Sandpoint swim searches for more state hardware

SANDPOINT — Inside the Litehouse YMCA, the Sandpoint swim team has built a dynasty.

Since the Idaho High School Activities Association first sanctioned the sport in 2018, both the boys and the girls have brought home a trophy from state every year. The girls even won it all in 2019.

The origins of the success can be traced back to programs in the community aimed at teaching youth the importance of water safety, and legendary swim coach Mike Brosnahan, who passed on the fundamentals to swimmers of all ages for years.

Each year a talented group of swimmers graduate, and in comes the next class of promising Bulldogs poised to make some noise from the start. The program consistently produces some of the best swimmers in the state.

Head coach Greg Jackson credited the Bulldogs’ feeder program — the Sandpoint Sharks club swim team — and the community for making it all possible. He said the support he receives from the parents is unmatched, which makes his job much easier.

“It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.

Senior Hayden Leavitt has seen the inner workings of the program throughout his high school career and he said Jackson has played a pivotal role in Sandpoint’s dominance.

“He does so much for pushing us and helping us individually by personally working with each and every one of us to help us get faster and work on technique,” he said.

Whatever it is, it’s working and that was evident this past fall when the Bulldogs secured a pair of second-place state trophies.

Unlike every other fall sport in 2020, swim didn’t get an in-person state championship due to COVID-19. Instead, times recorded at district meets were used to determine state placing.

So far, it looks like an in-person state meet will return this fall and Jackson said the entire team is looking forward to getting back to business as usual.

“We’re all ecstatic,” he said.

Boys eager to build off best finish at state

In 2020, the boys secured six qualifiers to the virtual state meet. Half of that group is gone, but the three remaining swimmers — Jack Grzincic, Hayden Leavitt and Caleb Norling — are determined to keep the Bulldogs in contention for another state trophy.

Arguably the most talented boys team in years was able to grab second at state in 2020, 50 points behind first-place Bishop Kelly. They even edged out Moscow, who beat them out for the district title by two points. It was the boys highest finish at state under the IHSAA.

It was an amazing accomplishment, but the boys left wondering what could have happened if they had gotten a chance to swim side-by-side with Bishop Kelly at state.

“I think if we were swimming in-person we could have had a very good shot at first place,” Norling said.

That opportunity is gone, but the Bulldogs are hoping to build the foundation for another state championship run in the coming years.

Besides the state returners, the Bulldogs also have Luc and Lon LeBlanc and promising freshman Max Zuberbuhler.

Last season, the boys had a larger squad than years past thanks in part to a big senior class. Currently, SHS has eight swimmers, but even with those numbers the team expects to be fighting for a district title and a state trophy by the end of the season.

“It’s going to be tough to get a team title at state,” Jackson said, “but we’ve been there with four boys before and performed really well. We may be small, but Caleb [Norling] and Hayden [Leavitt] are at the top as far as the state level.”

Leavitt, the defending 500 freestyle district champ, earned a pair of third-place state finishes in the 200 free and 500 free in 2020 and he is gunning for state titles in both this fall.

“I’m going to have to push myself as hard as I can because I do plan on swimming in college,” he said.

Leavitt hopes to attract attention from colleges by posting fast times across the board and he believes an in-person state meet will bring the best out of him.

“It’s just so much better having that person pushing you right next to you instead of a 100 miles away,” he said.

Leavitt and Norling were both members of the 200 free relay team that snagged first at state last year and Norling is eager to chase more state glory this fall.

Norling, a junior, is the team captain for the boys. His older brother, Hayden, was a captain for the Bulldogs the past two years. He said he learned a lot from Hayden about what it takes to be a leader. Hayden made connections with everyone and planned team activities outside the pool, and Norling said he plans on having a similar impact.

“I want to be that sort of leader where people know I’m there,” he said, “and people know the type of person I will be no matter what.”

Jackson said Norling brings a high intensity to the pool and he wants that to rub off on others.

“I’m just hoping his teammates see that … and maybe feed off of it,” he said.

Norling was the district champ in the 200 IM and runner-up in the 100 free last year. He is eyeing titles in both in 2021 and would love to guide the boys past Moscow at districts, but he knows it will be tough with their numbers.

Leavitt said the boys have the potential to do something special in the next few months if they stay committed.

“If we work together as a team and we continue to train as we should and not slack off in the beginning of the season, I think we could easily take a first-place title,” he said. “We easily have enough strong swimmers to be able to do that.”

The next wave is here: Girls ready for another state run

Names like Kate Bokowy, Kaya Wright, Sabrina Wilson and Autumn Morgan will be missed, but a promising crop of freshmen has the girls excited about getting the season started.

“We’ve got crazy fast freshmen this year,” Ayiana Prevost said. “Honestly, I feel like we’re looking pretty strong.”

Prevost is part of a core of four junior state returners who are primed to carry the Bulldogs to more state hardware. Emily Ballard, McKinley Jensen and Maren Davidson make up the rest of the crew that seems to be destined for greatness.

The four grew a tight bond as freshmen when they helped the girls capture a state title and that connection extends well beyond the water, Prevost said.

“It’s just so cool that I have these people that I’ve gotten to grow with,” she said. “I really love them all.”

The four juniors hold each other accountable, Jackson said, and he looks forward to seeing the jump they take this fall.

Jackson sees freshmen Terra Converse, Ryleigh Bamer and Ava de Leeuw having an immediate impact.

“I believe they’re going to add quite a bit back to the program,” he said.

Bamer owns several records for the Sharks and she’s been thinking about leaving her mark on the high school swim team for quite some time.

“I’m pretty excited,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for like six or seven years so it’s kind of weird to finally be on the team.”

Bamer’s strongest strokes are the freestyle and butterfly, so she expects to be featured in the 50 free and 100 fly this fall. She recently competed in the 2021 Western Zone Senior Championships in Clovis, California, along with Norling, and is fresh off a stellar summer with the Sharks.

Bamer is confident in her ability to contend with swimmers at the state meet in Boise this fall and she believes some healthy competition with her teammates, like Ballard, will only make her stronger.

Bamer and Prevost are among the high schoolers that swim year-round for the Sharks. Due to the pandemic, the club swim team was unable to compete in a meet for over a year. The Sharks finally returned to the pool this May and Jackson believes the short stint of competition will benefit the Bulldogs this fall.

“It’s kept them motivated and kept them on task and looking at getting better,” he said.

Prevost was the district champion in the 500 free last season and took third in the 200 free. At state, she was sixth in the 500 free and seventh in the 200, and was a member of the second-place 200 medley relay team.

Prevost will swim the 500 free again this fall, but is open to pretty much any other race for her second individual event. She’ll go wherever the team needs her.

The 500 free is the perfect event for Prevost. She likes the distance because it allows her to recover from any mistakes.

“You have time to think kind of about what you’re doing and not everything has to be completely perfect,” she said.

Cross country was a sport Prevost considered pursuing once she reached high school, but swimming won out in the end, mainly because of the friends she has gained from the pool.

“I really love this team,” she said.

Prevost will captain the girls this season and Jackson sees her thriving in the leadership role. He said Prevost has the respect of her peers and is extremely caring.

“She’s going to have her teammates’ backs and really support them in and out of the water,” he said.

As captain, the junior wants everyone’s voice to be heard.

“To mean it just means I’m a role model to my team and I’m in charge of just making sure that everyone feels included and that you have this safe and fun environment to swim in,” she said.

Despite grabbing a second-place trophy, Prevost said last season was a little disappointing because of the COVID-19 restrictions and the absence of an in-person state meet. Prevost is glad that state experience is returning this year and she can’t wait to hit the water for the opening meet.

Jackson said he has seen plenty of improvement from his returners over the offseason and he only sees them getting stronger as the season progresses. With a group like this, a state title is never out of reach.

“I think I’m going to be pleasantly surprised,” Jackson said about the girls. “There’s some hope, absolutely.”

The Bulldogs currently only have four meets scheduled for this spring and are not hosting a meet at the Litehouse YMCA this fall. Jackson said is hoping to add a trip to Idaho Falls later in the season.

Sandpoint will take on Post Falls and Wallace at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene.