Another banner week for Sandpoint cross country

SANDPOINT — It was another strong week for Sandpoint cross country, from the middle school level through college, led by the Sandpoint girls and boys varsity teams, which both won the 3rd annual Inland Empire Klassic this weekend in the Lewiston Orchards.

The girls had four of the top five finishers in the race and all seven in the top 16 out of 92 runners. There were 12 full girls teams, and they won with a score of 21, distancing themselves from second place Eastmont who scored a 99.

Freshman Katherine Kaul won with a time of 18:39 and moved into a tie for third on the Sandpoint all-time top 25 5K list. Mikhaela Woodward was third, and Rainey Woodward fourth with a 19:22, moving her to No. 7 all time.

“The girls pack time for top five was a 19:30, moving up over a minute from last year’s best pack time,” said coach Matt Brass.

There were 13 full teams in the boys race, and out of 104 runners in the race, Kenny Kovalchuk was seventh, running a 16:41, moving him to 7th on the all time 5K list. Sam Powell was 8th, running a 16:44, and Jacob Graham was 9th with a 16:49. The boys pack time was a 16:52, which is the fastest team pack time since 1994.

For the JV teams, the boys took 3rd place overall out of 11 teams and the girls placed first out of four teams with a very low 16 points, a near perfect score. The girls race had 62 runners, and Lauren Orr won the race with a 22:07. Emily Marshall was second with a 22:12, Dana Beaty was third with a 22:12.5, Grace Bradley was fourth with a 22:35, Megan Frazier was sixth with a 23:13, Saydee Brass seventh with a 23:16 and Erin Meek 10th with a 23:46.

The boys race had 125 runners, and Sandpoint again had the winner with Finn Lund, who ran the race in 17:48. Reilly Wolfe was third with an 18:15.

“The JV teams ran very well, and the team now has 14 boys and 14 girls under the varsity standard,” said Brass.

Next weekend Sandpoint doesn’t race, instead the team will host the annual Kids Clinic on Friday at Sandpoint High School from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The clinic is for any elementary school kids grades 4-6. At the end of the clinic there will be a one mile race.

The Bulldogs next race will be the home meet on Oct.11 at Riley Creek Campgrounds.

This week the middle school ran at Timberlake on a 1.6 mile course. There were nine teams competing, and the boys team took second to Woodland 45 to 62. Sloan Woodward placed second in the race by running a 9:12, even after being tripped and hitting the ground hard 60 meters into the race -getting up at about 60th place.  

In the girls race, Niah Brass moved to take the lead with a half mile to go and never looked back, winning with a time of 9:36 out of the field of 102 runners.

n Three Sandpoint alumni compete in college

Former Bulldog Sam Levora and the WSU Courgars won the Stanford Invite, beating the pac 12 No. 2 ranked Stanford men by two points (73-75) on their home university golf course. Levora set a new 8K personal best of 24:18 and finished third for his team. Right now he is ranked as one of the top two freshman in the Pac 12.

The Cougar harriers next race Oct. 18 at the Pre National Invitational at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

Matt Burgstahler. of Saint John’s University, ran ninth for his team this week, placing 48th of of 205 runners at the Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by the University of Minnesota. His team took 4th out of 17.

Molly Burgstahler was also running at the meet, so brother and sister got to cheer each other on. Her St.Scholastica team placed 10th in the race, and Molly she was the seventh runner for her team earning the varsity spot. She finished 80th out of 300 runners in a 25:22.