Kenneth Page and Gatlin Gunn Headline Sandites' 13 All-District Awards

The Charles Page High School football team recently wrapped up an 8-4 season and on Monday the Sandites found out that 13 of their seniors had received All-District accolades.

Kenneth Page was named the district Running Back of the Year, ending the season with 169 carries for 960 yards officially and 14 touchdowns to go with 16 receptions for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Gatlin Gunn was named co-Safety of the Year, alongside Stillwater’s Trey Tuck, after racking up a team-best 82 tackles with 3 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, and 6 passes defended.

Eight other Sandites were named to the All-District team.

Dallas Elifrits finished the season with 64 tackles, a team-best 10 for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 passes defended.

Owen Floyd finished the season with 72 tackles, 5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery.

Hunter Wilson finished the year with 65 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 1 blocked punt.

Keagan Gilman ended the year with 58 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries.

Offensive linemen Mason Harris, Marcus Sims, Easton Pritchard, and Tyler Smith paved the way for 5.2 yards per carry and 5.98 yards per play.

Three Sandites received honorable mentions, including offensive lineman Marcum Sims.

Kayden Campbell finished the year with 15 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown while Wyatt Rutledge had 9 receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown.

Lady Sandites Fall 53-45 at Owasso, Wilson & Morris Score 17 Apiece

For the first time since 2018, the Owasso girls’ basketball team (2-0, 2-0) managed to topple the Lady Sandites (1-1, 1-1) Friday night, winning 53-45 to snap a 12-game losing streak against their former Frontier Valley rivals.

The teams traded leads through the first three quarter and the game was tied 35-35 at the 2:25 mark of the third quarter before the Rams went on a 9-point run and never looked back in the district victory.

Owasso out-rebounded the visiting Sandites 35 to 16, including 15 offensive boards, to make up for an 0-for-9 performance from three-point range.

The Sandites survived as long as they did thanks to a strong 10-for-25 performance outside the arc, including five treys from Taiona “Yonni” Morris.

Morris, a senior Oklahoma A&M commit, had a career night with 17 points to lead the Sandites.

Sakauri Wilson, a Southwestern Oklahoma State commit, also had 17 points to go with 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 5 assists.

Wilson scored 12 in the first half and the girls led by as much as 22-16 before the Rams went on an 8-point run to take the lead. A three-pointer from Tay’Ja Butler helped the Sandites take a 25-24 advantage into the locker room.

After taking their final lead at 32-28, the Sandites gave up a 16-3 run to end the quarter, broken up only by a three-pointer from Tianna Butler at the 2:25 mark.

Morris’s fifth and final three-pointer cut it to 50-45 with 1:21 to play but those would be the last points for the Sandites.

Missouri Southern State-commit Makenna Yokley led her team with 15 points, followed by Seldon Stover and Alex McGarrah with 13 apiece.

Owasso dominated the boards and the turnover battle while committing only 9 penalties to the Sandites’ 16, getting to the free-throw line 18 times.

The Sandites will get a rematch on January 26th at the Ed Dubie Field House, but next up on the agenda is a district trip to Enid (0-1, 0-1) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Rams will host Edmond Memorial (1-1, 1-1) on Tuesday.

Owasso 53 CPHS 45

1Q: Owasso 13-11.
2Q: CPHS 14-11.
3Q: Owasso 20-10.
4Q: CPHS 10-9.
Free Throws: Owasso 17-of-26, CPHS 5-of-6.
Field Goals: Owasso 18-of-45, CPHS 15-of-42.
Offensive Rebounds: Owasso 15, CPHS 3.
Defensive Rebounds: Owasso 20, CPHS 13.
Total Rebounds: Owasso 35, CPHS 16.
Steals: Owasso 11, CPHS 6.
Blocks: Owasso 2, CPHS 4.
Fouls: Owasso 9, CPHS 16.

Sand Springs Statistics

Points: Wilson 17, Morris 17, Ta. Butler 6, Ti. Butler 3, Pearce 2.
Offensive Rebounds: Taylor 2, Ta. Butler 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Taylor 4, Wilson 3, Simone 3, Ta. Butler 1, Ti. Butler 1, Pearce 1.
Total Rebounds: Taylor 6, Wilson 3, Simone 3, Ta. Butler 2, Ti. Butler 1, Pearce 1.
Steals: Wilson 3, Morris 1, Ta. Butler 1, Pearce 1.
Assists: Wilson 5, Morris 1, Taylor 1, Simone 1.
Blocks: Ti. Butler 4.
Fouls: Ti. Butler 4, Taylor 3, Simone 3, Pearce 2, Ta. Butler 2, Wilson 1, Garrison 1.

Owasso Statistics

Points: Yokley 15, Stover 12, McGarrah 12, Hill 10, Austin 4.
Fouls: Austin 3, McGarrah 2, Hill 1, Yokley 1, Stover 1, Wilson 1.

Sandite Boys Show Promise in 67-48 Loss at Owasso

Kooper Kelly, pictured against Edmond MEmorial, was the Sandites’ leading scorer Friday at Owasso with 16 points. (Photo by Charity Emigh).

Fans of the Charles Page High School boys’ basketball team shouldn’t be discouraged by an 0-2 start. The Sandites are showing plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the season to come.

The boys fell 59-55 to Edmond Memorial on Tuesday due to injuries and foul trouble, and their 67-48 loss to Owasso on Friday was a similar ordeal.

Sand Springs entered the game minus one starter in Blake Johnson, who was still in concussion protocol following a head-to-floor collision on Tuesday.

Despite missing the 6’5” junior forward, the Sandites still hung tight with one of last year’s State semifinalists until late in the game, only trailing 52-48 until the Rams closed on a 15-0 run in the final minutes.

An eight-point first quarter from Deke Thompson led to an 11-11 tie entering the second stanza.

Strong three-point shooting gave the Rams a 29-23 halftime advantage, but they were unable to pull away in the third quarter, never leading by more than seven before taking a 46-42 advantage into the final period.

Unfortunately for the Sandites, Khalil Allen drew a fourth foul early in the third and Kason Evans drew his fourth foul not long after.

With the visitors handcuffed in terms of physicality, the Rams attacked their foes relentlessly in the paint to run away with it.

Five-star sophomore prospect Jalen Montonati scored 23 points to lead all scorers while Gabe Patterson scored 12 and Boden Williams added 10 to put three Rams in double digits.

Kooper Kelly led the Sandites with 16 points, shooting 5-of-9 in the field and 3-of-4 at the stripe. Thompson scored 12 as the only other Sandite in double digits.

The Sandites and Rams will get a rematch on January 26th.

Sand Springs will look to get in the win column Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. with a district road game at Enid (0-1, 0-1), who fell 47-43 in its season-opener against Owasso. The Rams will host Edmond Memorial (2-0, 2-0) Tuesday.

Owasso 67 CPHS 48

1Q: Tied 11-11.
2Q: Owasso 18-12.
3Q: CPHS 19-17.
4Q: Owasso 21-6.
Free Throws: Owasso 12-of-17, CPHS 9-of-13.
Field Goals: Owasso 23-of-47, CPHS 16-of-40.
Offensive Rebounds: Owasso 8, CPHS 3.
Defensive Rebounds: Owasso 18, CPHS 12.
Total Rebounds: Owasso 26, CPHS 15.
Steals: Owasso 2, CPHS 3.
Blocks: Owasso 2, CPHS 4.
Fouls: Owasso 11, CPHS 18.

Sand Springs Statistics

Scoring: Kelly 16, Thompson 12, Fueshko 8, Allen 7, Evans 5.
Offensive Rebounds: Mitchell 1, Evans 1, Roper 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Allen 5, Fueshko 4, Thompson 2, Evans 1.
Total Rebounds: Allen 5, Fueshko 4, Thompson 2, Evans 2, Roper 1, Mitchell 1.
Steals: Kelly 1, Fueshko 1, Collins 1.
Assists: Fueshko 2, Mitchell 1.
Blocks: Kelly 3, Fueshko 1.
Fouls: Allen 4, Evans 4, Kelly 3, Thompson 3, Fueshko 2, Shope 1, Young 1.

Owasso Statistics

Scoring: Montonati 23, Patterson 12, Williams 10, Harbaugh 7, Lechlider 5, Nantois 4, Milton 3, Kerr 3.
Fouls: Harbaugh 3, Montonati 2, Lechlider 2, Kerr 2, Patterson 2.

Injuries and Fouls Add Up to Tough Season-Opening Loss for Sandites

Deke Thompson scored 26 points in his Sandite debut. (Photo by Charity Emigh).

Injuries and fouls derailed a fast start and what could have been a statement win over a west-side team to open the season.

Charles Page High School fell 59-55 to Edmond Memorial after jumping out to a 14-9 first quarter lead and didn’t trail till the last bucket of the half.

Unfortunately for the Sandites, Khalil Allen drew a fourth foul early in the second quarter and spent the rest of the half on the bench. Kason Evans fouled out early in the third quarter, and Blake Johnson suffered a head injury that took him out of the game early in the third as well.

“That hurt,” said head coach Eric Savage. “We were real thin right there and giving a big size advantage once we lost all three of them. And really Khalil, he played the whole second half with four fouls, couldn’t be as aggressive as he normally is.”

“We were just holding on there in the second half,” said Savage. “But I thought they showed a lot of heart, didn’t give up, and gave us a chance there at the end. We just couldn’t get over the hump.”

Kooper Kelly got hot late in the game, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter. The Sandites trailed as much as 47-36 before Kelly sparked a 10-2 run.

“Kooper’s been doing a good job,” said Savage. “He’s a three-year starter so we kind of expect that from him and just kind of encourage him to not wait so late to get get going. I think the tendency is to kind of wait around and wait for other guys to get involved, but we want him to be aggressive and keep shooting the ball.”

Deke Thompson picked up where Kelly left off with 9 points in the final two minutes, including a three-pointer on a steal and assist by Kelly to make it 52-49 with 1:49 to play.

Kelly fouled out with 21 seconds left and Thompson cut it as close as 57-55 nine seconds later, but Danny Lynn hit a pair of free throws in the final moments to put the game away for the Bulldogs.

Thompson, a junior transfer from Jenks, led all scorers with 23 points.

“He’s a great player,” said Savage. “Obviously he’s a scorer and can do a lot of things and it’s going to free up some opportunities for some other guys. Take a little of the pressure off them.”

Kelly had 13 as the only other Sandite in double digits, while the Bulldogs were led by Lynn with 14.

The Sandites have more inside size than they’ve had in recent years and the addition of Thompson to an already-loaded junior class has the Sandites positioned for a resurgent season after a three-year slump of losing seasons.

Last year was already a bounce-back effort after the Sandites doubled their previous year’s win total at 10-14. With the OSSAA’s transition to district play this year, the Sandites should have an easier time returning to their pre-COVID form.

“I think we have a well-rounded team,” said Savage, who enters his 11th year at the helm.

“I think it’s going to take a little bit with the newcomers coming in for us to gel a little bit. We’re still haven’t had a lot of time together and our schedule’s really tough here at the beginning of the year and we’re going to have to go through some battles. But I really like our group and it’s going to be fun. We’ll get through the hurdles and I like where we’re going to be come January.”

Sand Springs will return to action Friday at 8:00 p.m. with a district road game against Owasso (1-0, 1-0) while Edmond Memorial will host Putnam City (1-0, 1-0) on Friday.

EDM 59 CPHS 55

1Q: CPHS 14-9.
2Q: EDM 18-11.
3Q: EDM 15-11.
4Q: CPHS 19-17.

Field Goals: EDM 21-of-39, CPHS 17-of-36.
Free Throws: EDM 14-of-22, CPHS 16-of-20.
Offensive Rebounds: EDM 9, CPHS 1.
Defensive Rebounds: EDM 15, CPHS 10.
Total Rebounds: EDM 24, CPHS 11.
Steals: EDM 6, CPHS 5.
Blocks: EDM 1, CPHS 1.
Fouls: EDM 21, CPHS 21.

Sand Springs Statistics

Points: Thompson 23, Kelly 13, Allen 9, Johnson 6, Roper 3, Evans 1.
Offensive Rebounds: Johnson 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Allen 4, Thompson 3, Fueshko 2, Mitchell 1.
Total Rebounds: Allen 4, Thompson 3, Fueshko 2, Johnson 1, Mitchell 1.
Steals: Kelly 2, Thompson 2, Allen 1.
Assists: Kelly 1, Thompson 1, Allen 1, Johnson 1, Fueshko 1.
Blocks: Allen 1.
Fouls: Kelly 5, Evans 5, Allen 4, Johnson 2, Fueshko 2, Mitchell 2, Roper 1.

Edmond Memorial Statistics

Points: Lyon 14, Pedulla 8, Hancuff 8, Nero 8, Miller 6, Youngblood 5, Franz 4, Brown 3, Lashley 3.
Fouls: Nero 4, Brown 4, Pedulla 3, Franz 3, Youngblood 3, Hancuff 2, Lynn 1, Miller 1.

Sakauri Wilson Scores 26 as Sandites Defeat Edmond Memorial in Season Opener

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A fast start and suffocating defense led the Lady Sandite hoopers to a statement 41-33 win over Edmond Memorial in Tuesday’s season opener at the Ed Dubie Field House.

“It was a hard one to start off with,” said head coach Josh Berry. “I think they just played great. We executed. We’ve got a lot to work, but you like to work on it with a win, so I’m just glad for that.”

Southwestern Oklahoma State-committed senior Sakauri Wilson piled on 26 points in an East vs. West matchup that heralded the new district era of Oklahoma prep hoops.

The OSSAA has shifted to district play for the first time in basketball, throwing conference rivalries out the window. The West side of the state has historically been seen as a more dominant region in basketball, but districts 3 and 4 will put that to the test this season.

The East side got its first big win as the Sandites took down one of last season’s State semifinalists.

Wilson scored 8 unanswered points to end the first quarter with a 15-8 advantage.

Avery Hjelmstad, a heavily recruited Division I prospect, gave her team its only lead at 8-7, but was held to only four points in the first half as the Sandites took a 25-12 lead into the locker room.

Wilson, meanwhile, tallied 19 first-half points, including three treys.

“She’s a special player,” said Berry. “She carried the load offensively, but I thought Yanni (Morris), Tayja (Butler), Tianna (Butler), and Kiaryn (Taylor) did some great jobs defensively.”

“To hold somebody like that to 12 points at halftime, as a team, I think that’s really where we won the game today is defensively.”

Wilson was the only Sandite with a field goal in the first half but Morris and Taylor found the backboard in the third quarter and the Sandites took a 39-22 advantage into the fourth.

Memorial tried to rally, scoring 11 in a row to cut it to 39-33 but Wilson ended the night with a pair of free throws to put the game away.

Sand Springs had the better shooters both in the field and at the charity stripe and won the turnover battle as well with 10 takeaways,

Notably, the Sandites got the win without two of their potential starters. Hope Bump, a junior transfer from Claremore whose dad joined the coaching staff this season, is still waiting for clearance from the OSSAA.

They were also missing Abigaile Martin, who saw substantial playing time last season but is out with a likely season-ending injury.

Janiyah Williams, a heavily recruited five-star prospect, was held to only 11 points to lead the Bulldogs while Hjelmstad only had 8.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Friday at 6:30 p.m. with a district road game against Owasso (1-0, 1-0) while Edmond Memorial will host Putnam City (1-0, 1-0) on Friday.

CPHS 41 EDM 33

1Q: CPHS 15-8.
2Q: CPHS 10-4.
3Q: CPHS 14-10.
4Q: EDM 11-2.

Field Goals: CPHS 10-of-37, EDM 11-of-50.
Free Throws: CPHS 16-of-22, EDM 11-of-16.
Offensive Rebounds: CPHS 7, EDM 15.
Defensive Rebounds: CPHS 15, EDM 12.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 24, EDM 27.
Steals: CPHS 10, EDM 6.
Blocks: CPHS 2, EDM 1.
Fouls: CPHS 16, EDM 21.

Sand Springs Statistics

Points: Wilson 26, Morris 6, Taylor 6, Pearce 2, Ti. Butler 1.
Offensive Rebounds: Ti. Butler 2, Pearce 2, Taylor 1, Ta. Butler 1, Simone 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Wilson 5, Taylor 4, Morris 3, Ti. Butler 2, Ta. Butler 1, Simone 1, Pearce 1.
Total Rebounds: Wilson 5, Taylor 5, Ti. Butler 4, Morris 3, Pearce 3, Simone 2, Ta. Butler 2.
Steals: Ti. Butler 4, Wilson 2, Morris 2, Ta. Butler 1, Simone 1.
Assists: Wilson 2.
Blocks: Taylor 1, Ti. Butler 1.
Fouls: Taylor 3, Ti. Butler 3, Simone 3, Wilson 2, Morris 2, Ta. Butler 2, Pearce 1.

Edmond Memorial Statistics

Points Williams 11, Hjelmstad 8, Johnson 6, Hawkins 4, Aska 2, Morris 2.
Fouls: Hawkins 4, Johnson 4, Williams 4, Hjelmstad 2, Morris 2, Booker 2, Aska 1, Kirk 1, Jordan 1.

Sandite Basketball Tips Off Tuesday at Home Against Edmond Memorial

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The Charles Page High School varsity basketball teams will tip off the season Tuesday night at the Ed Dubie Field House in a district double-header against Edmond Memorial.

The varsity girls will play at 6:30 p.m. while the boys will play at 8:00 p.m.

The girls are in their fifth year under head coach Josh Berry, who holds a 68-30 record at Sand Springs and a 166-143 record overall.

The Lady Sandites went 18-9 overall last season and 9-5 in the final year of Frontier Valley Conference play. They ended their season in the Area consolation finals, one round short of the State tournament.

The girls graduated Fayth Walker and All-State selection Hailey Jackson, but return Sakauri Wilson, Taiona Morris, and Kiaryn Taylor, who are all receiving attention from college recruiters. Abigaile Martin, Calla Fueshko, and Patience Pearce are all impactful returners.

The Sandites also picked up a big-time transfer in Hope Bump, a junior star at Claremore who was an All-Conference second-team selection in the Metro Lakes who averaged 18 points and 9 boards last season.

The boys went 10-14 overall and 3-11 in FVC play under head coach Eric Savage, who holds a 123-121 record after ten seasons at Sand Springs and a 428-214 record overall.

The boys graduated Michael Foster, Jax Marshall, Kade Holland, Sam Hayes, and Luke Hooper, but will still return a talented lineup anchored by Alijah Roper, Kooper Kelly, Blake Johnson, and Khalil Allen.

Junior transfer Deke Thompson will be a high-profile addition from Jenks as an All-Conference Honorable Mention last season. Marcus Mitchell, Zane Fueshko, and Colin Shope all return a wealth of experience from last season.

The OSSAA shifted to district play this season, meaning the Sandites will say goodbye to old rivals like Sapulpa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Muskogee, Booker T. Washington, and Jenks. Shockingly, the Highway 97 Rivalry is not on the schedule this season.

Edmond Memorial will be the first district opponent for the Sandites in the new era. The Bulldog boys went 12-11 last season while the girls were 22-5.

The Lady Sandites’ last meeting with the Bulldogs was a 50-46 victory in the Area consolation playoffs in 2021. If the boys have ever played Edmond Memorial, it was before Sandite Pride’s records.