Lining up their successes

It took Sandpoint High senior Blake Mahler three trips to state this year to get what he desired, but he finally got what he was seeking.

For senior Breanna Sande of Lake City, the end of her much-heralded career was similar to the beginning and most everything in between – golden.

Mahler and Sande are the Idaho Spokesman-Review’s 2004-05 Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

In his next-to-last race at the 4A state track meet, Mahler pulled away from the field to capture a state championship in the 300-meter hurdles. It was a gold medal he thought might have come much sooner.

Mahler did everything but sell popcorn and programs for the Bulldogs’ football team last fall, and the Inland Empire League coaches recognized as much when they voted him the conference’s most valuable player. A two-way starter at wide receiver and defensive back, Mahler led Sandpoint to the league title with 31 receptions for 787 yards and 18 touchdowns.

His feet were involved in more things than just catches and tackles, though. As Sandpoint’s place-kicker, his 23-yard field goal in the final seconds of a 17-14 win over Post Falls secured the league title. He scored just about every way imaginable, including returning an interception, kickoffs and punts for TDs.

In Sandpoint’s 52-19 win over Lewiston, Mahler scored five TDs, kicked a field goal and booted seven extra points for 40 points.

“What made him probably the most explosive player around was his vision,” Bulldogs football coach Sean Dorris said. “He had great vision. He could read blocks and see holes and had the athletic ability to exploit those holes when he had the opportunity.”

Sandpoint’s postseason ended in a disappointing first-round loss at home against Caldwell.

“For me the season wasn’t satisfying,” said Mahler. “I wanted to be in the state title game again (like two years ago).”

Dorris appreciates Mahler’s desire.

“One of the things that makes Blake such a great athlete is his competitive nature,” Dorris said. “He is extremely competitive and has a desire to win. He has a work ethic that matches that.”

Even the historic basketball season left Mahler unfulfilled. He was the second-leading scorer (10 points per game) on a team that ended the school’s 27-year drought of state tournament appearances.

Mahler was perhaps the Bulldogs’ most consistent player in their two losses at state as he scored 18 and 14 points.

“We were more happy that we made it to state,” Mahler said. “That seemed like it was enough, but we should have focused and made some noise. We could have come home with a trophy.”

Said basketball coach Tyler Haynes: “More than anything, Blake’s a performer. He plays at his best when it’s needed. If you needed to make a big shot, he was willing to take it.”

When Mahler qualified for state in track, he was determined not to leave empty-handed. But he had to overcome a personal demon.

He tripped over a hurdle in the 300 prelims his junior year and didn’t qualify for the finals.

“I thought I should have won last year,” Mahler said.

So when he found himself in the same lane for prelims this year and ticked the same hurdle, he felt a lump in his throat.

“I clipped the hurdle with the back foot of my trail leg,” Mahler said. “My heart stopped for a moment.”

Mahler regained his composure. In the finals, he won by about 15 meters.

He plans to play football for one year this fall at a junior college in California before transferring to Central Washington University for his final three years.

“You put him on a football field, basketball court or track and he would be an instant success,” Sandpoint track coach Dave DeMers said. “You can’t say that about every athlete. He’s a kid every coach would love to have because he’s a competitor.”

The final count of state medals for Sande is staggering. She finished second in the State 5A cross country meet for a third time last fall to go along with her state title as a sophomore.

She finished with 15 state medals in track, including a fourth straight state title in the 1,600 – a feat no other 5A distance runner has accomplished. She also broke the classification record in the 1,600 and did so in winning the 800.

Her four-year track career also included two state team titles and two runner-up finishes.

Equally amazing is the fact that the Boise State-bound Sande never lost a state-qualifying regional race in track or cross country (19 in all).

In between her running seasons, Sande was a three-year letterman in basketball, including being a starter this year for the Timberwolves, who finished runner-up in league to Coeur d’Alene.

The four state titles in the 1,600 and the team trophies are what Sande will cherish most.

So how does one put all of Sande’s feats in perspective?

“I’ll never coach another athlete like her,” LC track coach Kelly Reed said.

Reed may not have been more proud of Sande than when she bounced back after Dana Morgan of Boise kept Sande from a repeat title in the 3,200 the first day at state.

Sande wasn’t going to be denied again by Morgan as the Timberwolves runner beat her twice in the 1,600 and 800.

“That showed everybody what’s inside her heart,” Reed said. “To come back after being beaten in the 3,200 – and beaten fairly handily, too – and she did it like she did so many times in her races. She did it in Bre fashion. She rode the outside hip (of the leader) and then outkicked her to the end.

“We need to put a bronze statue of her outside the track.”