College Report: Sandites receiving college offers/currently in college

Holly Kersgieter in a Regional playoff game against Union. (Scott Emigh).

Class of 2019

Jacie Taber recently committed to play softball for the University of Northern Iowa. Taber batted .296 in the 2016 fast-pitch season, with 19 runs, 34 hits, one home run, and 21 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 6-1 record with a 1.78 ERA and 1.186 WHIP. The Panthers are an NCAA Division I team in the MIssouri Valley Conference, coming off a 33-19 season.

5'10" guard Holly Kersgieter is getting Division I attention following the Lady Sandites' State Tournament appearance and Frontier Valley Conference title last year. Kersgieter averaged 10.4 points per game last season and was named the Frontier Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She has received offers from...

• Oklahoma State University Cowgirls, Stillwater (NCAA Division I, Big 12 Conference, 17-15 last season).

• Missouri State University Bears, Springfield (NCAA Division I, Missouri Valley Conference, 16-15 last season).

• Austin Peay State University Governors, Clarksville, Tennessee (NCAA Division I, Ohio Valley Conference, 14-16 last season).

• University of Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos (NCAA Division I, Western Athletic Conference, 10-19 last season).

• University of Tulsa Hurricane (NCAA Division I, American Athletic Conference, 10-21 last season).

• University of Kansas Jayhawks, Lawrence (NCAA Division I, Big 12 Conference, 8-22 last season).

5'8" small forward Destiny Johnson has received two offers in response to her impressive season with the Lady Sandites. Johnson averaged 8.15 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. She has received offers from...

• Pittsburg State University Gorillas, Kansas (NCAA Division II, Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association, 25-6 last season).

• University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, Edmond (NCAA Division II, Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association, 25-8 last season).

Class of 2018

6'5" guard Colt Savage has been fending off college offers left and right this summer. The junior finished last season with a 48.7% field goal percentage and 83.6% free throw percentage, averaging 22.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He has received offers from...

• Rogers State University Hillcats, Claremore, Oklahoma (NCAA Division II, Heartland Conference, 19-10 last season).

• University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, Edmond (NCAA Division II, MIAA Conference, 17-12 last season).

• Cameron University Aggies, Lawton, Oklahoma (NCAA Division II, Lone Star Conference, 17-12 last season).

• Oklahoma Baptist University Bison, Shawnee (NCAA Division II, Great American Conference, 7-19 last season).

• Missouri Western State University Griffons, Saint Joseph (NCAA Division II, MIAA Conference, 7-21 last season).

Gloria Mutiri is already committed to Ohio State University for volleyball. Mutiri averaged 4.8 kills per set last year and committed mid-season. Ohio State went 22-13 last year and finished seventh in the Big 10.

Running back Payton Scott received an offer to play football for Pittsburg State University this summer. Scott has a career record of 503 carries for 2930 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Gorillas are coming off a 7-4 season in NCAA Division II, placing fifth in the MIAA.

Class of 2017

Alexis Davis will run Track and Cross Country for Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Primarily a distance runner, she was a top-ten finisher at every 3200 meter run this past track season. SWOSU finished third in the Great American Conference last fall and 24th at the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships.

Nine-time State Champion Cheyenne Walden will take her talent to the Oklahoma State University Cross Country and Track teams. Walden is the most decorated (OSSAA) athlete in Sand Springs history with five gold medals on the track and four in cross country. The Cowgirls finished last season second in the Big 12 and 17th in the NCAA.

Megan Deshazo is headed to Tonkawa to play for Northern Oklahoma College. Deshazo was the leading scorer on the 2016 team with 13 goals. The Mavericks went 18-2-1 last season.

Kendal Zicker is signed to play for Northeastern State University this fall. She scored four goals for the Sandites last season. The RiverHawks went 13-5-1 for a fourth-place finish in the MIAA standings.

Brooklyn Turner is signed to play for Redlands Community College in their inaugural season this fall. 

Alex Hernandez and Ignacio Garcia are signed to play soccer for Oklahoma Wesleyan University this fall. Hernandez scored two goals for the Sandites last season while Garcia had seven. Wesleyan went 19-1-2 last year and were undefeated in the KCAC. 

Lee Leslie is signed to play volleyball for Oklahoma Wesleyan. Leslie was fourth on her team in kills and third in assists last season. The Eagles went 19-11 last year and were fourth in conference.

Lincoln Adams and Dalton Morgan are both signed to play football for Oklahoma Baptist University this fall. Morgan spent most of his career on defense, racking up 93 tackles and two fumble recoveries. During his senior season he picked up running back duties and rushed 42 times for 247 yards and a touchdown, plus nine receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Adams, a 6'4" 310-pound offensive lineman, was a regular starter and powerful blocker, opening up holes for one of the top running teams in the state. The Bison are coming off a 2-9 season and tenth place finish in the Great American Conference.

Delvin Jordan is signed to play football for Pittsburg State University. He finished his high school career with 310 tackles, 31 sacks, two interceptions, seven fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks, and one safety. The Gorillas are coming off a 7-4 season in NCAA Division II, placing fifth in the MIAA.

Danny Ropp is signed to play football for Ohio Northern University. Primarily an offensive lineman, he still managed to rack up 90 tackles over his early career. The Polar Bears went 5-5 last season in the NCAA Division III, finishing fourth in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

Four-time undefeated State Champion Daton Fix is signed to wrestle for Oklahoma State University this winter, and recently won the Junior Freestyle World Championship in Finland. The Cowboys are coming off a 14-1 season with a Big 12 Championship and third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Tournament. 

Three-time State Qualifier Zane Basma finished his high school career with a 88-30 record and is signed to wrestle for the UCO Bronchos this winter. The Bronchos finished last year with an undefeated 18-0 dual record, placing second in the MIAA and 18th in the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Two-time State Qualifier Michael Ritchey finished his high school career with a 65-36 record and is headed to Saint Mary for their inaugural wrestling season in the NAIA. 

Kyle Keener will play basketball for the UCO Bronchos. The All-State player shot 60.9% on field goals and 72.8% on free throws his senior year, averaging 16.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Kierra McGee is headed to Redlands Community College for basketball. Last year she averaged 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. The Cougars went 17-12 in the NJCAA.

Pitcher Jake Terry is headed to the University of Oklahoma after sitting out his senior year to recover from Tommy John surgery. During his junior year he amassed a 5-4 record, 3.88 ERA, and 2.06 WHIP. The Sooners went 35-24 last season and finished third in the Big 12.

Hunter Greathouse will play baseball for Cowley County Community College this coming season. The Sandite batted .350 his senior season with 25 runs, 41 hits, one dinger, and 31 RBI. He went 4-6 on the mound with a 4.38 ERA and 1.85 WHIP. The Tigers were 45-18 this past season and went 2-2 in the NJCAA World Series. 

Treyce Tolbert, Mack Thompson, and Josh Cordell are all three headed to Rose State College for baseball. The Raiders went 20-34 last season and are looking for their first winning record since 2013. Cordell went 6-3 on the mound last year with a 3.24 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Thompson was .352 at the plate with 34 runs, 43 hits, and 16 RBI. Tolbert batted .381 with 30 runs, 45 hits, 29 RBI, and one homer. 

Sydney Pennington will play for the Oklahoma State University softball team that went 38-25 last season, placing third in the Big 12. Pennington batted .543 her senior year with 45 runs, 57 hits, 10 homers, and 38 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 6-0 record with a 1.41 ERA and 1.135 WHIP. 

Jessica Collins is headed to Connors State College for softball. Collins batted .316 her senior season with 36 hits, 39 runs, and 22 RBI. The Cowgirls finished the past season with a winning 38-14 record in the NJCAA.

Class of 2016

Jacob Taber is gearing up for his first collegiate football season at Fort Hays State after redshirting his freshman year. During his senior year he recorded 87 tackles, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The Tigers went 8-4 in the NCAA Division II, finishing fourth in the MIAA. 

Trace Fleischman is headed into his sophomore year at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The Golden Norsemen finished the 2016 season 5-5 in the NJCAA, fifth in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.

Madison Dye is entering her sophomore season the Northeastern State University soccer team. Last year she played in fifteen matches with three starts and 391 minutes of game time. 

Brooklyn Eardley will be a sophomore on the Oral Roberts University soccer team. She started 18 games as a true freshman, scoring two points and two assists, helping her team to an 11-9-2 record. She was named to the Summit League All-Freshman Team. The Golden Eagles finished third in the NCAA Division I Summit League.

Stella Millican will be a sophomore at Mid-American Christian University. The Evangel Softball team went 17-37 last season. Millican played eighteen games and picked up sixteen at-bats. She batted .063 with one hit, two runs, and one RBI.

Jessica Schuler batted .208 as a freshman at NSU, recording 10 hits, 6 runs, 13 RBI, and three homers for the RiverHawks. The team went 23-28 overall for a tenth-place finish in the MIAA standings.

Kennedy "Goose" Salyers pitched three innings at Southeastern Oklahoma State University last season. She batted .251 on 175 at-bats with 24 runs, 44 hits, and 14 RBI. The Savage Storm went 18-34 in NCAA Division II and finished last in the Great American Conference.

Rhett Rutledge played 38 games last year for Northern Oklahoma College , batting .299 with 26 runs, 26 hits, two homers, and 13 RBI. The Mavericks went 32-25 in NJCAA Division II.

Class of 2015

Mariah Knight is on the Pom team at OBU. Last year she made the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a 3.00 GPA or higher.

Morgan Long is headed into her third season on the University of Oklahoma Cross Country team. Last year she placed 18th overall in the 5K at the Ken Garland Invitational. The Sooners finished fourth in the Big 12 and seventh in the NCAA Midwest Regionals last year.

Cody Karstetter is back at the University of Oklahoma for a second season of Sooner wrestling. He went 6-3 at North Carolina as a freshman, then went 1-2 last year at OU before a season-ending dislocated shoulder. The Sooners went 11-6 in the dual season, then placed second in the Big 12 and 32nd in the NCAA.

Cody Randall and Caleb Basma are headed into another year of wrestling at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. Randall finished last year 13-11 while Basma went 23-15. The Golden Norsemen went 14-1 in the dual season before placing third at the NJCAA National Championship.

Kyler Childers is slated to compete for Oklahoma Wesleyan University in their first-ever season of men's wrestling. Childers was a three-time State Qualifier for the Sandites, finishing his senior season with a 29-8 record for third place at the OSSAA 6A Tournament. 

Class of 2014

After redshirting his freshman year Tre Betts has played every game for the past two seasons at Missouri State University. He recorded 41 tackles, two interceptions, and a 44-yard interception return in 2015 then added twelve more tackles last season. The Bears are 5-17 under third year Head Coach Dave Steckel and are coming off a 4-7 season in NCAA Division I. They're looking for their first winning season since 2009.

Redshirt junior Isaiah Silversmith is entering his third season at Northeastern State University. In 2015 he played all eleven games and recorded eleven tackles. Last year he played two games and posted two tackles as the RiverHawks went 2-9 for an eleventh-place finish in the MIAA.

Senior Jacob Sigmon played nine games last year for the Southwestern College Moundbuilders, receiving 25 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown. The Moundbuilders are coming off a 2-8 season in the NAIA and an eighth-place finish in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. 

Alan Armstrong is entering his senior season on the Southern Nazarene University soccer team. He has played in every game for the past three seasons. Last season he tied for second in scoring with four goals, bringing his career total to six. The Crimson Storm is coming off a 2-15-2 record in NCAA Division II, with a fourth-place finish in the Great American Conference.

Mallory Goodman, née Collins, is back for a third season with the OSU Cowgirls. The Sandite batted .273 as a freshman, starting 33 times, before taking a year off. Returning to the diamond last year, she batted .063 on sixteen at-bats. 

Class of 2012

Cody Tolbert is in his senior year at Southern Nazarene University. Last year he went 1-3 on the mound with ten strikeouts over nineteen innings pitched. The Crimson Storm went 7-40 in NCAA Division II, finishing last in the Great American Conference.

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Please Contact Us to inform us of any changes in enrollment or to let us know of any athletes we're missing.

Fall sports season is officially under way at Charles Page High School

Season ticket prices have been set for Sand Springs high school athletics.

$7.00 General admission
$11.00 Reserve seating
$20.00 Student Athlete All-Sport Pass, general admission
$25.00 Student Non-Athlete All-Sport Pass, general admission
$40.00 Senior Citizen All-Sport Pass, general admission
$50.00 Season pass, home games, reserve seating
$60.00 Adult All-Sport Pass, general admission
$85.00 All-Sport Pass Package with reserved seating

Charles Page High School boasts one of the premier athletic programs in the State of Oklahoma. Fall athletics include Cross Country, Football, Fast Pitch Softball, and Volleyball.

Lady Sandite Volleyball went 24-14 last year, reaching the number thirteen ranking in Class 6A before being eliminated in the playoffs by No. 4 Edmond Santa Fe. Head Coach Janna Green was named Frontier Valley Conference Coach of the Year, junior Gloria Mutiri committed to Ohio State University, and Lee Leslie signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

The Sandite Football team went 7-5 last season and attained the number one ranking in Class 6A-II before being defeated in the semifinals by the defending and eventual State Champions from Bixby. The Sandites won a 26-25 upset over then top-ranked Muskogee with a two-point conversion that made the EPSN SportsCenter number one play. Four seniors went on to play collegiate ball and three received OCA All-Star accolades.

The Lady Sandite Softball team went 30-9, placed second in the district, made the State quarterfinals and won the 6A Academic State Championship. Sydney Pennington signed with Oklahoma State University, Jessica Collins signed with Connors State College, and both made the All-State team. 

The Boys' Cross Country team won the Kiefer meet and placed second at Sapulpa. The Girls placed first at Kiefer, second at Sapulpa, and fourth in the conference. The girls team qualified for State, Aden Baughman qualified individually, and Cheyenne Walden won her fourth State Championship. Walden signed with Oklahoma State University and Alexis Davis signed with Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Sapulpa tops Sand Springs 10-6 in Alumni Rivalry Game; Thayer scores lone touchdown

Terrance Dixon ran for 22 yards in the Sandites' Sunday night defeat in Sapulpa. (Photo: Morgan Miller).

For the past 87 years, Sapulpa and Sand Springs students have met in one of the most bitter football rivalries in Oklahoma. And for the past four years, alumni from the two schools have duked it out on the gridiron in a fundraiser for the students.

Sapulpa leads the high school series 45-41-5, and tied the alumni series 2-2 Sunday night. The two teams split the ticket sales, with the host team keeping concessions.

The first alumni game was held at George F. Collins Stadium in 2014 and was a resounding 20-7 Sapulpa victory, but for the past two seasons the Sandites have both hosted and won the game.

Total Offense: Sapulpa 31-169, Sand Springs 39-135.
Passing: Sapulpa 4-11-74-1, Sand Springs 5-16-64-2. 
Rushing: Sapulpa 20-95, Sand Springs 23-71.
Penalties: Sapulpa 6-40. Sand Springs 0-0. 
First Downs: Sand Springs 9, Sapulpa 6.

Passing: (Sapulpa) Romine 4-11-74-1. (Sand Springs) Riggs 3-5-50-0, Michael Brown 2-7-15-0, T. Millikin 0-3-0-1, Smallwood 0-1-0-1.

Receiving: (Sapulpa) Meacham 2-64, Rolland 1-9, Swift 1-1. (Sand Springs) N. Millikin 2-43, T. Dixon 2-15, Parker Taylor 1-7.

Rushing: (Sapulpa) Broom 13-79, Cashon 3-16, Romine 3-16, Swift 1-(-4). (Sand Springs) Thayer 8-39, T. Dixon 6-22, Mitchell Brown 3-10, C. Dixon 3-9, Michael Brown 1-4, T. Millikin 2-(-5) Riggs 2-(-21).

Click here for 2017 photo gallery.
Click here for 2016 photo gallery.
Click here for 2016 story.

Sand Springs won 35-0 in 2015 and 20-14 last year while Collins Stadium was undergoing renovation. In 2016, Cody Hilderbrant, Cody Hale, Znick Ferrell, and Davey Thayer got in on the scoring action for Sand Springs, while J.R. Romine and Jason Broom found the endzone for the Chieftains.

This year, the dynamic Sapulpa duo returned to wreak havoc on the small Sandite team. Romine completed only four passes, but totaled 74 yards. Meanwhile, the Sandites went through four QBs and failed to establish an offensive rhythm.

The first quarter went scoreless for both teams, but the Sandites hit paydirt early in the second with a 62-yard march, capped by a half-yard scoring run from the Class of 2015's Davey Thayer. A two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, however, and Sapulpa took the lead shortly before halftime after Michael Cashon scored on a six-yard run and Romine drilled the point-after.

The first half ended with a flair of excitement as Taylor Lewis and Cruz Desjarlais picked off back-to-back interceptions. Lewis snagged another later in the game. 

The third quarter was plagued by fumbled hikes on the part of the Sandites, and Sapulpa got the ball back on the second play of the half. On their first possession they marched 19 yards in five plays before Romine connected on a 35-yard field goal for the final score of the game.

Five possession changes later, and neither team had found the endzone again. The Sandites put together an impressive, but ultimately unsuccessful, last-ditch effort in the final three minutes - picking up three first downs before running out of time in Sapulpa territory.

Sapulpa Head Coach Robert Borgstadt previously spent five years as defensive coordinator in Sand Springs, while Wide-Receivers Coach Tim Beacham spent two years as Head Coach at Charles Page from 2001-2002. This marked Borgstadt's first victory against his old team, a feat he will aim to repeat for Sapulpa Homecoming on September 22nd.

Sapulpa:
Dalton Wilson (2016)
Braden Watkins (2015)
Mason Dossman (2014)
Chase Willis (2014)
Julian Rolland (2014)
J.T. Rains (2014)
Cory Mondier (2014)
Darien Inks (2013)
Devin Swift (2013)
Corbin Steeples (2013)
Noah Berryhill (2013)
Trevor Tolliver (2011)
Matt Pulley (2010)
Chache Ward (2009)
Steven Crawford (2008)
Aaron Petty (2007)
Michael Cashon (2006)
Josh Hardee (2005)
Randall Hardee (2004)
Caleb Meacham (2002)
J.R. Romine (1998)
Jason Broom (1998)
Chris Playford (1998)
Will Sinder
Taylor Lewis
Brian Hurt
Tyler Doane
Bradley Akin
Keagan Fox
Jeffrey Melchor

Sand Springs:
Cody Motes (2017)
Malachi Walton (2016)
Parker Taylor (2016)
Ty Fain (2016)
Cole Dixon (2016)
Cruz Desjarlais (2016)
Andrew Biggs (2016)
Davey Thayer (2015)
Marcus Crawford (2015)
Travis MIllikin (2014)
Junior Cole (2014)
Nick Millikin (2011)
Lane Freeman (2011)
Terrance Dixon (2010)
Richard Hopper (2010)
Ben Riggs (2007)
Mitchell Brown (2003)
Ryan Smallwood (1993)
Mike Edwards (1992)
Michael Brown
Andrew Brown
Logan Miller
Brian Bonton
Michael Mason
Blake Wheeler
Theshaud Hawkins

Longtime Sandite Coach/Athletic Director Cecil Hankins to be inducted into OBCA Hall of Fame

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Cecil Hankins, 1953 Sand Springs High School yearbook.

Former Sand Springs Coach and Athletic Director Cecil Hankins will be inducted into the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association (OBCA) Hall of Fame Saturday, June 3rd. Hankins was previously inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Oklahoma State University Hall of Honor in 1996.

Hankins coached in Sand Springs for sixteen years, including basketball, football, track and field, baseball, and golf. He retired as Athletic Director in 1988 and passed away in 2002 at the age of 80. 

A Division I collegiate athlete, Hankins played for Oklahoma A&M University (now Oklahoma State University) in both football and basketball, under Jim Lookabaugh and Henry Iba respectively.

In football he played halfback and defensive back on the undefeated 1945 team that was recently declared the National Champions by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The AFCA has been working to declare national champions for the period between 1922 and 1949 before they began a rankings system.

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1945 Oklahoma A&M National Champion team. Hankins can be seen in the second row from the top, four positions to the right of Head Coach Jim Lookabaugh. 

In the 1945 Sugar Bowl, Hankins received the go-ahead touchdown pass from Bob Fennimore and the Aggies went on to prevail 33-13 over St. Mary's. 

Hankins didn't live long enough to see his football team recognized as National Champions, but the 1945 Basketball team also won a National Title and he contributed 13 points per game that season. The 1945 season was the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance and first National Championship as the Aggies defeated New York 49-45 in front of 18,000 fans at Madison Square Garden to finish the season with a 27-4 record. Hankins scored 15 points in the Championship game.

After his collegiate career, Hankins played 25 games with the Boston Celtics and averaged 2.8 points per game for 70 career points. 

At Sand Springs he coached football from 1952-1954 and amassed a 15-10-4 record with a 1952 District Championship and playoff appearance. He coached future three-time MLB World Series Champion Jerry Adair as quarterback, who went on to play basketball at OSU under Iba. He coached basketball from 1948 through 1957. Sandite Pride is missing the 1948-1949 season record, but his final eight years Hankins went 144-59-1 and led his team to four-straight Verdigris Valley Conference Championships.

Hankins will be inducted along with Jack Begley, Ron Murphey, Robert Sprague, and Bailey Van Zant. Begley coached at Texhoma High, Clinton High, and Panhandle State. He won two State Championships at Clinton. Murphey coached at Felt and Texhoma and won one State Championship at Texhoma. Sprague coached at Daniel Webster, Nathan Hale, and Tulsa Memorial. Van Zant coached at Pond Creek and Pryor, started the basketball program at Seminole Junior College, then coached fourteen years in Texas.

McKinney Animal Hospital donates All-State Player sign to CPHS Baseball Complex

Sand Springs has a rich tradition of producing some of the best baseball teams in the State, despite not having won a State Tournament yet. Between Sand Springs High School and Charles Page High School, the Sandites have produced twenty-one All-State players, all of which were honored in a special ceremony Tuesday evening at the Sandite Baseball Complex.

Jason and Dr. Kayla Shipman, owners of the McKinney Animal Hospital in Sand Springs, donated a brand new sign to the Sandites, recognizing all the All-State players to come from Sand Springs. Jason played for the Sandites and graduated in 1996. 

Eugene "Knute" Palmer, Class of 1950, was the first Sandite ever to be named to the All-State team. Palmer was the Commander Mills Outstanding Player as a senior. The football team Co-Captain achieved All-Conference honors for both football and basketball, and was an All-State Honorable Mention for football. The basketball team went 27-1-1 his senior year for the Verdigris Valley Conference Championship. 

Sgt. Bill Bigby, Class of 1951, was a tri-sport athlete for the Sandites, playing for the football team, and the Verdigris Valley Conference Champion basketball team. As a senior he was named the Most Versatile Athlete. Bigby attended the University of Oklahoma, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, then returned to graduate from the University of Tulsa. A dedicated member of the community, Bigby served as a City Councilman, little league baseball and basketball coach, and Mayor of Sand Springs. He was Chairman of the Freeholders of the City of Sand Springs which first chartered the City as a Council-Manager form of government in 1969. 

Charles Hughes, Class of 1952, was a dual-sport athlete, serving as Captain of the State Runner-Up football team and was a left-handed pitcher on the baseball team. The football team tied Ada 20-20 in the State Championship, but Ada was awarded the Title on red-zone penetrations. Overtime had not yet made its way into high school football. Hughes received a baseball scholarship to Anderson University in Indiana, then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals Farm Club before being drafted in the Army in 1955. In the Army, he continued his baseball career in Germany. After a shoulder injury put an end to his baseball career, Hughes enrolled in cosmetology school and went on to found the Scissors Family Hair Salon chain, which had ten locations at its peak. He also served on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology.

Bill Miller, Class of 1952, was a member of the Sand Springs High School baseball team from 1949 to 1952.

Billy Wooten, Class of 1953, was a four-year starting catcher for the Sandites. In the 1953 State tournament in Tahlequah the Sandites ran out of pitchers and Wooten filled in. He struck out the first thirteen batters he faced. Wooten signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953 and amassed a 3-1 record on the mound in the 1954 season with their Ardmore farm team. 

Richard Luce, Class of 1956, was a tri-sport athlete for the Sandites, competing in football and basketball as well as baseball. He was also the Senior Class president. During his senior season Luce batted .412 and once hit three home runs during a double-header. He played for Oklahoma Baptist University for four seasons and made the Shawnee Oklahoma All-Star team in 1959.

Dennis Stanford, Class of 1969, was a dual-sport athlete, also playing on the 1966 State Championship football team, for which he earned All-Conference and All-State honors in 1968. The center-fielder continued his baseball career at Crowder Junior College where he earned All-District honors, and the University of Tulsa where he earned All-Conference honors in 1972 and 1973. Stanford retired from the Union School District after twenty years. 

Tom Hudspeth, Class of 1972, played short stop for the Sandites from 1970 through 1972. He passed away in 2013. 

Mike Moore, Class of 1981, was the Tulsa Metro Player of the Year in 1981 and played in the Oklahoma-California series that year. He earned All-American honors at Conners State College and led the nation with 89 stolen bases. He also played for Southwestern Oklahoma State. Moore never hit below .400 in his high school or college career. After college, Moore played a year for the Cheena Reds in the Mexican League before pursuing a career in coaching. He has coached at NorthArk Community College, Weslaco (Texas), Crowder, and Sapulpa. He is currently the Head Coach at Jay High School. He has amassed a career coaching record of 479-209.

Randall King, Class of 1983, was the Tulsa Metro Player of the Year in 1983 and played on the Oklahoma-California Series. He continued his career at Northeastern State University, and is currently the Head Softball Coach at Broken Arrow High School. He has guided the Tigers to three Fast Pitch State Championships and one Slow Pitch State Championship as Head Coach, and was an assistant coach for five Fast Pitch State Championships. He celebrated his 400th career win as the Fast Pitch Head Coach in 2016 during his 13th season at the helm. He was named the All-World Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2014. He holds a 408-101 career fast pitch record.

Kurt Burgess, Class of 1987, compiled a 14-1 record on the mound his senior year with 123 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.06. He also batted .427 with 6 home runs and 39 RBI. He was named the Tulsa Metro Player of the Year in 1987 and played in the Oklahoma-California Series. He continued his career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and Oral Roberts University. He earned All-American honors at ORU in 1991 with a record of 15-1 and signed with the Atlanta Braves organization that year. He played six seasons with the Braves' farm teams, ending his career in 1996 with the Richmond Braves. In June of 1993 he was named Pitcher of the Month for the entire Atlanta Braves organization.

Doug Vineyard, Class of 1988, batted .438 his junior year and .444 his senior year, helping lead the Sandites to the State Semifinals both seasons. He was an American Legion All-Star both years and was All-Metro in 1988. He is currently the Vice President of Operations at Hargrove Manufacturing in Sand Springs.

Jay Fleischman, Class of 1988, made All-State in baseball, football, and wrestling, won the 1988 State Championship at 178 pounds, and pursued a collegiate football career at Oklahoma State University. He was named the 1980s Oklahoma High School Football All-Decade Team and lettered all four years at OSU. He started as a true freshman in the 1988 Holiday Bowl, playing alongside Barry Sanders and Mike Gundy. In 1989 he led the Cowboys with four interceptions, and recorded 73 tackles and 55 unassisted tackles in 1990. He currently serves as an assistant coach on both the CPHS wrestling and football teams.

Scott Watkins, Class of 1988, pitched a 13-3 record his senior year with 118 strikeouts and three no-hitters. He played collegiately for Oral Roberts University, Seminole State, and Oklahoma State University. While at OSU, he was named the Big 8 Newcomer of the Year, the Big 8 Pitcher of the Year, and Second Team All-American. In 1992 Watkins was drafted and signed in the 23rd round by the Minnesota Twins. In '95 he was named a AAA All-Star and the Pacific Coast League Rolaids Relief Award Winner. He made his major league debut with the Twins in August of that year. His career also included stents with the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. While with the Rangers, Watkins played for the Tulsa Drillers and Oklahoma City Redhawks in 1998. He retired from professional baseball in 2002 and has been an assistant coach for the Sandites since 2004. 

Chabon Childers, Class of 1989, played outfield for the Sandites and led the Tulsa Metro with 59 RBI his junior season. As a senior he batted .550 for five home runs and 36 RBI. He was named the Tulsa Metro Player of the Year that season and was a member of the 1989 Oklahoma Sunbelt Team. He continued his career at Oklahoma State University and made the All-Big 8 Second Team in 1993. He is currently an assistant coach with the Broken Arrow High School team.

Ray Tarr, Class of 1996, was a three-time All-Metro and All-Conference selection and was a member of the 1995 and 1996 Oklahoma Sunbelt Teams. He batted over .400 his senior season with 46 RBI and 8 home runs, including a game-winning three-run homer against No. 1 Westmoore in the 1996 State Tournament. He continued his career at Independence Community College and St. Gregory's University, and was named an All-Conference catcher all four years. He is currently a firefighter and paramedic with the Tulsa Fire Department.

Jared Shipman, Class of 1997, was the Tulsa Metro Player of the Year as a senior and played in the 1996 Sooner State Games and 1997 Oklahoma Sunbelt team. He set a school record with 256 career strikeouts, including 110 in just 73 innings his senior year. He also threw a school record 18 strikeouts in a win over Jenks, who went on to win the State Championship. 18 strikeouts in seven innings still stands among the top-five performances of all-time at any classification of Oklahoma High School baseball. Shipman played collegiate ball at Conners State and Oral Roberts University. He holds a degree in construction management from OSU and is the son-in-law of Head Coach Bill Hutson

Jeff Blevins, Class of 1998, earned All-Conference and All-Metro honors his sophomore, junior, and senior years. As a senior he was the Oklahoma Player of the Year Runner-Up, batting .477 with 8 homers and 50 RBI. He attended Texarkana College in 1999 and 2000, earning All-Conference honors both seasons. During his sophomore year he hit .353 with 5 homers and 60 RBI, highlighted by a school-record 26-game hitting streak. He played for the University of Nebraska from 2001 to 2002, earning All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention at third base both seasons. The Huskers qualified for back-to-back College World Series appearances during his career there. As a senior he batted .307 with 7 homers and 50 RBI and held a .946 fielding average.

Matt Hillis, Class of 2009, set the CPHS record for stolen bases his senior year at 45. He also had 6 homers, including one in Drillers Stadium in a game against Memorial. He played collegiate ball for Cowley County Community College and finished with a .250 batting average, including 2 homers. As an outfielder he maintained a .929 fielding percentage.

Kylar Robertson, Class of 2012, made the New Balance All-American team his senior year, batting .440 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI. He played two seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State College where he earned All-Conference honors and was on the Dean & President's Honor Rolls. As a redshirt freshman he batted .269 with 37 runs, 45 RBI, and 12 homers. As a sophomore he batted .338 for 28 runs, 38 RBI, and 7 homes. He was .994 as a catcher. He currently plays for Southeastern Missouri State University. Last season he batted .238 for 12 runs, 12 RBI, and 2 homers as the Redhawks won the Ohio Valley Conference.

Alex Hackerott, Class of 2012, made the New Balance All-American team his senior year and was the 2012 Tulsa Metro Pitcher of the Year. He amassed a 28-7 career record in high school with 243 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.97. He held an 8-1 record his senior season with an 0.44 ERA and threw back-to-back no-hitters in the Bixby Tournament. He batted .428 with 88 RBI in his career and was .438 as a senior. As a junior he pitched a 10-1 record. He played four season with Oklahoma State University and finished with a 7-1 career record and 2.66 ERA. In 2014 he was an Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honoree. In 2015 he made the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. He will graduate this May with a degree in finance. 

One notable name missing from the All-State roster is arguable the best baseball player ever to come from Sand Springs, Jerry Adair. The Class of 1955 star lettered three times in football, basketball, and baseball. He was named to the All-State football team but at that time players could only make All-State in one sport. He turned down his football honors, hoping to make All-State in basketball, which he did. Because he played for the All-State basketball team, he was ineligible for All-State baseball. Adair was the starting quarterback for the Sandites, was named the All-State Most Outstanding Player for basketball, and signed with Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) for both basketball and baseball. He led his team in batting as a junior with a .438 average and was the first-ever player from OSU named to the All-Big 8 Team. He was also named to the All-American Second Team. Adair signed with the Baltimore Orioles in '58 and also played stents for the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and Hankyu Braves in the Japan Pacific League. He retired from baseball in 1971 and passed away from liver cancer in 1987. The Jerry Adair Baseball Complex in Sand Springs is named in his honor.

CPHS Senior Sydney Pennington named to All-State Basketball team

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School has produced a smattering of All Star and All State honors this school year. A dozen Sandites have received All-Star recognition by their sport's official governing body, and five were named to the All-State teams. 

Oklahoma State University-signed senior Sydney Pennington has made her way into the history books as one of the most talented athletes in school history, having been named to All-State teams in two separate sports.

Pennington was named to the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association (OGBCA) Large East All State team and the OCA Large East All State Team. She was also named to the Oklahoma Fast Pitch Coaches Association Large East All State team.

Pennington averaged 10.77 points per game this season, but could easily have had far more had she not had to share the ball with such an all-around talented team. She averaged 15.66 as a freshman, 17.16 as a sophomore, and 12.61 as a junior. She scored a career-high 32 as a sophomore, and holds 1386 career points. And basketball isn't even her best sport. 

Pennington is signed to play softball for OSU and has been to three State Championship tournaments with the Lady Sandites. They were defeated in the quarterfinals her freshman and seniors years but made it to the finals her junior year and lost by a single run. This past year she finished with an astounding .543 batting average with 45 runs, 57 hits, 38 RBI, and 10 home runs. She also pitched nearly 40 innings and finished with a 1.41 ERA and undefeated 6-0 record with two no-hitters and one shutout. 

To add to her impressive careers in basketball and softball, she was also the quarterback for the Senior Powderpuff Football team that won the school championship the past two years. One could easily compare her to Major League Baseball player Jerry Adair who made All-State in baseball, football, and basketball when he played for Sand Springs. 

Kyle Keener was named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) Large East 6A All Star team, averaging 16.5 points per game this season. Keener is signed to play for the University of Central Oklahoma next season. Keener and junior Colt Savage were both named to the Coffeyville Interstate Classic All-Tournament team this year.

Savage was named to the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association (OBCA) Region Seven All Star team. Savage averaged 22.48 points per game this year and scored a career-high 34. He was the second-highest scoring player in the entire Frontier Valley Conference and is only a junior.

Kierra McGee was named as an alternate on the OGBCA Large East All State team. She averaged 8.69 points per game this season and was the All-Tournament MVP at the Coffeyville Interstate Classic.

Delvin Jordan, Kasey Bales, and Lincoln Adams were named to the OCA East All Star team. Jordan also made the OCA All State East team. Jordan recorded 69 tackles this season, 15 for a loss of 91 yards, and 8 sacks for a loss of 64 yards. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one for a 32-yard touchdown return. Bales had 68 receptions for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns this season and averaged 42 yards per punt. Offensive linemen don't really have any stats to track, but Adams was one of the most proficient in the state and was a major player in opening up the prolific Sandite run game. Jordan is signed with Pittsburg State University and Adams is signed with Oklahoma Baptist University.

Daton Fix and Jack Karstetter were both named to the OCA Large East All State Wrestling team. Fix is a four-time undefeated State Champion with a 168-0 career record and is signed with Oklahoma State University. Karstetter won his first State Championship this season, was Runner-Up last year, and finished with a 105-16 record.

Cheyenne Walden and Alexis Davis were both named to the Oklahoma Track Coaches Association Cross Country Senior All-Star team. Walden is a four-time State Champion and four-time Gatorade Runner of the Year. She finished her career with personal records of 5:21 on the one-mile, 11:19.5 on the two-mile, and 17:32 in 5K. Davis is a four-time State Qualifier and finished 21st this year. She has PRs of 6:11 in the one-mile, 12:54 in the two-mile, and 19:53 for a 5K. Walden is signed with Oklahoma State University and Davis is signed with Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 

Jessica Collins was named to the All-State Large East Softball team and finished her senior year with a .316 batting average with 39 runs, 36 hits, and 22 RBI.