CPHS Senior Sydney Pennington named to All-State Basketball team

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School has produced a smattering of All Star and All State honors this school year. A dozen Sandites have received All-Star recognition by their sport's official governing body, and five were named to the All-State teams. 

Oklahoma State University-signed senior Sydney Pennington has made her way into the history books as one of the most talented athletes in school history, having been named to All-State teams in two separate sports.

Pennington was named to the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association (OGBCA) Large East All State team and the OCA Large East All State Team. She was also named to the Oklahoma Fast Pitch Coaches Association Large East All State team.

Pennington averaged 10.77 points per game this season, but could easily have had far more had she not had to share the ball with such an all-around talented team. She averaged 15.66 as a freshman, 17.16 as a sophomore, and 12.61 as a junior. She scored a career-high 32 as a sophomore, and holds 1386 career points. And basketball isn't even her best sport. 

Pennington is signed to play softball for OSU and has been to three State Championship tournaments with the Lady Sandites. They were defeated in the quarterfinals her freshman and seniors years but made it to the finals her junior year and lost by a single run. This past year she finished with an astounding .543 batting average with 45 runs, 57 hits, 38 RBI, and 10 home runs. She also pitched nearly 40 innings and finished with a 1.41 ERA and undefeated 6-0 record with two no-hitters and one shutout. 

To add to her impressive careers in basketball and softball, she was also the quarterback for the Senior Powderpuff Football team that won the school championship the past two years. One could easily compare her to Major League Baseball player Jerry Adair who made All-State in baseball, football, and basketball when he played for Sand Springs. 

Kyle Keener was named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) Large East 6A All Star team, averaging 16.5 points per game this season. Keener is signed to play for the University of Central Oklahoma next season. Keener and junior Colt Savage were both named to the Coffeyville Interstate Classic All-Tournament team this year.

Savage was named to the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association (OBCA) Region Seven All Star team. Savage averaged 22.48 points per game this year and scored a career-high 34. He was the second-highest scoring player in the entire Frontier Valley Conference and is only a junior.

Kierra McGee was named as an alternate on the OGBCA Large East All State team. She averaged 8.69 points per game this season and was the All-Tournament MVP at the Coffeyville Interstate Classic.

Delvin Jordan, Kasey Bales, and Lincoln Adams were named to the OCA East All Star team. Jordan also made the OCA All State East team. Jordan recorded 69 tackles this season, 15 for a loss of 91 yards, and 8 sacks for a loss of 64 yards. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one for a 32-yard touchdown return. Bales had 68 receptions for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns this season and averaged 42 yards per punt. Offensive linemen don't really have any stats to track, but Adams was one of the most proficient in the state and was a major player in opening up the prolific Sandite run game. Jordan is signed with Pittsburg State University and Adams is signed with Oklahoma Baptist University.

Daton Fix and Jack Karstetter were both named to the OCA Large East All State Wrestling team. Fix is a four-time undefeated State Champion with a 168-0 career record and is signed with Oklahoma State University. Karstetter won his first State Championship this season, was Runner-Up last year, and finished with a 105-16 record.

Cheyenne Walden and Alexis Davis were both named to the Oklahoma Track Coaches Association Cross Country Senior All-Star team. Walden is a four-time State Champion and four-time Gatorade Runner of the Year. She finished her career with personal records of 5:21 on the one-mile, 11:19.5 on the two-mile, and 17:32 in 5K. Davis is a four-time State Qualifier and finished 21st this year. She has PRs of 6:11 in the one-mile, 12:54 in the two-mile, and 19:53 for a 5K. Walden is signed with Oklahoma State University and Davis is signed with Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 

Jessica Collins was named to the All-State Large East Softball team and finished her senior year with a .316 batting average with 39 runs, 36 hits, and 22 RBI.