Sandite Baseball falls 17-8 in shootout with Sunrise Mountain

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (3-5) had their best game of the season at the plate against Sunrise Mountain (7-3), but couldn't get it done on the mound and fell 17-8 in the fourth round of the Best of the West Tournament.

The Sandites broke .400 for the first time this year with nine hits, but gave up nineteen hits and went through four pitchers before settling on Braden Millican (0-0) in his varsity debut on the mound.

Senior Josh Taber hit a lead-off single for Sand Springs and was joined on the very next pitch by Mack Thompson. Taber was put out at home on a fielder's choice, but Thompson scored on a single from Braden Askew. Hunter Greathouse stole home soon after, and the Sandites took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first.

It would be their only lead of the game, however. 

Askew (0-2) got the start and the loss on the mound and gave up a double to Tyler Pruitt, then walked Troy Balko. EJ Sua singled to score Pruitt, Caleb Thomason singled to load the bases, then Jacob Hamrick doubled to score all three runners. Hamrick came home soon after on a single from Alec Myers. The Mustangs took a 5-2 lead and Brock Youngblood (0-2) took over on the mound to finish out the inning.

Sunrise deepened the divide in the second inning with five hits for four runs. Sua doubled and scored on a triple from Thomason. Thomason scored on a triple from Hamrick, Hamrick scored on a double from Caden Albertson, and Albertson scored on a double from Myers for a 9-2 advantage. 

Riley Rutledge (0-0) gave up the run to Albertson before closing out the second. 

Sand Springs made a valiant effort at a comeback in the top of the third and came close to tying it up. Taber singled and scored on single from Greathouse. Treyce Tolbert was hit by pitch and Rutledge singled to load the bases with one out. 

Cale Savage was walked to score Tolbert, Kylar Copeland walked to score Greathouse, and Cal Watkins singled to score courtesy runner Lucas Adcock. Ty Steelman bunted to score courtesy runner Kameron Adcock, but was left stranded on the next play as Taber flied out leaving Sunrise Mountain still in the lead at 9-8.

The Mustangs cushioned their lead in the bottom of the inning as Daniel Partida singled, stole second, then scored on a catcher's error. Connor Dennis (0-0) made his season-debut on the mound after Rutledge walked Pruitt. Pruitt then scored on a double by Sua, who in turn scored on a single by Thomason to make it 12-8.

Millican went to the mound in the bottom of the fourth. Ethan Snodgrass scored on a single from Partida and Sua doubled to score Partida and Austin Sturgeon to make it 15-8. Joey Agate and Roman Carrillo scored on a single from Kody Decker for the final score of 17-8.

Millican spent two full innings on the mound, struck out two batters, walked one, and gave up four hits and only one earned run.

The Sandites will return to action Wednesday in the first round of bracket play.

Sandites notch two-straight wins at Best of the West Tournament, Greathouse homers

Nationally-ranked Chaparall deals Sandites 12-2 loss at Best of the West tournament

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (3-4) got off to a rough start in the first round of the Best of the West tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, but rebounded from a 12-2 loss to Chaparall High School (10-1-1) with back-to-back wins.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based team jumped on the Sandites hard and fast with ten runs in the first two innings Saturday, taking an insurmountable lead and holding on for a 12-2 victory. The Firebirds are ranked 24th in the nation by MaxPreps.

Brock Youngblood (0-2) got the start and the loss, giving up seven hits and seven earned runs in his time on the mound. Jacob Gonzalez hit a 2RBI home run for the Firebirds in the bottom of the first, scoring Gianni Tomasi who singled. Griffin Hampton also singled, but was left stranded after Drew Wayland struck out.

Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse was first on base for the Sandites with a lead-off double to center field. He took third on a passed ball and tagged up on a fly out to center field to put Sand Springs on the scoreboard. 

Chaparral brought the rain in the bottom of the second with eight runs. Kenny Littlefair doubled and scored on a single from Karsten Householder. Householder scored on a triple from Will Fuenning who in turn scored on a fly out by Ian McMillan. Tomasi walked and came in on yet another homer by Gonzalez. 

Ty Steelman (0-0) relieved Youngblood on the mound for his pitching debut and walked Blake Paugh. He gave up a single to Hampton and both runners scored on a single from Wayland. Steelman recorded his first strikeout against Littlefair, but Householder singled and Fenning was hit by pitch to load the bases. Steelman walked McMillan to score Wayland, but Tomasi flied out to Braden Askew in left field to strand loaded bases.

Kameron Adcock singled in the third, Treyce Tolbert doubled in the fourth, and Braden Cook walked, but all three were left stranded. 

Riley Rutledge (0-0) took over pitching in the bottom of the fourth for his career-debut on the mound.

The Sandites got off to a good start in the fifth inning as Askew singled and Adcock and Mack Thompson drew walks to load the bases. Askew scored on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 10-2, but Cal Watkins struck out and Greathouse flied out to center field to strand loaded bases.

Chaparral added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to clench the game by run rule.

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Hunter Greathouse scores 2 RBI, strikes out 6 in win over Sunnyslope

The Sandites took on Sunnyslope High School (2-10) in the second round of the Best of the West Tournament and handily trumped the Phoenix, Arizona-based team 6-2 behind the versatile arm of Cowley County Community-College signed senior Hunter Greathouse (2-1).

Greathouse got the start and the win on the mound, pitching six strikeouts over five innings against four walks and three hits. 

Sunnyslope was first on the scoreboard as Casey Markham scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the first. Kyler Copeland tied it up in the top of the third, however, on a single from senior Josh Taber. The Vikings reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning as Manny Ramirez singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice by Markham, and stole home with Matt Schrader at the plate.

It was Treyce Tolbert's turn to tie things up in the fourth inning, scoring on a bunt by Greathouse. Mack Thompson gave the Sandites the lead in the fifth inning, singling to score Taber and Cale Savage, who also singled. 

Lucas Adcock added another run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Copeland, then Greathouse singled in the top of the seventh to score Tolbert for the final 6-2 lead.

Thompson (0-0) relieved Greathouse on the mound for the final two innings and recorded a save, giving up only one hit against three strikeouts.

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Hunter Greathouse scores five RBI, one home run in win against Liberty

The Sandites picked up their second-straight win against the Liberty Lions (9-4) out of Peoria, Arizona, thanks in part to salty slugging from Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse. 

Greathouse hit the first home run of the season for the Sandites and accompanied it with a triple for two runs and five RBI in the 8-5 victory. Senior pitcher Josh Cordell (1-0) got the start and the win on the mound, while senior Mack Thompson (0-0) pitched the final two innings and recorded his second save of the season.

It was a slow starter, with neither team getting on base till Braden Millican singled in the top of the third. He was put out two plays later, however, advancing to home on a sacrifice bunt by Kameron Adcock. 

Liberty took their first crack at getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Derek Legeza was hit by pitch and Nick Hamilton singled, but Legeza was caught stealing home and Hamilton was left stranded.

Sand Springs finally took the lead in the top of the fifth as Millican reached on a fielder's choice, took second and third on a single passed ball, then scored on a fly out by Cal Watkins. 

The Sandites lit it up in the top of the sixth as Greathouse homered to score Thompson and Treyce Tolbert. Braden Askew doubled, Cale Savage singled, and Millican singled to bring in Askew for the 5-0 lead.

The Lions finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth after Legeza walked and Tyler Hajjar doubled. Thompson relieved Cordell on the mound and gave up a line drive 2RBI double to Hamilton. 

Greathouse had another big at-bat in the top of the seventh, scoring Tolbert and Riley Rutledge on a triple. He scored two plays later on a sacrifice fly from Savage. 

Liberty tried to make a comeback in the final stretch as Trevor Felan, Brady Welch, and Kai Tuita all singled to load the bases. All three advanced on a passed ball, then courtesy runner Dallin Montez scored on a groundball by Legeza. Tuita cut the lead to 8-5 on a groundball from Hajjar, but the game came to a close with a fly ball to Tolbert.

Frontier Valley Ladies' Basketball in good shape for years to come

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Another great year of Ladies' Basketball has come to an end for the Frontier Valley Conference and though the gold ball escaped them this season, they put four teams in the Area playoffs and one team in the State Tournament. 

The Central Oklahoma Conference was the most heavily represented in the State Tournament, with three qualifiers in Mustang, Deer Creek, and Edmond Santa Fe. The Big Ten Conference qualified Putnam City West and Choctaw. Booker T. Washington qualified from the Green Country Conference, and Ponca City qualified as the only team in 6A with an independent schedule. Choctaw laid claim to the title.

No. 3 Sand Springs (24-2, 13-1) won the Conference series with a single regular-season loss and advanced to the State Semifinals for the first time since 1994. They defeated Stillwater, Union, Booker T. Washington, and Mustang before falling to Deer Creek. The Lady Sandites pulled off one of the most impressive seasons in school history and finished the season with four players averaging in the double-digits. Leading scorer Sydney Pennington (10.8) will move on to play collegiate softball at Oklahoma State, and they'll also lose Kierra McGee's 8.7 points per game. Holly Kersgieter (10.2), Gloria Mutiri (10.0), and Destiny Johnson (10.2) will all return next season.
State Champions: 1994.

No. 6 Owasso (17-9, 11-3) made it through Regionals with a win over Jenks and a loss to Ponca City, but lost in the Area Consolations to Bartlesville. The Lady Rams have been anchored by Terryn Milton with 16.6 points per game, followed by Leiloni Culley with 8.8 and Mya Bhinhar with 8.3. All five of the leading scorers will return next season. 
State Champions: 1990.

No. 14 Bartlesville (16-10, 10-3) split their post season, beating Sapulpa and falling to Putnam West in Regionals, then beating Owasso and falling to Booker T. Washington in Area. Jenna Williams led the team with 12.6 points per game, followed by Lauren Richter with 8.4 and Erin Shoemaker with 7.6. They will lose Richter and Emily Hicks (3.9), but will retain three of their top-five.

No. 17 Union (14-12, 8-6) made it past Regionals but ended the post-season 1-2 with a first round loss at Area. The Lady Redskins will lose leading scorer Taylor Malham (17.1), but will retain their next four, including Deasia Thomas (6.5) and Sadie Moyer (5.8).
State Champions: 2008.

No. 15 Broken Arrow (13-11, 8-6) lost in the first round of Regionals to Union, and in May they'll lose Jalise Smallwood, who averaged 15.3 points per game, and Angelica Cuellar with 6.7 and Danyell Moore with 4.2. The Lady Tigers will look to rebuild around Kinsey Callen (6.7), Brooke Bowker (3.0) and Aallya Nascimento (3.0).
State Champions: 2015, 2014, 1983.

No. 19 Sapulpa (10-13, 6-7) saw their season come to an end in the first round of Regionals against Bartlesville. The Lady Chieftains will retain four of their top-five scorers, including leader Kiarra Brooks, with 10.0 points per game. Their only loss will be Michael Bethel (7.2), and they'll be in good shape with Taylor Dement (6.7), Ray Osborn (6.4) and Hailey Morrison (5.7).
State Champions: 2007, 1998, 1980, 1979.

Jenks (7-16, 5-9) may not have had the best season this year, falling to Owasso in the first round of Regionals, but they're in good shape for the future as they return all five of their leading scorers, led by a pair of freshmen. Haley Meely averaged 12.4 points per game, followed by Makenna Burch with 10.5.
State Champions: 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1991. 

Muskogee (9-14, 4-10) fell to Booker T. Washington in the first round of Regionals, but their biggest losses will come in May as they graduate leading scorers Trena Mims (19.4), Dia-Nitta Brown (7.7), Chrisalee Patterson (7.0), and Brandi Nash (5.5). Bre'Aunee Virgin (5.0) will be the only member of the top-five to return next season as the Lady Roughers look to rebuild from the ground up.

Bixby (7-16, 2-11) fell in the first round of Regionals to Norman North, but they look sharp going into the next season with three of their top-five scorers returning. Maddie Bittle averaged 14.5 points per game for the Lady Spartans, followed by Sarah Tyree with 7.9 and Savanna Stout with 5.2.
State Champions: 1957.

5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley (6-16, 2-12) fell in the first round of Regionals to Del City, but they're in solid shape looking to the next season as they return their top-two scorers in Macy Craig (10.1) and Michaela Martin (9.0). 

FVC Top-Ten Scorers

1. Trena Mims (Muskogee) 19.4
2. Taylor Malham (Union) 17.1
3. Terryn Milton (Owasso) 16.6
4. Jalise Smallwood (Broken Arrow) 15.3
5. Maddie Bittle (Bixby) 14.5
6. Jena Williams (Bartlesville) 12.6
7. Haley Meely (Jenks) 12.4
8. Sydney Pennington (Sand Springs) 10.8
9. Makenna Burch (Jenks) 10.5
10. Holly Kersgieter (Sand Springs) 10.2
    Destiny Johnson (Sand Springs) 10.2

State Championships by Conference:

1. Central Oklahoma 22
2. Frontier Valley 16
3. Big Ten 13
4. All-City 9
5. Green Country 8

6A State Championships (since 1996)

1. Frontier Valley 9 
2. Central Oklahoma 8
3. Big Ten 4
4. Green Country 1

State Championships (Last Ten Years, All Classes)

1. Central Oklahoma 5
2. Big Ten 5
3. All City 4 
4. Green Country 4
5. Frontier Valley 3

Lady Sandite Dream Season comes to an end, 64-54 against No. 4 Deer Creek

DCHS 64 CPHS 54

1Q CPHS 17-7
2Q DCHS 18-5
3Q All 16-16
4Q DCHS 23-16

Free Throws: CPHS 16-of-27, DCHS 20-of-28.
Field Goals: CPHS 18-of-38, DCHS 20-of-46.
Fouls: CPHS 22, DCHS 19.

Scoring: (CPHS) Mutiri 16, Johnson 12, McGee 9, Pennington 9, Kersgieter 7, Wilson 1. (DCHS) Fields 20, Manning 16, Vann 10, Rehl 9, Blackburn 5, Mouser 3, Wade 1.

(CPHS Only)
Offensive Rebounds: Mutiri 3, Wilson 1, Johnson 1, McGee 1. 
Defensive Rebounds: Pennington 8, Mutiri 5, McGee 3, Taber 3, Johnson 2, Kersgieter 2.
Assists: Johnson 5, Kersgieter 2, McGee 1, Pennington 1, Taber 2, Regalado 1.
Blocks: Mutiri 5, Pennington 1. 
Steals: Kersgieter 3, Johnson 1.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School Girls' Basketball program has officially returned to the big leagues, making their first appearance at the Oral Roberts Mabee Center since 1994.

The third-ranked Lady Sandites (24-2) took on the fourth-ranked Deer Creek Antlers (26-2) and saw their dream season finally come to an end, despite outstanding performances from a mostly young team.

Sand Springs took an early and dominant lead in the first quarter, but the Lady Antlers were familiar with playing from a deficit. They trailed No. 6 Booker T. Washington (22-6) for much of their quarterfinal game before securing the seven-point win. Deer Creek played quick catch-up with a thirteen-point streak in the second quarter and the teams stayed in close proximity for the duration.

6'1" Ohio State Volleyball-commit Gloria Mutiri struck first off an assist from Destiny Johnson, then scored on a rebounded three from senior Kierra McGee and hit two from the charity stripe for a 6-2 Sandite lead. Kendall Blackburn was first on the board for the Lady Antlers, followed by a free throw from Hannah Wade, but then it was Mutiri right back in the action off an assist from Oklahoma State Softball-signed senior Sydney Pennington.

Sydney Manning posted two for Deer Creek, but McGee's next three-point attempt sailed true, Mutiri added one from the free throw line, then sophomore Holly Kersgieter scored on an assist from classmate Isabella Regalado. Lauren Fields hit her first basket of the night soon after, but McGee had the final say of the stanza from three point range for the 17-7 lead.

Kersgieter posted the first points of the second quarter after Deer Creek turned over their first possession, but Maddie Rehl and Skylar Vann scored the first back-to-back baskets of the game for the Antlers. Sand Springs turned over four-straight possession, allowing Vann to score back-to-back with herself, cutting the deficit to 19-13 before Brynn Mouser sank a two and Fields hit a three to narrow it to 19-18. Pennington missed a pair of free throws, McGee rebounded, but turned it over, and Vann scored through contact for the first Antler lead of the game.

The thirteen-straight scoring streak came to an end with a McGee free throw to tie it at 20-20, but Fields made both of her free throws to reclaim the advantage. McGee got another shot on a 1-1 and sank both, but fouled Rehl to give up one. The Sandites' last possession came up short and Blackburn iced the cake for the Antlers with a two-point shot as time expired.

Fields kicked off the second half on the opening possession, but Mutiri retaliated off a rebounded shot by Johnson. Manning and Johnson each went two-for-two from the charity stripe, broken up by another Mutiri field goal, cutting the gap to a single point at 29-28. 

The Antlers got busy from three-point range with baskets by Fields and Manning, but they also got busy fouling, giving up free throws to Pennington and Johnson, as well as a pair of turnovers, allowing Pennington to cut it to 35-34. Kersgieter scored the go-ahead basket, Manning retaliated, then Johnson took it right back with a pair of free throws. The Antlers had the final say of the period with goals by Vann and Fields for a 41-38 lead to start the final stranza.

Johnson opened the fourth quarter with one of her signature transition layups, but Manning scored a two and Blackburn hit a free throw before Pennington got in the action. The Antlers went on another run from there with a Manning three for the catalyst. Fields and Vann both scored off steals, then McGee sent Rehl to the line for one. 

Kersgieter returned to the game after a slight injury and immediately went to work, assisting Mutiri for two, then scoring one from the charity stripe, but the Sandites never would regain the advantage in the fourth quarter. 

As time dwindled and the possibility of a come-back became more and more unlikely, Head Coach Dustin Morrow was able to empty his bench, and give the majority of the team State Tournament experience. The Sandites will lose only two starters next year when they graduate Pennington and McGee, and they return a mess of talented underclassmen to anchor the program for the years to come.

The Lady Sandites will return to the Mabee Center next Christmas Break for the prestigious Tournament of Champions, and with so many returning stars, they may likely find themselves back in the spotlight for the next State Tournament as well.

For now, they'll have to settle for having one of the best seasons in school history with Championship wins at the Bishop Kelley Tournament, the Coffeyville Interstate Classic, the Regional tournament, and the Area tournament to compliment their 13-1 Frontier Valley Conference Championship. Not a bad run, to say the least.

Deer Creek will return to action Saturday at noon in the Championship Finals against the winner of No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe (25-2) vs No. 2 Choctaw (24-3). The Lady Antlers have already prevailed 68-51 over Santa Fe and 62-50 over Choctaw since the final rankings came out, and would likely have been ranked No. 1 in the State if the rankings continued through the playoffs.

Jeffus brothers lead Sandite Soccer to first win of season 2-1 over Bixby

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School Boys' Soccer Team (1-1) notched their first win of the season Thursday night at Memorial Stadium, topping the Bixby Spartans (0-2) 2-1 in a non-district match.

Brothers Logan and Luke Jeffus scored the two goals for the Sandites and goalkeeper Edgar Soberano notched several impressive saves throughout the game.

SEE RELATED: Bixby Lady Spartans rout Sand Springs 5-0 at home

Logan Jeffus, a senior, notched the first goal of the game giving the Sandites their first lead of the season just three minutes into the match. The Spartans retaliated in the 26th minute on a twenty-yard boot by Miles Miller that shot just over Soberano's outstretched fingers into the very top of the net. Miller took another shot with five minutes left in the half, but it sailed wide left and the teams went into halftime all tied up.

The Spartans were extra hostile in the second half, pushing hard for the lead, but instead it was freshman Luke Jeffus with a header in the 52nd minute for the advantage. Spartan keeper Eli Trenary narrowly averted another Sandite goal in the 59th minute with a pair of impressive saves in a heated exchange deep in the box.

Gabe Jeffus, the third brother, never got the chance to score, playing as a defender. But the entire backline played solid defense throughout, leaving the Spartans with very few shots, none of which were uncontested.

Soberano was also hard at work in the final minutes as Bixby brought more pressure than they'd shown all game. But after several minutes in their own box, the Sandites finally broke free in the 77th minute and headed downfield where Logan Jeffus fired off another close shot that was just barely tipped out by Trenary.

The Sandites played a game of keep-away from there and ran the clock down for the 2-1 victory.

Sand Springs will take a week off for Spring Break before returning on the 23rd with a non-district home game against Muskogee (1-0).

Bixby Lady Spartans rout Sand Springs 5-0 at home

By: Virgil Noah, Staff Writer

It was a rough night for the Charles Page High School Ladies' Soccer Team (0-2) as they ran into a Bixby High School squad (3-0) who was very sound on both ends of the pitch. The Lady Spartans scored early and often throughout the course of the game en route to a 5-0 victory. 

SEE RELATED: Jeffus brothers lead Sandite Soccer to first win of season 2-1 over Bixby

Junior defender Caroline Carson got Bixby on the board in the 8th minute with a header that trickled off the fingers of Lady Sandite goalkeeper Abigail Banks. Senior forward Kyndal Zicker countered for the Sand Springs but her shot on goal went straight to Bixby goalkeeper Maddie Dees. Zicker's shot was one of just three on the night for Charles Page as Bixby's stifling defense frustrated the Lady Sandite attack for the duration of the match. 

Banks and the defense kept the visitors off the board for almost the remainder of the first half, with Banks making several impressive saves, but with just 0:32 left in the first half Lacy White found the back of the net to give her side a two goal lead heading into the locker room.  

The second half saw more of the same, with Taylor Pease and Mary Swain both scoring goals off of shots to the far post hitting iron and bouncing in. Kaitlyn Asher rounded out the scoring with a goal in the 62nd minute.  

The Lady Sandites will return to action on the 23rd after a Spring Break hiatus when they host the Muskogee Lady Roughers (1-0).