Sandpoint athletes excelling in classroom
There were a lot of impressive numbers posted this spring sports season, which recently ended, putting the finishing touches on another great season at Sandpoint and Clark Fork high schools.
For instance, Caleb Edlund raked to the tune of a gaudy .472 batting average for the Bulldog baseball team, Bri Baldree posted a 3.20 ERA on the mound with 140 strikeouts in 107 innings, Kaleb Merrill sprung for a 20-7 personal best in the long jump at state, Jack Reeves shot a 75 and a pair of 76’s in his first varsity golf season, and Clark Fork’s Brandan Bowen cleared 10-6 in the pole vault.
Impressive numbers, the lot of them.
But here’s one that makes all of the above pale in comparison: 3.49. That’s the cumulative GPA for all of the spring sports athletes, putting the student into the term student-athlete.
Here’s the breakdown: boys tennis, 3.70; girls tennis, 3.79; softball, 3.11; baseball, 3.51; girls track, 3.67; boys track, 3.14 (Pi, for those scoring at home); girls golf, 3.58; boys golf, 3.38.
“As you can see, our student-athletes not only achieve in their sports, but in the classroom as well,” praised rightfully proud athletic director Kris Knowles. “Thanks to all of you who support these students and coaches. We truly believe academics and athletics are a partnership here at Sandpoint High School.”
When it’s all said and done, those numbers posted in the classroom will ultimately play a bigger role in any student’s life than the numbers posted on any field.
Big props to all the athletes at Sandpoint, keep it up.
How about the primo weather this spring? There has been many a spring sports season where teams shovel snow and practice indoors for the first half of the season. There have been years where it rains for half of April and May, and teams are lucky to get one or two sun-soaked games in.
Not this year. A mild winter morphed into a warm and dry spring, and this year’s senior class got to enjoy the best spring conditions in decades, if you’re to believe the locals.
At a baseball game at War Memorial Field in May, Sandpoint first baseman Paul Sundquist trotted out to his position, clad in sunglasses to fight the bright glare, and said to the umpire “How you doin’ Blue?”
“Great, and you?” Blue replied.
“I’m awesome,” responded the ever-positive Sundquist.
How could he not be, playing another in a string of 75 degree baseball games at one of the nicest sports venues in the United States. Sundquist is one of a host of underclassmen that helped win 10 games this year, and the team will enter next season as the favorite in the 4A North ranks under coach Scott Fitchett.
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For the second consecutive year, a highly-talented Bulldog distance runner fell just short of claiming a state track title.
Last year it was Sam Levora, who just finished a solid freshman year running for Washington State University, grabbing yet another second place finish at state.
This year, Mikhaela Woodward came up just short for the third straight year, finishing second in the 800 and third in the 1,600. She’s no stranger to the state podium, but the quest for a state title just eluded her.
Small consolation prize, but Woodward does have two state titles in cross country to fall back on, and for the past three years, has been one of the premier distance runners in the region.
Whether rounding training laps at the track, or running in packs around town, the distance runners in Sandpoint are a dedicated, hard working bunch. How can you not pull for athletes like that?
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A special thank you goes out to Jason Duchow, a ridiculously talented photographer whose photos help strengthen the Bee sports page.
He shoots nearly every sporting event in Sandpoint, and his sports handiwork with a lens is worthy of running in the biggest papers in the country.
Duchow was a standout athlete as well, and holds the SHS discus record of 168-4, set in 1992. The mark would still win the 4A state title more years than not. He still has a soft spot for the throwers, where he mounted a camera inside the throwing cage for more excellent photos this season.
If your son or daughter played sports in Sandpoint this year, there’s a good chance Duchow has taken their photo at some point.
His work can be viewed, and purchased, by visiting www.jasonduchowphotography.com.
Eric Plummer is the sports editor of the Daily Bee in Sandpoint. For comments, suggestions or story ideas, he can be reached at eplummer@bonnercountydailybee.com.