Football Preview: Sandites Headed to U.S. Grant for Regular Season Finale

The Class 6A-II No. 5 ranked Charles Page High School football team (6-3, 4-2) will wrap up the regular season Thursday night at U.S. Grant (2-7, 0-6), virtually a guaranteed win.

Even if Grant pulls off the upset of the century, the Sandites will still finish the year third in district play for the first time since 2015.

Sand Springs is coming off a 24-14 win against No. 10 Booker T. Washington, snapping a seven-year losing streak to the Hornets. The Generals are looking to snap a 16-game district losing streak or at least avoid a sixth consecutive shutout.

The game will be held at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City, which is celebrating its 90th birthday next year. Taft Stadium was built in 1934 by the Works Progress Administration as part of the Second New Deal. Following a $9.7 million renovation from 2013 to 2015, the stadium has a capacity of 7,500, down from its original 18,000.

The historic stadium has hosted a 1956 NASCAR Convertible Series contest, Bedlam games from 1943 to 1944, high school state championships in various sports, and was the home of the Oklahoma City Energy FC from 2015 to 2021.

Taft Stadium is located at 2501 North May Avenue.

Gates open at 5:45 with Senior Night festivities beginning at 6:15 p.m. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $2 for students and $5 for adults. Generals fans can enter through the North gates while Sandites must enter through the South gates. No re-entry is allowed.

The Senior Night celebration will recognize football, cross country, cheer, pom, and band, and there will be a Senior Circle following the game.

The Series

Sand Springs won 83-0 last year in the first and only meeting between the two programs. It was the largest win in program history for the Sandites, who took a 48-0 lead in the first quarter on only eight offensive plays.

Brody Rutledge tossed a forward pitch to Jabe Schlehuber for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Charles Gaylord recovered the ensuing kick and Kenneth Page score a 36-yard touchdown run on the next play. Kyle Morrall recovered the next kick and Page scored on an 8-yard run for a 21-0 lead before the Generals’ offense ever stepped on the field.

The Sandites led 48-0 after the first quarter and were 62-0 at halftime. They scored ten rushing touchdowns and a punt return for a touchdown, out-gaining the Generals 438 yards to 41.

Last Week

Easton Webb was 8-of-14 passing last week for 63 yards. Kenneth Page led the ground game with 17 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns while Ali McCoy had 12 carries for 53 yards and a score. Dawson Puckett kicked a career-long 42-yard field goal.

Owen Floyd led the defense with 8 tackles, followed by Dallas Elifrits and Gatlin Gunn with 7 apiece. Elifrits had three tackles for loss and Waylon Jeffers had two sacks.

On the Season

Sand Springs has established itself as a dominant team in the trenches, averaging 185 rushing yards per game while passing for 110.

Webb is 65-of-102 passing for 787 yards, 5 TDs, and 6 INTs with 1 rushing TD. Caleb Goodman has 38 catches for 499 yards and 4 TDs.

Page has 155 carries for 848 yards and 11 TDs plus 2 TD receptions. McCoy has 92 carries for 731 yards and 9 TDs.

Dawson Puckett is 28-of-31 on PATs and 3-of-4 on field goals with a career-long of 42 yards.

The defense is led by Floyd with 69 tackles, Gunn with 56 tackles, and Alex Dudley with 47 tackles. Gunn has a team-best three interceptions.

Kelsi Hilton Makes All-State Softball Team

Kelsi Hilton take third base in a game against Moore.

Senior pitcher and infielder Kelsi Hilton has been named to the Oklahoma Fast Pitch Coaches Association (OFPCA) All-State team, marking the sixth consecutive year a Sandite has received the honor. She is the 50th all-time selection from Sand Springs.

Hilton batted .430 this season with a .550 slugging average and .468 on-base percentage, hitting six doubles and two home runs to score 30 runs and 19 RBI.

Morgan Rector catches a fly ball in a game against Moore.

She committed only three errors on the season while playing shortstop and third base in addition to her time in the circle where she went 5-4 with a 5.4 ERA, striking out nearly 20% of the batters she faced. She also pitched a perfect game on Senior Night against Booker T. Washington.

Hilton is committed to playing at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma, an NCAA Division II program competing in the Great American Conference.

Hilton was also named to the All-District 6A-2 and All-Region 14-East teams.

Senior outfielder Morgan Rector also was named to the All-Region team and junior pitcher Addison Hughes was named to the All-District team.

Addison Hughes pitches in a game against Moore.

Lakelyn Harger, Bella Wilson, Kenzie King, Rector, and Kaylei Rake all received All-District Honorable Mentions.

The Sandites went 19-15 overall this season, falling in the Regional finals at Edmond Memorial.

Sandites Snap 7 Year Losing Streak to Booker T. Washington, 24-14 on Senior Night

Kenneth Page (Pictured against Tahlequah) ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Booker T. on Senior Night. (Photo: Charity Emigh).

Class 6A-II No. 5 Charles Page High School (6-3, 4-2) snapped a seven-year losing streak against Booker T. Washington Friday night at Memorial Stadium, winning 24-14 on Senior Night against the No. 10 Hornets (2-8, 1-6) behind a powerful run game.

Senior Kenneth Page scored two touchdowns and ended the night with 17 carries for 130 yards to lead all players in his third triple-digit performance of the season.

“It feels great,” said Page. “This morning we found out it had been seven years, so I was like ‘Wow. We’ve got to get the job done, we’ve got to change the program and get it done tonight.’”

Sand Springs never trailed after jumping out to a 10-0 first quarter lead, but was never able to pull away from the pesky Hornets.

The Sandites forced a turnover on downs on the opening drive and cashed in six plays later on a career-long 42-yard field goal by Dawson Puckett.

The visiting Hornets marched as far as the Sand Springs 25-yard line before Hudson Sheppard, Gatlin Gunn, and Joseph Farmer combined to stuff Kuhron Ross on fourth-and-one.

The teams traded punts from there, but Page made it a two-score game with a 44-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

“That play we had a fake sprint out and I’m coming back, I’m getting the ball, and I just see Tank (Tyler Smith) pull, wide open,” said Page. “Then I had to make sure the corner didn’t get me, so I had to run zig zags, but it was a great moment.”

Washington’s next trip to Sandite territory ended in a 26-yard interception return by Gunn, but the visitors got the ball back two plays later on a fumble recovery from Koreon Williams.

That turnover resulted in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Levi Brooks to Daylinn Overstreet to open the second quarter.

Three punts later, the Hornets threatened again, but Landyn Barnes picked off Brooks in the Sandite red zone and the home team took a knee to enter halftime.

“It was huge,” said head coach Bobby Klinck. “We give our guys opportunities to make plays and for the most part they made them tonight.”

Ali McCoy lost two fumbles last week against Bartlesville, but his hands were glue traps on Friday after receiving the Darnell Jefferson treatment.

“If anyone else brings this ball back to me, you’ll wish you were never born,” Klinck told McCoy on Monday, tasking him with babysitting a football all day in the spirit of the 1993 cult classic “The Program.”

The ploy worked as McCoy ended the night with 12 carries for 53 yards and a one-yard touchdown plunge to open the second half.

“I had to teach them about the movie,” said Klinck. “They didn’t know about it yet, so that was kind of fun. He brought it back, he was sweating, it was great.”

Washington tried to convert on fourth down to open the fourth quarter but Keagan Gilman lit up Brooks as he threw and the ball darted harmlessly into the turf.

This time it was Page’s turn to cash in, scoring on a six-yard run to go up 24-7 with 7:49 to play.

But, the Hornets would not go gentle into that good night.

Stefon Williams recovered a muffed punt deep in Sandite territory and Brooks scored on a two-yard draw for the final touchdown of the game.

Sand Springs successfully fielded an onside kick attempt and ate the final 5:20 of clock on the ground, picking up a trio of first downs to enter the Hornet red zone behind the legs of wildcat quarterback Jace Arnold before assuming victory formation.

“It’s hard soaking it all in, but coming out with a dub - that’s all we want on senior night,” said Arnold, who had nine carries for 39 yards in the second half.

The trio of McCoy, Arnold, and Page combined for 229 yards behind an offensive line that has been fairly dominant against most teams it has faced this year.

“Those guys have an attitude,” Klinck said of his o-line. “I like that they’re getting into it…Our offensive line has been a strength for us all year and our tailbacks are just feeding off that.”

Defensively the Sandites were led by Owen Floyd with eight tackles, followed by Dallas Elifrits and Gunn with seven apiece. Elifrits had three tackles for loss and Waylon Jeffers had two sacks.

The win cemented a third-place finish in the district for the Sandites after finishing fourth the past three years.

“We’re slowly moving up in the right direction,” said Klinck. “I really feel this program’s in a great place. It just depends. I think we are going to be pretty dang successful around here. We’ve just got see how quickly we want to do it and if this senior class wants to be the group that breaks through.”

The Hornets are fighting through their worst season since 1997 but they can still make the postseason with a win against No. 9 Putnam City West (4-5, 1-5) next week.

“Booker T. will be back,” said Klinck. “Coach (Jonathan) Brown’s an unbelievable coach. They’re too good, but we’ll take it this year.”

Sand Springs will look to finish the regular season on a four-game win streak next Thursday when it travels to U.S. Grant (2-7, 0-6). The Generals were the victims of an 83-0 defeat last season in Sandites’ biggest win in school history.

“I think we’re going to be playing our best football coming into the playoffs and that’s all we really want,” said Klinck.

CPHS 24 BTW 14

First Downs: CPHS 15, BTW 10.
C-A-Y-I: CPHS 8-14-63-0, BTW 11-21-132-2.
Rushing: CPHS 45-223, BTW 27-87.
Total Offense: CPHS 59-286, BTW 48-219.
Fumbles/Lost: CPHS 4/2, BTW 2/0.
Penalties: CPHS 8-95, BTW 6-51.
Punts-AVG: CPHS 4-37.8, BTW 4-31.

Scoring Summary

1Q (9:18) Puckett 42-yard Field Goal, CPHS 3-0.
1Q (1:40) Page 44-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 10-0.
2Q (10:43) Overstreet 33-yard Pass from Brooks, Carpenter Kick, CPHS 10-7.
3Q (7:01) McCoy 1-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 17-7.
4Q (7:49) Page 6-yard Run, Puckett Kick, CPHS 24-7.
4Q (5:20) Brooks 2-yard Run, Carpenter Kick, CPHS 24-14.

Senior Night

Sandite Dance celebrated four seniors: Aubri Castillo, Kylie Colbert, Briley O’Dell, and Emma Warwick.

Cheer celebrated four seniors: Camrie Chatham, Abbigail Elder, Gabrielle Grubb, and Lillie Keim.

Football celebrated three senior trainers (Abby Bryant, Ava Durham, and Kiara Williams) and 17 senior players: Jace Arnold, Kayden Campbell, Jonathan Cruz, Dallas Elifrits, Owen Floyd, Keagan Gilman, Gatlin Gunn, Mason Harris, Kenneth Page Jr., Easton Pritchard, Wyatt Rutledge, Marcum Sims, Marcus Sims, Greer Simmons, Tyler “Tank” Smith, Evan Williams, and Hunter Wilson.

Band celebrated 19 seniors: Logan Baugher, Macy Beard, Mykaela Cole, Ava Duncan, Carsten Englestead, Thomas Fahland, Emily Gregory, Isabelle Hester, Byron Jarrett, Dillon Jones, Kaylah Morgan, Devyn Pearson, Caitlin Shipman, Joshua Simpson, Ty Sims, Garrett Sorenson, Miriam Wilbanks, Tatum Wright, and Shelby Young.

Football Preview: Sandites Host No. 10 Booker T. Washington for Senior Night

Kenneth Page and Easton Webb celebrate after Page scores a touchdown against Tahlequah. (Photo: Charity Emigh).

The Class 6A-II No. 5 ranked Charles Page High School football team (5-3, 3-2) is set to host No. 10 Booker T. Washington (2-6, 1-4) Friday evening at Memorial Stadium for Senior Night.

Sand Springs is coming off a 20-17 overtime win against No. 6 Bartlesville and looking to clinch third place in the district while the Hornets are coming off a 63-20 loss to No. 1 Muskogee and looking to stop the bleeding on their worst season since 1997.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. The Church That Matters Tailgate Party will start at 6:00 outside of the stadium. Tickets are $6 and include your choice of a hamburger, grilled chicken sandwich, or hot dog with chips and a drink. Proceeds will benefit the Sandite Baseball program.

Tickets are sold out for the Varsity Club, which includes dinner from Nieve’s Mexican Grill and indoor seating to view the game from the CPHS Fine Arts Building in the south end zone. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Senior Night festivities start at 6:30 p.m. and kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors 65+. General admission is $8. Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and other concessions are available inside the gate with proceeds benefiting the Gold Pride marching band.

The History

Booker T. Washington leads the series 19-7 all-time and has won seven consecutive meetings in the longest-such streak of the rivalry.

The two programs first met in 1986 when the Hornets prevailed 42-21. The Sandites’ three touchdowns were the most anyone scored on Washington all season as the Hornets finished as State Runners-Up.

Sand Springs paid it back the next year 15-12 en route to a rare ten-win season, district title, and State Semifinal appearance.

The Hornets won three in a row from 1988 to 1990 before Brett Pennington’s two-way performance snapped the streak 15-14 in a lightning-delayed upset. Pennington ran for one touchdown, passed for another, ran in a two-point conversion, and sealed the game with a late interception.

Washington won the next three meetings before a strong defensive battle went the Sandites’ way in a 14-10 road upset in 1995.

Washington won 34-7 in 1996 but Kevin King’s two interceptions in 1997 helped the Sandites complete a perfect 10-0 regular season with a 23-15 win on Senior Night.

The two programs wouldn’t meet again till 2006-07 when the Hornets briefly joined 6A and bullied the Sandites 62-28 and 23-7 before dropping down a division.

The series renewed in 2012 when Cody Hale passed for 171 yards and scored two total touchdowns in a 21-7 win to improve to 4-0.

2013 marked the only time the Sandites won back-to-back meetings with the Hornets, prevailing 42-38 in a Homecoming shootout. Hale passed for 387 yards and scored five total touchdowns.

Washington wouldn’t allow a three-peat, however, spoiling Senior Night 42-35 in 2014.

2015 is the only time the two programs have played twice in one year, with the top-ranked Hornets winning 17-14 on a last-second field goal in the regular season before the Sandites prevailed 30-23 in the State Semifinals to punch their ticket to the ‘ship for the first time since 1966.

Since then, the Hornets have won seven in a row, though that streak will be in high jeopardy tonight.

The most lopsided game in series history was a 49-0 Hornet shutout in 2020 while the Sandites’ biggest win was 21-7 in 2012. The highest-scoring game was the 62-28 Hornet win in 2014. The Sandites have been shut out thrice in the series and have never shut out the Hornets.

The Sandites

Sand Springs has established itself as a dominant team in the trenches, averaging 181 rushing yards per game while passing for 116.

The passing game took a big step forward last week against Bartlesville and sophomore quarterback Easton Webb will look to continue building cohesion with his receiving corps as the playoffs loom ever closer.

Webb was 11-of-19 last week, throwing for 127 yards. Caleb Goodman had six receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Page led the ground game with 19 carries for 91 yards and a score.

Hunter Wilson, Gatlin Gunn, and Dallas Elifrits led the defense with 9 tackles apiece, closely followed by Owen Floyd with 8. Alex Dudley had 6 tackles, two pass deflections, and forced a fumble. Gunn recovered a fumble and Christian Freitus scored a safety.

Dawson Puckett kicked a 30-yard field goal in overtime for the win.

On the Season:

Webb is 57-of-88 for 724 yards, 5 TDs, and 6 INTs with 1 rushing TD. Caleb Goodman has 34 catches for 456 yards and 4 TDs.

Kenneth Page has 138 carries for 718 yards and 9 TDs plus 2 TD receptions. Ali McCoy has 80 carries for 678 yards and 8 TDs.

Dawson Puckett is 25-of-28 on PATs and 2-of-3 on field goals, connecting twice from 30 yards.

The defense is led by Floyd with 61 tackles, Gunn with 49 tackles, and Dudley with 45 tackles. Dudley and Gunn each have two interceptions.

Sandite Recruiting Report: Kayden Campbell Commits to Cowley County for Baseball

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Kayden Campbell (Right) signed to play baseball at Cowley County College. (Photo: Charity Emigh).

Senior RF/LHP Kayden Campbell (5’9” 165 pounds) announced on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday that he has committed to playing college baseball at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas.

The Tigers went 39-22 last season under sixth-year head coach Darren Burroughs. Cowley went 54-11 and was NJCAA Runner-Up as recently as 2022.

Campbell is one of seven Sandite baseball players committed to playing at the next level.

Senior right-handed pitcher Eli Buxton (6’6” 185 pounds) recently committed to play college baseball at Arizona State University.

Senior OF/LHP Miller Tavaglione (6’2” 190 pounds) and senior INF/RHP Jace Arnold (6’2” 180 pounds) are committed to play at Allen County Community College in Iola, Kansas.

Senior INF Wyatt Rutledge (6’2” 170 pounds) is committed to play at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid.

Senior INF/RHP Jackson Stewart (5’11” 195 pounds) is committed to McPherson College in Kansas.

Football

Senior offensive lineman Marcus Sims (6’0”, 265 pounds) announced on Saturday that he has received an offer to play football at Langston University, an NAIA program in Oklahoma. The Lions are 5-2 this season under ninth-year head coach Quinton Morgan.

Sims also holds an offer from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Senior lineman/TE Evan Williams (5’10”, 215 pounds) has received offers to play football at Kansas Wesleyan University, Hendrix College, Lyons College, and Oklahoma Wildcats Prep.

Sophomore quarterback Easton Webb (6’3” 175 pounds) is committed to playing baseball at Oklahoma State University, but he recently received a Division I football offer from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Sophomore lineman Ryley Kester (6’4” 270 pounds) has received Division I offers from UNLV, Houston, Tulsa, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech.

Sophomore receiver Brock O’Dell (5’10” 170 pounds) holds one college offer from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Senior offensive lineman Tyler “Tank” Smith (5’10” 285 pounds) holds one college offer from Hendrix.

Senior linebacker Owen Floyd (6’0” 190 pounds) has earned two offers this season from Hendrix and Oklahoma Wildcats Prep.

Senior running back Kenneth Page (6’0” 190 pounds) holds one offer from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Junior receiver Kooper Kelly holds one offer from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Basketball

5’10” senior small forward Kiaryn Taylor recently announced she has received offers from Western Texas College, Ranger College, and Lincoln Trail College.

5’7” senior guard Taiona “Yonnie” Morris has received offers from Eastern Oklahoma State College, Coffeyville Community College, and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

Softball

Senior RHP/INF Kelsi Hilton is committed to playing at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.

Soccer

Aenior Ava Watts recently announced her commitment to play Division I soccer at Texas A&M-Commerce.

Undefeated Sandite Freshmen Win Frontier Valley Conference, Beat Sapulpa 42-24

For the third time in the past four years, the Sand Springs Class of 2027 football team has laid claim to a conference championship after wrapping up a 9-0 freshman campaign.

The Sandites ended their junior high careers with a 42-24 rout of Sapulpa in a Highway 97 Rivalry game Tuesday night at Memorial Stadium to secure the Frontier Valley Conference National West League Championship for the second straight year.

“What we’re trying to build here at Sand Springs is a winning culture,” said head coach Thomas Parks.

“With these kids winning these conference championships and the team before them winning the conference championship - when they get into high school, all they’re going to be used to is winning, and that’s a good thing for the varsity Sandites.”

This class of Sandites also won the Indian Nations Football Conference AA Division during their sixth grade year.

“Sixth grade we went all the way undefeated,” said kicker Kaidyn Cowan. “That was a sight to see.”

But in seventh grade the Sandites were split into two separate teams and neither was able to make the postseason after dividing their top players.

“Eighth grade we came back, we were still trying to get used to each other again,” said Cowan. “There wasn’t that much teamwork in it, but we got it done.”

The Sandites went 7-1 last year, losing only to Carver Middle School, with whom they split games and shared the conference title.

This time around, however, they finished alone atop the throne after winning 20-0 against Muskogee, 12-6 at Bartlesville, 14-6 against Booker T. Washington, 26-8 at Sapulpa, 30-6 against Union, 44-22 at Muskogee, 28-0 against Bartlesville, 26-14 at Booker T. Washington, and 42-24 against Sapulpa.

“They’re tough and they’re resilient,” said Parks. “There’s been times where things didn’t go our way but we never got too down, we always came back, we always had an answer.”

“We weren’t going to back down from anybody, no matter who we played. We always showed up and played Sandite football. If we play good Sandite football, it’s good enough to beat anybody we come across.”

In the season finale against Sapulpa the Sandites took an 8-0 lead to open the second quarter on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Dom Forbes to Boston Kissee and a two-point run by Kendell Page.

After Kaden Pope recovered an onside kick for the Sandites, Gabe Harris cashed in a 39-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0, but Sapulpa would soon respond.

After putting together a six-play, 74-yard scoring drive, the Chieftains forced a quick turnover on downs and were driving downfield again with the potential to tie things up. But Gabe Harris had other plans, intercepting Sapulpa for a 74-yard pick six.

“Gabe’s been a really good player for us,” said Parks. “Early in the year he faced a little adversity but he kept showing up, kept working hard, and became a dynamite running back and a dynamite player in our secondary. I love Gabe Harris and everything about him.”

Page converted a two-point run and the Sandites averted the momentum shift, taking a 22-6 lead into the half.

The Sandites opened the second half with an onside kick recovery and cashed in immediately. From an empty backfield with a five-receiver set, Forbes shocked the Sapulpa defense with a 60-yard touchdown draw on the first play from scrimmage.

Sapulpa responded with a 56-yard scoring run of its own on the very next play, but Dawson Jamison stuffed the quarterback draw to prevent the two-point play.

Joseph Farmer returned the ensuing kick 73 yards to set up a two-yard touchdown dive by Page and once again the momentum stayed with the Sandites.

“This year is (Farmer)’s first year in Sand Springs,” said Parks. “He’s been an absolutely amazing addition to this team. He can play offense, he can play defense, return kicks, cover kicks - he does everything. He’s a coach’s dream as a player.”

Page added another two-point run to make it 36-12.

“Kendell didn’t get as many carries as he would probably like,” said Parks, “but whenever he was in there he did his job, he did it right, he ran the ball hard, and there are definitely more carries coming that kid’s way if he keeps showing up and doing what he’s supposed to do and producing the way he did for us.”

The Sandite defense came up big on the ensuing possession with Nikyllien Crisp and Hunter Fields getting a tackle for loss, followed by a tackle for loss and a sack from Grady Harris to back the Chieftains up to fourth-and-23.

“Grady’s the type of kid that shows up every day, does what’s right, does his job,” said Parks. “He’s not looking for the accolades, he’s not looking to get noticed, he just wants to do right by the team. He’s the ultimate team player.”

The Sandites shifted Kissee to quarterback and brought Christian Headley into the backfield late in the third and the two methodically worked their way downfield for a two-yard touchdown run by Headley for the final Sandite points of the game.

Sapulpa added a 45-yard touchdown pass on their next drive but Charles Palmer sacked the Chieftain quarterback on the two-point attempt. The Chieftains ended the game with a 73-yard hook-and-ladder for a touchdown as time expired.

Forbes ended the game 2-of-5 passing for 62 yards and had five carries for 78 yards and two total touchdowns.

Pope had two receptions for 45 yards, Gabe Harris had four carries for 62 yards, and Kissee had four carries for 62 yards to go with his 56 receiving yards.

“Boston Kissee is another one of those players that’s a coach’s dream,” said Forbes. “He can play offense, he can play defense, he plays on both of our special teams, he comes to every meeting, he shows up and works hard. I never have to worry if Boston Kissee is doing the right thing. When he gets in at quarterback I have complete trust that our offense is not going to take a step back at all.”

Defensively the Sandites were led by Grady Harris with seven tackles while Caiden Ruhland and Crisp had three apiece.

After the game Cowan gave one last postgame speech to his team reminding them of the bond they forged over the past several years.

“We’re closer than brothers, closer than best friends, closer than anything,” said Cowan, who expects big things from his teammates in the coming years.

“I just hope it’s going to be great and we can get some more championships.”