SANDPOINT — For the first time in 14 years, a team from Sandpoint will represent Idaho when the Junior League Western Regional Softball championships kick off on Thursday, Aug. 2 in Marana, Arizona.

It’s been a whirlwind of activity in July for the U14 Sandpoint Crushers All-Star team, which started the month by claiming the Idaho State championship. Since then the team has been busy practicing nearly every day, while doing a host of different fundraisers to help raise the necessary funds to make the trip possible.

The Crushers will  be one of 11 Western teams vying for the tourney’s lone berth in the Junior League Softball World Series later this fall in Kirkland, Wash. Win or lose in the double elimination format in Arizona, manager Mike Golden is proud of the hard work the team has put in and believes the softball program in Sandpoint is on a definite upswing.

“The biggest goal is to take the league to the next level,” said Golden, recalling the last Sandpoint team to qualify for the Western Regionals, which ultimately put a host of players in college. “We’re trying to take it to that level again.”

The Crushers are made up of five players from Sandpoint, three from Cusick and two from Priest River. They start the tournament against a host team from Arizona, possibly followed by a team from Alaska that finished third in last year’s World Series.

Leading the Crushers’ offense will be the hot bats of Bre Williams, Jesi Huntley and Topi Elsfelder. The top two pitchers are Williams and Bri Balcom, who will be facing some of the top youth softball hitters in the country.

Defense, a strong infield and speed are a few of the team’s biggest strengths, and Golden said all of the girls can hit, a byproduct of plenty of rips in the batting cage.

“I think we can get to the World Series possibly,” said Desirae Samph, noting the key will be good communication. “As long as we all work together and talk a lot, that’s our strength.”

The Crushers have been practicing seven days a week for the past month, fine tuning and honing the skills they’ll need to hold their own at the Western Regionals.

Nobody was expecting much from the Sandpoint squad heading into the regular season, and they surprised everyone by posting a 12-2-1 record, culminating with two wins over Post Falls in the district tournament. Golden hopes it’s just the start of good things to come, as the youth program continues to improve.

“Sandpoint has kind of been the gimme game, and we’re trying to get rid of that stigma,” said Golden, who is assisted by coaches Junior Williams and Monica Allen. “I’m looking forward to watching the players grow (in Arizona) and being able to bring some lifelong memories back. They’re good kids, and they’ve been working really hard.”

The Western Regionals take place from Aug. 2 through Aug. 10.