YEAR IN REVIEW: Here are the Top 10 Sports Storylines of 2024

In no particular order, here are the top 10 sports storylines in Bonner County based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, accomplishments, year-over-year team and individual improvements, upsets, and of course, the joyous moments witnessed by fans and spectators alike that brought us to tears of happiness.

Without further ado ...

1. Priest River football puts together historic year

Under head coach Alex Zepeda, in his first year coaching a full varsity schedule, the Spartans posted a winning record of 6-3 — their first winning season since 2013 — and clinched the 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2012. Led by a run-heavy offense, one that posted 493 yards on the ground in their 64-26 3A Central Idaho League win over Kellogg, the Spartans broke the points scored school record with 288 in one season. As previously reported, senior running back Sawyer Staudt put up "Ashton-Jeanty-like" numbers and broke multiple school rushing records while the Spartan defense broke the record for most turnovers forced in a game with six interceptions during a 34-27 win over Colfax. 

The best part? Priest River is only graduating four seniors and will return tons of talent for the 2025 season.

2. Sandpoint's Klein Fragoso wins pole vault state title

A testament to one of the most dominant pole-vaulting programs in North Idaho, Klein accomplished all his goals during the 2024 track and field season. The list is long ... but he won the Bonners Ferry Invite, the Wildcat Spring Invite, the Christina Finney Co-ed Relays, the Rasmussen Invite, the Priest River Invitational, and the Timberlake Invitational with a new school record vault of 14 feet and 9 inches. He then went on to win the Meet of Champions, the 5A state title, and this past summer, won the USATF Inland Northwest Association Junior Olympic Championships with a vault of 15 feet and 3 inches and placed fourth in the "Emerging Elite Division" at 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals, which were held at the University of Oregon in late June.

3. Priest River's Colm McLaimtaig wins wrestling state title 

Currently a senior, then a junior, Colm dominated on the mat in 2024. During the 2023-2024 season, wrestling at 138 pounds, he put up a record of 49-10, won the Chad E Ross Invitational, the Conrad Garner Invitational, the 2A (now 3A) District 1-2 title with two pins and a technical fall victory, and the 2A state title after winning by two pins, a major decision, and by an 8-7 decision in the championship match. Watch out for him again this year, as he's looking to become one of the first Spartans to win back-to-back state titles in school history, this time at 144 pounds.

4. Sandpoint girls soccer embraces underdog mentality

A No. 3 seed in the 5A Inland Empire League postseason tournament, the Bulldogs pawed their way to one of the most impressive "underdog" runs in Sandpoint High soccer history. Led offensively by senior forward Marlee McCrum, and defensively by senior goalkeeper Lilliana Brinkmeier, they posted an 11-6-2 record, beat No. 2 Moscow (2-0) and No. 1 Lewiston (3-0), teams they didn't beat in the regular season, to win the 5A IEL district title. At the 5A state tournament, they continued to excel, defeating No. 5 Hillcrest (1-0) and No. 1 Middleton in a thrilling penalty shootout before falling just shy of Pocatello in the championship match.

5. Priest River's Brayden Lamanna runs to records

An All-North Idaho selection, Brayden raced to some blazing fast cross-country times this season, breaking the 5,000-meter school record multiple times in the process. Lamanna won the Bonners Ferry Invite, the Ben Castro Invitational, the 3A Central Idaho League district championship, was fifth at the Bob Firman Invitational, third at the Inland Empire Championships where he set the new school record time of 15 minutes and 42 seconds, and finally, was fourth at the 3A state meet. He'll look to continue to break records for Priest River this upcoming track and field season.

6. Sandpoint's Jack Lovin stuns crowd with XC district title win

The sophomore made his mark in the history books by running to a new personal best 5,000-meter time of 16 minutes and 39 seconds to win the 5A Inland Empire League district championship by roughly one second, edging out a Lakeland sophomore on the final straightaway in order to do so. He helped the Bulldogs capture their 12th straight district title and then followed it up by placing 22nd at the 5A state meet with a time of 16 minutes and 51 seconds.

7. Sandpoint baseball downs CDA in opener

To start off the 2024 season, the Bulldogs bested Coeur d'Alene for the first time since 2009 with a 13-5 performance at War Memorial Field. Mason Little, then a sophomore, had three hits, including a double, three runs scored and an RBI while Lehman, then a junior, went 2-for-5 with a single, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Parker Reichart, then a sophomore, sealed the deal by pitching four relief innings, giving up just four hits, one walk, and no earned runs while striking out five Vikings.

8. Sandpoint swimming sweeps district, state titles

For the first time in school history, both the Sandpoint girls and boys swim teams won state titles in the same year, breaking numerous school records in the process. At the state meet, the Bulldogs took home a combined four gold medals in the relays and broke three school records — 500 free (Ava de Leeuw, 5:23.81), 200 medley relay (Max Zuberbuhler, McCoy Jensen, Kai Leavitt, Kale Wright, 1:43.98) and the 200 free relay (Leavitt, Jensen, Wright, Lou Foust, 1:31.19). They'll lose some top talent to graduation, but will return enough for another state title run on both sides next season.

9. Sandpoint boys basketball makes Cinderella run 

The Bulldogs did what many thought was impossible during the 2023-2024 season ... they won three straight 4A (now 5A) Inland Empire League district tournament games on the road to capture the title and punch their ticket to the 4A state tournament for the first time since 2009. Led by then senior Parker Childs, and Emerik Jones, then a junior, Sandpoint, after coming up winless against Lakeland and Moscow during the regular season, beat the Hawks 64-62 in a loser-out game and then Moscow, back-to-back, with wins of 64-58 and 58-45.

10. Priest River boys soccer wins first match at districts

In his second year as head coach, Ryan Carruth is building up the quite the program in West Bonner County. After registering a total of three wins combined between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Spartans went 6-7-1 in 2024 and beat Timberlake for the first time in eight years. During the 4A Intermountain League district tournament, senior Cameron Howell scored late in the second half against Orofino to lift Priest River to their first win at districts in school history.

    Sandpoint's Sam Leaverton makes a move on a Lewiston defender during a home game at War Memorial Field.
  

    Sandpoint's Ava de Leeuw competes during a dual against Skyline at the Litehouse YMCA.