Sandites vs Hornets: Get to know your semi-finalists
/By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
There's only three games left in the race for the 2015 State Championship, and all three are rematches between District 1 rivals.
#1 Booker T Washington (10-0, 7-0) District Champions
#3 Charles Page (6-4, 5-2) *2 Forfeitures
The week 9 opponents will get their rematch at Sapulpa's George F. Collins Stadium. The last time the two teams met was a rainy run-game with barely a hundred passing yards combined between the two teams.
Since then the Sandites squashed Stillwater 49-14 thanks to a marvelous run game that saw both Lane Lettich and Payton Scott rack up over 100 yards each, complemented by QB Hunter Greathouse's perfect night passing for 181 yards.
Meanwhile, the Hornets did nearly as much damage to Choctaw in a 47-17 rout that saw Justice Hill run up 191 yards, complemented by Dakari Willis's 11-13-134 in the air.
While the stadium is technically neutral territory, it can be noted that Sand Springs has a long history of battling it out on the Cheiftain turf due to their long-standing rivalry with Sapulpa.
While the hornets have a 10-win streak going into the game, the Sandites' win at Stillwater was only the second time since 1997 that they've won in the post season, and with all their starting lineup in tact, the Minutemen will be out to prove that they have what it takes to be a major contender for the first time in the current century.
The two teams have met only 12 times till now; the Hornets lead the series 8-4.
The first time the teams met was during a mediocre 1986 season in which the Sandites went only 2-8. However, the 42-21 loss was the most points anyone had scored on the Hornets all season.
The next meeting in 1987 saw a narrow 15-12 Sandite win on their way to the semi finals.
The Hornets walked away with the next three wins before Sand Springs managed to edge them out 15-14 in 1991 to clinch a playoff berth.
The next year, the Hornets put the biggest beat down of the series on Sand Springs in a 48-7 rout. The most Sand Springs has ever beaten the Hornets by was 21-7 in 2012.
The highest scoring game of the series came in 2006 when the Hornets handled the Sandites 62-28.
For the current class of seniors, the series is an even split. 2012 saw a 21-7 Sandite upset at SE Williams Stadium, followed by a 42-38 home shoot out that the Sandites came out on top of.
The Hornets walked away with the next two, however, spoiling a Sandite Halloween Senior Night in 2014 in a come-from-behind 42-35 victory, then kicking a tie-breaking field goal this year with 14 seconds left.
This will be the first time the two teams have met twice in one season.
The pick: CPHS 35, BTW 24
