Sapulpa Chieftains, coming off their first district win of the season, are preparing for their first real test of the season. Sapulpa will host the Collinsville Cardinals Friday starting at 7 p.m. in district play.
When Sapulpa Head Coach Tim Holt was asked how the team and coaching staff were feeling after their last win and going into the next game, he answered in immortal words of Tony the Tiger, “Feeling Great!”
Collinsville is 4-0 on the season and tied with Sapulpa in district play at 1-0. The Cardinals defense has only allowed 32 points in their first 4 games with 20 being from Oolagah. In the last three games, the opposing teams only combined 12 points, including a 71-0 win against the Hale Rangers.
Both teams look to bring their A-game with explosive scoring opportunities for both football teams. Tyreese Jones, who had an impressive first quarter during their Homecoming game against the Memorial Chargers with 4 TDs, is looking to unleash his speed and strength against the Cardinals.
“[I’m] very happy with how the team is playing right now and handling any adversity that they are being dealt,” said Sapulpa Athletic Director Michael Rose.
Sapulpa’s defense is also looking to get on the board, the Chieftains’ defensive backs have scored in the last two games to give the offense some rest with an interception and a fumble return on Homecoming night. The backup running backs also had an impressive outing in the last couple of games giving the Sapulpa Chieftains plenty of options to throw off the Cardinals’ game plan.
“It’s a great group of young men that’s fun to watch play and they play so hard with great composure,” said Rose. “It’s also fun to see the level of excitement from the staff and how they teach and interact with the players.”
The Chieftains have been improving with each game and gaining confidence with each touchdown. Sapulpa, with momentum on their side, look to ride their winning streak into a 2-0 district record.
Last year the Chieftains lost to the Cardinals 42-17 at Collinsville. The Cardinals ended their season 7-0 in district play and undefeated before losing in the playoffs to Carl Albert 45-28.
