#14 Lady Sandites double Green Country Defenders, 57-28

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sand Springs (6-2) emptied the bench on the Green Country Defenders (14-7) home-school team Friday night. Junior Sydney Pennington led the scoring effort, shooting 7-of-8 on field goals and adding a free throw for a team-leading 15 points. Freshman Holly Kersgieter also doubled with 10 points. 

The Sandites got off to their biggest first quarter lead of the year, scoring the first four baskets of the night before the Defenders finally got on the board with a two pointer from Melanie Williams. Within the first moments of the game, Pennington scored a layup off a steal that she made look far too easy, then scored the next basket on what looked to be an instant replay. Pennington would finish the night with six steals.

 The Lady Sandites turned that 9-2 lead into 24-6 by the end of the first period and started to run the roster in the second. The second quarter was a lot closer, but the home team still maintained a commanding 32-11 half-time lead.

One of the biggest problems of the night was accuracy. The Sandites only made 43% of field goal attempts and 50% of free throws. When you take Pennington's 7-of-8 out of that, however, the girls only connected 34% of the time. 

It's not uncommon for a team to play less than their best against lesser competition, however, and the Lady Sandites' performance was still more than enough to tie their highest-scoring first half of the season. 

The starters returned to action in the third quarter and once more Pennington scored back-to-back layups to kick things off for the home team. Ashley Duncan was next in on the action, sinking a pair of free throws for the Defenders. Duncan led her team with 13 points, shooting 5-for-6 from the charity stripe.

The Defenders managed to match the Sandites' meager 8-point fourth-quarter, but unlike the first time the two teams met this season, the Defenders failed to lead the Sandites' in a single quarter and ultimately fell to the Sandites for the second time this season.

In the season-opener the Lady Sandites registered a 59-39 win over the Defenders. Friday's game marked the Sandites' fourth 20+ point win and biggest point-differential of the season. 

The girls will return to action Tuesday night at #9 Owasso (9-2).

The JV girls won 33-28 bringing their season record to 3-1.

At half-time, the school recognized the accomplishments of the 2010-2011 Lady Sandites who were coached by Bob Banfield and won a Regional Championship.

#2 Sandites dominate defending Dual State Champions 51-10

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The #9 Stillwater Pioneers (3-2) might not be the team they were last year, losing seven state qualifiers, including a state champion. But only a fool would discount one of the most consistent annual powerhouses in the state. 

There's not a single pushover on that team, and not a single Pioneer gave up a major decision or tech fall. 

106 #6 Riley Weir (12-5)  received a forfeit for a 6-0 team lead. 

113 #7 Michael Ritchey (7-6) defeated Matt Norton by 3-0 decision for a 9-0 team lead.

120 #8 Blake Sargent (13-4) received a forfeit for a 15-0 team lead.

126 #6 Jack Karstetter (11-5) was tied 1-1 with #1 State Runner-Up Andrew Neiman but fell 3-1 in a sudden victory takedown in overtime. Sandites lead 15-3.

132 #1 Daton Fix (15-0) pinned Andrew Biggs in 1:05 for a 21-3 team lead.

138 Beau Bratcher (12-3, ranked #3 in 145) defeated #5 state-qualifier Tyler Dieringer by 5-1 decision for a 24-3 team lead. 

145 Cody Mathis (4-3) was defeated 17-8 by #5 Kendon Lee. Sandites lead 24-7.

152 Payton Scott (2-0) defeated #5 Connor Wilcoxen 5-2 for a 27-7 team lead.

160 #3 Zane Basma (10-6) lost 6-0 to #1 state-placer Christian Bahl. Sandites lead 27-10.

170 Trace Fleischman (1-0, #2 in 182) defeated Jase Hoffman 7-1 for a 30-10 team lead.

182 Lane Lettich (2-0, #5 in 160) defeated #5 Jace Brownlee 6-3 for a 33-10 team lead.

195 Zack Sims (8-9) pinned Jakob Ogden in 5:47 for a 39-10 team lead.

220 Delvin Jordan (2-0) pinned Aaron Veselak in 1:12 for a 45-10 team lead.

285 Gage Fain (2-7) pinned Kameron Linsenmeyer (#10 in 220) in 0:56 for a final score of 51-10.

Earlier this week the Sandites (3-0) defeated #10 Ponca City (4-1), losing only one match.

106 Riley Weir won by 3:15 fall

113 Michael Ritchey won 7-5

120 Blake Sargent won 5-2

126 Jack Karstetter won 13-4

132 Daton Fix won by 1:48 fall

138 Beau Bratcher won 6-0

145 Cody Mathis won by 4:55 fall

152 Payton Scott won by 3:00 fall

160 Zane Basma won by 2:32 fall

170 Bryton Beck won 12-0

182 Lane Lettich won 3-1

195 Zack Sims lost 3-1 by sudden victory

220 Delvin Jordan won 3-1

285 Gage Fain won by 2:42 fall

Haddock and Savage combine for 39 in loss to Union

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Virgil Noah, Staff

It's not often that two players can outscore an entire team, but for much of Tuesday night's home loss to #7 Union, it looked like Brooks Haddock and Colt Savage might just do it. Midway through the third quarter, the #11 Charles Page varsity basketball team held a 42-35 lead over the visiting Redskins--35 of those were scored by the two ferocious sophomores. Two Sandites had tied all nine of Union's scoring players to that point. 

Unfortunately, the pair ran out of scoring steam, and no other Minuteman managed to double--not even the 6'6 junior Kyle Keener who had averaged nearly 12 points per game till that point. 

Credit that to Union.

The brutal outpouring from Haddock and Savage wasn't due to an easy opponent. Far from it. The number two team in Frontier Valley is a major contender for the 6A state title this year, going 2-1 in the recent Tournament of Champions at the Oral Roberts Mabee Center. 

Union got off to an early 7-0 lead before the Sandites rallied to a 13-11 lead that Union tied at 13 just before the buzzer.

Once again the Redskins went on a run, scoring 11 unanswered points before the home team got it back in gear. Only Haddock and Savage scored in the second period, and Union took a narrow 26-24 lead into the half.

Arvionte Nichols tied things up to start the third with a pair of free throws, then Haddock scored ten and Savage added 6 more to take a 42-35 lead.

The Redskins narrowed to 45-43 going into the final period, then opened up the canons, shooting 7 unanswered and doubling the Sandites 14-7 for the win. Sand Springs went down swinging, attempting to rally with a pair of Savage free-throws and a Thompson three-pointer to take the lead back 52-51, but Nile Felton responded with a three of his own and Ethan Charquois went 3-for-3 from the charity stripe to effectively end the game. 

Charquois finished with a team-high 17, joined by Adrian Rodriguez and Mo Garcia in double status. 

Defensively, Nichols and Keener were giants for the Sandites, with Nichols grabbing the most rebounds and Keener connecting for the most blocks. 

This is only Sand Springs's second loss of the season after a 7-0 run came to an end last week at the Ardmore tournament finals where 5A #2 Carl Albert defended their undefeated status. It is their first conference loss, placing them 2-1 in Frontier Valley and third in the standings. 

The dribblers will return to action next Tuesday at #11 Owasso who is currently #1 in conference standings. 

The JV game wasn't nearly the battle that Varsity was. The average Union player had a good 6 inches on the Sandites making rebounds few and far between for the home team. 

Jacob Garbey led the Sandites with 11 points, followed by Caleb Wash with 8.

For the Redskins, Michiah McQuarters lead with 13 with Jordan Flood right behind him shooting 11. 

Sand Springs was neck-and-neck with the Redskins in the second and fourth periods, but Union more than doubled them in the first and third, and held off any rally attempts for a 58-40 final score. 

JV falls to 1-2 for the season and will next see action Friday night at home against the Green Country Defenders at 5PM. 

Sandite of the Week: Colt Savage

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Morgan Miller, Staff

This week Sandite Pride would like to recognize Colt Savage as the first Sandite of the Week in 2016.

The sophomore hooper averaged more than 18 points per game in the Ardmore Tournament last week, scoring a team high 18 against Greenhill Prep, 16 against 5A #5 Ardmore, and a team-high/career-high 21 points against 5A #2 Carl Albert and was named to the all-tournament team. 

He also scored 19 in last night's loss to #7 Union with a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.

Savage has only failed to double once this season and is second in team scoring for the season with 140 points, averaging  15.5 per game. 

#14 Lady Sandites drop the hammer on Union

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The #14 Lady Sandite Varsity squad (5-2) had little trouble in defeating the unranked Union Redskins (1-6) in their first game of the new year. Before the break, Sand Springs dropped a heart-breaker to #6 Sapulpa (5-0) after leading their rivals for nearly the entirety of the game. There was no doubt who the better team was in this match-up.

Four Lady Sandites doubled Tuesday night, including Sydney Pennington who led with 15 points, and Gloria Mutiri who shot a season-high 10.

The team consists of a lot of young talent, starting only 1 senior and 3 freshmen.

Kierra McGee drew first blood for the Redskins, but Cierra Scott, Holly Kersgieter, Isabella Regalado, and Gloria Mutiri scored back-to-back to claim an early 9-2 lead before giving up points to Kiara Denton and Taylor Malham. Pennington got in the game with her first field goal of the night to snag an 11-8 first quarter lead.

The lopsided scoring was even greater in the second period, which saw Mutiri score 6 of her team's 15 points for a 26-19 halftime lead. 

Rather than being comfortable with their lead, the Sandites proceeded to dominate Union defensively and held them to a mere 8 points against the Sandites' 14. Destiney Johnson had her breakout quarter, going on a run of 6 points to contribute to a 40-27 lead.

The fourth quarter was the highest-scoring period of the night for both teams, but once more the Sandites won it 19-12 and wrapped up their third 20+ point win of the season, 59-39.

The JV girls (2-1) started hot and led till moments before the fourth, but were ravaged in a polar-opposite second half for a stunning 37-27 defeat.

Selena Hitchcock dropped a pair of threes in the first quarter, Kimi Presnell hit a three, and Jacie Taber added two to give the girls a bold 11-4 first quarter lead that looked to be the opening to a slaughter. The second quarter was closer, but there was still no denying that it was the Sandites stealing the show as the home team rode a 21-10 lead into the half.

Whatever the Union coaches said to their team at half time worked. 

The Lady Redskins scored 13 unanswered points before Hitchcock got the Sandites back on the scoreboard with their lone basket of the third period. Union had taken the lead, 24-23.

Amari Grant took the lead back briefly with the first field goal of the fourth, but only Taber would score another. Maddie Ward tacked on a free throw to end the game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the massive deficit Union had stuck them with. 

Union JV hammers Sandites

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Union Redskin JV basketball team hammered the Sandites 58-40 in the first game of 2016.  

Size was a major factor as the average Union player had 3-6 inches on the Sandites, making rebounds few and far between for the home team.  

Jacob Garby was the lone SandIte to double, scoring 11. Meanwhile Union's Michiah McQuarters led with 13, followed by Jordan Flood with 11.