SHS cross country seeking ninth straight regional title sweep

SANDPOINT — For the Sandpoint cross country team there really is no offseason.

These athletes are constantly pushing their limits and never satisfied with anything less. So it should come as no surprise that over the summer the Bulldogs racked up over 10,000 miles between running and biking.

Matt and Angie Brass are entering their 16th year as the head coaches. Each year, they always have a core of runners who display tremendous work ethic, and that commitment becomes infectious amongst the entire group. Matt said they never take for granted the time these athletes are willing to put in and he’s never surprised by the dedication level they display because it’s part of who they are.

“It’s their mindset and their personalities and we try to build a culture that fosters that and really recognizes that at any level dedication pays off,” he said.

That devotion resulted in countless personal records for the Bulldogs during their mile trial on the second day of fall practice, and they hope that’s just the first stepping stone in a season filled with optimism.

Last fall due to the pandemic, Sandpoint was forced to compete in smaller meets with the same schools in North Idaho each and every week. Now with things opened up, the Bulldogs are currently slated to head over the border twice this season for the Battle for the 509 and Highlander Invitational in Washington.

Sandpoint does have backup plans in place, such as a reserve on the Riley Creek Recreation Area to run the Sandpoint Invitational, if Washington decides to shut down out-of-state competition at some point, but Matt said the team is looking forward to seeing new faces because it’s easy to get in a rut when you see the same teams every meet.

The Bulldogs will also be making a trip down to the Boise area on Sept. 25 to participate in the Bob Firman Invitational at Eagle Island State Park, the site of this year’s cross country state championships.

“We always like to do that meet when state is there,” Angie said.

It’s one of the biggest cross country meets in the country with over 5,000 athletes expected to take part. It’s the perfect opportunity for Sandpoint to get a feel for the state course and learn what they need to work on for their return trip on Oct. 30, Angie said.

The distance runners who were on the track team this spring already got a preview of Eagle Island State Park when SHS competed at the 4A state track and field championships in May at Eagle High School.

The state course was just a few miles away from the high school, so on a run the distance crew got a peak at the venue. Matt said Eagle Island is a fast course and “probably the truest cross country course” in the state rotation.

Angie said the team is embracing the opportunity to compete in bigger meets this fall and they are thankful they won’t have to stress about COVID-19 taking away their season at a moment’s notice like last season. They can focus all their attention on just running and securing their ninth straight regional title for the boys and girls.

“I think we’re all excited to have something that hopefully resembles a little bit more normal after last fall, but we’re going to be grateful for every one we get,” she said.

Talented top five has girls aiming high

Five of the seven runners who led the girls to a ninth-place state finish in 2020 are back and it’s evident that the group can’t wait to see where they’ll be by the end of the season.

“I feel like we can really accomplish a lot this year together,” senior Mackenzie Suhy-Gregoire said.

Senior Megan Oulman, juniors Ara Clark and Payton Betz and sophomore Grace Rookey are the other four state returners.

Angie said she has seen that core group put in the work in the weight room and on the track over the last year and she expects that to make a difference this season.

“They are in a good place,” she said. “I think they are definitely hungry for some times and more opportunities.”

Outside the top five, there is some competition for the remaining two varsity spots on the girls side. Senior Jillian Primgaard, junior Kora Converse, sophomore Terra Bode and sophomore Devin McDaniel, who is currently in California, are all in the mix, Angie said. Primgaard and Converse weren’t on the team last year, but competed in 2019.

Suhy-Gregoire is the defending regional champion and finished just four spots short of medaling at state last fall. She believes she’s done enough over the winter and into the summer to get inside the top 20 at state in her final season. She plans on leaving it all out there.

“I feel like this year is the year for me to go for that medal at state,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about it since that day when I was 24th … I have one more chance and I’m really excited to run this with my girls and go out there and do my best.”

Angie feels the same way about Suhy-Gregoire’s chances at a medal and also believes her two captains — Ara and Oulman — can bring home ones as well.

Ara was 70th at state in 2020 and Oulman was 54th. Suhy-Gregoire, Oulman and Ara pushed each other all of last season, and Ara can’t wait to do it again this fall. She said Suhy-Gregoire and Oulman are two of her best friends and getting to run with them in a pack is truly something special.

“Having those two up next to me, I’m always thinking I can’t drop back because then I’m letting them down,” she said.

Ara, along with Suhy-Gregoire, shattered her PR in the 5K during the team’s time trial at Travers Park this past Monday and she believes a state medal isn’t too far out of reach.

“This year I had a great track season and was really diligent with my summer training and I’m really seeing the improvement,” she said, “so I think if I just keep on this path I think there’s definitely a possibility of that. I just have to stay with it.”

Ara’s older brother, Trey Clark, is a captain on the boys team this fall. Despite being siblings, Ara said there’s been no fighting between the two as captains because they get along so well on and off the team.

Ara is a vocal leader and she hopes she can set a good example for her team through her enthusiasm. The captain role is something she doesn’t take lightly.

“Having the honor of being a captain is kind of my way of giving back,” she said. “I feel like it’s my way of bringing the team up and … my contribution to the future of Sandpoint cross country.”

Oulman, who is currently battling some respiratory issues, hopes to challenge her PR of 19:57 this season. That time is 17th-fastest on Sandpoint’s all-time list.

As a freshman, Oulman said she didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of the motto the girls write on the back of their legs before each race — “For Each Other.” As a senior, Oulman now understands the powerful message behind those three words and looks forward to passing on the lessons she’s learned from the gifted captains of years past.

“I’ve always wanted to be a captain,” she said, “and I’ve always looked up to every single captain that’s gone through this program. I’ve really admired a lot of their qualities and characteristics … so being put in a position to be a captain now just feels really rewarding.”

The whole girls squad is eager to see what Betz and Rookey do this fall. They both ran PRs in the 5K time trial and seemed to be destined for breakout seasons.

“I think they are definitely going to contribute a lot,” she said. “I think their fire and drive to get better and work hard is 100 percent there.”

Suhy-Gregoire said it’s hard to describe the impact the cross country program has had on her life. She said it's helped her grow so much as an athlete and a person, and she’ll miss the tight-knit crew.

“It’s something that I will never forget and I’ll always treasure because this team made me realize that I can do whatever I want if I work hard enough,” she said.

Boys look to reload after making history

After coming up just short in 2019, the boys team broke through last year and brought home their fourth state trophy in school history by finishing fourth.

It was a moment the boys had been building toward for several years and the team enjoyed the culmination of all their hard work.

But that season is in the past and now the Bulldogs have to find a way to replace their top three runners from last fall — Nikolai Braedt, Jett Lucas and Keegan Nelson.

All three were named to the District 1 “Dirty Dozen” cross country team last fall and Braedt and Lucas own the top two 5K times in school history. Those are big shoes to fill, but Sandpoint still has plenty of talent to make some noise this fall.

“It’s definitely driving us to put in every bit of effort we have because we know we’ve lost the two fastest kids the school has ever seen,” senior Ben Ricks said.

Ricks is one of four state returners for the boys. Sophomore Nathan Roche, junior captain Slate Fragoso and senior captain Trey Clark are the others.

Those four worked as a closely connected pack all of last season and now it’s their turn to step into the limelight and lead the team. Last year, anyone of those four could cross the finish line first on any given day and Matt expects that trend to continue this fall.

Matt sees Trey and Fragoso driving the pace of the pack with Ricks and Roche right on their heels. Roche burst on the scene as a freshman in 2020, placing 35th at state and earning a spot on the Dirty Dozen. Matt called Roche a wild card because he seems to rise to the occasion on race day.

“He’s a sophomore that runs like a senior a lot of times,” Matt said. “He’s as tough as nails.”

To bridge the gap created with their top three runners graduating, Ricks said the Bulldogs are aiming to get the pack of four all around the 16:30 mark.

Ricks is shooting for a 40-second PR by the end of the season while Trey is looking to outdo his former teammate Seth Graham, who sits in seventh on the all-time list with a 16:16.5.

“If I’m there I know these guys will be there, too,” Trey said about the pack.

For Trey, he needs that pack when he’s running. It drives him toward better times.

“When you run with someone on your team, it makes running a lot easier,” he said. “You’re able to actually push yourself not for yourself, but for others.”

Matt is hoping to see Trey and Ricks breakthrough to another level this season as seniors and he wants both of them to think about pursuing that individual regional title.

The boys would still love to contend for a trophy at state, but that’s not the focus this year. Instead, the Bulldogs are determined to defend their regional title.

Moscow is back after not fielding a cross country team last year due to COVID-19 concerns. Matt said the Bears have a strong senior class and will provide some resistance to Sandpoint’s pursuit of a ninth straight regional crown.

“For them the motivation and the excitement is it’s going to be competitive,” Matt said about his team. “That’s just one we can’t check off the list another time. I think in their heads they have the last few years.”

Ricks is ready for a fight because it will help the team be more prepared for state.

“I’m really looking forward to having regionals be a challenge,” he said. “It will set us up really well for state because we’ve just been cruising almost as if it’s a guarantee that we’ll get to state.”

In order to fend off Moscow, Matt said the Bulldogs will need all seven varsity runners to step up. Right now, Caleb Roche has locked down the fifth spot, but the battle for the sixth and seventh spots is tightly contested. Kasten Grimm, Daniel Ricks, Jimmy Cornelius, Bodhi Lloyd, Anders Eastley and several others will all be vying for the slots early in the season.

In the past few years, Ricks has showcased his ability to find another gear as the finish line draws closer.

“Very few people are going to be able to outkick him,” Matt said. “It’s a nice trick to have in your bag.”

The difference this year is Matt believes Ricks has become more confident in his ability to hang with the pack of Trey, Fragoso and Roche throughout an entire 5K and then unleash his kick.

“I think this year he is really starting to mature and know, ‘I need to be in the race the whole way,’” Matt said.

The distance at which Ricks feels comfortable hitting the switch has also grown thanks to the 400 and 800-meter runs he did this spring on the track team. He knows when he can pick it up and what his max feels like.

As a captain, Trey is eager to make a connection with each of his teammates this fall. He’s also glad that Matt and Angie and his aunt and uncle, Caitlin and Jake Peterson, convinced him to join the cross country team as a freshman when he was thinking about playing soccer. That move changed his life, he said.

Sandpoint is itching to get a test run at Eagle Island during the Bob Firman Invitational and Ricks said it will be a great way for them to visualize their state races.

“It really just makes you more comfortable with it and it kind of eliminates the surprises,” he said.

The Bulldogs will ease into the season by hosting a 2.6-mile race at Pine Street Woods on Friday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.