Sandites Pummel Lawton 56-24 in Playoffs

It was a brisk evening under the Friday night lights at Memorial Stadium, but the Sandites heated up quickly, scoring four touchdowns in the first quarter en route to a 56-24 victory.

Class 6A-II No. 5 Charles Page High School (8-3) earned its highest-scoring playoff win in program history against Lawton (3-8) in the first meeting between the two programs since 1987.

The Sandites stormed out to a 50-6 halftime advantage and were able to play their backups throughout the second half.

“It’s a little bit different with the new playoff system and all that stuff, but it’s good that we get other people in and get meaningful snaps in situations like this,” said fourth-year head coach Bobby Klinck.

Sophomore quarterback Easton Webb connected with Kenneth Page on a 65-yard screen pass to score on the first play from scrimmage.

Following a quick three-and-out from Lawton, the Sandites scored on their second offensive play with a 39-yard touchdown run from Ali McCoy. Kicker Dawson Puckett ran in a two-point play on a fake kick to make it 15-0.

After the defense forced another quick three-and-out, Page led a methodical nine-play scoring drive, earning 45 yards on five carries and scoring a 15-yard touchdown before exiting the game before the second quarter.

“It was great,” said Page, a senior. “I didn’t know it would feel like this. Last time coming through the tunnel, running out on the field with my guys I grew up with and having fun with them.”

“It was my last home game, so it meant a lot.”

Dallas Elifrits and Keagan Gilman combined on a sack to force a third consecutive three-and-out, and once again the Sandites needed only a single play to score on their ensuing drive.

This time it was a 49-yard touchdown pass from Webb to freshman Dom Forbes to go up 29-0.

Landyn Barnes closed out the first quarter with a 26-yard interception return to set up a one-yard dive by Jace Arnold on the first play of second quarter.

“I’m proud of Landyn,” said Klinck. “He struggled a little bit early and he’s really coming into his own at cornerback. He’s really become a really solid football player for us. It speaks a lot about what Coach (Jay) Fleischman does with those corners.”

Lawton finally earned a first down on its fifth possession, but Gilman gave the Sandites their second takeaway on a fumble recovery.

The Wolverines finally got a stop of their own when Puckett missed a 32-yard field goal, but Owen Floyd cashed in a 22-yard pick six on the very next play to make it 43-0.

Lawton finally hit paydirt behind the legs of Nathen Jones, leaning on the junior running back for a 68-yard drive and two-yard touchdown plunge with 3:44 in the half.

But, the Sandites would get the final say of the half when Webb connected with Caleb Goodman for a 62-yard screen to hang half a hundred by halftime.

Webb exited the game at halftime 7-of-7 passing for 207 yards and three touchdowns, his best performance of the season.

“It’s important for him,” said Klinck. “Moving forward, the competition is obviously going to stiffen up, but having a confident quarterback to go with our run game which has been good all year, that’s good going into the next game.”

“It felt great,” said Webb. “I feel like every week we’ve slowly and progressively gotten better at everything we’ve been doing. The connections have gotten better.”

One of those growing connections is with Forbes, who recently moved up to varsity after closing out an undefeated season as the freshman quarterback.

“He was really good,” said Webb. “I feel like he really helps us a lot. He’s a good kid. He’s fast, he knows what he’s doing, he’s football savvy, he’s smart. He knows everything.”

“That’s a huge deal for Dom,” said Klinck. “He was playing scout team and just started making a bunch of plays on our defense and I said ‘shoot, we’ve got to get that guy in the game.’ That kid’s worked hard, he does everything right, and he’s going to become a weapon for us moving forward.”

Kambren Foster recorded the Sandites’ third interception of the night on a pass that was deflected by Joseph Farmer.

Wolverine quarterback Pene Vaisagote finally found the end zone on a one-yard sneak with 1:16 left in the third.

Arnold ran the offense in the second half and was 5-of-6 passing for 67 yards while running the ball four times for 18 yards. He added the Sandites’ final touchdown on a 17-yard pass to Puckett early in the fourth.

Vaisagote responded with a 22-yard touchdown throw to Tyrone Dean with 6:28 to play and Tamarcus Malone ran in a two-yard score with thirteen seconds remaining. All four of the Wolverines’ PAT attempts failed.

Vaisagote ended the night 11-of-22 passing for 95 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Jones paced the Wolverine offense with 35 carries for 206 yards.

The Sandite defense was led by Floyd and Gatlin Gunn with nine tackles apiece and Gunn was also in on four tackles for loss. 33 different Sandites made defensive plays.

“I obviously wanted to play some more, but it was great getting the other guys in behind me so they can get practice for next year,” said Gunn, who leads the Sandites with 81 tackles this season.

“It was awesome to be able to play with my boys again on the home field for the last time.”

Next up for the Sandites is a trip to No. 3 Choctaw (7-1) next Friday. The Yellowjackets have been a familiar foe, beating the Sandites in each of the past three seasons, including a 48-29 playoff quarterfinal last year.

“We’ve got to step up,” said Klinck. “They’re a good football team. Coach (Jake) Corbin and their staff do an unbelievable job. That’s a tough place to win, that’s a tough football team to beat. We’re going to have to bring our A-game to have a chance.”

CPHS 56 Lawton 24

First Downs: CPHS 9, Lawton 18.
Fumbles/Lost: CPHS 3/1, Lawton 2/1.
C-A-Y-I: CPHS 12-13-274-0, Lawton 12-23-138-3.
Rushing: CPHS 26-124, Lawton 50-248.
Offense: CPHS 39-398, Lawton 73-386.
Penalties: CPHS 2-15, Lawton 5-40.

Scoring Summary

1Q (11:47) - Page 65-yard Pass from Webb, Puckett Kick, CPHS 7-0.
1Q (9:41) - McCoy 39-yard Run, Puckett Run, CPHS 15-0.
1Q (4:25) - Page 15-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 22-0.
1Q (1:39) - Forbes 49-yard Pass from Webb, Puckett Kick, CPHS 29-0.
2Q (11:57) - Arnold 1-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 36-0.
2Q (6:58) - Floyd 22-yard Interception Return, Puckett Kick, CPHS 43-0.
2Q (3:44) - Jones 2-yard Run, Kick Failed, CPHS 43-6.
2Q (1:42) - Goodman 7-yard Pass from Webb, CPHS 50-6.
3Q (1:16) - Vaisagote 1-yard Run, Kick Failed, CPHS 50-12.
4Q (8:49) - Puckett 17-yard Pass from Arnold, Kick Failed, CPHS 56-12.
4Q (6:28) - Dean 22-yard Pass from Vaisagote, Pass Failed, CPHS 56-18.
4Q (0:13) - Malone 2-yard Run, Pass Failed, CPHS 56-24.

Sandites Throttle U.S. Grant 56-0, Finish Regular Season 7-3

Bobby Klinck told his team to envision Thursday night’s trip to Oklahoma City as a playoff road game.

“Hopefully if we can keep going into the playoffs we’re going to have to do this at some point, so envision that and use it as a dress rehearsal.”

That task may have stretched the imaginations of the Sandites as it’s unlikely they’ll get to bench their starters after one quarter at any point in the playoffs.

6A-II No. 5 Charles Page High School (7-3, 5-2) won a lopsided 56-0 shutout against U.S. Grant (2-8, 0-7) to spoil Senior Night at Taft Stadium.

The Sandites finished the regular season with a one-win improvement over last year and their best district mark since 2015. Meanwhile Grant ended the year on an eight-game losing streak with six consecutive shutouts.

The Generals’ first-half possessions ended in punt, pick six, punt, pick six, fumble, turnover on downs, punt, and punt.

Kenneth Page scored on an 11-yard touchdown run, Alex Dudley had a 51-yard pick six, and Ali McCoy scored on a 9-yard forward pitch from Jace Arnold for a 21-0 lead by the 4:53 mark of the first quarter.

The Generals’ next possession ended in a 30-yard interception return by Hunter Wilson, who handed the ball off to lineman Marcum Sims at the 1-yard line for the touchdown.

A fumble recovery by Hudson Sheppard set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Easton Webb to make it 35-0 at the end of the first.

Grant tried for a gutsy fourth-and-three in their own territory and was made to pay for it as Isaac Sensintaffar, Jakobe Vann, Jonathan Rowe, and Jaden Allen all combined for a sack.

After a pair of would-be touchdown passes to Dom Forbes were nullified for penalties, Webb finally connected with Kayden Campbell for a 14-yard touchdown.

Forbes wouldn’t be kept out of the end zone for long, scoring on a 3-yard pitch from Arnold to make it 49-0 at halftime.

“It’s big for the program moving forward that some of the younger guys could get in and get meaningful snaps,” said Klinck.

The Generals forced their first three-and-out to open the second half, though they gave the ball back on fourth down at midfield.

Brock O’Dell scored the final touchdown of the night on a two-yard run late in the third.

A running clock and their only semi-successful drive of the night helped the Generals eat the entire fourth quarter without letting the Sandite offense on the field.

JaMere Martin was able to find some running room against the Sandite reserves, earning 65 yards on three carries to help march his team to the 7-yard line. His hopes of getting to the end zone were quashed, however, when Gage Gunn recovered a fumbled snap for the final play of the game.

Even with the running clock, the Sandites had plenty of time to give plenty of backups plenty of snaps.

Eight Sandites recorded receptions, seven had carries, 27 made defensive plays, and the Sandites even got to see the backup kicker in action when Tanner Copeland took over for a 7-for-7 Dawson Puckett and connected on the final PAT of the night.

“It’s always neat to see guys that are program guys, scout teamers, and they’re younger and they get an opportunity to shine on Thursday night,” said Klinck. “That’s really fun.”

Webb finished the night 4-of-5 passing for 46 yards with two carries for 11 yards and two total touchdowns. Arnold was 7-of-8 for 57 yards with four carries for 26 yards and two total touchdowns.

Defensively the Sandites held the Generals to only 8 yards through the first three quarters without surrendering a single first down.

“Guys being in the right places and making the plays they need to make,” said Klinck. “We’re going to have to play well defensively to make a run at this thing, so I’m glad that we were able to do that.”

The defense was led by Kambren Foster with 9 tackles, followed by Rowe with 6 and Gunn with 5. The Sandites totaled 10 tackles for loss, including three sacks, with four takeaways.

Despite the total domination, the Generals showed improvement over last year’s 83-0 shutout at Memorial Stadium in which they only suited up 19 players. This time around, the Generals had about 40 players in a turnaround season that saw the end of a 13-game losing streak.

“It’s a testament to what coach (Alex) Levescy is doing,” said Klinck. “I’ve coached at Tulsa Public Schools in the inner city and that’s a really great job that he’s doing over there.”

“The victories aren’t counted in wins and losses sometimes.”

Sand Springs will return to action next Friday with a home playoff game against Lawton (2-7).

It will be only the second meeting ever between the Sandites and Wolverines, who last played each other in a 5A semifinal playoff game that Lawton won 14-10 in 1987.

“I’m hopeful that we’re going to play our best football moving forward and hopefully try to make a run at this thing,” said Klinck.

CPHS 56 Grant 0

First Downs: CPHS 7, Grant 4.
C-A-Y-I: CPHS 11-13-103-0, Grant 4-12-6-2.
Rushing: CPHS 14-123, Grant 28-78.
Offense: CPHS 27-226, Grant 40-90.
Fumbles/Lost: CPHS 2/0, Grant 2/2.
Penalties: CPHS 4-45, Grant 2-20.

Scoring Summary

1Q (9:12) - Page 11-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 7-0.
1Q (7:14) - Dudley 51-yard Interception Return, Puckett Kick, CPHS 14-0.
1Q (4:53) - McCoy 9-yard Pass from Arnold, Puckett Kick, CPHS 21-0.
1Q (4:16) - Sims 1-yard Interception Return, Puckett Kick, CPHS 28-0.
1Q (0:49) - Webb 1-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 35-0.
2Q (9:13) - Campbell 14-yard Pass from Webb, CPHS 42-0.
2Q (3:01) - Forbes 3-yard Pass from Arnold, Puckett Kick, CPHS 49-0.
3Q (1:45) - O’Dell 2-yard Run, Copeland Kick, CPHS 56-0.