Boys grab first trophy at state since 2014, girls place 9th
The SHS boys' cross country team poses for a photo with the fourth-place state trophy. Pictured (from left) is Sandpoint's varsity seven consisting of Slate Fragoso, Ben Ricks, Keegan Nelson, Nikolai Braedt, Jett Lucas, Trey Clark and Nathan Roche.
(Photo courtesy of MATT BRASS)
The SHS girls' cross country team poses for a photo at the 4A state championships on Friday. Pictured (from left): Camille Neuder, Annaby Kanning, Mackenzie Suhy-Gregoire, Grace Rookey, Megan Oulman, Ara Clark, Payton Betz and Quinn Hooper.
(Photo courtesy of ANGIE BRASS)
POCATELLO — The Sandpoint cross country team won't be returning home empty handed.
The boys captured fourth at the 4A state championships in Pocatello on Friday to secure their first trophy at state since 2014. This is the fourth time the boys have placed at state.
The Bulldogs had high hopes last season that a piece of state hardware was within their grasp, but they fell one spot and 26 points short of placing.
The boys got their redemption Friday and coach Matt Brass couldn't have been happier for his squad. It was the ultimate reward for all the miles they've put in.
"It's a culmination of a lot of work over the last few years for that crew," he said. "The boys last January defined this like, 'We want to bring home a trophy next year, we'd feel it would be a wasted opportunity if we didn't.' It was just exciting for Angie [Brass] and I to be able run over and say, 'You got it guys.'"
The girls took ninth out of the 13 teams that competed to earn their best finish at state since 2017 when they placed third.
"I'm very proud of them," girls cross country coach Angie Brass said. "Being able to get that ninth position was really exciting ... They all ran and executed the race plans that we had and paced it really well."
Preston won the boys state title while Skyline grabbed the girls.
The Sandpoint boys edged out Bishop Kelly by two points to secure fourth place thanks to a stellar race by senior Nikolai Braedt and the Bulldogs' depth.
Braedt earned medalist honors by placing 11th with a 16:24.
"He ran a really aggressive race," Matt said about Braedt. "He was probably in fifth at about the halfway point and a pack overtook him with about a mile to go and his legs were heavy again, but he was able to hold that 11th spot for the last half mile."
Last season, Braedt fell in the closing stages of the state race and missed out on a chance to place. Matt said this year's result meant a lot to him especially after having his junior track season taken away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It was validation for him," Matt said. "He's the school record holder, three-time regional champion and he didn't have a state medal, which didn't even make sense when I thought about it."
Matt said the elevation affected several of his runners, but they persevered to help the team reach glory.
Jett Lucas, a state medalist in 2019, captured 24th with a 16:47. Keegan Nelson came in 29th (17:07), Nathan Roche took 35th (17:16), Slate Fragoso was 49th (17:41), Ben Ricks secured 56th (18:00) and Trey Clark grabbed 67th (18:16) out of 102 runners.
Roche, a freshman, has shined all season for the Bulldogs and Matt said he ran an incredible race and he pointed out that "he was in the [medical] tent for about 40 minutes after the race because his oxygen saturation was so low."
"With about a half mile to go I knew the points were close," Matt said, "I knew we were right on that fifth-fourth line again, so I really started challenging them like, 'We need your points, every place counts,' and [Roche] was just wide-eyed. Honestly, everything he was worth went into that race."
On the girls' side, junior Mackenzie Suhy-Gregoire continued to lead the charge for Sandpoint placing 24th with a time of 20:14.
Coming into state, Suhy-Gregoire's goal was to place as an individual. She fell just short of that but improved on her finish last year at state by 40 spots and finished about nine seconds off her personal best.
Angie said Suhy-Gregoire was strong all the way through.
"She did great and she was very patient," she said.
The Bulldogs' other two state returners, junior Megan Oulman and sophomore Ara Clark, placed 54th (21:20) and 70th (21:58) respectively. Camille Neuder squeezed in between both of them and took 59th with a 21:35 to cap a successful senior season.
Grace Rookey (70th, 22:05), Payton Betz (91st, 22:52) and Annaby Kanning (95th, 23:09) rounded out the finishers for Sandpoint.
"Mackenzie, Ara and Megan all really utilized their experience from last year," Angie said.
Five of the seven runners on this year's state team will be back next year. Angie said this experience will help the team have a brighter future.
"It will be a different team at state [next year]," she said. "That wisdom moving forward is hugely beneficial."
