Football Preview: Sandites Headed to U.S. Grant for Regular Season Finale

The Class 6A-II No. 5 ranked Charles Page High School football team (6-3, 4-2) will wrap up the regular season Thursday night at U.S. Grant (2-7, 0-6), virtually a guaranteed win.

Even if Grant pulls off the upset of the century, the Sandites will still finish the year third in district play for the first time since 2015.

Sand Springs is coming off a 24-14 win against No. 10 Booker T. Washington, snapping a seven-year losing streak to the Hornets. The Generals are looking to snap a 16-game district losing streak or at least avoid a sixth consecutive shutout.

The game will be held at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City, which is celebrating its 90th birthday next year. Taft Stadium was built in 1934 by the Works Progress Administration as part of the Second New Deal. Following a $9.7 million renovation from 2013 to 2015, the stadium has a capacity of 7,500, down from its original 18,000.

The historic stadium has hosted a 1956 NASCAR Convertible Series contest, Bedlam games from 1943 to 1944, high school state championships in various sports, and was the home of the Oklahoma City Energy FC from 2015 to 2021.

Taft Stadium is located at 2501 North May Avenue.

Gates open at 5:45 with Senior Night festivities beginning at 6:15 p.m. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $2 for students and $5 for adults. Generals fans can enter through the North gates while Sandites must enter through the South gates. No re-entry is allowed.

The Senior Night celebration will recognize football, cross country, cheer, pom, and band, and there will be a Senior Circle following the game.

The Series

Sand Springs won 83-0 last year in the first and only meeting between the two programs. It was the largest win in program history for the Sandites, who took a 48-0 lead in the first quarter on only eight offensive plays.

Brody Rutledge tossed a forward pitch to Jabe Schlehuber for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Charles Gaylord recovered the ensuing kick and Kenneth Page score a 36-yard touchdown run on the next play. Kyle Morrall recovered the next kick and Page scored on an 8-yard run for a 21-0 lead before the Generals’ offense ever stepped on the field.

The Sandites led 48-0 after the first quarter and were 62-0 at halftime. They scored ten rushing touchdowns and a punt return for a touchdown, out-gaining the Generals 438 yards to 41.

Last Week

Easton Webb was 8-of-14 passing last week for 63 yards. Kenneth Page led the ground game with 17 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns while Ali McCoy had 12 carries for 53 yards and a score. Dawson Puckett kicked a career-long 42-yard field goal.

Owen Floyd led the defense with 8 tackles, followed by Dallas Elifrits and Gatlin Gunn with 7 apiece. Elifrits had three tackles for loss and Waylon Jeffers had two sacks.

On the Season

Sand Springs has established itself as a dominant team in the trenches, averaging 185 rushing yards per game while passing for 110.

Webb is 65-of-102 passing for 787 yards, 5 TDs, and 6 INTs with 1 rushing TD. Caleb Goodman has 38 catches for 499 yards and 4 TDs.

Page has 155 carries for 848 yards and 11 TDs plus 2 TD receptions. McCoy has 92 carries for 731 yards and 9 TDs.

Dawson Puckett is 28-of-31 on PATs and 3-of-4 on field goals with a career-long of 42 yards.

The defense is led by Floyd with 69 tackles, Gunn with 56 tackles, and Alex Dudley with 47 tackles. Gunn has a team-best three interceptions.