The Sand Springs athletic department celebrated ten student-athletes Wednesday morning at the Ed Dubie Field House, who have all signed letters of intent to compete at the collegiate level.
For the first time in school history, two Sandites signed to compete in collegiate shooting sports. Gunnar Casey and Sammy Naugle are both headed to Connors State College after building impressive careers with the FFA shooting team.
“We actually started the program back in 2008,” said coach Randy Evans. “Both of these boys have shot with me for the last four years. It’s the first set of kids we’ve ever actually sent to college to shoot.”
Casey was the 2019 SCTP State Skeet Champion, 2019 20-gauge Oklahoma State Skeet Champion, 2020 28-gauge Oklahoma State Skeet Champion, and was on the five-man HOA State Championship team in 2019.
Naugle was on the 2021 2nd-place team at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Sporting Clays Championship and placed second at the Dewey Invitational.
“Our school board and our administration is extremely supportive of that whole program,” said Evans. “They realize the kids never actually have guns in school and when we practice there’s eight to ten adults around, so it’s a really safe and secure thing.”
“I actually started watching these kids when they came to my contests about four years ago,” said Connors State coach Sierra Walker. “They’ve been on my radar since eighth grade. They just have a really unique technique and style about them and they are really good.”
“Even in eighth grade they were making the hits and killing the targets, so I was really excited to get to have them come to Connors.”
The Sandite football team will have three players continuing their careers at the next level.
Quarterback Ty Pennington received a full ride scholarship to play football at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.
“Pennington, you know, statistically is the greatest quarterback in Sand Springs history,” said Sand Springs coach Bobby Klinck. “I’m going to have to actually coach now that he’s gone. I’m very proud of him and what he’s accomplished.”
Pennington follows in the footsteps of his position coach Darrack Harger, who played for the Gorillas from 2012 to 2013.
The three-year starter set single-season records of 2,831 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and 39 total touchdowns while leading the Sandites to an 8-4 record and semifinal appearance in the OSSAA 6A-2 playoffs.
He also set career records of 6,455 passing yards, 54 passing touchdowns, and 79 total touchdowns.
“It checked all the recruiting boxes academically and athletically. I know I made the right decision,” said Pennington, who also had offers from Central Oklahoma, Missouri Southern, Washburn, Central Missouri, East Central, and a preferred walk-on opportunity at Oklahoma State.
“At first I thought about going to OSU, but once I started to figure out the kind of school Pitt State was, it was pretty obvious where I wanted to go,” said Pennington.
Pitt State has won two national championships at the NCAA Division II level. The Gorillas went 8-3 last season in their second year under head coach Brian Wright
Pennington was recently named to the All-State East team and will play in the All-State game on Friday, July 29th alongside defensive end Gabe Brown.
“It was a marathon, not a sprint for Gabe,” said Klinck. “He played a position that he wasn’t quite sure of and ended up being an All-Stater at it… He’s one of those guys that kept chopping wood and is very deserving of everything that he’s getting now.”
Brown signed with Northeastern State University after a senior campaign that included 69 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and two fumble recoveries, including a 75-yard scoop and score.
NSU competes at the NCAA Division II level in the MIAA. The RiverHawks went 2-9 last season under third-year head coach JJ Eckert. Sandite Justis Myers is also on the roster at NSU.
Outside linebacker Conner Light signed with Southwestern College, an NAIA school in Kansas that competes in the KCAC.
Light tallied 74 tackles for the Sandites this season, along with 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. He received All-District and Academic All-Conference Honorable Mentions.
“I couldn’t be more proud of that young man,” said Klinck. “He just maxed out his ability and ended up being a really good football player for us.”
“He’s one of those kids that you’re going to miss seeing. I’m very happy for him going off to school. He’ll be successful in whatever he does.”
The Moundbuilders are entering their eighth season under head coach Brad Griffin. They recently finished their most successful season since 1999 after posting a 9-2 mark and making it to the NAIA Championship Series. Light will join fellow Sandite JT Bristow, a sophomore tight end, at Southwestern.
“All three of those guys are great ambassadors for our football program,” said Klinck.
Shortstop Keaton Campbell signed to play baseball at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas.
Campbell batted .299 last season with 23 runs, 30 RBI, a .465 slugging average, a .392 on-base percentage, with 10 double plays, and one save on the mound.
In addition to his baseball accomplishments, he was also an All-District selection in football after making 55 receptions for 774 yards and 9 touchdowns this fall, and he received Academic All-Conference accolades for both baseball and football.
The Tigers compete in the NJCAA and have won four consecutive KJCCC East Division titles, finishing 47-10 last season with a fifth-place finish at the JUCO World Series. They are coached by Darren Burroughs.
Karsen Lynch signed to play soccer at Rogers State University, an NCAA Division II program competing in the MIAA. The Hillcats went 9-8-1 last season and are about to enter a new era under recently appointed head coach Chris Jones.
Lynch is a four-year starter for the Sandites, who are about to start their first season under head coach Cisco Chavez. She also plays for the Side FC 92 semi-pro team, which placed third in its inaugural season in the UWS. Last season she made the Academic All-Conference team and was team offensive MVP.
She will be reunited with former Sandite goalie Alison Day, who is a freshman at RSU.
Cassidy Tiepelman signed to play soccer at Southwestern College. The Moundbuilders went 13-5-1 last season and were the KCAC tournament runners-up. Tiepelman will join fellow Sandite Teagan Smith under head coach Joe Schwartz. Tiepelman was Academic All-Conference last season.
Charley Fahland and Tehya Johnson both signed to play volleyball at Friends University, an NAIA school in Wichita that competes in the KCAC. The Falcons are coached by Martin Ayin and went 12-19 last season.
Fahland and Johnson helped the Sandites to a 14-20 record this season. Fahland was second on the team in aces with 36 and led the team with 353 digs. Johnson had 217 digs and a team-high 689 assists.
Johnson was named to the Frontier Valley All-Conference Second Team and Academic All-Conference. Fahland received an All-Conference honorable mention and both made the Sandite Invitational All-Tournament Team.
The Sandites have now signed 13 athletes from the Class of 2022. Raegan Rector and Avery Tanner previously signed to play college softball in November and John Keim signed to play baseball.
