SHS cross country shines at Inland Empire Challenge

LEWISTON — Sandpoint cross country took part in its largest meet so far this season Saturday at the Inland Empire Challenge in Lewiston.

The boys captured first at the meet for the fourth time this season while the girls secured a third-place finish.

Senior Nikolai Braedt led the way for the boys, taking second overall with a 15:55. Boys cross country coach Matt Brass said Braedt led most of the race and set the pace, but Thunder Ridge's Seth Bingham had a little left in the tank and overtook him just before they got to the finish line.

"Nik did a lot of the work upfront by himself," he said. "Nik was doing a really good job by himself just holding off all these onslaughts of surges."

Jett Lucas captured sixth with 16:06. This was the first race this season Lucas didn't win.

Matt said Lucas missed a whole week of practice right after the Lake City IEL meet on Sept. 19 due to illness and he could tell he didn't have the same energy.

Keegan Nelson came home in 11th with a 16:44 and Nathan Roche, Trey Clark and Slate Fragoso followed closely behind in 15th, 17th and 18th respectively.

Roche ran a personal best 16:48 and shattered Sam Levora's freshman 5K record of 17:21.

"He's a really patient and intelligent runner," Matt said about Roche. "Nathan does a really good job of running with that pack."

Ben Ricks also grabbed a 22nd place finish. Fragoso and Ricks both ran PR's.

"Our boys did really well," Matt said. "I would have like to seen Nik and Jett both run together."

All season the girls' top three runners — Mackenzie Suhy-Gregoire, Ara Clark and Megan Oulman — have been trading places and Saturday it was Oulman's turn to lead the team across the finish line. Oulman took 14th with a 20:41.

"Megan really pulled through," girls cross country coach Angie Brass said. "She ran a fantastic race."

Senior captain Camille Neuder captured 17th with a 20:57 and Suhy-Gregoire came in right behind her in 18th with a 21:10.

Angie said Suhy-Gregoire was just a little bit off, but her teammates stepped up and did what they needed to do.

"That's the mark of a good team," she said. "No one is going to have a great race or a great day every time, but it's good that they have the strength and capability to be able to know and recognize what's happening."

Clark placed 20th with a 21:17, Payton Betz captured 29th with a PR, Grace Rookey took 32nd and Quinn Hooper brought home 43rd.

"I think they all ran really tough," Angie said.

Betz was hampered by a back injury earlier this season and Angie said it's been great seeing her get back to full strength.

"It's fun to see someone feeling good and being able to train consistently, and now it's paying off and helping her team," she said.

Sandpoint finished 63 points behind first-place Post Falls and 26 behind runner-up Coeur d'Alene.

In JV, the girls took home the team title while the boys finished two points behind first-place Timberlake. Caleb Roche and Annaby Kanning led the way for both squads.

The Bulldogs will host the William Johnson Sandpoint Invitational 10 a.m. Saturday at Riley Creek.

BOYS VARSITY

TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint 38. 2, Post Falls 62. 3, Lewiston 86. 4, Coeur d’Alene 113. 5, Logos 143. 6, Lake City 157. 7, McCall-Donnelly 158. 8, Timberlake 168. 9, Potlatch 279. 10, Troy 290.

SANDPOINT RESULTS — 2, Nikolai Braedt, 15:55. 6, Jett Lucas, 16:06. 11, Keegan Nelson, 16:44. 15, Nathan Roche, 16:48. 17, Trey Clark, 16:52. 18, Slate Fragoso, 16:58. 21, Ben Ricks, 17:06.0.

GIRLS VARSITY

TEAM SCORES — 1, Post Falls 27. 2, Coeur d’Alene 64. 3, Sandpoint 90. 4, Logos 110. 5, Lake City 112. 6, McCall-Donnelly 150. 7, Timberlake 175. 8, Lewiston 185. 9, Potlatch 237.

SANDPOINT RESULTS — 14, Megan Oulman, 20:41. 17, Camille Neuder, 20:57. 18, MacKenzie Suhy-Gregoire, 21:10. 20, Ara Clark, 21:17. 29, Payton Betz, 22:11.1. 32, Grace Rookey, 22:37.1. 43, Quinn Hooper, 23:08.1.

BOYS JV

TEAM SCORES — 1, Timberlake 40. 2, Sandpoint 42. 3, Post Falls 86. 4, Lewiston 95. 5, Coeur d'Alene 95. 6, Lake City 158. 7, CDA Charter 213. 8, Prairie 223.

SANDPOINT RESULTS — 2, Caleb Roche, 18:19.0. 5, Kasten Grimm, 18:41.1. 10, Riley Christman, 19:00.0. 11, Gavin Jasper, 19:05.0. 14, Anders Eastley, 19:13.1. 21, Isaac Babin, 19:38.1. 26, Daniel Ricks, 19:47.1. 28, Nate Dotson, 19:57.1. 29, Kjetil Lund-Anderson, 19:58.1. 39, Jimmy Cornelius, 20:41.1. 41, Ethan Barcklay, 20:51.1. 42, William Dotson, 20:51.2. 49, Isaiah Hagstrom, 21:06.1. 51, Josiah Hill, 21:12.1.

GIRLS JV

TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint 30. 2, Coeur d'Alene 55. 3, Post Falls 67. 4, Prairie 71.

SANDPOINT RESULTS — 3, Annaby Kanning, 22:58.1 6, Tiffany Brown, 23:48.1. 7, Isabelle Walkington, 24:07.1. 12, Terra Bode, 24:51.1. 13, Katelyn Greenway, 24:53.1. 14, Devin McDaniel, 25:18.1. 28, Audrey Anderson, 27:10.1. 42, Laurelyn Eastley, 36:18.1.