Final Season rankings and State Championship analysis/prediction

Bixby's Tucker Pawley ran for 202 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Semi-Finals. Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

No. 1 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 2, preseason No. 1) vs No. 2 Lawton Wolverines (Last week No. 5, preseason No. 8)

The State Championship Semi-final games came to a close Friday with a big upset for Lawton, setting the Wolverines up for a rematch of their 2014 State Finals game. The two-time defending State Champions from Bixby defeated the Sandites for the third-straight year in a nail-bitter and will now take on their toughest offensive opponent since losing to Muskogee in week five. 

Bixby has the more explosive record against mutual opponents, winning by an average score of 44-18, compared to Lawton's 29-22, however, Lawton is 4-0 against mutual opponents while the Spartans are 3-1. Muskogee topped Bixby 45-42 in a week-five shootout after winning the turnover battle, while the Wolverines topped the Roughers 35-28 by winning the turnover battle. 

This season has seen an unprecedented amount of parity and circular losses as the Division-II teams that never had a shot in 6A-I are revitalizing their programs in a highly competitive year with numerous newcomers to contention. Choctaw upset Midwest City and Lawton; Lawton upset Muskogee; Putnam West upset Sand Springs; Stillwater upset Edmond Memorial and Mustang; Deer Creek upset Stillwater; Muskogee upset Bixby; Sand Springs upset Muskogee; Booker T. upset Sand Springs. In a season this wild, anything could happen.

That being said, Bixby is still the clear favorite to win--for many reasons. Bixby doesn't lose without major mistakes and miracle plays. They have three losses this season, and two were to annual powerhouse teams. 6A-I No. 1 Jenks was ranked as high as 23rd in the nation by MaxPreps before they lost in a 45-21 upset to No. 3 Union. The Trojans topped the Spartans in a close 38-34 come-from-behind battle in week two in their closest match of the season. The next Spartan loss was 44-34 to Arkansas 7A No. 4 Bentonville (10-2). Bixby's loss to Muskogee came on the heels of three turnovers in a game that the Spartans dominated offensively. 

Lawton has battled through a slightly weaker schedule with bigger losses and closer wins. They lost 56-41 to 5A No. 3 Carl Albert (11-1), 35-28 to 5A No. 1 MacArthur (12-0), and 20-17 to Midwest City (7-4). Though those were all respectable losses to quality teams, they have several other blights on their schedule. They gave up 37 points to Eisenhower (2-8), only beat Putnam City (4-6) by a close 26-14, and Stillwater (5-6) 21-14. They then gave up a massive 52-26 loss to Choctaw (5-5). Though their four-straight wins since then have been of solid quality, they simply don't match up to Bixby.

Bixby owns the number-two scoring defense, while Lawton comes in at fifth. Bixby is sixth in offensive points allowed, Lawton is seventh. Lawton has a slight edge on Bixby defensively when it comes to yards per play, both rushing and passing, but the Spartans have the most dominant scoring offense in the State, by a significant margin. While the Wolverines are fourth in scoring, the Spartans are first with 41.5 points per game. Lawton has the edge in the air, but Bixby has the top run game in the State.

Their overall records indicate a close game, but when you limit it to their four mutual opponents, Bixby emerges as the clear favorite. Lawton has actually under-performed their foes offensively, while winning on turnovers. Bixby out performs their opponents by nearly 200 yards, while also winning the turnover battle every time.

The Spartans are back-to-back defending State Champions with an 8-0 post-season record over the last three years. Lawton is 0-2 against the Spartans over the last two seasons, falling 35-21 in the 2014 State Title game to end the season 11-2. Last year the Wolverines lost to Bixby in the quarterfinals 36-6 to finish the year 8-2.

Wolverines (8-4, 5-2)

defeated Putnam City 26-14
defeated Booker T. 21-20
defeated Putnam West 35-28
defeated Muskogee 35-28

Average score: 29-23
First downs: 15
Allowed: 17
Fumbles-lost: 7-2 (total)
Recoveries: 3 (total)
Interceptions thrown: 3 (total)
Interceptions caught: 8 (total)
Penalties-Yards: 7-62

C-A-Y: 9-17-146
Average: 8.58
Allowed: 16-28-200
Average: 7.14

Rushes-Yards: 37-166
Average: 4.48
Allowed: 37-115
Average: 3.1

Plays-Yards: 54-312
Average: 5.77
Allowed: 65-315
Average: 4.84

Spartans (9-3, 5-1)

defeated Putnam City 56-20
defeated Booker T. 28-0
defeated Putnam West 49-7
lost 45-42 to Muskogee

Average score: 44-18
First downs: 23
Allowed: 10
Fumbles-lost: 6-3 (total)
Recoveries: 4 (total)
Interceptions thrown: 2 (total)
Interceptions caught: 9 (total)
Penalties-Yards: 10-92

C-A-Y: 24-38-256
Average: 6.73
Allowed: 14-30-220-2
Average: 7.33

Rushes-Yards: 44-196
Average: 4.45
Allowed: 21-40
Average: 1.9

Plays-Yards: 82-452
Average: 5.51
Allowed: 51-260
Average: 5.09

The Pick: Bixby 30, Lawton 24.

No. 3 Sand Springs Sandites (Last week No. 3, preseason No. 2)

The Charles Page High School Sandites (7-5, 4-2) don't have the record or the stats to indicate a top-four team, but they have the kind of Sandite magic that ends up on ESPN Sportscenter and upsets number-one ranked teams. The Sandite Defense is tenth in points allowed and ninth in yards per play allowed, but second in scoring. Offensively they were only eighth in yards per play, but fifth in scoring. The Sandites had several big wins, including a 35-7 rout of Highway 97 rival Sapulpa, a 56-35 shootout with Ponca City, a 26-25 upset of top-ranked Muskogee, and a 23-14 win at Midwest City.

No. 4 Muskogee Roughers (Last week No. 1, preseason No. 4)

Muskogee may not have won their first State Championship in thirty years, but they did finish with a District Title and their first winning record since 2008 at 9-2, 5-1. The Roughers boast the number one yards-per-play offense in the state and won several notable games. They bested District One Champion Midwest City 16-12, upset Bixby 45-42, dominated Booker T. Washington 23-7, and shut out Ponca City 48-0. Their offense was second in scoring, fifth rushing, and first passing. Their defense also played lights-out all season and are first in scoring and second in offensive points allowed with the second-best pass coverage. 

No. 5 Midwest City Bombers (Last week No. 4, preseason No. 5)

Midwest City finished an impressive season with a 7-4, 6-1 record and the District One Title, after being knocked out of playoff contention by the Sandites. High points included a 20-17 win over Lawton, and a 35-0 shutout of Deer Creek. The Bombers can boast one of the most talented defenses in the state with first place in points allowed and yards per play allowed against both passing and running offenses. They also hold the fifth-best passing offense in the division.

No. 6 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last week No. 6, preseason No. 3)

The Hornets finished the season with a 6-5, 4-2 record that could likely have been much better with a healthy quarterback in the end of the season. High points included a 21-14 win over District One Champion Midwest City, a 47-0 shutout of Ponca City, a 45-0 shutout of Sapulpa, and a 17-12 upset over then-No.1 Sand Springs. Their season came to a close with a close 21-20 loss at Lawton. The Hornets hold the number four scoring defense and were fourth in points allowed. Their run-coverage was second only to Midwest City.

No. 7 Putnam City West Patriots (Last week No. 7, preseason No. 14)

The Patriots may not have made it past the first round of the playoffs, but they had their best season in decades and were unfortunately paired with the top-scoring team in the State. The Pats finished 7-4, 5-2, with the number five defense in the state in points allowed, and second in yards-per-play allowed. Offensively they were seventh in scoring, and sixth in yards-per-play. High points included winning the Putnam rivalry with a 16-5 win over North and a 42-10 win over Putnam City. 

No. 8 Stillwater Pioneers (Last week No. 8, preseason No. 10)

Stillwater finished the season 5-6, 3-4, but were a much better team than their record indicates. Starting QB Jace Brownlee has struggled all season with a shoulder injury and has missed several games. Even when he could play, the team was rarely able to pass. High points included a 24-7 upset of Edmond Memorial and 34-26 upset of Mustang. The defense was third in the division in offensive points allowed, and their offense was second in rushing.

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (Last week No. 9, preseason No. 9)

The Yellowjackets finished a hit-or-miss season with a 5-5, 3-4 record and just barely missed the playoffs. High points included a 45-41 upset over Sand Springs, a 14-7 upset over Midwest City, and most impressively, a 52-26 upset over Lawton. Choctaw holds the number three offense in the State in scoring, and is fifth in yards-per-play. They struggled defensively, however, and finished ninth in points-allowed with almost every game being a shootout.

No. 10 Putnam City Pirates (Last week No. 10, preseason No. 7)

Putnam finished 4-6, 2-5. High points included a 16-7 win over in-town rival Putnam North and a 52-6 blowout of El Reno. They also upset Choctaw 36-32 and finished the season on a strong note with a 42-21 victory over Enid. They finished eleventh in offensive scoring and ninth in total offense and were sixth in the air. Their defense was solid at eighth in points allowed and fifth in yards-per-play allowed.

No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (Last week No. 11, preseason No. 12)

Enid managed only three wins, but two were quite impressive, upsetting Choctaw 43-39 and dominating Deer Creek 45-17. They finished the season 3-7, 2-5 with a 42-21 loss to Putnam. They finished with the number ten offense and number twelve defense and were sixth in yards per rush.

No. 12 Bartlesville Bruins (Last week No. 12, preseason No. 6)

The Bruins struggled off and on throughout the year, but finished strong despite three-straight losses. They gave it their all against Sand Springs and Booker T. and legitimately challenged both. They finished 3-6, 2-4 with wins of 42-20 over Ponca City and 51-28 over Sapulpa. They held the number six offense in points scored, but were actually fourth in yards-per-play with the number three passing record in the division. Defense was their struggle and they finished fourteenth in points allowed, eleventh in yards per play, but an impressive fifth in yards per pass.

No. 13 Deer Creek Antlers (Last week No. 13, preseason No. 11)

The Antlers had a rough start to their 6A debut season, finishing 2-8, 2-5 with wins of 21-14 over Stillwater and 20-14 over Putnam. They were shutout 49-0 in the finale at Lawton and finish with the number fourteen offense and number thirteen defense.

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (Last week No. 14, preseason No. 13)

Sapulpa has been in a rebuilding year under new head coach Robert Borgstadt, but the Chieftains (1-9, 1-5) have shown promise. They only won a single game, 31-27 over Ponca City, but lost close ones of 24-21 to Duncan, and 52-42 to Choctaw. They finished thirteenth in running, scoring, and total offense, and tenth in the air. Defensively they were fifteenth in points allowed, run coverage, and total defense, and thirteenth in pass coverage.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (Last week No. 15, preseason No. 15)

The Wildcats finished 2-8, 0-6, but had several solid performances. They lost 42-31 to Enid, defeated Guthrie 9-0, and posted 35 points against Sand Springs. They barely lost 31-27 to Sapulpa and defeated Norman 10-6. Ponca finished the season fifteenth in total offense and tenth in offensive scoring. They were eleventh in points allowed, fourteenth in yards per play allowed, fifteenth in pass coverage, and eleventh in ground coverage.

No. 3 Sand Springs vs No. 2 Bixby: State Semi-finals tonight in Sapulpa

Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The third-ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (7-4) is making a semi-final playoff appearance for the third straight year Friday night at Sapulpa's George F. Collins Stadium. Morgan's Relax Packs is sponsoring tonight's game coverage.

This is the Sandites second-straight year playing in Sapulpa, their third-straight year of playing a post-season game against No. 2 Bixby (8-3), and their second semi-final meeting against the Spartans in the last three years. Thus far, the Sandites have never beaten the Spartans in the post-season, and the Spartans haven't lost a post-season game in three years. 

The Sandite-Spartan rivalry is a brutal one, with six meetings in three years and a 4-1 record in favor of Bixby. Though the Spartans hold an all-time record of 14-12-0 against Sand Springs, it's been the last three years that have mattered the most, with Bixby serving as a constant roadblock in the Sandites' path. 

In 2014 the Sandites gave Bixby their closest game of the season before falling 34-31 at Spartan Stadium in the regular-season finale. The Sandites rebounded with an overtime win at Midwest City to make their first semi-final appearance since 1997, but were plagued by injuries and handily defeated 41-14 in Broken Arrow. The Spartans went on to defeat Lawton for their first ever State Championship title. 

Last season the Sandites got vengeance with a 20-0 victory at home, dealing the Spartans their first shutout loss since 2008. The Minutemen went on to blow out Stillwater on the road, then topped No. 1 Booker T. Washington in Sapulpa before meeting the Spartans in their first State Championship game since 1966. The defending State Champs prevailed, however, dealing the Sandites a 38-28 loss at Union High School. 

This season the Spartans got the win at home, 35-19 over the No. 2 Sandites, to sabotage Sand Springs's district title. Had Sand Springs won, it would have been their first district title since 1997 and their first home playoff game since they hosted Westmoore in 2013. Sand Springs traveled to No. 4 Midwest City once again and prevailed 23-14 while Bixby trashed No. 7 Putnam City West 49-7.

Bixby had the home field advantage in the last game, and the two teams have a habit of splitting wins. Last year Bixby lost to both Sand Springs and Bartlesville in the regular season, then beat both in the playoffs, while the Sandites lost to Booker T. Washington in the regular season and won in the playoffs. The parity of the division means anything is possible, and Sand Springs already has a win over No. 1 Muskogee (9-1), who beat Bixby 45-42. 

Bixby boasts the top scoring offense in the State with 45 points per game, while the Sandites are fifth with 28 points per game. Sand Springs, however, has a habit of playing to their opponents' skill level. The Spartans have the number one run game and number two passing offense in the state, while the Sandites are only ninth in run coverage and eleventh in pass coverage. The two teams are tied for defensive scoring with both teams holding 28 total points this season. The Sandite offense is fifth in scoring, seventh in yards-per-play, and sixth in yards-per-rush. The Spartan defense is nearly identical to the Sandite defense in all areas but pass coverage, where they're significantly better. 

The winner of the match will progress to the State Championship against the winner of No. 1 Muskogee vs No. 5 Lawton (7-4). It's the 50th anniversary of the Sandites' lone State Championship season, so regardless of the victor, you can expect to see some wild game-play and Sandite magic. 

SEE RELATED: Week 12 6A-II Rankings and Playoff predictions; a look at this weekend's games

SEE RELATED: Payton Scott scores twice, Defense shines in 23-14 victory over Midwest City

SEE RELATED: Sandites secure fifth-straight playoff berth, travel to Midwest City Friday

Sandites secure fifth-straight playoff berth, travel to Midwest City Friday

Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 2 ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (6-4, 4-2) took on the No. 3 Bixby Spartans (7-3, 5-1) Friday night in a District Championship showdown at Spartan Stadium. The Sandites battled valiantly in their regular season finale, but fell 35-19 to take the number four seed going into the playoffs. 

It was a defensive showdown from the very beginning as the Spartans drove only 27 yards in 10 plays and the Sandites got a turnover on downs at their own 38 with some great pass defense.  They were unable to capitalize however, despite a pair of impressive third down conversion runs from Payton Scott, as receiver Kasey Bales gave up a fumble to Coby Tillman.

This time the Spartans wouldn’t be stymied as they pushed 69 yards to score in only six plays. Quarterback Tanner Griffin let loose a deep pass to Eric Calton-Watkins who was stopped by his own feet at the one yard line for a 51 yard gain. Tucker Pawley was stopped once on the run by Delvin Jordan, but found the endzone on his second attempt to take the lead. Jason Campbell sent in the point-after and the home team was off to a good start.

The Sandites started off their drive well with a 23 yard run from Scott, aided by stellar stride-for-stride blocking from tight-end Dash Fleischman. Scott nabbed another first down on an eleven yard run, but was brought to a stop for a loss of one on his next play. Two incompletions later and Greathouse punted away possession.

The Spartans picked up a first down with a 22-yard pass from Griffin to Sam Sherman to end the first quarter, then grabbed 18 yards on a Pawley run, who was barely brought down with a shoe-string tackle from Cody Motes. They drove the final fifty yards in seven plays, capped by a thirteen-yard run from Pawley to score and make it 14-0 shortly into the second quarter.

The Sandite offense found their legs on the next possession. Scott went down for a loss of three to start, but Greathouse connected with Mack Thompson for twelve and Scott tacked on the extra yard for the first down. Scott grabbed the next conversion as well with a 25 yard run before being brought down by Cade Cannon. Greathouse found Bales from forty yards out for the first Sandite score and Alex Hernandez tacked on the point-after to cut the deficit to 14-7.

Unfortunately for the Sandites, Clayton Barbour laid in wait for a 95 yard kickoff return to regain the two-score advantage.

Both teams exchanged possessions from there and the Sandites were next to strike. Caleb Wash hauled in a ten-yard screen from Greathouse, capped by a facemask penalty, and Scott ended the drive out with a 36-yard run to score. The point-after was blocked by Brendon Evers, and the Spartans had 1:40 to work with.

They made the most of it, driving 64 yards in nine plays, but a fourth and short fumble in the redzone saw Luke Bratcher come up with the ball to enter the half 21-13.

The third quarter didn’t start pretty for the Sandites as Greathouse barely recovered a fumbled hike, just to launch it ten yards short of his intended receiver and into the arms of Colton Tafoya. The Spartans capitalized, moving 76 yards on three runs, a pass, and a personal foul, to score on an eleven yard run by Pawley to make it 28-13.

The Sandites pushed 24 yards to midfield on their next possession and punted it away to Kordel Tyler who fumbled. The Sandites nearly had it but the ball squirted out and Drake Allen secured it for his team.

Delvin Jordan and the Sand Springs sideline thought they had a fumble recovery after what appeared to be a Tanner Griffin lateral fell incomplete, but it was ruled to be a forward pass.

The two teams traded punts from there until finally the Sandite offense found momentum late in the quarter. Greathouse hit Bales for 43 yards and nearly scored on the next play. The quarterback found Mack Thompson from 28 yards out, but the receiver was just a tad out of bounds in the back of the endzone. A pass interference call soon after put the Sandites in the redzone where Scott picked up another first down on a ten-yard run to end the third at the Spartan five.

On second and goal at the five, Scott managed to recover a fumbled handoff for no gain, then moved it up to the three but couldn’t find the endzone. On a fourth down the running back was stuffed and the Spartans got the ball.

They wouldn’t have it for long, however, as an interception from Tyler Delozier gave the Sandites a fresh set of downs, once again at the three. This time it Greathouse with the run and he scored from two yards out to cut the lead to 28-19. The extra point was no good, and the Sandites had 9:06 to score twice.

The Spartans pushed it to a three-score lead on their next possession, driving 65 yards in eleven plays, capped by a five-yard run from Pawley. The next Sandite drive made it to the Spartan 39 before giving up a turnover on downs. On the Spartans final possession they pushed as far as the Sandite 16 before they were able to drain the clock and secure the win.

Greathouse finished the evening 15 of 33 passing for 179 yards, a touchdown, and one interception to surpass the 3,500 mark of his career. He also had one score on the ground with 7 yards on four carries. Scott led the ground game with 26 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown and surpassed 1,500 yards for the season. Bales was the leading receiver with six receptions for 98 yards and a score. Defensively the Sandites were led by Dalton Morgan with 12 total tackles, followed by Josh Taber with 10 tackles, all unassisted. Hayden Cramer, Delvin Jordan, and Cody Motes all had eight tackles each.

On the Spartan side of the ball, Griffin finished 24 of 33 passing for 254 yards and an interception. Seminole State-commit Nic Swanson was his leading receiver with 11 receptions for 93 yards. Pawley was the man of the night with 36 carries for 248 yards and all four offensive touchdowns. Tillman led the defense with eight tackles.

Sand Springs finishes fourth in the district for the regular season and will return to action Friday when they travel to District One Champion No. 5 Midwest City (7-3, 6-1) for the first round of the playoffs. The Spartans come in second in District Two and will host a game against No. 8 Putnam City West (7-3, 5-2).

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.

No. 4 Booker T Washington at No. 1 Sand Springs: game preview

Photo: Morgan Miller

Sand Springs vs. Booker T History
Year, Coach, QB, result

1986 LD Baines, Blair Culley, 21-42 loss (A)
1987 LD Baines, Blair Culley, 15-12 win (H)
1988 LD Baines, Blair Culley, 14-28 loss (A)
1989 LD Baines, Brett Pennington, 0-35 loss (H)
1990 LD Baines, Brett Pennington, 17-31 loss (A)
1991 LD Baines, Brett Pennington, 15-14 win (H)
1992 LD Baines, Mike Quimby, 7-48 loss (H)
1993 LD Baines, Delvin Jordan, 14-21 loss (A)

2012 Dustin Kinard, Cody Hale, 21-7 win (A)
2013 Dustin Kinard, Cody Hale, 42-38 win (H)
2014 Dustin Kinard, Conner Sitton, 35-42 loss (H)
2015 Dustin Kinard, Hunter Greathouse, 14-17 loss (A)
2015 Dustin Kinard, Hunter Greathouse, 30-23 win (N)

Overall record: 5-8-0

Longest Streak: BTW 3
Longest Streak: CPHS 2

Shutouts: BTW 1
Shutouts: CPHS 0

Road wins: BTW 3
Road wins: CPHS 1

Biggest win: BTW 48-7
Biggest win: CPHS 21-7

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

By now just about everyone has heard of "The Play 2pt.0." The famous two-point conversion scramble utilized by Hunter Greathouse and Josh Taber to win a 26-25 upset at the Indian Bowl over previously undefeated No. 1 Muskogee. The ESPN SportsCenter Number One Play of the Day has seen national attention and received more than 13,000 views on the Sandite Pride Facebook page.

The play was very similar to a touchdown score by the Sandites in last year's State Championship loss to Bixby. That year Taber's big brother Jacob picked off a Tanner Griffin pass and pitched a lateral to Cruz Desjarlais for the score. This year it was Greathouse who received his own pass after it was batted fifteen feet up into the air. The QB scrambled and dropped back to his right to look for an option, then made the pitch to Taber as he was closed in on by a trio of Rougher defenders. Taber broke a pair of tackles and dove for the endzone like an arctic fox for the win.

While the end play received the headlines, the whole game, and the fourth quarter in particular, were marked by incredible Sandite athleticism and numerous outstanding plays. 

Greathouse was 16 of 32 for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns with only 1 interception, marking the first time this season the Sandites have relied on the pass game for more than 60% of their total offense. That's not to say the infamous Sandite run game wasn't still prevalent as junior Payton Scott finished his seventh straight game with 100+ yards. 

While the offense was salty as always and ultimately won the game with their quick thinking and adaptive play-making, it was made possible due to what was possibly the most exceptional performance of the season by the defense. The Sandites were coming off a high from the previous week when the defense scored the first two Sandite touchdowns of the game against Ponca City, both on forced fumbles and recoveries for big returns. They also had two interceptions.

The Sand Springs defense has been notorious on the ground for some time, but struggled both last season and this year when it comes to aerial assaults. Last year they were able to shut down the run game from both Bixby and Booker T, but were dominated by Bartlesville's air raid. That struggle carried over into this year as they gave up an upset to Choctaw and allowed Ponca to rack up more yardage and points than the Wildcats have managed all season. 

When the Sandites lost co-defensive coordinator Robert Borgstadt to Sapulpa and graduated the majority of their State Runner-Up starters, the future of the Sand Springs defense was in question. It didn't take long for the team to prove they still had what it takes, however. The unit has been steadily improving all season and made a huge statement against Muskogee.

Booker T. also graduated a lot of players from last year's team that split with the Sandites. Starting QB Dakaria Willis graduated, but newcomer Philip Wheatley has been an improvement in the air, throwing 122-202-1222-3 with eight touchdowns this season. The Hornet aerial game will be a huge obstacle for the Sandites as Wheatley has already completed as many passes this season as Willis even attempted. 

The Hornets are a whole different beast from last season when they ran 44% of their offense through now-Oklahoma State freshman running back Justice Hill. Last season a mere 27% of Booker T's yards came through the air, as opposed to 52% this season. Wheatley isn't quite the double threat that Willis was, but he still is third in his team on the ground with 26 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown. Rylan McQuarters and Tyler Holmes split the bulk of the running with over 700 yards between them and five touchdowns each. Six running backs have scored this season as well as six receivers, meaning the Sandites won't be able to focus their coverage on any single player.

Booker T's defense is equally stout, bringing in seven interceptions for two touchdowns this season, plus six fumble recoveries. They've also racked up 29 sacks this season. 

Here's how the two teams matched up against their three mutual opponents.

No. 1 Sandites (5-2, 3-0)

defeated Sapulpa 35-7
defeated Ponca 56-35
defeated Muskogee 26-25

Average score: 39-22
First downs: 18
First downs allowed: 15
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 (total)
Fumble recoveries: 3 (total)
Penalties-Yards: 4-29

C-A-Y-I: 11-20-157-1
Average: 7.85
Allowed: 17-26-181-1
Average: 6.96

Rushes-Yards: 39-233
Average: 5.97
Allowed: 32-148
Average: 4.63

Plays-Yards: 59-391
Average: 6.62
Allowed: 58-329
Average: 5.67

No. 4 Hornets (4-3, 2-1)

defeated Sapulpa 45-0
defeated Ponca 47-0
lost 24-7 to Muskogee

Average score: 34-8
First downs: 15
First downs allowed: 12
Fumbles-lost: 6-6
Fumble recoveries: 2
Penalties-Yards: 7-90

C-A-Y-I: 16-26-180-0
Average: 6.92
Allowed: 9-22-92-1
Average: 4.18

Rushes-Yards: 39-223
Average: 5.71
Allowed: 30-82
Average: 2.73

Plays-Yards: 65-403
Average: 6.2
Allowed: 52-174
Average: 3.31

The pick from Sandite Pride is Sand Springs 29-24. The Hornets will likely get a few interceptions, but the Sandites haven't given up a pick-six this season and I don't expect that to change. I would be surprised if the lead doesn't get exchanged a few times. Booker T. will likely find most of their offense in the air, and if they don't limit their turnovers they'll be hard pressed to overcome Sand Springs's phenomenal defense.

On paper, the Sandites have the better offense and the Hornets have the better defense, but in actual application we'll likely see it go the other way. The Hornets aren't as disciplined as the Sandites and will likely give up a lot of penalties and turnovers that the Sand Springs defense will more than capitalize on.

While Booker T. and Muskogee were nearly perfectly matched offensively, the Roughers had the decisive win thanks to turnovers. If both Sand Springs and Booker T. play the same way against each other that they did against Muskogee, Sand Springs will win. There is a lot of parity between the two, however, and when it comes down to the field anything can happen. If stats on a page won games, then Muskogee would have dominated the Sandites. Sand Springs has always had a fourth quarter magic, however. Sand Springs has the home field advantage, but the number one ranking often puts a monkey on your back. 

No matter who wins, it's likely to be every bit as exciting as last week's game against Muskogee, and it should be a packed house, especially with it being Senior Night. The Church That Matters tailgate crew will be hosting their weekly fundraiser for the athletics department before the game and will be selling hot dogs, burgers, and chicken sandwiches with chips and a drink, so come early and come hungry! 

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

Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

The 6A-II rankings just got a whole lot weirder as District One continues to duke it out with no clear top-dog, save for Putnam City West. With the exception of the Patriots, every team in District One has a loss to someone they shouldn't have, causing a big confusing circle. Even District Two isn't immune to the mess. 

In week two, the Sand Springs Sandites were defeated by Choctaw, and that's their only in-state loss to date. In week three, the Sandites defeated Putnam City West, and that's the Patriots' only loss to date. While the Patriots are the only team out West without a district loss, Choctaw has sustained a pair of district losses to Putnam City and Enid. This Friday Choctaw upset Midwest City, who was previously undefeated in the district with wins over Lawton and Deer Creek. Lawton has wins over both Putnam City and Stillwater. Oh, what a tangled web they weave.

With every team out there having some claim over each other, there's bound to be some disagreement with the rankings, but nevertheless we shall try to make some sense out of it all.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (Last week No. 1) vs No. 4 Sand Springs Sandites (5)

It's the marquee matchup for the whole division as the only two undefeated teams in District Two go head-to-head. The Muskogee Roughers (6-0, 3-0) are a powerhouse team once again behind four-time State Championship winning coach Rafe Watkins, formerly of Guthrie. 

Muskogee and Sand Springs (3-2, 2-0) are fairly matched in the air, with both Hunter Greathouse and Jacob Medrano completing just over 50% of passes for right at 1,000 yards this season. Both teams employ a mess of solid multi-purpose players who can easily adapt to either the run or pass game as needed. Muskogee's stars include University of Tennessee commit Kamren Curl.

Sand Springs will need to rely heavily on their defense, who scored two touchdowns in their 56-35 win over Ponca City, to put up stops and force turnovers against the explosive Rougher offense. Muskogee has their own powerful defense though, with nine interceptions this season. They forced five turnovers against Booker T Washington Friday night. The two teams were perfectly matched on offense, but four fumbles and an interception paved the way for a 23-7 victory for Muskogee. 

The pick: Muskogee 45, Sand Springs 31.

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

The two-time defending State Champions (3-3, 1-1) had a rough start to district play, falling 45-42 to Muskogee, but got in the win column Friday in a 62-17 beat down against Sapulpa. The Spartans ran up 646 yards while holding the Chieftains to just over 200, and never once punted. QB Tanner Griffin is sitting around 1500 yards passing this season with 20 touchdowns by air. The Spartans also have a talented running back in Tucker Pawley who is just under 1000 yards this season. They also have a talented defense highlighted by Oklahoma State commit Brendon Evers. 

The Ponca City Wildcats (1-5, 0-3) proved Friday that they can hang with some of the best defenses in the State, passing for over 300 yards against the Sandites. They also struggled with turnovers, however, giving up two fumble returns for touchdowns and threw two interceptions. 

The pick: Bixby 66, Ponca 12.

No. 3 Booker T Washington Hornets (2) 

The powerful Booker T (4-3, 2-1) offense was stymied by Muskogee Friday night, and scored only once despite racking up nearly 300 yards of offense. They were plagued by penalties amounting to more than 100 yards. That, coupled with four fumbles and an interception were insurmountable. The Hornets will have a bye week before returning to action against Sand Springs.

No. 5 Putnam City West Patriots (7) vs No. 6 Midwest City Bombers (4)

This matchup would have been a lot bigger if the Bombers (3-3, 2-1) hadn't given up an upset to Choctaw last Friday, but regardless of district standings the two teams should still put on a quality show. The two teams boast the top two defensive squads in the district with each allowing less than 15 points per game. 

The Patriots (5-1, 3-0) are coming off a huge 42-10 rivalry win over Putnam City while Midwest City just dropped their first district game of the season to Choctaw. Putnam West has suffered only one loss this season, 29-24 to Sand Springs, and splits their offense pretty evenly between air and land. They hold one division one commit in Memphis-bound WR Nick Robinson. Midwest City has some impressive talent of their own in 6'2" safety Evan Fields, who's fielding offers from numerous Division One programs including several Big 12 schools. 

Midwest City's defense held tight against Choctaw, giving up only 14 points to a team that averaged 36 points per game going into the match. Unfortunately for the Bombers, they were plagued by penalties, miscues, and offensive inconsistency. They made three trips into the red zone and racked up 272 yards of offense while holding Choctaw to only 141, despite the loss. 

The pick: No consensus. Scott picks Midwest City 24-21, Virgil picks Putnam West 24-21.

No. 7 Lawton Wolverines (6) vs No. 8 Enid Plainsmen (10)

These two teams hold the same record both in and out of district, and their strength of schedule is still hard to determine. Enid's offense is coming in a lot hotter than in recent years, averaging 28 points per game.

Lawton (3-3, 2-1) isn't executing as well as they have in recent years, but they still boast some high powered athletes in QB Zach Hanna and RB Tre Curry. Friday saw the Wolverines gain the upper hand on Stillwater 21-14 in a low performance game that saw only 95 yards by air. The ground game was dominant for both teams and Curry racked up 121 yards on 13 carries.

Enid (3-3, 2-1) started off the season with a 22-19 loss to a Guthrie team that has long since ceased to be ranked. A 42-31 victory over Ponca City and a pair of losses after that pushed Enid towards the bottom of the rankings, but the Plainsmen have found their mojo for two straight district wins to prove they're not out playoff contention yet. After going down 35-10 to Putnam West, Enid got the edge on Choctaw in a 43-39 shootout and scored a major victory this week in a dominating 45-17 beat down of Deer Creek. The Plainmen picked off three passes and returned a fumble for a touchdown, presenting just the kind of defense that could give Lawton fits. 

The pick: Lawton 27, Enid 21.

No. 9 Putnam City Pirates (8) vs No. 11 Deer Creek Antlers (9)

A crucial match for both teams, Putnam (3-3, 1-2) started off the season with a series of big wins before giving up two straight to Lawton and Putnam West. Deer Creek (1-5, 1-2) started the season with a tough pre-conference schedule including three-straight losses to high-ranked 6A-I teams. They were expected to be a big contender for the district, but after a close 21-14 win over Stillwater they were blown out 35-0 by Midwest City and 45-17 by Enid. Both teams need a win this week to stay alive in playoff contention.

Putnam has struggled through the air this season, racking up over 1,000 yards but at a 38% completion rate. The defense has been effective, however, averaging 3 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery per game.

The Antlers employ a solid QB in Hunter Freese, who sits at 51% passing for over 1,200 yards. The run game is nearly nonexistent with the whole team accounting for less than 500 yards.  

The pick: Putnam West 23, Deer Creek 17.

No. 10 Choctaw Yellowjackets (11) vs No. 12 Stillwater Pioneers (12)

Stillwater (2-4, 0-3) has lost four games this season, all by a touchdown or less, and they have two quality wins over 6A-I talent. While the playoffs are looking more and more unlikely for the team, they're not out of reach yet. Clearly the Pioneers have talent, especially in RB Josiah Castleberry who holds over 700 yards this season on 7 yards per carry. But they have struggled in the air, doing the quarterback shuffle after their starting senior missed the first half of the season. 

Choctaw (3-3, 1-2) has been hit or miss all season, relying on a powerful air raid offense that has rarely been stymied. After netting a pair of close shootout wins over Sapulpa and Sand Springs to start the season, they lost three-straight, all by a touchdown or less, to Putnam City, Putnam North, and Enid, before getting in the win column with a 14-7 upset of Midwest City. QB Dylan Weaver is right at 50% for nearly 1400 yards this season, but was held to under 100 for the first time against Midwest City. The run game has always been a factor with Choctaw, but they really proved how good it could be when they took on Enid and ran up 321 yards on 38 carries. 

The pick: Choctaw 42, Stillwater 21.

No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13) vs No. 15 Sapulpa (15) 

This is a bigger game for Bartlesville (2-3, 1-1) than it is for Sapulpa (0-6, 0-3). While the Chieftains are technically still in playoff contention, they only have three district games left and don't stand much chance against undefeated Muskogee. Bartlesville, on the other hand, has the kind of aerial offense that could present an upset over Sand Springs. But first they need to get past Sapulpa. 

The Chieftains have a double-threat quarterback in Cameron Elder who is throwing 63% this season for right at 1,000 yards and also leads his team on the ground. They have six losses this season and only two could be described as close.

Bartlesville won a close one in their season opener then dropped three straight before getting back in the win column with a powerful 42-20 win over Ponca City two weeks ago. The Bruins are coming off a bye week and look to AJ Archambo, Garrett Meidl, and Deandre Young to lead them to victory.

The pick: Bartlesville 38, Sapulpa 17.