Drake Fain and Sandite Football Stave Off Late Bartlesville Rally, Win 36-29 in OT

The sixth-ranked Sandites survived a scare Friday night at Custer Stadium and needed overtime to win 36-29 against No. 8 Bartlesville after squandering a 22-point lead during the Bruins’ Homecoming.

With ten seconds left in regulation, all the momentum was behind the Bartlesville Bruins and PJ Wallace.

The Bruins had out-gained the Sandites 250 yards to 100 in the second half and Wallace was sitting just over 200 yards rushing.

On a fourth-and-five from the Sand Springs’ 37-yard line, Wallace took his 27th handoff of the night and was hammered in the backfield by senior linebacker Drake Fain.

The momentum shifted back to Sand Springs.

“I knew they were gonna run it,” said Fain. “They had about five yards left and I knew that they had the balls to run it and I was just there for it. I just read it perfect.”

Fain had a big night all around, scoring touchdowns on both sides of the ball while recording a team-high seven tackles. He opened the game with a 20-yard pick six on the first play from scrimmage.

“My buddy Dom (Ornelas) actually tipped the ball and it just landed right in my hands,” said Fain. “I’m living right, I guess.”

Dallas Elifrits scooped the Sandites’ second takeaway late in the first quarter, and they cashed in on a one-yard bruiser from Kenneth Page to make it 12-0.

Sand Springs went for two on each of its first two touchdowns and failed to convert on either.

Bartlesville got on the board with a 98-yard kick return from Noah Darnell, but Sand Springs went right back to scoring.

After a quick three-and-out, Owen Floyd recovered a muffed punt and soon after Easton Webb connected with Fain for an eight-yard score.

Keagan Gilman stopped Kaden Brown a yard shy of moving the sticks on a fake punt and the Sandites went back to Page for their ensuing score - this time a two-yard plunge for a 26-7 halftime advantage.

Jonathan Daniels added to the lead with a 29-yard field goal to open the second half, but from there it was all Bruins.

81 yards in second-half penalties derailed the Sandites and fueled the Bruin fire as Nate Neal found Damien Niko for a 36-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Wallace broke off a 63-yard scoring run that put him over 1,000 yards on the season, then Neal added a four-yard toss to Eli Lino with 2:16 left to play to tie it up.

Sand Springs got the ball to start overtime and Page put the visitors back on top with a three-yard plunge.

Gilman put the game to bed, drilling Neal as he threw on fourth-and-nine to cement the win.

“We’re back to our old ways of stupid, personal foul penalties,” said head coach Bobby Klinck.

“That’s been a point of emphasis for what we’ve done. But to get lucky enough for it not to cost us a win, especially in district, and to have a chance to have a home playoff game, that’s huge that it didn’t cost us.”

The game marked the first overtime outing for the Sandites since a 2018 loss at Shawnee.

“It’s always fun,” said Klinck. “To have that type of second half and a lot of chips stacked against us, and for us to step up right there says a lot about our team. I’m very proud of them.”

Webb finished the night 21-of-32 passing for 175 yards, with Brody Rutledge hauling in 9 catches for 100 yards. Page added 55 yards on 24 carries.

Bartlesville will return to action Friday at No. 4 Muskogee (8-0, 5-0) while the Sandites will travel to No. 5 Booker T. Washington (4-4, 3-2).

CPHS;12;14;3;0;7–;36.

BHS;7;0;8;14;0–;29.

First Quarter
CPHS - Fain 20 interception return (pass failed), 11:48
CPHS - Page 1 run (run failed), 0:07
BAR - Darnell 98 kick return (Gordan-Bernstein kick), 0:00

Second Quarter
CPHS - Fain 8 pass from Webb (Daniels kick), 7:30
CPHS - Page 2 run (Daniels kick), 0:39

Third Quarter
CPHS - Daniels 29 field goal, 5:58
BAR - Niko 36 pass from Neal (Niko pass from Neal), 1:34

Fourth Quarter
BAR - Wallace 63 run (Gordan-Bernstein kick), 10:31
BAR - Lino 4 pass from Neal (Gordan-Bernstein kick), 2:16

OT
CPHS - Page 3 run (Daniels kick)

Team Statistics

First Downs: CPHS 18, BHS 14. Rushes-Yards: CPHS 41-107, BAR 31-195. Com-Att-Int: CPHS 21-33-0, BHS 12-28-1. Passing Yards: CPHS 175, BHS 173. Total Yards: CPHS 282, BHS 368. Fumbles-Lost: CPHS 1-0, BHS 4-2. Penalty Yards: CPHS 126, BHS 40. Punts-AVG: CPHS 7-36.9, BHS 1-16. Records: CPHS 5-3 (3-2), BHS 3-5 (2-3).

Stillwater Throttles Sandites 58-7 on the Gridiron

The top-ranked Stillwater football team looked like a well oiled machine when it rolled into Memorial Stadium Friday night. The Pioneers dominated No. 6 Sand Springs to the tune of 58-7 to improve to 6-0 on the season.

“In the first half we played really well,” said Stillwater head coach Tucker Barnard. “Really good on both sides of the ball.”

A mild understatement. The Pioneers scored on six of seven possessions while holding the Sandites to only 24 yards of offense for a 44-0 halftime lead.

“Threw the ball really well, protected really well. Pretty pleased with that,” said Barnard. “Defense was pretty dominant in the first half. Just gotta finish. I think we came out a little flat in the second half

Senior quarterback Gage Gundy was 21-of-31 passing for 309 yards and only played two series in the second half, scoring five total touchdowns.

Junior star Heston Thompson helped his already exceptional quarterback look even better with 134 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone.

“He’s a great player,” said Barnard. “He’s got great speed. He’s getting better and better as far as being a receiver. He’s running great routes, he’s continuing to improve there. He’s a kid that’s always been, on grade level, better than everybody else around him. Now in high school he’s really learning how to be better at the craft.”

Thompson scored on receptions of 27, 19, 49, and 5 yards, while Josh Ford added a 6-yard scoring reception in the first half.

Julius Talley also got on the board, tackling Jonathan Daniels for a safety after the Sandite punter lost a high snap over his head late in the second quarter.

Noah Roberts scored on a pair of one-yard runs and ended the night with 12 carries for 93 yards, while Ondre Long also had a one-yard touchdown dive.

The Sandites moved the ball fairly well in the second half behind Kehlan Corbbrey, who ended the night with 18 carries for 96 yards. The freshman running back averted the shutout with a 5-yard plunge late in the third.

“Coach (Bobby) Klinck has things heading in the right direction for sure,” said Barnard. “They’re playing with a ninth grader at quarterback. They’re playing the second half with a ninth grader at tailback. The future’s really good here.”

Stillwater will play its last home game of the regular season Thursday against No. 9 Bartlesville (3-3, 2-1) before going on the road for the rest of the season.

“We’re a long way from perfection,” said Barnard. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and it doesn’t get easy. So we’ve got to keep our foot on the gas.”

“Little bit of road warrior mentality right now, but that’s okay. I don’t love it. We wouldn’t have set it up that way on purpose, but it’s probably good for us to have a test on the road a little bit. We’re going to have to win on the road in the playoffs.”

Sand Springs will host Putnam City West (2-4, 0-3). The Sandites lead the Patriots 4-0 all time.

Stillwater;14;30;14;0–;58
CPHS;0;0;7;0–;7

First Quarter
ST - Thompson 27 pass from Gundy (Grant kick), 10:36
ST - Thompson 19 pass from Gundy (Grant kick), 5:09

Second Quarter
ST - Ford 6 pass from Gundy (Grant kick), 11:54
ST - Thompson 49 pass from Gundy (Grant kick), 9:57
ST - Thompson 5 pass from Gundy (Grant kick), 5:36
ST - Talley safety, 3:47
ST - Roberts 1 run (Grant kick), 2:31

Third Quarter
ST - Roberts 1 run (Grant kick), 8:39
ST - Long 1 run (Grant kick), 4:29
CPHS - Corbbrey 5 run (Daniels kick), 1:50

Team Statistics

First Downs: ST 21, CPHS 15. Rushes-Yards: ST 28-157, CPHS 43-137. Comp-Att-In: ST 27-41-0, CPHS 10-18-2. Passing Yards: ST 373, CPHS 39. Total Yards: ST 530, CPHS 176. Fumbles-Lost: ST 1-0, CPHS 4-3. Penalty Yards: ST 70, CPHS 30. Punts-AVG: ST 2-45.5, CPHS 5-39.6. Records: ST 6-0 (3-0), CPHS 3-3 (1-2).

Cash Lucas Sparks Sandites to 25-21 Comeback Win at Tahlequah

Cash Lucas recovered two fumbles Friday night at Doc Wadley Stadium. The second was the spark his team needed to overcome a 21-6 second quarter deficit.

No. 7 Sand Springs (3-2, 1-1) scored 19 unanswered points for a 25-21 victory over No. 8 Tahlequah (2-3, 1-1)  in its first district win of the season.

“Any time you get a road win in 6A Oklahoma high school football, you’ve got to celebrate that,” said Sand Springs coach Bobby Klinck.

The Sandite defense got burned by a 67-yard hook and ladder on the first play from scrimmage when Brody Younger tossed a short pass to Race Stopp, who pitched it to Brayden Northington for the score. 

That one play accounted for nearly a quarter of the Tigers’ offense, however, and the Sandites held Tahlequah to only 65 yards in the second half.

Back-to-back sacks from Dallas Elifrits and Waylon Jeffers put a stop to Tahlequah’s last chance drive late in the fourth and the Sandites escaped with a win.

“I’m more proud of how they responded to some tough plays like that first razzle dazzle,” said Klinck.

“People are going to come after us now. We’re not the same old Sand Springs. People see us as a marquee win, so we’ve got to be ready for that kind of stuff. I’m really proud of the way our guys respond.”

After Tahlequah’s opening score the Sandites put together a 10-play, 56-yard march, but Dylan Leep broke up Easton Webb’s fourth-down pass attempt in the end zone.

Lucas recovered a fumble deep in Tiger territory, but a 28-yard field goal attempt by Jonathan Daniels was no good and the Tigers responded with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring march. 

Younger found Northington wide open on a 9-yard touchdown pass, but the Sandites responded with a 31-yard pass from Webb to Kenneth Page to end the quarter with points on the board. Brody Rutledge’s two-point pass attempt was broken up, however.

Tahlequah opened the second period with an eight-play, 61-yard drive that ended in controversy. A short pass to Eli Gibson appeared to be broken up by Gatlin Gunn, but no whistle was blown.

A full four seconds after everyone else had turned their backs on the ball, Stopp realized it was still live and scooped it up for the touchdown.

After a Sandite turnover on downs and Lucas’s second fumble recovery of the night, the Sandites brought out some trickery of their own.

With 4:47 left in the half, Webb threw a lateral to running back Ali McCoy, who played quarterback in junior high, and the sophomore aired out a 49-yard touchdown pass to Brody Rutledge.

“Anybody on this team - we trust them,” said Klinck. “We put them through a lot around here and we put them through a lot so they make these types of play.”

Rutledge ran the ball for an extra 20 yards after contact, tiptoed the sideline, and dived into the pylon for the score to showcase his athleticism.

“What can you say about him? I mean, he’s just done everything right not only with his talent, but with his work ethic and the way he’s done everything,” said Klinck. “I couldn’t be happier for that young man. It’s all paying off for him.”

A three-and-out set the Sandites up for a 47-yard scoring run by Page, but Jacob Blevins was stopped short on a two-point pass from Rutledge and Tahlequah took a 21-19 lead into the half.

Webb gave his team the lead once and for all on the opening drive of the second half with a three-yard QB draw.

The freshman quarterback ended the night 14-of-24 passing for 201 yards and two total touchdowns. 

Blevins was his top receiver with nine catches for 134 yards, and Page had 32 carries for 208 yards in addition to his 44 receiving yards.

Defensively the team was led by Elifrits, Gunn, and RJ Smittick with six tackles each. Lucas added five. 

Most impactful for the Sandites was their clean performance. After back-to-back games with 150+ yards in penalties, the team only had 30 yards against the Tigers with no unsportsmanlike flags.

“It was a concerted effort to try to eliminate those things,” said Klinck. “We had a nice talk on Sunday and we had to change a few things to make sure that we’re disciplined.”

Younger gave an exemplary performance for the Tigers, going 14-of-17 for 176 passing yards and added 31 more on the ground.

“I just want to give a shoutout to Coach Gilbert over there at Tahlequah,” said Klinck. “I’ve gone against him for a long time and he’s nothing but class. He’s one heck of a football coach and he had those guys ready to play tonight.”

“They’re a team that moved up, but they’re no stranger to big-time football. We knew we were going to get their best shot.”

Next up for the Sandites will be a home test against No. 1 Stillwater (5-0, 2-0). The Pioneers lead the series 31-12-1, winning the most recent meeting 49-17 in the 2020 quarterfinals.

“We’ll look at the tape and make some adjustments, see what we can do, and we’ll get back after it,” said Klinck.

“We’ve got to be ourselves. They’re going to do some different things defensively. We’ve just got to be ourselves and get after it.”

Tahlequah will look to get back to .500 with a road game at No. 6 Muskogee (5-0, 2-0).

Sand Springs;6;13;6;0–;25
Tahlequah;14;7;0;0–;21

1Q: THS - Northington 67 pass from Younger (Jimerson kick), 11:45
1Q: THS - Northington 9 pass from Younger (Jimerson kick), 0:59
1Q: CPHS - Page 31 pass from Webb (pass failed), 0:00
2Q: THS - Stopp 4 fumble return (Jimerson kick), 8:35
2Q: CPHS - Rutledge 49 pass from McCoy (Daniels kick), 5:37
3Q: CPHS - Webb 3 run (pass failed), 6:13

TEAM STATISTICS

First Downs: CPHS 19, THS 13. Rushes-Yards: CPHS 44-201, THS 30-105. Comp-Att-Int: CPHS 14-24-0, THS 14-17-0. Passing Yards: CPHS 201, THS 176. Total Yards: CPHS 402, THS 281. Fumbles-Lost: CPHS 5-1, THS 6-2. Penalty Yards: CPHS 30, THS 65. Punts-AVG: CPHS 1-28, THS 4-36.5. Records: CPHS 3-2 (1-1), THS (2-3, 1-1).

Kenneth Page scores 5 TDs in 35-21 win over Sapulpa

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This story was originally written for the Tulsa World.

Junior running back Kenneth Page blasted his way into the history books Friday night with 205 yards and five touchdowns to lead Sand Springs past Sapulpa, 35-21, in the American Heritage Bank Highway 97 Rivalry. 

The game was played before a maximum capacity crowd of over 3,500 at George F. Collins Stadium, with a state-wide broadcast from Cox YurView, and the Sandites took their first lead in the series since 1943.

It’s been 100 years since the two teams first met, and the Sandites now lead the series 46-45-5.

“A lot’s going through my head right now,” said Page. “My line did their job. I’m thankful they did their job. Without them, I wouldn’t have that.”

Highway 97 Rivalry football games are defined by chaos, and the 96th installment didn’t disappoint with five fumbles, two interceptions, and lots of big momentum swings.

On the third play from scrimmage, the snap bounced off Sandite quarterback Marek Matheson’s hands and was immediately recovered by Isaac Shelton.

One play later and Colton Howard found Marco Smith for a 37-yard touchdown and an early lead. 

Sand Springs responded with a methodical 15-play, 75-yard drive to score on Page’s 2-yard plunge. 

Chieftain quarterback Colton Howard put his team back ahead on a 15-yard scramble after shaking off a near-sack to end the first quarter 14-7.

The home team would only get three opportunities to make a play in the second quarter after an 18-play, 89-yard Sandite drive ate more than 9 minutes off the clock, capped by another 2-yard dive from Page.

A sack from Cash Lucas gave Sand Springs a quick three-and-out and they threatened again but Noah Ferguson picked off Matheson to end the half.

Jabe Schlehuber picked off Howard to give his team a red-zone opportunity in the third quarter but the Chieftains forced a turnover on downs to keep it tied. 

Sapulpa’s next drive was unsuccessful, however, and the Sandites took their first lead on a 5-yard Page run, set up by a 51-yard run on the first play of the drive. 

Smith tied it up for the final time on a 15-yard run, but Page added scores of 15 yards and 54 yards in the final stanza. 

“He’s only scratched the surface of what he can do,” said Sandites head coach Bobby Klinck. “He’s got a lot to work on, but there’s a lot to work with. I was very proud of him.”

The Sandite defense came away with eight tackles for loss, led by senior linebacker Drake Fain with 12 tackles. 

“He’s the leader of our defense,” said Klinck. “Him and Dominic Ornelas. We’re counting on those guys and we’re only gonna get better.”

Matheson also impressed in the fourth quarter, shaking off his early interception and completing two incredible Mahomes-ish completions to Jacob Blevins, including a crucial fourth-down conversion that set up the go-ahead score.

Matheson finished the night 11-of-21 for 154 yards. Howard was 7-of-13 for 111 yards for the Chieftains.

Despite Page’s performance, the Sandites were far from a well-oiled machine. 

“We’ve got to get better,” said Klinck. “Just got to clean some stuff up. I think we’re gonna be a good football team, but we’ve got to get a lot better in a hurry in the next couple of weeks before our next opponent.”

The next opponent being 6A-1 No. 3 Bixby (1-0), who is riding a 50-game win streak. The Sandites will get a bye week before traveling to Bixby Friday, September 9th. 

Sandites show promise in 24-7 preseason loss at Jenks

This story was originally written for the Sand Springs Leader.

It would be easy to try and justify the Sandites’ 24-7 preseason loss to the defending 6A-1 State Champions from Jenks.

After all, the Trojan program has twice the enrollment of Sand Springs, a wealthier community, and a blue blood tradition that includes 18 gold balls. 

But third-year Charles Page High School coach Bobby Klinck doesn’t make excuses for his team and he doesn’t let them make excuses for themselves. 

“I was a little disappointed in the way we came out,” said Klinck. 

“Obviously it’s Jenks. They over-physicalled us a little bit, but what we’ve been trying to instill in these guys is a belief in themselves that no matter who we’re playing, you have an opportunity.”

Klinck doesn’t shy away from giants, hence why the Sandites eagerly scheduled Jenks in the preseason and 6A-1 No. 3 Bixby in the second game of the year. 

“We’re never going to back down and I want our guys to know what that looks like and feels like,” said Klinck.

“We’ve just got to keep grinding, keep pushing. We’re going to keep getting better. I’m never satisfied, but we’re gonna keep getting better.”

The Sandites enter next week’s season opener ranked fifth in Class 6A-2 at 5A No. 9 Sapulpa in the 96th installment of Highway 97 Rivalry. 

It still remains to be seen who will be under center for Sand Springs. 

The obvious front runner is Kiefer move-in Marek Matheson. The 6’2”, 225-pound senior showed confidence and promise as he led his new team on their first four series. 

Matheson was 2-of-4 passing for 15 yards and was sacked twice while the team primarily leaned on Kenneth Page’s 9 carries for 26 yards.

On the final drive of the game, they turned to freshman Easton Webb, who methodically led a 12-play, 65-yard scoring drive against a Trojan unit that had swapped out many of the starters. 

Webb was 6-of-9 for 43 yards and connected on a 14-yard touchdown to Brody Rutledge to avert the shutout. 

“(Matheson)’s been getting the majority of the reps with the ones, but just like anything, whoever’s the week one starter doesn’t mean they’ll be the starter the next week. That’s for every position. It’s a constant, competitive deal every week.”

Jenks’ quarterback Ike Owens was 7-of-10 passing for 98 yards and one score while Jaiden Carroll carried the ball nine times for 79 yards and two touchdowns. 

“We’ve got to become better tacklers, be more physical, and come better mentally prepared,” said Klinck. 

The Trojans scored on each of their drives in the two-quarter game that didn’t allow punt returns or rushing the kicker, and each team started their possessions at the 35-yard line in lieu of a kickoff. 

Jonathan Daniels averaged 38 yards per punt for the Sandites while Drake Fain, Carder Hoffman, Dallas Elifrits, and Dominic Ornelas led the defense. 

The Sandites played a clean game with no penalties or fumbles. 

“I think Kenneth (Page) did a better job running the ball and you know we’ve got two of the best receivers,” said Klinck, referencing Rutledge and Jacob Blevins.

“If we can give our quarterbacks time to get the ball off, we’ve got opportunities in jump ball situations. They’re going to make great catches for us this year.”

Sand Springs is coming off an 8-4 campaign and will see some new faces in district action. The Sandites’ district replaced Bixby, Ponca City, and Choctaw with Stillwater, U.S. Grant, and Tahlequah, while retaining Booker T. Washington, Muskogee, Bartlesville, and Putnam City West. 

The first home game of the year will be September 16th in a non-district battle against Ponca at 7:00 p.m.

State Farm Agent Eric Davidson Donates $10,000 to Sandite Youth Football

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This story was originally written for the Sand Springs Leader.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there to support the Sand Springs football community. 

State Farm agent Eric Davidson presented a $10,000 check to the Sand Springs Youth Football Association Friday morning at Memorial Stadium as part of the company’s community grant program. 

Davidson was one of 100 agents across the country who was recognized for his community involvement and selected to submit a grant for a community program of his choosing. 

“We really take a look at what’s taking place in the community, the agent’s involvement with the community, and the program that the grant is focused on,” said State Farm representative John Burnett.

“SSYFA is overwhelmed by this gracious donation towards our youth football program,” said Director Dustin Little. “We want to thank Eric Davidson for his constant support of youth sports in our community, at all levels, both as a coach and through his philanthropy.”

“Eric has coached for us since 2014, both with basketball and football, and we’ve enjoyed watching his two sons grow and develop through the years.”

To Davidson, the program is less about the sport and more about the life lessons it teaches. 

“There’s so many kids out there that need guidance,” said Davidson. “They need direction, and coaching is one of the best ways to be involved in that.”

“To me there’s not a whole lot better than being able to coach some kids and hopefully leave them better off than when you started.”

The funds will be used to provide 87 sets of shoulder pads and 19 new helmets for the organization, which has 226 players from grades 1-7. The SSYFA also has a cheer program, bringing its total enrollment to over 400.

“We agreed to use this donation for a specific purpose and that’s to ensure the safety of our Sand Springs kids in playing the sport they love,” said Little.

“We try to replenish our equipment every year. We’re one of only a few clubs left that still provide the equipment for the kids.”

“With our demographics, it would be very challenging to tell parents they have to go out and buy this equipment.”

The organization only charges parents $200-250 per season, depending on when they register. It’s not uncommon to spend more than that on shoulder pads and helmets alone.

Having a feeder program like the SSYFA has been crucial to the success of Sandite football, says varsity head coach Bobby Klinck.

“It’s the lifeblood of any high school program. It’s really the front door to what I consider one of the best sports, if not the best sport, to play. So it’s vital.”

“It’s been great ever since I got here,” said Klinck, who is entering his third season at the helm.

“That was a goal of mine, to make sure that there’s a relationship and there’s an open door policy between the high school varsity staff and the SSYFA. It’s been a really great relationship so far.”

He also praised organizations like State Farm for supporting both the youth and prep programs.

“Football can be a major cog in raising young men and teaching them life lessons,” said Klinck. “So it’s a huge deal, and this community has been nothing but giving. Anything I’ve ever asked for, they’ve found a way to get it done. In my opinion, this is one of the best communities I’ve ever been a part of.”

Davidson’s oldest son, Brighton, will be a freshman on Klinck’s team this year, and his youngest, Kingston, will be in 7th grade. 

“From a life lessons standpoint, it’s kind of hard to put into words,” said Davidson. 

“Watching them grow into young men, not only learning things on the field but even more importantly off the field from a character standpoint, from ethics, morals, and how to work hard. There’s consequences and rewards in life and your decisions that you make determine how those are handled.”

“So being able to interject that into the kids as they grow and learn, it’s been a truly rewarding experience. That’s why I chose to partner with Dustin and do this.”