No. 1 Sandite wrestling pins entire U.S. Grant team in 14 minutes

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Last year the Sand Springs wrestling team went viral after pinning the entire Putnam City West team in only 13 minutes and 14 seconds. They beat their record Thursday evening at the Ed Dubie Field House.

In the first round of the District Duals, the No. 1 ranked Sandites (6-0) took on No. 18 U.S. Grant (4-4) and pinned all fourteen opponents in a total of 14 minutes and 2 seconds, for an average match time of 60.14 seconds. Last year they only wrestled thirteen matches and receive one forfeit. Their average match that year was 61.09 seconds.

The 84-0 shutout was their biggest win of the year, and the highest score a wrestling dual can reach.

Sophomore Riley Weir (21-6 season, 42-18 career) pinned Jose Garcia in 0:35 to start things off. Next up was Tanner Ward (17-8, 93-20) with a pin of Darian Martinez in 0:33. Senior Michael Ritchey (19-8, 48-32) got his first pin of the season in 0:23 against Dylan Alford.

Cameron Lozano managed to make it to the second period before being pinned in 2:55 by Blake Sargent (20-7, 72-21), who was leading 10-0 at the time.

Oklahoma State-commit Daton Fix (26-0, 144-0) worked up a 10-1 lead on Tavayon Barber before finishing him off in 1:27. Jack Karstetter (12-1, 85-16) pinned David Ibarra in 0:45. Beau Bratcher (22-6, 113-29) pinnedValente Aldana in 0:37. Payton Scott (21-1, 42-9) worked up a 9-1 lead over Jamil Carolina before finishing him off in 1:00.

Noah Almy (12-12) pinned Keon Love in 1:02. Zane Basma (10-2, 72-27) pinned Jose Esparza in 0:31. Freshman Hayden Cramer (2-3) pinned Devin Izydor in 0:47.

Max Herrera made it to the second period against Gage Fain (16-9, 29-31) and trailed 7-2 before being pinned in 2:31.

Delvin Jordan (24-2, 55-14) had the fastest pin of the night, taking down Ibrahim Serrano in 0:09. Jordan also leads the team in pins this season with 18. Finally Kris Edwards (1-0) made his varsity debut at heavyweight and pinned Malik McGee in 0:47.

The Sandites will be also be wrestling Enid (2-6) and Putnam City West (2-5) tonight in a triple header. The team with the best record for the evening will advance to dual state.

Frontier Valley Conference Men's Basketball Standings, Week Nine

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The 2016-2017 season is well under way and the Frontier Valley Conference is as competitive as ever. Eight out of ten FVC teams are ranked within their divisions and the Union Redskins are currently the undefeated unanimous pick as the No. 1 team in the state. They are also the only remaining team undefeated in conference play. The FVC is currently ranked third out of the five 6A conferences in overall strength.

No. 1 Union (12-0, 6-0) holds the best defense in the whole state, allowing only 48 points per game, on average. They have the third-ranked offense in the conference and win by an average of 15.8 points. In the last two weeks they have topped Bishop Kelley 65-42, Owasso 62-39, and Muskogee 78-42. SMU-commit Ethan Chargois scored 22 against both Kelley and Muskogee, but sat out Owasso with a hand injury. In that game Mo Garcia stepped up to lead the team with 20 points. 

No. 9 Muskogee (8-2, 5-1) holds the second-best offense in the conference and the fourth-highest margin of victory. In the last two weeks they have topped Sand Springs 47-42 and Jenks 85-59, but were just hammered 78-42 by Union in what was expected to be a somewhat close match. Brooks Haddock has been the consistent top dog this season and posted 27 against Jenks, but could only muster a team-best 12 against the Redskins. Tyreece Berry has been back in action since the new year and led the team with 18 against Sand Springs. 

No. 13 Sapulpa (7-2, 4-1) has the top-rated offense in the conference, averaging more than 68 points per game. Both of their conference games this year have been close ones, 59-57 over Broken Arrow and 72-68 over Sand Springs. Keenan Balance led the Chieftains to a come-from-behind victory over their archrivals from Sand Springs with 23 points, closely followed by Keenan Balance with 21. Balance also posted a team-best 20 points against Broken Arrow.

No. 11 Broken Arrow (8-4, 4-2) holds the second-best offense in the conference, third in the state, allowing only 49.1 points per game for the third-best margin of victory in the FVC. The Tigers have had a tough start to 2017, falling 59-57 to Sapulpa and only topping Jenks 46-38 in a game that saw the entire starting line benched by a frustrated head coach. Make no mistake, the powerhouse program is still a solid contender for the conference title if they can over come Muskogee next week. 

No. 19 Bartlesville (6-5, 3-2) is middle of the pack both offensively and defensively, but has still managed to come out on top more often than not. The Bruins fell 76-68 to Bixby in triple overtime last week and had their game against Sapulpa canceled due to weather, but got back in the win column Tuesday with a 64-57 victory over Bishop Kelley. Barron Tanner has been the top dog in both of the last two games, scoring 23 against Bixby and 28 against Kelley. 

5A No. 14 Bishop Kelley (4-6, 2-4) has done a good job keeping up with the 6A public school competitors, but dropped both of their last two conference games. The Comets hold the fourth-best defense in the FVC, but fell 65-42 to Union and 64-57 to Bartlesville. Ryan Gendron posted 18 against Bartlesville, closely followed by Alex Woodruff with 17. 

No. 16 Owasso (7-5, 2-4) got off to a rough start with four straight losses to start the season, but have been making a solid comeback since the new year. After topping 5A No. 6 East Central (8-5) and No. 8 Booker T. Washington (9-3) to sweep the Skiatook Invitational, the Rams returned to conference play with a bang. They defeated Jenks 66-52 and Bixby 62-50, but fell 62-39 to Union. Jake Thompson posted 10 against both Jenks and Union, with 15 against Bixby. Josh Proctor led the team with 16 against Jenks and 13 against Bixby. Courtre led against Bixby with 17 and also had 12 against Jenks. 

Bixby (5-7, 2-4) won a 76-68 triple-overtime shootout with Bartlesville, but fell 76-71 to Sand Springs and 62-50 to Owasso. Will Fiser scored 17 against Bartlesville, 22 against Sand Springs, and 11 against Owasso. 

No. 18 Sand Springs (6-6, 1-5) notched their first conference win with a 76-71 performance against Bixby, but fell 47-42 to Muskogee and 72-68 to Sapulpa after leading for most of the game. The Sandites have the fourth-best offense and third-best defense in the conference. Colt Savage posted 20 against Muskogee and Sapulpa and 34 against Bixby. Jacob Garbey had 21 against Bixby and Kyle Keener had 21 against Sapulpa. 

Jenks (1-9, 0-6) is still looking for their first conference win, despite a 21-point performance from Cole Surrett against Owasso and a 17-point performance from Eli Harris against Broken Arrow. The Trojans fell 66-52 to Owasso, 85-59 to Muskogee, and 46-38 to Broken Arrow. 

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

FVC Leading Scorers (points-per-game)

1. Colt Savage (Sand Springs) 21.2
2. Brooks Haddock (Muskogee) 20.7
3. Keenan Balance (Sapulpa) 19.9
4. Eli Harris (Jenks) 19.7
5. Caleb Huffman (Broken Arrow) 18.9
6. Julian Smith (Sapulpa) 17.1
7. Ethan Chargois (Union) 17.1
8. Kyle Keener (Sand Springs) 16.6
9. TyReece Berry (Muskogee) 16.3
10. Josh Proctor (Owasso) 15.8

January conference schedule:
1/24 Union @ Sand Springs
1/24 Bartlesville @ Muskogee
1/24 Broken Arrow @ Owasso
1/24 Bixby @ Sapulpa
1/24 Bishop Kelley @ Jenks
1/27 Sapulpa @ Union
1/27 Muskogee @ Broken Arrow
1/27 Sand Springs @ Owasso
1/27 Jenks @ Bartlesville
1/27 Bishop Kelley @ Bixby
1/31 Bixby @ Union
1/31 Muskogee @ Bishop Kelley
1/31 Broken Arrow @ Bartlesville
1/31 Owasso @ Sapulpa
1/31 Sand Springs @ Jenks
 

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)