Oklahoma dominates Georgia 68-2 in Dual Nationals round one

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Team Oklahoma got off to a fast start against Team Georgia Blue in the first round of the Junior Greco-Roman Dual Nationals Wednesday morning, building up a massive lead before the wrestling even started.

Jet Taylor, Jacob Butler, and Jaxen Gilmore received forfeits for 126 to 138. Tuttle's Brik Filippo wasted no time in putting points on the board with a 10-0 tech fall over Khyree Alexander, then Sand Springs's Payton Scott took down Dustin Berry 10-0 in thirty seconds flat. Ezequiel Rubio pinned Cole White in a quick twenty then Nick Mahan teched Chandler Miele 13-2.

Bear Hughes continued the winning streak with an 11-0 tech over Devyn Villafane. Zach Marcheselli received a forfeit, Tanner Hawkins picked up a 16-6 tech fall over Richard Walker, then Trenton Lieutance, Alex Fields, and Wyatt Adams all received forfeits.  Alec McDoulett teched Brandon Foster 11-0 and Westmoore's Dalton Duffield wrapped things up with a 12-0 tech of Alex Cain for a final score of 68-2 with no matches lost.

Up next for Oklahoma is Team Pennsylvania who solidly defeated Team Kansas Red 49-12 in round one. 

Nashoba Pannell and Quintin Wimer place eighth in State Champsionship Doubles

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School qualified three boys for the Tennis State Championship in Oklahoma City this weekend. Dakotah Mitchell qualified in #1 Singles and Nashoba Pannell and Quintin Wimer qualified in #2 Doubles and went on to take eighth place.

The Sandite doubles team won their first match against Yukon 2-1 with sets of 4-6, 6-3, and 6-4 but dropped the next round to Edmond Memorial 6-1 and 6-0.  

Moving to the consolation bracket, the duo scored a pair of close sets over Muskogee at 6-4 and 7-6 before falling 6-2 and 6-4 to Owasso. The tournament came full circle as the boys were pitted once more against Yukon, but this time it was the Millers who got the edge. Sand Springs won the first set 6-2 but their adversaries rallied for a pair of close 7-6 wins for the upset. 

Mitchell had a tough match to start against Broken Arrow's Luciano Razzouli, who went on to take eighth place, and gave up a pair of 6-2 sets. In the consolation bracket he took on Jake Golightly of Edmond North and lost 6-3 and 6-2.

Photo galleries from this season can be found HERE.

Ethan Baxter scores hat trick in 4-1 victory over Regent Prep

Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School boys soccer team (2-6) snapped a five-game losing streak with a dominating 4-1 performance against Regent Prep (0-4) in round two of the Edison Green and White Tournament Friday afternoon. Freshman Ethan Baxter scored the first hat trick of the season for the Sandites and Kaleb Brooks added the exclamation point in the moral victory.

Sand Springs took the lead early on in the eighth minute off a Baxter header. The Rams tried to get off a shot three minutes later but Sandite keeper Ethan Tippit was quick with the save to maintain the lead. 

Baxter was back at it again on the next Sandite drive and scored another goal exactly four minutes after his first, this time on a wide open shot at center. Simon Hollekve got in a close battle with the Regent keeper that looked more like a wrestling match than a soccer match, but ultimately the Ram got the ball scooped up for the save. 

Tippit was all over the ball whenever the Rams actually got shots off, which was rare, but he unfortunately wasn't expecting his own teammates to make a go at him and Regent got on the board off a wild own-goal nine minutes into the second half. 

The Sandites took a few wide shots throughout the second half, none very close, till Baxter completed his hat trick with 5:20 to play. 

The Rams only got off one close shot in the second half, a powerful kick by Mitchell Love, but he was no match for the eager arms of Tippit. 

Baxter finally let another Sandite in on the scoring action as Cade Loomin set up Brooks for a 4-1 lead with 1:50 to play.

Baxter leads the team in scoring now with 4 goals for the season, followed by Andrew Morrison with 3, Brooks with 2, and Alex Hernandez, Loomin, and Cody Gurley with 1 each. 

Sand Springs will play Saturday at 1:15 for fifth place in the tournament. Their opponent has not been decided yet. The Lady Sandites (7-1) will play in the tournament championship round Saturday at 6:30 against Edison (3-4).

Brooklyn Eardley leads Lady Sandite Soccer to Edison Tournament finals

Story and photo by: Virgil Noah, Marketing Director

The Charles Page High School Girls soccer team (7-1) continued their winning ways in exciting fashion on day one of the Edison Green and White Tournament. The Sandite Girls defeated the Tulsa Memorial High School Lady Chargers 4-0 to get the ball rolling. Senior midfielder Brooklyn Eardley led the way for Sand Springs with a pair of goals and an assist, with juniors Kyndal Zicker and Megan Deshazo accounting for the other scores. 

As a result of the Sandites win and the Booker T. Washington High School Lady Hornets victory over the Regent Preparatory School Lady Rams, the two teams met for the second time in three days. BTW came in seeking to avenge the 2-0 loss they were dealt on Sand Springs's home turf. 

After a scoreless first half, things got going early in the second. Two minutes in, Lady Hornet midfielder Jae Harris crossed in a corner to Lauren Cousins whose shot deflected off of a Sand Springs defender and scored. Booker T. would hold the lead for a very short time though, as Eardley would spin around a defender and place a pass perfectly in stride to Deshazo who tapped the ball just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Lauren Ketchum. The Sandite girls would dominate possession for the rest of the half, but were unable to come up with another goal despite a few solid opportunities. Charles Page keeper Abigail Banks would stop the only shot that came her way in the second half, sending the game to penalty kicks tied 1-1. 

BTW led things off with a successful penalty kick and Zicker quickly tied it at 1 apiece. The second Lady Hornet PK hit the crossbar and Deshazo put the Sandites on top. A diving save by Banks put Sand Springs in prime position to seal things but a save on Jae Anthony-Wilson's penalty and a miss by Marissa Doll opened things back up for Washington who tied things up at 2 heading into the final round. The final kick for BTW was saved by Banks though, and Eardley sealed things for CPHS by calmly netting her shot for the win. 

The Lady Sandites will get a one-day break while the boys' tournament goes on, then will confront Edison, the host team, Saturday evening at 6:30 pm. The Lady Eagles are 3-4 for the season after defeating Pryor and Cascia Hall each 1-0 in the early rounds of the tournament.

Winningest Lady Sandite Basketball season in years comes to end with Area loss to Owasso

Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No.11 Lady Sandites (17-9) fell in an early hole to No. 9 Owasso (19-8) after Leiloni Culley hit a two to draw first blood. Freshman Holly Kersgieter was not far behind her, tying it up, but then Terryn Milton hit back to back baskets for a 7-2 lead that the Rams would hold for the duration of the first.

Freshman Isabella Regalado hit a two to for the Sandites to start the second period down 11-10, but the Rams began pushing their lead as Mya Bhinhar and Rachel Skalnik hit baskets to make it 16-10. Junior Oklahoma State softball-commit Sydney Pennington hit a two to get the Sandites back into the game, but then it was Milton and Bhinhar with back-to-back baskets.

Pennington, freshman Destiny Johnson, and senior Cierra Scott ran up four from the charity stripe over the course of the second period, but that was all the Sandites would manage as Owasso increased their lead to 29-16 by half time.

Despite being in a heavy hole, the Sandites had already proven once this season their ability to rally against the Rams in their first meeting of the season when the girls exploded for a 16-5 second-quarter and ultimately won that game.

Sand Springs came into the half firing on all pistons as Gloria Mutiri hit a two and sank her “and-one” free throw, followed by a three-point basket by Cierra Scott to put the game back within single digits.

Milton sank the first Ram basket of the half, then Pennington hit a free throw and Cierra Scott forced a turnover on the corresponding possession getting in some great defensive coverage for a jump ball call. Unfortunately Sand Springs also gave up a turnover and Jordan Kunka and retook a 10-point lead.

Bhinhar added a free throw, but missed the second and Pennington rebounded it and returned it for a layup. Bhinhar retaliated with a two-pointer, but Mutiri hit one of her own then Kersgieter sank a three to make it 37-30.

Bhinhar hit the basket again, Scott added a pair from the charity stripe, then Kunka and Skalnik hit three freebies of their own before Kersgetier hit a two to finish off the period within single digits at 43-34.

Milton scored first to start the fourth, going 1-1 from the free throw line off a foul by Pennington. Kersgetier had a three-pointer fall short, but Bhinhar was right on line to retake a significant 46-34 advantage.

Sand Springs went on a run as Pennington and Scott each hit layups and Scott got the “and-one” to make it 47-39. It was Owasso’s game from there however as Pennington sent Milton to line for a 1-1 and the Lady Ram sank both. Bhinhar hit a two, Milton hit another free throw, then Culley added a basket for their biggest lead of the game at 54-39.

Kunka sent Mutiri to line for a 1-1 and the Lady Sandite sank both. The clock was too low for a realistic return by that point, however, and ultimately the Rams prevailed to State with a 58-42 victory.

Lady Sandite Basketball advances in playoffs with 46-43 win over Booker T Washington

Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No.11 ranked Charles Page High School girls' basketball team (17-8) is still alive in their playoff run after a close 46-43 win over No. 13 Booker T Washington (16-10) Thursday night in Catoosa. 

The girls won their first Regional game against Union last week, guaranteeing their advancement to Area, but lost in the Regional Championship to No.4 Sapulpa (22-3), 48-40, meaning they have to take the long way to State by winning two straight at Area. Their win over Booker T puts them halfway there, now they just need to defeat No. 9 Owasso (19-7) Saturday at 1:30 PM.

Junior Sydney Pennington led the scoring effort for the Sandites with 14 points, followed by sophomore Gloria Mutiri who had a double-double with ten points and twelve rebounds. 

The Lady Sandites took an early 11-3 lead before trailing off defensively toward the end of the first quarter, at one point allowing the Hornets to snag six straight offensive rebounds, and their opponent took a 17-13 lead early in the second. 

Pennington tied things back up with a pair of layups and it was a back and forth affair from there. Rhys Anderson hit a two to take the lead back for Booker T. Sandite freshman Destiny Johnson missed a two but Mutiri rebounded and tied things up at 19-19. Anderson sank another shot, followed by Mutiri, then freshman Holly Kersgieter snatched a half court steal and hit the layup with five seconds left in the half to take the lead back for the Sandites.

Kambri Davis hit a three, followed by Taylor Sells with a two and it was the Hornets with a 26-23 lead to start the second half. Pennington, Kersgieter, and Mutiri went on a 6 point run for Sand Springs to take back the lead for a while, but the Hornets found 5 points of their own to carry a 33-31 advantage into the final stanza.

The lead exchanged hands five times in the fourth period, but Sand Springs emerged to a definitive lead off a run from Johnson who sank a field goal and three free throws to give her team a 44-39 advantage. Sells hit a two and added a free throw and it continued to come down to the wire as both teams were in the double bonus with 1:16 to play. 

Aiya El-Hassan had a chance to tie things up from the charity stripe, but missed her second shot and senior Cierra Scott was fouled on the rebound and sent to the line to score the final points of the night.

If the girls can overcome Owasso on Saturday, they'll advance to the State Championship tournament for the first time in half a decade. It won't be easy. The girls defeated the Lady Rams 51-48 earlier this season, but the last time the two teams met it was Owasso with a 53-48 victory.

Come out and support your girls Saturday afternoon at 1:30 at Catoosa High School, right up the road from the Hard Rock Casino! It's been an incredible year of State Championship appearances from Sand Springs, let's rally around our incredible athletes and send another team to the top!