Sandite Volleyball heads to Coweta Championship with 8-straight wins

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Lady Sandites are 8-0 are headed to the Championship round of the Coweta Volleyball Tournament after winning eight straight games.  

The Charles Page High School varsity squad (9-3) has won sixteen of eighteen games and only needs two more to claim their first tournament championship since before the Coach Green era.

Heritage Hall fell 2-0 with sets of 25-20 and 25-19. Catoosa fell 2-1 with sets of 25-18, 23-25, and 15-9. Coweta fell 2-1 with sets of 25-13, 16-25, and 25-10. Edison fell 2-0 with sets of 25-12 and 25-14. Tahlequah fell 2-0 with sets of 28-26 and 26-24. Claremore fell 2-0 in pool play with sets of 25-10 and 25-12, then fell in the semi-finals with sets of 25-16 and 25-19.

Tahlequah was the closest competition the Sandites had faced yet and both sets went into extra points.

Freshman Devree Youngblood drew first blood with a block for the Sandites, but the Tigers scored three straight kills for the lead. Gloria Mutiri hit back to back kills off MaKenzie Ward but gave the points back on errors. The neck and neck continued before the Tigers began to pull away for a 24-17 advantage.

Sand Springs wasn’t deterred and went on a seven-straight streak thanks to kills from Mutiri and Kersgieter. Tahlequah scored a kill on a corner shot but Lee Leslie retaliated to tie things up at 25. Mutiri scored a pair of shots off Ward and clinched the win with a block.

The second game was equally close despite early leads from Sand Springs. The Sandites went on a run to start with Leslie scoring on the opening rally, Mutiri hitting a shot off Madison Burris’s setup, and Kersgieter hitting an ace. Ward got in a kill of her own and Kersgieter nailed yet another ace for the 5-0 advantage.

Tahlequah earned an error but Sand Springs stole the next four rallies and led 9-1 after a block from Mutiri. Mutiri scored three straight kills on setups from MaKenzie Ward, Leslie added an ace, and Mutiri scored a block off Tahlequah player’s face to make it 15-4.

The Tigers went on a run from there and got close to tying things up with an ace at 21-20 and succeeded in a tie at 24-24 with an ace. Mutiri scored the twenty-fifth point and an error from Tahlequah netted the win.

In the last round of pool play the Sandites took a quick 5-0 lead over Claremore. Kersgieter aced the opening serve and Youngblood followed it up with a kill. A Lady Zebra error handed Kersgieter the ball for another ace and once again Youngblood found MaKenzie Ward’s setup for the score.

Kersgieter’s next serve fell short, but so did the corresponding Claremore service and this time it was Youngblood’s turn to ace. Baylee Mudd got in on the ace action, Kylie Taylor and Makenna Cypert both scored kills and the Zebras piled on the errors till the Sandites prevailed 25-10.

In game two Claremore won the opening rally, but Sand Springs won the next six behind hard hits from Mutiri, Kersgieter, and aces from Taylor, Mudd, and Kersgeiter. A long mess of errors catapulted the Sandites to a 25-12 win.

The Lady Zebras earned a rematch in the bracket semifinals, however, and battled far closer on the next two games.

Claremore started off to a 4-0 lead before Youngblood got the Sandites on the board, and the Zebras didn’t forfeit their advantage till MaKenzie Ward set up Kersgieter and Mutiri for back-to-back kills and a 16-15 lead. From there things finally turned in the Sandites’ favor as the girls won ten straight rallies and won 25-16.

The second game saw the Zebras battling just as hard early on and stepping up their defense with several impressive blocks on Mutiri’s hard-hitting spikes. Claremore led by as much as 8-4 before Sand Springs surged to the lead. Youngblood served up back-to-back aces and Mutiri scored back-to-back kills, one via six-pack, and one on a tipped ball to make it 20-14.

The Zebras staged a rally attempt and closed in to 23-19, but Youngblood and Mutiri notched the final two kills for the victory.

Sand Springs will next play at 5:00 p.m.

Sandite Volleyball wins fifth straight over East Central

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team (7-3) picked up their fifth straight win Saturday morning at the Coweta tournament.

The girls were unstoppable against East Central (5-6) with eight Lady Sandites getting in on the scoring action. In the first game the Sandites gave up a fault point to start, but won the next six rallies with kills from MaKenzie Ward, Devree Youngblood, Holly Kersgieter, and an ace from Gloria Mutiri.

 The next four points went to the Cardinals on errors and the two teams knotted up at 7-7 before the Sandites pulled ahead for good with back-to-back kills from Mutiri and Kersgieter with assists from Ward. Kersgeiter, Youngblood, and Baylee Mudd added a pair of aces each and the Ward-Mutiri combo picked up four more kills to make it 22-10.

Faith Foutch and Yosira Yanez combined for an impressive block on a hard Mutiri spike, but after giving up an error, Mutiri scored three straight kills for the 25-12 win.

In game two the Lady Sandites took an early lead and were never tied past 2-2. Kersgieter, Kenzie Bradshaw, and Madison Ward added early aces and Bradshaw added two more late in the game to make it 22-13. The teams exchanged points on service errors from there, Mutiri added a kill, and Foutch committed an error to give Sand Springs the 25-14 victory.

Sandite Volleyball tacks on two exciting wins at Coweta Tournament

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team (6-3) won their first two matches at the Coweta Volleyball Tournament Friday.

The girls started things off with a 2-0 win over last year’s 5A State Runners-Up from Heritage Hall (1-9) with sets of 25-20 and 25-19. The first game belonged to the Sandites hands-down, but the Chargers battled hard in the second set and the girls had to play from a deficit early-on.

After falling behind 7-2, the Sandites finally got back on track behind the hard-hitting combo of MaKenzie Ward and Gloria Mutiri. Mutiri scored five kills off Ward’s setups in the second game and finished the set with ten kills total.

The Sandites took the final lead of the game 13-12 on a consecutive contact and Mutiri scored an ace on the side-out. Sophomore Holly Kersgieter also added an ace in the game.

From there they got a rematch against Catoosa (1-4) whom they defeated in straight sets a week ago. This time the Indians battled neck-and-neck with the Sandites and gave them a run for their money.

Sand Springs worked up an early lead thanks to several faults and Mutiri scored the first kill with an assist from Madison Burris. Madison Chalupa and Shannon May scored several kills for the Indians, but Mutiri served back-to-back aces to make it 14-7.

The Sandites had Catoosa more than doubled at 20-9 before Chalupa added another kill and a series of errors closed the gap to 20-13. Catoosa handed two points back on faults and Devree Youngblood scored an ace to make it 22-14, but the Indians kept on fighting with back-to-back aces from Chalupa.

Makenna Cypert set up Mutiri for a kill and Ward served an ace before Catoosa got the side-out on a service error, but quickly gave up the win with a block from Cypert.

In game two the Sandites emerged to an early lead thanks to three-straight kills from Kersgieter, including an ace. Youngblood added a solo shot to make it 6-3 before Chalupa broke the streak up. The next seven rallies were decided by errors before Catoosa added a pair of kills. Another error-streak gave Catoosa the 21-12 advantage and it looked like the underdogs would put the game in the bag.

Ward set up Kersgieter for a kill to get the Sandites back in the game and Kylie Taylor added an ace on the side out. The next four rallies were decided by error before the Sandites went on a killing spree behind Kersgieter, Taylor, and Mutiri. The Sandites battled back to a close 22-24 and dug out of six hard spikes before Taylor won the rally to make it 23-24. But Catoosa found the final point and forced a third game.

In the final set the Sandites took the lead to start with an error and an ace from Kersgieter, but committed a pair of faults to tie it back up. A kill from Paige Hardman gave Catoosa a brief lead, but a consecutive contact gave it right back. Ward set up Mutiri for back-to-back kills, Baylee Mudd hit an ace, and Mutiri scored a kill off a dig from Kersgeiter to make it 7-4. 

Catoosa tied things back up at 8-8 with an ace from Melissa Velazquez. The Ward-Mutiri combo reclaimed the lead, then Catoosa took it right back on a Sandite error. Finally the Sandites emerged to a definitive advantage off another Ward-Mutiri kill. A pair of errors pushed the lead to 12-9. Ward put up a shot for Kersgeiter, Youngblood scored on a block, and Mutiri sent in an ace to secure the win.

New Soccer Coach headed to Charles Page next season

Bobby Behren's Varsity Girls team won the Edison Green and White Tournament this year.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Two-year Head Girls Soccer Coach Bobby Behrens will not be with Charles Page High School going into the 2017 season. Behrens was recently announced to be the new Men's Soccer Assistant Coach at Oral Roberts University, and will be replaced by former Coweta coach Matthew Miller. 

Behrens carries an injured player off the field.

Behrens didn't spend long in the coaching spot at CPHS, but his two short years left big shoes to fill. The 2010 Sand Springs graduate made the All-State team his senior year and played collegiate for John Brown University and Northeastern State University before returning to his Alma Mater as Head Girls coach in 2014. The girls finished the 2016 season with a 9-6 record, six shutouts, and the Edison Green and White Tournament Championship. In addition to Behrens, the Sandites sent four players to the collegiate level, including All-State player Brooklyn Eardley who will go with Behrens to ORU. 

Miller was previously the head coach for the Coweta boys team for a year. Specifically, he was the third head coach in three years for Coweta, who can't seem to find a match. Miller previously worked as an assistant coach for the Tulsa Thunder Soccer Club on the Red 95 Team. He worked with the Oklahoma Olympic Youth Development Team from 2000-2004 and served as a Camp Coach for ORU from 2011-2012. Coweta's boys went 7-7 under Miller in the regular season before falling to Memorial in the 5A State Tournament. 

Oklahoma dominates Georgia 68-2 in Dual Nationals round one

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Team Oklahoma got off to a fast start against Team Georgia Blue in the first round of the Junior Greco-Roman Dual Nationals Wednesday morning, building up a massive lead before the wrestling even started.

Jet Taylor, Jacob Butler, and Jaxen Gilmore received forfeits for 126 to 138. Tuttle's Brik Filippo wasted no time in putting points on the board with a 10-0 tech fall over Khyree Alexander, then Sand Springs's Payton Scott took down Dustin Berry 10-0 in thirty seconds flat. Ezequiel Rubio pinned Cole White in a quick twenty then Nick Mahan teched Chandler Miele 13-2.

Bear Hughes continued the winning streak with an 11-0 tech over Devyn Villafane. Zach Marcheselli received a forfeit, Tanner Hawkins picked up a 16-6 tech fall over Richard Walker, then Trenton Lieutance, Alex Fields, and Wyatt Adams all received forfeits.  Alec McDoulett teched Brandon Foster 11-0 and Westmoore's Dalton Duffield wrapped things up with a 12-0 tech of Alex Cain for a final score of 68-2 with no matches lost.

Up next for Oklahoma is Team Pennsylvania who solidly defeated Team Kansas Red 49-12 in round one. 

Four Sandites will represent Oklahoma at Jr Dual Nationals

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Junior Dual Nationals will return to the Cox Business Center in Tulsa on June 22nd. The Tournament will last through the 25th and will feature four Charles Page High School wrestlers.

Last year Team Oklahoma bulldozed their way through both styles, placing fourth in Greco and first in Freestyle. That talented team included three Sandites. Cody Karstetter and Kyler Childers had just graduated that year and are now wrestling the collegiate circuit. Daton Fix is back to help his State defend its title.

Riley Weir just finished his Freshman year with a 21-12 record at the 106 pound class and a State Championship appearance. Weir placed fourth at the Perry Tournament of Champions and ninth at the highly prestigious Kansas City Stampede. He came in third at the Regional Championship to qualify for State, but was eliminated after losing his first two matches. Weir nursed an injured elbow throughout the final weeks of the high school season and wasn’t even close to full strength in the post-season. This event will be a great demonstration of his true potential in the upcoming high school season.

Jack Karstetter finished his Junior year with a 39-8 record and placed second at 132 pounds in the State Championship after giving up a heart-breaker 3-2 decision to Kruz Simons of Edmond North. Throughout the high school season he placed fourth at Perry, ninth at Kansas City, second at the Geary Invitational, first at the Sand Springs Invitational, first at the Jay Hancock Memorial, and secured the Regional Championship.

Since school let out he came in Runner-Up at the UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals and secured his spot on Team USA for the Pan-American Championships in Lima, Peru this July.

Daton Fix is earning his way into the history books after completing his third straight undefeated high school season. He’s currently sitting at an overall record of 118-0 with three-straight State Championships. He’s only the second Sandite in school history to win three State Championships, the first being David McGuire from 1963-1965. No Sandite has won four.

Since the high school season ended, Fix won the UWW Junior Freestyle National Championship, defeated the Iranian Champion Kheyrollah Gharamani at the Beat The Streets Gala in Times Square, and scored a pair of 10-0 tech falls over National Champion Austin Gomez to earn his way onto the USA World Team.

Fix will compete at the Grand Prix of Spain, a Senior level tournament in Madrid from July 9-10, then will travel to Fargo, North Dakota for the Junior Freestyle Nationals from July 16-23 where he is a defending Champion. From August 30th through September 4th he will compete at the UWW World Championship in Macon, France.

Payton Scott finished his Sophomore year with a 19-6 record at 152 pounds and placed fourth in the State Championship. He missed the first half of the season while getting back in shape after a long and grueling football post-season, but placed fourth at Geary, second at Sand Springs, and first at the Regional Championship.

Scott was also a member of last year’s Cadet National Dual Team that finished seventh in Freestyle and second in Greco. Overall he went 13-3 between the two styles.

Other Team Oklahoma members include:

• Alex Fields of Guthrie, 2016 Southern Plains Regional Champion in both styles.
• Rhett Golowenski of Tuttle, two-time OSSAA 4A State Champion.
• Mason Naifeh of Tulsa Union, two-time OSSAA 6A State Placer.
• Wyatt Adams of Lawton MacArthur, 2015 OSSAA 5A State Champion.
• Dalton Duffield of Westmoore, three-time OSSAA 6A finalist, 2015 Fargo National Champion.
• Jacob Butler of Elgin, 2016 OSSAA 4A State Champion.
• Kaden Gfeller of Heritage Hall, three-time undefeated OSSAA 3A State Champion.
• Brik Filippo of Tuttle, 2016 OSSAA 4A State Champion, two-time finalist.
• Beau Guffey of Tuttle, three-time OSSAA 4A State Champion.
• Jaryn Curry of Choctaw, 2016 OSSAA 6A State Champion, 2015 USAW Cadet National Runner-Up.
• Dayton Garrett of Tuttle, three-time OSSAA 4A State Finalist, 2015 State Champion.
• Wyatt Sheets of Stilwell, four-time OSSAA 4A State Champion, Oklahoma State commit.
• Christian Bahl of Stillwater, 2016 OSSAA 6A State Champion.
• Dan Baker of Sulphur, 2016 OSSAA 3A State Champion.
• Drew Hinkle of Jenks, 2016 OSSAA 6A State Runner-Up.
• Zach Marcheselli of Broken Arrow, 2016 OSSAA 6A State Champion.
• Bear Hughes of Coweta, 2016 OSSAA 5A State Champion.
• Gunner Cash of Tecumseh, two-time OSSAA 4A State Qualifier.
• Gage Johnson of Norman North, 2016 OSSAA 6A State Runner-Up.
• Trenton Lieurance of Broken Arrow, two-time OSSAA 6A State Placer.