Jenks sweeps Sandites 3-0 despite strong defense from Holly Kersgieter

Photo:// MORGAN MILLER

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team (2-2) had little time to rest after falling to the 5A State Champions from Bishop Kelley Monday night before taking on yet another top-tier team Tuesday. 

The Lady Sandites met their match in the Jenks Lady Trojans (6-2) at the Ed Dubie Field House. The 2015 State Runners-Up picked out all the holes in the Sandite defense, scoring heavily on tipped balls.

Sophomore Gloria Mutiri led in scoring for the fourth-straight match with eleven total kills. Despite averaging more than six blocks per match this season, Mutiri ended up with only one due to the crafty Trojan offense. The majority of Jenks's kills came from lightly tipped balls and rarely on hard spikes. 

When the Trojans did go for the hard hits, the Sandites were more than ready. Sophomore Holly Kersgieter was outstanding on defense with eighteen digs in addition to her four kills. Senior Lee Leslie added eight digs and Mutiri had seven. Devree Youngblood hit the lone ace of the evening for Sand Springs.

Jenks won varsity 3-0 with sets of 25-14, 25-14, and 25-11. The Sandite JV lost 2-0 with sets of 25-12 and 25-16. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Friday at the Coweta Volleyball Tournament. 

Sandite Volleyball falls 3-2 to Bishop Kelley, Mutiri scores 29 kills

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team (2-1) got off to a great start against the Bishop Kelley JV Red, winning two sets before the host team rallied for the win. 

Bishop Kelley is last year's 5A State Championship team, and boasts a record seventeen State Titles, including thirty consecutive Regional Championships. The last two years that Sand Springs played the Bishop Kelley JV, they were defeated 3-0. Last year the Sandites never scored more than 20 points in a set, and in 2014 they only managed to break 10 points in a single set against the annual powerhouse.

The Lady Sandite program is clearly in an impressive turnaround under Head Coach Janna Green's third year at the helm. The last two years they opened to back-to-back losses. This year they won their first two matches over teams they lost to last year and gave Bishop Kelley a run for their money.

The Lady Sandites won the first set in a back-and-forth thriller, 25-22. The game was tied seven different times and every time Sand Springs worked up a decent lead, the Comets would rally to tie things up. Kelley took an early 5-3 lead before junior standout Gloria Mutiri scored six kills in eight rallies for a 10-6 advantage. The Comets tied it back up at 11-11 but Sand Springs regained the lead and held it till the Comets scored a six-pack on Makenna Cypert to tie it at 19-19. Freshman Madison Burris was crucial in the final rallies, setting up Mutiri for a kill to make it 23-21, then assisting on a block on the next rally. 

Sand Springs got off to a great start in the second game, winning the first six rallies via Bishop Kelley errors, and capped it off with an ace from Mutiri for the 7-0 lead. The Sandites held the lead for the entire set, despite a five-straight streak from the Comets bringing it to a close 17-12, and ultimately won 25-16.

The Comets pulled a complete about-face in the third game, taking a 5-0 lead. Mutiri scored six kills in the set and sophomore Holly Kersgieter added three more, but the Comets prevailed 25-14. 

Game four was hotly contested and saw the two teams tied up eight separate times. Freshman Devree Youngblood started things off with an ace, Kersgieter and Mutiri combined on a block, and the Sandites led 4-2 before the Comets scored their first kill. Bishop Kelley scored again on free ball with no hands on deck from the Sandites to tie it at 4-4. The Lady Sandites picked up two more points on errors and Mutiri added an ace for the 7-4 advantage.

Sand Springs worked up a 17-12 advantage thanks to a pair of blocks from Mutiri and a kill from Kylie Taylor, but the Comets battled back to a close 17-16. Mutiri and MaKenzie Ward combined on a block to try and build some cushion, but Kelley won the next three rallies for the lead. Ultimately the Comets won 25-23.

Sand Springs never led in the final set and Bishop Kelley won 15-9.

Mutiri led in scoring for the match with a season-best 29 kills, including five solo blocks, four block assists, and two aces. Kersgieter added twelve kills with four block assists. MaKenzie Ward registered the most assists with fifteen, followed by Burris with five. 

Next up for the Sandites is a Tuesday evening Home match against Jenks (5-2) at 6:00 p.m.

SEE RELATED: Sand Springs vs Bishop Kelley Volleyball Photo Gallery

Sandites place fifth in Broken Arrow Tournament, Pennington homers in 3-1 win over BA

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (5-3) let their bats fly against Broken Arrow Saturday evening at the Arrowhead Softball Complex. Felicity Horn, Sydney Pennington, and Jacie Taber all hit doubles and Pennington added a home run in a 3-1 victory over the tournament's host team. 

After going 3-2 in pool play, the Lady Sandites found themselves competing against the Lady Tigers for fifth place in the sixteen-team tournament. The Sandites defeated Choctaw, Putnam City North, and Edmond North, but lost to Owasso and Durant. Owasso won the tournament.

Sophomore Jacie Taber (2-1) got the win on the mound, giving up six hits against one strikeout. 

Horn, a freshman, got on base in the first plate appearance of the game with a line drive double into left field, and advanced to third on a single from Pennington, but both were left stranded.

The Lady Tigers stranded one in both the first and second innings and threatened heavily in the bottom of the third. Mary Collins and McKenzie Carney singled and Aleigha Brown reached on an error to load the bases with one out. The Sandites pulled out of the tight spot, however, as Pennington caught a fly ball in foul territory and Kimi Presnell scooped up a groundball from Abby Parks to put the runner out at first.

Pennington got the Sandites on the board in the top of the fourth with a lead-off homer, her first of the season. In the top of the sixth, Sabrina Usher reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a double from Taber. Pennington doubled in the seventh to score Jessica Collins. Mary Collins put Broken Arrow on the board with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, but the next three batters flied out and Sand Springs secured the win.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Tuesday at home with a double-header against Norman beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Highway 97 Rivalry match-up will be a double-header Thursday at home, also at 5:00 p.m.

Madelyn Blair's 3RBI propel Lady Sandites past Edmond North

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School fast pitch softball team (4-3) split their first two games Saturday at the Broken Arrow Tournament. Madelyn Blair (1-2) got the loss on the mound against Durant (5-2) and Sydney Pennington (2-0) got the win against Edmond North (4-4).

Durant jumped on the Lady Sandites early in the bottom of the first as Sydney Hampton doubled to score Haley Morgan, then came home on a double from Destinee Lewis for the 2-0 advantage. Morgan tacked on another run in the second with a double to score Hannah Hime.

The Lady Sandites put two on base in the top of the third with a single from Rachel Blair and a walk from Kimi Presnell, but both were left stranded. In the bottom of the inning Shayla Harper reached second on an error, stole third, then scored on an error to make it 4-0.

In the next inning Morgan was hit by pitch, Hampton singled, and Breanna Simmons singled to score them both.

Sand Springs finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Freshman standout Sabrina Usher doubled, Cameron Clemons singled, and freshman Felicity Horn scored Usher on a single. Sydney Pennington hit a hard single down the third base line to bring in Clemons, but Pennington and Horn were left stranded and Durant got the 6-2 win.

The Lady Sandites wasted no time in getting on the board against Edmond North. In the top of the first inning Jessica Collins reached on a fielder's choice, Pennington drew a walk, and both scored on a line drive double from Madelyn Blair. 

In the top of the third Madelyn Blair brought in yet another run with a single to score Collins, who was walked. Blair reached third on a single from Jacie Taber, but was left stranded once again. Taber hit another single in the top of the fifth to score Pennington.

The Lady Huskies found home plate in the bottom of the fifth for a final score of 4-1.

Sydney Pennington rips Putnam North from the mound, Sandites win 3-1

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Senior Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington (1-0) needed a few at-bats to warm up her pitching game Friday, but once she got going she was unstoppable. Pennington pitched seven strikeouts, gave up only four hits, and scored a run to lead the Charles Page High School varsity softball team (3-2) to victory at the Broken Arrow Tournament Friday evening.

The Lady Sandites split the first two games of the day, falling 2-1 to the eventual tournament champions from Owasso, but getting revenge on last year's State Champions with a 4-1 victory over Choctaw. Choctaw defeated Sand Springs 4-3 in the State Finals last year. 

The Putnam City North game was a slow starter for both teams as Felicity Horn and Rachel Blair struck out swinging in the first inning. Pennington walked Lorren Kromer in her first appearance on the mound this season and gave up a single to Steffany Dickerson before finding her groove and striking out Meridee Lawson. 

Senior Jessica Collins registered the first hit of the game for the Sandites in the top of the second but was left stranded. The Lady Panthers nearly got on the board in the bottom of the third. Kromer hit a single, advanced to second as Lawson was walked, advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was caught stealing home to end the inning. 

The Sandites broke their dry spell in the top of the fourth as Pennington singled on a hard ground ball into left field. Madelyn Blair hit what should have been a sacrifice bunt, but an overthrow error to first gave Pennington enough time to clear home plate and Blair reached second. Jacie Taber hit a single to advance Blair to third, and freshman Sabrina Usher brought them both home with a single of her own for the 3-0 advantage.

The Lady Panthers got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Sydni Gibbs reached second on an error, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on an error that allowed Maleina Fortin to reach first. Fortin nearly scored but was tagged out at home by Horn. 

Undefeated Sandite Volleyball shuts down Catoosa in straight sets

Photo by: Morgan Miller

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team is off to a great start this year, winning their first two matches by substantial margins. Entering their third year under Head Coach Janna Green, the two seniors on the team got to play against their former head coach in Caleb Horton Thursday night at their home debut against Catoosa. 

The teams took to the road Tuesday for the season-opener and defeated Muskogee (1-1) three sets to one. Varsity won the first game 27-25, lost the second 19-25, but rebounded with solid and decisive wins of 25-19 and 25-21 to secure the win. The JV squad lost their match 2-1 with sets of 18-25, 25-19, and 10-15. The freshman team lost 21-25 and 19-25. 

In their first home match the Lady Sandites took on Catoosa (0-1) and swept all sets at all divisions. The 4A State Quarterfinalists were little match for the vastly improved Sand Springs program that Green has been building. This time last year the Lady Sandites were 0-2 and were dominated 3-0 by both Catoosa and Muskogee.

Sand Springs got off to a fast 3-0 lead and doubled the Lady Indians throughout the game. The Sandites built up a 12-6 lead thanks to hard-hitting attacks from Gloria Mutiri and Lee Leslie. Freshman Tiffany Maxey scored an ace for the Indians but they were unable  to capitalize on it and the Sandites surged forward for a 25-13 finish after a kill from Mutiri.

In game two the Indians were the ones to take the lead after a series of Sandite faults gave up the first four points to Catoosa. Devree Youngblood and MaKenzie Ward combined for a hard block to get the Sandites back on track and the competitive matchup continued till the teams were tied 8-8. Sand Springs took their first lead off a block from Mutiri, but Catoosa's Melissa Velazquez tied things right back up. Mutiri reclaimed the lead before Makenna Cypert's overserve put it at 10-10. From then on Sand Springs never trailed, but the Indians did tie things up four more times before the home team ultimately pulled in the 25-21 win with a kill from Youngblood. 

The final set was another back-and-forth affair before Sand Springs blew ahead from a close 17-16 to a final score of 25-17.

Mutiri was the leading scorer for the evening with twenty-two total kills, including four blocks and two aces. Eleven of her kills came in the third game alone. Youngblood recorded seven kills and Leslie recorded six. Madison Burris and MaKenzie Ward were crucial in setting up the plays with seven and eleven assists, respectively. 

The JV and freshman teams also won their matches with sweeps. JV won sets of 25-16 and 25-17. The freshmen won 25-10 and 28-26.

The Sandites will return to action Monday at Bishop Kelley (1-0) then will play a home match against Jenks (3-1) on Tuesday. Thursday they'll travel to Ponca City (1-1) before wrapping up the week at the Catoosa Tournament Friday and Saturday.