Brian Boyles, Fernando Saldana Propel WSA Team to National Championship

/

The West Side Alliance’s U19 team won the Super Y League National Championship in Tampa Bay on December 13th, and two Sandites were key contributors.

Brian Boyles and Fernando Saldana compete on the 04/05 Boys team for the WSA, a competitive soccer club based in Sand Springs and West Tulsa.

Boyles is a senior at Charles Page High School and Saldana is a 2021 CPHS alum..

“When we got there I think we all had a goal in mind and that was to win a national championship,” said Boyles.

“We all knew what we could do and we were fully capable of doing that.”

In Tampa the WSA team defeated New York’s Westchester Flames 4-3 in overtime after coming back from a 3-1 deficit. After taking the lead, they had to hold it for seven minutes.

“Going 3-1 down in the final, in the last 10 or 15 minutes you expect teams to quit,” said Boyles. “Down two goals with not much time left, I feel like we were ready for that moment.”

The finals battle was a rematch of a 3-1 WSA victory from pool play.

“It actually made it harder on us because it’s hard to beat a team twice, especially in the same tournament, and they were obviously the other best team there besides us.”

En route to the finals, the WSA group won 6-2 against Michigan’s Liverpool FC, 2-0 against Maryland’s Arundel SA, and 3-1 against Northern Virginia United Academy, in addition to the first match against Westchester.

“When we went into our first game we weren’t nervous at all like how teams are usually nervous on their first game,” said Boyles.

“We were laughing, having fun in the warmups, and it showed when we were so relaxed and won our first game 6-2.”

“I think that momentum just kept going throughout the whole tournament. I feel like we were more confident than the other teams as a whole. That just made us feel better about ourselves going into each next game.”

Saldana was named the MVP of the game after scoring both the equalizer and the game winner.

Saldana and Boyles didn’t get to play much together as Sandites. The 2020 season was canceled after only three matches due to the initial COVID-19 outbreak, then Boyles broke his foot during the 2021 season.

Despite this, the two have a close relationship. While many teammates feel a sense of brotherhood, Boyles actually describes it as a father-son relationship.

“He’s always been like the older guy in the locker room. A mentor. He’s always been someone who, if I need help with something, I can always just go and ask him. He’s a good person to learn off of because he’s humble and quiet and he’s just a guy that you want to be around.”

Boyles will be looking for some of that club success to translate into prep wins as the Sandites enter their second season under Brent Lollis this spring.

Side 92 FC wins UPSL Central Conference North Premier Division

/
Courtest of WSA.

Courtest of WSA.

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

The West Side Alliance has long been a staple in the Sand Springs sports community, and since its founding in 1992, it has grown into one of the largest and most competitive organizations in the state. No longer just a youth soccer club, it is now building its brand as a national-caliber adult league as well.

In the fall of 2020 the WSA launched Side FC 92, a semi-pro extension of the league for high school, collegiate, and young adult players. Among the roster you’ll see Division 1 players from the universities of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tulsa, and more. This deep pool of talent has catapulted both the men’s and women’s teams into the national playoffs.

The men’s team got started in the fall and went undefeated 11-2-0 to win the UPSL Central Conference North Division II title, and was promoted to the Premier League. Now they own a 13-1-2 record in their inaugural season, and have already brought home two more championship trophies, winning both their division and the Central Conference Championship.

The Side has the second-highest-scoring offense in a league of over 300 teams with 79 goals this season, and they are now bound for Kansas City to play Des Moines United FC in the national round of 32. 

Side FC 92 Head Coach and WSA Technical Director Alexander McLaurin credits that success to both the immensely talented players, as well as to the supportive organization that backs them.

“We’ve got a staff that works really hard to make sure all the training sessions are focused, that there’s a clear message and that they’re very well organized. We’ve got top-quality players that are willing to push forward. They’ve all got ambitions. It makes it easy when you’ve got players that are looking to potentially break into the professional game. Everything is on a professional level from the training to the coaching to the way the players go about things. That makes it easy, as well as having the backing of a good organization as well. Having Roger Bush as club director, making sure that the team is supported in any way that we need, that’s really made it pretty easy on us.”

“That was our biggest motivation behind (forming the Side FC 92) is being able to get younger players inside of the club a pathway - something to look up to,” says McLaurin. “We’re never going to be at the level of an MLS club or anything like that, but we can at least bridge the gap and give the kids inside of the club kind of a realistic view to kind of get that next step. We call our program the “Pathway to Pro,” so we’re kind of that bridge in between that. We’re not getting any financial gain from it or trying to get into the MLS, we’re just there to promote our youth and our academy players.”

McLaurin himself is a 2006 graduate of Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, and several of his players are also former Sandites. The men’s team features Gustavo Saldana of Oklahoma Wesleyan, Fernando Saldana (who just graduated CPHS this year), and Luke Jeffus of the University of Tulsa. 

The women’s team, which is 6-3-1 in their inaugural season and headed for the United Women’s Soccer League playoffs, also features two Sandites in Karsen Lynch and Danielle Greminger. Lynch is a soon-to-be senior at Charles Page High School. Greminger competed at Oklahoma Wesleyan and Coffeyville Community College the past two seasons, and will enroll at Casper College this fall.

“Already this year we’ve got 16 and 17 year olds that are featuring in the team and playing in important playoff matches,” says McLaurin.  “It’s giving kids something to connect to and really see a clear pathway to potentially make their way towards that professional goal if that’s what they have.”

Sand Springs Soccer Complex renamed in honor of late Roger S. Bush

/

With the completion of the Case Community Park remodel, the former Inez Kirk Soccer Complex received a face-lift, a few additions, and a new name to go with them.

While Inez Kirk was a beloved City Manager in Sand Springs, she had no direct ties to the soccer subculture of the town. Her name will now be attached to a more fitting monument in the City Garden Park across the street from the Sand Springs Municipal Building. 

The soccer facilities will be renamed as the Roger S. Bush Soccer Complex in honor of one of the founding members of the Sand Springs Soccer Club. Bush passed away in September of 2016 at the age of 69.

"This request by the Club was granted in memorial honor of one of the Board members that helped bring this club into existence," said SSSC President Jeremy Herrington.

"Roger S. Bush's influence and legacy continues on today through his children: Roger P. Bush, West Side Alliance Director of Coaching and Head Women's Coach at Oral Roberts University; Catherine (Bush) Grona, SSSC/WSA Youth Development Director; Ryan Bush, WSA Assistant Director of Coaching and Head Men's Coach at Oral Roberts University; and Cherlyn (Bush) Cunningham. The Bush family's soccer legacy has now entered its third generation, and we felt it only fitting that this complex be named in his honor; a name that means something special to our Soccer Community and our Sand Springs Community."

The Soccer facilities received new fields and a paved parking lot as part of Case Community Park's $6 million renovation. Brand new state-of-the-art playgrounds have also been installed next to the Soccer Complex concession stand. 

The park has remained open throughout its remodel, but will celebrate the official re-opening with an all-day festival Saturday, September 9th. 

Lady Sandites Dye, Eardley, Foster win State Cup, head to Regionals in NC

/

By: Virgil Noah, Marketing Director

Despite not making the playoffs this year for the Charles Page High School girls soccer team, three Sandites are still racking up some hardware.

Missouri University of Science and Technology signee Kayla Foster, Oral Roberts University signee Brooklyn Eardley, and Northeastern State University signee Madison Dye each play for West Side Alliance club team '98 Girls Red. Their team went 6-2-1 on the season, which placed them second in the Regional Premier League and they won the State Cup 2-1 over Oklahoma FC '98.

Next up are the Southern Regionals in South Carolina. West Side Alliance has been a fixture in the soccer community since 1992, and has divisions throughout Northeast Oklahoma and the greater Tulsa Metro area including a division in Sand Springs, located at the River City Parks.

Foster said, "I'm so proud of my team and all that we have accomplished throughout our soccer careers. We started at the bottom and finished as state champs...I would like to thank my coach Ryan Bush as well for sticking with us and putting up with our attitudes. He's the best coach in the state...Thank you to my WSA family for building me into the person I am today."

Bush was an All-State performer and four year letterman for Charles Page, and currently coaches the ORU Men's soccer team where he was a two-year standout. Bobby Behrens, the two-year Sandite Girl's soccer coach and Class of 2010 Sand Springs graduate, will be headed to join Bush's staff as an assistant coach.

Foster and Eardley were also selected to the 2016 Oklahoma Soccer Coaches Association 6A All-State soccer team. Foster was unable to play due to a hamstring injury she has been nursing, but Eardley was able to play and represent Charles Page. The game resulted in a 3-3 draw. 

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. 

Sandite of the Week: Edgar Soberano

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This week Sandite Pride would like to recognize Charles Page High School sophomore Edgar Soberano as Sandite of the Week for his continual impressive goal keeping for the varsity soccer team.

While Sandite Pride hasn't tracked saves this season, there's no disputing that if we had a number, it would be impressive. He blocked multiple shots in an overtime win over Sapulpa last Tuesday, and was incredible in a game against a nationally ranked team from Edmond.

The Deer Creek Antlers were ranked No.18 in the Nation when they hammered the Sandites 7-0. Despite the large amount of goals, were it not for Soberano's quick wits and desperate dives, it would have been a mercy ruling in no time. The Antlers got off thirteen shots in the first twenty minutes of the game, with seven resulting in impressive saves by Soberano. 

Photo galleries from this Soccer season can be found at https://sanditepride.smugmug.com/2016-Soccer

Sandite of the Week is a weekly recognition given to any one person with significant ties to the Sand Springs community who accomplishes remarkable achievements during the Sunday through Saturday week preceding the award. Prior achievements may be noted in the article, but do not bear direct influence on the selection committee which only considers prior week accomplishments. Candidates may be nominated by anyone by emailing SanditePrideNews@gmail.com. Bylaws prevent the giving of the award to anyone for two consecutive weeks, but any recipient may be nominated and awarded again in the future, so long as the weeks are not consecutive. Final selection is made by a majority vote of a three-person staff committee. 

Businesses or organizations seeking to sponsor the Sandite of the Week award may contact the above email for inquiries.