No. 3 CPHS girls defeat Stillwater 59-32 in Regional Playoffs; Kersgieter scores 18

Sophomore Holly Kersgieter scored a game-high 18 points in a Regional playoff victory over Stillwater.

CPHS 59 SHS 32

1Q Stillwater 13-12
2Q Sand Springs 20-3
3Q Sand Springs 11-6
4Q Sand Springs 16-10

Free Throws: CPHS 11-of-19, SHS 12-of-15.
Field Goals: CPHS 22-of-52, SHS 9-of-39.
Fouls: CPHS 14, SHS 14.

Scoring: (CPHS) Kersgieter 18, Pennington 14, Mutiri 10, Johnson 6, Regalado 6, McGee 2, Solis 2, Collins 1. (SHS) Tuck 10, Lovelace 6, Kloos 4, Spiva 4, Campis 3, Morales 2, Jessell 2, Purdy 1.

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 3, Pennington 3, Johnson 2, Taber 2, Mutiri 1, Solis 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Pennington 6, McGee 6, Regalado 4, Kersgieter 4, Bunch 2, Mutiri 1, Johnson 1, Collins 1, Boaz 1.
Assists: McGee 4, Pennington 3, Kersgieter 1.
Steals: Johnson 3, McGee 2, Regalado 2, Taber 2, Kersgieter 1, Collins 1, Solis 1.
Blocks: Mutiri 4, Kersgieter 1, Pennington 1, Regalado 1. 
Fouls: Johnson 3, Mutiri 2, Regalado 2, Taber 2, Kersgieter 1, Pennington 1, McGee 1, Collins 1, Boaz 1.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

It was a slow starter Thursday night at Broken Arrow High School, but by the end of the game the No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School girls basketball team (21-1) had rolled to a dominating 59-32 victory over the unranked Stillwater Lady Pioneers (5-19) in the first round of the Regional playoffs. 

Sophomore Holly Kersgieter led all scorers with 18 points, followed by Oklahoma State University softball-signed senior Sydney Pennington with 14 and Ohio State University volleyball-committed junior Gloria Mutiri with 10. Taylor Tuck was the lone Lady Pioneer to break double-digits, scoring 10. 

The Sandites trailed after the first period for only the second time this season. They won the tip off, but missed their first four shots, including two and three point range and the charity stripe.

Senior forward Maggie Campis scored first blood for the Lady Pioneers from three-point range, but the Sandites took the lead with layups from Destiny Johnson and Pennington.

Taylor Tuck tied things up from the free throw line, Kierra McGee retook the lead for Sand Springs, then Stillwater went on a six-point run to retain the lead for the rest of the quarter. Mutiri entered the game towards the end of the period and scored four points from the charity stripe.

The second quarter was a whole different story, however, as the Sandites returned to their usual form and outscored Stillwater 20-3.

Johnson snagged a steal off the opening possession and took it coast to coast for two, then Pennington padded the score with a free throw. Kersgieter scored back-to-back layups, Tuck sank two from the charity stripe, then the power went out. After a brief intermission the Lady Sandites scored thirteen straight to close the half with a 32-16 advantage.

Sand Springs continued their streak with nine more to start the third before Allyson Spiva broke things up with back-to-back layups. By the end of the third the Sandites had pushed their advantage to 43-22.

Mutiri kicked the final stanza off with a layup, followed by a pair of free throws from Kersgieter. Kersgieter scored ten in the fourth quarter, including two threes before being pulled along with most of the starters by mid-period. Stillwater got the opportunity to shore up the gap against the Sandite bench and posted eight-straight before Daniela Solis posted the final points of the evening.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when they play the No. 17 Union Redskins (14-10) who defeated No. 15 Broken Arrow (13-11) 45-41 in overtime. Sand Springs has already topped the Redskins once this season by a score of 78-58. Taylor Malham led the Redskins against Broken Arrow with 20 points. Both teams will advance to the Area playoffs next weekend.