Sand Springs Football: Blake Jones scores 4 TDs in 53-26 rout of Sapulpa

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*A version of this story was originally published in the Tulsa World.

For the first time in the 99-year history of the Highway 97 Rivalry, the Sandites can boast of hanging half a hundred on their archrivals. 

After trailing 14-0 early in the first quarter, Class 6A-II No. 8 ranked Charles Page High School rattled off 30 straight points to close the first half of their season opener against 5A No. 9 Sapulpa, then coasted to a 53-26 final score.

“Sapulpa’s a very well-coached football team,” said second-year Sandite Head Coach Bobby Klinck about the Chieftains’ early lead. “I’ve coached with Tim Holt before. I knew they were going to come out here with a great game plan against us and I’m not surprised by it.”

The Sandites have won the series back-to-back under Klinck, and they’ve won it seven of the past eight seasons, evening the all-time record to 45-45-5. Sapulpa had held the overall series lead since 1945.

It didn’t start pretty, though.

D’Angelo Mitchell set up the Chieftains’ opening drive with a 47-yard kick return, and Sapulpa marched the remaining 50 yards in only five plays, scoring on a 12-yard pass from Zac Mason to Xander Konell.

The Chieftains got another short field on a mishandled punt attempt at the Sandite 49-yard line. Mason soon found Mitchell on a 47-yard pass and Ethan Peterson’s kick gave the visitors a 14-0 lead.

There were other mistakes throughout the game, too. Sand Springs committed 12 penalties for 125 yards, including a few unsportsmanlike calls. 

“We’ve got to be smarter in terms of the after-whistle penalties,” said Klinck. “We talk about emotional stability all the time with our team and we didn’t have that today. So we’ve definitely got to figure some things out in terms of making the other team earn everything they get.”

The Sandites did a pretty good job of stopping Sapulpa outside of those first two drives. The defense forced five punts and two turnovers on downs. Drake Fain sacked Mason for a safety in the first quarter, and Chase White picked him off on a fourth-down pass attempt in the endzone. 

The offense also showed up, anchored by lots of returning star power in the skill positions, while a brand new offensive line showed that they could hang with the best of them. 

“(Offensive Line) Coach (Jason) Medrano’s just done an unbelievable job,” said Klinck. “I’m so happy we were able to get him on board. Just the physicality and the mentality he brings to that front - it was evident. I was telling the offense ‘let’s run the ball, let’s run the ball. They haven’t stopped it yet.’ That’s a great weapon to have.”

Running the ball proved very successful, as Blake Jones amassed 181 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries. Jones was in and out last season with injuries, but he made his presence known Friday night with a new career-best performance.

Also putting up big numbers was third-year veteran quarterback Ty Pennington, who was 16-of-25 passing for 245 yards and three scores. He had help from two triple-digit receivers.

In the first half, his primary target was backup quarterback Brody Rutledge, who finished the night with five receptions for 112 yards and two scores. His first two catches were touchdowns of 49 yards and 44 yards, the second of which gave Sand Springs the lead once and for all.

“I think it goes past the football field, just that personal relationship we have,” said Pennington of his receiver. “I trust him, he trusts me, it just showed on the field tonight. He had a big night.”

Jacob Blevins also had a big night, with nine receptions for 118 yards and a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

First-year Sandite kicker Logan Wolfe connected on all six of his PATs, as well as a 27-yard field goal. 

“I was proud of The Wolfe,” said Klinck. “For a guy who’s been a soccer guy, probably hasn’t played in front of this many people before, I thought he did an absolutely great job, especially on kickoffs. He’s going to become a weapon for us.”

Overall, the Sandites outgained the Chieftains 421 yards to 297. Mason finished the game 11-of-22 passing for 126 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Tyreese Jones also gave the Sandites fits at times, rushing for 138 yards with another 15 by air. He scored one touchdown on a 61-yard breakaway run in the third quarter.

Sandite Football will return to action next Friday at 7:00 p.m. with a road game against 5A No. 6 Bishop Kelley (0-1). Sapulpa will host unranked Edison Prep Academy (0-0), which is now led by former Chieftain Head Coach Robert Borgstadt, who resigned from Sapulpa in January.

Week Eleven 6A-II rankings and playoff predictions; a look at this weekend's games

The final eight were already decided going into last week's games, and now we have the final seeds for the fourth installment of the 6A Division Two playoffs.

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last Week No. 1) vs. No. 6 Putnam City Pirates (6)

The District Two Champions from Booker T. Washington (9-1, 6-0) will host Putnam City (7-3, 4-3). The Hornets won a relatively close (by their standards) 42-13 battle in Bartlesville (1-8, 1-5) while the Pirates won a solid 52-14 tuneup game in Enid (3-7, 1-6).

Washington's only loss this season was a 30-21 out-of-state exhibition with West Monroe, Louisiana (10-0). They even topped Midwest City 27-24 in overtime.

Putnam City played the tougher district and fell only 27-21 to Lawton and 39-32 to Stillwater but was dominated 32-14 by Midwest City. In their regular season finale AJ Newsome passed for 246 yards and four touchdowns with 38 yards on the ground for two touchdowns, all in the first half. 

The pick: BTW 46 Putnam 21.

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 8 Sand Springs Sandites (8)

The District One Champions from Midwest City (9-1, 7-0) won a solid 35-21 outing with Stillwater (8-2, 5-2) almost entirely on the ground. The Bombers combined for 151 rushing yards while Preston Colbert was 18-22-234-1 by air. They gave up 95 yards in penalties and had one fumble. The Bombers have lost only one game this season, by an overtime field goal to the top-ranked Hornets. 

Sand Springs (5-5, 3-3) fell 42-21 to the defending State Champions from Bixby (6-4, 5-1) but it was all knotted up at 21-21 going into the fourth quarter. They tied 7-7 in the first, the Spartans won a second quarter 14-0 shutout, and the Sandites did the same in the third. Caden Pennington was 3-12-19-1 by air while Payton Scott carried 29 times for 148 yards and all three Sandite touchdowns. 

The pick: MWC 33 CPHS 19.

No. 3 Lawton Wolverines (3) vs. No. 7 Muskogee Roughers (7) 

Last year's State Runners-Up made their way to the finals with a 35-28 semifinal victory over Muskogee. The Roughers (5-4, 4-2) will get a rematch this year, and they'll need to bring their A-game. The Wolverines (8-2, 6-1) are coming off a dominant 56-28 victory in Deer Creek (4-6, 2-5) that started with a 42-7 lead by the second period. Alihas Hopper was 21-26-238 passing with five touchdowns. Miles Davis had 203 yards and two touchdowns on eighteen carries.

Muskogee rediscovered their typically potent offense after a lackluster 27-14 win in Sapulpa (1-9, 1-5), drubbing Ponca City (1-9, 1-5) 51-19 on the road. Jacob Medrano was 16-18-305 with five touchdowns by air and Kristian Hillmon carried 11 times for 93 yards They gave up 115 yards in penalties, but had no turnovers. 

The pick: Lawton 48 Muskogee 35.

No. 4 Stillwater Pioneers (4) vs. No. 5 Bixby Spartans (5)

The three-time defending State Champions (6-4, 5-1) pulled out a winning season and home playoff game with their 42-21 fourth-quarter stand against the Sandites (5-5, 3-3) but they'll have their work cut out for them against Stillwater (8-2, 5-2) whose season has looked far cleaner and more consistent. 

There have been two Bixbys this season. One Bixby beat Jenks 35-18, Muskogee 38-23, Ponca 68-7, and Sand Springs 21-0. The other Bixby lost three-straight including a 37-35 upset in Putnam City. They only beat Bartlesville 37-21, and they were shutout 21-0 by Booker T. Washington. In their regular season finale they squandered a 21-7 lead and allowed the Sandites to tie it up with a third-quarter shutout before rallying in the fourth. Staton King was 19-29-212-1 passing and Tucker Pawley ran for 229 yards and five touchdowns on 41 carries. 

There's only one Stillwater and they can be counted on to show up. The Pioneers started on a five-win streak before falling 43-29 to Lawton, then went on another three-win streak before falling 35-21 to Midwest City. In their regular season finale they went down swinging with a 263-yard running performance and three touchdowns from Tyler Disidore. They also fumbled three times, turning over two of them.

The pick: Bixby 38 Stillwater 32

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9) 

Choctaw (6-4, 3-4) once again missed the playoffs by a hair with a winning record and solid season. They went 3-0 outside of their district, including an impressive come-from-behind 21-20 win against Sand Springs. They shut out Enid 37-0 and drilled Putnam West (1-9, 0-7) 45-17 in the season finale. 

Avg Score: 26-23

No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (10)

Deer Creek (4-6, 2-5) notched wins against 6A-I Southmoore and Edmond Memorial, as well as a 38-24 district win against Enid and a 34-7 performance against Putnam West. Their season finale was a 56-28 home loss to Lawton. 

Avg Score: 25-34

No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)

Enid (3-7, 1-6) won their opening two games 34-23 over Guthrie and 61-34 against Ponca City, and made headlines with a 49-42 double-overtime comeback win against Putnam City West who led 42-7 after three quarters. Despite a potent offense, that would be their only district victory and they closed the season with six-straight losses and a 52-14 finale against Putnam City. AJ Newsome passed for 246 yards and four touchdowns with 38 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the loss. 

Avg Score: 30-44

No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (12)

Putnam West (1-9, 0-7) won their season-opener 16-15 against Duncan, but wouldn't notch another win this year. They had a few solid performances, putting up 42 points against Enid and only falling 21-11 to Putnam City, but ended the year with a 45-17 loss to Choctaw. 

Avg Score: 15-38

No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)

Bartlesville (1-8, 1-5) found their lone win in game six, 9-2 against Sapulpa. They also defeated McAlester 30-25 in the season debut, but forfeited the game later due to an ineligible player. After the suspension, then resignation of their former head coach, the Bruins were in a holding pattern under interim coach Kyle Ppool. 

Avg Score: 16-39

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (14)

Sapulpa (1-9, 1-5) started the season with seven-straight losses before trouncing Ponca City 42-14. They had several solid performances, including a 27-20 game against Choctaw, and a 27-14 loss to Muskogee, but never could cross the finish line. They ended the year with a 54-13 loss to Broken Arrow and managed 132 rushing yards against 6A-I powerhouse team. 

Avg Score: 13-34

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (15)

Ponca City (1-9, 1-5) edged out Bartlesville 14-12 in week five to avert a winless season and ended the year with a 51-19 battle against Muskogee. Justin Andrews was 20-44-254-1 passing for both Wildcat touchdowns. 

Avg Score: 14-44. 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 68-18 (.791)
Last Week: 8-0 (1.00)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 58-15* (.794)
Last Week: 8-0 (1.00)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Ten 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

It's the last week of the regular season, and the eight playoff-bound teams have all clinched their berths. From District One it'll be Midwest City, Lawton, Stillwater, and Putnam City. District Two will advance Booker T. Washington, Bixby, Muskogee, and Sand Springs. The teams still have one last game to try and improve their seed. 

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last Week No. 1) vs. No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)* District 2

Booker T. (8-1, 5-0) clinched the District 2 Championship last week with a 21-0 shutout of the defending State Champions from Bixby (5-4, 4-1). The Hornets held Bixby to 115 total yards, including 11 yards on 33 runs, thanks in part to seven sacks. Thomas Grayson ran 20 times for 131 yards and all three Hornet touchdowns came in the first half. Both teams gave up two interceptions apiece with no fumbles. 

Bartlesville (1-7, 1-4) was part of a record setting night, but at their expense. The Sand Springs Sandites (5-4, 3-2) dealt the Bruins a 55-13 loss, running for over 500 yards. Noah Sunday was 22-36-227-1 passing but their run game was held to 77 yards on 25 carries and they gave up one fumble. 

The pick: BTW 58 BHS 7.

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 4 Stillwater Pioneers (5)* District 1

The Bombers (8-1, 6-0) are one step closer to a District title after scoring a 46-25 win over Enid (3-6, 1-5). Their defense was slow-starting as both teams scored on their initial drives before the Bombers jumped ahead with five-straight touchdowns. Preston Colbert was 11-16-222-0 passing and Austin Anderson carried 19 times for 186 yards.

Stillwater (8-1, 5-1) is still in contention for the title after a 39-32 win against Putnam City (6-3, 3-3), but they'll need some help to get there. Not only will they need to beat Midwest City, but they'll also need Lawton to lose. It's impossible for the Pioneers to pass the Bombers in point-differential, so even with a fifteen-point win, they'll need the Wolverines to win by less than two points for Stillwater to host a playoff game. Tyler Disidore ran 18-110, Qwontrell Walker ran 17-111, and Garrett Leming was 11-74 in the back-and-forth affair. 

The pick: MWC 38 SHS 29.

No. 3 Lawton Wolverines (3) vs. No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (10)* District 1

Lawton (7-2, 5-1) is still in the running for the district title, but it's almost entirely out of their hands. Even with a fifteen-point win over Deer Creek (4-5, 2-4), they'll still need Stillwater to upset Midwest City by at least eight points. Last week they throttled Putnam City West (1-8, 0-6) 44-7. Deer Creek is coming off a 34-21 loss to Choctaw (5-4, 2-4).

The pick: LHS 47 DC 14.

No. 5 Bixby Spartans (4) vs. No. 8 Sand Springs Sandites (8)* District 2

The three-time defending State Champions (5-4, 4-1) suffered a 21-0 shutout at the hands of Booker T. (8-1, 5-0). Staton King was 7-21-104-2 passing and Tucker Pawley was held to 38 yards on 19 carries. All 21 of the Hornets' points came in the first half. The Spartans will clinch a home playoff game with a win. 

Sand Springs (5-4, 3-2) did what they do best and fed the ball to Payton Scott all night long against Bartlesville (1-7, 1-4). The senior star ran for 506 yards and seven touchdowns in the 55-13 beat down. The Sandites won the turnover battle with one pick and one fumble. The Sandites can still earn a home playoff game with an upset of Bixby and a Ponca City upset of Muskogee. 

The pick: BHS 38 CPHS 29.

No. 7 Muskogee Roughers (6) vs. No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (14)* District 2

Muskogee (4-4, 3-2) is coming off a lackluster 27-14 performance against Sapulpa (1-8, 1-5). Jacob Medrano was 18-27-203-0 passing and the Roughers were 37-139 on the ground. They'll clinch third place with a win and a Sandite loss, but if the Sandites upset Bixby it'll come down to point-differential and the Roughers have the lowest spread of the four post-season qualifiers. 

Ponca City (1-8, 1-4) is effectively out of contention, but they could still play the spoiler when it comes to post-season seeding. The Wildcats are coming off a 28-14 loss to Norman (1-8) and should theoretically be an easy win for the Roughers. However, the Wildcats have had some impressive offensive outings this season, scoring 34 against Enid and 21 against Booker T. 

The pick: MHS 39 PoHi 19.

No. 6 Putnam City Pirates (7) vs. No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)* District 1

Putnam City (6-3, 3-3) lost a 39-32 heart-breaker in Stillwater to seal them in at fourth in districts. The Pirates are bound for Booker T. in the post-season, but first they get a tuneup game against Enid (3-6, 1-5). A.J. Newsome was 19-33-268-0 passing while Keylhan Henderson led the ground game with 109 yards on 17 carries.

Enid (3-6, 1-5) is coming off a 46-21 loss to Midwest City (8-1, 6-0). Mason Skrimager was 27-37-191-2 passing.

The pick: PHS 40 EHS 23.

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9) vs. No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (12)* District 1

Choctaw (5-4, 2-4) won a 34-21 bout with Deer Creek (4-5, 2-4), but is out of playoff contention and shooting to end the year with a winning record. Putnam City West (1-8, 0-6) is coming off a 44-7 beat down from Lawton (7-2, 5-1) and is just hoping to avoid a winless district record.

The pick: CHS 35 PCW 21.

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (15) vs. Broken Arrow Tigers

Sapulpa (1-8, 1-5) wrapped up their district season with a 27-14 loss to Muskogee (4-4, 3-2) and will end the year against 6A-I Broken Arrow (5-4). The Chieftains were 24-106 on the ground and 8-16-76-1 by air against the Roughers. Broken Arrow is coming off a 49-7 victory over Edmond Memorial (1-8) led by Noah Cortes with 231 yards on the ground and Kejuan Tolbert with 173. 

The pick: BAHS 56 SHS 10.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 60-18 (.769)
Last Week: 7-1 (.875)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 50-15* (.769)
Last Week: 8-0 (1.00)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Nine 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last Week No. 1) vs. No. 4 Bixby Spartans (3)* District 2

The Hornets (7-1, 4-0) reaffirmed their number one rank with a 40-0 shut out of Sand Springs (4-4, 2-2). They outperformed 450 yards to 155, with a 20-34-196-0 passing performance from Phillip Wheatley and a 24-164 ground game from Thomas Grayson. Dewanye Cooks Jr. recorded a 98-yard kickoff return to set the tone for the night. Defensively they recorded six tackles for loss, five sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

The three-time defending State Champions (5-3, 4-0) came out on top of a surprisingly close 37-21 battle in Bartlesville (1-6, 1-3). The Spartans had their lowest-scoring win since the season-opener against Jenks (4-4) despite recording a safety and two interceptions. 

The pick: BTW 39 Bixby 33.

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)* District 1

The District One favorites continued their dominating and undefeated district streak with a 32-14 win at Putnam City (6-2, 3-2). Midwest City (7-1, 5-0) was up 26-0 at halftime and 32-0 in the fourth quarter before allowing the Pirates to score. Preston Colbert was 15-18-329-0 passing and the Bombers added another 167 yards on the ground.

Enid (3-5, 1-4) fell in a 20-0 deficit against Stillwater (7-1, 4-1) before getting on the scoreboard and finishing 53-34. Mason Skrimager passed for 247 yards and ran for 69 yards with a combined four touchdowns. 

The pick: MWC 53 Enid 16.

No. 3 Lawton Wolverines (4) vs. No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (12)* District 1

Lawton (6-2, 4-1) put a 41-17 hammering on Choctaw (4-4, 1-4) and shouldn't have too much difficulty closing out the season for a second place finish in the district. Next up they'll take on Putnam City West (1-7, 0-5) who fell 34-7 to Deer Creek (4-4, 2-3) on Thursday. 

The pick: Lawton 50 PCW 18.

No. 5 Stillwater Pioneers (5) vs. No. 7 Putnam City Pirates (8)* District 1

Stillwater (7-1, 4-1) is still shooting for a district title after their 53-34 win in Enid (3-5, 1-4). If they can win out their next two games they can force a three-way tie for the title and the spot will be awarded on point differential. First they have to get past Putnam City (6-2, 3-2) who is coming off a 32-14 defeat against Midwest City. 

Gunnar Gundy was 7-12-89 passing while the Pioneer running backs did most of the work, racking up 422 yards in their win. Putnam City was held to 89 yards on 28 carries in their loss, and A.J. Newsome passed 18-40-191-2.

The pick: SHS 39 PHS 26.

No. 6 Muskogee Roughers (6)* vs. No. 15 Sapulpa Chieftains (15)* District 2

Muskogee (3-4, 2-2) took a bye week to recover after their close 40-34 shootout win with Sand Springs (4-4, 2-2) and will next have to get past Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4). In their game with the Sandites the Roughers gave up four fumbles and an interception but still managed to come out on top thanks to an 18-25-381-1 passing performance by Jacob Medrano. They were held to 91 yards on 28 carries. 

After falling 9-2 to previously winless Bartlesville (1-6, 1-3), the Sapulpa Chieftains rebounded with a vengeance in a 42-14 battle with Ponca City (1-7, 1-4). Eli Williams ran eleven times for 126 yards while three running backs combined for 149 yards. 

The pick: MHS 49 SHS 12.

No. 8 Sand Springs Sandites (7) vs. No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)* District 2

Sand Springs (4-4, 2-2) lost their first shutout since 2011, 40-0 at Booker T. Washington (7-1, 4-0). Caden Pennington was 6-10-53-0 and Payton Scott was held to 96 yards on 20 carries. 

Bartlesville (1-6, 1-3) lost a surprisingly close 37-21 bout with Bixby (5-3, 4-0) despite giving up two interceptions and a safety. Noah Sunday was 22-45-236-2, and teams that pass that well have done fairly against Sand Springs well this season. 

The pick: CPHS 35 BHS 26.

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9) vs. No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (10)* District 1

Choctaw (4-4, 1-4) kept up with Lawton (6-2, 4-1) for most of the game, leading 17-14 in the third quarter before the Wolverines pulled ahead for a 41-17 win. Deer Creek (4-4, 2-3) hammered Putnam City West (1-7, 0-5) 34-7, jumping out to a 34-0 lead before letting their foes on the board. 

The pick: CHS 35 DC 28.

No. 14 Ponca City Wildcats (14) vs. Norman Tigers

Ponca City (1-7, 1-4) will play an unusual late season non-district game at 6A-I Norman (0-8) where they'll hope to snap back from a 42-14 upset in Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4). Double-threat Ponca QB Justin Andrews was 15-31-195-0 passing and 23-146 rushing.

Norman is coming off a 59-7 loss to Broken Arrow (4-4) where they were held to 100 rushing yards on 25 carries and a 3-14-25-3 passing performance. 

The pick: PoHi 24 NHS 21.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 53-17 (.757)
Last Week: 6-1 (.857)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 42-15* (.737)
Last Week: 6-1 (.857)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Eight 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last Week No. 1) vs. No. 7 Sand Springs Sandites (7)* District 2

The Hornets (6-1, 3-0) are coming off a bye week after a dominant 42-21 win against Muskogee (3-4, 2-2). Thomas Grayson rushed for 192 yards and four touchdowns while Philip Wheatley was 10-19-226 passing. They picked off two passes and held the Roughers to 295 yards, forcing seven punts. Still battling the refs, they ended the night with 9 penalties for 98 yards. 

Sand Springs (4-3, 2-1) saw their four-straight streak come to a close in a back-and-forth 40-34 Homecoming loss to Muskogee. The Sandites jumped out to a 13-0 lead, the Roughers scored thirty-straight, then the Sandites scored 21 more to reclaim the lead. A 96-yard kick return and field goal gave Muskogee the final points of the game and the Sandites ran out of time in the Rougher red zone. 

The Sandites forced two fumbles, recovered four, posted six tackles-for-loss, and picked off one interception. Payton Scott was 34-199 rushing with two touchdowns while Caden Pennington had his breakout night passing 9-21-151-0 with three touchdowns.

The pick: BTW 42 CPHS 24.

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 8 Putnam City Pirates (8)* District 1

Midwest City (6-1, 4-0) remains undefeated in District 1 after a 61-25 win over Putnam City West (1-6, 0-4). The Bombers have dominated most of their foes this season, winning by an average score of 40-18. 

Putnam City (6-1, 3-1) won their second straight, doubling down on Deer Creek (3-4, 1-3) 48-24. The Pirates held only a 28-21 lead at halftime, but won the second half 20-3 behind A.J. Newsome's powerful passing abilities. The quarterback was 19-28-435-0 with six touchdowns but their run game was held to 69 yards on 25 carries. They gave up one fumble, offset by an interception. 

The pick: MWC 42 Putnam 23.

No. 3 Bixby Spartans (3) vs. No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)* District 2

The three-time defending State Champions (4-3, 3-0) remained undefeated in districts with their biggest win of the season, 68-7 over Ponca City (1-6, 1-3). Tucker Pawley returned to the trenches for eight carries and 65 yards after missing three weeks with a knee injury. 

Bartlesville (1-5, 1-2) picked up their first win of the season, 9-2 against Sapulpa (0-7, 0-4). Noah Sunday was 12-23-81-0 passing while Deandre Young led the ground assault with fourteen carries for 111 yards and the lone touchdown. 

The pick: Bixby 65 Bartlesville 10.

No. 4 Lawton Wolverines (4) vs. No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9)* District 1

Lawton (5-2, 3-1) has rattled off three straight victories since their loss to Midwest City, most recently 54-28 at Enid (3-4, 1-3). They were held to a close 20-14 lead going into halftime before rapidly outpacing their hosts in the second half. Miles Davis ran 17-184 with three touchdowns.

Choctaw (4-5, 1-3) played a close game against Stillwater (6-1, 3-1), trailing only 28-24 in the fourth quarter before the Pioneers added one last touchdown for a final score of 35-24. 

The pick: Lawton 35 Choctaw 24.

No. 5 Stillwater Pioneers (5) vs. No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)* District 1

Stillwater (6-1, 3-1) fended off Choctaw 35-24 last week behind an ample run game. Tyler Disidore ran eleven times for 32 yards and three touchdowns while Qwontrell Walker amassed 193 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. 

Enid (3-4, 1-3) kept up with Lawton till halftime but was ultimately swept away 54-28. Telin Phillips and Khalid Lee combined for 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns while Mason Skrimager passed 19-36-182-2 with two touchdowns.

The pick: Stillwater 38 Enid 23.

No. 6 Muskogee Roughers (6)* District 2

Muskogee (3-4, 2-2) won a key 40-34 district shootout in Sand Springs (4-3, 2-1) and shouldn't have any further obstacles in reaching the playoffs. The Roughers gave up four fumbles, an interception, and a pair of turnovers on downs and still managed to trump the Sandites. Jacob Medrano was 18-24-381-1 with all four Rougher touchdowns. They will have a week off to adjust and work out their miscues before taking on Sapulpa (0-7, 0-4). 

No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (10) vs. No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (12)* District 1

Deer Creek (3-4, 1-3) had a rough night last week, falling 48-24 to Putnam City (6-1, 3-1). They kept to the ground most of the night, running 44 times for 221 yards, and passed 14-27-131-1. They won the turnover battle 2-1 and gave up only 35 yards in penalties but couldn't handle the lethal Wolverine offense.

Putnam West (1-6, 0-4) took a heavy 61-25 hit against Midwest City (6-1, 4-0) for their sixth-straight loss. The won their season opener 16-15 against 5A Duncan (3-4) and nearly defeated Enid in week four before blowing a 42-point lead. 

The pick: DC 27 PCW 23.

No. 14 Ponca City Wildcats (14)* vs. No. 15 Sapulpa (15)* District 2

Ponca City (1-6, 1-3) suffered their worst loss of the season, 68-7 at Bixby (4-3, 3-0) and will hope to get back in action with winless Sapulpa (0-7, 0-4). Justin Andrews was 13-32-174-0 passing and the Wildcats were held to 39 yards on 28 carries. 

Sapulpa took on previously winless Bartlesville (1-5, 1-2) and were defeated 9-2. Their lone points came on a safety after a bad snap sent an intended punt into the Bruin end zone. 

The pick: Ponca 18 Sapulpa 13. 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 47-16 (.746)
Last Week: 6-1 (.857)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 37-14* (.725)
Last Week: 7-0 (1.00)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Seven 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last week No. 1)* District 2

The Hornets (6-1, 3-0) got a big obstacle out of the way in Muskogee (2-4, 1-2) and will have a bye week to recover before taking on Sand Springs in Week Eight. 

On Friday they handily doubled down on the Roughers 42-21. Thomas Grayson rushed for 192 yards and four touchdowns while Philip Wheatley was 10-19-226 passing. They picked off two passes and held the Roughers to 295 yards, forcing seven punts. Still battling the refs, they ended the night with 9 penalties for 98 yards. 

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (12)* District 1

Midwest City (5-1, 3-0) continued to show off their defensive might with a 27-3 beatdown of Choctaw (4-2, 1-2). Oklahoma-commit Jalen Redmond had four tackles-for-loss as the Bombers held Choctaw to 171 offensive yards. 

Putnam West (1-4, 0-2) suffered a blowout against undefeated Stillwater (5-0, 2-0) falling 49-7. The Patriots attempted only three passes and didn't complete any. They were 44-246 on the ground, but gave up three fumbles and 159 yards in penalties. 

The pick: MWC 49 PCW 7.

No. 3 Bixby Spartans (3) vs. No. 14 Ponca City Wildcats (14)* District 2

The three-time defending State Champions (3-3, 2-0) notched another district win 48-10 in Sapulpa (0-6, 0-3). Staton King passed 11-17-198-0 while Braden Roller and Vic Griffin combined for 198 yards on the ground. Defensively they held the Chieftains to 30-22 rushing yards and only eight first downs. They were up 48-0 to start the fourth quarter before sending in the backups. 

Ponca City (1-5, 1-2) had their homecoming sabotaged 42-7 by Sand Springs (4-2, 2-0). Double-threat sophomore quarterback Justin Andrews was 12-25-102-1 passing and 24-83 rushing to account for 65% of the Wildcat offense. He scored the lone touchdown for his team with three minutes remaining against the Sand Springs reserves. 

The pick: Bixby 55 Ponca 9.

No. 4 Lawton Wolverines (5) vs. No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (10)* District 1

Lawton (4-2, 2-1) is out to prove themselves after falling to Midwest City three weeks ago, knocking undefeated team in back-to-back weeks. After topping Putnam City (5-1, 2-1) 27-21 two weeks ago, they handled the Stillwater Pioneers (5-1, 2-1) 43-29. The Wolverines led 28-3 early in the third quarter before allowing the Pioneers to battle back.

Enid (3-3, 1-2) averaged 45 points per game over the first four weeks before being shut out 37-0 by Choctaw (4-1, 1-2). They fared better last week against Deer Creek (3-3, 1-2) but still fell 38-24 and will need a few upsets to have a shot at the playoffs.

The pick: Lawton 42 Enid 18.

No. 5 Stillwater (6)* vs. No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9)* District 1

The Pioneers (5-1, 2-1) saw their undefeated season come to an end in a 43-29 drubbing at Lawton (4-2, 2-1). The Pioneers were down 28-3 in the third quarter before staging a comeback attempt. Turnovers plagued the visitors, however, and Gunnar Gundy was 15-31-235 with three interceptions. 

Choctaw (4-4, 1-2) had their worst offensive output of the season. After steamrolling Enid 37-0 the week before, karma repaid them and they fell 27-3 to Midwest City (5-1, 3-0). The Yellowjackets struck first with a field goal but Midwest City scored two touchdowns by air, one by run, and one on an interception return. Choctaw gave up two interceptions and one fumble while failing to secure any turnovers of their own. They were 8-12-69-2 passing and 53-102 rushing.

The pick: Stillwater 42 Choctaw 28.

No. 6 Muskogee Roughers (4) vs. No. 7 Sand Springs Sandites (8)* District 2

Muskogee (2-4, 1-2) is coming off back-to-back losses and will be out for blood when they visit Sand Springs (4-2, 2-0) for the Sandite Homecoming. Jacob Medrano was 18-35-208-2 in a 42-21 loss to Booker T. Friday and the Roughers were held to only 87 rushing yards on 32 carries. The Roughers gave up 80 yards in penalties.

Sand Springs is coming off their biggest win of the season, 42-7 at Ponca City (1-5, 1-1). The Sandites were up 35-0 to start the fourth when they sent in the JV. Braden Foster hit Daren Hawkins for a 45-yard touchdown on his first varsity pass and the coaches cleared the press box and called it a night with eight minutes to go. 

Caden Pennington was 3-3-53-0 passing and 6-46 rushing, while Payton Scott was 25-284 with five touchdowns. Jaden Weiser was six-for-six on extra points, Tre Finch accumulated four tackles-for-loss including two sacks, and Braden Askew had a 20-yard interception return.

Virgil says: Muskogee 31 CPHS 21.
Scott says: CPHS 35 Muskogee 21.

No. 8 Putnam City Pirates (7) vs. No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (11)* District 1

Putnam City (5-1, 2-1) got back in the win column with a lackluster 21-11 performance against Putnam West (1-5, 0-3). West led by as much as 9-0 before the Pirates got on the board. The favorites trailed 11-7 at halftime before winning the second half 14-0. Deer Creek (3-3, 1-2) notched their first district victory 38-24 against Enid (3-3, 1-2). 

The pick: Putnam 24 DC 16.

No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13) vs. No. 15 Sapulpa (15)* District 2

It's a battle of defeateds as both Sapulpa (0-6, 0-3) and Bartlesville (0-5, 0-2) are looking for their first wins of the year. At least one of these teams will avoid an 0-10 season. The other will have a far tougher time getting in the win column in the coming weeks.

Bartlesville is coming off a bye week following a 14-10 upset by Ponca City (1-5, 1-2), who will be the Chieftain's best hope for a win if they don't pull it off against the Bruins. The Bruins won their season opener 30-25 against McAlester (1-5) on the field, but later forfeited due to an ineligible player. Sapulpa put up a decent fourth quarter effort against Bixby (3-3, 2-0) finishing with 10 unanswereds to avoid the 48-0 shutout. 

The pick: Bartlesville 26 Sapulpa 17.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 41-15 (.732)
Last Week: 6-1 (.857)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 30-14* (.681)
Last Week: 6-1 (.857)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.