So what sticks out most about the 2008 fall sports season?

After hundreds of games, plenty of drama and three more state championships in Sandpoint, the 2008 fall sports season officially reached its end last weekend with the conclusion of the state football playoffs.

One of my favorite questions to ask of coaches or players, one that always seems to elicit a great response and strong quote, is this: What sticks out to you most about …?

So without further ado, I will personally answer that question regarding each area sports team's season, calling upon hundreds of hours spent watching, photographing, and writing about the local sports teams this fall.

• Sandpoint boys soccer: Surprisingly, it wasn't the fact that they won the 4A state title, for that was almost a foregone conclusion considering the wealth of talent taking to the pitch each game, rather, it was how well they got along and how much fun they seemed to have playing. They possessed the best chemistry of any Bulldog team in recent memory, and the dominating results were a testament to that. The scary part is they return their three leading scorers next year.

n Sandpoint volleyball: To put it simply, this was the most dominating team I've covered in my four years at the Bee. They captured the school's 14th state title, something folks in these parts have become so accustomed to that it's almost taken for granted. This point was driven home to me when coach Karen Alsager said she felt her team sometimes doesn't get to fully enjoy their accomplishments because it's almost expected. This was the best team in the state, regardless of classification, and perhaps one of the best teams in the Northwest.

• Sandpoint football: Although the Bulldogs lost, the home playoff battle against Mountain Home is the kind of football game both teams will remember most when reliving their glory days decades down the road. The mud-covered, soaked and exhausted players, many of whom played both ways the entire game, left all they had on the Barlow Stadium turf. The game was eerily reminiscent of two recent heart-breaking playoff losses to Bishop Kelly. Despite tough losses in each of those games, it's hard to deny the memorable nature and immense drama of all three.

• Sandpoint girls soccer: After cutting their teeth against the top teams in the Greater Spokane League before winning the 5A district title, the Bulldogs were intent on going after the school's first-ever 5A banner. Unfortunately, they had to compete in the state tournament without the services of Bailey Hewitt, their most dominant player, who tore her knee up in the district championship. While they managed to win two games and claim a fourth place trophy, it's tough not to wonder what might have been. Such is sports.

• Clark Fork football: Coaches love to talk about running downhill, but in Clark Fork it happens literally. When a brand new track was built encircling the football field this year, it was built up nearly three feet higher on one end than the other, meaning for years the football field gains or drops - depending on which end you stand - three feet in the 120 yard span from end zone to end zone. It was an uphill battle, in more ways than one, for the young Wampus Cats, who had the unenviable and daunting task of rebuilding - never an easy task in eight man football.

• Sandpoint swimming: Paulina Gralow winning her fourth 100 meter breaststroke state championship and breaking the state record in the process was the pinnacle of the swimming season. She trained hard all summer and went into the season with the express goal of breaking the state record. She did one better, demolishing it, and cementing her status as one of the best swimmers in Idaho. She was subsequently named a high school All-American swimmer.

• Clark Fork volleyball: Almost without fail, whenever first-year coach Carolyn Speelmon would talk about her team's play she would mention Shaina Gustafson's hustle. If a ball was hit within the same zip code as Gustafson, it was a good bet she'd somehow get her arms on it, or dive trying. At the smaller schools, volleyball is often just another of the sports each girl plays, not their primary focus, so hustle and grit understandably goes a long way.

• Sandpoint cross country: The Moscow, Sandpoint and Lakeland boys runners stepped to the starting line of the 5K district cross country race, leaned forward, and waited with bated breath for the starting gun of Randy Heller to go off. One over-eager Moscow runner somehow managed to fall forward and false start, something I've never seen before in a cross country race, where the start is essentially meaningless. "Come on fellas, relax, it's a long race," boomed Heller's deep voice amid a chorus of laughter from those at the starting line. Megan Bartlett had her fourth straight outstanding season for the girls, breaking the school record and finishing second at state.

• Clark Fork cross country: It wasn't Adam Denham's top 10 finish at state this year or the fact that he was the lone varsity member of Clark Fork's first-ever cross country team that sticks out most, although both certainly did. It was seeing Denham, his spot at state already secure with a win at the 1A/2A district meet days before, on hand to cheer his surrogate Sandpoint teammates on at their 4A district meet. It was a class act, and emblematic of the tight-knit camaraderie that you see at cross country meets, where teammates often cheer the loudest for the final few finishers of a race.

On to winter sports we go.

Eric Plummer is the sports editor of the Daily Bee. For comments, suggestions or story ideas, he can be reached at 263-9534, ext. 226, or via email at "eplummer@cdapress.com."