CPHS Football: Muskogee tops Sandites 45-27 with fourth-quarter shutout
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The Class 6A-II No. 9 ranked Charles Page High School football team (1-4, 0-2) had No. 7 Muskogee (4-1, 2-0) on the ropes for much of Friday night’s district shootout, but the Roughers rallied with a 21-0 fourth-quarter shutout for the 45-27 win.
The game was an instant classic as the Sandites scored less than a minute in on only the third play of the night. Joel Mackey ran the ball 29 yards to the Muskogee 29, and Caden Pennington took it to the house with blocking help from Cameron Lierly and JT Bristow. Jaden Weiser’s PAT made it 7-0 at the 11:07 mark.
The Roughers weren’t as explosive as their hosts, but they got the job done on their opening possession, marching 66 yards in ten plays with a four-yard scoring run from Jimmie Coleman. Gage Foreman’s kick tied it at 6:10.
Three plays was too many for the Sandites, and this time they decided to score in one. Seth Jones made a seventeen-yard kick return and Pennington connected on a career-long sixty-yard touchdown pass to Daren Hawkins. Weiser’s PAT made it 14-7 at 5:52.
The Sandite defense came up big on the next drive, holding the Roughers to four consecutive zero-gain plays for a turnover at their thirty yard line. The Rougher defense was equally effective, however, and a fumbled hike on a Sandite punt resulted in a safety. Two plays later and Coleman ran 56 yards for their first lead of the night. Kaunor Ashley made the two-point play for a 17-14 lead.
Sand Springs kicked off the second quarter with a methodical nine-play 65-yard march, capped by a 29-yard run from Mackey and a Weiser PAT. The defense came out strong once again, forcing a punt and a turnover on downs to hold on to a 21-17 halftime lead.
The two teams traded punts to start the third quarter before Muskogee scored on a five-yard run from Coleman. Sand Springs responded with a 27-yard touchdown run from Trey Wilkerson, but a two-point pass attempt fell flat. Up 27-24 at the end of the third, those would be the last points the Sandites scored.
Coleman scored on a four-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter, then on a three-yard run, then Ty Williams scored on a three-yard run for the final score of 45-27.
Pennington started the night 3-6-69 passing but ended 5-14-80-0 after several deep ball attempts in the final minutes. Mackey led the ground game with fifteen carries for 100 yards, followed by Wilkerson with seven carries for 59 and Pennington with twelve carries for 55. Hayden Cramer led the defense with nineteen tackles.
Sand Springs football will return to action next Friday for homecoming against No. 12 Bartlesville (1-4, 0-2).
The Church That Matters Tailgate Crew raised $1,510 for Sandite Baseball prior to the game and has raised more than $5,200 for Sandite Athletics this season. Next week’s tailgate party will benefit Sandite Wrestling, who returns two State Champions this season and has placed top four in the state for the past six seasons.
