CPHS Softball: Lady Sandites sweep Highway 97 Rivalry series with 12-4 road win

The Charles Page High School Fast-Pitch Softball team (9-2) improved to 5-0 in district play Thursday evening with a resounding 12-4 win over Sapulpa (3-10, 2-5) on their arch-rivals' home field. The Sandites are tied with Broken Arrow as the only two undefeated teams in the district, and they are 2-0 against Sapulpa after defeating their foes 12-1 last week. 

Sand Springs didn't quite repeat their run-rule victory from the week before, but the game was never in any doubt after the visiting Sandites drilled four runs in the top of the first.

Three singles saw Elizabeth Luttrell score Kimi Presnell and Sabrina Usher, then Luttrell and Madelyn Blair came in on a single from Jensen Arnold. Luttrell tacked on a fifth run in the top of the third with a solo home run on the second pitch of the inning. 

The fourth inning brought further damage to the home team as Presnell received a walk, stole second and third, then scored on a hit from Makenna Skaggs. Blair also walked, Luttrell singled, and both scored on a single from Felicity Horn for the 8-0 advantage.

Sapulpa finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with one single and a pair of walks to load the bases. Jacie Taber (7-0 season, 20-7 career) struck out one, walked in one run, then sent a groundball to first to strand loaded bases. 

In the fifth inning Arnold hit a double and was relieved by courtesy runner Rachel Jones, who promptly scored on a single from Taber. Kinsey Skaggs relieved Taber and scored on a hit from Sabrina Usher to make it 10-1. Taber batted in another run in the sixth to score Cameron Clemons. 

Sapulpa notched their second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth by hitting three singles, the last of which brought in Ally Zanca. The Sandites got their final run from Makenna Skaggs who reached on one error and scored on another. 

The Chieftains tried to stage a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Azelea Fogleman was hit by pitch and Kali Husman doubled. Both scored, but those would be the last runs of the game as Zanca flied out to left field and Sand Springs secured the win. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action next Thursday with a district road game against Stillwater (4-5, 2-2).

Lady Sandite Volleyball hammers No. 7 Coweta 3-0

The No. 15 ranked Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team (6-10) hosted 5A No. 7 Coweta (13-3) Thursday evening at the Ed Dubie Field House and dealt the Tigers their most devastating loss of the season in a 3-0 sweep.

CPHS 3 Coweta 0
Set One: 25-9 CPHS
Set Two: 25-17 CPHS
Set Three: 25-19 CPHS

Kills: CPHS 36, Coweta 23.
Blocks: CPHS 2, Coweta 0.
Aces: CPHS 6, Coweta 2.
Service Errors: CPHS 10, Coweta 5.

(CPHS Only) 
Kills: Mutiri 21, Cypert 5, Youngblood 5, Burris 4, Johnson 1.
Assists: Burris 25, Mong 2, Mutiri 1, Bradshaw 1.
Aces: Youngblood 3, Campfield 2, Madison Ward 1.
Solo Blocks: Mutiri 1.
Block Assists: Burris 1, Neely 1.
Digs: Taylor 3, Burris 2, Madison Ward 2, Mutiri 2, MaKenzie Ward 1, Campfield 1.
 

The first set was one of the fastest of the season as the Sandites used a massive ten-straight scoring streak to take an 18-2 advantage before letting the visitors back in the game. Were it not for a single service error, the streak would have been fifteen. The Tigers recorded only three kills in the 25-9 defeat, their second-worse loss, and the Sandites' biggest win of the season.

The second set was far more competitive, but still a handy victory for the home team. Sand Springs never ran away with it, scoring their longest streak at only three-straight, but they took the final lead at 5-4 and never looked back. Their biggest lead came with their final point, an ace from Madison Ward for the 25-17 victory.

By game three the Sandites were running the bench and every available player got to see action. The Sandites took the final lead at 4-3 and won four-straight capped by a kill from Makenna Cypert. Cloe Campfield scored an ace at 10-5, Raylynn Mong assisted Gloria Mutiri with a kill on her first rally of the game to make it 19-12, then Coweta staged a come-back attempt. 

The visitors scored five-straight points to cut it to 21-18 before Kailie Johnson scored a kill with an assist from Mong. Coweta Head Coach Tony Ramos demonstrated quality sportsmanship when the line judge ruled Johnson's hit as out of bounds. The visiting coach sacrificed his team's momentum to inform the referee that the hit was in bounds, awarding the point to Sand Springs. The Tigers notched one more kill and the home team closed out with an ace from Devree Youngblood to secure the victory.

Mutiri, who recently de-committed from Ohio State University, led the team per usual with her third-highest output of the season. The senior scored 21 kills and one block. Cypert and Youngblood each scored five kills, followed by Madison Burris with four and Johnson with one. Burris led the team with 25 assists. Youngblood notched three aces, followed by Campfield with two and Madison Ward with one.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Tuesday, September 5th with a home match against No. 8 Union (8-4). The Redskins previously defeated Sand Springs 3-1 in the third match of the season, and 3-0 at their home tournament. 

CPHS Softball: Taber strikes out 11 in 6-0 shut out of Jenks

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (8-2 overall, 4-0 district) bounced back from a 6-4 loss to 2A No. 1 Dale (14-0) with a 6-0 shutout of Jenks (7-6) Tuesday afternoon at the Sandite Sports Complex, outhitting their foes 11-5 with eleven strikeouts from University of Northern Iowa-commit Jacie Taber (6-0 season, 19-7 career). 

The Lady Trojans put two on base in the first inning with a walk and a single, but stranded both after Taber struck out two. The Lady Sandites got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning as Sabrina Usher reached on a fielder's choice and scored on hit from Madelyn Blair. Elizabeth Luttrell brought home Blair with a single for the 2-0 advantage.

The girls had a big third inning with singles from Kimi Presnell, Makenna Skaggs, and Usher, the latter of whom scored Presnell. Skaggs and Usher both came in on a double from Blair, who was left stranded. 

The Sandites gave up a single in the top of the fourth, but Blair sent a ground ball to Presnell at second, who passed it to Luttrell at first for a double play. Taber struck out the third batter.

Jenks threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with a single and a pair of free bases, but Taber made up for the walks with three-straight strikeouts to save the inning. Felicity Horn scored on an error in the bottom of the inning for the final score of 6-0. 

On Friday the girls traveled to Stillwater for a festival. They took on the top-ranked undefeated team in class 2A and fell 6-4, bringing an end to their six-straight win streak, and had their second game rained out. 

Blair (2-2, 15-4) got the loss on the mound, giving up nine hits and three walks with two strikeouts against the defending 2A Fast-Pitch State Runners-Up and 4A Slow-Pitch State Champions.

Dale scored four runs in the top of the fourth with a grand slam from Skyle Thompson and added two more in the next inning. 

In the bottom of the sixth the Sandites staged a rally attempt with four straight singles. Taber scored Horn, Blair scored Skaggs and Taber, then Presnell doubled to bring in Usher. Madison Lee hit a double in the bottom of the seventh, but was left stranded on third as Dale secured the win.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Thursday on the road with a Highway 97 Rivalry district match-up against Sapulpa (3-9, 2-4) who they previously defeated 12-1 last week.

CPHS Volleyball: Mutiri scores 23 kills in 3-2 loss against No. 5 Bishop Kelley

BK 3 CPHS 2
Set One: 25-20 CPHS
Set Two: 25-22 CPHS
Set Three: 26-24 BK
Set Four: 25-19 BK
Set Five: 15-10 BK

Kills: BK 50, CPHS 42.
Blocks: CPHS 8, BK 4.
Aces: CPHS 9, BK 8.
Service Errors: CPHS 14, BK 13.

(CPHS only)
Kills: Mutiri 23, Youngblood 7, Burris 5, Cypert 3, Bradshaw 2, Campfield 1, Neely 1.
Assists: Burris 33, Bradshaw 2, Campfield 1. 
Aces: MaKenzie Ward 3, Youngblood 2, Campfield 2, Burris 1, Madison Ward 1. 
Solo Blocks: Mutiri 3, Neely 2.
Block Assists: Neely 2, Cypert 2, Youngblood 1, Mutiri 1.
Digs: Mutiri 3, Campfield 3, Wise 3, Taylor 3, Madison Ward 2, Youngblood 1. 

The No. 15 ranked Charles Page High School volleyball team (5-10) hosted Frontier Valley Conference foe 5A No. 5 Bishop Kelley (5-4) Tuesday evening at the Ed Dubie Field House. The Kelley Comets defeated Sand Springs 3-0 (15-25, 12-25, 20-25) two weeks prior at the Union Tournament. This time it looked like Sand Springs would get some payback, but after falling in a 2-0 deficit, the Comets surged back for the win.

Sophomore Devree Youngblood scored the first point of the match with an ace, then turned the ball over with a service error. The teams traded punches from there till the visitors took the first substantial lead at 7-3 after winning four straight rallies. The teams exchanged errors, then it was the Sandites' time to shine with five straight points to take the lead at 9-8. Youngblood scored twice, Gloria Mutiri and Kenzie Bradshaw scored once apiece, and Madison Burris got the assists for all four.

Not to be outdone, the Comets retaliated with six points in a row, then Sand Springs tied it up at 14-14 with kills from Youngblood and Chelsea Neely, plus a pair of aces from MaKenzie Ward. The close affair tied twice more before Sand Springs took the lead once and for all. The Comets threatened at 21-20, but the home team won the next four rallies for the win.

The second game started much like the first, but this time it was Sand Springs who jumped out to the early lead with six straight rallies to make it 9-3. Kelley scored five in a row to make it 12-9, but Sand Springs did the same for a 17-9 advantage. Cloe Campfield scored a kill and Neely added a solo block for the biggest lead of the game at 20-11.

The Comets began to close the gap late in the game, winning four in a row to cut the deficit to 24-22. After a brief timeout, the Sandites secured the win with a tipped ball from Burris.

The third set was the most competitive of the four. The score tied eleven times and the lead changed eight times before the Comets closed out with three-straight for the 26-24 win. Kelley took a 23-22 lead before Mutiri scored a kill to tie it and Youngblood aced for the lead. Neely looked to have clinched the set with a solo block before the call was reversed in favor of the visitors. Mariana Hightower and Parker Ross scored a pair of kills for the Comets' first set win.

Sand Springs played from the hole for most of the game four. They went on a six-point run for a brief 11-9 lead, but Kelley came right back with four of their own. Mutiri tied it at 13-13, but Kelley took the lead back once and for all with a kill from Hightower. The visitors went on a five-point run towards the end, Sand Springs won three of their own, then Kelley finished it up at 25-19 to tie the match.

The Comets jumped out to a quick lead in the final stanza with two kills from Ross, a kill from Katherine Barlow, and back to back aces from Sadie Baumann. Mutiri broke things up with a kill, but Kelley went right back to work with three more. After a brief timeout the Sandites scored three in a row with a kill and block from Mutiri and an ace from Burris, but they were unable to close the gap the rest of the way. Ultimately the visitors prevailed 15-10 to return to a winning record. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Thursday with a home match against 5A No. 7 Coweta (13-2).

CPHS Boys' Cross Country Team wins Pryor Invitational, led by Aden Baughman in 1st Place

The Charles Page High School Cross Country teams started the season this past weekend at the Mid-America Tiger Cross Country Invitational in Pryor. The Boys' team took first place, led by Aden Baughman with a 10:40 time to win the two-mile run. 

Baughman, a junior State Qualifier, is coming off a USATF 800-meter National Championship win just under a month ago. Varsity Cross Country meets typically are 5 kilometers, but the two-mile start to the season gave the mid-range runner an advantage for his first win of the season with a five-second margin of victory over the runner-up.

Two other Sandites made the top-five. Ian Baustert took third place with a 10:57 finish and Nelson Yazzie was right behind him in fifth place at 10:58.

Landin Green placed ninth in 11:10, Jaelyn Jackson took 17th place in 11:30, Kaegan Murray placed 23rd in 11:45, and Phillip Elleman placed 24th in 11:46. Ten schools participated in the event and Tahlequah Sequoyah came in runner-up.

The Lady Sandites were led by Tiqvah Soap in 25th place with an 8:09 performance in the 1850-meter run, followed by Sara Abbet in 28th place with an 8:13 performance. Elizabeth Watts placed 31st in 8:24, Stephanie Genn placed 42nd in 8:35, Chezney Kelley placed 46th in 8:43, and Madelynn Adams placed 66th in 9:41. The girls placed seventh out of eight teams. Tahlequah Sequoyah took first place.

The Sandites will return to action Saturday, September 2nd in a Highway 97 rivalry run at Sapulpa. The race will be one mile for the girls and two miles for the boys. It will be held at the Sapulpa Westside Sports Complex 

Sandite of the Week Gloria Mutiri scores 98 points in 17 sets at BA Tournament

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Charles Page High School senior Gloria Mutiri was selected as our Sandite of the Week for her performances over the past week, helping her team win three of their six matches, including a 3-2 upset of the defending State Champions. Mutiri's consistently outstanding abilities have earned her Division I attention and she committed to the Ohio State University last season. 

The Lady Sandite Volleyball team (5-9) improved from the No. 19 ranking in Class 6A to No. 15 after placing third in the Broken Arrow Tournament. 

Last Tuesday the Sandites fell 3-0 to No. 7 Jenks. Mutiri scored twelve kills, two blocks, and an ace. 

On Friday the girls came from behind to defeat No. 5 Edmond Memorial 3-2. Mutiri recorded her second-highest output of the season with nineteen kills and a season-best nine blocks. She scored seventeen points in a 3-0 loss to No. 9 Edmond North, and twenty points in a 3-0 win over No. 11 Owasso. 

On Saturday Mutiri scored thirteen points in a 3-0 loss to No. 3 Norman North and twenty points in a 3-0 win over No. 17 Southmoore for third place in the tournament. 

This is Mutiri's third time being named Sandite of the Week. She is also a starting player on the defending Frontier Valley Conference Champion basketball team. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Tuesday with a home match against 5A No. 5 Bishop Kelley (4-4) who defeated them 3-0 at the Union Tournament two weekends ago. On Thursday they will host 5A No. 7 Coweta.