Haddock and Savage combine for 39 in loss to Union

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Virgil Noah, Staff

It's not often that two players can outscore an entire team, but for much of Tuesday night's home loss to #7 Union, it looked like Brooks Haddock and Colt Savage might just do it. Midway through the third quarter, the #11 Charles Page varsity basketball team held a 42-35 lead over the visiting Redskins--35 of those were scored by the two ferocious sophomores. Two Sandites had tied all nine of Union's scoring players to that point. 

Unfortunately, the pair ran out of scoring steam, and no other Minuteman managed to double--not even the 6'6 junior Kyle Keener who had averaged nearly 12 points per game till that point. 

Credit that to Union.

The brutal outpouring from Haddock and Savage wasn't due to an easy opponent. Far from it. The number two team in Frontier Valley is a major contender for the 6A state title this year, going 2-1 in the recent Tournament of Champions at the Oral Roberts Mabee Center. 

Union got off to an early 7-0 lead before the Sandites rallied to a 13-11 lead that Union tied at 13 just before the buzzer.

Once again the Redskins went on a run, scoring 11 unanswered points before the home team got it back in gear. Only Haddock and Savage scored in the second period, and Union took a narrow 26-24 lead into the half.

Arvionte Nichols tied things up to start the third with a pair of free throws, then Haddock scored ten and Savage added 6 more to take a 42-35 lead.

The Redskins narrowed to 45-43 going into the final period, then opened up the canons, shooting 7 unanswered and doubling the Sandites 14-7 for the win. Sand Springs went down swinging, attempting to rally with a pair of Savage free-throws and a Thompson three-pointer to take the lead back 52-51, but Nile Felton responded with a three of his own and Ethan Charquois went 3-for-3 from the charity stripe to effectively end the game. 

Charquois finished with a team-high 17, joined by Adrian Rodriguez and Mo Garcia in double status. 

Defensively, Nichols and Keener were giants for the Sandites, with Nichols grabbing the most rebounds and Keener connecting for the most blocks. 

This is only Sand Springs's second loss of the season after a 7-0 run came to an end last week at the Ardmore tournament finals where 5A #2 Carl Albert defended their undefeated status. It is their first conference loss, placing them 2-1 in Frontier Valley and third in the standings. 

The dribblers will return to action next Tuesday at #11 Owasso who is currently #1 in conference standings. 


The JV game wasn't nearly the battle that Varsity was. The average Union player had a good 6 inches on the Sandites making rebounds few and far between for the home team. 

Jacob Garbey led the Sandites with 11 points, followed by Caleb Wash with 8.

For the Redskins, Michiah McQuarters lead with 13 with Jordan Flood right behind him shooting 11. 

Sand Springs was neck-and-neck with the Redskins in the second and fourth periods, but Union more than doubled them in the first and third, and held off any rally attempts for a 58-40 final score. 

JV falls to 1-2 for the season and will next see action Friday night at home against the Green Country Defenders at 5PM. 

Sandite of the Week: Colt Savage

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Morgan Miller, Staff

This week Sandite Pride would like to recognize Colt Savage as the first Sandite of the Week in 2016.

The sophomore hooper averaged more than 18 points per game in the Ardmore Tournament last week, scoring a team high 18 against Greenhill Prep, 16 against 5A #5 Ardmore, and a team-high/career-high 21 points against 5A #2 Carl Albert and was named to the all-tournament team. 

He also scored 19 in last night's loss to #7 Union with a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.

Savage has only failed to double once this season and is second in team scoring for the season with 140 points, averaging  15.5 per game. 

#14 Lady Sandites drop the hammer on Union

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The #14 Lady Sandite Varsity squad (5-2) had little trouble in defeating the unranked Union Redskins (1-6) in their first game of the new year. Before the break, Sand Springs dropped a heart-breaker to #6 Sapulpa (5-0) after leading their rivals for nearly the entirety of the game. There was no doubt who the better team was in this match-up.

Four Lady Sandites doubled Tuesday night, including Sydney Pennington who led with 15 points, and Gloria Mutiri who shot a season-high 10.

The team consists of a lot of young talent, starting only 1 senior and 3 freshmen.

Kierra McGee drew first blood for the Redskins, but Cierra Scott, Holly Kersgieter, Isabella Regalado, and Gloria Mutiri scored back-to-back to claim an early 9-2 lead before giving up points to Kiara Denton and Taylor Malham. Pennington got in the game with her first field goal of the night to snag an 11-8 first quarter lead.

The lopsided scoring was even greater in the second period, which saw Mutiri score 6 of her team's 15 points for a 26-19 halftime lead. 

Rather than being comfortable with their lead, the Sandites proceeded to dominate Union defensively and held them to a mere 8 points against the Sandites' 14. Destiney Johnson had her breakout quarter, going on a run of 6 points to contribute to a 40-27 lead.

The fourth quarter was the highest-scoring period of the night for both teams, but once more the Sandites won it 19-12 and wrapped up their third 20+ point win of the season, 59-39.


The JV girls (2-1) started hot and led till moments before the fourth, but were ravaged in a polar-opposite second half for a stunning 37-27 defeat.

Selena Hitchcock dropped a pair of threes in the first quarter, Kimi Presnell hit a three, and Jacie Taber added two to give the girls a bold 11-4 first quarter lead that looked to be the opening to a slaughter. The second quarter was closer, but there was still no denying that it was the Sandites stealing the show as the home team rode a 21-10 lead into the half.

Whatever the Union coaches said to their team at half time worked. 

The Lady Redskins scored 13 unanswered points before Hitchcock got the Sandites back on the scoreboard with their lone basket of the third period. Union had taken the lead, 24-23.

Amari Grant took the lead back briefly with the first field goal of the fourth, but only Taber would score another. Maddie Ward tacked on a free throw to end the game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the massive deficit Union had stuck them with. 

Union JV hammers Sandites

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Union Redskin JV basketball team hammered the Sandites 58-40 in the first game of 2016.  

Size was a major factor as the average Union player had 3-6 inches on the Sandites, making rebounds few and far between for the home team.  

Jacob Garby was the lone SandIte to double, scoring 11. Meanwhile Union's Michiah McQuarters led with 13, followed by Jordan Flood with 11.

Union JV hammers Sandites

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Union Redskin JV basketball team hammered the Sandites 58-40 in the first game of 2016.  

Size was a major factor as the average Union player had 3-6 inches on the Sandites, making rebounds few and far between for the home team.  

Jacob Garby was the lone SandIte to double, scoring 11. Meanwhile Union's Michiah McQuarters led with 13, followed by Jordan Flood with 11.

Union JV comes from behind to stun Lady Sandites

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

In a game with polar opposite halves, the JV Lady Sandites led Union 21-10 after the first half, then lost 37-27 after Union went on streaks of 13 unanswered points in the third period and 11 in the fourth.  

Selena Hitchcock led the Sandites with 8 points, matched by Union's Tyrzah Stinson. Kimi Presnall posted 6, Jessica Collins 5, Amari Grant 4, Jacie Taber 3, and Maddy Ward 1.