By: Kirk McCracken
Sand Springs Leader
Sapulpa quarterback Eli Williams scored twice in the third quarter, but the Sand Springs running game was just too much for the Chieftains.
Sand Springs running back Payton Scott rushed for a school-record 358 yards with four touchdowns in a 31-16 win over Sapulpa, Friday, Sept. 22 at George F. Collins Stadium.
Scott scored the first two touchdowns of the game, giving the Sandites a 14-0 lead, and kicker Jaden Wiser nailed a 26 field goal with time running out in the second quarter for the 17-0 halftime score.
However, Sapulpa’s offense can alive in the third quarter, scoring 13-straight points to cut the Sandite lead on only four points, 17-13.
Williams threw a 19-yard pass to Marcus Esparza to start the Chieftain scoring, and he added a one-yard quarterback keeper with only 42 seconds left in the third. Freshman kicker Kavion Mortazavi missed the extra point, but Sapulpa had the momentum going into the final quarter.
Or so they thought.
After kicking off to Sand Springs, Scott scored in the first play of the series, running 75 yards for this third touchdown of the game. With just seconds left in the third, Sand Springs took a 24-13 lead.
Mortazavi made for the missed extra point with a 27 yard field goal, but Scott answered again.
The senior running back scored on a 36-yard run with 3:32 left in the game.
Defensively, Sapulpa’s Joshua Lopez recorded an interception, but Williams threw picks to Braden Askew and Kris Edwards. Sandite kicker Jaden Wiser recovered a fumble on a kickoff return in the second quarter.
Sand Springs is now 2-2 on the season and Sapulpa falls to 0-4.
