Sandstorm of Controversy

Photo Courtesy of Shane Graff

The team poses in their mismatched uniforms shortly after winning a match. Based on the recent controversy the players have since received proper uniforms for their upcoming rematch against St. Augustine.

Isabella Niems, Staff Reporter
Oct 22, 2018

Last Thursday, the Sage Creek boys beach volleyball team was asked to forfeit a game over mismatched shorts.

Before the match against Saint Augustine High School started, “Saints” pointed out that Sage Creek’s team did not have proper uniforms, referring to their uncoordinated beach shorts. According to our coaches, Saints did not feel that this was an issue at the time and decided to continue play.

The Bobcats won the first and second matches but lost the third and fourth. That left the tiebreaker to the fifth seed team consisting of sophomore Jackson Gilbert and junior Andrew May. It was a grueling match that forced them to play a third set.

“It was really amazing having both teams watch and cheer us on,” Gilbert said.

After being down 11-13, Sage Creek came back with a four-point streak and took a 15-13 win. According to Sage Creek’s Coach Keaton Marks, It was not until an hour after the boys departed the beach with a victory under their belt that the shorts become a problem.

Saints coaches allegedly emailed the commissioner of boys beach volleyball, explaining the issue with the mismatched uniforms. Sage Creek coaches Ryan McDevitt and Marks then received word that the Saints team had requested a rematch because a forfeit was not approved.

According to Marks, the team was dumbfounded when they heard this and felt terrible that unmatching shorts would have caused so much controversy. On Friday morning, the boys were informed that a rematch was going to be necessary. That rematch is today in Ocean Beach at 4 p.m.

This news spread quickly among the team, and an impromptu lunch meeting was held in Senor Kramár’s room, who is the head advisor of boys beach volleyball.

Kramár expressed that the opposing team was, “obviously looking for an excuse to continue in playoffs.”

However, this news did not negatively affect the Sage Creek players. They were and continue to be surprisingly excited and eager to once again come out victorious.

Coach Keaton said that he, “would love to get a crowd of students to support the team,” this afternoon at the Ocean Beach volleyball courts.