Lake City boys, CdA girls return with strong teams

The Lake City High boys track team has yet to capture a state trophy since the school opened in 1994.

It’s been 16 years since the Coeur d’Alene girls claimed a state trophy. Both the Lake City boys and Coeur d’Alene girls could break through at the State 5A meet this spring.

Sandpoint’s girls, third a year ago, will be in the hunt for a 4A state trophy again.

The Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy’s girls grabbed their first 1A state trophy (third) last year, finishing just 10 points out of first. The Panthers will try to make it two straight trophies this year. The Charter boys, seventh last year and nine points out of a trophy, should contend for one this season.

Here’s a look at the Coeur d’Alene, Lake City, Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene Charter boys and girls teams.

Lake City

The Timberwolves boys captured the regional title last year, and the core of the team returns.

Leading the way is senior distance standout John Coyle, who placed second in the state cross country meet last fall.

Coyle captured a state title last spring in the 800 meters (1 minute, 57.11 seconds) and was second in the 1,600 (4:19.75). He also anchored the winning medley relay (3:32.44) and ran a leg on the 1,600 relay (seventh). He’ll do the same events this year.

Senior Kyle Graves and juniors Matt Olson and Logan Frederickson teamed with Coyle in the medley last year, and they’ll do the same this season.

“He’s worth a lot of state points,” LC coach Kelly Reed said. “You have to figure he’ll win the 800 again and be in contention in the 1,600. We should be there in the medley, and we should have the best 1,600 relay we’ve ever had.”

Graves also qualified for state in the 100. He and Olson will participate in other relays. Frederickson also will do other distances and relays.

Other returning state qualifiers are seniors James Atkins (pole vault), Billy Clifford (throws), B.J. Palmer (jumps/sprints/relays) and Sean Jackson (jumps/relays), junior Tanner Schalk (hurdles/relays) and sophomores C.J. Helbling (distances) and Anthony Durant (high jump). Helbling finished third, just behind Coyle, last fall at state cross country.

Others to watch are seniors Sam Stapleton (sprints/relays), Curtis Tanner (sprints/relays) and David Tart (sprints/relays) and junior Jared Heston (throws).

Lewiston’s boys, who took third at state last year, will challenge the T-Wolves.

The LC girls don’t have anywhere near the returning experience or numbers to match the boys.

Five state qualifiers return. They are seniors Holly Swendig (relays) and Robin Lynch (triple jump), junior Molly Mitchell (distances) and sophomores Tiffany Kuehn (high jump/hurdles) and Rhianna Grossman (pole vault).

Others to watch are seniors Emma Hawn (sprints/relays) and Ciara Kremer (sprints/relays), sophomore Hayley Miller-Washington (sprints/relays) and freshman Lyndee Elmer (sprints/relays).

Coeur d’Alene

Six state qualifiers return for the girls. They are senior Natalie Keith (pole vault), juniors Marissa Armour (throws), Kelsey Wheeler (hurdles/relays) and Hanna Johnson (hurdles/relays) and sophomores Dayan Drager (400/relays) and Ellie Matz (jumps).

Others to watch are freshmen Kinsey Gomez (distances) and Carli Rosenthal (throws).

Gomez surprised last fall when she captured the state title in cross country. She will contend for state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200.

The CdA girls will challenge defending regional champ Lewiston.

“I’m hopeful that they’ll win the regional title,” CdA coach Tim Burnside said. “Everybody needs to stay healthy. I like our depth. It’s fun to be able to play with relay teams with the depth we have; we don’t have to overload anybody. It’s a great group.”

The boys have numbers, but lack the proven experience. Junior Travis Ewert (jumps) is the lone returning state qualifier.

Others to watch are seniors Doc Rosenthal (throws) and Corbin Smith (throws), juniors Nick Pierson (distances) and Ian Lawlor (distances) and sophomores Cabe Mendoza (middle distances/relays) and Connor Williams (jumps).

Pierson finished ninth last fall at state cross country.

“Our depth is in the younger classes, which bodes well for us in the coming years,” Burnside said.

Sandpoint

Bulldogs coach Dave DeMers reports lower than normal turnouts.

“It’s the lowest we’ve had in both boys and girls in a long, long time,” DeMers said. “I think it’s way too many club sports. Kids just have other obligations and interests.”

About 34 girls and 31 boys turned out. DeMers said turnouts range between 40 and 50 for both.

Eight state qualifiers return in the girls, who captured the Region I title last year. They are seniors Nicole Van Dyk (sprints/relays), Desi Hutchings (sprints/relays) and Brooke DeMers (jumps/relays), the coach’s daughter, and juniors Adrianna Buckoltz (throws), Candace Fournier (sprints/relays) and the Vardell twins, Kathleen and Victoria (distances), and sophomore Christina Johnson (throws).

Van Dyk and Hutchings ran legs on the school-record breaking 1,600 relay that took second at state. DeMers, who is headed to Boise State, took second in the high jump.

Junior Megan Bartlett, who won a state title in the 3,200 and finished second in the 1,600, hasn’t turned out yet. Dave DeMers said the door remains open for Bartlett to come out this week.

“I don’t know if she will but we’re hoping she does,” DeMers said.

Others to watch are senior Brittanie Groenhout (pole vault/hurdles/relays) and freshmen Melinda Van Dyk (sprints/relays) and Emily Thompson (sprints/relays).

“There will be some other kids who will emerge,” DeMers said. “With the speed that we have we can score some points at state. We have a good young core.”

Just one state qualifier returns for the boys in junior Josh Kopsa (sprints/relays).

Others to watch are seniors Trevor Johnson (sprints/relays) and Sione Puailoa (sprints/relays) and sophomore Cody Hecker (sprints/relays/hurdles/jumps).

“This is the least amount of experience we’ve had in the boys ever,” DeMers said.

Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy

The Panthers return a lot of state experience on the girls team.

Elizabeth Stadley took second in the 200 and Dominique Billingslea finished third in the 100 and 200. Both were freshmen last year.

Billingslea also helped lead the 800 relay to a state title in a state-meet record time (1:49.54).

Other returning state qualifiers are senior Heidi Ronningen (sprints/relays), junior Sarah McHugh (relays) and sophomores Alyssa Kimm (distances) and Sabrina Ewing (jumps).

Ronningen took fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 400 last year at state. Kimm finished fifth in the 3,200 and sixth in the 1,600. Ewing placed third in the triple jump and sixth in the long jump. The Panthers also earned medals in the 1,600 (second) and 400 (sixth) relays.

In the boys, senior Mark Weller captured two individual state titles. Weller won in the 200 (23.03) and 400 (51.37).

Weller will try to help the team in two other events to be decided.

Others to watch are seniors Cameron Hjeltness (middle distances) and Tom Raybell (hurdles), junior Luke Lott (distances) and Justin Arts (throws) and sophomore Rory Ruskovich (distances).