Sallisaw to host first scrimmage of season against Sequoyah-Claremore

Although spring doesn’t officially arrive for about another month, the Sallisaw High School soccer teams will be seeing their first action of the 2026 season as they will have their lone home scrimmage of the season today as they will entertain the Sequoyah-Claremore squads to Perry F. Lattimore Stadium. The girls’ scrimmage match will kick things of at 4 p.m., followed by the boys’ scrimmage at approximately 6 p.m.

The Black Diamonds (10-3 last season) made the playoffs for the first time in the program’s history last spring, losing in the opening round 5-4 in overtime to Skiatook.

“We’re coming in from that tough (playoff) loss (to Skiatook), but I think we learned a lot since then,” Sallisaw soccer coach Sinue Rodriguez said. “I think we have become a better team since that game. It’s still fresh, but in soccer, we try to turn the page over. So, since June, we’ve been working pretty hard. We have a very good group of kids.”

The Black Diamonds return 16 players, including goal-scoring machine Wes Rodriguez.

“We’re glad to have him back, but we’re sad this is his last year,” the Sallisaw coach said about his senior goal scorer. “We want to get him going his last year.”

Other seniors back are Rustyn Romero, Brecken Hennessee, Phillip Hennesee, Jason Hight, Chris Silos and Joshua Dean.

Returning juniors are Cesar Morales, Sama Salinas, Yordi Alcantara and Colin Kremer Enoch Estrada, Elijah Hilgendorf, Christian “Cito” Morales, Dawson Upton and Jason Silos are the sophomores back for the Black Diamonds.

“From last year’s playoff team, I get nine returners back, so we have a good experienced team,” Rodriguez said. “We’re a very balanced team. I get basically my whole back line back, Cito Morales and Rustyn Romero. In the middle, we basically get everybody back. Cesar Morales is in the middle, Phillip Hennessee is on the right, Brecken Hennessee is on the left. We’re going to add a freshman in the middle, Dillon Gonzalez.”

The Lady Diamonds just missed the playoffs as they were 5-7 a year ago.

“The goal is to always compete and make the playoffs,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve been working pretty hard. Our main goal this year is to make it to the playoffs. I think we have a team that is similar to the boys — we have a good core coming back.”

Seniors returning are Alayna Donaldson, Bella Morales, Maleah Holmes, Allison Lor and Sol Alvarado.

Aria Kyser, Mya Thomas, Emilie Robbins and Paige Dobson are juniors back for Rodriguez, while AvaLynn Donaldson and Madelynne Alvarez are the two returning sophomores.

“On defense, we have Sol Alvarado and Mya Thomas coming back,” Rodriguez said. “We have experienced players in Alayna Donaldson and Emilie Robbins. We have a freshman that will be playing, too — Kinsley Oren. We’ll also have Aria Kyser at a wing. We’ll have both forwards returning in Bella Morales and AvaLynn Donaldson.”

Rodriguez said that freshmen, of which there will be quite a few on both the Black Diamonds and Lady Diamonds, is vital to keep the programs going.

“it’s important that they get some (playing) experience,” he said. “To be honest, having it (the program) at the middle school, it has helped us at the high school. This eighth-grade group coming in have already had two years of experience with seventh and eighth grade seasons. They kind of know what to expect. They’ve been coached by the same people. They bring in a lot of energy. They’re hungry to play, and to get one of those starting spots among our 11 (starters).”

As far as this season’s District 4A-4 outlook from the Black Diamonds’ perspective, Rodriguez said Hilldale and Poteau will be two of the toughest district matches.

“Just basing it off last year and the history that each school has, Hilldale will be one tough team to beat, as well as Poteau,” he said. “You have your private schools with (Tulsa) Victory Christian and (Tulsa) Cascia Hall. You have Wagoner in there. I think we have one of the toughest districts in (Class) 4A. Only four go in (come playoff time), and there’s at least six teams that have the potential to make that top four.”

It’s almost a similar situation for the Lady Diamonds.

“I would say Hilldale will be a team to beat,” Rodriguez said. “We don’t play Cascia Hall, but we play (Tulsa) Metro Christian. Metro Christian made it pretty far into the playoffs. Then, you have Wagoner. Poteau is also tough. Stilwell also made it to the playoffs last year. It’s going to be a tough district.”

Thus, in each district match, the Sallisaw teams will need to bring their “A” game.

“We have to come out and battle every game to make sure we get into those top four (spots for postseason play),” Rodriguez said.

After participating in the Muskogee Round-Robin Scrimmage Event next Thursday, the regular-season openers will take place March 3 at Van Buren, Ark. The girls’ match will begin at 5:15 p.m., followed by the boys’ contest at approximately 7 p.m.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The 2026 Spring Sports Guide will publish March 27, which will have all the spring sports teams’ photographs from the Sallisaw soccer teams, high school baseball, slowpitch softball, golf and track as well as rosters and schedules. Team photographs with players in uniform, rosters and schedules can be submitted to davids@cookson.news. We would like to get as many team photographs or photograph shoots scheduled prior to Spring Break, which will be March 16-20, as possible. The last day that team photographs can be received or team photograph shoots scheduled will be March 24. Also, look for more season-preview stories on the local spring sports teams between now and March 27.