Sophie Grona, Cole Higgins, and Junior High Boys Win Cleveland XC Meet

Sand Springs had an exceptional performance at all age levels in the Cleveland Tigers Cross Country Meet on Thursday, earning two individual gold medals and one team title.

Cole Higgins won his second meet of the season, leading the junior high boys to their second team title of the year. His 1.5 mile time of 7:06 was two seconds better than the runner-up and enough to lead the field of 48.

Corbin Wesson placed third in 7:29, Daniel Stuckey was fifth in 7:38, and Wyatt Shaw was sixth in 7:46,

Sophie Grona took first place out of 85 runners with a 6:38 mile to lead the elementary girls to a sixth place team finish.

Chloe and Josie Grona led the junior high girls to a second place finish in the 1.5-mile run. Ghloe took second place in 8:08 and Josie took third in 8:12. Mya Wagers finished ninth in 8:49.

The varsity boys placed second, led by Rafi Huff in third place. Huff ran the 5K in 18:09, followed by Dallas Potter with an 18:30 mark for sixth.

Conner Williamson placed 18th out of 95 runners in the elementary boys race. His 7:05 mile led the Sandites to a fourth place finish.

The varsity girls didn’t have enough runners to earn a team place in the two-mile race. Laila Mirza placed 28th out of 59 runners in 16:19.

The Sand Springs high school and junior high teams will return to action at the Frontier Valley Conference Championship on Tuesday in Muskogee.

Sand Springs Results

Elementary Girls 1 Mile
1st - Sophie Grona - 6:38
34th - Melanie Kinser - 8:47
38th - Anna Voight - 8:55
49th - Starr Corbin - 9:24
50th - Kyall Mcaffrey - 9:27
54th - Nola Chamber - 9:36
55th - Julia Myers - 9:41
78th - Brinley Mckinney - 11:55

Junior High Girls 1.5 Mile
2nd - Chloe Grona - 8:08
3rd - Josie Grona - 8:12
9th - Mya Wagers - 8:49
15th - Lexi Boone - 9:08
24th - Rowen Hull - 9:40
62nd - Vivian Burr - 11:50

Varsity Girls 2 Mile
28th - Laila Mirza - 16:19
33rd - Blakelee Meeker - 17:03

Elementary Boys 1 Mile
18th - Conner Williamson - 7:05
31st - Stu Grona - 7:24
32nd - Sutton Corbin - 7:25
41st - Hudson Waag - 7:42
65th - Mark Garner - 8:59
82nd - Liam Kinman - 10:38
85th - Kai Chambers - 11:27
88th - Fisher Abbott - 11:59

Junior High Boys 1.5 Mile
1st - Cole Higgins - 7:06
3rd - Corbin Wesson - 7:29
5th - Daniel Stuckey - 7:38
6th - Wyatt Shaw - 7:46
14th - Canyon Carnahan - 8:13
17th - Presley Gunnery - 8:22
42nd - Dean Earnest - 10:50

Varsity Boys 5K
3rd - Rafi Huff - 18:09
6th - Dallas Potter - 18:30
17th - Kordel Hartmann - 19:58
20th - Jessen Cox - 20:15
27th - Jaxon Perry - 21:15
30th - Gavin Corbin - 21:36
40th - Malachi Waldrup - 23:03
50th - Rhys Foster - 24:00
57th - Dax Wilcox - 25:03

Anderson Elementary took fifth place in the girls race, led by Catherine Mundy in 7:55, and fifth in the boys race, led by Elliott Gibson in 7:08.

Anderson Results

Elementary Girls 1 Mile
15th - Catherine Mundy - 7:56
23rd - Beighley Ray - 8:19
29th - Joaline Reeve - 8:38
30th - Sophia Reyna - 8:39
32nd - Saylor Harmon - 8:44
67th - Lilly Reinhardt - 11:01
73rd - Kinley Fulton - 11:30
74th - Hallie Graham - 11:38
82nd - Presley Graham - 12:48
83rd - Nova West - 13:32

Elementary Boys 1 Mile
21st - Elliott Gibson - 7:08
39th - Cooper Lisicki - 7:39
44th - Grayson Shoopman - 7:55
51st - Kiptyn Reeve - 8:20
52nd - Jaxon Couffer - 8:22
54th - Ace Jewell - 8:23
57th - Zander Hefele - 8:40
63rd - Lincoln Bozone - 8:56
66th - Waylon Lightle - 9:11
67th - Joseph Parsell - 9:13
71st - Kota Fulton - 9:42
76th - Elijah Ray - 10:22
78th - Vandon Flynn - 10:33
86th - Praxton Flynn - 11:36
89th - Royce Hefele - 12:19
93rd - Colton Bartell - 13:21

Sand Springs Boys Post Top-Ten Finish at Holland Hall Cross Country Meet

Rafi Huff and Dallas Potter led the Charles Page High School boys’ cross country team to a 10th place finish out of 20 teams at the 30th Annual Holland Hall Invitational Saturday morning in Tulsa.

Huff finished the 5K run in 18:57.98 for 33rd place, closely followed by Potter in 19:03.17 for 35th.

The girls didn’t have a full varsity team but Kelsi Hilton turned in a strong performance for a Sandite, finishing the 5K in 20:53.2 for 14th place.

The JV boys placed 14th, led by Gavin Corbin in 55th place with a time of 22:20.59.

The junior high boys placed ninth out 20 teams in the two-mile run, led by Cole Higgins in 11th place with a time of 11:37.87

Mya Wagers led the junior high girls with a time of 14:44.99 for 47th place.

The elementary boys placed ninth out of 12 teams in the one-mile run, led by Karson Waag in 29th place with a time of 7:06.37.

The elementary girls placed 11th out of 16 teams, led by Kinley Snow in 41st place with a time of 7:55.64.

The Sandites will return to action at the Owasso Invitational on Thursday, September 28th at O’Brien Park in Tulsa. The meet will begin with junior high girls at 4:00 p.m. with varsity action starting at 5:30 p.m.

Boys Varsity 5K
33rd - Rafi Huff - 18:57.98
35th - Dallas Potter - 19:03.17
57th - Anshun Syong - 19:37.43
99th - Kordel Hartmann - 20:55.01
107th - Jessen Cox - 21:11.34

Boys JV 5K
55th - Gavin Corbin - 22:20.59
82nd - Dax Wilcox - 23:02.85
89th - Gabriel Baker - 23:16.18
112th - Malachi Waldrup - 24:26.65
126th - Rhys Foster - 25:38.98

Boys Junior High 2-Mile
11th - Cole Higgins - 11:37.87
25th - Corbin Wesson - 12:28.84
53rd - Wyatt Shaw - 13:14.6
66th - Canyon Carnahan - 13:27.95
91st - Presley Gunnery - 13:51.78
132nd - Brier Hartman - 14:53.17

Boys Elementary 1-Mile
29th - Karson Waag - 7:06.37
50th - Wyatt Snow - 7:30.48
59th - Hudson Waag - 7:43.39
82nd - Rylan Snow - 8:04.7
86th - Mark Garner - 8:15.85
104th - Wyatt Goode - 8:26.34
114th - Gage Fadenrecht - 8:42.12

Girls Varsity 5K
14th - Kelsi Hilton - 2:053.2
92nd - Laila Mirza - 26:58.46

Girls JV 5K
27th - Blakelee Meeker - 26:19.39

Girls Junior High 2-Mile
47th - Mya Wagers - 14:44.99
97th - Lexi Boone - 16:07.71
101st - Rowen Hull - 16:15.62
176th - Vivien Wentzel - 18:29.96

Girls Elementary 1-Mile
41st - Kinley Snow - 7:55.64
75th - Starr Corbin - 8:25.26
90th - Anna Voight - 8:37.73
98th - Scout Hartmann - 8:45.26
105th - Nola Chambers - 9:03.34
111th - Melanie Kinser - 9:14.01
123rd - Kyall Mcaffrey - 9:30.79
143rd - Katherine Stuckey - 10:08.92
154th - Ashlyn Snow - 10:41.57
167th - Gigi Harrisfitch - 11:27.98
170th - Brinley Mckinney - 11:32.89

Sandite Cross Country Opens Season at Sapulpa, Kelsi Hilton and Cole Higgins Place 2nd

After dropping out of the Owasso Ram Relays on August 25th, the Sand Springs cross country program finally kicked off the season Saturday morning in Sapulpa.

The Lady Sandites didn’t have enough runners to earn a team place, but Kelsi Hilton placed second out of 73 runners with a time of 12:48.27 in the two-mile.

The varsity boys also didn’t have a full lineup, but Rafi Huff turned in an impressive time of 11:42.37 for 14th place out of 86 runners in the two-mile race.

The junior varsity boys placed fourth out of five teams, led by Kordel Hartmann with a two-mile time of 12:26.41 for 11th place out of 86 runners.

The junior high boys made a strong showing in the one-mile, finishing in fourth place out of 16 teams with an average time of 6:18.11. Cole Higgins took second place out of 198 runners with a time of 5:22.03 to lead the Sandites.

Anderson Schools, also located in Sand Springs, took 10th place in the junior high boys race, led by Jonathan Reeve with a 6:09.74 time for 33rd place.

Anderson’s junior high girls team took seventh place out of 13 teams, led by Tindle Smith in 6:21.74 for 12th place out of 167 runners.

The Sand Springs junior high girls didn’t have enough runners to earn a team place in the one-mile run, but Mya Wagers turned in an impressive time of 6:47.14 for 26th place.

The Sand Springs elementary boys placed sixth out of 12 teams in the one-mile run with an average time of 7:18.77, led by Kellen Adkins with a time of 6:34.86 for ninth place out of 160 runners.

Anderson Elementary took eighth place in the boys run with an average time of 7:30.31. Ezra Gibson led the Trojans with a time of 6:39.17 for 13th place.

Anderson took fifth place out of 11 teams in the one-mile elementary girls run with an average time of 8:03.16, led by Carlin Gibson in 14th place with a time of 7:31.78.

The Sand Springs elementary girls took 10th place with an average time of 8:47.79. Kinley Snow led the little lady Sandites with a time of 7:51.18 for 29th place out of 151 runners.

Sandite Cross Country will return to action at the Booker T. Washington Invitational on Thursday at O’Brien Park. Varsity girls will start the meet at 3:30 p.m., followed by varsity boys, junior varsity, and middle school.

The Anderson junior high will return to action Friday at Claremore at 10:30 a.m.

Sand Springs Varsity Boys
14th - Rafi Huff - 11:42.37
16th - Dallas Potter - 11:43.92
19th - Anshun Syong - 11:49.85

Sand Springs Junior Varsity Boys
11th - Kordel Hartmann - 12:26.41
26th - Jessen Cox - 13:17.53
28th - Dax Wilcox - 13:25.65
31st - Jaxon Perry - 13:35.55
36th - Gavin Corbin - 13:53.40
38th - Gabriel Baker - 13:59.03
47th - Malachi Waldrup - 14:29.02
62nd - Rhys Foster - 16:23.80

Sand Springs Varsity Girls
2nd - Kelsi Hilton - 12:48.27
40th - Blakelee Meeker - 16:17.10

Sand Springs Junior High Boys
2nd - Cole Higgins - 5:22.03
16th - Corbin Wesson - 5:40.99
25th - Kade Sargent - 6:02.67
43rd - Presley Quinnelly - 6:17.90
149th - Dean Ernest - 8:06.95

Sand Springs Junior High Girls
26th - Mya Wagers - 6:47.14
66th - Rowen Hull - 7:36.82
129th - Vivian Farr - 9:03.69

Sand Springs Elementary Boys
9th - Kellen Adkins - 6:34.86
31st - Karson Waag - 7:10.23
42nd - Stu Grona - 7:23.28
46th - Wyatt Snow - 7:36.21
58th - Hudson Waag - 7:49.28
73rd - Rylan Snow - 7:59.42
75th - Wyatt Goode - 8:02.95
89th - Mark Garner - 8:13.39
105th - Dante Alvarez - 8:34.93
132nd - Gage Fadenrecht - 9:36.87
141st - Noah Tackett - 10:24.82
146th - Liam Kinman - 10:51.80
152nd - Fisher Abbott - 11:06.80

Sand Springs Elementary Girls
76th - Starr Corbin - 8:42.47
80th - Makenna Cox - 8:49.79
91st - Anna Voight - 9:11.45
97th - Melanie Kinser - 9:24.05
102nd - Scout Hartmann - 9:37.97
105th - Kyall Mcaffrey - 9:48.23
108th - Katherine Stuckey - 10:04.15
124th - Brekyn Isham - 10:34.27
142nd - Ashlyn Snow - 11:36.21
151st - Claire Pilk - 12:24.38

Anderson Junior High Boys
33rd - Jonathan Reeve - 6:09.74
48th - Joshua Deeringwater - 6:21.03
110th - Jack Mundy - 7:20.88
111th - Gage Berkowitz - 7:21.06
113th - Jackson Mercy - 7:23.08
114th - Alex Roy - 7:23.08
179th - Camden Bartell - 9:21.39

Anderson Junior High Girls
12th - Tindle Smith - 6:21.74
13th - Brooklynn Bozone - 6:22.45
14th - Avery Mercy - 6:25.26
85th - Emily Logan - 8:01.43
92nd - Lyla Hansen - 8:07.14
140th - Bella Steelman - 9:31.89
143rd - Maddie Burke - 9:49.86
159th - Tatum Frits - 11:15.36

Anderson Elementary Boys
13th - Ezra Gibson - 6:39.17
39th - Elliott Gibson - 7:21.78
52nd - Wyatt Lightle - 7:44.40
60th - Michael Gragg - 7:51.26
66th - Cooper Lisicki - 7:54.93
85th - Zander Hefele - 8:09.93
92nd - Cain McCalip - 8:17.54
94th - Waylon Lightle - 8:21.88
103rd - Kiptyn Reeve - 8:30.74
104th - Grayson Shoopman - 8:31.22
109th - Lincoln Bozone - 8:38.42
115th - Joseph Parsell - 8:52.40
138th - Jaxon Couffer - 10:18.95
143rd - Elijah Ray - 10:39.24
145th - Colton Bartell - 10:50.66
154th - Vandon Flynn - 11:21.57
156th - Praxton Flynn - 11:31.36
159th - Royce Hefele - 12:05.58

Anderson Elementary Girls
14th - Carlin Gibson - 7:31.78
26th - Catherin Mundy - 7:44.89
33rd - Sterling Reeve - 7:58.39
45th - Saylor Harmon - 8:11.17
78th - Josaline Reeve - 8:49.57
84th - Beighly Ray - 8:56.46
99th - Lilly Martin - 9:29.39
115th - Sophia Reyna - 10:13.22
141st - Presley Graham - 11:31.62
148th - Hallie Graham - 12:15.00

Sandite Baseball celebrates Teacher Night, beat Midwest City, Bishop Kelley, Broken Arrow

This story was originally written for the Sand Springs Leader.

The student-athletes of the Sand Springs baseball team put an emphasis on the “student” part of their title by acknowledging the teachers in their lives Friday night at the Sandite Baseball Complex.

Each senior member of the Charles Page High School squad selected their all-time favorite teacher to come throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a 10-2 run-rule win over Midwest City.

Keaton Campbell selected CPHS English teacher Heather Miller as his all-time favorite. 

“Keaton was such a great kid in class,” said Miller, who taught the shortstop during his sophomore year. 

“He was always energetic and enthusiastic about learning. It just felt really nice that he thought I impacted his whole educational experience.”

Sixth Grade Center principal Angelia Noel was honored to be chosen by third-baseman Gabe Glenn, who she taught in fourth grade before moving into administration. 

“I hope I’ve made a pretty positive impact on him,” said Noel. “He’s a great kid and he’s going to do great things.”

“These seniors are amazing and we are so proud of them, and we are excited to see what they do in the future.”

Center-fielder Jacob Shields selected his seventh-grade math teacher Rebecca Davis as his all-time favorite teacher. 

“She was really nice and I always came and talked to her even when I didn’t have her class,” said Shields.

Other teachers recognized by the Sandites included Atticus Dellinger, Lorrie Bailey, Kendra Roulet, Katie Dickerson, Laurie Starling, Starr Corbin, Ben Riggs, and Jerie Carter.

After the ceremony, the Sandites (15-3) gave up two unearned runs to the Bombers (5-8) in the top of the first inning before settling down and dominating the rest of the game.

Brody Rutledge, Dom Ornelas, and Keaton Campbell all hit home runs in the game, and Brooks Dudley pinch-hit a two-run double to end the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

John Keim (2-0) got the win on the mound with six strikeouts, three hits, no walks, and no earned runs in four innings. Gage Elliott tossed two innings of relief and only surrendered one hit with no runs or walks.

On Saturday the Sandites won 6-3 against Bishop Kelley (11-5) behind a three-hit performance from Ty Pennington. The senior left-fielder went 3-of-4 at the plate with three doubles and three RBIs.

Jace Arnold (4-0) got the win on the mound with six hits, two strikeouts, and four walks in 4.2 innings. Kayden Campbell (2-0) threw two hits and three strikeouts in 1.1 innings, and Eli Buxton got the save with one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts in the seventh.

The Sandites also picked up a pair of huge district wins against Broken Arrow (11-7, 4-2) on Monday and Tuesday to improve to 4-2 in district action.

Monday’s road battle went 11 innings, with Jabe Schlehuber (3-0) tossing seven hits, four strikeouts, and three walks in 6.1 innings before Buxton took over. The closer got his first win of the season with two hits, five strikeouts, and four walks in 4.2 innings.

Broken Arrow took a 2-0 lead in the first inning but Pennington tied it up on an RBI single from Ornelas in the third, then hit an RBI double to bring in Keaton Campbell in the fifth.

The Tigers tied it back up in the bottom of the fifth and the game remained scoreless till Kayden Campbell scored the winning run on a double from Schlehuber in the eleventh. 

In Tuesday’s rematch the Sandites won 5-3 behind a four-hit, two-strikeout performance from Carson Seabolt (2-1) in six innings. Kayden Campbell tossed two hits and two strikeouts in the final inning to earn the save.

The Sandites took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer by Glenn, but the Tigers tied it up in the sixth. Two walks and an error put the Sandites back on top and Kayden Campbell threw a clutch strikeout to strand two runners and end the game.

Sandite Baseball will return to district action Monday and Tuesday with a home-and-away series against Jenks, followed by non-district home games against NOAH on Friday and Union on Saturday.