CPHS Soccer: Sandites fall 4-0 to nationally-ranked State Champions from Union

The last time the Union High School boys’ soccer team visited Veterans Memorial Stadium, it was in last season’s 6A State Finals when they blanked Jenks 4-0 for the Championship. They returned Friday and did the same to Charles Page High School (10-2, 3-2), holding the Sandites to their first scoreless match of the season.

The nationally-ranked No. 12 Redskins (9-3, 5-0) completely stymied a historically potent Sandite offense that averages three goals per game to remain perfect in district action with only a week left in the regular season.

Standout Sandite sophomore Fernando Saldana came out eager, taking a gorgeous shot in the first minute that Union keeper Miguel Bustos barely tipped out, but that was about as close as the Sandites would get. Bustos saved a Saldanda header in the 15th minute, and Jack Bratcher nearly deflected one in off the keeper in the 23rd.

The Redskins tallied seven shots on goal in the first half. Ethan Tippit saved one, one bounced one off the post, and Johnny Rodriguez put the team on the board in the 22nd minute for a 1-0 halftime lead.

Bustos managed to deflect a shot from Luke Jeffus in the 47th minute and saved the corresponding corner kick from Bratcher. Tippit made three more saves but gave up two more goals and Xander Quiroga relieved him in the box.

Anthony Reyes and Isaias Anaya notched goals for Union in the second half. Bratcher made one last run on goal as time expired but his shot was deflected out of bounds as time expired.

Union only needs to win one more match to clinch the district title and their post season berth is secure. They will host Capitol Hill (5-7, 2-3) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Sandites will travel to Owasso (8-5, 4-1) Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.

District 6A-4 Standings
4-0 Union (6-1)
3-1 Owasso (7-5)
3-4 Sand Springs (11-1)
2-2 Edmond Santa Fe (5-7)
2-2 Capitol Hill (5-6)
1-3 Norman (7-3)
1-3 Sapulpa (5-7)
0-4 Shawnee (8-4)

Goals
10 Fernando Saldana
4 Jeffus
4 Bratcher
4 Gustavo Saldana
1 Munoz
1 Cox
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Brooks

Penalty Kicks
3 Fernando Saldana
3 Fancher
2 Jeffus
2 Gustavo Saldana
1 Cox
1 Summerton

Total Scores
13 Fernando Saldana
6 Jeffus
6 Gustavo Saldana
4 Bratcher
3 Fancher
2 Cox
1 Munoz
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Summerton
1 Brooks

CPHS Soccer: Fernando Saldana scores four, Sandites slam Shawnee 4-1

Sophomore standout Fernando Saldana scored a career-high three goals and one penalty kick Tuesday night, leading the Charles Page High School soccer team (10-1, 3-1) to a 4-1 victory against Shawnee (8-4, 0-4).

Saldana recorded his first hat trick of the season with a penalty kick four minutes into the second half, and scored his third goal in the the 52nd minute. He had to sit out the prior game after earning three yellow cards in nine matches, and the scoring he missed out on against Norman clearly rolled over.

Shawnee started hot but quickly ran out of momentum. Kossi Kodoe had a shot on goal less than a minute in that spat off the post, and Ethan Tippit saved the corresponding corner kick. Kodoe wouldn’t be stymied for long, however, and netted the Wolves’ first and only goal in the 12th minute of regulation.

Jack Bratcher was aggressive early on, nearly scoring a header on a corner kick that barely cleared the top of the goal. He sent a pair of shots a hair wide in the 7th and 15th minutes.

Gustavo Saldana had a shot saved in the 21st minute, Gustavo Franco sent one wide in the 24th, and Luke Jeffus bounced one off the post in the 26th before the team finally hit pay dirt. With twelve minutes left in the half, Bratcher had one rejected off the post but Fernando Saldana sent it back on a diving header to tie the match.

Franco, Bratcher, and Fernando Saldana continued to bring the heat in the final moments of the first half. Saldana had a shot hit the top of the post, deflect into the ground inside the goal, then spit back out, and Sebastian Rodriguez saved two Bratcher attempts in the final three minutes. Finally, Saldana notched the go-ahead goal on a deflection with under a minute left.

The Sandites were the aggressors through most of the night and had eight corner kicks to Shawnee’s three. Rodriguez saved multiple shots from Jeffus and Bratcher in the second half, and Miquel Sanchez also had a shot travel a hair wide.

Sand Springs Soccer will host its final home match of the regular season Friday at 8:00 p.m. against nationally-ranked No. 12 Union (6-1, 4-0), currently the top team in the district. They also have road matches against Owasso (7-5, 3-1) and Capitol Hill (5-6, 2-2) next week before Playoff assignments are released.

District 6A-4 Standings
4-0 Union (6-1)
3-1 Owasso (7-5)
3-4 Sand Springs (11-1)
2-2 Edmond Santa Fe (5-7)
2-2 Capitol Hill (5-6)
1-3 Norman (7-3)
1-3 Sapulpa (5-7)
0-4 Shawnee (8-4)

Goals
10 Fernando Saldana
4 Jeffus
4 Bratcher
4 Gustavo Saldana
1 Munoz
1 Cox
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Brooks

Penalty Kicks
3 Fernando Saldana
3 Fancher
2 Jeffus
2 Gustavo Saldana
1 Cox
1 Summerton

Total Scores
13 Fernando Saldana
6 Jeffus
6 Gustavo Saldana
4 Bratcher
3 Fancher
2 Cox
1 Munoz
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Summerton
1 Brooks

CPHS Soccer: Sandites drop district shutouts to Edmond Santa Fe

The Charles Page High School soccer teams hosted Edmond Santa Fe Tuesday night at Memorial Stadium and both fell by shutout in district action.

The Lady Sandite soccer team (6-3, 0-2) suffered a 5-0 shutout with goals from Taylor Dashney and Grace Hepner and a hat trick by Taylor Mueller. Mueller scored two in the first half and the Wolves led 3-0 at halftime. The Lady Wolves (3-4, 2-0) will host Sapulpa (7-2, 1-0) Friday at 6:00 p.m.

The Sandite boys (4-5, 0-2) fell 3-0 after a mostly close match that saw only one goal till the final two minutes. Matt Brigida scored the lone goal of the first half for the Wolves at 18:39. 

Trent Goldman drew a red card with 2:56 remaining but the Wolves missed their penalty kick. Justin Kessler scored a header off the corresponding corner kick and immediately drew a yellow card with two minutes remaining, then Charlie Carlson scored with 18.3 seconds left. 

Sand Springs will travel to Norman Friday. The Tigers are 3-6 overall and 1-1 in district play, while the Lady Tigers are undefeated at 6-0, 2-0. Edmond Santa Fe will host Sapulpa on Friday. 

District 6A-4 Girls' Standings
2-0 Edmond Santa Fe (3-4)
2-0 Norman (6-0)
1-1 Sapulpa (7-3)
1-1 Capitol Hill (5-4)
1-1 Union (3-2)
0-1 Shawnee (5-4)
0-1 Owasso (3-1)
0-2 Sand Springs (6-3)

District 6A-4 Boys' Standings
2-0 Edmond Santa Fe (6-3)
2-0 Union (9-0)
1-1 Norman (3-6)
1-1 Sapulpa (7-3)
0-0 Shawnee (7-1)
0-1 Owasso (5-2)
0-1 Capitol Hill (2-6)
0-2 Sand Springs (4-5)