SAND SPRINGS — Fans in Sand Springs had to wait until the fourth quarter to watch any memorable football Frriday, but the got their money’s worth in the fourth frame. For three quarters Friday night, Sand Springs and Booker T. Washington looked determined to see how long they could keep a scoreboard operator unemployed. Then the fourth quarter happened.
After playing to a scoreless tie through three, the Sandites and Hornets combined for 35 points in the final period, with Sand Springs getting the last word on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Cash Koertner to Brody Shotwell with just 14 seconds remaining. The score gave Sand Springs a 21-14 win, its second victory of the season and first district win.
Booker T. struck first in the fourth on a 39-yard touchdown run by Maximus Houston, but Sand Springs answered when Koertner scored from 2 yards out.
The Hornets went back in front on a 28-yard touchdown run by T.J. Taylor, only to have the Sandites erase the lead almost immediately.
Dom Forbes took the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 14 and setting up the late heroics.
With time winding down, Koertner found Shotwell from 31 yards out for the game-winner, and Sand Springs held on from there.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Sandites, who had not won since a 21-14 victory over Sapulpa on Sept. 4.
It also gave Sand Springs something to build on after a difficult stretch that included losses to Norman North, Owasso, Bartlesville and Stillwater.
The Sandites improved to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in district play, while Booker T. fell to 3-5 and 0-3.
For a game that spent three quarters looking like it might finish 3‑0, it turned into a pretty memorable final 12 minutes.