Gratitude drives Sandpoint cross country at state; boys seek redemption, girls look to gain experience

POCATELLO — The Sandpoint cross country team will race at state for the eighth straight year on Friday.

The Bulldogs’ continued dominance in North Idaho has allowed the squad to make state a regular occurrence, but this year feels different.

Like all teams across the country, the Bulldogs were worried their fall season wasn’t in the cards due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the team was given the opportunity to compete and you won’t find a group of individuals more thankful.

Cross country coaches Matt and Angie Brass, who took over the program in 2006, agreed that this is the most grateful team they’ve ever had.

“They’re happy to be here, but they’re happy that we are here because in their minds each week was a question mark,” Matt said. “... We had no clue how long this was going to last, so sitting here in October makes me really happy that they even made it this far.”

Cross country is all about running for one another and this season that message has never shined brighter.

The Bulldogs are used to making physical connections with each other after meets and during practice, it’s what makes cross country so special. But this fall, the team was forced to adjust some of their traditions to fit in with the new “normal.”

Angie said the squad has done an amazing job being flexible and not letting outside factors prevent them from making it to this point in the season.

“The amount of personal responsibility everyone had in understanding the ripple effect of what happens when someone doesn’t take care of themselves coming into a group … that was something everyone took on and that was a priority because it was important,” she said.

One obstacle Sandpoint didn’t see coming this season was a change in venue for the state championships. About two weeks ago, the Idaho High School Activities Association announced they were moving the event to the Portneuf Wellness Complex in Pocatello due to COVID-19 restrictions at Eagle Island State Park.

The site is in the regular rotation of state venues, but presents a particular challenge — elevation.

The state championships were held in Pocatello last year as well, but the Bulldogs knew what was coming then and trained months in advance for running at over 4,600 feet.

This season, Sandpoint didn’t get a chance to make Schweitzer their second home, but the Bulldogs aren’t letting the sudden change impact how they wrap up another storied season.

“I don’t think it was what anybody anticipated but I think everyone is happy to be able to have a state meet,” Angie said.

Boys shift mindset, look for redemption

The boys went into state last year with a trophy on their mind. Unfortunately, the team took fifth, one spot and 26 points short of placing.

It wasn’t the result the Bulldogs had hoped for, but it wasn’t like they didn’t have a great day. It was the fastest pack time the team had ever run at state, but the competition was brutal.

Matt said his team learned a lot from that experience and he believes they are stronger because of it.

“I think that they are a year smarter and a year more experienced,” he said. “This is something that they’ve had on their minds since state last year. It’s one of those things where we feel like we left an opportunity out there and we want to go for it this year.”

Senior captains Nikolai Braedt, Jett Lucas and Keegan Nelson, juniors Ben Ricks and Trey Clark, sophomore Slate Fragoso and freshman Nathan Roche will all compete at state for the Bulldogs. Freshman Kasten Grimm is the team’s alternate.

Sandpoint stormed to its third straight undefeated season against District I-II schools thanks in large part to their top-two runners, Lucas and Braedt, and a strong pack of four made up of Fragoso, Ricks, Roche and Clark.

Lucas and Braedt are both seeking finishes individually in the top 10. Matt said the Bulldogs will need the duo to accomplish that feat and the pack of four to continue to push their limits if they want to place at state.

“They’re the magic to the whole thing,” Matt said about the pack. “You can’t have that pack slide. Your four and five are the most important pieces of any state run.”

Braedt said the boys are looking forward to showing the rest of the state what they are capable of.

“We have a very solid team and we really could do something this year,” he said, “and I think we all know that and it’s been building up and now we’re just kind of this bulletproof team right now and we’ve all just been doing everything right.”

In 2019, Braedt finished 34th at state. He fell within a mile of the finish line and missed out on earning a state medalist spot in the top 20.

With state being run on the exact same course, Braedt sees this year as a chance at redemption for him and his team.

“When I heard it was at Pocatello at first it was a shock,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, wait we have to do this again,’ because I think our older returning runners have a bit of a sore spot with Pocatello just because it didn’t go as planned, but … this is a bit of redemption that we get to have and we know what’s coming and we know how other people are going to race it.”

Braedt, a three-time district champion, said he went out too fast at state last year and he plans on being more patient this time around.

“At that elevation that really put a damper on where we were,” he said, “so I think if we can go out at the right speed and then halfway just make moves to get up to where we want to be, we’ll be successful.”

Matt said 4A teams that are used to competing at high elevation strategically push the pace at the beginning of state, so the Bulldogs need to focus on running their own race and stick to what they do best.

The landscape in 4A at the state level has changed a bit. Idaho Falls, the defending state champs, moved up to 5A this fall, as did Kuna, who finished third in 2019.

The movement opens the door for a Sandpoint squad looking for its fourth trophy at state.

Going into state last year, Braedt and Matt said the boys focused a little too much on their times and trying to run the best race of their lives. This season, the team has established more realistic goals as a whole and they believe that has benefited them mentally.

“Last year, I feel like there was some pressure of looking out to regionals and state from August,” Matt said, “and this year we weren’t doing that. It was like let’s just look at this one week at a time and I think it took a lot of pressure of it in a way.”

Lucas earned medalist honors last year at state with a 15th place finish. He built off that junior season success early this fall winning the team’s first four events, but he got sick between the Lake City IEL meet on Sept. 19 and the Inland Empire Challenge on Oct. 3.

The illness disrupted his training and flow, but he’s overcome the bump in the road and worked his way back to the form he had earlier this season.

“Some of the last few races haven’t been the greatest I’ve ever had with a little bit of an energy issue,” he said, “but I’m still pretty optimistic. “I think I’ve gotten it figured out and I’m getting into that mentality for state.”

Lucas said he felt really good running at state in 2019, so he isn’t too worried about the lack of elevation training affecting him.

Besides Lucas and Braedt, Nelson (38th) and Clark (59th) are the only other boys that raced at state last season.

Lucas admitted it’s difficult to prepare the younger runners for the nerves they will feel at state, but he told them to just leave it all out there and enjoy the moment.

Lucas said getting a chance to finish his cross country career at state and write his own ending is an incredible opportunity that didn’t seem possible a few months ago.

“At the start of this cross country season, it wasn’t something we could look out to, it wasn’t a guarantee,” he said, “and to have it finally set in stone like, ‘Yes, we are going to state,’ I’m unbelievably grateful.”

This is the third straight year Lucas and Braedt will run at state. They both said their favorite part about the state experience is the bus ride.

This year, the time on the bus will be different due to COVID-19, but Lucas can’t wait to create deeper bonds with his teammates, and he knows the bus ride home will be full of emotions.

“I’m not looking forward to it, but also looking forward to it at the same time,” he said about the final bus ride. “I know it’s going to be something amazing and really special.”

Regardless of the outcome at state, Braedt said he has enjoyed every moment on this team.

“It’s been the best experience of my life,” he said. “It’s brought me to who I want to be and has really expanded my ideas and the possibilities of what I can do and just who I want to be.”

Young girls squad hopes to gain experience

The girls took 10th last year at state and the Bulldogs are taking a similar approach when it comes to expectations at the event this fall.

In 2019, the Bulldogs were led by a pair of stellar seniors. This year, junior Mackenzie Suhy-Gregoire has stood out as the team’s No. 1 runner. Competing alongside her at state will be seniors Camille Neuder and Annaby Kanning, junior Megan Oulman, sophomores Ara Clark and Payton Betz and freshman Grace Rookey. Senior captain Quinn Hooper will serve as the alternate.

Suhy-Gregoire (64th), Oulman (65th) and Clark (83rd) all ran at state last year, but the rest of the team is new to the stage..

Sandpoint is young and Angie said she plans on leaning on the state experience they already have and using this opportunity to build a brighter future.

“We want to get some experience, so we just want to do the best we can and see where it lies,” she said. “There’s no pressure because no one is expecting something crazy. They just want to go down and run strong races and I think that’s a beautiful spot to be in.”

Suhy-Gregoire’s huge leap this fall started last year at state.

“She ran great there last year and she’s had a really impressive season,” Angie said.

Suhy-Gregoire has finished in the top-7in six of the events she has competed in this season and she recorded a personal best 20:05.9 at Travers Park on Aug. 28.

Suhy-Gregoire believes a medalist spot could be within reach for her this Friday at state and she’s feeling confident heading into the meet.

“I definitely like that course,” she said. “I had a really good race there last year so I’m excited … I know I have to keep my breathing in check and just make sure I’m doing what’s right for me, so I finish the race strong.”

To get inside the top 20 at state, Angie said Suhy-Gregoire will most likely need to set a new PR and break 20 minutes.

Angie said having less than two weeks to prepare for altitude isn’t ideal, but the team is focusing on what they can control, such as their diet and mentality.

Just like the boys, Angie said the start of the race will be key to the girls success.

“The message is having a disciplined first mile,” she said. “For us, it’s just maintaining and knowing the pace we need to be at and then making some moves in the second and third miles.”

Angie said the course is still fresh in the minds’ of the returners, so they know what they need to tweak in order to see improvement at state.

Suhy-Gregoire said the altitude hits differently, but she believes the team is ready for that challenge.

Neuder, one of the two team captains, has stepped up for the Bulldogs this fall. Earlier this season, she bested her PR by nearly a minute and she placed third at districts. She has also helped Rookey get acclimated to competing at the varsity level.

“For her senior season, she is just running so well,” Angie said about Neuder, “and she is a great mentor for Grace, too, because that’s her partner and her pack.”

Neuder traveled to state in 2019 as an alternate.

“I’ve seen this course in action,” she said, “and been able to cheer on my teammates, so now I’m really excited for the opportunity to be alongside them on the line.”

Every meet, the varsity girls write “For Each Other” on their calves. It’s a tradition and a motto that has stuck with the team for years, but this year Neuder said she has lived by that saying more than ever and it’s driven her to success.

“It really resonates with me because that’s why I’m still here, because this team is so powerful,” she said.

Despite the restrictions COVID-19 has presented, Suhy-Gregoire said she has gotten closer on a personal level with the girls around her.

“At state, you get so close with your teammates, like last year we were sisters … now it’s even more so because we know each other better,” she said, “and I’m just excited for the bus rides, spending time together, the hotel rooms and everything where I’m just with my team.”

Neuder wants the girls to go down to Pocatello and give everything they have for one another and she said being a captain has been such a rewarding experience.

“It’s been one of the best gifts I’ve ever been able to receive,” she said. “Each member on the team has taught me something and taught me those life lessons and that’s how I’ve really grown I think is learning from all of them. This team is just filled with such wonderful and caring people, and I’ve been so blessed to be with them the last four years.”

Neuder, Suhy-Gregoire and the rest of the team feels fortunate that they even got a season and being able to culminate it all with a state appearance is hard to believe.

“It’s amazing that we get to do this,” Suhy-Gregoire said. “We’ve made it so far … I feel bad for the other teams that don’t get to do this, we’re so lucky.”

Angie said a lot of memories will be made this week at state and she’s proud of the progression the team has made throughout the season.

Neuder said when she crosses the finish line for the final time it will put an end to an amazing chapter in her life. But she knows the relationships she made on this team go well beyond cross country and will last a lifetime.

“Matt and Angie are the two best mentors I’ve ever had the privilege of learning from,” she said, “and my best friends are on this team ... I’ve been so blessed to just be a part of it.

I’m pretty lucky to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Sandpoint will race in the 4A state championships Friday in Pocatello. Girls start at 10:30 a.m. PST, followed by the boys at 11:15 a.m. PST.