On the final play of the 2025 season-opener, sophomore QB Price Renovich's 37-yard heave into the endzone was hauled in by junior WR Cannon Sherman, sending the visitors into pandemonium as the Owls defeated Bartlett, 23-17, to start the season at 1-0.
 
Bartlett elected to take the ball after having won the coin toss, and despite picking up one first down, they were forced to punt facing a 4th and 8.
 
A poor punt gave the Owls excellent field position at the Bartlett 47-yard line. QB Maddox Giel had a good drive, both through the air and on the ground. He rushed 3 times and completed 2 passes, one to Foster Flaherty for 11 yards on 3rd and 10 and another to Palmer Albertine for 7 yards to get the Owls close. But facing 4th and 6 from the Bartlett 20, Joshua Wittber was called on, and he delivered, connecting on a 37-yard field goal for the Owls' first points of the season as they led, 3-0, with 4:27 left in quarter 1.
 
The Owl defense quickly gave the offense another opportunity as they forced a 3-and-out, and a -2-yard punt had the Owls set up again, this time at the Bartlett 25-yard line. Needing just 2 plays, Renovich found sophomore WR Palmer Albertine from 24-yards out for the touchdown. Wittber's PAT gave the visitors the 10-0 lead going into the second quarter.
 
The Panthers finally got their offense untracked on their next possession. The hosts ran on all but two of their plays, but the two passes were big completions, including a 20-yarder to RB Jaibriel Bowers and a 44-yarder down the west sideline to Pierce Washington to get Bartlett down to the MUS 2. From there, the Owl defenders fought and stopped the Panthers on three straight plays, but on 4th-and-goal from the MUS 1, Aiden Jackson snuck into the endzone. The PAT was good, cutting the lead to 10-7 with 8:53 left in the half.
 
Despite getting one first down on their next drive, the visitors were forced to punt, and Bartlett took over at its own 28 with 4:33 left in the half. The Panthers again moved the ball with pounding runs and good chunks of yardage through the air. Then, on the 9th play of the possession, Bartlett faced a 2nd-and-10 from the MUS 23, but Sam Galler made a big play as he stepped in front of a slant, intercepted the pass, and showed off his speed, returning it 86 yards for the score as the Owls took a 17-7 halftime advantage.
 
Unfortunately, in the second half, the offense struggled to move the ball consistently, garnering only 2 first downs in the third quarter. Meanwhile, on its second drive, Bartlett hit a big play as Patrick Sadler found Washington behind the defense, and the big receiver ran away from everyone for the 65-yard touchdown. The PAT closed the lead to 17-14 going into quarter 4.  
 
Bartlett started the fourth stanza with the ball at the MUS 41, and they began to find success on the ground, leaning on the Owl front with their big offensive line. Aiden Jackson had runs of 13 and 6 yards on the drive, and Jaibriel Bowers gained 29 yards on three carries to get the ball to the MUS 7-yard line. But from there, the Owl defense did not allow another yard, forcing a field-goal attempt. Jackson Bell connected from 24 yards to tie the score at 17 with 9:11 left in the game.
 
On its next possession, the Owl offense picked up one first down, but that was it as they were forced to punt, which, after a penalty, gave Bartlett possession at its own 12-yard line with 6:14 left. Again, the hosts began moving the ball, both with runs and passes. 3 first downs later had the Panthers at the MUS 31 inside of 2 minutes. But facing 4th and 8 from the MUS 29, the hosts decided to go for it, and Sadler's pass sailed harmlessly out of bounds as MUS took over with 50 seconds left.
 
The Owls had a chance. They were able to run 4 plays to get into Panther territory, aided by a pass-interference penalty. From the Bartlett 45, Renovich hit John Painter for 8 yards to the 37. And then, after a series of times-out, with 3.8 seconds left, Renovich got good protection, stepped up into the pocket, and hauled a pass into the endzone. Sherman was the only Owl in the area, and he outjumped two Panther defenders to haul in the pass and give the Owls the victory! Bedlam ensued!