CPHS Football Preview: No. 1 Booker T. Washington hosts No. 7 Sand Springs

In what may prove to be their toughest match of the season, the No. 7 ranked Sand Springs Sandites (4-3 overall, 2-1 district) will travel to No. 1 Booker T. Washington (6-1, 3-0) for a Fall Break battle this Thursday. 

The Sandites are coming off a 40-34 shootout loss to No. 6 Muskogee (3-4, 2-2) that ended a four-straight win streak over lower-ranked teams. The Hornets are coming off a bye week after hammering Muskogee 42-21 for their fourth-straight win. Their only loss this season was 30-21 to Louisiana 5A No. 1 West Monroe (7-0). They scored 63 points in all three of their wins before Muskogee, including shutouts against 5A Shawnee (4-3) and No. 15 Sapulpa (0-7, 0-4).

Sand Springs and Booker T. first met in 1986. L.D. Baines's Sandites fell 42-21, but their three touchdowns was the most anyone scored against the Hornets all season. They met contiguously through 1997 and the Hornets led the series 8-4. Washington scored the lone shutout of the series in 1989, 35-0. 

The two teams have been rather back-and-forth in recent years. They met from 2006-2007 after a nine-year hiatus and the Hornets won both games. From 2008-2011 Sand Springs was 6A and Washington was 5A so they didn't play each other during that span. The Hornets moved up to the top class in 2012 and the Sandites won two-straight encounters.

From 2014 onward, the two teams have competed in the newly-created Class 6A-II. The Hornets repaid the two-straight losses with a pair of close wins, but the teams split 2015 as the Sandites won a 30-23 playoff battle to advance to the State Finals. Last year the Hornets came out on top of a close 17-12 match on the Sandites' turf, so now the Sandites will be out for payback. 

Washington is in their second year under College Football Hall of Fame member Brad Calip. Calip took the Hornets to a 6-5 season last year, falling 21-20 to Lawton, who went on to lose a close 39-31 Championship bout with Bixby. Calip has one other Head Coaching stent under his belt, taking Bishop Kelley to an 8-4 record in 5A in 2004 before moving on to assistant positions at various high schools and colleges. His all-time head coaching record is 20-10.

Sand Springs is led by Dustin Kinard in his eleventh year as the second-longest tenured coach in town history. He holds a career record of 59-57. He led the Sandites to their first winning season in over a decade in 2008 and is 26-17 since the 6A split. The Sandites are currently in their longest playoff run in school history, qualifying five-straight years with a high probability of doing so again this season. 

Washington Avg. Box Score

Points: 45
First Downs: 17
Rushing: 33-189
Passing: 12-20-210
Plays-Yards: 53-399
Penalties: 11-82

Allowed: 17
First Downs: 10
Rushing: 28-104
Passing: 13-26-131-1
Plays-Yards: 54-235
Penalties: 6-57

Sand Springs Avg. Box Score

Points: 29
First Downs: 14
Rushing: 44-270
Passing: 5-12-78-1
Plays-Yards: 56-348
Penalties: 4-30

Allowed: 25
First Downs: 16
Rushing: 36-194
Passing: 14-22-176-1
Plays-Yards: 58-370
Penalties: 7-51. 

Sand Springs vs. Booker T. Washington History

2016: Booker T. Washington 17-12 (H)
2015: Sand Springs 30-23 (Playoff Semifinals)
2015: Booker T. Washington 17-14 (A)
2014: Booker T. Washington 42-35 (H)
2013: Sand Springs 42-38 (H)
2012: Sand Springs 21-7 (A)

2007: Booker T. Washington 23-7 (H)
2006: Booker T. Washington 62-28 (A)

1997: Sand Springs 23-15
1996: Booker T. Washington 34-7
1995: Sand Springs 14-10
1994: Booker T. Washington 28-7
1993: Booker T. Washington 21-14
1992: Booker T. Washington 48-7
1991: Sand Springs 15-14
1990: Booker T. Washington 31-17
1989: Booker T. Washington 35-0
1988: Booker T. Washington 28-14
1987: Sand Springs 15-12
1986: Booker T. Washington 42-21