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

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Photo: Scott Emigh

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

It's the final week of the regular season and many teams have make-or-break games that will decide their post-season fate. The parity of the division has left things muddled with no single team going undefeated in their district.

There's a three-way tie for the District-Two title, with the deciding bout to be played Friday night at Bixby against the Sand Springs Sandites. Sand Springs, Bixby, and Muskogee are all 4-1. Sand Springs has a win over Muskogee, Muskogee has a win over Bixby, Bixby has a win over Booker T., and Booker T. has a win over Sand Springs. Muskogee is more-or-less certain to defeat Sapulpa, so if Bixby beats Sand Springs, the Roughers will get the Title. If Sand Springs beats Bixby, the Sandites get the Title. 

In District One, Midwest City has the district title on lock, currently holding a 5-1 record with a game at Stillwater left to play. Midwest City has wins over both the number two and three teams, so even if they lose their final game, they'll get the Title on head-to-head. 

In District One, Midwest City and Lawton are guaranteed to make the playoffs, while Stillwater, Choctaw, and Putnam City West are all still up in the air. In a scenario where Stillwater beats Midwest City, and Choctaw beats Putnam West, the three teams will all have 3-4 records with circular losses, and the berths will be decided on point-differential. Deer Creek, Enid, and Putnam City are out of contention.

In District Two, Muskogee, Bixby, and Sand Springs are guaranteed to make the playoffs. Sapulpa and Ponca City have been eliminated. The winner of Bartlesville versus Booker T. will get the fourth seed.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (Last week No. 1) vs No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (15)

An undefeated season may not have been in the cards for Muskogee (8-1, 4-1), but they're still well within the running for the District and State Titles. The Roughers are guaranteed to host a playoff game, so long as they defeat the Wildcats, marking their first playoff appearance in six years. They also have a shot at their first district title in more than a quarter-century. Last week they trounced the Sapulpa Chieftains (1-8, 1-5) 62-21 with over 500 yards of offense. Quarterback Jacob Medrano was 14-20-250 for two touchdowns and no interceptions, and Molijah Gilbert led the ground with 104 yards and two touchdowns on only eleven carries. The Roughers are looking for their first State Title since 1986.

Ponca City (2-7, 0-5) snapped their five-straight losing streak with a 10-6 victory over Norman (1-8, 1-4). QB Brice McDougal was 16 of 25 for 154 yards and a touchdown, while Darrell Arita led the ground with eighteen carries for 93 yards. 

The pick: Muskogee 63, Ponca 6.

No. 2 Sand Springs Sandites (2) vs No. 3 Bixby Spartans (4)

The Sand Springs-Spartan match-up has become the Jenks-Union-esque rivalry of 6A Division Two with four meetings in two years, and the intensity isn't slowing down this year. In 2014, the Sandites nearly upset the Spartans in the regular season finale before the Spartans trounced them in the playoffs. Last year Sand Springs dealt the Spartans their first shutout in years to end the regular season, then Bixby got payback in the State Title game. The high-stakes battle will be in Bixby this year as the Spartans are all that stand in the way of the Sandites' first District Title since 1997. Whichever team wins will also get to host a playoff game. Sand Springs is looking for its first State Title since 1966, while the Spartans are defending back-to-back Championships.

The Sandites (6-3, 4-1) made national headlines with a wild last second play to defeat the previously undefeated Roughers (7-1, 4-1) and briefly earned the number one ranking before falling to Booker T. Washington (5-4, 3-2). Sand Springs more than doubled the Hornet offense before giving up the win on a fumble inside their own two-yard-line late in the fourth. They rebounded from that game with a 47-28 win at Bartlesville (3-5, 2-3). The Bruins hung tight with the Sandites through the first half, but the visitors scored 22 unanswered points in the third to clinch the win. Running back Payton Scott racked up nearly 300 yards on the ground for five touchdowns to complement the two aerial scores from Hunter Greathouse.

Bixby (6-3, 4-1) picked up their biggest win of the season when they knocked off Booker T. Washington (5-4, 3-2) in a 28-0 shutout. The Hornets were without starting QB Phillip Wheatley, and Bixby made the most of it, dealing Booker T. their first shutout since 2012. It was the defense that carried Bixby, as offensively they were well below their standard performance. Tanner Griffin, who normally completes about 65% of passes and holds over 2100 yards this season with 31 touchdowns, was held to only 13 of 25 for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Tucker Pawley made up for it on the ground, however, with 34 carries for 198 yards and a touchdown. Bixby also won the turnover battle with two fumble recoveries and an interception.

The pick: Sand Springs 32, Bixby 30.

No. 4 Booker T. Washington Hornets (3) vs No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)

When looking at their season records as a whole, the Hornets (5-4, 3-2) should have little difficulty in finishing the season with a district win against Bartlesville (3-5, 2-3). However, looking at the last couple of weeks, the match-up could be fairly close.

The Hornets have been without their starting QB, and that's been a major thorn in their offense. They barely beat the Sandites thanks to a late fumble deep in the Sand Springs redzone, but were actually outperformed drastically in the game overall. Then they gave up a 28-0 shutout loss to Bixby. 

Bartlesville, meanwhile, gave an impressive performance against the Sandites and only trailed 25-21 at the half before losing their momentum in the third quarter and ultimately losing 47-28. With a playoff berth on the line and the knowledge that they can run with the best, the Bruins will be bringing everything they have. QB Garrett Meidl brought the rain against Sand Springs and was 19 of 32 for 225 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. 

The pick: BTW 33, Bartlesville 18.

No. 5 Midwest City Bombers (5) vs No. 9 Stillwater Pioneers (10)

Midwest City (6-3, 5-1) has worked hard all season to maintain the edge in the district with the most parity, and having defeated both Putnam West and Lawton, they can afford to lose this game without forfeiting their district title or home playoff berth. Stillwater (5-4, 3-3), however, has to win to clinch a playoff berth. They can still make it in with a loss, so long as Choctaw loses to Putnam West and Lawton beats Putnam City, but they can be counted on to bring their A-game and put fate in their own hands. 

The Bombers are coming off a solid 39-10 win over Enid (3-6, 2-4) that saw a 13-3 halftime lead expanded with 26-straight points in the second half. The stout defense racked up five sacks and held Enid QB Mason Skrimager to only 46 yards on 12 completions. One of those completions was for 34 yards in the fourth quarter. The Plainsmen finished the first half with only one passing yard. The Bombers were wild on kick returns, scoring one punt return touchdown and scoring soon after a 75-yard kick return. 

The Pioneers won a close one at Putnam City (3-6, 1-3) to stay alive in playoff contention. Two different Pioneers racked up triple digits on the ground and the team finished with 311 rushing yards as a whole after the pass game was fruitless on the first two possessions. QB Jace Brownlee missed the first three district losses while rehabbing from a Spring shoulder surgery, and his presence has been crucial in the three-straight district wins. Though his return makes a win against Midwest City slightly more likely, he's still not at one-hundred percent and the Pioneers have had to get creative in how to play him. They'll have their work cut out for them against the number one defense in the division.

The pick: MWC 35, Stillwater 12.

No. 7 Choctaw Yellowjackets (8) vs No. 8 Putnam City West Patriots (6)

The biggest battle of the Southwest holds major implications for both teams as they seek to clinch playoff berths. Putnam needs a win to guarantee a spot, while Choctaw needs a win just be in consideration. Even if Choctaw wins, they could miss the cut on head-to-head or point-differential depending on how other games shake out around the State.

The Yellowjackets (5-4, 3-3) have been hit or miss most of the season, at times rolling through powerful teams like Sand Springs and Midwest City, and other times dropping losses to teams like Putnam City and Enid. They're on good footing now, however, steamrolling their last two opponents. They scored a major 52-26 upset over Lawton (5-4, 4-2), then brutalized Deer Creek (2-7, 2-4) with 47 unanswered points for a 54-7 victory. They have the number three offense in the State and have a 3-0 record against top-six teams this season. 

Putnam West (6-3, 4-2)'s three losses were to top-ten teams only, barely getting edged out by a touchdown or less to Sand Springs, Midwest City, and Lawton. They have the number two defense in the State, giving up only two touchdowns per game, but even Midwest City couldn't stymie Choctaw's air raid. Last week they took on Lawton with the number four offense and fell 35-28 after giving up a 63-yard touchdown return late in the fourth quarter.

The pick: Choctaw 45, PCW 32.

No. 6 Lawton Wolverines (7) vs No. 12 Deer Creek Antlers (12)

The Wolverines (5-4, 4-2) secured a playoff berth with their win over Putnam West, and now hope to clinch a home game if they can beat Deer Creek. The Antlers (2-7, 2-4) have nothing to gain from winning, other than bragging rights.

Lawton went head to head with Putnam West and were neck-and-neck for the duration. Were it not for Miles Davis's interception return, anything could have happened.  They were actually outperformed offensively and gave up an interception and fumble. For once it was Lawton's defense that saved the day, whereas it's normally the offense that gets the headlines.

Deer Creek suffered a massive blowout against Choctaw, scoring one touchdown in the first quarter before being rolled to a 54-7 defeat. They racked up less than 200 yards and were devastated on turnovers with two interceptions and four fumbles. 

The pick: Lawton 35, DC 13.

No. 10 Putnam City Pirates (9) vs No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (11)

These two teams are playing for bragging rights only with neither capable of making the post-season. Putnam City (3-6, 1-5) just went down 29-22 after a solid effort against Stillwater, while Enid (3-6, 2-4) was muffled 39-10 by the powerful Bomber defense.

The pick: Putnam 21, Enid 14.

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (14) vs 6A-I Broken Arrow Tigers

The Chieftains (1-8, 1-5) won't finish the season without a win, thanks to a 31-27 upset of Ponca City, but that's likely to be their only victory as they finish the season with a non-conference game against 6A-I Broken Arrow (5-4). Last week they went down 62-21 to Muskogee, while Broken Arrow trounced Edmond Memorial (3-5, 1-4) 31-13. BA isn't as powerful this year as they have been in the past, but they should have little difficulty in Sapulpa.

The pick: BA 47, Sapulpa 14.

District Two Standings

4-1 Sand Springs (+41)
4-1 Muskogee (+47)
4-1 Bixby (+57)
3-2 Booker T (+5)

2-3 Bartlesville (-15)
1-5 Sapulpa (-71)
0-5 Ponca City (-64)

District One Standings

5-1 Midwest City (+38)
4-2 Lawton (+23)
4-2 Putnam West (+31)
3-3 Stillwater (+12)

3-3 Choctaw (+22)
2-4 Enid (-41)
2-4 Deer Creek (-47)
1-5 Putnam City (-38)
 

Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
Record: 37-17, 69%

Virgil Noah, Staff Writer
Record: 32-23, 58%

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

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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.

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. 

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

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Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The pick: Muskogee 45, Sand Springs 31.

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

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

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

The pick: Bixby 66, Ponca 12.

No. 3 Booker T Washington Hornets (2) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The pick: Lawton 27, Enid 21.

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

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

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

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

The pick: Putnam West 23, Deer Creek 17.

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

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

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

The pick: Choctaw 42, Stillwater 21.

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

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

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

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

The pick: Bartlesville 38, Sapulpa 17. 

Week Five 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

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Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

No. 1 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 1) vs No. 3 Muskogee Roughers (3)

It's the marquee match-up for week six of High School football as two of the top teams in the State ride dominating performances into a district game of playoff-level intensity. 

The Spartans (2-2, 0-0) have yet to begin district play and just wrapped up the toughest pre-conference schedule of Class 6A-II. In week two they gave 6A-I No. 1 Jenks (5-0) their closest game of the year, losing 38-34. The next week they lost 44-34 to Arkansas 7A State Runners-Up Bentonville (3-1) and finally got in the win column with a dominating 56-20 performance over Putnam City (3-1, 1-0). This week they really proved just how powerful they are as they steamrolled 6A-I No. 4 Westmoore (3-1) 70-28 in an incredible performance that featured two 90+ yard kickoff returns for touchdown. Tanner Griffin's passing was off for the evening, completing only 9 of 22 for 96 yards and 1 touchdown against 2 interceptions. But the run game was dominant as Tucker Pawley carried 19 times for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. Griffin had two touchdown runs and 46 yards on 5 carries, while Braden Roller added another touchdown and 66 yards on 5 carries.

The Roughers (4-0, 1-0) have had a fairly weak schedule thus far, with the exception of a close 16-12 win over Midwest City (2-2, 1-0), but when they go up against lesser competition, it's a blow-out. They've won their last three games by an average score of 59-11, and they notched their first district win Friday with a 63-6 shutdown of Bartlesville (1-3, 0-1). Running back Molijah Gilbert finished with 16 carries for 184 yards and two touchdowns. QB Jacob Medrano completed 11 of 20 passes for 197 yards and no interceptions.

The pick: Bixby 38 Muskogee 28

No. 2 Booker T Washington Hornets (2) vs No. 15 Sapulpa Chieftains (14)

The Hornets (3-2, 1-0) had an easy start to district play with the Ponca City Wildcats (1-3, 0-1) and rolled to a dominating 47-0 shutout victory. In the past two seasons, the Hornet offense regularly routed their opponents by massive margins, but this year it still remains to be seen just how powerful they'll be against quality opponents. They barely got the 21-14 edge on Midwest City (2-2, 1-0) and lost 26-23 to Edmond Santa Fe (4-1, 1-0). After going down 49-7 to the Nationally ranked No. 2 IMG Academy (5-0) they've since been unstoppable with a 43-6 win over Shawnee and the victory against Ponca. They won't get their first real test till they take on Muskogee next week, but first they have to get past Sapulpa. Rylan McQuarters led the run game against Ponca with 8 carries for 82 yards, followed by Tyler Holmes with 15 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. Two other running backs scored touchdowns in the rout, and double-threat QB Phillip Wheatley was 15 of 22 in the air for 214 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.

Sapulpa (0-4, 0-1) still looks to get in the win column this season after dropping their rivalry game to Sand Springs 35-7. The Chieftains failed to make headway through the air as QB Cameron Elder was only 8 of 13 for 53 yards with no touchdowns and an interception, but the ground game was alive and well. Elder carried 12 times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Dayton Vann also had 59 yards from 11 carries, and Marcus Henderson carried 8 times for 67 yards. 

The pick: Booker T 56 Sapulpa 3

No. 4 Midwest City Bombers (4) vs No. 9 Deer Creek Antlers (12)

The Midwest City Bombers (2-2, 1-0) have won or lost every game this season by a touchdown or less and notched their first district win of the season 20-17 over Lawton (1-3, 0-1) Friday night at home. QB Preston Colbert was 8 of 12 for 139 yards and a touchdown. Astin Anderson was the workhorse for the Bombers and carried 38 times for 133 yards. Earlier this season they fell 16-12 to Muskogee (4-0) and 21-14 to Booker T Washington (3-2), two of the top three teams in the division. They got in the win column two weeks ago with a 28-21 victory over 5A Del City (2-2).

The Antlers (1-3, 1-0) got their first win of the season with a 21-14 upset over Stillwater (2-2, 0-1) Friday night at a game in which they were the 18-point underdogs. QB Hunter Freese passed for 190 yards and the bulk of the Antler offense. The run game only accounted for 87 yards. Deer Creek may only have one win, but their losses were to quality 6A-I programs. 52-13 to Southmoore (3-1), 47-31 to Edmond Santa Fe (4-1), and 48-31 to Edmond Memorial (3-2).

The pick: Midwest City 23 Deer Creek 14

No. 6 Putnam City Pirates (7) vs No. 7 Lawton Wolverines (5)

While Bixby at Muskogee is the biggest game of District 2, Lawton vs. Putnam City is equally huge for District 1. The Wolverines (1-3, 0-1) and Pirates (3-1, 1-0) both have a lot to prove going into week two of districts. While Lawton was edged out 20-17 by Midwest City (2-2, 1-0), the Pirates got the 36-32 edge on Choctaw (2-2, 0-1). Putnam's only loss this season was 56-20 to Bixby (2-2), while Lawton's only win this season was 62-37 over in-town rival Lawton Eisenhower (1-3).

Lawton demonstrated a powerful aerial assault against Midwest City as QB Zach Hannah completed 11 of 18 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. The running game was almost nonexistent, however, as Tre Curry carried 19 times for a mere 60 yards and one touchdown. Curry has proven his abilities in the past with a 201 yard performance against Eisenhower and a 311 yard performance in a 56-41 loss to 5A Carl Albert (4-0). The Wolverines are clearly a double threat team, meaning the Putnam defense will need to be sharp on their toes to keep the scoring in check. Lawton's offense averages 415 yards and 5 touchdowns per game this season. Putnam's defense is stout, however, and averages 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions per game this season. 

The Putnam offense has ran up the yards this season, led by QB AJ Newsome in the air and RB Damon Jemison on the ground. Newsome is only 32 of 82 this season with 6 interceptions, exacerbated by a 6 of 24 performance against the killer Bixby defense which picked off four passes. But he holds 871 yards and 9 touchdowns to pad his resume. Jemison has rushed 78 times this year for only 259 yards. The Lawton defense isn't as tight on the run game as Putnam, but if the Pirates rely on the pass as they have for most of the season, they might find trouble in a team that averages 2 interceptions per game. 

The pick: Putnam City 28 Lawton 26

No. 5 Sand Springs Sandites (6) vs Yukon Millers

The Sandites (2-2, 1-0) won their first district game with a 35-7 rout of Highway 97 rival Sapulpa (0-4, 0-1), and will play their final non-district game this weekend against 6A-I Yukon (0-4). Sand Springs started off with a big 56-21 loss to Arkansas powerhouse Pulaski Academy (3-1) and were upset in week two 45-41 by Choctaw (2-2, 0-1), but got in the win column with a close 29-24 victory against Putnam West (3-1, 1-0). RB Payton Scott accounts for the majority of the Sandite offense with 183 carries for 687 yards and 7 touchdowns, while QB Hunter Greathouse is 42 of 90 for 601 yards and 4 touchdowns by air and 4 touchdowns on the ground. 

Yukon has yet to even come close to a win this season, falling 42-20 to Mustang (3-1), 55-7 to Norman North (4-0), 38-7 to Southmoore (38-7), and 33-9 to Broken Arrow (2-2). The Millers held a tough schedule with nothing but ranked 6A-I powerhouses and that experience could give them an edge on the Sandites who have played only one powerhouse team this year. 

The pick: Sand Springs 38 Yukon 13.

No. 8 Putnam City West Patriots (8) vs No. 11 Stillwater Pioneers (10)

The Patriots (3-1, 1-0) haven't had a winning season since 2000 and they're looking to change that in 2016. After beating Duncan (2-2) 43-14 and Putnam North (1-3) 16-5, the Patriots experienced their first loss of the season 29-24 at the Sandites' (2-2) home-opener. They didn't let that hiccup slow them down, and rebounded with a dominating 35-10 district victory over Enid (1-3, 0-1). 

Stillwater (2-2, 0-1) started with one seriously tough pre-district schedule and secured a pair of high quality wins against ranked 6A-I opponents, before giving up a big upset this week. They won their season opener against Edmond Memorial (3-2) 24-7, then lost 16-7 to Moore (2-2) before netting another big win over Mustang (3-1) at 36-24. The Pioneers clearly have what it takes to win big games against big opponents, but after falling 21-14 to Deer Creek at home, they're going to need to buckle down and secure some district wins if they want a shot at their first State Championship since 1967. The Pioneers are led on the ground by Josiah Castleberry who has already ran over 600 yards thus far this season. 

The pick: Putnam West 33 Stillwater 29

No. 10 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9) vs No. 12 Enid Plainsmen (13)

Choctaw (2-2, 0-1) is still struggling to find its place in the rankings, starting strong with 52-42 and 45-41 wins over Sapulpa (0-4) and Sand Springs (2-2), respectively, but falling 17-14 to Putnam City North (1-3) and 36-32 to Putnam City (3-1, 1-0). The Yellowjackets are true to their name when it comes to offense, hammering their opponents from the air, but just can't seem to get their defense rolling. QB Dylan Weaver is 64 of 107 for 864 yards this season.

Enid (1-3, 0-1) was edged out 22-19 in the season opener by Guthrie (2-2) and got in the win column in week two with a 42-31 victory over Ponca City (1-3, 0-1), but hasn't come close since. They were dominated in week three 44-14 by Bishop McGuinness (3-1) and shut down 25-10 last week by Putnam West (3-1, 1-0). 

The pick: Choctaw 40 Enid 10

No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (11) vs No. 14 Ponca City Wildcats (15)

Bartlesville (1-3, 0-1) and Ponca (1-3, 0-1) are both in precarious spots this season with a single win apiece and one of the two destined to be 0-2 in district play after this Friday's meet. The Bruins' lone win was a close 27-24 over McAlester (2-2) while Ponca blanked Guthrie (2-2) 9-0. 

The Bruins were utterly dominated 63-6 at the hands of Muskogee (4-0) last week, while the Wildcats were shut out 47-0 by Booker T Washington (3-2). Bartlesville has shuffled through three quarterbacks this year after starter Garrett Meidl was out with a knee injury and Will Walton and AJ Archambo both tried out the position. Meidl returned to action against Muskogee but was held to a mere 10 completions on 24 attempts for 59 yards. Ponca QB Brice McDougal has a solid record this season with 58 completions on 104 passes for 729 yards and only 3 interceptions. 

The pick: Bartlesville 21 Ponca 14

6A-II District One Standings

Putnam City West (1-0)
Deer Creek (1-0)
Putnam City (1-0)
Midwest City (1-0)

Lawton (0-1)
Choctaw (0-1)
Stillwater (0-1)
Enid (0-1)

6A-II District Two Standings

Muskogee (1-0)
Booker T (1-0)
Sand Springs (1-0)
Bixby (0-0)

Bartlesville (0-1)
Ponca City (0-1)
Sapulpa (0-1)

Week Four 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

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Photo: Morgan Miller

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

No. 1 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 1) vs. 6A No. 4 Westmoore Jaguars

The 6A-II back-to-back defending State Champions (1-2) bit off the second-toughest pre-conference schedule in the division and paid the price, starting with an 0-2 record. They also reaped the reward of experience and dolled out that experience on the Putnam City Pirates (2-1) Friday night. The Pirates stood little chance and what few scores they managed were the result of opportunistic slips in the Spartan defense. The whole of their offense was ineffective against the Spartans and the Bixby tide rolled to a 56-20 victory. Bixby held Putnam to a mere six first-downs and 187 yards against twenty-nine first downs and 473 yards of total offense. QB Tanner Griffin connected on 31 of 44 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns and the run game was alive and well with Tucker Pawley who needed only two quarters to run 28 times for 167 yards and four touchdowns.

Westmoore (3-0) received a nice bump in the 6A-I rankings after upsetting in-town rival No. 3 Southmoore 34-28 in overtime in week two for their second ranked win after beating rival No. 10 Moore (2-1) 51-41 in week one. This past Friday they handled unranked Edmond North (0-3) 21-7. Their offense was slow and only scored one touchdown with five drives ending on downs. The defense saved the game with a pick six and a forced fumble, and the third touchdown came on a punt return.

The Pick: Bixby 38, Westmoore 34

No. 2 Booker T. Washington Hornets (2) vs No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (15)

Booker T Washington (2-2) has had two close ones and two blow outs this season. They lost a close one to 6A-I No. 8 Edmond Santa Fe (2-1) when the Wolves were still ranked No. 3, and followed it up with a close 21-14 win over Midwest City (1-2) in week two. The next week they played the number two team in the country and it might as well have been a college team. IMG Academy (4-0) features 29 NCAA Division One-commits and the Ascenders topped the Hornets 49-7. This past weekend it was time for the Hornets to bring the rain, powering through 5A Shawnee (1-2) 43-6.

Ponca City (1-2) took a bye week after netting their first win 9-0 over 5A Guthrie. The first two weeks weren't nearly as pretty as Edmond Memorial and Enid both hung 42 points on the Wildcats. Enid was somewhat close at 42-31, but Edmond was a 42-6 blowout.

The pick: BTW 54, Ponca 9

No. 3 Muskogee Roughers (3) vs No. 11 Bartlesville Bruins (9)

The Muskogee Roughers (3-0) are the only undefeated team remaining in the division and look to continue that streak into district play. They've only notched one win against a ranked opponent, 16-12 over Midwest City, but scored blowouts in the following games. After topping McAlester (1-2) 51-13, they did even worse to Bentonville West (0-3). The Wolverines are the bottom-ranked team in Arkansas Class 7A, and the Roughers had little difficulty in a 62-13 victory. 

The Bruins (1-2) are in a rebuilding year after graduating most of their top performers in last year's powerful season. They won a close one 27-24 over McAlester in week one and were blown out 59-14 and 27-7 by 6A-I No. 7 Owasso (1-2) and 4A No. 4 Cascia Hall (2-1), respectively. 

The Pick: Muskogee 43, Bartlesville 18

No. 4 Midwest City Bombers (4) vs No. 5 Lawton Wolverines (7)

The marquee matchup of the week in 6A-II, the Bombers (1-2) and Wolverines (1-2) will kick off district play with much to prove. The Bombers have held their top-five ranking thanks to strength of schedule after falling 16-12 to Muskogee and 21-14 to Booker T. Last week they notched their first win 28-21 over 5A No. 6 Del City (2-1) while the Wolverines got in the win column with a 1000+ yard total offensive beat down on 5A Eisenhower (0-3). Lawton has also had a tough season thus far with some of the top dogs in 5A. They dropped a 56-41 shootout with 5A No. 3 Carl Albert (3-0) and 5A No. 1 Lawton MacArthur (3-0).

Lawton's pass game has been average at best, but Tre Curry is already at 589 yards rushing with only 79 carries for 6 touchdowns. The Bombers, however, are well prepared for the run game after holding Booker T to under 100 yards on the ground. 

The Pick: No consensus. Scott Emigh calls it 24-21 to MWC, Virgil Noah calls it 27-21 to Lawton.

No. 6 Sand Springs Sandites (6) vs No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (14)

One of the greatest rivalries in Oklahoma football is renewed this Friday in Sand Springs. The Chieftains (0-3) lead the Highway 97 Rivalry 44-42-3, but the Sandites have won the past two years by substantial margins, including a brutal 44-10 beat-down last season. The series is tied at 8-8 since 2000.

The Sandites are coming into the game with a lot to prove after dropping their first two games and barely winning the third. Last years' State Runners-Up scheduled a big dog in 5A Arkansas State Champions Pulaski Academy and were handily defeated 56-21. In week two they were unable to shut down the Choctaw air raid and gave up a 45-41 come-from-behind upset. They struggled offensively against Putnam West, but key defensive and special teams plays gave them the close 29-24 win.

The Pick: Sand Springs 46, Sapulpa 22

No. 7 Putnam City Pirates (8) vs No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (5) 

After scoring a surprising upset over the Sandites (1-2) in week two, the Yellowjackets were in-turn upset in week three. 6A-I Putnam City North (1-2) lost both in-town rivalry games 16-7 to Putnam City and 16-5 to Putnam City West, but got in the win column with a huge upset 17-14 over Choctaw. 

Choctaw relied on its powerful air-raid offense to win close 90+ point shootouts with Sapulpa and Sand Springs, but when it met Ryan Laverty's newly established Panther defense, they were useless without a substantial ground game. The Panthers forced seven turnovers, including six interceptions for the win.

Putnam City (2-1) already proved themselves against the Putnam North defense, then steamrolled El Reno 52-6 in week two. They suffered their first loss last week to the top-ranked Spartans, but still managed to score 20 points on big home-run plays. The Pirates have a versatile offense, transitioning smoothly to the ground after the Putnam North pass-defense held them to 90 yards, but managed to throw well against both El Reno and Bixby. 

The Pick: Choctaw 33, Putnam 32. 

No. 8 Putnam City West Patriots (11) vs No. 13 Enid Plainsmen (10)

The Patriots (2-1) gave the Sandites a run for their money last weekend, falling 29-24, but still hold solid wins over 5A Duncan 43-14 and 16-5 over in-town rival Putnam North (1-2). QB Trey Gooch was 16-25-1-172 passing against the Sandites and also carried 14 times for 72 yards and was in on every touchdown. 

The Plainsmen (1-2) won a 42-31 shootout with Ponca City in week two, but were edged out by Guthrie 22-19 in week one and were utterly floored 44-14 by 5A No. 7 Bishop McGuinness (2-1) last week. 

The Pick: PCW 26, Enid 17.

No. 10 Stillwater Pioneers (13) vs No. 12 Deer Creek Antlers (12)

The Pioneers (2-1) made a big statement last week with a 34-26 upset of 6A-I No. 9 Mustang (2-1). The Broncos had previously won 42-20 over Yukon and 44-3 over Norman, so if Stillwater's victory is any indicator of their season to come, they could be a serious contender for at least the district title, if not the State Championship. 

The Antlers (0-3) had strength of schedule boosting their ranking the first two weeks, but after losing 48-31 to unranked Edmond Memorial, they're going to have to put in work against Stillwater to prove themselves at the 6A level. That Memorial is a rival and rivalry games are often unpredictable lends the Antlers some credibility still, but going into districts 0-3 doesn't look good for the team's first year out of 5A. 

The Pick: Stillwater 37, Deer Creek 19