College Report: Sandites receiving college offers/currently in college

Holly Kersgieter in a Regional playoff game against Union. (Scott Emigh).

Class of 2019

Jacie Taber recently committed to play softball for the University of Northern Iowa. Taber batted .296 in the 2016 fast-pitch season, with 19 runs, 34 hits, one home run, and 21 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 6-1 record with a 1.78 ERA and 1.186 WHIP. The Panthers are an NCAA Division I team in the MIssouri Valley Conference, coming off a 33-19 season.

5'10" guard Holly Kersgieter is getting Division I attention following the Lady Sandites' State Tournament appearance and Frontier Valley Conference title last year. Kersgieter averaged 10.4 points per game last season and was named the Frontier Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She has received offers from...

• Oklahoma State University Cowgirls, Stillwater (NCAA Division I, Big 12 Conference, 17-15 last season).

• Missouri State University Bears, Springfield (NCAA Division I, Missouri Valley Conference, 16-15 last season).

• Austin Peay State University Governors, Clarksville, Tennessee (NCAA Division I, Ohio Valley Conference, 14-16 last season).

• University of Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos (NCAA Division I, Western Athletic Conference, 10-19 last season).

• University of Tulsa Hurricane (NCAA Division I, American Athletic Conference, 10-21 last season).

• University of Kansas Jayhawks, Lawrence (NCAA Division I, Big 12 Conference, 8-22 last season).

5'8" small forward Destiny Johnson has received two offers in response to her impressive season with the Lady Sandites. Johnson averaged 8.15 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. She has received offers from...

• Pittsburg State University Gorillas, Kansas (NCAA Division II, Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association, 25-6 last season).

• University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, Edmond (NCAA Division II, Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association, 25-8 last season).

Class of 2018

6'5" guard Colt Savage has been fending off college offers left and right this summer. The junior finished last season with a 48.7% field goal percentage and 83.6% free throw percentage, averaging 22.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He has received offers from...

• Rogers State University Hillcats, Claremore, Oklahoma (NCAA Division II, Heartland Conference, 19-10 last season).

• University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, Edmond (NCAA Division II, MIAA Conference, 17-12 last season).

• Cameron University Aggies, Lawton, Oklahoma (NCAA Division II, Lone Star Conference, 17-12 last season).

• Oklahoma Baptist University Bison, Shawnee (NCAA Division II, Great American Conference, 7-19 last season).

• Missouri Western State University Griffons, Saint Joseph (NCAA Division II, MIAA Conference, 7-21 last season).

Gloria Mutiri is already committed to Ohio State University for volleyball. Mutiri averaged 4.8 kills per set last year and committed mid-season. Ohio State went 22-13 last year and finished seventh in the Big 10.

Running back Payton Scott received an offer to play football for Pittsburg State University this summer. Scott has a career record of 503 carries for 2930 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Gorillas are coming off a 7-4 season in NCAA Division II, placing fifth in the MIAA.

Class of 2017

Alexis Davis will run Track and Cross Country for Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Primarily a distance runner, she was a top-ten finisher at every 3200 meter run this past track season. SWOSU finished third in the Great American Conference last fall and 24th at the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships.

Nine-time State Champion Cheyenne Walden will take her talent to the Oklahoma State University Cross Country and Track teams. Walden is the most decorated (OSSAA) athlete in Sand Springs history with five gold medals on the track and four in cross country. The Cowgirls finished last season second in the Big 12 and 17th in the NCAA.

Megan Deshazo is headed to Tonkawa to play for Northern Oklahoma College. Deshazo was the leading scorer on the 2016 team with 13 goals. The Mavericks went 18-2-1 last season.

Kendal Zicker is signed to play for Northeastern State University this fall. She scored four goals for the Sandites last season. The RiverHawks went 13-5-1 for a fourth-place finish in the MIAA standings.

Brooklyn Turner is signed to play for Redlands Community College in their inaugural season this fall. 

Alex Hernandez and Ignacio Garcia are signed to play soccer for Oklahoma Wesleyan University this fall. Hernandez scored two goals for the Sandites last season while Garcia had seven. Wesleyan went 19-1-2 last year and were undefeated in the KCAC. 

Lee Leslie is signed to play volleyball for Oklahoma Wesleyan. Leslie was fourth on her team in kills and third in assists last season. The Eagles went 19-11 last year and were fourth in conference.

Lincoln Adams and Dalton Morgan are both signed to play football for Oklahoma Baptist University this fall. Morgan spent most of his career on defense, racking up 93 tackles and two fumble recoveries. During his senior season he picked up running back duties and rushed 42 times for 247 yards and a touchdown, plus nine receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Adams, a 6'4" 310-pound offensive lineman, was a regular starter and powerful blocker, opening up holes for one of the top running teams in the state. The Bison are coming off a 2-9 season and tenth place finish in the Great American Conference.

Delvin Jordan is signed to play football for Pittsburg State University. He finished his high school career with 310 tackles, 31 sacks, two interceptions, seven fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks, and one safety. The Gorillas are coming off a 7-4 season in NCAA Division II, placing fifth in the MIAA.

Danny Ropp is signed to play football for Ohio Northern University. Primarily an offensive lineman, he still managed to rack up 90 tackles over his early career. The Polar Bears went 5-5 last season in the NCAA Division III, finishing fourth in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

Four-time undefeated State Champion Daton Fix is signed to wrestle for Oklahoma State University this winter, and recently won the Junior Freestyle World Championship in Finland. The Cowboys are coming off a 14-1 season with a Big 12 Championship and third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Tournament. 

Three-time State Qualifier Zane Basma finished his high school career with a 88-30 record and is signed to wrestle for the UCO Bronchos this winter. The Bronchos finished last year with an undefeated 18-0 dual record, placing second in the MIAA and 18th in the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Two-time State Qualifier Michael Ritchey finished his high school career with a 65-36 record and is headed to Saint Mary for their inaugural wrestling season in the NAIA. 

Kyle Keener will play basketball for the UCO Bronchos. The All-State player shot 60.9% on field goals and 72.8% on free throws his senior year, averaging 16.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Kierra McGee is headed to Redlands Community College for basketball. Last year she averaged 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. The Cougars went 17-12 in the NJCAA.

Pitcher Jake Terry is headed to the University of Oklahoma after sitting out his senior year to recover from Tommy John surgery. During his junior year he amassed a 5-4 record, 3.88 ERA, and 2.06 WHIP. The Sooners went 35-24 last season and finished third in the Big 12.

Hunter Greathouse will play baseball for Cowley County Community College this coming season. The Sandite batted .350 his senior season with 25 runs, 41 hits, one dinger, and 31 RBI. He went 4-6 on the mound with a 4.38 ERA and 1.85 WHIP. The Tigers were 45-18 this past season and went 2-2 in the NJCAA World Series. 

Treyce Tolbert, Mack Thompson, and Josh Cordell are all three headed to Rose State College for baseball. The Raiders went 20-34 last season and are looking for their first winning record since 2013. Cordell went 6-3 on the mound last year with a 3.24 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Thompson was .352 at the plate with 34 runs, 43 hits, and 16 RBI. Tolbert batted .381 with 30 runs, 45 hits, 29 RBI, and one homer. 

Sydney Pennington will play for the Oklahoma State University softball team that went 38-25 last season, placing third in the Big 12. Pennington batted .543 her senior year with 45 runs, 57 hits, 10 homers, and 38 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 6-0 record with a 1.41 ERA and 1.135 WHIP. 

Jessica Collins is headed to Connors State College for softball. Collins batted .316 her senior season with 36 hits, 39 runs, and 22 RBI. The Cowgirls finished the past season with a winning 38-14 record in the NJCAA.

Class of 2016

Jacob Taber is gearing up for his first collegiate football season at Fort Hays State after redshirting his freshman year. During his senior year he recorded 87 tackles, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The Tigers went 8-4 in the NCAA Division II, finishing fourth in the MIAA. 

Trace Fleischman is headed into his sophomore year at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The Golden Norsemen finished the 2016 season 5-5 in the NJCAA, fifth in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.

Madison Dye is entering her sophomore season the Northeastern State University soccer team. Last year she played in fifteen matches with three starts and 391 minutes of game time. 

Brooklyn Eardley will be a sophomore on the Oral Roberts University soccer team. She started 18 games as a true freshman, scoring two points and two assists, helping her team to an 11-9-2 record. She was named to the Summit League All-Freshman Team. The Golden Eagles finished third in the NCAA Division I Summit League.

Stella Millican will be a sophomore at Mid-American Christian University. The Evangel Softball team went 17-37 last season. Millican played eighteen games and picked up sixteen at-bats. She batted .063 with one hit, two runs, and one RBI.

Jessica Schuler batted .208 as a freshman at NSU, recording 10 hits, 6 runs, 13 RBI, and three homers for the RiverHawks. The team went 23-28 overall for a tenth-place finish in the MIAA standings.

Kennedy "Goose" Salyers pitched three innings at Southeastern Oklahoma State University last season. She batted .251 on 175 at-bats with 24 runs, 44 hits, and 14 RBI. The Savage Storm went 18-34 in NCAA Division II and finished last in the Great American Conference.

Rhett Rutledge played 38 games last year for Northern Oklahoma College , batting .299 with 26 runs, 26 hits, two homers, and 13 RBI. The Mavericks went 32-25 in NJCAA Division II.

Class of 2015

Mariah Knight is on the Pom team at OBU. Last year she made the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a 3.00 GPA or higher.

Morgan Long is headed into her third season on the University of Oklahoma Cross Country team. Last year she placed 18th overall in the 5K at the Ken Garland Invitational. The Sooners finished fourth in the Big 12 and seventh in the NCAA Midwest Regionals last year.

Cody Karstetter is back at the University of Oklahoma for a second season of Sooner wrestling. He went 6-3 at North Carolina as a freshman, then went 1-2 last year at OU before a season-ending dislocated shoulder. The Sooners went 11-6 in the dual season, then placed second in the Big 12 and 32nd in the NCAA.

Cody Randall and Caleb Basma are headed into another year of wrestling at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. Randall finished last year 13-11 while Basma went 23-15. The Golden Norsemen went 14-1 in the dual season before placing third at the NJCAA National Championship.

Kyler Childers is slated to compete for Oklahoma Wesleyan University in their first-ever season of men's wrestling. Childers was a three-time State Qualifier for the Sandites, finishing his senior season with a 29-8 record for third place at the OSSAA 6A Tournament. 

Class of 2014

After redshirting his freshman year Tre Betts has played every game for the past two seasons at Missouri State University. He recorded 41 tackles, two interceptions, and a 44-yard interception return in 2015 then added twelve more tackles last season. The Bears are 5-17 under third year Head Coach Dave Steckel and are coming off a 4-7 season in NCAA Division I. They're looking for their first winning season since 2009.

Redshirt junior Isaiah Silversmith is entering his third season at Northeastern State University. In 2015 he played all eleven games and recorded eleven tackles. Last year he played two games and posted two tackles as the RiverHawks went 2-9 for an eleventh-place finish in the MIAA.

Senior Jacob Sigmon played nine games last year for the Southwestern College Moundbuilders, receiving 25 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown. The Moundbuilders are coming off a 2-8 season in the NAIA and an eighth-place finish in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. 

Alan Armstrong is entering his senior season on the Southern Nazarene University soccer team. He has played in every game for the past three seasons. Last season he tied for second in scoring with four goals, bringing his career total to six. The Crimson Storm is coming off a 2-15-2 record in NCAA Division II, with a fourth-place finish in the Great American Conference.

Mallory Goodman, née Collins, is back for a third season with the OSU Cowgirls. The Sandite batted .273 as a freshman, starting 33 times, before taking a year off. Returning to the diamond last year, she batted .063 on sixteen at-bats. 

Class of 2012

Cody Tolbert is in his senior year at Southern Nazarene University. Last year he went 1-3 on the mound with ten strikeouts over nineteen innings pitched. The Crimson Storm went 7-40 in NCAA Division II, finishing last in the Great American Conference.

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Delvin Jordan signs LOI to play college football at Pittsburg State University

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Seven Sand Springs High School students signed letters-of-intent Wednesday morning in the Ed Dubie Field House, bringing the grand total of college-bound athletes from the Class of 2017 to fourteen.

Sand Springs has two softball players, two cross-country runners, two baseball players, one basketball player, three football players, one volleyball player, and two soccer players all headed to the next level.

Delvin Jordan signed on a football scholarship to Pittsburg State University. The linebacker had one of the most prolific careers in Sandite history, racking up 310 tackles as a four-year starter. He holds 45 tackles-for-loss and 31 sacks with three interception for two touchdowns, seven fumble recoveries for three touchdowns, and two blocked kicks for one safety. He was a four-year starter in the first-ever class of Sandites to make the playoffs four-straight years. The Sandites went 28-19 during his career and were the 2015 6A-II State Runner-Up.

He made the All-State, All-Tulsa World, and VYPE Top-100 teams. He was also selected as the 2015 Sandite Pride Defensive Player of the Year and is currently a nominee for the 2016 Sandite Pride recognition. He is currently ranked as the No. 1 wrestler in 6A at 220 pounds and has a 35-2 season record and 66-14 career record. He was the 2016 6A-East Regional Champion and State Qualifier. He has been named the Sandite of the Week twice, once for football and once for wrestling.

PSU is an NCAA-Division II and MIAA program coached by Tim Beck. The Gorillas went 7-4 this past season. 

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.

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

Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

The first round of the playoffs came to a close Saturday with some surprisingly close games, but no upsets, and the Sandite Pride post-season picks are perfect thus far. 

No. 3 Sand Springs Sandites (Last week No. 3) vs No. 2 Bixby Spartans (2)

Sand Springs (7-4) beat the spread to win a defensive showdown against District One Champion Midwest City (7-4) on the Bombers' turf, for the second time in three years. Midwest City has got to be getting frustrated with the Sandites by this point, but they'll have to wait till next year for payback as the Sandites advance to the semi-finals for a rematch of last year's State Championship game. 

Sand Springs executed well on both offense and defense and won the game though consistency and discipline. The Bombers slightly outperformed on both offensive yards per play, and defensive yards-per-play allowed, but gave up 89 yards on 11 penalties, with four of those committed in their own redzone. The home team gave up multiple first downs on penalties, and gave up a safety with a block-in-the-back in their own endzone. The Sandites also won the turnover battle with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. QB Hunter Greathouse completed 9 of 18 passes for 140 yards, but this was the first game of the season without a passing touchdown after multiple endzone attempts were dropped by the receivers. Payton Scott ended with 36 carries for 139 yards and two scores. 

Bixby (8-3) absolutely steamrolled their opponents in Putnam City West for the most dominating playoff performance in the division at 49-7. QB Tanner Griffin completed 15 of 30 passes for 254 yards and five scores. The Spartans were mildly stymied on the ground with 34 carries for 134 yards, which is below their average, but still impressive considering the Patriots hold the number three run defense in the division. 

Sand Springs and Bixby already met once this season and the Spartans prevailed 35-19 to remain undefeated at home and spoil the Sandites' district title. Bixby had the home field advantage in the 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 Muskogee, who beat Bixby. 

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 two teams will meet at Sapulpa High School Stadium Friday at 7:00 p.m. where the Sandites upset Booker T. Washington in last year's semifinal game. 

The pick: Bixby 26, CPHS 24.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (1) vs No. 5 Lawton Wolverines (6)

Muskogee (9-1) has been heavily favored throughout the season, and was picked by a 31-point margin over the Stillwater Pioneers (5-6), leaving things very uncertain after barely coming from behind for a 24-22 win. 

The Pioneers took a 14-0 lead at the Indian Bowl before the Roughers scored three straight to reclaim the lead. Stillwater made a gutsy two-point conversion on their next play to take the lead, but Trent Dennis sent a 28-yard field goal through the uprights for the final score with 0:05 remaining. Stillwater utilized a run-only offense, racking up 403 yards on 66 rushes without a single pass attempt. Muskogee was 24 for 91 yards on the ground, and QB Jacob Medrano completed 23 of 30 passes for 309 yards and three scores. 

Lawton (7-4) was caught off guard by the return of Booker T. Washington (6-5) QB Phillip Wheatley who was expected to be out for the season, and barely pulled off a 21-20 victory in a game that they were picked to win by twelve. They took an early 14-0 lead with a pair of touchdown passes from Zack Hanna to Dominick Neal, but Wheatley responded with a 66-yard throw to DJ Jones and another pass to Trace Linn. A missed PAT proved to be the deciding factor in the game. Lawton managed only 27 yards on 32 carries against the Hornets who hold the number two run coverage in the state. Hanna was prolific in the air, however, managing 220 yards on 22 pass attempts.

Overall the Wolverines are fourth in offensive scoring with 33 points per game, while the Roughers are second with 39.5 points per game. The Roughers are also third in defensive scoring with 24 total points this season and second in points allowed, while Lawton is seventh in both defensive scoring and points allowed. Lawton will likely be able to run slightly better than in their last game, but will have a far tougher foe in the air as the Roughers are second in pass coverage.

The pick: Muskogee 31, Lawton 21.

No. 4 Midwest City Bombers (4)

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 (5)

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 allowed and were fifth in offensive points allowed. Their run-coverage was second only to Midwest City.

No. 7 Putnam City West Patriots (7)

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 three 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 (8)

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 fourth in the division in offensive points allowed, and their offense was third in rushing.

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (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 (10)

Putnam was just one win short of a winning season, finishing 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 twelfth in offensive scoring and ninth in total offense and were fifth in the air. Their defense was solid at seventh in points allowed and fifth in yards-per-play.

No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)

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.

No. 12 Bartlesville Bruins (12)

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 eight offense in points scored, but were actually fourth in yards-per-play with the number two passing record in the division. Defense was their struggle and they finished fourteenth there.

No. 13 Deer Creek Antlers (13)

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 (14)

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 fifteenth on the ground. Defensively they were fifteenth in points allowed, run coverage, and total defense, and thirteenth in pass coverage.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (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 eleventh in points allowed. They were tenth in points allowed, fourteenth in yards per play allowed, fifteenth in pass coverage, and tenth in ground coverage.

No. 3 Sand Springs Sandites challenge No. 4 Midwest City tonight at 7:00

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The third ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (6-4, 4-2) will travel to Midwest City High School Friday evening for the first round of the Class 6A-II playoffs and aim to keep their season alive against the District One Champions.

While the Sandites gave up a hard loss to the No. 2 Bixby Spartans (7-3, 5-1) last week, the No. 4 Midwest City Bombers (7-3, 6-1) won a surprisingly close battle with No. 8 Stillwater (5-5, 3-4) to close the regular season with the District Once Championship. 

This game will likely be a major defensive battle as Midwest City holds the best defense in the State when it comes to points allowed, by a significant margin. They allow only 3.413 yards per play, 2.165 yards per run, and 5.278 yards per pass. Sand Springs's offense is sixth on yards per carry, and managed an impressive 4.71 yards per carry against Bixby, who normally only allows 3.94. They also ran for 3.914 against Muskogee who normally allows only 3.023. Sand Springs is eighth in passing yards per play, so if they're to overcome the two-pronged Bomber defense, they'll definitely need to get creative.

The Bombers will have an equally difficult time against Sand Springs, as they have relied almost entirely on their defense this season. Midwest City is eleventh in offensive scoring and only eighth in yards-per-play. Sand Springs is tenth in points allowed, but third in defensive points scored and wins the turnover battle more often than not. While they give up more yards-per-play than a lot of teams, they're 71% on third-down stops this season. 

The winner of this game will take on the winner of Bixby vs Putnam West. Veterans will get free entry into tonight's game.

The pick: CPHS 24, MWC 23.

Players to watch

Sandite Offense

Junior tight end Dash Fleischman has been solid both blocking and receiving this season, often opening up paths for Payton Scott along the outside. He has also hauled in 9 passes for 143 yards, though he hasn't scored a touchdown yet. 

Junior running back Payton Scott is the work horse for the Sandite offense with 267 carries for 1574 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. His career total is 2705 yards, but this is his first year as the starter. He's also a target for screen passes with 8 receptions for 142 yards this season.

Senior Kasey Bales is the all-purpose player for the Sandites. He holds 55 receptions for 792 yards and 9 touchdowns this season and sits at 1439 yards for his career. He's ran 6 times for 44 yards, mostly on laterals. He frequently handles kicking duties for the Sandites, and is 17 of 22 on extra points this season. He averages 42 yards per punt, and 21 yards per kick return.

Second-year senior quarterback Hunter Greathouse is 122 of 243 passing this season with 1833 yards and 16 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. He has already surpassed his record last season, and he's played three less games. His career total is 3668 and could easily pass the 4000 mark tonight if Midwest City shuts down the run game. He hasn't thrown a 300+ game yet, but certainly is capable of it if necessary. He's a break-even runner due to sacks, and technically has only 3 yards on 54 carries this season. But he has seven touchdowns on the ground and can be counted on to gain a few on a designed run. He also holds two punts this season for an average of 43 yards in case fourth-down conversion attempts fall apart. 

Senior Alejandro "Alex" Hernandez is the primary kicker with 13 extra points on 15 attempts and 2 field goals on 5 attempts. He averages 45 yards per kickoff, but that's deceptive. He can easily drill it inside the ten-yard line, but the Sandites haven't done too well at return coverage this season and often have him send it high and short so they have more time to reach the ball. 

Senior Dalton Morgan is in his first season on offense and has 42 runs for 247 yards and a touchdown. He also has one pass for 29 yards and a touchdown, and 9 receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. His native spot is on defense where he has seventeen tackles over only two games this season. He also has a fumble recovery.

Senior Mack Thompson is in his first year of Sandite football and holds 19 receptions for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Senior Caleb Wash is also a first year receiver and has 17 receptions for 226 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Offensive linemen Danny Ropp, Lincoln Adams, Michael Carper, Ethan Hooper, Austin Rutledge, Caleb Mallory, and a few others don't have any stats to track, but they are crucial players and are always impressive to watch.

Sandite Defense

Sophomore Luke Bratcher has been a playmaker on the Sandite defense this year with two fumble recoveries and an interception to complement his 26 tackles.

Hayden Cramer has made an impressive debut his sophomore season with 41 tackles, five for losses, and a forced fumble. 

Junior Gage Fain is one of the leading players on defensive line with 31 tackles, including an incredible thirteen for losses totaling 59 yards. Most impressive is his 6 sacks for 32 yards. He also holds a fumble recovery.

Tre Finch holds 28 tackles this season, mostly unassisted, with four for losses totaling 24 yards, including three sacks for losses of 19 yards. He holds one forced fumble. 

Senior Tyler Delozier sits at 25 tackles this season with 2 for loss. He has hauled in two interceptions, one of which he returned for 40 yards. He also has a fumble recovery.

Senior Brett Freeman holds 27 tackles this season with 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery. 

Senior Delvin Jordan, Jr. is Mr. Sandite Defense with 59 tackles this season, including 48 unassisted, 12 for losses totaling 64 yards, and 5 sacks totaling 37 yards. He has two forced fumbles this year and one recovery, which he returned for 32 yards to score. He also very nearly had a scoring fumble recovery in the last game on what appeared to be an incomplete lateral, but was ruled a forward pass after the play.

Senior Cody Motes holds 29 tackles, mostly unassisted, with 2 interceptions for 36 yards and a touchdown. He has one fumble recovery for 58 yards and a score.

Senior lineman Nathan Simonton sits at 33 tackles with 6 tackles for losses totaling 18 yards and 3 sacks for 7 yards. He also has two fumble recoveries. 

Senior Josh Taber splits time between wide receiver and defense and holds 35 tackles this season, mostly unassisted. He has four receptions for 28 yards this season, but mostly plays defense.

Senior Treyce Tolbert has 30 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups.

Week 11 6A-II Rankings and Playoff predictions; a look at this weekend's games

Photo: Scott Emigh.

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

The regular season has come to a close with few surprises. All four of Sandite Pride's pre-season top four picks from District Two have made the playoffs. We only picked two of four post-season qualifiers from District One accurately, but with the circular losses in that district, it's not surprising. Here's our season review for those who have finished play for the year, and our picks for the post-season.

No. 4 Midwest City Bombers (Last week No. 5) vs No. 3 Sand Springs Sandites (2)

While the Sandites (6-4, 4-2) gave up a hard loss to the Spartans, the Bombers (7-3, 6-1) gave up a surprisingly close battle with Stillwater to close the regular season with the District Two Championship. 

This game will likely be a major defensive battle as Midwest City holds the best defense in the State when it comes to points allowed, by a significant margin. They allow only 3.413 yards per play, 2.165 yards per run, and 5.278 yards per pass. Sand Springs is sixth on yards per carry, and managed a surprising 4.71 yards per carry against Bixby, who normally only allows 3.94. They also ran for 3.914 against Muskogee who normally allows only 3.023. Sand Springs is eighth in passing yards per play, so if they're to overcome the two-pronged Bomber defense, they'll definitely need to get creative.

The Bombers will have an equally difficult time against Sand Springs, as they have relied almost entirely on their defense this season. Midwest City is eleventh in offensive scoring and only eighth in yards-per-play. Sand Springs is tenth in points allowed, but third in defensive points scored and wins the turnover battle more often than not. While they give up more yards-per-play than a lot of teams, they're 71% on third-down stops this season. 

The winner of this game will take on the winner of Bixby vs Putnam West.

The pick: CPHS 24, MWC 23.

No. 2 Bixby Spartans (3) vs No. 7 Putnam City West Patriots (8)

The Spartans (7-3, 5-1) upended the Sandites (6-4, 4-2) Friday night 35-19 at Spartan Stadium to secure a home playoff game and will host the Putnam West Patriots (7-3, 5-2). 

The Sandite defense performed well, holding the Spartans to their closest win of the season, giving up only five scores on twelve possessions, forcing two turnovers on downs, and three punts, as well as recovering a fumble and an interception. 

Bixby was one step better, however, giving up only three scores on twelve possessions, forcing two turnovers on downs with four punts, a fumble, and an interception. The Spartans split time between land and air as Tanner Griffin passed 24 of 33 for 254 yards and an interception. All four offensive touchdowns came at the hands of Tucker Pawley who carried 36 times for 248 yards and four scores, while Clayton Barbour added a fifth touchdown on a 95-yard kick return. 

Putnam City West pulled off an impressive 40-37 double-overtime win against Choctaw Friday, sabotaging the Yellowjackets' last ditch effort for a playoff berth. The Patriots ran 38 times for 204 yards and attempted 20 passes for 202 yards. 

The Spartans boast the number-one scoring offense in the division, while the Patriots own the number three defense in points-allowed. Bixby also holds the number-one scoring defense and the number-six defense in points-allowed. Putnam West has relied heavily on its defense this season and is only sixth in offensive scoring.

The pick: Bixby 44, PCW 22.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (1) vs No. 8 Stillwater Pioneers (9)

The Roughers (8-1, 5-1) finished the season with the best record in the division and the District Two Championship, thanks to the Spartan's defeat of Sand Springs. They sealed the deal with a powerful 48-0 shutout of Ponca City. 

Stillwater (5-5, 3-4) closed out the regular season with a loss and made the playoffs on head-to-head with Choctaw (5-5, 3-4). The Pioneers fell 26-17 to Midwest City in what was actually an impressive battle in spite of the loss. The Pioneers have been hit-or-miss this season majorly due to the health of starting QB Jace Brownlee. Brownlee has been recovering from a pre-season shoulder surgery, and his once stellar arm has seen little use. In spite of that loss, the Pioneers have ran miles on the turf and won games without even attempting a single pass. 

Muskogee's number-two scoring offense and number-one offense in yards-per-play will take on Stillwater's number-four defense in points allowed. The Pioneers have made it on their defense this season, holding only the number-nine offense in the State, and will have their work cut out for them against Muskogee. The Roughers are number two in the division in points-allowed as well as defensive scoring. 

The winner of this match will face the winner of Lawton vs Booker T.

The pick: Muskogee 45, Stillwater 14.

No. 6 Lawton Wolverines (6) vs No. 5 Booker T. Washington Hornets (4)

Lawton (6-4, 5-2) settled for second in their district this year, but ended the regular season with a powerful 49-0 victory over Deer Creek. The Hornets (6-4, 4-2) barely scraped together a 57-39 win over Bartlesville that wasn't decided till the final few possessions. 

Lawton QB Zach Hanna was nearly perfect against Deer Creek, completing 12 of 14 passes for 226 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. The run game was also alive and well where the Wolverines rushed 35 times for 201 yards and a pair of scores. 

Booker T. has been scrambling to figure out a success formula that doesn't include injured QB Phillip Wheatley. They were flying through their opponents before losing Wheatley and since then have barely gotten by. They should have lost 12-10 to Sand Springs but got a miraculous fumble recovery on a bad-hike at the Sandite two-yard line late in the fourth quarter to avert the loss. They suffered their first shutout in years 28-0 at the hands of Bixby, then closed the season with Bartlesville 

Booker T.'s defense is fifth in points allowed, fourth in yards-per-play, and tied for fourth in scoring. Lawton's offense is fourth in points scored, and third in yards-per-play, so if Booker T. wants to find a win, they're going to need to come up with something new on offense. Overall the Hornets are only seventh in offensive scoring and twelfth in yards-per-play, and that's including when they still had Wheatley. Without him, they'll have their work cut out for them against Lawton's defense which is eighth in points allowed and sixth in yards-per-play allowed. 

The pick: Lawton 36, BTW 24.

No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (7)

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 (10)

Putnam was just one win short of a winning season, finishing 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 twelfth in offensive scoring and ninth in total offense and were fifth in the air. Their defense was solid at seventh in points allowed and fifth in yards-per-play.

No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)

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.

No. 12 Bartlesville Bruins (13)

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 eight offense in points scored, but were actually fourth in yards-per-play with the number two passing record in the division. Defense was their struggle and they finished fourteenth there.

No. 13 Deer Creek Antlers (12)

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 (14)

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 fifteenth on the ground. Defensively they were fifteenth in points allowed, run coverage, and total defense, and thirteenth in pass coverage.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (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 eleventh in points allowed. They were tenth in points allowed, fourteenth in yards per play allowed, fifteenth in pass coverage, and tenth in ground coverage.