Postseason Preview: Sandites Host Lawton Friday

Charles Page High School is four-for-four in qualifying for the playoffs in the Bobby Klinck era and under the new playoff expansion implemented in 2022, they’ll get to host a first-round game for the second season in a row.

6A-II No. 5 Sand Springs (7-3) is set to host Lawton (3-7) Friday in only their second meeting ever. The first and only meeting was a 5A semifinal playoff game that Lawton won 14-10 in 1987.

The Bracket

The winner of Sand Springs vs. Lawton will advance to play No. 3 Choctaw (7-2), who gets a first-round bye. On the same side of the bracket is No. 8 Tahlequah (3-7) at Putnam City (4-6), with the winner playing No. 1 Stillwater (8-2).

On the other side of the bracket is No. 10 Putnam City North (4-6) at No. 6 Bartlesville (4-6), with the winner playing No. 2 Edmond Deer Creek (8-2), and No. 9 Putnam City West (5-5) at No. 7 Ponca City (5-5), with the winner playing No. 4 Muskogee (8-2).

The Contenders

Stillwater is the defending State Champion, though they’ve spent most of the season at the No. 4 spot after a head coach change and the graduation of many starters resulted in an 0-2 start. Since then, the Pioneers are 8-0 with a statement 30-20 win over Muskogee in the district title game. Last year was their second championship overall and their third finals appearance in the past five years.

Deer Creek is looking for its first State title since 2000 when the Antlers were still 3A. They made the finals in 2021 but were outmatched 63-14 by juggernaut Bixby. Deer Creek started the season 1-2, playing up a division against a trio of 6A-I schools. They closed the season on a 7-0 streak with a signature 25-20 win against Choctaw in Week 6.

Choctaw finished the year with four wins in a row after the close loss at Deer Creek. The Yellowjackets have made the finals in two of the past three years but are still looking for their first title since a Class B championship in 1960. They outscored fellow playoff teams Lawton, Putnam City, and Ponca City by a combined 171 to 39 in the final three games.

Muskogee has returned to its blue blood form the past two years in pursuit of its first title since 1986 and fifth overall. The Roughers are 4-0 in championship games but 0-6 in the semis since their last gold ball and looking to take that next step forward after getting stopped in the semis last year.

Sand Springs is in pursuit of its first State title since 1966 and first finals appearance since 2015. The Sandites have been turned away in the semis twice since then. The Sandites’ only losses this season have come to 6A-I No. 1 Bixby, then-No. 1 Muskogee, and current No. 1 Stillwater.

The Dark Horse

Bartlesville is undoubtedly the best team in the playoffs with a losing record. In three consecutive losses to Stillwater, Muskogee, and Sand Springs, the combined score was only 64 to 54. There was also a season-opening one-point loss to 5A No. 6 Claremore (9-1). The Bruins got back in the win column with a 51-20 domination of Tahlequah to close the regular season.

The Bruins have never made it to a State finals game and they haven’t made it past the quarterfinals since 2015.

The Hopefuls

Ponca City won a first-round playoff game last year for the first time since 1986 and is looking to take another step forward this season. The Wildcats have never won the gold ball and last played for it in 1965.

Tahlequah has qualified for the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons, but they haven’t gotten past the first round since 2020 when they were still 5A. They have never won a State title, falling in the 4A finals in 1989.

Putnam City West is making its first postseason appearance since 2016 and looking for its first win since 1994. The Patriots won their lone title in 1981 in Class 4A and haven’t made it to the finals since then.

Putnam City North won a playoff game as recently as 2020 but missed out on the postseason last year. The Panthers won their only gold ball in 1991 in Class 5A and made their last finals appearance in 2001 in 6A.

Putnam City is looking to win its first playoff game since 2007. The Pirates won three titles in four years from 1974 to 1977 but haven’t made the finals since that 4A run.

Lawton was an early 6A-II power, making finals appearances in 2014 and 2016 after the 6A split. They lost both of those games to Bixby. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2017, however. The Wolverines own two gold balls, last winning a 5A title in 1987.