Young Bulldog track team eager to make mark

SANDPOINT — With more than 90 athletes out, including a strong nucleus of underclassmen, Sandpoint track head coach Dave DeMers has high hopes for a promising season.

The talent and overall numbers are there to contend for a regional title, with a handful of athletes capable of vying for a state medal.

“Our goal is to take double figures to state in both the boys and the girls,” said DeMers, who is encouraged by the highest turnout in years. “Things are going to pop for us this year.”

Leading the boys team will be sophomore Sam Levora, junior Chris Turnbull and senior Paul Hill. Hill cleared a personal best 12 feet in the pole vault to finish 12th at state last year, and is hungry to improve under the tutelage of vaulting coach Rob Dosher.

“He PR’d in almost every meet, and that’s hard to do,” said Dosher, noting Hill would love to challenge the school record of 14-9, held by Chris Love. “He’d like to get the record, and he’s a hard worker. I think 13-6 is a good height for him this year.”

Levora will run the 3,200 and 1,600, looking to improve after a breakout season in cross country last fall. He’ll team with senior James Cartwright and junior Tim Prummer in the distance events.

“He’s looking strong already,” said distance coach Matt Brass, noting Levora could challenge for the 3,200 school record of 9:44 if things progress. “Based on his momentum from cross country, he’ll come on strong and be a state competitor.”

Turnbull will run the 100, 200 and anchor the relays along with junior Kevin Hill. Turnbull has the natural speed, including a personal best 11.4 in the 100 and a 5th place state finish in the medley relay, but a slip at the start of the 100 in districts last year cost him a spot at state.

“He’s got the talent to be at the top of our league,” said DeMers of Turnbull. “He needs to be our anchor in a lot of things.”

Senior Tyler Navarro has heaved 39-0 in the shot put, while junior Todd Pays is right behind him at 37-0. Pays is also the Bulldogs’ top discus thrower, and will team with senior Josh Loutzenhiser in a solid stable of throwers.

Leading the girls team will be sophomore thrower Nikole Alamillo, who placed 8th in the discus at state as a freshman and also excels at the shot. Junior Megan McCoy, sophomore Cassie Young and freshman Erika Marks add depth as throwers.

Alamillo will look to post big improvements from last year’s marks, under the coaching of assistant coach and mom Laura Alamillo, who holds the SHS school record of 41-0 in the shot put.

Nikole is hoping to not only break her mom’s record before she leaves Sandpoint, but also the shot put record, which has stood for decades.

“I certainly hope she does,” said Laura of Nikole breaking her record. “I’m hoping it takes a couple years.”

Juniors Maddie Suppiger and Jennie Meulenberg will compete in both the jumps and hurdles. Suppiger cleared 4-10 to finish 14th at state last year in the high jump, and DeMers feels the 5-foot-10 jumper has the tall frame and technique to go much higher.

“If she jumps to her potential, she could hit 5-3 or 5-4. She needs to compete every meet and not worry about anything else,” said DeMers, who also sees good things for Meulenberg in the long jump and triple jump. “I could see her going to state in three events.”

Leading the girls distance runners will be junior Aubrie Perry in the 3,200, sophomore Sydney Foster in the 1,600, and sophomore Bre Jones, who finished 15th at state last year in the 800.

“We need to get them up and over their times from last year — that confidence barrier,” said Brass of the trio, noting it’s been tough with the cold, wet weather. “I’d like to get one girl to state in each distance event.”

The Bulldogs open the season on Saturday at the West Valley Invitational.