Two Sandites Win Divisions at Springdale Disc Golf Tournament

Richard Why (right) took first place in the Inaugural J. Beast Fall Classic earlier this month. (Courtesy photo).

Two Sand Springs disc golfers won their divisions at the Inaugural J. Beast Fall Classic in Springdale, Arkansas recently.

The Springdale Parks and Recreation department hosted the tournament at J.B. Hunt Park. Springdale mayor Doug Sprouse was on hand to kick the park's first event off with a ceremonial first throw. Charles Page librarian Richard Why and Sandite Pride Staff Writer Virgil Noah traveled to the event and both came home with victories in their respective divisions.

Why shot back-to-back rounds of six under par to win by a stroke in the Men's Professional Open division. Why defeated a field of seven other professional disc golfers and it is the eleventh professional win of his career. He is sponsored by FOSSA Disc Golf and WhyDry Chalk Bags. 

Noah and Tyler Thomason, both 2012 graduates of Charles Page High School, competed in the Men's Recreational division. Noah shot the low score in Rec during Round One with a one-under-par and had a three-stroke lead going into the final round. Thomason shot three over and was in a tie for third. Noah and Thomason shot four over and ten over respectively in the second round to finish First and Fifth in a field of eighteen. The victory was the third amateur win in Noah's career. 

Complete results of the tournament can be viewed below:  https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/33802

CPHS Girls' Basketball Preview: No. 3 Sandites host No. 9 Ponca City Tuesday

Charles Page High School junior Holly Kersgieter is one of the highest-recruited players in the state with Division One offers from more than half a dozen schools. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

The Charles Page High School varsity basketball season will kick off this Tuesday at the Ed Dubie Field House as the Sandites host the Ponca City Wildcats in a non-conference matchup.

The Lady Sandites enter the year ranked third in 6A after a 24-2 season, Frontier Valley Championship, and State Semifinal appearance. They handily defeated No. 13 Mustang 42-24 in the quarterfinals before falling 64-54 to No. 4 Deer Creek. 

No. 9 Ponca City is coming off a 16-8 season, Regional Championship, and State Tournament appearance. They were defeated 58-43 by No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe in the quarterfinals. They are also the only team in 6A without a conference. 

Sand Springs lost their top scorer in Oklahoma State University freshman softball standout Sydney Pennington, who averaged 10.8 points per game. They also lose Kansas State University volleyball-commit Gloria Mutiri who will be graduating early, and Redlands Community College freshman Kierra McGee. Mutiri averaged 10 points per game and McGee had 8.7. Mutiri and Pennington led the team in rebounds and Mutiri led in blocks. 

The deep Sandite bench retains Destiny Johnson and University of Kansas commit Holly Kersgieter who averaged 10.2 points apiece. Johnson has received offers from Pittsburg State University, the University of Central Oklahoma, the University of Tulsa, and the University of Texas at El Paso. 

Kersgieter and Johnson will be joined by Kimi Presnell, Jacie Taber, and Isabella Regalado as the projected starters for Tuesday's game.

Taber, a University of Northern Iowa softball-commit, averaged two points per game last year and scored a career-high seven points on four occasions. Presnell didn't see any varsity action last year, but scored 21 points her freshman year. She led the Sandite Fast Pitch Softball team this fall in batting. 

Bella Regalado started six times last year, but was always first off the bench and saw nearly as many game minutes as the regular starters. She averaged 6.8 points per game and scored a career-high eighteen against Bishop Kelley. 

The biggest weakness for the Lady Sandites, according to Head Coach Dustin Morrow, is height with the tallest player a mere 5'10". Team strengths include overall athleticism with several division-one talents. 

The team doesn't have a single senior and Morrow will be looking to his eight juniors to step up and be leaders. "Madison Burris (sophomore) and Bree Berge (freshman) will make a big difference off the bench," says Morrow. "Madison has a high basketball IQ and is long and athletic. She's a monster on the boards. Bree can really handle the ball and knows how to play. She lives in the gym." 

Last season's success has left high hopes behind and Morrow doesn't shy from setting his expectations high. "Our goals are to win the conference, host a regional, and compete for the State Championship."

The girls' first conference game will be Friday when they host 5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley. They will play the first installment of the Highway 97 Rivalry series next Tuesday at No. 18 Sapulpa.

2017-2018 Week 1 Girls Rankings

1. Putnam City West (8)
2. Choctaw (7)
3. Owasso (3)
4. Sand Springs (1)
5. Deer Creek (1)
6. Edmond Santa Fe (3)
7. Bartlesville (2)
8. Westmoore 
9. Ponca City
10. Edmond North
11. Edmond Memorial
12. Norman North
13. Midwest City
14. Mustang
15. Moore
16. Shawnee
17. Broken Arrow
18. Sapulpa
19. Norman
20. Yukon

()*First Place Votes

Girls 2016-2017 FVC Standings
1. Sand Springs (13-1)
2. Owasso (11-3)
3. Bartlesville (10-3)
4. Broken Arrow (8-6)
5. Union (8-6)
6. Sapulpa (6-7)
7. Jenks (5-9)
8. Muskogee (4-10)
9. Bishop Kelley (2-12)
10. Bixby (2-12)

CPHS Boys' Basketball Preview: No. 12 Sandites host Ponca City Tuesday

Colt Savage goes for a big jump shot in a game against Wichita. (Photo: Morgan Miller).

The Charles Page High School varsity basketball season will kick off this Tuesday at the Ed Dubie Field House as the Sandites host the Ponca City Wildcats in a non-conference matchup.

The varsity boys enter the season with the No. 12 ranking in Class 6A. The Sandites went 12-14 last season and finished seventh in the Frontier Valley Conference. They upset No. 9 Yukon 66-59 in the Regional playoffs but fell 85-73 to No. 12 Sapulpa in the Area Tournament.

Unranked Ponca City is the lone school in 6A without a conference. They went 3-18 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs after a 79-23 beatdown by No. 1 Union. 

The Sandites lost a quarter of their scoring power in University of Central Oklahoma freshman Kyle Keener who averaged 16.6 points-per-game. They return the top-scoring player in the entire conference in senior Colt Savage who averaged 22.6. 

Sand Springs is currently in a bright spot for the program, going 38-36 over the past three seasons and 46-54 under fifth-year head coach Eric Savage. The Sandites went 3-40 in conference play, finishing dead last for three-straight years before Savage moved up from the 5A circuit. During his time at Tulsa Memorial he led the Chargers to three State Championships, and in 2015-2016 he led the Sandites to their first winning record since 2000. 

Colt and Cale Savage, Matthew Price, Cole Durkee, and Davon Richardson are expected to start the game against Ponca City.

• Colt started 25 games last season and led his team in scoring on nineteen occasions with a personal-best 34 points against Bixby.
• Cale started 24 games and tied his personal best of eleven points on three separate occasions.
• Price was a mid-season transfer, starting once and seeing action in fourteen games. He scored a season-best nine points against Bishop Kelley.
• Durkee started fifteen games and scored a season-best eight points against Broken Arrow. 
• Richardson transferred from Tulsa Central where he was a 4A State Tournament Semifinalist. He made headlines last December when he came off the bench in the second half to score twenty points and upset 5A No. 4 East Central. 

"We have five players on the floor who are very well rounded, that can all handle and shoot" says Coach Savage. "We will need to develop some depth as the year progresses. Only two seniors on the team and two returning starters, we are a young team." 

Colt Savage, who has received offers from the University of Central Oklahoma, Rogers State University, Cameron University, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Missouri Western State University, will be looked to for leadership as the team's only four-year starter and most experienced player. 

"Several young guys will be counted on to be difference makers," says Coach Savage. "Sophomores Davon Richardson and Josh Minney, freshmen Marlo Fox, Kendrick Williams, and Cason Savage could see significant minutes." 

The Sandites' first in-conference opponent will be 5A No. 9 Bishop Kelley this Friday at home. They will play the first installment of the Highway 97 Rivalry Series against No. 18 Sapulpa next Tuesday.

2017-2018 Week 1 Boys Rankings

1. Putnam City North (12)
2. Broken Arrow (3)
3. Edmond Santa Fe (1)
4. Midwest City
5. Westmoore
6. Union (1)
7. Edmond North (2)
8. Putnam City West (1)
9. Norman
10. Norman North
11. Edmond Memorial
12. Sand Springs
13. Stillwater (1)
14. Muskogee
15. Owasso
16. Putnam City
17. Shawnee
18. Sapulpa
19. Deer Creek 
20. Mustang

()*First Place Votes

Boys 2016-2017 FVC Standings
1. Union (14-0)
2. Broken Arrow (11-3)
3. Sapulpa (9-4)
4. Muskogee (9-5)
5. Owasso (7-7)
6. Bixby (6-8)
7. Sand Springs (5-9)
8. Bartlesville (4-9)
9. Bishop Kelley (3-11)
10. Jenks (1-13)

Two Sandites Win Divisions at Springdale Disc Golf Tournament

Richard Why (right) took first place in the Inaugural J. Beast Fall Classic earlier this month. (Courtesy photo).

Two Sand Springs disc golfers won their divisions at the Inaugural J. Beast Fall Classic in Springdale, Arkansas recently.

The Springdale Parks and Recreation department hosted the tournament at J.B. Hunt Park. Springdale mayor Doug Sprouse was on hand to kick the park's first event off with a ceremonial first throw. Charles Page librarian Richard Why and Sandite Pride Staff Writer Virgil Noah traveled to the event and both came home with victories in their respective divisions.

Why shot back-to-back rounds of six under par to win by a stroke in the Men's Professional Open division. Why defeated a field of seven other professional disc golfers and it is the eleventh professional win of his career. He is sponsored by FOSSA Disc Golf and WhyDry Chalk Bags. 

Noah and Tyler Thomason, both 2012 graduates of Charles Page High School, competed in the Men's Recreational division. Noah shot the low score in Rec during Round One with a one-under-par and had a three-stroke lead going into the final round. Thomason shot three over and was in a tie for third. Noah and Thomason shot four over and ten over respectively in the second round to finish First and Fifth in a field of eighteen. The victory was the third amateur win in Noah's career. 

Complete results of the tournament can be viewed below:  https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/33802

Eleven Sandites Take First Place at Coweta Wrestling Tournament

Abraham Flores was one of eleven Team Big wrestlers to take first place at the Coweta Open. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

Nearly a dozen members of the Sand Springs Team Big elementary wrestling program took first place at last weekend's Coweta Open.

Abraham Flores (7-1) took first place in Division 4 at 110 pounds, scoring a 9-0 major decision against Cameron Braswell and a 16-1 tech fall against Joseph Robbins. Adrian Flores (2-6) took second place, beating Robbins 6-2 and Braswell 5-0.

Balance Johnson (3-0) took first place in Division 4 at 140 pounds, pinning Connor Gough in 0:53 and Cameron Ford in 2:07. He also scored a 16-7 major decision against Micco Jones.

David Ritchey (4-2) took first place in Division 3 at 73 pounds, scoring a 16-0 tech fall against Braxton Cook and pinning Cruz Morrison in 1:47.

Nation Johnson (4-0) took first place in Division 3 at 85 pounds, pinning Bow Rush in 1:10, Daniel Gruenwald in 0:16, and Riley Hicks in 0:46. In the finals he defeated Ty Thrasher by 6-3 decision.

Jaxon Trotter (3-1) won a best-of-three series against Lance Arbona for first place in Division 3 at 100 pounds. He pinned the Ponca City wrestler in 2:40, then won a 9-6 decision. He also took second place in Division 4, pinning Mathew Franklin in 1:16 and Brice Chitwood in 3:00. He scored a 4-0 decision against Cael Eremita, but fell in 1:55 to Catoosa’s Tyler McCall.

Jayden Bussell (3-2) won a best-of-three series against Evan Luna for first place in Division 2 at 67 pounds, pinning the Wagoner wrestler in 3:25 and 3:30.

Ethan Starks (4-2) won the seventy-pound bracket in Division 2, receiving a forfeit from Braxton Floyd and scoring a 12-1 major decision against Glenpool’s Colton Treat.

Promised Johnson (3-0) won the 75-pound bracket in Division 2, pinning Eli Montgomery in 0:35 and Jake White in 2:45. In the finals he scored a 17-2 technical fall against Berryhill’s Max Harland.

Ramone Sparks (4-0) won the 88-pound bracket in Novice 4, scoring an 18-4 major decision against Kaden Boucher and pinning Avery Richey in forty seconds.

Connor Beals (6-1) won his third-straight tournament in Novice Division 3 at 73 pounds. He scored a 10-0 major decision against Braxton Cook and defeated Aeleyah Mumau 9-2 in the finals.

Tyler Feigenbaum (7-0) won his second-straight tournament in Novice 2 at 67 pounds. He pinned Mason Denison in 1:29, Walter Black in 0:39, Jaxon Steel in 2:25, and Laike Barnhart in 1:22.

Kaden Pope (1-1) took second place in Division 3 at 64 pounds, scoring a 15-0 tech fall against Jimmy Groden, but falling 6-2 to Collinsville’s Cayden Cupps. Matthew Moore (5-2) placed third, falling to Cupps in the opening round. He won his way through the consolation bracket with a 7-0 decision against Caleb Thompson, an 11-1 major decision against Groden, and a 6-2 decision against Connor Cox.

Aiden Wilkerson (2-1) took second in Novice 4 at eighty pounds, pinning Drake Blue in 0:21 and Rylie Brown in 0:49, but falling 10-8 to Isaac Valencia in sudden victory overtime.

Brody Wilson (2-1) took second in Novice 3 at 67 pounds, defeating Brody Stevenson 5-2 and William Laffoon 6-4, but falling 3-0 to Ethan Oglesbee in the finals.

Bently Furr (7-3) placed second in Novice 2 at 64 pounds, pinning Jake Weaver in 1:23 and Amos Wright in 1:16, but falling 14-4 to Conlee Curry in the finals.

Chase Kelley (2-4) placed third in Novice 4 at 110 pounds. He pinned Aundray Waller in 1:42 and Rhyley Tripp in 0:13, but fell 6-2 to Joseph Robbins and was pinned in 1:49 by Cooper Thomas.

Blayton Collins (10-6) competed in Novice Division 2 at two different weight classes. He placed fourth at 61 pounds and third at 64 pounds. In the 61-pound bracket he defeated Mikaili Lee 7-5 before getting pinned by Glenpool’s Landon Barber in 2:48. In the consolation bracket he pinned Dylan Cook in 1:59 and Riley Holman in 0:57, and won a 4-1 decision over Hunter Belcher before meeting Barber once again in the finals. This time his opponent came out on top of a 7-1 decision. At 64 pounds Collins pinned Ty Holly in 0:39, Jake Weaver in 1:47, and Amos Wright in 1:42, but fell to Conlee Curry from Jay.

Wes Wilson (5-1) took third place in Novice Division 1 in the forty-pound weight class. He majored Jacob Lonewolf 10-2 but was pinned in 2:44 by Mylum Ache. In the consolation bracket he pinned Ryker Romine in 1:42, majored Brayden Otero 10-0 and Larry Blevins 17-6, then pinned William Thompson in 1:38 in the finals.

CPHS Wrestling: Carter Young wins Westmoore Open, 4 Sandites win at Owasso

Central Ninth Grade Center freshman Carter Young recently took first place at the Westmoore Open, a preseason folkstyle tournament in Moore. The defending Junior High State Champion competed at 106 pounds and breezed through the competition. In the first round he pinned Michael Vincent in 3:00, then won a 21-5 tech fall against Westmoore’s Cooper Evans before majoring Blanchard’s Braeden Williams 14-5 in the finals.

At the Joe Zamora / Skyler Holman Open in Owasso, four Sandites won junior high gold. 

Sophomore Brendon Wiseley (4-1) took third at 106 pounds in the high school division. He pinned Sian Suan in 2:40 and won a 6-0 decision against Thai Ta before falling 4-4 to Broken Arrow’s Blazik Perez in an ultimate tie-breaker. In the consolation bracket he defeated David Boucher 4-0 and won a 6-5 rematch with Ta in the finals.

Braylon Flores (3-0) breezed through the junior high division at 113 pounds, pinning all three of his foes. He took down Kaleb Pendergraft in 1:26, Braden Hurst in 3:40, and Preston Baker in 1:59.

Rhett Peak (6-3) was equally dominant at 80 pounds, majoring Mason Duke 13-0 in the first round and pinning his next three opponents. He took down Riley Kuder in 1:11, Xavier Wolfe in 1:26, and Ethan Rodriguez in 2:15.

The pin record for the day went to Mitchell Smith (8-1) who won all four of his matches by fall. He pinned Rowty Redburn in 1:01, John Tyler Dunbar in 0:40, Evan Rodriguez in 2:00, and Mac O’Brien in 0:44.

Christian Forbes (5-2) won his division with a 5-2 decision against Pacen Crittenden, a 19-3 tech fall against teammate Colton Luker, and a 6-4 decision against Parker Witcraft.

Caden Vaughn (3-1) came in runner-up at 120 pounds. He pinned Grant Bunten in 1:05 and CJ Clifton in 2:45 and majored Brock Mattioda 9-1 but fell 9-2 to Ty Moose in the finals.

Santana Naugle (3-2) took fourth place at 162 pounds. He pinned Zach Powell in 19 seconds and scored three-point decisions over Caden Osborne and Connor DiCarlo, but was pinned by Gage Hamm and Jordan Hanna.