It didn't take veteran Emporia State football coach Garin Higgins long to win over Braden Gleason.
In fact, four years after their first meeting, Higgins sees a little of himself in the player wearing the No. 10 jersey.
"Braden reminds me a lot of myself, except that he is a way better player than I ever was," Higgins said. "We are both coaches' sons; we're both from Oklahoma. His parents [Angela and the late John Gleason] both graduated from the school [Northeastern State] I got my first GA job at. He wants to coach, and I grew up wanting to be a coach. I think those types of things really help us connect."
Gleason, a smooth-throwing left-hander, took an immediate liking to the veteran Higgins, an Emporia State lifer who played quarterback for the school (1987-90) before being named the school's head coach in 2006.
"He's the same guy he was the first day I stepped on campus," Gleason said this week. "He's telling me, 'Yeah, you can throw it 45 times a game here.' I'm like, heck yeah, why wouldn't I want to play here.
"I really love the relationship he built with me from the first day I met him. I came up here for a game day visit [in 2017] and I really liked it then. I had two other offers, East Central and NEO [Northeastern Oklahoma]. I went to East Central the same week I came to Emporia that Saturday, and I committed on the spot that Sunday morning. I knew this was the place I wanted to be."
That was in January of 2018, Gleason's senior year at Muldrow High School. Four years later, he's statistically among the best offensive quarterbacks in the country.
"I have great talent around me, and the O-line does a great job of protecting me," Gleason said. "The run game opens up the passing game."
And the passing game?
"I have eight guys who can go get it," Gleason said.
Heading into Saturday's key battle with the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, Gleason had completed 66% of his passes for 1,847 yards and 30 touchdowns. The most eye-catching stat of them all is the number of interceptions he's thrown -- one.
The quick-paced Hornets don't give opposing defenses long before snapping the ball.
"Nobody in the country moves the ball as fast as we do," Gleason said. "We get a lot of defenses tired out and on their heels. Teams are unable to substitute."
In 2½ seasons, Gleason has thrown for 5,783 yards and 51 touchdowns. He has completed 553 passes and has been intercepted just 13 times in a career that spans part of the 2019 season and all of the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
ESU did not play 2020 because of covid-19 restrictions.
Because of that year, Gleason has already been granted a fifth year, which he gladly accepted.
"It's a whole new opportunity to grow my career," Gleason said. "You only get to play college football once."
Gleason and the Hornets will face Missouri Southern State on Saturday.
"It's been a good season so far," he said. "We had one slip-up and one that got away from us. [But] we've kind of found a stride going into some tough games."
Freeman keys CBC sweep
The streak is over.
Madeline Freeman (Hackett) had 13 kills and 10 digs in Central Baptist College's 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-19) sweep of the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis last week.
Freeman has enjoyed a big season for the Lady Mustangs. The freshman standout leads the team with 176 kills. She is also second in assists (125) and second in digs (161).
Freeman had 17 kills and 21 digs in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Crowley's Ridge. Freeman had 18 kills, nine digs and three aces in the team's 3-1 loss to Hannibal-LaGrange last week.
CBC will face Williams-Baptist on Oct. 20.
Davenport records sack
Former Southside football standout Darin Davenport had three tackles and shared a quarterback sack with teammate David Walker during the team's crazy 52-49 loss to Lindenwood, Mo., last week.
The Bears (2-4) blew seven leads during the game, including two second-half leads.
Davenport now has 16 tackles on the season and 2.5 career sacks. Last week's sack was his first since 2020.
The Bears (2-4) traveled to Kennesaw, Ga., on Saturday.
Ennis goes 8-for-8
Grant Ennis (Greenwood) was a perfect 8-for-8 on PAT attempts in Harding University's game with Southern Nazarene last week.
Ennis is 26-of-27 on PAT attempts this season and 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. His eight points moved him to within six points of matching Alan Dixon's mark of 210 career points, which would be seventh all-time.
Dixon played for the Bison between 1970-73.
Ennis is still one field goal shy of tying Stu Varner (1984-87) for ninth place all-time. Ennis also had his first career solo tackle of the season in last week's win.
Holland keys UAFS sweep
UAFS had no problem going out of conference this week for a quick 25-16, 25-17, 25-17 sweep of Arkansas Tech -- the Lady Lions' first match with ATU since 2011.
Junior Hannah Holland (Southside) had six kills and a pair of aces for the Lady Lions (11-8). UAFS was scheduled to resume Lone Star Conference play Friday against West Texas A&M. UAFS will host Cameron University Saturday as well.
Holland also recorded three digs in the team's victory. Holland finished her Southside career with 913 career kills.
Presley records 26 digs
Camryn Presley (Greenwood) had 26 digs in Hendrix's tough 3-2 ( 20-25, 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 17-15) loss to Millsaps College last week.
The Hendrix Lady Warriors have dropped five of six overall and fallen to 3-6 in Southern Athletic Association play.
Presley and the Lady Warriors (8-8 overall) hit the road this weekend for Georgia, as they were to face Oglethorpe University on Friday, nationally ranked Berry on Saturday and Sewanee today.
Third-And-Long
Slate Stanton (Northside) had two kickoffs, including a touchback, during Hendrix's 34-28 loss to Millsaps in Jackson, Miss. The Warriors hosted Sewanee on Saturday. ... John Brown University's Emma Morton (Van Buren) placed 39th overall (23:36.2) at the University of the Ozarks Invitational last week in Clarksville. ... Taye Gatewood (Southside) ran for four yards on two carries during Arkansas Tech's 34-13 blowout win over Oklahoma Baptist last week in Great American Conference play. Isaac Davis (Van Buren) had one tackle in the Wonder Boys' victory. ... Larkin Luke (Greenwood) had five kills and three blocks in Henderson State's five-set loss (20-25, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 15-8) loss to East Central last week. ... John Brown University's Abigail Woodring (Greenwood) dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Bethel (Kan.) standout Daniela Herrera last week in fall action. Woodring and Erin Kuykendall dropped a 6-4 doubles match to Herrera and Fatima Nemi. ... Reed Carroll (Greenwood) homered for the seventh time this fall in Thursday's Carl Albert State College Fall Ball game.
In 2½ seasons, Braden Gleason has completed 553 passes and has been intercepted just 13 times in a career that spans part of the 2019 season and all of the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. (Submitted Photo)
Braden Gleason is a smooth-throwing left-hander for the Emporia State University football team. (Submitted Photo)
Camryn Presley
Darin Davenport
Grant Ennis
Hannah Holland
Madeline Freeman