CPHS Soccer: Sandites' historic ten win streak ends in PK shootout with Norman

The Charles Page High School boys’ soccer team (9-1, 2-1) suffered their first loss of the season Friday night in an overtime shootout against Norman (7-2, 1-2). The Sandites kicked off a ten-match win streak in the 2018 season finale and were undefeated for the first five weeks of the 2019 season in what could very likely be a record-setting run for the program.

It’s hard to say for certain that it hasn’t been done because historic records haven’t been properly kept in decades past. But since Sandite Pride News launched in 2014, their best record has been the 5-9 tally they reached in the past two consecutive seasons. Since then they haven’t won two district matches in a season till now.

The team that finally beat them is 16th in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings.

If the Sandites continue winning the way they have been, they could easily qualify for the State Tournament. Regardless of how the final three weeks shake out, this team has already left its mark as one of the most successful teams in program history.

On Tuesday the boys notched their ninth win of the season in an overtime shootout against Edmond Santa Fe (4-7, 1-2). Jack Bratcher notched the lone goal in regulation, and neither team scored in the two overtime periods. In the shootout Luke Jeffus, Fernando Saldana, David Fancher, and Cameron Summerton made penalty kicks to secure the win.

The team lost Saldana, their leading scorer, after he drew his third yellow card in nine games and was forced to sit out Friday.

The match went scoreless till the 67th minute of regulation when Sandite goalkeeper Ethan Tippit fouled Leyton Lawter and the Tigers were awarded a penalty kick. Jackson Kim put the visitors on the board and things looked bleak for the home team.

Kaleb Brooks came up clutch for the Sandites, netting his first goal of the season with only three minutes remaining. A yellow card was issued to a Norman player after Bratcher was fouled with six seconds left to play and Kaiden Cox took a free kick, but time ran out and the boys went to overtime for the second time this week.

Following two scoreless overtime periods and a hundred minutes of game time, the match came down to a penalty kick shootout. Sophomore Xander Quiroga took over at goalie for Sand Springs and University of North Carolina Asheville-commit Nate Holladay played defense for the Tigers.

Jeffus and Grady Wade made the first kick for each team, but Gustavo Saldana caught the top post on the second kick and Griffin Storm gave the Tigers the lead. Fancher got the Sandites back on track, Jackson Kim retaliated, then Summerton and Ted Foster missed wide.

Trailing 3-2, it came down to Bratcher. The standout sophomore was right on target, but Holladay made the save to knock off one of only two undefeated teams remaining in Class 6A. The only remaining undefeated is nationally-ranked No. 5 Jenks (7-0).

The Lady Sandites (5-6, 0-3) suffered their fourth-straight shutout loss and are still looking for their first district win. Since defeating East Central 6-0 in mid-March, the girls have fallen 0-2 to Enid, 0-7 to Sapulpa, 0-2 to Edmond Santa Fe, and 0-4 to Norman.

Sophomore forward Brooke Goodman scored the first two goals for Norman, putting the Tigers on the board in the 11th minute and notching a brace just 80 seconds later. Aly Burkhart made a penalty kick six minutes into the second half and Megan Jones scored a header in the 67th minute. Despite the loss, sophomore goalie Ali Day was exception with numerous saves against the potent Tiger offense.

Sand Springs Soccer will return to action Tuesday with a district trip to Shawnee. Norman will travel to Edmond Santa Fe on Tuesday. Girls will play at 6:00 p.m. followed by boys at 8:00 p.m.

OSSAA District 6A-4 Girls Standings
3-0 Owasso (10-1)
3-0 Sapulpa (10-1)
2-1 Norman (5-5)
2-1 Edmond Santa Fe (3-5)
1-2 Union (2-4)
0-2 Shawnee (3-5)
0-2 Capitol Hill (3-5)
0-3 Sand Springs (5-6)

OSSAA District 6A-4 Boys Standings
3-0 Owasso (7-4)
3-0 Union (5-1)
2-1 Sand Springs (9-1)
1-2 Edmond Santa Fe (4-7)
1-2 Norman (7-2)
1-2 Sapulpa (5-6)
1-2 Capitol Hill (4-6)
0-3 Shawnee (8-3)

CPHS Boys Stats

Goals
7 Fernando Saldana
4 Jeffus
4 Bratcher
4 Gustavo Saldana
1 Munoz
1 Cox
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Brooks

PKs
3 Fancher
2 Fernando Saldana
2 Jeffus
2 Gustavo Saldana
1 Cox
1 Summerton

Total Scoring
9 Fernando Saldana
6 Gustavo Saldana
6 Jeffus
4 Bratcher
3 Fancher
2 Cox
1 Munoz
1 Esparza
1 Franco
1 Quinton
1 Summerton
1 Brooks

CPHS Girls Stats

Goals
6 Horn
3 Esparza
3 Metcalfe
2 Lynch
1 Watts
1 DeShazo
1 Patton
1 Burgess
1 Horton
1 Lee
1 Slankard
1 Poletek

PKs
3 Horn
2 Lynch
1 Watts
1 Gelsthorpe
1 DeShazo

Total Scoring
9 Horn
4 Lynch
3 Esparza
3 Metcalfe
2 Watts
2 DeShazo
1 Gelsthorpe
1 Patton
1 Burgess
1 Horton
1 Lee
1 Slankard
1 Poletek