How Edmond Santa Fe went from 1-9 to now thinking, 'championship drive'

Wolves off to 4-1 start after outlasting Mustang; coach cites 'resiliency' as part of turnaround

MUSTANG, OKLAHOMA - Not much was expected of Edmond Santa Fe coming into 2023. 

After a disastrous campaign last year, many believed they would be at the bottom of Class 6AI once again.

However, midway through the 2023 season, the Wolves are the ones holding down the top spot as the best in the West in Class 6AI.

With their 56-49 victory over Mustang Friday night, Santa Fe improved to 4-1 on the season and are tied atop District 6AI-2 at 3-0 along with Tulsa Union. Despite the Wolves having their game with Choctaw canceled in the second week, they are the only team outside of the Tulsa area with only one loss on their record.

According to coach Kyle White, the team’s success has more to do with their mental makeup than physical talent.

“I think it just goes back to the kids, how resilient they are, how important it's to them to win,” White said. “They love playing. They're competitors. They play physical, they lay it all out on the line.

"They've done a great job of buying into what the coaching staff is preaching about process and intent and having the right attitude and take it play-by-play. So, I think as long as we keep doing that and we can stay healthy, who knows what's going to happen?”

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What makes the Wolves' fast start so impressive goes back to what took place last year. The team finished 2022 with a 1-9 record and lost their final five games of the season.

One of those defeats was a 19-0 shutout to the Broncos.

So for them to make what appears to be a complete turnaround in a short period of time can’t be overlooked.

"We have a bond,” said junior quarterback Daniel Newton. “We have a really good bond. We had a great off-season that brought us closer.

"We really worked on a lot of stuff coming off a rough year last year and we turned it around and I like it. It's good.”

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Newton was a backup quarterback and wide receiver as a sophomore. But he has come into his own as the starter and one of the team’s leaders.

In addition, Newton exemplifies the scrappy attitude the Wolves play with.

Against Mustang, after the Wolves watched their 21-point lead evaporate, he didn’t get flustered or lose his calm. In turn, the offense never let the game get away from them.

“We just got to trust in ourselves and at the end of the day, we tell ourselves every time we go into the field, championship drive, championship drive, championship drive,” said Newton, who tallied four touchdowns Friday. “Whenever the defense gives up a touchdown or anything like that, we knew we were going to respond. We just got to go out there and do it.”

Edmond Santa Fe defenders converge on a Mustang ballcarrier during the Wolves' win against the Broncos on Oct. 6, 2023

Tailback Demarius Robinson, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in just five games, says the belief the players have in each other on both sides of the ball has been critical. That showed itself Friday when there was less than a minute left in the game and Santa Fe holding on to a seven-point lead.

With Mustang driving to try and tie the game, Robinson already knew what the outcome was going to be before Tommy Hand came up with the game-clinching interception.

“We are buying in it together. We spend every day together since Summer Pride,” Robinson said. “We just combine it together like brothers, like we always do. And that's why we always trust each other and we can depend on each other to make plays.

"So that's why I wasn't really worried about defense. I knew they were going to stop the play, I knew they were going to stop them. I'm proud of my defense. We all came together to defeat Mustang.”

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Along with the Broncos, Edmond Santa Fe has wins over Jenks and swept their city championship by taking out Edmond Memorial and Edmond North.

But it’s only going to get tougher in the second half of the season. With Union and Owasso coming up, the Wolves' mettle will be tested.

But that doesn’t seem to frighten this Santa Fe team. They have higher aspirations than just being the best in the West.

“We can definitely be playing in the state championship,” Newton said. “For sure.”

-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK