CPHS Basketball: Sandites pummel Jaguars 103-67 in season-opener

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It had been a long time since the Sand Springs boys’ basketball team scored 100 points in a single game - if ever. Sandite Pride’s records are incomplete, but we can safely say that Thursday’s season-opening 103-67 win over the NOAH Jaguars (2-4) was at least the highest-scoring game of the Eric Savage era.

“I liked our energy, our focus and our intensity,” said Savage. now in his eighth year as a Sandite. “Just the excitement of getting to play a game again, I think really brought a lot of energy tonight.”

Just getting to play again will be a big motivator for the Sandites, who saw their dream season cut short this March. The boys won Regional and Area tournaments last season but the arrival of COVID-19 in Oklahoma led to the cancelation of the State Tournament. They ended the year 19-7 with wins over the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked teams.

Twelve Sandites saw action in the game against the Northeast Oklahoma Association of Homeschools and all twelve made their way into the scorebook, with four players earning double-digits. Marlo Fox led his team with 23 points, a modest score for the senior standout who has led his team on 17 occasions. Close behind him was Cason Savage with a career-best 20 points and Jason Clark with a career-best 15.

“We had a lot of contribution up and down the lineup tonight but I thought Marlo and Cason were really good early in the first half and kind of set the tone of what you expect from your senior leader guards. They were distributing the ball, but scored when they needed to,” said Savage.

The Jaguars tried to hang close early in the game, and led at 10-8 before Cason Savage dropped a three to kick off a 12-point run. Sand Springs took a 55-30 lead into the locker room and coasted through the second half with lots of contribution from the bench. Their biggest lead came at 103-64 after Damien Williams scored through a foul and sank the bonus point.

The Sandites entered the season ranked No. 15 in the Class 6A coaches poll, and will look to get some much-needed pre-conference reps when they play Inola Monday night at 8:30 p.m. in the first round of the Jerry O’Quin Invitational. They will then travel to Bartlesville Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. to kick off Frontier Valley Conference action.

Jarreth Ingram and Caden Babcock led the Jaguars with 14 points apiece. NOAH will take on the Christian Home Educators Fellowship (CHEF) Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

CPHS 103 NOAH 67
1Q: CPHS 31-18.
2Q: CPHS 24-12.
3Q: CPHS 19-14.
4Q: CPHS 29-23.
Free Throws: CPHS 22-of-33, NOAH 18-of-27.
Field Goals: CPHS 37-of-69, NOAH 22-of-52.
Offensive Rebounds: CPHS 12, NOAH 5.
Defensive Rebounds: CPHS 26, NOAH 16.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 38, NOAH 21.
Steals: CPHS 20, NOAH 8.
Fouls: CPHS 25, NOAH 20.

(Sand Springs)
Scoring: Fox 23, Savage 20, Clark 5, Hawkins 11, Corona 7, Oakley 6, Shoemaker 6, Askew 5, Brockman 3, Williams 3, Keim 2, Stone 2.
Offensive Rebounds: Hawkins 4, Fox 2, Oakley 2, Savage 1, Askew 1, Keim 1, Corona 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Savage 6, Clark 4, Hawkins 3, Fox 3, Askew 3, Brockman 2, Corona 2, Oakley 1, Shoemaker 1, Stone 1.
Total Rebounds: Savage 7, Hawkins 7, Fox 5, Clark 4, Askew 4, Oakley 3, Corona 3, Brockman 2, Keim 1, Shoemaker 1, Stone 1.
Steals: Askew 4, Corona 3, Clark 2, Hawkins 2, Savage 2, Fox 2, Brockman 2, Shoemaker 1, Stone 1, Williams 1.
Assists: Clark 2, Savage 2, Fox 2, Brockman 2, Corona 1, Shoemaker 1.
Fouls: Fox 4, Oakley 4, Brockman 3, Shoemaker 3, Stone 3, Clark 2, Hawkins 2, Keim 2, Askew 1, Corona 1.

(NOAH)
Scoring: Ingram 14, Babcock 14, I. Hislop 11, Wagner 7, Bell 6, Crow 5, Horn 3, C. Hislop 3, Edwards 2, Garner 2.
Fouls: Babcock 4, Wagner 3, Garner 3, Bell 3, Piche 2, Ingram 2, Crow 2, Edwards 1, C. Hislop 1.

In junior varsity action the Sandites got a 4-0 shutout in overtime to win 57-53, with all four points coming at the hands of Costen Brockman. Brockman had a team-high 15 points, followed by Kade Holland with 14 and John Keim with 13.

JV: CPHS 57 NOAH 53
1Q: NOAH 10-7.
2Q: CPHS 18-16.
3Q: CPHS 19-16.
4Q: NOAH 11-9.
OT: CPHS 4-0.

CPHS Scoring: Brockman 15, Holland 14, Keim 13, Williams 6, Stone 4, Shoemaker 3, Jones 2.
NOAH Scoring: Ingram 19, Crow 11, Wagner 10, C. Hislop 3, Jaxson 3, Garner 2, Darren 2, Hill 2, Ashton 1.

CPHS Football: Sandites finish best season since 2016 with loss at Stillwater

The Class 6A-II No. 7 ranked Charles Page High School football team (7-5) wrapped up its season Friday night with a 49-17 quarterfinal playoff loss to No. 2 Stillwater (9-0) on the road. The Pioneers haven’t lost anything but State Championship games in the past three seasons, and they’re one step closer to yet another finals appearance. Meanwhile, Sand Springs finished the year with its best record since 2016.

Sand Springs only trailed 14-7 after the first quarter, but the home team hit the gas for a 42-7 halftime lead. All-time school-leading rusher Qwontrel Walker put up three touchdowns and 177 yards on ten carries in the first half and didn’t play in the second, while first-year quarterback Caleb Allen had as many touchdowns as he did incompletions, going 13-16-229-0 with three more scores in the first half. The Pioneers scored on all six first-half possessions.

Walker had a 27-yard run on the opening drive to set up his 19-yard score. The next Pioneer score was a fluke as Allen threw the ball straight into Daren Hawkins’s hands, but the Sandite defender deflected it up and over to Steven Brown, who waltzed untouched into the end zone from 20 yards out for the 61-yard score. Sand Springs ran a methodical 13-play 65-yard march to get on the board with a one-yard Ty Pennington sneak.

Tevin Williams made an impressive 37-yard touchdown catch over the top of Hawkins on the opening drive of the second quarter. Walker ran in a 66-yarder for a touchdown, then had a 47-yard run to set up an 18-yard scoring pass from Allen to Donnell Wagner. Walker scored the last points of the half on a one-yard run.

Sand Springs made a methodical 67-yard march to the Pioneer red zone before turning it over on downs, but it wasn’t all for nothing. Three plays later Allen threw a 17-yard pick-six to Ryder Barnes for the Sandites’ first defensive touchdown in 16 games.

The home team added one last score on a one-yard run from Noah Roberts late in the third. Sand Springs had the final score as Zach Heinen capped off his career with a personal best 39-yard field goal.

Pennington finished the game 15-of-22 for 181 yards passing and had 20 carries for another 40 yards. Atkison led the team on the ground with 12 runs for 62 yards. Jacob Blevins was the top receiver with two catches for 83 yards.

Allen finished the game 17-22-282-1 passing with three scores, and had three carries for 26 yards. Brown had a game-best four catches for 97 yards. Holden Thompson led the Pioneers in the second half with nine carries for 37 yards.

The Pioneers will return to action Friday at 7:00 p.m. against No. 4 Choctaw (8-3), who defeated No. 6 Putnam North 20-7 in their quarterfinal. The game will be played on a neutral site, to be determined.

CPHS Football Preview: Sandites travel to No. 2 Stillwater Friday in playoffs

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It has been a successful year for the Class 6A-II No. 7 ranked Charles Page High School football team (7-4), who already has more wins this season than the past two years combined. The Sandites are coming off a 34-29 playoff victory over No. 9 Edmond Deer Creek, and on Friday they will look to extend that success against No. 2 Stillwater (8-0). It won’t be an easy task.

The last time the two teams met was also a quarterfinal playoff at Pioneer Stadium, and Sand Springs won that game 49-14. However, despite being the No. 3 seed in their district, the Sandites were also the No. 3 ranked team in the division that year, and went on to finish as State Runners-Up.

Since their last meeting, Sand Springs is 25-31 overall and 2-2 in the playoffs, while Stillwater is 45-11 overall and 4-4 in the playoffs. Stillwater’s last two seasons were both 12-1, with back-to-back State Runner-Up finishes. First-year Sandite Head Coach Bobby Klinck is 20-16 in his career (including a stint at East Central), while Tucker Barnard is 70-39 in his ten seasons with the Pioneers.

Sand Springs currently has the No. 8 ranked offense in Class 6A-II, and the No. 9 defense in points allowed. Stillwater ranks No. 2 in offense, No. 7 in points allowed, and No. 3 in defensive scoring.

Sand Springs fans have only been allotted 400 tickets due to social distancing requirements. They are available for purchase at the Ed Dubie Field House at 600 North Adams Road Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cost is $7.00 each and the department is taking cash only.

The game will kick off Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium, at 1223 North Husband Street in Stillwater.

The Sandites

Junior dual threat quarterback Ty Pennington is 131-of-256 passing this season for 2,089 yards and 14 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. He leads the team on the ground with 177 carries for 675 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Blake Jones has 97 carries for 483 yards and seven touchdowns, and Tyyee Atkison has 36 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown as Jones’s backup.

Keaton Campbell leads the receiving corps with 47 catches for 613 yards and seven touchdowns, followed by Jamon Sisco with 32 catches for 611 yards and three touchdowns, and Jacob Blevins with 26 catches for 606 yards and three touchdowns.

Zach Heinen is 30-for-30 on PATs this season and 2-of-3 on field goals with a long of 36. He averages 33 yards per punt, and Greg Reed averages 45 yards per kick.

Sango Whitehorn leads the team in tackles with 78, followed by Landon Hendricks (77), Brooks Dudley (69), and Drake Fain (68). Hendricks (18.5), Whitehorn (18), and Lane Webster (14) lead the team in tackles for loss. Hendricks (5), Whitehorn (4.5), and Webster (2) also lead the team in sacks.

Brycen Peterman (2), Fain (1), Sallis (1), Bryson Chase (1), Caden Harris (1), Dudley (1), and Micah Calico (1) all have interceptions. Hendricks (5), Peterman (4), Fain (1), Chase (1), Daren Hawkins (1), Brody Rutledge (1), Dominic Ornelas (1), Trevor Stone (1), Braylon Flores (1), and Conner Light (1) all have fumble recoveries.

The Pioneers

First-year starting quarterback Caleb Allen hasn’t missed a beat after taking over for Gunner Gundy. The senior is 108-of-158 passing for 1,612 yards and 16 touchdowns, with only three interceptions. He also has 22 carries for 122 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Steven Brown leads the receiving team with 28 catches for 490 yards and seven touchdowns, followed by Donnell Wagner with 24 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Ty Smithton has 14 catches for 195 yards and a score, and three-star Baylor-commit Tevin Williams has eight catches for 265 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior standout Qwontrel Walker is wrapping up a historic career. Walker ranks 10th in the all-time Oklahoma career rushing list with 7,112 yards, and has 1,546 yards and 26 touchdowns on 181 carries this year. He has yet to run for under 100 yards in a game this season.

Gabe Brown leads the team with 74 tackles, followed by Carter Barnard with 47 and Braeden Bennett with 42. Brown has six tackles for loss, followed by Eyuel Abame (4), Bennett (3), Zac Tyson (3), Luke McEndoo (3), and Williams (3). Brown has five sacks, followed by Tyson, Abame, and McEndoo with two each.

Eli Williams (3), Brown (2), Travoris McFadden (1), Bennett (1), Abame (1), and Tevin Williams (1) all have interceptions. McEndoo (1), Brown (1), Brady Osborn (1), and Barnard (1) all have fumble recoveries.

The Series

Stillwater leads the series 30-12-1. The first meeting was a 14-6 Sandite win in 1934. The Pioneers won ten in a row from 1960 to 1980. Sand Springs has won the past three meetings, which is their longest streak in the series.

Stillwater’s biggest win was 70-6 in 1961 and the Sandites’ biggest win was in 2015. The highest-scoring game in the series was a 45-41 shootout in 2008, with Sand Springs coming out on top. The lowest-scoring game was a 0-0 tie in 1936.

Sand Springs is 3-1 against the Pioneers under Tucker Barnard. He defeated the Sandites 38-37 in his first year, but lost 41-27 in 2012, and 44-41 in 2013.

The two are tied 1-1 in the postseason, with Stillwater spoiling an otherwise perfect season for the Sandites in 1977.

In 2015 the Sandites dominated the Pioneers on all fronts. Hunter Greathouse was 11-of-11 passing for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Trace Fleischman had five receptions for 120 yards and two scores, and added a third on the ground. Lane Lettich had 22 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns, and Payton Scott had 13 carries for 111 yards and another score.

CPHS Football: Sandites survive Deer Creek 34-29 in first-round playoff

In the first ever meeting between the Charles Page and Edmond Deer Creek high school football teams, the Class 6A-II No. 7 ranked Sandites (7-4) secured a 34-29 win over the No. 9 Antlers (4-6) Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. It marked their first playoff victory since 2016, and gave them their first seven-win season since that year as well.

The game almost didn’t happen after contact tracing from the Antlers’ previous game resulted in enough quarantines that they were forced to cancel. The Oklahoma City County Health Department reversed its initial decision, however, and cleared the team to play - resulting in a one-day postponement.

Sand Springs, however, was short 27 players due to contact tracing, which helped the Antlers to keep the game fairly close. Despite never taking the lead, Deer Creek scored ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter after trailing by as much as 17 early in the game.

“We had a bunch of kids out,” said first-year Head Coach Bobby Klinck. “We had three of our starting D-line out so we had to adjust some kids and move some guys inside and move a linebacker down. Gabe Brown did an unbelievable job and was just unselfish with doing that for us.”

Sand Springs took the lead on their second possession and never relinquished it. Ty Pennington scored on a two-yard touchdown run, but was stopped short on the PAT run. On their next possession Blake Jones took a handoff from the 9-yard line and fumbled it at the one, where it rolled into the end zone and was recovered by Ryan Shoemaker for the score. Zach Heinen’s PAT kick made it 13-0 to end the first quarter.

The Antlers came charging back in the second period, however, and turned an 11-play 67-yard drive into a 31-yard field goal from Logan Ward. Sand Springs responded with an eight-play 80-yard drive capped by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Pennington to Jacob Blevins for the 20-3 lead.

Sand Springs forced a three-and-out and was driving the field again, threatening from the Antler 38-yard line when Reed Eden forced and recovered a fumble to set up a two-play 43-yard drive. Brett Pense threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Ward, then Ward took a wildcat snap on the two-point play and pitched it to Taylor Tomlin who connected with Pense to make it 20-11.

Sand Springs once again drove the field and got as close as the three-yard line, but Cyrus Scheihing sacked Pennington to drain the clock and avert the score.

Jones made up for his earlier fumble with a 14-yard scoring run on the opening drive of the second half, but Deer Creek was quick to respond. Pense hit Hunter Holley on a go-route for a 68-yard score, then ran in the two-point play to make it 27-19.

Jones picked up a first-down on a seven-yard run to enter the red zone, but was injured on the play and didn’t reenter the game. Pennington scored the Sandites’ final touchdown on an 18-yard scamper and Heinen’s kick made it 34-19.

Then came the Antlers. Eden strip-sacked Pennington on third-and-17 and Andre Bruner scooped up the fumble and returned it two yards for the score. Deer Creek defense came up strong again with a three-and-out, then the offense marched 55 yards and Ward kicked a 25-yard field goal with 5:49 on the clock and three timeouts remaining.

Sand Springs picked up two first downs before stalling out at midfield, and the Antlers had one last shot to rally for the upset. Pense had a run for no gain, then threw two deep incompletions before Landon Hendricks sacked him for the turnover on downs. Tyyee Atkison picked up a first down at the Antler 8-yard line and the Sandites assumed victory formation for the win.

“It’s playoff football,” said Klinck. “That’s a well-coached football team. We’ve got to learn to put people away, but we’ll take it. It’s kind of a different type of playoff win, but any time you can keep advancing into the playoffs it’s a good deal. These kids handled it great.”

Pennington had yet another career night on the ground, running 27 times for 174 yards and two scores, and was 14-of-26 passing for 166 yards and another touchdown. Blevins was his top receiver with five catches for 102 yards and the score. Jones finished the night with 10 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Pense was 17-of-36 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns and Will Hinton led the Antlers on the ground with 14 carries for 59 yards. Berkley Dalton was the top receiver with six catches for 65 yards.

Sandite Football will return to action Friday at 7:30 p.m. at No. 2 Stillwater (8-0) in their first playoff quarterfinal appearance since 2017. The last time they played the Pioneers was 2015 when the Sandites dominated 49-14 in a first-round playoff road game. Since then the Pioneers have become a powerhouse, losing only twice in three years, both times in the State Championship finals.

CPHS Football: Playoff game vs. Deer Creek rescheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

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If there’s one thing that’s consistent in 2020, nothing is for sure and plans can change on a moment’s notice.

The Charles Page High School football team was supposed to host Edmond Deer Creek Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of the OSSAA Class 6A-II playoffs, but on Wednesday it was announced that the game had been canceled and Sand Springs would advance to play Stillwater in the quarterfinals. By Thursday afternoon the game was back on, but was moved to Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

The initial cancelation occurred because a player on the U.S. Grant football team tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after the Generals’ game against Deer Creek last Friday. The Oklahoma County Health Department used game footage to do contract tracing and initially told Deer Creek that a large number of their players would have to quarantine, but by Thursday the health department had reversed course and cleared the Antlers to play.

Good news for Sand Springs and Deer Creek. Not so much for U.S. Grant, however, who had to cancel their non-playoff makeup game against Putnam City West. Those two teams, who finished bottom of their districts, had intended to play a game they were billing the “OKC Metro Bowl.” Then again, they do have the freedom to reschedule it for any point up to December 5th if the two teams can put together a full lineup.

When Sand Springs got word that their game was canceled, they immediately went into prep mode for Stillwater, who will play the winner of Sand Springs vs. Deer Creek next week. The Pioneers got a bye in round one. Because the Antlers missed practice yesterday, and Sand Springs was preparing for the Pioneers, they decided to push this weekend’s game back to Saturday to give the teams an extra day of preparation.

So, barring yet another last minute change, the No. 7 ranked Sandites (6-4) will get to host their first playoff game since 2013 on Saturday, and it will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Knock on wood. Sand Springs will be making its first playoff appearance since 2017, and the No. 9 ranked Antlers (4-5) will make their first playoff appearance since 2015.

Sand Springs is one of only three schools in Class 6A-II to play a full ten games this season. Almost every other school had COVID-related cancellations. Because of this, a new play-in round was added to the postseason, and schools could opt in regardless of their record.

With a 4-3 district record, Sand Springs would have qualified for the playoffs even in a regular season. But they would be traveling to undefeated No. 2 Stillwater (8-0) for a game in which they would be at least a 20-point underdog. Instead, Stillwater will get a first-round bye and Sand Springs will host Deer Creek, who went 3-4 for fifth in their district.

Sand Springs started the season 4-1 before suffering three-straight losses to Booker T. Washington, Bixby, and Choctaw. They finished strong with a 21-14 win over Bartlesville, and steamrolled Putnam City West 51-13 after taking a 44-0 lead in the first half.

Deer Creek is also peaking at the right time. They went 2-1 in non-district play, just like Sand Springs, but lost four games in a row once district action started. However, in-between those four losses, they had a cancelation against Northwest Classen, who they were the odds-on favorite to beat. Two weeks ago they got a big 20-18 win over Lawton, then they stormed past U.S. Grant 51-6 in the regular season finale.

Sand Springs ranks 8th in offense, 10th in defense, and 9th in margin of victory in Class 6A-II. Deer Creek ranks 12th in offense, 14th in defense, and 13th in margin of victory.

The Sandites are in their first season under Head Coach Bobby Klinck, who holds a 19-16 record in his career. The Antlers are led by Wade Standley, who is 17-22 in his four seasons with the program, and is 64-61 in his career. Both coaches have led their past teams to District titles and State Championship finals appearances.

This will also be a big weekend for the little league Sandites. The 7th Grade team will be playing Union Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at Lincoln Christian High School in the Indian Nations Football Conference Championship, and the 6th Grade Sandites will be playing Metro Christian Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the Championship game at Glenpool High School.

The Sandites

Junior quarterback Ty Pennington is 118-of-231 passing for 1903 yards and 13 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He also has 148 carries for a team-best 494 yards and 11 more touchdowns.

Blake Jones has 87 carries for 410 yards and six touchdowns, Jamon Sisco has 35 carries for 119 yards, and Tyyee Atkison has 28 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Keaton Campbell is the top receiver with 46 catches for 601 yards and seven scores. Sisco has 29 catches for 574 yards and three scores, and Jacob Blevins has 21 catches for 504 yards and two scores.

Zach Heinen remains perfect kicking PATs this season at 26-of-26, and he is 2-of-3 on field goals with a long of 36. Heinen averages 33 yards per punt, and Greg Reed averages 45 yards per kick.

Sango Whitehorn (78), Landon Hendricks (77), Brooks Dudley (69), and Drake Fain (68) lead the team in total tackles. Hendricks (18.5), Whitehorn (18), and Lane Webster (14) lead the team in tackles for loss. Hendricks (5), Whitehorn (4.5), and Webster (2) lead the team in sacks.

Brycen Peterman leads the team with two interceptions, and Fain, Dylan Sallis, Bryson Chase, Caden Harris, Dudley, and Micah Calico all have one pick apiece.

Hendricks leads the team in fumble recoveries with five, followed by Peterman with four. Chase, Darren Hawkins, Brody Rutledge, Trevor Stone, Dominic Ornelas, Braylon Flores, Conner Light, and Fain all have one apiece.

The Antlers

Junior quarterback Brett Pense is 94-of-198 passing this season for 1,210 yards and 10 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions. He also has 67 carries for 81 yards and two more scores on the ground.

Berkley Dalton leads the receiving corps with 14 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Logan Ward with 18 catches for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Taylor Tomlin has 18 receptions for 187 yards and two scores, and Hunter Holley has nine catches for 176 yards and a score.

Will Hinton leads the team on the ground with 107 carries for 765 yards and five touchdowns, followed by Michael Holley with 45 carries for 214 yards and a score.

Reed Eden, Andre Bruner, Eli Dunn, Asher Blue, and Joseph Davies lead the team in tackles per loss. Blue, Davies, and Denver Hanna have two sacks apiece. Jevion Jones has a team-best two interceptions, and Johnny Osborne has a team-best two fumble recoveries.

Ward handles the team’s kicking duties and is 16-of-18 on PATs this year. He is 4-of-5 on field goals with a long of 42, and he averages 30 yards per punt.

Around The State

No. 15 Northwest Classen (1-4) started the year with a win but canceled five-straight games due to COVID before losing to U.S. Grant. They forfeited their last three games for non-COVID reasons, which disqualified them from postseason competition. They still have the option to schedule a non-playoff game at any point prior to the conclusion of the postseason, if they can find a willing opponent.

No. 1 Bixby, No. 2 Stillwater, and No. 4 Choctaw all received byes in the first round. Stillwater has lost only two games in three seasons, both to Bixby, both in the State Championship finals. Choctaw is riding a four-game win streak, and their only in-state loss was to Bixby when they held the Spartans to a season-low scoring performance of 24-13. Bixby has won 33-consecutive games over three seasons, and is coming off a nationally-televised 70-21 win over Booker T. Washington on ESPN.

No. 5 Putnam City North (7-2) will host No. 12 Bartlesville (3-7), No. 8 Del City (3-5) will host No. 11 Ponca City (3-5), No. 3 Midwest City (6-2) will host No. 13 Muskogee (0-6), and No. 6 Booker T. Washington (6-3) will host No. 10 Lawton (4-4).

CPHS Football: First round playoff vs. Deer Creek canceled, Sandites advance to Stillwater

The first-ever meeting between Charles Page High School and Edmond Deer Creek will have to wait for a future season. The Class 6A-II No. 9 ranked Antlers (4-5) have decided to cancel their first-round matchup against the No. 7 Sandites (6-4) due to COVID-19 concerns.

Deer Creek only had a post-season opportunity to begin with due to a COVID-19-related ruling by the OSSAA that anyone could join the playoffs, regardless of their record, due to the number of district cancelations this season. In a normal year, the Sandites would have been on the road to No. 2 Stillwater (8-0) in their first round game, but when Deer Creek opted in it gave the Sandites a home game.

Now, the Stillwater-Sand Springs matchup will happen next Friday, without the opportunity for Sand Springs to host its first playoff game since 2013. The cancelation could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Sandites, who would have been shorthanded due to quarantines.

The district as a whole is facing significant uptick in COVID-related quarantines, and as of Friday’s weekly report, 15% of Charles Page High School students and faculty are currently stuck at home. Beginning tomorrow, the district’s secondary schools will be going to Distance Learning for the next two weeks.

Sandite Football players will now have ten days to isolate and ensure that they’ll be available for this huge matchup against the back-to-back State Runners-Up. The Pioneers lead the series 30-12-1 overall, but the schools are tied 1-1 in the postseason. In their last meeting the Sandites rolled to a 49-14 victory on the road in 2015.