Sand Springs - The Class 6A-II No. 11 ranked Charles Page High School varsity football team (1-2) hasn’t shied away from tough competitors this season, taking up two out-of-state powerhouses during their non-district schedule. Just a week after shutting out Putnam City 35-0, the Sandites were on the receiving end of a beat down, falling 50-20 to the back-to-back defending Arkansas 6A State Champions from No. 1 Greenwood (3-0).
The Bulldogs won their 15th consecutive game and second-straight 30-point victory, taking a 50-7 lead before sending in the backups. Sand Springs ended the night with a 13-0 fourth quarter shutout. The game was the second and final installment of a home-and-home series. Greenwood won last year’s meeting 49-13.
The visitors scored on their first three possessions and blocked a punt for a touchdown to take a 29-0 lead before the Sandite defense made a stop. Sand Springs punted its first five possessions.
Senior quarterback Jace Presley was 31-45-307-1, accounting for 76% of the Bulldog offense and four touchdowns. He threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Treyton Dawson on the opening drive, then hit LD Richmond for a two-point pass.
Sand Springs caught a lucky break after punting their second possession when the ball deflected off a Bulldog and Bryson Chase recovered it. They were once again forced to a three-and-out, however, and the Bulldogs scored six plays later on a 42-yard strike from Presley to Caden Brown.
The Sandites marched 30 yards on their next possession before things began to fall apart. Pushed back to a 3rd-and-38 at the 22, sophomore quarterback Ty Pennington tried to punt the ball away but was blocked by Coleton Erwin who took it to the house for a 22-0 lead.
Another three-and-out for Sand Springs and the Bulldogs notched their first running score on a nine-yard carry by Brown. A fumbled hike gave Greenwood possession at the Sandites’ five-yard line, but this time Defensive Captain Jerret Haley came up clutch with an interception and 29-yard return.
Greenwood wouldn’t be stymied for long, however, marching 63 yards in five plays on their next possession for a 29-yard scoring pass from Presley to Justice Randolph. Jackson Stewart’s kick made it 36-0.
Sand Springs finally hit pay dirt with 53 seconds left in the half, marching 76 yards in eleven plays, to score on a five-yard run from Blake Jones. The Bulldogs needed only 51 seconds to return the ball to the Sandite five-yard line, but the defense held strong and left the visitors wanting on the final play of the half.
Presley was eager for another score to start the second half, and hit Dawson for a 75-yard touchdown on the second play of the third quarter, then Aaron Ligon scored on a one-yard run two possessions later.
Sand Springs responded with a ten-play 80-yard drive, scoring on a 28-yard pass from Pennington to Keaton Campbell on the first play of the fourth quarter, but a two-point pass attempt fell short.
Backup QB Coleton Payton led the Bulldogs to the Sandite red zone but gave up a turnover on downs, and Sand Springs retaliated with a five-play 85-yard scoring drive, capped by 39-yard touchdown from sophomore running back Alex Turner. Greenwood was held to a quick three-and-out on their next possession, and Sand Springs made it to the Bulldogs’ 15-yard line before Braden Potter came up with a sack to end the game.
Pennington was 16-33-143-0 in his second start for the Sandites, and Campbell was his primary target with seven catches for 93 yards. Jones led the ground game with 20 carries for 124 yards. Zach Heinen connected on both of his PAT attempts and has yet to miss in his career. Haley was the leading defender with eight tackles.
The Sandites are currently celebrating their centennial season and honored their football, cheer, dance, band, and color guard alumni at halftime. Past participants were invited to tour the locker rooms, dine in the Fine Arts Building overlooking the field, and walked across the field at halftime, grouped by decade.
Phil James and Michael Bowie were named honorary co-captains and Charles Page Principal Stan Trout performed the coin toss prior to the game. James was the starting QB from 1973-1975. Bowie played on the Sandite O-Line from 2007-2009 and went on to play on the 2011 Navarro Junior College National Champion team, the 2012 Oklahoma State University Fiesta Bowl Champion team, and the 2015 Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champion team. He currently coaches the Sandite O-Line. Trout was a three-year letterman and 1977 graduate.
Prior to the game, the Church That Matters Tailgate Crew raised $1,107 for the Sandite Cheer Team.
Both teams will kick off district action next Friday at 7:00 p.m. Greenwood will travel to Little Rock to play Hall (2-1) and Sand Springs will host No. 13 Shawnee (1-2) for homecoming.
