Bartlesville Bruin is to have to go to work for what you want,” the senior defensive lineman said. “Football has given me the mindset of doing it 100 percent of your ability and to always have discipline in things you do. It gives me the mentality to not be a baby about things and to push through hard times.”

Rural Bartlesville is somewhat of an anomaly among 6A-II competitors; Because it is relatively distant from either of the state’s major metropolitans, the Bruins are often underestimated compared to their suburban peers.

“I do believe Bartlesville has a chip on its shoulder, ‘cause of the fact people don’t think we are good,” Torres said. “It makes you come with that extra 10 percent.”

Torres is the leader-by-example in the BHS locker room. He’s often described as intense, a quirk he’s developed over the years since his football career began in first grade.

“Toughness is my best trait. This past season-opener, I played through a torn meniscus that was very painful,” Torres said. “Where this energy comes from is the hunger I have to become something in my life and feel accomplished.”

Last year, Torres’s intensity helped the Bruins close the season on a three-game winning streak, enough to earn a playoff spot. After losing by only eight points to Putnam City in the opening round, Torres was hungrier than ever to improve his game this summer.

“My leadership role has changed through the years,” Torres said. “The leader I try to and lean towards being is the leader that always pushes you to your limits.”

After high school, Torres plans to parlay the skills he’s learned through football into a successful career.

“Where I see myself in five years is chasing that degree in college, most likely a construction degree of some sort,” Torres said.