No. 13 Sapulpa overcomes No. 18 Sand Springs 72-68; Kyle Keener scores 21

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sapulpa 72 CPHS 68

1Q Sapulpa 13-10
2Q Sand Springs 18-14
3Q Sand Springs 23-18
4Q Sapulpa 27-17

Fouls: Sand Springs 18, Sapulpa 13.
Free Throws: Sand Springs 16-of-20. Sapulpa 13-of-24.
Field Goals: Sand Springs 24-of-46. Sapulpa 22-of-41.
Three-pointers: Sand Springs 4-of-11. Sapulpa 10-of-20. 

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Keener 21, Colt Savage 21, Garbey 8, Cale Savage 6, Taber 4, Durkee 4, Golightly 3, Wash 2. (Sapulpa) Smith 23, Balance 21, Phipps 17, Hoggatt 11, Combs 2, Williams 2. 

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Golightly 3, Cale Savage 2, Colt Savage 1, Durkee 1, Wash 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Colt Savage 11, Keener 6, Durkee 3, Wash 2, Cale Savage 1, Taber 1.
Steals: Keener 1.
Assists: Cale Savage 2, Wash 2, Taber 1, Keener 1.
Blocks: Keener 3, Durkee 1.
Fouls: Keener 4, Garbey 4, Wash 3, Colt Savage 2, Cale Savage 2, Durkee 1, Taber 1, Golightly 1.

The Sandites won half of the game, but they couldn't win the whole thing. Entering the fourth quarter with a 51-45 lead over their archrivals, the No. 18 ranked Charles Page High School boys basketball team (6-6) was outscored 27-17 and had victory wrestled from their grip. 

No. 13 Sapulpa (7-2) was deadly from three-point range throughout the night, and it was a series of threes in the fourth period that gave them the momentum to reclaim their lead. The Chieftains shot 50% from three-point range and 54% on field goals overall, and it was that killer accuracy that allowed them to overcome the fifth-ranked defense in Class 6A.

The game was heavily contested throughout and never slowed down for a second. The scoring snowballed as the night went on with more points being scored in each period than the one before it. 

Jacob Garbey came out with a layup on the first possession to draw first blood for the Sandites and Kyle Keener sank a free throw to make it 3-0, but Keenan Balance sank back-to-back twos to claim the first Sapulpa lead. Colt Savage tied it up on a free throw and Keener made his first field goal of the night to reclaim the advantage, but Julian Smith sank a deep three immediately after. Caleb Wash subbed in for the Sandites and scored on his first possession of the game, but Balance and Trey Phipps hit back-to-back threes to make it 13-8. Josh Taber ended the period off with a two-pointer.

The Sandites won the second quarter handily, thanks to twelve points from Keener, four from Colt Savage, and two from Cole Durkee to take a 28-27 lead into the half. The Sandites played their best period in the third, outscoring Sapulpa 23-18. Once again Garbey started off the half, and once again Sapulpa battled right back and the two teams exchanged leads.

Sand Springs took its final lead of the night with a two point basket from Colt Savage, followed by a steal and dunk from Keener to make it 43-39. Colt Savage and Peyton Golightly added three more apiece to make it 49-39, their highest lead of the evening. Smith added yet another three pointer, followed by a two from Durkee. The Sandites ended the period up 51-45, but Sapulpa finished on a strong note as Phipps went three-for-three from the charity stripe in the final second. 

Sand Springs staved off their opponents till midway through the final stanza, but Phipps and Hunter Hoggatt hit back-to-back threes to cut things to 60-59 and Smith hit a two for the lead. Garbey went one-for-two from the charity stripe to tie it back up, but Smith took the lead once again, and this time for good. Hoggatt made another three and the Sandites resorted to desperation fouls to try and win it. Smith sank five free throws in the final minute and a last second three-pointer from Cale Savage wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. 

Smith led all scorers with 23 points, followed by Keener and Balance with 21 each and Colt Savage with 20. Phipps wasn't far behind with 17 and Hoggatt had 11. Keener's 21 marked his fourth game this season leading the Sandites, and was just two points short of breaking the career-high he set a month ago against the OKC Storm. The University of Central Oklahoma committed senior is averaging just under 17 points per game this season. Colt Savage also picked up 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

The Sandites will look to reclaim their winning record this weekend at the Interstate Classic in Coffeyville, Kansas and to build some momentum before taking on undefeated No. 1 Union (12-0) next Tuesday at home. Sapulpa will compete at the Shawnee Invitational this weekend before hosting unranked Bixby (5-6) next Tuesday. 

Lady Sandites win Highway 97 rivalry 61-36 over No. 19 Sapulpa; Johnson scores 20

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

CPHS 61 Sapulpa 36

1Q Sand Springs 18-5
2Q Sand Springs 14-5
3Q Sand Springs 19-3
4Q Sapulpa 23-10

Fouls: Sand Springs 16, Sapulpa, 11.
Free Throws: Sand Springs 4-of-9, Sapulpa 8-of-21.

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Johnson 20, Mutiri 14, McGee 9, Pennington 8, Taber 6, Kersgieter 4. (Sapulpa) Bethel 10, Dement 9, Brooks 9, Osborn 4, Belveal 2, Hall 2.

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Johnson 3, Mutiri 3, Pennington 2, Kersgieter 2, McGee 1, Regalado 1, Taber 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Mutiri 11, Pennington 6, Kersgieter 4, McGee 3, Regalado 3, Boaz 1.
Steals: Pennington 4, Kersgieter 1, Regalado 1.
Assists: Johnson 3, McGee 3, Kersgieter 2, Pennington 1, Taber 1.
Blocks: Johnson 2, Mutiri 2.
Fouls: Regalado 5, Kersgieter 3, Mutiri 2, Taber 2, Grant 2, Pennington 1, Boaz 1.

The No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School girls' basketball team (10-0) continued their undefeated start to the season with a blowout win over Highway 97 rival No. 19 Sapulpa (5-6) Tuesday evening at the Ed Dubie Field House.

The Lady Sandites jumped on Sapulpa hard and fast, and at times it looked like the Sapulpans were trying to get past a brick wall. Sand Springs has one of the top-rated defenses in the state and it showed as they absolutely smothered their rivals.  

The home team led 12-0 before letting their foes on the board with a two-point basket by Michaela Bethel. Senior Oklahoma State Softball-commit Sydney Pennington snagged four steals in the first period and junior Ohio State Volleyball-commit Gloria Mutiri led with seven points to finish the quarter 18-5.

Despite their lead, the Sandites only slightly let off the gas in the second quarter and once again smothered their rivals defensively for a 32-10 halftime advantage.  

Mutiri kicked off the third quarter with a defensive rebound that she returned for two points to complete her first double-double of the season. Another basket by Mutiri and sophomore Holly Kersgieter added two more before Taylor Dement put up points for Sapulpa. Destiny Johnson and Kierra McGee both hit back-to-back field goals, Dement tacked on a free throw, and Mutiri and Jacie Taber closed out the quarter 51-13. 

Sand Springs finally let off the throttle in the fourth quarter and ran the bench on their foes. Sapulpa won the fourth quarter 23-10 but it wasn't enough to challenge the undefeated Sandites who ultimately prevailed 61-36.  

Johnson led the Sandites for the second time this season and scored a career-high 20 points. Mutiri scored 14 to bump her season average into double digits. Bethel was the only Lady Chieftain to break double digits with 10 points. 

Both teams struggled from three-point range with the Sandites shooting 3-of-15 while Sapulpa didn't make a single shot. The Chieftains also had a rough time at the charity stripe, making only 8 of 21 free throws. 

Head Coach Dustin Morrow is in his fifth year leading the program and before this year he had never defeated Muskogee, Broken Arrow, or Sapulpa. After Tuesday's game he had effectively toppled all three powerhouse programs by double digits. 

The Lady Sandites will look to continue their undefeated streak this Thursday when they travel to the Interstate Classic in Coffeyville, Kansas. Sapulpa will have a week to recover before hosting unranked Bixby (4-9) next Tuesday. The next conference game on the horizon for the Sandites is next Tuesday when they host No. 13 Union (8-4). 

Oklahoma Men's High School Basketball: Week Nine Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

No. 1 Union (Last week No. 1)

Union (11-0) has continued their streak as the only undefeated team in the division with a 65-42 win over 5A No. 13 Bishop Kelley (4-5) and a 62-39 win over Owasso (6-5). They are also the unanimous pick as the top team with 28 votes. Ethan Chargois led against Kelley with 22 points, but broke his hand in practice and is out for the season. Mo Garcia scored 11 against Kelley and stepped up with 20 against Owasso, aided by Adrian Rodriguez and N'Kiel Jamerson with 14 apiece. 

The Redskins hold the No. 14 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 9 Muskogee (8-1). Muskogee is the only team undefeated in the Frontier Valley Conference, with their only loss coming to an out of state team. The Redskins will also host the Union/Jenks Tournament this weekend with a first round game against 3A Holland Hall (7-5). 

The picks:
Union 60 Muskogee 57.
Union 62 Union 48.

No. 2 Edmond North (2)

Edmond North (10-1) picked up a pair of wins last week, 73-50 over Southmoore (1-10) and 69-62 over No. 13 Norman (6-5). The Huskies hold the No. 4 offense, No. 13 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A and will host No. 17 Mustang (6-4) Tuesday before taking on 2A No. 19 Millwood (3-9) in the first round of the Carl Albert Tournament Thursday. 

The picks:
EDN 61 Mustang 53.
EDN 67 Millwood 54.

No. 3 Midwest City (3)

Midwest City (10-2) topped 5A No. 6 Eisenhower (5-3) 87-70 last week and will host another top-ten team this Tuesday in No. 7 Putnam City West (8-6). They will also take on Bixby (5-6) in the first round of the Carl Albert Tournament this Thursday. The Bombers hold the No. 2 offense and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A.

The picks:
MWC 71 PCW 65.
MWC 70 Bixby 61.

No. 4 Westmoore (6)

Westmoore (11-1) dropped a few spots in the rankings in spite of a 66-46 victory over No. 17 Edmond Memorial (4-8). The Jags hold the No. 8 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 1 margin of victory in 6A. They will travel to Stillwater (5-7) Tuesday, then will take on Ponca City (1-8) in the first round of the Deer Creek Tournament this Thursday. 

The picks:
Westmoore 60 Stillwater 49.
Westmoore 64 Ponca 43.

No. 5 Norman North (7)

Norman North (6-2) moved up in the rankings after a bye week. Their Friday night game at No. 12 Yukon (7-4) was canceled due to weather. The Timberwolves hold the No. 1 offense and No. 2 margin of victory in 6A and will host Deer Creek (5-6) Tuesday before competing at the Shawnee Tournament this weekend. 

The pick: Norman North 80 DC 56.

No. 6 Putnam City North (5)

Putnam City North (8-4) picked up a close 67-64 road win over rival No. 20 Putnam City (5-7) last week and had a home game against Choctaw (4-5) canceled for weather. The Panthers hold the No. 5 offense and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A No. 14 Del City (6-6). They will then rematch Del City Thursday in the first round of the Bruce Gray Tournament. 

The pick: PCN 64 DC 60.

No. 7 Putnam City West (4)

Putnam City West (8-6) took a slight drop in the rankings after falling 54-52 to No. 15 Lawton (6-4). The Patriots hold the No. 10 offense and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 3 Midwest City (10-2). 

No. 8 Booker T. Washington (8)

Booker T. Washington (9-3) picked up a pair of double-digit victories last week, 72-56 over Will Rogers (5-9) and 58-45 over 4A No. 2 Tulsa Central (9-4). The Hornets hold the No. 7 offense, No. 20 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Union/Jenks Tournament.

No. 9 Muskogee (9)

Muskogee (8-1) picked up a pair of conference wins last week, 47-42 over No. 18 Sand Springs (6-5) and 85-59 over Jenks (1-8). TyReece Berry scored 18 against Sand Springs, while Brooks Haddock scored 16 against the Sandites and 27 against the Trojans. 

The Roughers hold the No. 6 offense, No. 15 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 1 undefeated Union (11-0).

No. 10 Edmond Santa Fe (10)

Edmond Santa Fe (7-3) had an unplanned bye week after their Friday night game against Deer Creek (5-6) was canceled due to weather. The Wolves hold the No. 13 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 12 Yukon (7-4). They will also compete at the Union/Jenks Tournament this weekend.

The pick: ESF 61 Yukon 58. 

No. 11 Broken Arrow (11)

Broken Arrow (7-4) suffered a 59-57 upset loss to No. 14 Sapulpa (6-2) last week despite a 24-point performance from Caleb Huffman. Braden Boyer added 15 and Tony Hall had 11. The Tigers hold the No. 19 offense, No. 6 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Jenks (1-8). They will also play the John Nobles Tournament this weekend with a first-round match against Harding Charter (11-5). 

The picks:
BA 63 Jenks 51.
BA 58 Harding 50.

No. 12 Yukon (12)

Yukon (7-4) canceled their last week's game with No. 5 Norman North (6-2) due to weather and will be returning to the court Tuesday when they host No. 10 Edmond Santa Fe (7-3). The Millers hold the No. 12 offense, No. 16 defense, and No. 13 margin of victory in 6A. They will also be competing at the Sweet Pea Classic this weekend.

No. 13 Sapulpa (14)

Sapulpa (6-2) scored a 59-57 upset over No. 11 Broken Arrow (7-4) last week thanks to a 20-point performance from Keenan Ballance, a 17-point performance from Trey Phipps, and 12 points from Julian Smith. The Chieftains hold the No. 9 offense and No. 16 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action with a Highway 97 rivalry game at No. 18 Sand Springs (6-5). They will also take on Stillwater (5-7) in the first round of the Shawnee Tournament Thursday. 

The picks:
CPHS 62 Sapulpa 57.
Sapulpa 67 Stillwater 48.

No. 14 Norman (13)

Norman (6-5) is coming off back-to-back losses, falling 48-41 to Mustang (6-4) and 69-62 to No. 2 Edmond North (10-1). The Tigers hold the No. 16 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 11 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Southmoore (1-10). They will also be competing at the Carl Albert Tournament this weekend.

The pick: Norman 60 Southmoore 50.

No. 15 Lawton (15)

Lawton (6-4) fell 83-78 to No. 20 Putnam City (5-7) last week in overtime, but topped No. 4 Putnam City West (8-6) 54-52. The Wolverines hold the No. 11 offense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 16 Bishop McGuinness (5-8). They will compete at the Shortgrass Tournament this weekend. 

The pick: Lawton 61 McG 57

No. 16 Owasso (unranked)

Owasso (6-5) topped Jenks (1-8) 66-52 last week, but fell 62-39 to No. 1 Union (11-0). Joshua Proctor scored 16 against Jenks, while Jake Thompson scored 10 against both opponents. The Rams hold the No. 18 offense, No. 11 defense, and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday at unranked Bixby (5-6), then will compete at the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend. 

The pick: Owasso 58 Bixby 55.

No. 17 Mustang (unranked)

Mustang (6-4) earned their way into the rankings with a 48-41 upset of No. 13 Norman (6-5), followed by a 57-37 victory over Southmoore (1-10). The Broncos hold the No. 1 defense and No. 19 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday at No. 2 Edmond North (10-1) before taking on Putnam City (5-7) in the first round of the Bruce Gray Invitational. 

The pick: Mustang 56 Putnam 55.

No. 18 Sand Springs (18)

Sand Springs (6-5) put up a tough fight against No. 9 Muskogee (8-1) before falling 47-42 and notched their first conference win 76-71 against No. 19 Bixby (5-6). Colt Savage scored 20 against Muskogee and a career-high 34 against Bixby. Jacob Garbey also had a career-best 21 against the Spartans. The Sandites hold the No. 17 offense, No. 5 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday against Highway 97 rival No. 13 Sapulpa (6-2), then will travel to the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend.

No. 19 Bartlesville (16)

Bartlesville (5-5) slipped in the rankings after a 76-68 overtime loss to No. 19 Bixby (5-6) and had their Friday night game against Sapulpa canceled. Barron Tanner scored 23 against Bixby, aided by AJ Archambo with 14 and Tayo Dina with 12. The Bruins hold the No. 9 defense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 14 Bishop Kelley (4-5) before competing in the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend. 

The pick: Bartlesville 51 BK 50.

No. 20 Moore (unranked)

Moore (6-5) won a close 62-58 victory over Stillwater (5-7) last week, led by Charles Watkins with 16 points and Beau Archer with 14. The Lions will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Edmond Memorial (4-8).

The pick: EDM 56 Moore 52. 

Dropped out: No. 17 Edmond Memorial, No. 19 Bixby, No. 20 Putnam City.

Conference Strength:

1. Big Ten (51.5)
2. Central Oklahoma (48)
3. Frontier Valley (45.4)
4. Green Country (43.1)
5. All-City (32.09)

Oklahoma Girls High School Basketball: Week Nine Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The official week nine rankings have been released from the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association and there's still four teams left vying for the top spot. Four schools received first-place votes, two are still undefeated overall, and five are undefeated in Class 6A.

No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe (Last week No. 1)

Edmond Santa Fe (10-0) received nineteen first-place votes after a bye week. They had a big match-up against No. 5 Deer Creek (9-1) that was canceled due to weather. The Wolves hold the No. 6 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 5  margin of victory in Class 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 17 Yukon (7-4) before competing at the John Nobles Tournament this weekend.

The pick: ESF 51 Yukon 43.

No. 2 Choctaw (2)

Choctaw (11-1) received five first-place votes after a 75-65 win over 5A No. 13 Del City (4-8). The Yellowjackets are still undefeated in the class with their only loss being to 4A No. 1 Ft. Gibson (11-0). They hold the No. 2 offense, No. 1 defense, and No. 1 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at Putnam City (6-6). They also had a game scheduled last Friday against Putnam City North (1-10) that was canceled for weather. 

The pick: Choctaw 63, Putnam City 46.

No. 3 Sand Springs (3)

Sand Springs (9-0) received two first-place votes after a pair of double-digit conference wins. They defeated Muskogee (3-6) 62-43 and Bixby (4-9) 67-51. Sophomore Holly Kersgieter scored 14 in each game, Gloria Mutiri scored 13 in each game, Sydney Pennington scored 11.5 per game, and Kierra McGee scored 16 against Bixby to average 11.5.

The Sandites hold the No. 3 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Highway 97 rival No. 19 Sapulpa (5-5) before traveling to the Coffeyville Tournament this weekend.

The pick: CPHS 56 Sapulpa 42.

No. 4 Putnam City West (4)

Putnam City West (11-1) received one first-place vote after dominating Lawton (3-6) 82-52. They are still undefeated in the state of Oklahoma with their only loss being to Campbell County, Wisconsin. The Patriots hold the No. 1 offense, No. 13 defense, and No. 2 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 12 Midwest City (8-4) before competing at the Jenks/Union Invitational this weekend.

The pick: PCW 57 MWC 46.

No. 5 Deer Creek (5)

Deer Creek (9-1) is coming off a bye week after their game against No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (10-0) was canceled due to weather. The Antlers are still undefeated in 6A with their only loss coming to 5A No. 1 Collinsville (10-1). The hold the No. 7 offense, No. 6 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 6 Norman North (7-2).

The pick: DC 50 NN 48. 

No. 6 Norman North (8)

Norman North (7-2) moved up a couple of spots after a bye week and will have the opportunity to crack the top-five if they can upset No. 5 Deer Creek (9-1) Tuesday at home. The Timberwolves hold the No. 9 offense, No. 8 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A. 

No. 7 Booker T. Washington (7)

Booker T. Washington (11-3) rolled to some dominating wins over unranked opponents last week, 53-25 over Will Rogers (8-6) and 84-11 over Tulsa Central (2-8). Megan Jackson led the team with 22 points against Tulsa Central and ten other girls also got in the scorebook.

The Hornets hold the No. 4 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action this weekend at the Union/Jenks Tournament. 

No. 8 Norman (9)

Norman (9-2) snagged a pair of close ones last week, edging out No. 14 Mustang (5-5) 48-46 and No. 17 Edmond North (6-5) 61-59 in overtime. Curtiera Haywood scored 21 against Mustang. The Tigers hold the No. 10 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Southmoore (2-9), then will take on 5A No. 14 Del City (4-8), 5A No. 11 Carl Albert (7-5), and No. 12 Midwest City (8-4) at the Carl Albert Tournament. 

The picks:
Norman 53 Southmoore 40
Norman 55 Del City 47
Norman 52 Carl Albert 45
Norman 48 MWC 46

No. 9 Westmoore (6)

Westmoore (8-4) suffered a 57-51 upset loss to No. 13 Edmond Memorial (8-4) last week and slipped a few spots in the rankings. The Jags hold the No. 5 offense, No. 19 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at Stillwater (2-10), then will compete at the Carl Albert Titan Classic this weekend. 

The picks: 
Westmoore 56 Stillwater 42
Westmoore 55 Carl Albert 46

No. 10 Owasso (10)

Owasso (9-5) scored a pair of quality wins last week, 56-45 over Jenks (3-6) and 45-42 over No. 12 Union (7-4). Terryn Milton scored 21 against Jenks and 10 against Union. Mya Bhinhar scored 15 against Jenks and 10 against Union. Sierra Williams scored 12 against Union and 10 against Jenks. 

The Rams hold the No. 18 offense and No. 18 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at Bixby (4-9). 

The pick: Owasso 48 Bixby 44.

No. 11 Edmond Memorial (13)

Edmond Memorial (8-4) picked up a pair of notable wins last week, 50-31 over Stillwater (2-10) and 57-51 over No. 6 Westmoore (8-4). The Bulldogs hold the No. 16 defense and No. 19 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at Moore (6-5) before competing in the Deer Creek Blue Grey Tournament this weekend. 

The pick: EDM 44 Moore 43.

No. 12 Midwest City (11)

Midwest City (8-4) topped an unranked Eisenhower (2-9) team 52-36 last week and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 4 Putnam City West (11-1). They will also compete at the Carl Albert Tournament this weekend. The Bombers hold the No. 16 offense, No. 11 defense, and No. 14 margin of victory in 6A. 

No. 13 Union (12)

Union (7-4) split wins last week, topping 5A No. 15 Bishop Kelley (5-5) 62-39, but falling 45-42 to No. 10 Owasso (9-5). Taylor Malham led in scoring in both games with 15 against Owasso and 12 against Bishop Kelley. The Redskins hold the No. 17 offense, No. 9 defense, and No. 13 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at Muskogee (3-6) before hosting the Jenks/Union Invitational this weekend. 

The pick: Union 50 Muskogee 46.

No. 14 Mustang (14)

Mustang (5-5) split wins last week, falling 48-46 to No. 9 Norman (9-2), but topping Southmoore (2-9) 58-34. The Broncos hold the No. 20 offense, No. 15 defense, and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 18 Edmond North (6-5).

The pick: Ed North 48 Mustang 45.

No. 15 Broken Arrow (16)

Broken Arrow (6-5) picked up a 43-40 victory over No. 19 Sapulpa (5-5) thanks to 23 points from Jalise Smallwood. The Tigers hold the No. 7 defense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Jenks (3-6), then they'll compete at the Jenks/Union Invitational this weekend. 

The pick: BA 48 Jenks 43.

No. 16 Bartlesville (15)

Bartlesville (5-5) pulled out a big 56-27 victory over Bixby (4-9) led by Erin Shoemaker with 20. The Bruins hold the No. 5 defense and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 15 Bishop Kelley (5-5). 

The pick: Bartlesville 47 Kelley 40.

No. 17 Yukon (18)

Yukon (7-4) is coming off a bye week and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe (10-0). They will also take on John Marshall (5-5) in the first round of the Jones Tournament this weekend. The Millerettes hold the No. 15 offense, No. 20 defense, and No. 16 margin of victory. 

The pick: Yukon 50 Marshall 47.

No. 18 Edmond North (17)

Edmond North (6-5) picked up a 42-29 win over Southmoore (2-9) but fell 61-59 to No. 9 Norman (9-2) in overtime. The Huskies hold the No. 13 offense, No. 15 defense, and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 14 Mustang (5-5), then will compete at the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Tournament this weekend.

No. 19 Sapulpa (19)

Sapulpa (5-5) suffered a tough 43-40 loss to No. 16 Broken Arrow (6-5) despite a 15-point performance from Kiarra Brooks. The Chieftains will return to action Tuesday at No. 3 Sand Springs (9-0) in a rivalry matchup.

No. 20 Ponca City (20)

Ponca City (6-3) was topped 60-51 by 5A No. 9 El Reno (7-4) in spite of a 19-point performance by Baylee Fincher. The Wildcats hold the No. 12 offense, No. 10 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action this weekend at the John Nobles Tournament. 

Conference Strength:

1. Central Oklahoma (56)
2. Frontier Valley (38.9)
3. Big Ten (36.7)
4. Green Country (25.8)
5. All-City (10.09)

Seth Jones wins U.S. Junior Open Championship, six Sandites make finals

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Twenty-nine Sand Springs wrestlers competed at the United State Junior Open Championship in Oklahoma City recently. Seth Jones took first place and five other Sandites were runners-up.

Seth Jones (5-0, 13-1) competed in Division Five at 106 pounds and took first place. He pinned Jaxon Schrick (Noble) in 1:23 and Joshua Hernandez (Dumas) in 1:14, then majored Luke Weathers (OWA) 9-0. In the semifinals he edged out Jake Wright (Southmoore) 5-3 in sudden victory overtime, then topped Jacob Adams (Vian) 1-0 in the championship round. 

Jayden Bussell (4-1, 10-3) competed in Division One at 55 pounds and took second place. He pinned Sheldin Kelly (Owasso) in 2:15 in the first round, but was defeated 4-2 by Tristen Jewell in the semifinals. In the consolations he topped Maddox Fields (Wichita) 13-11 and Eli Forwoodson (Digger) 7-4, then challenged Cash Province (OWA) for second and prevailed by pin in 1:44. 

Kaden Glass (4-1, 15-1) competed in Division Five at 200 pounds and took second place. He pinned Thomas Kidd (Westmoore) in 0:47, Logan Cole (Wagoner) in 1:14, and Linkoln Swanson (Piedmont) in 1:25 before falling 4-0 to Ke'Von Curry (OKC) in the finals. He was challenged by consolation finalist Landon Brown (Oologah), but prevailed 7-5. 

Clayton Giddens (3-1, 30-2) competed in Division Four at 64 pounds and took second place. He pinned Collin Taylor (Borger) in 1:29, teched Cameron Orr (Ardmore) 20-5, and scored a 12-2 major decision over Lawson Knox (Marlow) before falling 3-1 to Canon Acklin (Collinsville) in the finals. 

Tabor Reiss (2-1, 11-2) competed in Division One at 37 pounds and took second place. He defeated Wyatt Rooks (Skiatook) 14-8 and Braylyn Lambert (Borger) 6-1 before falling 8-7 to Roman Lopez (Whitted) in the finals. 

Owen Martin (2-1, 17-2) competed in Division Four at 67 pounds and took second place. He teched Mason Hanna (Choctaw) 17-2 and Ayden Blue (Wesley) 18-2 before falling 9-0 to Shawn Ryncarz (Arlington) in the finals. 

Bryce Fisher (5-2, 8-2) competed in Division Four at 120 pounds and took third place. He scored a 14-2 major decision over Brandon Doles (Louisburg), pinned Clayton Vance (Blanchard) in 1:46, and majored Cameron Jackson (Ponca City) 9-0 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals he fell 6-4 to Harley Andrews (Tuttle) in sudden victory overtime and was sent to the consolation bracket. In a rematch with Doles he once more prevailed, this time by fall in 0:58. In the consolation finals he pinned Corey Chilcoat (Catoosa) in 4:06 and challenged Julius Alfaro (Arlington) for second place, but fell in 2:53.

Jaxon Grigsby (4-2, 22-5) competed in Division Two at 46 pounds and took third place. He scored a 17-2 tech fall over Izayiah Chavez (Arlington) and defeated Trusten Lee Douglas (Prodigy) 10-6 before falling 5-0 to Jaxon Randle (Chickasha). In the consolation semifinals he topped Aberic Scott (Threestyle) 8-5 and teammate Will Meredith 6-3 for third place. In the second-place challenge round he fell 7-0 to to Mason Burnham (Catoosa). 

Blake Jones (5-2, 11-5) competed in Division Five at 98 pounds and took fourth place. He defeated Dregen Murray (Tironook) 7-4 and teched  Gunner Jarvinen (StandFast) 16-1 before falling 9-0 to Gabriel Valencia (Perry). In the consolations he defeated Caleb Odell (Blackwell) 5-0, Parker Brown (Tuttle) 6-0, and Braden Drake (Wagoner) 2-1 to earn his way into the finals where he was once more pitted against Valencia. This time he fell 2-0. 

Scott Patton (3-2) competed in Division Five at 126 pounds and took fourth place. He defeated teammate Brett Black 4-2 and pinned Kyler Damron (Division Bell) in 2:30 before falling 4-0 to Zachary Carpenter (Rockstar) in the semifinals. In the consolation semifinals he edged out Wyatt Hartley (Blue T Xtreme) 4-2 in sudden victory overtime, but came out on bottom of a 9-8 decision to Chandler Holman (Choctaw) in the finals. 

Will Meredith (3-2, 18-4) competed in Division Two at 46 pounds and took fourth place. He scored a 7-0 decision over Xane Sweatt (Arlington) and majored Robert Salas (StandFast) 16-2 before being pinned in 4:15 by Mason Burnham. In the consolations he was rematched with Sweatt and prevailed 13-0, but fell 6-3 to teammate Jaxon Grigsby. 

Jackson Martin (2-2, 13-5) competed in Division Three at 52 pounds and took fourth place. He defeated Kaedin Herendeen (Guthrie) 3-0 in the opening round before falling 8-7 to Canaan Brummett (Chickasha). In the consolation bracket he majored Evan Colbert (StandFast) 9-0 before falling 2-0 in a rematch with Herendeen. 

Jaxon Trotter (3-2, 21-17) competed in Division Three at 85 pounds and took fifth place. He defeated Jared Law (El Reno) 9-2 and and Laker Ingram (Blackwell) 4-0 before falling in 1:28 to LaDarion Lockett (Cowboy WC). In the consolations he fell 5-0 to Jacob Martin (RAW) but defeated Kevin McBride (Native) 8-5 for fifth place. 

Brett Black (4-2, 9-3) competed in Division Five at 126 pounds but failed to place. He majored Will Hilton (Tecumseh) 11-0 in the first round before falling 4-2 to teammate Scott Patton. In the consolations he topped Jaxon Flaming (StandFast) 4-0 and Mikey Rice (Wagoner) 3-2 before falling 5-2 to Kyler Damron (Division Bell). 

Hunter Spencer (2-2, 15-8) competed in Division Two at 61 pounds, but failed to place. He pinned Brody Donnelly (Elgin) in 2:43 in the opening round, but was then pinned in 1:00 by Jaedan Adams (Cowboy WC). In the consolations he defeated Bowdy Thomason (Blackwell) 6-5, but was eliminated by Gunner Murray (Claremore) in sudden overtime by 8-6 decision. 

Adrian Flores (2-2, 16-13) competed in Division Three at 100 pounds, but failed to place. He fell 3-1 to Hank Puckett (RAW) in the opening round, but worked his way through the consolation bracket by pinning Landon Bart (Catoosa) in 2:59 and scoring a 5-2 decision over Malachi Lorne (Clinton) before falling 2-0 to Ritson Meyer (Chickasha).

Joshua Spurgeon (2-2, 18-6) competed in Novice Division C at 58 pounds and took third place. He defeated Jack Ensey (Duncan) 7-5 in sudden victory overtime and majored Donavin Mills (Perry) 10-2 before falling 1-0 to Gavin Sims (Lil Rebels). In the consolations he was edged out 3-2 by Aydin Machado (Cushing). 

Matthew Moore (3-2, 19-5) competed in Novice Division C at 61 pounds and took fifth place. He majored Tuff Burney (Chickasha) 14-0 and Carson Owen (Ardmore) 9-0, but 13-2 to Mason Dobbs (Newcastle) and was pinned in 0:18 by Max McDaniel (OWA). 

London McGinnis (3-3, 17-10) competed in Novice Division A at 46 pounds and took sixth place. He defeated Brooklyn Wright (Henryetta) 6-0, teched Konnor Wiens (Bethel) 16-1, and pinned Kyson Kinney (Southmoore) in 2:33 before falling in 0:14 to Kruz Delgado (OWA). In the consolations he was defeated 5-0 by Ty Whitlock (Harrah) and was pinned in 1:21 by Coulter Taylor (Borger). 

Jesse Moore (3-2, 13-9) competed in Novice Division C at 80 pounds, but didn't place. He pinned Dakota High (Guthrie) in 1:21, majored Connor Royal (Weatherford) 12-0, and won a 4-0 decision over Ayden Thelin (Choctaw), but was pinned in 0:53 by Kaden Ford (Maverick) and in 1:24 by Peighton Mullins (Muskogee). 

Jayden Pait (2-2, 8-4) competed in Novice Division D at 70 pounds, but didn't place. He pinned Brian Brown (Hard Knox) in 0:42 and defeated Cole Loudermilk (Bethel) 6-1, but fell 13-1 to Derick Garcia (Bluejay) and was pinned in 1:49 by Jim Watkins (Bristow). 

Sand Springs JV takes ninth place at Catoosa Port City Classic

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School junior varsity wrestling team competed at the Catoosa Port City Classic this weekend and took ninth place. The Sandites competed against mostly varsity competitors, including several ranked teams.

Team Scores

1. 3A No. 5 Vinita (222.0)
2. 3A No. 2 Heritage Hall (190.0)
3. 4A No. 12 Blanchard (161.0)
4. 5A No. 13 Tahlequah (141.0)
5. Newcastle (132.5)
6. 3A No. 12 Jay (125.0)
7. Broken Arrow JV (118.5)
8. 4A No. 6 Catoosa (115.0)
9. Sand Springs JV (91.5)
10. Inola (91.0)
11. 5A No. 15 Thomas Edison (89.0)
12. Mannford (86.5)
13. Bishop Kelley (78.5)
14. Salina (69.5)
15. Tahlequah Sequoyah (59.9)
16. Webster (55.0)
17. McLain (51.0)
18. Owasso (32.0)
19. Okmulgee (31.5)
20. Metro Christian (30.0)
21. NOAH (2.0)

Tournament Champions

106 - Braeden Williams (Blanchard)
113 - Zach Williams (Blanchard)
120 - Aston Whitaker (Salina)
126 - Vincent Eremita (Catoosa)
132 - Jessie Hodge (Jay)
138 - Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall)
145 - Rodrick Mosley (Heritage Hall)
152 - Carson West (Heritage Hall) 
160 - Colton Denney (Heritage Hall)
170 - Jared Gilbertson (Newcastle)
182 - Alex Kauffman (Vinita)
195 - Dustin Hicks (Tahlequah) 
220 - Matthew Smith (Bishop Kelley)
285 - Hollis Tuggle (McLain)

Seth Jones (9-5) took fifth place at 113 pounds. He defeated Jaylon Otero (Catoosa) 10-5, pinned Lewis Moulton (Jay) in 1:15 and Keeton Ornder (Vinita) in 4:56, then teched William Lemons (Newcastle) 18-3 in 4:00. In the semifinals he was defeated 6-5 by Val Park (Heritage Hall), then he lost a 5-4 rematch with Otero in the consolation bracket.

Colten Roberts (13-6) took fifth place at 120 pounds. He was pinned in 1:20 by Aston Whitaker (Salina), but rebounded with three-straight wins in the consolation bracket. He pinned Trevor Mora (Inola) in 1:44, Kai Faulkner (Catoosa) in 0:49, and teammate Jacob Rampy in 1:43 before falling to Taywone McNack (McLain) in 0:57. From there he pinned Sammy Cooper (Heritage Hall) in 4:16, then won a 6-2 decision over Reuben Arredondo (Catoosa). 

Scott Patton (8-5) took fifth place at 126 pounds. He lost his opening match 4-2 to Gage Edwards (Vinita) in sudden victory overtime, but pinned his next two opponents. He took down Cameron Mclure (Blanchard) in 0:21 and Rodney Beasley (Jay) in 0:30 before falling 11-3 to Vincent Eremita (Catoosa). From there he pinned Cameron Colpitt (Okmulgee) in 4:36 and won a 2-0 decision over Troy Hardbarger (Tahlequah Sequoyah). 

Gavin Garcia (10-7) took fifth place at 145 pounds. He defeated Caleb Buzzard (Jay) 5-1, Corbin Candy (Tahlequah) 4-2, Brad TeeHee (Catoosa) 15-2, and pinned Michael Halsey (Owasso) in 0:46 before falling 5-3 to Tye Rozell (Broken Arrow) in sudden victory overtime. In the consolations he defeated Hunter Sneed (Newcastle) 9-4 and Corbin Candy (Tahlequah) 3-1.

Hunter Carter (7-8) took sixth place at 106 pounds. He pinned Stacey Gladney (Broken Arrow) in 5:36 and defeated Eric Hussaini (Thomas Edison) 6-5, but was defeated 10-4 by Julien Brownfield (Tahlequah), 10-3 by Braeden Williams (Blanchard), 6-4 by Dylan Brown (Vinita), and 8-4 by Eric Hussaini.

David Cooper (11-3) took sixth place at 138 pounds. He defeated Eric Moody (Broken Arrow) 8-3, pinned Collin Elias (Bishop Kelley) in 3:57, edged out Wyatt Berry (Blanchard) 5-4, and won a 15-7 major decision over Brayden King (Jay). In the quarterfinals he was pinned in 1:16 by Hunter Palacios (Newcastle), but he rebounded with a 14-7 decision over Doug Whitehorn (Tahlequah).

Kris Edwards (5-5) took sixth place at 220 pounds. He pinned Nick Wilson (Catoosa) in 0:25 and received an injury default from Isac Higginbottom (Newcastle), but fell 5-4 to Ryan Bracken (Blanchard) and 4-2 to Leland McKinney (Thomas Edison).

Gabe Wakefield (2-7) took tenth place at 170 pounds. He fell 10-1 to Conner Keith (Heritage Hall) and was pinned in 1:05 by Brian Resch (Tahlequah), but pinned Jarred Hare (Tahlequah) in 2:39 before falling 19-4 to Johnathan Hayes (Vinita). 

Jacob Rampy (3-7) competed at 120 pounds but didn't place. He pinned Jackson Glenn (Bishop Kelley) in 1:49 and Tristan Melder (Okmulgee) in 0:46, but fell in 0:48 to Dylan White (Vinita) and in 1:43 to teammate Colten Roberts. 

Hyatt Cartwright (2-5) competed at 138 pounds but didn't place. He won a 12-10 decision over Brayden King (Jay), but was pinned in 3:27 by Andrew DeArmand (Catoosa) and lost a close 4-3 decision to Pablo Nava (Tahlequah).

Mike Brown (5-6) competed at 182 pounds but didn't place. He pinned Jose Gonzales (Catoosa) in 2:43, but fell in 0:45 to Sam Moss (Bishop Kelley), 2:41 to Caleb Aguilla (Inola), and 1:12 to Kaleb Crilly (Newcastle). 

Hayden Cramer (3-4) competed at 182 pounds but didn't place. He pinned Joey Binham (Thomas Edison) in 2:43, but fell in 1:08 to Jerome Townsell (Thomas Edison) and in 1:00 to Bobby Goins (Salina). 

Hunter Willis (6-6) competed at 195 pounds but didn't place. He pinned Cameron Johnson (Broken Arrow) in 0:49, but fell in 3:36 to Tyler Barnett (Tahlequah Sequoyah) and in 0:32 to Jordan Gilmore (Vinita). He also came out on the bottom end of a 13-12 shootout with Sage Locust (Tahlequah Sequoyah).