CPHS Football Preview: Bixby at Sand Springs, home playoff game on the line

Payton Scott (34) posts a block for 2016 quarterback Hunter Greathouse (5) in a Semifinal Playoff game against Bixby. Scott ran for 86 yards and a touchdown in the 35-21 loss while Greathouse passed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. (Photo: Morgan Miller). 

The No. 8 ranked Charles Page High School football team (5-4, 3-2) will host the three-time defending State Champions from No. 5 Bixby (5-4, 4-1) in their regular season finale Friday night at Memorial Stadium. Both teams have already clinched playoff appearances, but their seeding is very much undecided.

The Spartans and Sandites are second and fourth, respectively, in their district. With a loss, the Sandites will take on the District One Champions, likely No. 2 Midwest City (8-1, 6-0). With a win and a Ponca City upset of Muskogee, the Sandites will be the District Runners-Up and get to host a playoff game. If both Sand Springs and Muskogee win their games, it will come down to point differential and the Sandites will be guaranteed third place. If the Sandites beat Bixby by more than ten points, they can take second.

Both teams have the same record overall, but the Spartans have pulled off one more district win than the Sandites. Sand Springs went 2-2 in non-district play to the Spartans' 1-3, but the Spartans played a tougher schedule. 

Bixby defeated 6A-I Jenks (5-4) 35-18, but the Trojans weren't quite themselves at the time, starting the year 0-4 for the first time since 1968. Since then they have rattled off five-straight victories in dominant fashion. From there the Spartans fell 47-28 to Bentonville (7-2), 37-35 to No. 6 Putnam City (6-3) and 34-22 to 6A-I Westmoore (7-2). All competitive losses to quality programs. 

Sand Springs dropped their season opener 59-21 to Pulaski Academy (9-0), then gave up a 21-20 come-from-behind loss to No. 9 Choctaw (5-4) after leading for the entire game. They rebounded with a 28-14 win over No. 12 Putnam City West (1-8). The Sandites won a district bout with Sapulpa then won 26-21 over 6A-I Yukon (4-5).

Looking at mutual opponents:

• No. 14 Sapulpa (1-8, 1-5). Sand Springs beat their biggest rivals 31-16. Bixby pummeled the Chieftains 48-10. It's tough to compare scores in a rivalry game. 
• No. 15 Ponca City (1-8, 1-4). Sand Springs wrecked the Wildcats 41-7, but once again Bixby had the better performance with a 68-7 beat down.
• No. 7 Muskogee (4-4, 3-2). Bixby handily defeated the Roughers 38-23 while the Sandites fell 40-34. It's worth noting that the Sandites came back from a 30-13 deficit to a 34-30 lead before giving up a 96-yard kick return. Even then, they picked up a first down at the Muskogee thirteen-yard line before time ran out. 
• No. 1 Booker T. Washington (8-1, 5-0). Both teams were shut out by the top-ranked Hornets. Sand Springs fell 40-0, Bixby fell 21-0. 
• No. 13 Bartlesville (1-7, 1-4). The Spartans had one of their worst games of the season two weeks ago, only defeating the Bruins 37-21. The Sandites had their biggest win of the year last Friday and murdered Bartlesville 55-13. 

If both teams play their best performances of the season, the Spartans will likely be the victors. But in a year plagued by turnovers and poor execution, they could easily be upended by the Sandites who have played a relatively clean season. 

Bixby leads the series 15-12 and 8-2 in the last seven years. The Spartans won the first meeting in 1922 when Sand Springs High School was coached by A.R. Bateman. The Sandites won back-to-back from 1926-1927 and the teams didn't meet again until the 1980s when they split the series 3-3. The Sandites won the 1990s series 5-3, but the most recent saga has been rather one-sided on the part of the Spartan program. 

The Spartans are led by CPHS graduate Loren Montgomery, who was an All-State offensive lineman under Head Coach L.D. Bains. Montgomery joined Bixby in 2010 and has a coaching record of 56-34 in his eighth season. He is 8-2 against his Alma Mater and has led his team to three consecutive State Championships since the 6A split. Sandite coach Dustin Kinard is 60-58 in his eleventh year leading the program. This will be their sixth-straight year making the playoffs, which is a town record.

Bixby Average Box

Scored: 35
First Downs: 21
Fumbles/Lost: 2/1
Penalties: 7-58
Passing: 13-24-200-1
Rushing: 38-191
Plays-Offense: 62-391

Allowed: 24
First Downs: 18
Fumbles/Lost: 2/1
Penalties: 7-56
Passing: 17-29-237-1
Rushing: 30-117
Plays-Offense: 59-354

CPHS Average Box

Scored: 29
First Downs: 14
Fumbles/Lost: 1/1
Penalties: 3-28
Passing: 5-10-68-0
Rushing: 45-283
Plays-Offense: 55-350

Allowed: 26
First Downs: 16
Fumbles/Lost: 2/1
Penalties: 6-49
Passing: 15-25-184-1
Rushing: 35-188
Plays-Offense: 60-371

Sand Springs vs. Bixby History

2016: Bixby 35-21 (State Semifinals)
2016: Bixby 35-19 (A)
2015: Bixby 38-28 (State Championship)
2015: CPHS 20-0 (H)
2014: Bixby 41-14 (State Semifinals)
2014: Bixby 34-31 (A)
2013: Bixby 35-21 (A)
2012: CPHS 21-7 (H)
2011: Bixby 43-23 (A)
2010: Bixby 48-35 (H)

1999: Bixby 23-7 (H)
1998: CPHS 30-6
1997: CPHS 19-0
1996: CPHS 28-7
1995: Bixby 17-10
1994: CPHS 33-7
1993: CPHS 26-20
1992: Bixby 20-17 OT

1985: CPHS 14-3
1984: CPHS 5-3
1983: Bixby 21-4
1982: Bixby 28-7
1981: Bixby 14-12
1980: CPHS 10-7

1927: CPHS 20-6
1926: CPHS 30-12

1922: Bixby 19-14

Sand Springs Season Statistic Leaders

Passing

44-92-565-4 Pennington, 5TD
1-2-45-0 Foster, 1TD

Receiving

9-144 Scott, 1TD
8-129 McCallie, 1TD
11-88 Millican
2-61 Hawkins
2-47 Fleischman, 1TD

Rushing

285-2160 Scott, 28TD
26-239 Nortey, 2TD
59-58 Pennington, 1TD
13-31 Jones
5-27 Edwards

Point-After Kicks

30/34 Weiser

Field Goals

1/2 Weiser, Long 25

Punting-Avg

31-31 Smith
1-48 Pennington

Kicking-Avg

26-35 Weiser
19-40 Cox
1-51 Smith

Punt Return

Kick Return

9-172 Denton
3-91 Scott
5-62 Bratcher
4-38 Millican
1-14 Mackey

Tackles

79 Cramer
48 Fleischman
43 Edwards
36 Fain
30 Lyons

For Loss

10-31 Finch
9-26 Fain
7-35 Edwards
6-32 Lyons
5-23 Cramer

Sacks

4-30 Lyons
3-31 Edwards
3-15 Fain
3-11 Finch
1-12 Fleischman
1-12 Cramer

Interceptions

4-31 Askew
1-6 Cramer
1 Cartwright
1 Lyons

Breakups

5 Cramer
4 Bratcher
4 Mackey
3 Denton
2 Lyons

Fumble Recoveries

3-2 Edwards
2 Askew
1-24 Mackey
1 Bratcher
1 Cramer

Forced Fumbles

1 K. Adcock
1 Cartwright
1 Denton
1 Finch
1 Lyons
1 Mackey

Stellar defense not enough as No. 2 Spartans spoil Sandites' playoff hopes

Photo: Morgan Miller.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Scoring Summary:

1Q 6:23 Griffin 40 yard pass to Presley. Campbell PAT. 7-0 Bixby.
2Q 5:27 Pawley 44 yard run. Campbell PAT 14-0 Bixby.
2Q 1:24 Greathouse 6 yard pass to Bales. Hernandez PAT 14-7 Bixby.
2Q 0:12 Greathouse 23 yard pass to Bales. Hernandez PAT 14-14.
3Q 7:56 Griffin 16 yard pass to Barbour. Campbell PAT 21-14 Bixby.
3Q 3:36 Scott 4 yard run. Hernandez PAT 21-21.
4Q 5:50 Pawley 5 yard run. Campbell PAT 28-21 Bixby.
4Q 1:45 Pawley 16 yard run. Campbell PAT 35-21 Bixby.

Note: Coverage of the Sandite-Spartan Semi-final game presented by Morgan's Relax Packs.

For the third-straight year, the No. 3 Charles Page High School varsity football team (7-5) was eliminated from the playoffs by the No. 2 Bixby Spartans (9-3). The Sandites put up a valiant effort, but the two-time defending State Champions progressed to their third-straight State Championship finals appearance with a 35-21 win at Sapulpa's George F. Collins Stadium.

The game was an incredible defensive showdown that saw the two teams punt a total of sixteen times with two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one turnover on downs. The Spartans won the battle, however, forcing ten punts and racking up 63 yards in tackles for loss. 

Sand Springs failed to find a rhythm offensively, completing only ten first downs and eleven passes on 32 attempts. The team struggled to hold on to the ball, fumbling four times, and dropping numerous passes that should have been completed.

View fullsize

On the Sandites' first possession they quickly picked up 21 yards on a run from junior running back Payton Scott, but then senior quarterback Hunter Greathouse's first pass of the night sailed into the hands of Ethan Hall for an interception. In a strange turn of events, Spartan quarterback Tanner Griffin's first pass was also an interception, caught by sophomore Hayden Cramer, to hold the Spartan possession to a mere ten seconds.

Passing
CPHS: Greathouse 10-31-125-1, 2TD. Pennington 1-1-(-2)-0.
Bixby: Griffin 18-29-238-1, 2TD.

Rushing
CPHS: Scott 24-86, 1 TD. Greathouse 3-(-21). Pennington 1-(-13).
Bixby: Pawley 33-202, 3TD. Griffin 4-25. Presley 1-9. Riddle 1-9.

Receiving
CPHS: Bales 7-69, 2TD. Thompson 1-42. Taber 1-11. Scott 2-1.
Bixby: Kerr 3-80. Presley 5-74, 1TD. Swanson 5-58. Barbour 2-18, 1TD. Riddle 1-8. Pawley 1-3. Watkins 1-(-3).

Tackles (CPHS Only)
Morgan 9, Tolbert 6, Jordan 4, Taber 4, Motes 4, Fain 4, Freeman 4, Simonton 4, Bratcher 3, Cramer 3, Fleischman 1, Delozier 1, Moyer 1, Thompson 1.

The Sandites were unable to capitalize, however, and Greathouse soon punted the ball away without a first down. Bixby had little difficulty moving the ball this time, driving 84 yards in six plays to score on a 40 yard pass to freshman receiver Brennan Presley. Jason Campbell's kick was good and the Spartans were up 7-0.

Eight possessions later, the Spartans caped an 87-yard drive with a 44-yard touchdown run by junior running back Tucker Pawley to make the score 14-0 with 5:27 left in the half.

Sand Springs came alive from there, finally scoring on their seventh possession of the night, aided by a series of personal fouls by the Spartans. Sand Springs grabbed one first down on a facemask penalty, added another on a roughing-the-passer call, then went to work offensively at the Spartan 32. Between Scott's runs and Kasey Bales's receptions, the Sandites inched down to the six yard line where Greathouse connected with Bales for the score. Alex Hernandez sent in the point-after, and the Sandites were closing the gap with 1:24 in the half.

On the Spartans' second play of the corresponding drive, Griffin found Presley again for a gain of twelve, but the freshman lost control of the ball and senior Treyce Tolbert got the recovery to set up Sand Springs for the game-tying drive. 

Greathouse hit Mack Thompson for 42 yards, and after a series of incomplete passes, he found Bales from 23-out to tie the game at half time.

The Sandites didn't ever take the lead, but they won the third quarter defensively, holding Bixby to only 86 yards and three completions on eight attempts. The Spartans did score on their opening drive of the half with a 16 yard pass to Clayton Barbour, but Sand Springs responded two possessions later. 

After a Sandite drive fell flat at the fifty, Greathouse pinned Bixby in at their own one-yard line. Three plays later the Spartans had to punt into a headwind and gave the Sandites prime real estate at the 19-yard-line.

Sand Springs wasted no time in scoring as Bales hauled in a thirteen yard pass and Scott ran it the final four to tie the game.

Soon after, the Spartans pushed eighty yards in eight plays to score on a six yard run from Pawley. With 5:50 to play, things began to fall apart for the Sandites.

Tight-end Dash Fleischman was injured on a play and had to come out for the game. Greathouse found Josh Taber for a first down, but then had to come out for a play. A direct snap attempt to Scott sailed well over his head and he barely recovered the ball for a loss of fourteen. Bales had to punt into a headwind and the Spartans got possession at the Sandite 49.

Four plays later, Pawley scored his third touchdown of the night to make it 35-21.

Sophomore Caden Pennington came in at quarterback with 1:45 to play. Another errant snap pushed the Sandites back to second and 23 at their 22, then a screen pass to Scott ended in another loss, followed by a delay of game penalty. The final play of the game was a run from Scott for no gain, and the clock ran out for the Spartan victory.

The Spartans will advance to their third-straight State Championship appearance Friday, December 2nd at against the No. 5 Lawton Wolverines (8-4). The Wolverines were the sleeper of this season's playoffs, defeating No. 6 Booker T. Washington 21-20, then upsetting No. 1 Muskogee 34-24. This will be Lawton's first State Championship appearance since 2014 when they fell 35-21 to Bixby. 

Four meetings in two years, the Sandite-Spartan rivalry continues Friday in the District Title game

Sand Springs takes on Bixby in the 2015 6A-II State Championship game at Union Stadium. (Photo: Austin Evans).

Sand Springs vs Bixby History
Year, Coach, QB, Result

1922 A.R. Bateman, Sixkiller, 14-19 loss
1926 30-12 win
1927 20-6 win
1980 Gary Quimby, Eric Haines, 10-7 win (A)
1981 Gary Quimby, Eric Haines, 12-14 loss (H)
1982 Chris Thurmond, 32-6 loss (H)
1983 LD Baines, Brad Johnson, 4-21 loss (A)
1984 LD Baines, Shawn Morand, 5-3 win (H)
1985 LD Baines, Shawn Morand, 14-3 win (A)
1992 LD Baines, Mike Quimby, 17-20 OT loss (H)
1993 LD Baines, Delvin Jordan, 26-20 win (A)
1994 LD Baines, Delvin Jordan, 33-7 win (H)
1995 LD Baines, Dustin Morrow, 10-17 loss (A)
1996 LD Baines, Keith Hooks, 28-7 win (H)
1997 Archie Loehr, Keith Hooks, 19-0 win (A)
1998 Archie Loehr, Keith Hooks, 30-6 win (H)
1999 Archie Loehr, Ryan Summers, 7-23 loss (H)
2010 Dustin Kinard, Darrack Harger, 35-48 loss (H)
2011 Dustin Kinard, Darrack Harger, 23-43 loss (A)
2012 Dustin Kinard, Cody Hale, 21-7 win (H)
2013 Dustin Kinard, Cody Hale, 21-35 loss (A)
2014 Dustin Kinard, Conner Sitton, 31-34 loss (A)
2014 Dustin Kinard, Jacob Taber, 14-41 loss (BA)
2015 Dustin Kinard, Hunter Greathouse, 20-0 win (H)
2015 Dustin Kinard, Hunter Greathouse, 28-38 loss (Union)

Overall Record: 12-13-0

Longest Streak: CPHS 3
Longest Streak: Bixby 3

Shutouts: CPHS 2
Shutouts: Bixby 0

Road wins: CPHS 4
Road wins: Bixby 5

Biggest win: CPHS 33-7
Biggest win: Bixby 41-14
 

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The High School football season still has a month left, but the regular season will come to a close this Friday as the No. 2 Sand Springs Sandites (6-3, 4-1) travel to No. 3 Bixby (6-3, 4-1) to try and earn their first district title since 1997. In the last two seasons the teams have met four times, including two playoff games and a State Championship. High-stakes games are all these two teams know.

In 2014 the Spartans lost their season-opener at Jenks (11-2), then won twelve-straight with an average margin of victory of 27 points. Sand Springs, meanwhile, was the sleeper with a 7-2 record prior to their first meeting with Bixby. Two of those wins were by a touchdown or less and their average win was by 17 points. Bixby was heavily favored throughout the season, but that didn't stop the Sandites from coming within a field goal in their last visit to Spartan Stadium. Sand Springs posed the closest threat to the Spartans all season in a 34-31 loss to end the regular season. Bixby got payback two weeks later, however, ravaging the injury-plagued Sandites 41-14 at Broken Arrow Memorial Stadium.

The Sandites were without starting quarterback Conner Sitton and leading wide-receiver Davey Thayer due to concussions sustained in a quarterfinal playoff game against Midwest City. University of Houston-bound kicker, Blake Boyles, had an injured leg from the last game with Bixby. The starting nose-tackle was out due to disciplinary issues, and a smattering of other players were either out all-together, or nursing mild injuries and well below 100%. Also, one of their leading defensive linemen, Jacob Taber, was filling in at quarterback. 

Last season the Spartans started with the number one ranking, despite a season-opening 58-24 loss to Jenks (11-1), then won three straight, including a 71-7 murder of East Central (0-8) before falling 50-33 to No. 4 Bartlesville (10-2). From there they had less than impressive wins against Ponca (3-6) and Sapulpa (2-7), then were blown out 52-7 by Booker T. Washington (10-1). They nearly even gave up a loss to Muskogee (3-7) before holding on to the 48-41 overtime win. Sand Springs had realistically earned a 7-2 record by the time of their meeting with the Spartans, but had to forfeit two wins due to an ineligible player, and a third game was cancelled at half time due to weather, despite the Sandites having a significant lead. While the Sandites were dominated 24-7 by Bartlesville, their only other loss was a close 17-14 to Booker T., who annihilated Bixby. 

When the two teams met in the regular season finale at Memorial Stadium, the Spartans were utterly dominated by the Sandite defense, and gave up their first shutout since 2008. Sand Springs managed only 255 yards of total offense against the Spartans' 268, but pulled off four fumble recoveries and 13 tackles for loss, totaling 74 yards, including five sacks for 51 yards in the 20-0 win.

Bixby went on to dominate Lawton 36-6 in the quarterfinals and Bartlesville 67-21 in the semis, while the Sandites defeated Stilwater 49-14 in the quarterfinals and Booker T. 30-23 in the semis. 

In the Sandites' first State Championship appearance since they won it in 1966, Bixby played the role of spoiler. The Spartans took a quick 16-0 lead before the Sandites came from behind with three-straight touchdowns to make it 21-16. The teams exchanged scores from there, but Bixby got the last two to win it 38-28. 

If the Sandites fall to Bixby, they'll need a miracle upset from Ponca City over Muskogee in order to remain in the top-two of the district. The current class of Sandites are 16-4 on their home turf and only 12-9 on the road. If the Sandites can clinch a home playoff game, it'll be a big step in the direction of a State Title. Sand Springs hasn't seen a State Title since 1966, and a 50th anniversary win would make it even more special.

The Spartans still have a possibility of a District Title if they win over Sand Springs and Ponca upsets Muskogee, but realistically they're in the same boat of looking for a home playoff game. Over the past four seasons, the Spartans are 15-5 at home and 14-7 on the road, but it's less important for them as they're 6-1 in the playoffs and defending back-to-back State Titles. 

Sandite Pride News has picked Sand Springs as the victor of this weekend's game by a narrow 32-30. Stay tuned for the pre-game analysis, exclusively from Sandite Pride.