Sandite Freshmen score first touchdown of the season in 7-6 loss to Jenks
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Photo: Virgil Noah
By: Virgil Noah, Staff Writer
It's been a frustrating start to the year so far for the Sand Springs 9th Grade football team (0-4) as they've fallen to each opponent they have faced. Despite the four straight losses, the Sandites are improving.
The freshmen opened their season with a 10-0 defeat to Owasso, followed by a 42-0 loss suffered at the hands of Muskogee White. In game three the Sandites faced Broken Arrow Gold, giving up 20 points in the first half, but shutting the Tigers out in the second. Sand Springs failed to get on the board though for the third straight game falling 20-0.
Sand Springs played their best game of the season Monday night against Jenks White, in a game where a mere extra point was the difference in winning and losing.
In the first half the Trojans and Sandites traded possession the entirety of the half without scoring, though there were some close calls. On a fourth down in Trojan territory Sandite quarterback Braden Foster threw a deep pass that fell off his receiver's fingertips at the goal line. The Trojans' closest scoring effort came at the end of the half When quarterback Jake Mulready led the offense down the field with less than a minute to go, but as time expired completed a pass short of the goal line and the Sandite defense wrestled the receiver to the ground and sent the game to halftime scoreless.
The second half saw a first for the Sandites' offense, a touchdown. Trace Evans intercepted a pass and returned it all the way to the 14 yard line of the Trojans. Two plays later, Aaron King took a handoff to the left side and scored a 10 yard touchdown to give his team their first points of the year. Sand Springs attempted a two-point conversion but was unsuccessful. On the ensuing kickoff the special teams got the ball back, when Jerret Haley recovered a fumble.
Jenks took a 7-6 early in the fourth quarter on a short touchdown run and successful extra point. Sand Springs was moving the ball, nearing the red zone, but Foster's fourth down pass attempt fell incomplete to end the game.
Sand Springs looks to continue improving, and will try to get in the win column on Monday, against Sapulpa Blue.
