No. 2 Sand Springs Sandites at No. 13 Bartlesville: game preview

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 2 ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (5-3, 3-1) will travel to No. 13 Bartlesville (3-4, 2-2) Friday evening for an important district battle with playoff implications. While the Sandites are still vying for the District Title and a home playoff game, the Bruins are just hoping to stay in contention for the post season after dropping brutal losses to Muskogee and Bixby. 

Sand Springs started off the season with back-to-back losses. First they went down 56-20 to Arkansas 5A No. 1 Pulaski Academy (7-1), then they gave up a come-from-behind 45-41 upset to No. 8 Choctaw (4-4) on the road. They secured their first win in a 29-24 home-opener against No. 6 Putnam City West (6-2) and swept the next four-straight games as well. They trounced Highway 97 rival No. 14 Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4) 35-7 at home, beat 6A-I No. 14 Yukon (0-8) 35-14, won a 56-35 shootout over No. 15 Ponca City (1-7, 0-5), and edged No. 1 Muskogee (6-1, 3-1) 26-25 to briefly secure the number one ranking. Last week they went down 17-12 to No. 3 Booker T. Washington (5-3, 3-1) after giving up a key fumble inside their own red zone in the fourth quarter.

Bartlesville won their first game of the season 27-24 over 5A No. 6 McAlester (6-2) then dropped their next three-straight. They fell 59-14 to 6A-I No. 9 Owasso (2-6), 27-7 to 4A No. 9 Cascia Hall (6-2), and 63-6 to No. 1 Muskogee. They got back on track with a 42-20 road win over No. 15 Ponca City, followed by a 51-28 road win at No. 14 Sapulpa, before falling 63-14 to No. 4 Bixby (5-3, 3-1).

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

No. 13 Bruins (3-4, 2-2)

defeated Sapulpa 51-28
defeated Ponca 42-20
lost 63-6 to Muskogee

Average score: 33-37
First downs: 18
First downs allowed: 12
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 (total)
Fumble recoveries: 2 (total)
Penalties-Yards: 7-76

C-A-Y-I: 15-28-198-0
Average: 7.07
Allowed: 14-26-177-0
Average: 6.8

Rushes-Yards: 33-120
Average: 3.63
Allowed: 34-67
Average: 1.97

Plays-Yards: 61-318
Average: 5.21
Allowed: 60-244
Average: 4.06

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

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

Average score: 39-22
First downs: 18
First downs allowed: 18
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

The pick from Sandite Pride is Sand Springs 43, Bartlesville 32. The Sandites will likely win the turnover battle and outperform the Bruins both offensively and defensively. The Bruins will win the battle in the air, but the Sandites will run for days on the ground. Sand Springs is one of the most disciplined teams in the division and will benefit strongly from Bartlesville penalties.

The Sandites have had a tough time defending the pass, something which gave Bartlesville the edge last year, and will likely play a factor this year. They have, however, stepped up their performance since the game against Ponca, and held Muskogee to a season-low on passing yardage. The Bruins are clearly more than capable of performing on the ground, however, as evidenced by a 46-197 performance against Sapulpa. 

Sand Springs hasn't won a game in Bartlesville since 2008. The High School is located at 1700 Hillcrest Drive and kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. It is Bartlesville's Senior Night and final home game of the season. 

Sand Springs vs Bartlesville's many schools

Sand Springs High School vs Bartlesville High School Yellow Jackets

1919 -  Head Coach Ivan Grover leads Sandites to 19-17 win in first season of Sandite Football.
1920 -  Bartlesville wins 43-7 (A).
1921 - Sandites win 19-7.
1922 - Head Coach A.R. Bateman. Bartlesville wins 6-0.

Sand Springs High School vs Central High School Wildcats

1929 - Head Coach James Shank. Sandites win 12-0.
1930 - Bartlesville wins 20-6.

Sand Springs High School vs College High School Wildcats

1953 - Head Coach Cecil Hankins. Sandites win 13-7 (A).
1954 - Head Coach Cecil Hankins, QB Jerry Adair. Bartlesville wins 28-6.
1955 - Head Coach Harold Wickersham. Bartlesville wins 19-0.
1956 - Head Coach Harold Wickersham, QB Mickey Lawrence. First year of desegregated Bartlesville schools. Sandites win 6-0.
1957 - Head Coach Charles Prigmore. Bartlesville wins 18-0 (H).
1958 - Head Coach Charles Prigmore. Bartlesville wins 24-0 (H).

Charles Page High School vs College High School Wildcats

1959 - Head Coach Charles Prigmore. First year of desegregated Sand Springs schools. Bartlesville wins 16-6 (A).
1960 - Head Coach Charles Prigmore. Bartlesville wins 48-14.
1961 - Head Coach Travis Rhodes. Bartlesville wins 20-0 (H).
1972 - Head Coach Jim Webb. Bartlesville wins 43-15 (A).
1973 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Sandites win 14-7 (H).
1974 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Bartlesville wins 14-7 (H).
1975 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Bartlesville wins 21-0 (A).
1978 - Head Coach A.D. James. Bartlesville wins 20-15 (H).
1979 - Head Coach A.D. James, QB Ronnie Hale. Sandites win 8-0 (A).

Charles Page High School vs Sooner High School Spartans

1970 - Head Coach Jerry Greenwood. Bartlesville wins 29-0 (H).
1971 - Head Coach Jerry Greenwood. Bartlesville wins 21-6 (A).
1972 - Head Coach Jim Webb. Bartlesville wins 41-7 (H).
1973 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Sandites win 34-22 (A).
1974 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Bartlesville wins 28-9 (H).
1975 - Head Coach Jim Webb, QB Phil James. Bartlesville wins 28-6 (A).
1976 - Head Coach A.D. James. Bartlesville wins 6-0 (H).
1977 - Head Coach A.D. James, QB Richie Schuler. Sandites win 21-0 (A).

Charles Page High School vs Bartlesville High School Bruins

1982 - Head Coach Chris Thurmond. Bartlesville wins 14-0 (A).
1983 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Brad Johnson. Bartlesville wins 24-21 (H).
1984 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Shawn Morand. Bartlesville wins 17-6 (A).
1985 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Shawn Morand. Sandites win 35-15 (H).
1986 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Blair Culley. Bartlesville wins 20-6 (H).
1987 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Blair Culley. Bartlesville wins 28-27 (A). Shared district title.
1988 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Blair Culley. Bartlesville wins 27-7 (H).
1989 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Brett Pennington. Bartlesville wins 23-20 (A).
1990 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Brett Pennington. Bartlesville wins 7-0 (H).
1991 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Brett Pennington. Bartlesvile wins 28-0 (A).
1992 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Mike Quimby. Bartlesville wins 40-33 (A).
1993 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Delvin Jordan. Sandites win 28-6 (H).
1994 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Delvin Jordan. Sandites win 27-7.
1995 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Dustin Morrow. Sandites win 28-12.
1996 - Head Coach L.D. Baines, QB Keith Hooks. Bartlesville wins 20-16.
1997 - Head Coach Archie Loehr, QB Keith Hooks. Sandites win 31-0.
2000 - Head Coach Archie Loehr, QB Ryan Summers. Sandites win 21-0 (A).
2001 - Head Coach Mark Baetz, QB Jeff Claybrook. Sandites win 13-8 (H).
2002 - Head Coach Tim Beacham, QB Tony Moore. Bartlesville wins 34-7 (H).
2003 - Head Coach Tim Beacham, QB Tony Moore. Bartlesville wins 35-18 (A).
2004 - Head Coach Brad Odom, QB Tommy Rogers. Sandites win 28-18 (H).
2005 - Head Coach Brad Odom, QB Tommy Rogers. Sandites win 22-3 (A).
2006 - Head Coach Brad Odom, QB Zack Frost. Bartlesville wins 24-14 (A).
2007 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Johnny Deaton. Bartlesville wins 27-26 (H).
2008 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Johnny Deaton. Sandites win 52-24 (A).
2009 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Johnny Deaton. Bartlesville wins 45-14 (H).
2010 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Darrack Harger. Bartlesville wins 48-16 (A).
2011 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Darrack Harger. Sandites win 34-0 (H).
2012 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard. QB Cody Hale. Sandites win 27-25 (H).
2013 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Cody Hale. Bartlesville wins 40-27 (A).
2014 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard, QB Conner Sitton. Sandites win 28-27 (H).
2015 - Head Coach Dustin Kinard - QB Hunter Greathouse. Bartlesville wins 24-7 (A).

All-time, all schools record: 22-39-0
CPHS vs all Bartlesville: 17-32
CPHS vs BHS: 13-19
Last ten meetings: 4-6

Longest streak: CPHS 3 (1997-2001)
Longest streak: BHS 7 (1986-1992)

Shutouts: All-SS 7
Shutouts: All-Bartlesville 11
Shutouts: CPHS vs BHS 3
Shutouts: BHS vs CPHS 3

Biggest Win: CPHS 34-0 (2011)
Biggest Win: BHS 48-16 (2010)

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

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

The 2016 season has seen more parity than any year in recent memory. There is no longer a single team in Class 6A-II without a district loss. To make matters more difficult, there are teams with multiple losses to low-ranking teams and multiple wins over high-ranking teams. Looking at you, Choctaw. The number one team has fallen for the second week in a row, and now we'll try to sort out the mess.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (Last week No. 2) vs No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (15)

Muskogee (6-1, 3-1) has the worst of their schedule behind them now and, after taking a bye week to recover from their 26-25 loss to Sand Springs, they'll close out the regular season with the bottom two teams. 

Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4) picked up their first win of the season with a 31-27 upset over Ponca City (1-7, 0-5). The Chieftains dominated the Wildcats offensively, doubling them on total yardage, but gave up a pick six to keep the score close. 

The pick: Muskogee 56, Sapulpa 10.

No. 2 Sand Springs Sandites (1) vs No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)

Charles Page High School (5-3, 3-1) may have lost to Booker T. Washington on the field, but on paper they destroyed the Hornets 267 yards to 124 and 15 first downs to 9, forcing 7 punts. The Hornets got lucky with 9:32 in the fourth quarter when Sandite QB Hunter Greathouse was unable to haul in a bad hike and the Hornets got the recovery at the 3 yard line. From there the Booker T. defense was able to stop three Sandite possessions for the win. Were it not for that one mistake, Sand Springs would still be undefeated in the district. 

The Bartlesville Bruins (4-4, 3-2) had a tough road match at Bixby (5-3, 3-1) and were throttled 63-14. They tried to keep up offensively and posted 342 yards on 79 plays, but the Spartans were explosive for 504 yards on 53 plays. 

The pick: Sandites 43, Bartlesville 32.

No. 3 Booker T. Washington Hornets (4) vs No. 4 Bixby Spartans (3)

The Hornets won their battle with Sand Springs on a fumble, and lost their game with Muskogee on turnovers after matching them offensively. The Spartans actually outperformed Muskogee offensively, but gave up two interceptions and a fumble. Against mutual opponents, the Hornets have the better defense and the Spartans have the better offense. Theoretically, this game should be fairly equally matched with the winner being decided on turnovers. 

The pick: Bixby 37, BTW 35.

No. 5 Midwest City Bombers  (5) vs No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (8)

The Bombers (5-3, 4-1) won an important district game Friday against Putnam City (3-5, 1-4) to continue to their quest for the district title in the district with the most parity. It was a low-scoring 7-0 affair made possible by the incredible Bomber defense.

The Plainsmen (3-5, 2-3) are coming off a 35-10 loss to Stillwater (4-4, 2-3). They gave up five turnovers, but forced three of their own. 

The pick: MWC 28, Enid 7.

No. 6 Putnam City West Patriots (7) vs No. 7 Lawton Wolverines (6)

The Patriots (6-2, 4-1) may not be the indisputable head of the district any more, but they're still in contention for the Title after a 27-17 win over Edmond Deer Creek (2-6, 2-3). The Pats have given up only two losses this season, 29-24 to the Sandites, and 21-16 to Midwest City. They have another big test at Lawton.

The Wolverines (4-4, 3-2) rode three straight wins with three close losses to quality teams. That changed Thursday with a 52-26 beat down from Choctaw (4-4, 2-3) to seriously damage their shot at a district title. With the incredible amount of upsets in the district, they're not out of contention yet, but they can't afford a loss. A win over Putnam will put them second only to Midwest City. 

The pick: PCW 26, Lawton 24.

No. 8 Choctaw Yellowjackets (12) vs No. 12 Deer Creek Antlers (10)

It's beginning to look like Choctaw (4-4, 2-3) can only win games they're picked to lose. The Yellowjackets have three wins against top-tier teams in Sand Springs, Midwest City, and Lawton, and upset losses to Enid, Putnam, and Stillwater.  

After their most recent 52-26 stunner over Lawton, they'll be looking to bring down Deer Creek and Putnam West to clinch a playoff berth. The Yellowjacket's high-powered offense averages 34 points per game while Deer Creek averages only 19 and gives up 35. The Antlers (2-6, 2-3) most recently went down 27-17 to Putnam City West.

The pick: Choctaw 42, Deer Creek 20.

No. 9 Putnam City Pirates (9) vs No. 10 Stillwater Pioneers (11)

The Putnam City Pirates (3-5, 1-4) put up a valiant effort against Midwest City before falling 7-0 while the Pioneers (4-4, 2-3) picked up a 35-10 win over Enid. Stillwater holds two-straight wins and all four of their losses were by a touchdown or less. A potential playoff berth is on the line and they're unlikely to leave their A game at home.

The pick: Stillwater 33, Putnam 23.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (14) vs 6A-I Norman Tigers

Barring a miracle, the Ponca City Wildcats (1-7, 0-5) are unlikely to get a win against Muskogee (6-1, 3-1) in week ten, so their last real shot at padding their record comes in their home-finale against 6A-I Norman (1-7, 1-4). The same can be said for the Tigers.

Ponca gave up a 31-27 upset to Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4) last week, while Norman went down 35-7 to Broken Arrow (4-4, 3-2). The Wildcats have been competitive all season, averaging 17 points per game, while the Tigers have scored 15. Norman gives up an average of 44 points and Ponca gives up 40, but Norman plays in a far tougher division and district. 

The pick: Norman 28, Ponca 26. 

No. 1 Sandites fall 17-12 to No. 4 Booker T. Washington after late fumble

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 1 ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (5-3, 3-1) lost a heart-breaker Thursday night at Memorial Stadium, giving up a 12-10 lead in the fourth quarter to the No. 4 Booker T. Washington Hornets (5-3, 3-1). Sand Springs's stout defense had utterly shut down the Hornets all night, while the offense more than doubled their foes, but a fumble at the Sandites' three-yard line undid their hard work and allowed the Hornets to take the final lead.

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The Hornets averaged more than 350 yards per game going into Thursday night's matchup, and the Sandites held them to 124. They gave up nine first downs and only two yards in the air, while racking up twenty yards on six tackles for loss.

It was a defensive showdown from both teams from the very beginning. Booker T. received the ball to start the game, but Sand Springs held them to fourth and twelve to take possession without giving up a first down. The Sandite offense drove a mere sixteen yards on seven plays before punting it back to their foes. The Hornets picked up a first down on a ten-yard run from Rylan McQuarters, but were then pushed back to fourth and sixteen and punted away their second possession. 

Sand Springs's second possession wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. Senior quarterback Hunter Greathouse took a reverse and was ran out for an eight-yard loss. After a handoff to Payton Scott gained only one yard and a deep pass attempt intended for Kasey Bales was broken up by Daxton Hill, the Sandites were forced to punt. The punt was called back for an unsportsmanlike penalty that gave the Sandites renewed hope on fourth and two. 

Payton Scott picked up the first down to keep the drive alive. After being pushed back to third and fifteen, Greathouse found Mack Thompson for nineteen yards, then hit Bales for 22. Bales finished off the drive with a nineteen-yard reception to draw first blood. A two-point pass attempt fell incomplete and the Sandites led 6-0 with 1:45 in the first half.

Booker T.'s next drive was methodical and effective, using more than seven minutes to drive 61 yards over seventeen plays for a one-yard run by quarterback DJ Jones. With 6:22 in the half, the visitors took a 7-6 lead.

Both teams' next possessions fell flat, but the Sandites got one last shot at a march downfield before halftime. Greathouse connected with tight-end Dash Fleischman for twelve yards, then hit Thompson for 44 to park the offense at the Hornet six-yard line. That's where the magic ran out. Scott took a handoff for no gain. An endzone pass attempt was nearly intercepted. Greathouse was flushed from the pocket and had to scramble to avoid negative yardage on third down. At fourth and six Alex Hernandez attempted a 24-yard field goal but bounced the kick off one of his teammates and Greathouse managed to fall on it and end the half. 

Bales started off the second half with a bang, returning the opening kickoff 56 yards to the Hornet 22, but the offense was unable to capitalize and turned over the ball on downs at the sixteen. 

Booker T. had an equally difficult time making a play happen and punted away possession to the Sandite 45. This time the home team hit pay dirt. 

Scott picked up twelve yards in two runs, then Greathouse hit Thompson for ten. Greathouse hooked up with Scott for a 28-yard pass to roll up to the Hornet two-yard line. On third and short, the Sandites stuffed Greathouse into the endzone for the score. Once again the two-point conversion failed, but the boys held a 12-7 lead with 4:53 in the third.

 The visitors' next drive was held to a 36-yard field goal to cut the Sandite lead to 12-10 barely into the fourth quarter. That's when things began to fall apart.

The Sandites returned the kickoff to their 35, then Dalton Morgan fumbled it away to Isaiah Johnson. The defense was able to prevent Booker T. from moving the ball, but for the second possession in a row, the Sandites' gave up another fumble on the first play. This time Greathouse was unable to haul in a high snap and the Hornets got the ball at the Sand Springs two-yard line. After a pair of five-yard penalties for twelve men on the field, the Hornets finally found the endzone on a ten-yard run from McQuarters to take the 17-12 advantage.

Both teams had short possessions from there, and Sand Springs got another crack at it with 5:18 left. Greathouse hit Bales for thirty yards, then found Scott for 18 to enter the redzone. The drive ran out of juice, however, and three incomplete passes and a tackle for loss gave Booker T. possession at their 10. 

The Sandites had one last shot with 1:07 left, but Greathouse was sacked, then called for intentional grounding. A third pass attempt fell incomplete and McQuarters picked off the fourth to end the game.

Greathouse finished the game 13-26-237-1 with one touchdown by air and one on the ground. Scott's streak of seven-straight games with hundred-plus-yard performances came to an end with 21 carries for 52 yards. Bales was the leading receiver with six receptions for 97 yards and a score. Delvin Jordan led the defense with eight unassisted tackles, including one for a loss of three yards. Nathan Simonton was next up with six unassisted and one assisted tackle for a loss of one yard. 

Despite the loss, the Sandites are still third in district standings with two games left in the regular season. They will return to action next Friday at No. 13 Bartlesville (4-4, 3-2), who just lost 63-14 to No. 3 Bixby (5-3, 3-1). Booker T. will host Bixby next week. 

Sandite of the Week: Hunter Greathouse leads Sandites to victory over Muskogee

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By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

Charles Page High School quarterback Hunter Greathouse has been selected as this week's Sandite of the Week for his outstanding performance in last week's district win over the previously undefeated No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (6-1, 3-1).

The No. 4 Sandites (5-2, 3-0) traveled to the Muscogee Indian Bowl last Thursday and outscored the host team 20-8 in the fourth quarter for a spectacular come-from-behind victory that Greathouse was a crucial component in.

Muskogee took an early 7-0 lead before the 6'3" 180 pound senior got on the field, but he quickly went to work, completing 3 of 7 passes for 39 yards to drive to the Rougher redzone before a fourth and nine pass fell incomplete giving Muskogee the ball shortly before the end of the first quarter.

After Muskogee added another touchdown the Sandites regained possession midway through the second quarter. Greathouse picked up seven yards on a pass to Kasey Bales, then picked up four more on an run. From there he sent an 11 yard pass to Caleb Wash. That drive mustered out like the first, but they got another try after a short four-play Rougher possession gave them the ball with 1:09 left in the half.

In exactly 60 seconds, the Sandites drove 88 yards to draw blood. Greathouse was two of five passing, picking up 16 yards for a first down, then sending a 43 yard touchdown pass to Wash.

After Muskogee started the second half with a field goal, Sand Springs took possession with 2:55 in the third and used the rest of the quarter to drive 67 yards to the two-yard line. Greathouse completed three of three passes for 33 yards plus a two yard run, setting up Payton Scott for the score on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

The Sandite defense held Muskogee to a three-play possession and Greathouse got the ball back with 10:37 to play, trailing 17-12. The first Sandite possession failed, but the defense saved the day with a forced fumble and recovery, and this time the visitors got the go-ahead score. 

Greathouse picked up a first down on a four-yard sneak, then capped off the drive with a seven-yard pass to Wash to take the lead 18-17 after a failed two-point conversion with 3:35 left.

The home team didn't go down without a fight and quickly marched 77 yard in 8 plays to regain the advantage. A two-point conversion made the score 25-18 with only 0:47 to play.

Greathouse sent a 25 yard pass to Scott to start off the possession, then sent an 18 yard pass to Mack Thompson. After his first pass attempt from the 18 yard line failed, he connected on his second attempt and found Bales for the score.

Trailing 25-24 with 0:06 to play, the Sandites had to choose between kicking their first PAT attempt of the game and playing for overtime, or attempting a two-point conversion for the fourth time after the first three failed. 

They went for two, and the play quickly fell apart after Greathouse tried to send a pass to Bales in the endzone, but was broken up by 6'6" lineman Keondre Davis. The pass traveled high enough into the air that it took a full two seconds to come back down, and Greathouse was ready for it. He hauled it in at the 11 yard line and ran it out of harms way, dodging a tackle, and ran an arc back to the 25.

As he was working his way forward, he had three defenders closing in on him at the 14. He had a pair of receivers open downfield, but was clear-headed enough to know he couldn't attempt a second forward pass. He made the heads up play to pitch a lateral to Josh Taber, who ran it in for the score, and the rest is history. 

Greathouse finished 16 of 32 for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns for the evening and accounted for more than 60% of the team's offense. It was his highest single-game passing yardage of his career and tied the most passing touchdowns of his career. 

This is his third time being name Sandite of the Week. He was recognized in November of 2015 for a 7-14-171-0 passing record with 3 touchdowns to defeat Booker T. Washington in the playoff semifinals. He was recognized again in March of this year for an outstanding batting performance and pitching record at the Best of the West baseball tournament. 

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Sandite of the Week is a weekly recognition given to any one person with significant ties to the Sand Springs community who accomplishes remarkable achievements during the Sunday through Saturday week preceding the award. Prior achievements may be noted in the article, but do not bear direct influence on the selection committee which only considers prior week accomplishments. Candidates may be nominated by anyone by emailing SanditePrideNews@gmail.com. The award is not given to anyone in consecutive weeks, but any recipient may be nominated and awarded again in the future, so long as the weeks are not consecutive. Final selection is made by a majority vote of the Sandite Pride Editorial Board.

Businesses or organizations seeking to sponsor the Sandite of the Week award may contact the above email for inquiries.

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! 

Editorial: Why OSU should NOT claim the 1945 National Championship

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Oklahoma State University, or rather, Oklahoma A&M, was retroactively awarded the 1945 football National Championship by the American Football Coaches Association last week. The problem is, there already is a National Champion for 1945--the Army. Apparently the AFCA established a panel to rewrite history. 

The AFCA has recognized a National Champion annually since 1950 when the University of Oklahoma won its first National Title under Bud Wilkinson. The organization recently decided to retroactively award Titles for the 1922-1949 seasons and will arbitrarily select Champions based on pleas from those schools, rather than based on the polls that already existed during that time period. 

The AP poll has been universally recognized as the awarding association for the 1936-1949 National Championships, and in that poll the Aggies weren't even ranked in the top four. By today's standards, they just barely missed the playoffs. 

There were several undefeated teams that season, but the undefeated Army team was unanimously selected by all 116 voters of the AP writers' poll as the top team in the country. Next up was the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide, followed by the undefeated Navy. 

No. 1 Army (9-0-0)

9/29 Army defeats Louisville Fields 32-0
10/6 Army defeats Wake Forest 54-0
10/13 Army defeats No. 9 Michigan 28-7
10/20 Army defeats Melville PT Boats 55-13
10/27 Army defeats No. 19 Duke 48-13
11/3 Army defeats Villanova 54-0
11/10 Army defeats No. 2 Notre Dame 48-0
10/17 Army defeats No. 6 Penn 61-0
12/1 Arms defeats No. 2 Navy 32-13

No. 5 Oklahoma A&M (9-0-0)

9/29 OSU defeats Arkansas 19-14
10/6 OSU defeats Denver 31-7
10/12 OSU defeats SMU 26-12
10/20 OSU defeats Utah 46-6
10/27 OSU defeats TCU 25-12
11/10 OSU defeats No. 19 Tulsa 12-6
11/17 OSU defeats Texas Tech 46-6
11/24 OSU defeats Oklahoma 47-0
1/1 OSU defeats No. 9 Saint Mary's 33-13

Comparing the two teams isn't that hard. OSU clearly had a good team. There's no contesting that. But they posted only one shutout to Army's five shutouts. OSU won their games by an average score of 31-8 whereas Army won their games by an average score of 45-5. Army had the number one offense in the country, and the number one defense. Army posted five ranked wins with an average score of 43-6, while OSU's two ranked wins came at an average of 22-9. And don't forget that Army had Heisman Trophy winner Doc Blanchard. 

But somehow, OSU was the better team?

By whatever wildly errant logic that the AFCA is using, Sand Springs should have several State Championships. The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) didn't begin holding playoffs or recognizing a State Champion until 1944, leaving individual schools to claim to State Titles as they saw fit. In 1931 the Sandites went 6-0-1 with four shutout wins and a 0-0 tie with an equally impressive Skiatook team. At the time, high schools didn't play to overtime. Though they didn't have the toughest schedule, they did go undefeated. That's good enough, right? Again, in 1937, the Sandites went undefeated at 8-0-2 with six shutout wins and two 0-0 ties, both to winning teams. Once again, it wasn't the toughest schedule in Oklahoma, but neither was OSU's. 

In 1951, the Sandites went 11-1 with their only true loss being 27-6 to Sapulpa in week three. From there they won nine straight games, including five shutouts. They defeated Poteau 54-0 in the State quarterfinals before "losing" 20-20 to Ada. At the time the OSSAA didn't allow overtime and Ada was awarded the win on red zone penetrations. Apparently having a stout defense able to put up red zone stops doesn't matter to the OSSAA. Sapulpa was Class AA at the time while Sand Springs was A, so that loss doesn't affect their claim to a State title. They essentially went undefeated in their division, and had they been allowed to play overtime against Ada, who knows what might have happened? Ada went on to defeat Ponca City 20-13 for their first Championship. They now hold nineteen State Titles.

In 1962 the Sandites went 7-0-3 with three shutouts and three ties. They even beat Broken Arrow 32-0. At the time the Sandites weren't in an eligible conference and weren't allowed to compete for the State Title. 

That makes two State Titles that the Sandites could claim on wins, due to there being no playoffs, and two Titles they can claim on being unfairly excluded from the playoffs. But Sand Springs doesn't claim those Titles. We didn't claim them then, because we followed the rules and respected that there were better teams, and we don't claim them now, because it would be unfair to the schools that have already held them for decades. We are content to settle for our 1966 State Title and work towards earning new titles in the future rather than living in the past. 

If the University of Oklahoma were to claim National Titles outside of AP rankings, they would have ten more than the seven they claim. In 1915, Oklahoma went 10-0 under Bennie Owen. The official NCAA Division I Football Records Book even lists Cornell, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh as having equal claim to the Title, but only Cornell and Pittsburgh claim it. 

Cornell (9-0)
9/25 defeated Gettysburg 13-0
10/2 defeated Oberlin 34-7
10/9 defeated Williams 46-6
10/16 defeated Bucknell 41-0
10/23 defeated Harvard 10-0
10/30 defeated VPI 45-0
11/6 defeated Michigan 34-7
11/13 defeated Washington & Lee 40-21
11/25 defeated Penn 40-21

Oklahoma (10-0)
9/25 defeated Kingfisher 67-0
10/2 defeated SW Oklahoma 55-0
10/9 defeated NW OK State 102-0
10/16 defeated Missouri 24-0
10/23 defeated Texas 14-13
10/30 defeated Kansas 23-14
11/6 defeated Kendall 14-13
11/14 defeated Arkansas 24-0
11/19 defeated Kansas State 21-7
11/25 defeated Oklahoma A&M 26-7

Shutouts: Pittsburgh 6
Average Score: Oklahoma 37-5

Pittsburgh (8-0)
10/2 defeated Westminster 32-0
10/9 defeated Navy 47-12
10/16 defeated Carlisle 45-0
10/23 defeated Penn 14-7
10/30 defeated Allegheny 42-0
11/6 defeated Washington & Jefferson 19-0
11/13 defeated Carnegie Tech 28-0
11/25 defeated Penn State 20-0

Oklahoma was retroactively selected as National Champions by the Billingsley Report. Cornell was retroactively selected by the Helms Athletic Foundation, the Houlgate System, and the National Championship Foundation, while being selected as co-champions by Parke H. Davis. Pittsburgh was selected as co-champions by Parke H. Davis. 

Oklahoma had yet another undefeated season in 1949 under Bud Wilkinson and was retroactively awarded the National Title by the College Football Research Association, despite the AP giving it to Notre Dame. 

No. 1 Notre Dame (10-0)
9/24 defeated Indiana 49-6
10/1 defeated Washington 27-7
10/8 defeated Purdue 35-12
10/15 defeated No. 4 Tulane 46-7
10/29 defeated Navy 40-0
11/5 defeated No. 10 Michigan State 34-21
11/12 defeated North Carolina 42-6
11/19 defeated Iowa 28-7
11/26 defeated No. 17 USC 32-0
12/3 defeated SMU 27-20

No. 2 Oklahoma 11-0
9/23 defeated Boston College 46-0
10/1 defeated Texas A&M 33-13
10/8 defeated No. 12 Texas 20-14
10/15 defeated Kansas 48-26
10/22 defeated Nebraska 48-0
10/29 defeated Iowa State 34-7
11/5 defeated Kansas State 39-0
11/12 defeated Missouri 27-7
11/19 defeated No. 19 Santa Clara 28-21
11/26 defeated Oklahoma A&M 41-0
1/1 defeated No. 9 LSU  41-0

1949 saw four undefeated teams, including California and Army. However, Notre Dame received 172 of 208 first place votes in the final AP Poll. OU actually came in second on first place votes with 18, whereas the 1945 OSU team received 0. OU defeated three ranked opponents by an average score of 30-12, while Notre Dame defeated three ranked opponents by an average score of 37-9. Notre Dame also had a Heisman award winner, six players who went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and four All-Americans. Oklahoma had one future Hall of Famer and five All-Americans. Just like in 1945, it was clear to the people alive at the time that Notre Dame was the better team, despite Oklahoma having far more claim to the Title than OSU did in 1945. 

The Oklahoma conversation can continue with 1953 (9-1-1, named by Berryman and CFRA) when Maryland (10-1) was recognized by the AP. The 1957  team (10-1, named by Berryman) when Auburn was recognized by the AP, despite having paid two high school players $5000 to play. In 1967 (10-1, named by Poling System) when USC was recognized by the AP. In 1973 (10-0-1, named by CFRA, DeVold, Dunkel, Sagarin) when Notre Dame was recognized by the AP. In 1978 (11-1, named by DeVold, Dunkel, FACT, Helms, Litkenhous, Matthews, Poling, Sagarin) when Alabama was recognized by the AP. In 1980 (10-2, named by Dunkel and Matthews) when Georgia was recognized by the AP. In 1986 (11-1, named by CFRA, Berryman, DeVold, Dunkel, NY Times, Sagarin) when Penn State was recognized by AP. Finally, in 2003 (12-2, named by Berryman) when USC was recognized by AP. 

OSU fans can call themselves National Champions all they want, but the fact is all 116 AP voters, who were alive at the time and actually watched the season, thought that Army was the better team. OSU has a handful of panel members who weren't even alive at the time. 

Oklahoma only claims 7 of our 17 awarded titles. Notre Dame only claims 11 of 22. USC claims 11 of 17. Michigan claims 11 of 16. Ohio State claims 8 of 16. Harvard claims 7 of 12. 

As a proud Oklahoman, I want OSU to win a National Title one day. I would love to see a day and age when OU and OSU are in the playoffs every year as the No. 1 and 2 ranked teams. It's unlikely, but wouldn't it be nice? Heck, throw Tulsa in there as well, so long as we're imaging a perfect world. 

I would much rather see OSU make a case for the 2011 season, when they won ten-straight to earn the No. 2 rank before dropping a double overtime upset to Iowa State. They bested OU 44-10, won their first and only Big 12 title, and beat No. 4 Stanford 41-38 in overtime at the Fiesta Bowl. That year there wasn't a single ranked team without a loss, and National Champion Alabama avenged their regular season loss to No. 1 LSU with a 21-0 victory in the Championship game. While I personally think Alabama and LSU were both far better teams than OSU, at least OSU got 4 of 60 votes in the AP poll that year, as opposed to 1945 when they got 0 of 116. 

Oklahoma State has come a long way as a program and I think one day they will likely win a Championship. But that day won't be this year, it wasn't in 2011, and it wasn't in 1945 either. In 2011 they were named the National Champion by the Colley-Matrix, and the Cowboys did the right thing by not recognizing it. They shouldn't recognize this one either.

I'm not being one sided in this. The AFCA still has 27 more National Titles to give out, of which OU could make legitimate claim to the 1949 title. We were undefeated and we posted one more win than Notre Dame, who was recognized by the AP. While many OU fans may be excited to win the '49 title, I won't be. You can hold me to it, if the AFCA calls Oklahoma the 1949 National Champion, I'll still be claiming seven national titles, not eight. National Titles should be decided at the time, not decades later by people who weren't around when the games were played. Notre Dame was the better team in '49 and Army was the better team in '45.

When Oklahoma State wins its first National Title, I will be as excited as anybody, and more excited than anybody who recognizes the 1945 Championship. Winning a real Title will be much sweeter without being watered down by revisionist history.