Tuttle High School in Tuttle, Oklahoma, dedicated its newly renovated football facility, Richison Family Stadium, on Friday night.
The school honored the Richison Family Foundation and Tuttle alumnus Chad Richison—Paycom founder, CEO and chairman, during a halftime ceremony to highlight the stadium renovation project.
The Richison Family Foundation supports sustainable organizations that make a lasting impact, focusing on children’s education, foster care, food security, wellness, self-care and mental health. The Foundation also champions mental health awareness, aiming to help others through education, advocacy, balance and support programs.
The Richison Family Foundation donated $9 million to match the district’s contribution to upgrade the football facility, stadium, and press box. The transformational project, which began in 2022 thanks to philanthropic donations and school bonds passed in 2019 and 2021, has more than doubled the athletic facility’s footprint, increasing the stadium’s capacity from 1,500 to 3,330 people. The stadium renovations include a new video board, home stands, press box and concession stands, along with significant athletic facility updates, including new locker rooms, weight room, meeting area and training rooms.
Four generations of the Richison family attended the dedication, which included
remarks by Chad Richison. “I have only fond memories of Tuttle. Many of my friends and family still live here. I spent countless hours driving combines, swathers and tractors and hauling hay in these fields. This community, along with my parents, taught me the value of a strong work ethic, a quality that I believe is a great equalizer. Everyone had a job. Everyone,” said Richison. “I’m grateful to be able to give back to a community that has given me so much.”
Athletes across all sports at Tuttle High School will utilize the upgraded training facilities with enhanced space for training, prehab and rehab. The weight room area provides opportunities for multiple programs to rotate through that facility and reap the benefits of strength training–a pillar of all the school’s athletic programs.
Keith Sinor, superintendent of Tuttle Public Schools, said, “Our athletes, students and community will now have a state-of-the-art training facility and stadium thanks to the entire Richison family. The impact on our student-athletes is enormous, and even more of our community will now enjoy Friday night games in a beautiful stadium all Tuttle residents can be proud of. We’re very grateful to the Richison Family Foundation and their long-time support and contributions to the Tuttle community.”
Friday’s game at the newly dedicated stadium was a much-anticipated matchup between the No. 2 Tuttle Tigers, led by junior quarterback Cruz Campbell, senior wide receiver Brady McAdoo and junior running back Shawn Rounsaville Jr. and their once undefeated district rival, Blanchard Lions.
The Tigers defeated the Lions 28-7. Tuttle impacted the game significantly, forcing a total of eight turnovers, including five turnovers on downs. Seven points was also the Lions’ lowest point total of the season.
On the other side, the Lions’ defense also made its mark, allowing only 287 total yards, the lowest of the Tigers’ lowest of the season.
Rounsaville Jr. powered the Tigers’ offense with another impressive rushing performance. He ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Last week, he rushed for 150 yards on nine carries and scored three touchdowns in Tuttle’s 57-6 win over Tecumseh.
Coach Brad Ballard commented after the last game, “He’s been consistently good for us for a while now. Shawn has done an excellent job of getting what we need when we need it and being physical and tough when he does it.”
McAdoo had one of the biggest highlights of the game with an electrifying punt return touchdown from the 1-yard line.
Regarding the Lions neutralizing their typically high-powered passing offense, Coach Ballard said, “Our guys are unselfish, and they don’t care; if that’s what the defense gives us, that’s what we’ve got to take.”
Dating back to last season, Tuttle is now on a ten-game streak of home wins, and Blanchard was on an eight-game streak of away wins. In their previous game in October 2023, Tuttle lost 20-6 to Blanchard. The winner of this matchup most likely determines the district winner and who has home-field advantage throughout the 4A playoffs. Now, the Lions will likely finish second, facing a tougher playoff path that includes potential road games against undefeated teams like Wagoner in the second round and Elgin in the semifinals before reaching the title game.
The Tuttle Tigers have a decorated history of championships in football, baseball, softball, cheerleading, wrestling and track.
To follow the latest in Tuttle High School Athletics, visit https://www.tuttletigers.com/.