Sandite Athletics Weekly Roundup

A version of this story was originally published in the Sand Springs Leader.

Boys Soccer

The Sand Springs boys’ soccer team (4-4) fell 2-1 in non-district play at Enid, Tuesday, March 23rd, with Brian Boyles scoring the lone goal. They placed fourth at the Holland Hall tournament last week, beating Oklahoma Christian School 6-0 on Thursday before falling 2-1 to Holland Hall Friday and 7-3 to Owasso on Saturday. 

Fernando Saldana scored a hat trick against OCS and Jack Bratcher had a brace. Cameron Summerton added the sixth goal, his first of the season. Saldana scored one goal against Holland Hall and another against Owasso. Bratcher and Mason Ritter also had goals against Owasso. 

The boys were short handed in their placement match, playing without NSU-bound David Fancher and goalkeeper Xander Quiroga, among others. Junior backup Shawn Hayes made ten saves in the loss.

Baseball

Sandite Baseball went 3-2 last week and is 8-8 overall. Jabe Schlehuber got the win and Eli Buxton recorded a save in a 4-2 district game at Bartlesville, Tuesday, March 23rd. Bartlesville won the rematch 6-4 on Wednesday.

The Sandites returned to Bartlesville on Thursday and Friday for a festival. Gage Elliott went the distance in a 10-2 win over Ponca City Thursday, only giving up three hits, then Kayden Campbell recorded a 7-4 rivalry win against Sapulpa with another save from Buxton. Schlehuber and Ty Pennington both hit triples in the win. Bishop Kelley scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh for an 8-7 walk-off on Friday.

Rhen Rutledge paced the offense, going 7-of-15 at the plate last week with seven runs, two RBI, a double, and a triple. Cason Savage also hit a triple in the Wednesday loss to Bartlesville.

Sand Springs will travel to Jenks Friday for a non-district game, and will host Midwest City Saturday at noon.

Slow Pitch Softball

Sandite Slow Pitch started the season with a pair of wins Tuesday, March 23rd at Union High School. They beat Berryhill 13-1 in a three-inning run rule and survived a 12-11 shootout with the host team. 

Lauren Hammock got the win against Berryhill, only giving up one hit. Jaden Jordan hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give her team the lead, and Kelsi Hilton and Kaden Barnes both hit RBI triples. Hilton added a grand slam in the second inning, then Hammock threw a bases-loaded strikeout for the win. 

Barnes got the win against Union and Hammock recorded a save. Jordan went a perfect three-for-three at the plate with two home runs and six RBI. 

Sand Springs Softball will compete at the Haskell Tournament on Thursday, where they are the defending tournament champions.

Track and Field

The Sand Springs boys placed sixth and the girls took fifth Friday at the Muskogee Track Classic. Two Lady Sandites brought home three gold medals from the event. 

Jazmin Lopez won the 800-meter run in 2:29.87. Layne Kirkendoll won the high jump with a mark of 5’04.00” and the long jump with a distance of 17’06.00.” Jayda Rowe placed second in the discus throw with a mark of 105’07.00”, ranking her second in Sand Springs history in the event. 

Alejandro Lopez placed second in the 800-meter run in 2:04.95, less than half a second behind the winner. Joseph Mattison placed third in the 100-meter dash in 11.27, third in the 200 in 23.15, and third in the long jump at 19’07.00”.

The girls 4x100 relay team placed third in 52.04 seconds, the 4x400 placed fourth in 4:29.49, and the 4x200 placed fifth in 1:56.22. 

The boys 4x800 relay team placed fourth in 8:48.62, the 4x400 placed fourth in 3:41.33, and the 4x200 placed fifth in 1:38.57. 

Sandite Track will next compete at the Broken Arrow Track Classic Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

Lady Sandite Soccer wins Hilldale Tournament

A version of this story was originally published in the Sand Springs Leader.

For the first time since 2016, the Charles Page High School girls soccer team (6-1) has won a tournament title. Sand Springs went 3-0 at the Hilldale Tournament last week in Muskogee, including two overtime shootouts. Katie Webb kicked the tournament-winning penalty kick against Fort Gibson Friday night to bring home the trophy.

“It was the classic Sandite game,” said Head Coach Matthew Watkins, whose team has gone to PKs in four of their seven games so far this season. They’re undefeated in overtime. “We come out and fight. It’s a grind.”

To Watkins, the girls’ tournament title is just evidence of what they already knew about themselves. “If we would have got to play last year, we would have seen some of the same results.” Last season was canceled after a 2-1 start due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Coaches Watkins and Cisco Chavez have reiterated time and time again that win or lose, it’s a team effort - and that applies to the coaching staff as well as the players. The two are even sharing the title of Head Coach this season.

“It takes all of us. No matter what we go through for the rest of the season, we have to remember to play every game like we just played,” Chavez told his players after the game. “Be proud of yourselves, this is something that most teams will never accomplish.”

The Sandites kicked off the tournament with a 2-0 win over Will Rogers on Wednesday, then beat host Hilldale 2-1 in a wild 10-9 triple-overtime shootout on Thursday. In Friday’s game, the girls held Fort Gibson scoreless in regulation for the first time this season.

Both teams ended the match at 0-0, setting up a best-of-five PK shootout. Senior goalie Ali Day, who is signed to play at Rogers State next season, made two saves in overtime. Karsen Lynch and Jade Patton made their kicks and the Sandites took a 2-1 lead into the final pairing. Webb put them up 3-1 to secure the win. 

“Hard work beats talent,” says Chavez. “These girls came together as a team. I’m so proud of these girls.” Watkins also praised Carson Sargent and Bella Cheney for their performances. 

Matthew Miller’s 2018 Lady Sandites went undefeated at the festival-style Stilwell tournament, but Collinsville also did and won the tournament title on criteria. The last time Sand Springs brought home a first place trophy was under coach Bobby Behrens at the 2016 Edison Green & White Tournament. 

The Sandites’ 6-1 start is their best since 2016, and they will look to continue that success when they host Edmond Memorial (4-2) Friday at 6:00 p.m. to start district play. Boys will play at 8:00 p.m.

Sandites' Layne Kirkendoll, Joseph Mattison claim gold at Broken Arrow Relays

A version of this story was originally published in the Sand Springs Leader.

Track and Field

Layne Kirkendoll and Joseph Mattison were leaps and bounds ahead of their competition Friday at the Broken Arrow Relays, and both took home first place medals in the long jump. 

Kirkendoll has already secured her position as the second-best long jumper in Sand Springs history behind two-time State Champion Shawn Gilton, and she just keeps getting better. Her 17’08.5” leap marked a career-high and her second win of the season. She also won the high jump with a career mark of 5’06.00”.

Mattison earned his first varsity gold with a career distance of 20’02.5” in his first jumping event of the season. 

There were no individual running events in the dual-style meet, which pitted the Sand Springs relay teams against Broken Arrow’s varsity and JV squads. The Sandite runners didn’t win any events, but the girls’ 1600 team lost by less than a second.

Baseball

Sandite Baseball (5-6) went 0-4 at the Edmond Festival, but their Saturday double-header featured a pair of close shootouts. On Thursday they lost 5-1 to Norman North and 7-4 to Mustang.

On Saturday they lost 10-9 to both Edmond North and Edmond Santa Fe. In the first game against Edmond North they were down 4-0 to start the sixth and scored eight runs to take the lead, including a 2RBI triple from Rhen Rutledge and a 3RBI double from Jacob Shields. 

The Huskies tied it 8-8 with an RBI double in the seventh to force an extra inning. Shields reclaimed the lead on a ground out by Rutledge, but Toby Simpson hit a 2RBI single to win the game. 

Santa Fe took a 3-0 lead into the fourth in the next game, but Pennington tied it up with a 2RBI triple and Kaden Young scored in the fifth for the lead. The Wolves used four walks and a hit to make it 6-4, but Sand Springs wouldn’t stay down for long.

Keaton Campbell and Jabe Schlehuber hit a pair of solo home runs, then the Wolves walked four Sandites in a row to tie it in the seventh. Cason Savage and Rutledge tagged up on a pair of pop flies to make it 9-7, but Jase White hit a two-run double to tie it and Caleb Moore was walked on loaded bases for the win. 

Sand Springs Baseball will return to action Thursday and Friday at the Bartlesville Bruin Classic, which will feature a Highway 97 Rivalry game against Sapulpa Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

Slow Pitch Softball will host Owasso Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Boys’ Soccer will play in the Holland Hall Invitational Thursday, Track and Field will compete at Muskogee Friday at 4:00 p.m., and the Fishing teams will take to the waters at Ft. Gibson Saturday and Sunday.

Fifteen Sandites sign collegiate letters of intent

View fullsize

Noah James is the 13th Sandite to sign with a college team this Spring.

Three more Sandites signed collegiate letters of intent this week, joining twelve other seniors from Charles Page High School in the Spring signing class. Noah James and Raegan Foster are both college bound.

Baseball

Jaxon Skaggs signed with Missouri Baptist University in Creve Couer, Missouri. The Spartans compete in the NAIA and American Midwest Conference and went 11-8 in the shortened season this year. In 2019 they were 36-17.

Skaggs was .200 at the plate this season, but only recorded five at-bats. He was .400 slugging. He pitched 12 innings for a 1-0 record with a 3.4 ERA, a 1.6 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts.

Kiefer Massey signed to play baseball at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. The Eagles went 9-13 this past season but were 28-20 in 2019. They compete in the NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference.

Massey batted .273 this season with a .455 slugging average and .333 on-base percentage. He only logged 11 at-bats due to the shortened season but scored one run and three RBI on three hits, including a triple. He also spent two innings on the mound, and pitched a 0.0 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with two strikeouts. In his career he scored 11 runs and 11 RBI.

Cheer

Coleman Wright signed with the Pratt Community College Cheer program in Pratt, Kansas. The Beavers are coached by Shae Napier and compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Raegan Foster signed with the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The Bronchos compete in the Universal Cheerleaders Association at the Division 2 level and are coached by Jenni Hawkins. The school has won eleven National Championships in the National Cheerleaders Association.

Soccer

Morgan Poletek signed with Rose State College, a community college in Midwest City, Oklahoma. The Raiders compete at the NJCAA Division 1 level and went 15-3-2 this year, winning their Region. Poletek scored 7 goals and 1 PK in her high school career. As a sophomore she scored a hat trick in a 6-0 shutout of Locust Grove.

Luke Jeffus signed with the University of Tulsa to play NCAA Division 1 soccer in the American Athletic Conference. The Golden Hurricane went 4-9-2 this year. The Sandites only played three matches this season but Jeffus scored in each of them with two goals and one overtime PK. He finished his career with thirteen goals and seven PKs.

Demi Deshazo signed with Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes in the Sooner Athletic Conference and were 6-10-2 this past season. Deshazo scored one overtime PK this season and finished her career with two goals and four PKs.

Danielle Aicha Greminger signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Wesleyan went 18-4 this season, winning their conference.

Ari Esparza signed with Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. The Trojans went 20-1-3 this past season, winning their Region and District, and won a match in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. Esparza scored two PKs this year and finished her career with five goals and four PKs.

Track and Field

Noah James signed with Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, an NCAA Division 1 school in The Summit League. The Golden Eagles placed fourth at the Indoor Conference Championships this year and were fourth in Outdoor last season. James holds a personal record of 53.85 in the outdoor 400-meter dash. In Cross Country he ran the two-mile in 13:36 and the 5K in 20:25.26. In the indoor season he ran the 200-meter in 25.14 and the 400 in 54.83, and leaped 16’11.00” in Long Jump.

Sarah Rigsby also signed with Oral Roberts University. The ORU Women placed fifth in the Indoor Conference Meet this year, and were fourth in last year’s Outdoor Championship. Rigsby holds PRs of 7’06.00” in pole vault and 29:40.1 in the 5K.

Erika Baker signed with Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, an NCAA Division II school competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Tigers placed 10th at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in 2019.

Erika Baker’s indoor personal records include a 6:13 mark in the one-mile run, and a 2:54.05 in the 800 meter. In Cross Country she owns a 22:32.53 5K time, and a 14:29.29 in the two-mile run. In outdoor track she has run 1:20.07 in the 400 meter, 6:23.78 in the 1600, and 12:54.32 in the 3200.

Sam Keiper signed with Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. The Mustangs compete in the NCAA Division 2 level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Last year the team placed tenth in their conference. Keiper has personal records of 98’06.5” in discus and 29’01.5” in shot put. In the indoor track season he ran 8.13 in the 60 meter dash and 23.66 in the 200, and leaped 18’02.5” in long jump.

Victoria Baker signed with Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma. The Hillcats compete at the NCAA Division II level in the MAIA. They placed twelfth out of twelve teams in the MIAA Indoor Championships this spring.

Victoria Baker’s personal records include 1:16.78 in the 400-meter dash, 2:43.40 in the 800-meter run, and 6:58.40 in the 1600-meter run in the outdoor track season. In cross country she holds PRs of 14:12.01 in the two-mile run and 22:06.12 in the 5K. In indoor track her PRs are 2:46.97 in the 800-meter dash and 6:33.56 in the one-mile run.

Wrestling

Brendon Wiseley signed with Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kansas. The Mavericks compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. They placed 21st at the NJCAA Championship this year. Wiseley went 69-26 with the Sandites, recording 32 pins and 184 nearfall points in his career. He won the Regional Championship and was State Runner-Up as a junior.

Twelve Sandites sign collegiate letters of intent

View fullsize

Morgan Poletek is one of twelve Sandites in the Spring college signing class.

Morgan Poletek signed a collegiate letter of intent this week, joining eleven other seniors from Charles Page High School in the Spring signing class.

Soccer

Poletek signed with Rose State College, a community college in Midwest City, Oklahoma. The Raiders compete at the NJCAA Division 1 level and went 15-3-2 this year, winning their Region. Poletek scored 7 goals and 1 PK in her high school career. As a sophomore she scored a hat trick in a 6-0 shutout of Locust Grove.

Luke Jeffus signed with the University of Tulsa to play NCAA Division 1 soccer in the American Athletic Conference. The Golden Hurricane went 4-9-2 this year. The Sandites only played three matches this season but Jeffus scored in each of them with two goals and one overtime PK. He finished his career with thirteen goals and seven PKs.

Demi Deshazo signed with Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes in the Sooner Athletic Conference and were 6-10-2 this past season. Deshazo scored one overtime PK this season and finished her career with two goals and four PKs.

Danielle Aicha Greminger signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Wesleyan went 18-4 this season, winning their conference.

Ari Esparza signed with Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. The Trojans went 20-1-3 this past season, winning their Region and District, and won a match in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. Esparza scored two PKs this year and finished her career with five goals and four PKs.

Baseball

Jaxon Skaggs signed with Missouri Baptist University in Creve Couer, Missouri. The Spartans compete in the NAIA and American Midwest Conference and went 11-8 in the shortened season this year. In 2019 they were 36-17.

Skaggs was .200 at the plate this season, but only recorded five at-bats. He was .400 slugging. He pitched 12 innings for a 1-0 record with a 3.4 ERA, a 1.6 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts.

Kiefer Massey signed to play baseball at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. The Eagles went 9-13 this past season but were 28-20 in 2019. They compete in the NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference.

Massey batted .273 this season with a .455 slugging average and .333 on-base percentage. He only logged 11 at-bats due to the shortened season but scored one run and three RBI on three hits, including a triple. He also spent two innings on the mound, and pitched a 0.0 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with two strikeouts. In his career he scored 11 runs and 11 RBI.

Cheer

Coleman Wright signed with the Pratt Community College Cheer program in Pratt, Kansas. The Beavers are coached by Shae Napier and compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Track and Field

Erika Baker signed with Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, an NCAA Division II school competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Tigers placed 10th at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in 2019.

Baker’s indoor personal records include a 6:13 mark in the one-mile run, and a 2:54.05 in the 800 meter. In Cross Country she owns a 22:32.53 5K time, and a 14:29.29 in the two-mile run. In outdoor track she has run 1:20.07 in the 400 meter, 6:23.78 in the 1600, and 12:54.32 in the 3200.

Sarah Rigsby signed with Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, an NCAA Division 1 school in The Summit League. The Golden Eagles placed fourth at the conference Championships last year. Rigsby holds PRs of 7’06.00” in pole vault and 29:40.1 in the 5K.

Sam Keiper signed with Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. The Mustangs compete in the NCAA Division 2 level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Last year the team placed tenth in their conference. Keiper has personal records of 98’06.5” in discus and 29’01.5” in shot put. In the indoor track season he ran 8.13 in the 60 meter dash and 23.66 in the 200, and leaped 18’02.5” in long jump.

Wrestling

Brendon Wiseley signed with Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kansas. The Mavericks compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. They placed 21st at the NJCAA Championship this year. Wiseley went 69-26 with the Sandites, recording 32 pins and 184 nearfall points in his career. He won the Regional Championship and was State Runner-Up as a junior.

Eleven Sandites sign collegiate letters of intent

View fullsize

Jaxon Skaggs is one of eleven Sandites in the Spring college signing class.

Jaxon Skaggs signed a collegiate letter of intent this week, joining ten other seniors from Charles Page High School in the Spring signing class.

Baseball

Skaggs signed with Missouri Baptist University in Creve Couer, Missouri. The Spartans compete in the NAIA and American Midwest Conference and went 11-8 in the shortened season this year. In 2019 they were 36-17.

Skaggs was .200 at the plate this season, but only recorded five at-bats. He was .400 slugging. He pitched 12 innings for a 1-0 record with a 3.4 ERA, a 1.6 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts.

Kiefer Massey signed to play baseball at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. The Eagles went 9-13 this past season but were 28-20 in 2019. They compete in the NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference.

Massey batted .273 this season with a .455 slugging average and .333 on-base percentage. He only logged 11 at-bats due to the shortened season but scored one run and three RBI on three hits, including a triple. He also spent two innings on the mound, and pitched a 0.0 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with two strikeouts. In his career he scored 11 runs and 11 RBI.

Cheer

Coleman Wright signed with the Pratt Community College Cheer program in Pratt, Kansas. The Beavers are coached by Shae Napier and compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Soccer

Luke Jeffus signed with the University of Tulsa to play NCAA Division 1 soccer in the American Athletic Conference. The Golden Hurricane went 4-9-2 this year. The Sandites only played three matches this season but Jeffus scored in each of them with two goals and one overtime PK. He finished his career with thirteen goals and seven PKs.

Demi Deshazo signed with Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes in the Sooner Athletic Conference and were 6-10-2 this past season. Deshazo scored one overtime PK this season and finished her career with two goals and four PKs.

Danielle Aicha Greminger signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville. The Eagles compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Wesleyan went 18-4 this season, winning their conference.

Ari Esparza signed with Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. The Trojans went 20-1-3 this past season, winning their Region and District, and won a match in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. Esparza scored two PKs this year and finished her career with five goals and four PKs.

Track and Field

Erika Baker signed with Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, an NCAA Division II school competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Tigers placed 10th at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in 2019.

Baker’s indoor personal records include a 6:13 mark in the one-mile run, and a 2:54.05 in the 800 meter. In Cross Country she owns a 22:32.53 5K time, and a 14:29.29 in the two-mile run. In outdoor track she has run 1:20.07 in the 400 meter, 6:23.78 in the 1600, and 12:54.32 in the 3200.

Sarah Rigsby signed with Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, an NCAA Division 1 school in The Summit League. The Golden Eagles placed fourth at the conference Championships last year. Rigsby holds PRs of 7’06.00” in pole vault and 29:40.1 in the 5K.

Sam Keiper signed with Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. The Mustangs compete in the NCAA Division 2 level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Last year the team placed tenth in their conference. Keiper has personal records of 98’06.5” in discus and 29’01.5” in shot put. In the indoor track season he ran 8.13 in the 60 meter dash and 23.66 in the 200, and leaped 18’02.5” in long jump.

Wrestling

Brendon Wiseley signed with Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kansas. The Mavericks compete in the NJCAA and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. They placed 21st at the NJCAA Championship this year. Wiseley went 69-26 with the Sandites, recording 32 pins and 184 nearfall points in his career. He won the Regional Championship and was State Runner-Up as a junior.