Sports Roundup: Layne Kirkendoll wins State Championship in High Jump

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This story was originally written for the Sand Springs Leader.

Layne Kirkendoll came up an inch short of her 5-ft. 7-in. school-record high-jump mark Saturday afternoon in Ardmore, but she was still two inches higher than the rest of the crowd.

Five girls made it past the 5-ft. 4-in. mark, but only the Sandites’ senior leaper was able to clear the next notch up, securing her first State title and first high jump title in program history for the Sand Springs girls. 

The jump made Kirkendoll only the fifth Lady Sandite in school history to win a gold medal, and it was the 13th overall for the Lady Sandites.

Kirkendoll also placed fourth in the long jump with a mark of 18 ft. 3 in. 

Kelsi Hilton, Josie Myers, Gracie Gifford, and Jazmin Lopez placed 15th in the 4x800 relay with a time of 10:55.27.

Jestin Rawlins placed fifth in discus with a distance of 148 ft. 2 in. and Matthew Shelton placed 15th in shot put with a mark of 44 ft. 3 in.

Overall, the girls placed 15th and the boys were 22nd in their first season under head coach Gloria Avey - notable improvements over the prior season’s 19th place finish for the girls and zero points scored for the boys.

Cheyenne Walden’s 1600-meter State Meet record from 2017 was finally broken, as champion Payton Hinkle and runner-up Caden Dawson both broke her 4:57.07 mark.

Several Sandites participated in the Summit League Championship at Oral Roberts University this past week.

Aden Baughman ran the second leg of ORU’s 4x400 relay team that placed second and also placed ninth in the 800-meter run.

Joel Mackey ran the first leg of the 4x100 relay team that placed fourth and also placed 15th in the 100-meter dash and 10th in the 200.

Mitchell Mefford placed 12th in discus throw and 15th in hammer throw, Victoria Baker placed 21st in the 800-meter run, and Erika Baker placed 24th in the 5K run.

Wrestling

Charles Page High School alumnus Daton Fix won gold at the Pan American freestyle wrestling championship in Acapulco, Mexico on Monday, May 9th.

The Oklahoma State redshirt junior rolled to a 3-0 sweep of the 61 kg bracket for his second Senior continental championship. 

In the first round he scored an 11-0 technical fall against Puerto Rico’s Joseph Silva in 2:20, then he won 10-0 against Mexico’s Pedro Flores Salazar in 59 seconds. In the final round he took a 10-0 lead against Canada’s Logan Sloan before pinning him in 40 seconds.

Fix will return to the mat on June 3rd at the Final X competition in Stillwater where he will aim to retain his spot on the US World Team. 

Volleyball

CPHS senior Kasidy Holland signed to play collegiate volleyball at Friends University, an NAIA school in Wichita, Kansas, competing in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The team captain and outside hitter was a Frontier Valley All-Conference honorable mention this season and helped lead the team to their second and third winningest seasons in school history over the course of her career.

Holland will join teammates Teyha Johnson and Charley Fahland, who previously signed with Friends in February.

Softball

Three Charles Page High School alumnae won titles in their respective softball divisions on Saturday, May 14th.

Sydney Pennington scored the go-ahead run in an upset of No. 1 Oklahoma Saturday afternoon at USA Hall of Fame Stadium. The redshirt senior scored on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the eighth inning to propel Oklahoma State University to its first Big 12 Tournament Championship. 

Rogers State sophomore Kimi Presnell helped lift her team to an NCAA Division II Regional Championship Saturday in Claremore. 

The Hillcats had to battle back from the losers bracket after a Friday loss to Minnesota State, but won their first rematch 8-2 in a 15-inning showdown. 

Presnell hit an RBI double in the final inning and Rogers went on to win 4-0 in the “if” game.

Missouri State University redshirt sophomore Jacie Taber didn’t come out of the bullpen on Saturday, but her team won a 10-4 battle with Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. 

Sandite Alumni Report: Fall sports wrapping up, lots of Sandites see action

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Gloria Mutiri was the No. 2 scorer on her team in a 3-0 loss to Iowa State.

Volleyball

Kansas State University (8-15, 3-8) fell 3-0 to Iowa State (16-8, 7-5) last week in sets of 25-21, 25-20, and 25-18. Sophomore Gloria Mutiri played all three sets and recorded 5 kills, 1 solo block, and 2 digs as the second-highest scoring player on her team. The Wildcats will travel to No. 1 Texas (17-2, 11-0) Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Men’s Golf

University of Denver sophomore Carson Griggs finished the fall season with an even performance for 31st place at the Hoakalei Country Club Invitational in Hawaii, helping his team to a ninth-place finish. The Pioneers will return to action in the spring at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate tournament in Mobile Alabama on February 10th.

Men’s Soccer

Former Sandite and Men’s Head Coach at Oral Roberts University, Ryan Bush has led the No. 20 ranked Golden Eagles to a 13-3 record thus far in the season. ORU will play at Denver in the first round of the Summit League Championship Thursday at 5:00 p.m.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University (16-3) won a KCAC Conference Quarterfinal match 9-1 against Southwestern (10-9). Next up is fourth-seeded York College (13-6) Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. in Wichita. Sandite Ignacio Garcia is a freshman on the team.

Women’s Soccer

The Oral Roberts University soccer team coached by former Sandite Roger Bush ended the season with a 6-9-4 record following a 1-0 loss to South Dakota State in the Summit League Championship semifinals. Sandite Brooklyn Eardley started sixteen games this season, primarily as a defender.

Southwestern Christian University finished the year 6-9-1 following a 4-0 loss to Texas Wesleyan (13-5). Junior Megan Deshazo finished the season with 9 goals and 3 assists.

Northern Oklahoma College at Tonkawa ended its season with an 8-8-2 record last weekend after a 1-0 loss to Seminole State College (19-0-3) in the first round of the NJCAA Region 2 Tournament. Sophomore Emma Peak scored two goals and one assist on the season, with a brace against the University of Arkansas at Rich Mountain (2-12-3).

Oklahoma City University (9-9) was eliminated in the first round of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament with a 1-0 loss to Mid-American Christian University (12-4-1) to end the season. Sophomore goalie Abigail Banks saw action in two matches this season.

Missouri University of Science and Technology senior Kayla Foster ended the season with a bang, scoring both goals in a 2-1 upset at Southern Indiana (10-6-1). The Miners went 6-8-3 this year, and Foster scored 6 goals and 1 assist with 17 starts.

Men’s Cross Country / Track and Field

Colby Community College placed tenth at the NJCAA National Championships Saturday, and crowned a national champion. Ian Baustert is a sophomore on the team, but hasn’t seen action this year. He is also on the Track and Field team, which has not released its spring schedule yet.

The Oral Roberts University Track and Field team will kick off the season Friday, December 6th at the Bob Timmons Challenge in Lawrence, Kansas. Freshman Mitchell Mefford will throw discus and shot put for the Golden Eagles.

The Savannah College of Art and Design won its fifth-straight Sun Conference Championship Saturday. Freshman Jacob Smith placed 47th in the 8-kilometer run in 29:22.58. SCAD will return to action at the NAIA National Championships Friday, November 22nd in Vancouver.

The U.S. Air Force Academy placed fifth at the Mountain West Conference Championships. Freshman Aden Baughman did not see action. The Falcons will compete at the NCAA Mountain Regional Friday in Salt Lake City.

Women’s Cross Country / Track and Field

Grand Canyon University placed third at the Western Athletic Conference Championships, but junior Cheyenne Walden did not see action. The Antelopes will compete at the NCAA West Regional Friday in Colfax, Washington.

Southern Nazarene University placed 31st at the NCAA Division 2 Central Regional Championship, ending their season. Sara Abbet ran her last race at the Great American Conference Championship, in which SNU finished eighth. The Sandite was 118th in the run with a 5K time of 24:47.1.

Baseball

Seminole State College broke ground on a new athletic facility recently. The $7.25 million Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex will eventually be home to the Trojan Baseball team, featuring freshman Cal Watkins. Seminole Baseball will kick off Monday, February 3rd at Bacone College.

Freshman Kyler Copeland will make his college debut at the College of the Ozarks this spring. The Bobcats have yet to release their 2020 schedule.

Eastern Oklahoma State College will begin their 2020 season Tuesday, February 11th at Carl Albert State College. John Miller will be in his freshman season with the Mountaineers.

The Northern Oklahoma College Enid Jets will start the 2020 season Saturday, February 1st with a double-header against Northeast Community College. The Jets feature freshman Cale Savage.

The University of Central Oklahoma picked up two Sandite transfers for the coming season. Junior pitcher Jake Terry from the University of Oklahoma, and Jacob Bailey from Seminole State College. The Bronchos have yet to release their 2020 schedule.

Softball

Kennedy “Goose” Salyers is in her senior year at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Savage Storm will kick off the season February 1st at Texas Women’s University.

Jacie Taber will kick off her freshman campaign at Missouri State University on Friday, February 7th against Mississippi State in the NFCA Lead-Off Classic at Clearwater, Florida.

Destanie Garrett will be a freshman at Southwestern Christian University this spring. The Eagles have yet to release their 2020 schedule.

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma has yet to release its 2020 schedule. Madelyn Blair will be a freshman this year.

Jessica Schuler is in her senior year at Northeastern State University, and Cameron Clemons is a freshman. The RiverHawks will begin their season Friday, February 7th at the Harding Invitational against Harding and Midwestern State.

Oklahoma State University went 7-0 in the fall season and junior Sydney Pennington was on fire offensively. The Cowgirls have yet to release their 2020 schedule.

Rogers State University will travel to Gulf Shores Alabama to start their season Friday, January 31st. Sandite All-State selection Kimi Presnell will be a freshman this year.

Freshman Elizabeth Luttrell will play for Cowley County Community College this spring. The Tigers have yet to release their 2020 schedule.

Former All-State Sandite Joely Rogers is entering her second season as the Coffeyville Community College pitching coach. The Red Ravens will take on North Arkansas College in a double-header Saturday, February 8th.

Men’s Tennis

Oklahoma Baptist University will feature freshman Logan Bateman this coming season. Bateman saw action in one pre-season tournament. The 2020 schedule has yet to be released.

Jacie Taber commits to Missouri State University for softball

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This story was originally written for Vype.

Charles Page High School senior standout Jacie Taber is headed to Missouri State next summer, and hopefully to the 6A State Tournament this fall. 

Previously committed to the University of Northern Iowa, Taber decided to stay close to home and recently announced her decision to attend Missouri State University instead. 

“From the moment I went on my visit to Missouri State I fell in love with it,” says Taber. “The coaches are amazing. I knew that if I went there I would 100% succeed. Not only as a softball player but in the classroom, they do all they can to make school the biggest priority.”

Missouri State is coming off a 32-20 season with a 17-8 second place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. The Bears are coached by Holly Hesse in her thirtieth season at the helm with a 749-747-2 record, five MVC regular season titles, five MVC tournament titles, and five NCAA Tournament appearances. 

“It’s such a family environment and there’s so much love shown between the coaches and the players. The emphasis they continue to put on your future and succeeding in life is so helpful. Going on my visit there felt like home and I realized that is where I want to be.”

Before she heads to Springfield, she has unfinished business in Oklahoma City. The Lady Sandites have won three-straight Regional Championships, making it to the quarterfinals the last two seasons and the finals in 2015. 

Taber finished the 2017 season with a .368 batting average, .471 slugging average, and .385 slugging average, and led her team with 32 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 2.04 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, throwing 64% strikes for a 16-3 record. She is currently .476 after 21 at-bats this season and holds a career pitching record of 30-10.

In addition to Northern Iowa and Missouri State, Taber also received offers from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Butler Community College, Oklahoma Christian University, and the University of Southern Arkansas. 

Taber has interests in psychology and social work, but hasn’t yet decided on a major. For now, her main focus is finishing high school strong, both academically and on the diamond. 

Former classmates Betts and Sigmon go head-to-head in MSU vs SW College

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Two Charles Page High School graduates found themselves at odds recently in a matchup between Southwestern College and Missouri State University.

Class of 2014 grad Jacob Sigmon started in the Southwestern College season opener two weeks ago. The Moundbuilders (0-1) dropped the first game of the season to Missouri State 57-0. Sigmon was the number two receiver for his team, hauling in three catches for twenty-seven yards. Southwestern returns to action Saturday at McPherson College (0-2).

On the other side of the ball was former classmate Tre Betts. Betts recorded two assisted and two unassisted tackles in the shutout win, but none were against his former teammate. Betts also played in week two against Murray State (0-2), but didn't record any tackles in the 28-22 victory. MSU improves to 2-0 and will next take on Kansas State (0-1) on Saturday, September 24th. 

Class of 2013 grad Isaiah Silversmith has seen action in both games this year for Northeastern State University (1-1). He didn't record any stats in the season-opening 38-19 loss to Washburn (1-1), but picked up two solo tackles in a 35-31 win over Lindenwood (1-1). The RiverHawks travel to Pittsburg State (1-1) Saturday.

Class of 2016 grad Jason Cooper saw action as a true freshman in the first game of the season at Southern Nazarene University (0-2). He recorded one solo and one assisted tackle during his third quarter showing in the season-opening 46-0 loss to Arkansas Tech (1-0) and earned a starting spot in week two where he posted one solo and two assisted tackles in a 63-7 loss to Harding University (2-0).