Last season: 10-7-2, 5A Inland Empire League District Champions; 0-2 at IHSAA State Championship.

Coaches: Daniel Anderson ('10), head coach, second year; Jake Rookey ('14), assistant coach; Braden Ridgewell, volunteer assistant coach; Tyler Bangle ('22), assistant coach; Austin Edwards ('22), volunteer assistant coach.

Key returners: Isaac Schmit, D, sr.; Huxley Hall, FORW, sr.; Gus Penrose, D, so.; Brennan Shaw, D, jr.; Pax Longanecker, MF, so.; Caiden Gion, D, sr.; Logan McGrann, MF, jr.

Key newcomers: Landon Brinkmeier, GK, jr.

Key losses to graduation: Gavan Miles, GK; Luke Leavitt, FORW.

Outlook: Head coach Dan Anderson has been thinking about soccer 24 hours, seven days a week for as long as he can remember. While the two-and-out performance at last year's state championship, which included a 3-2 loss to Moscow, is now in the rear view mirror, it's surely been in the back of this team's mind. Looking for redemption, the Bulldogs return a strong majority of their contributors and expectations are through the roof.

On offense, All-Inland Empire League and All-State First team honoree Huxley Hall will lead the charge. The forward had a breakthrough campaign in 2024 and is set to be the go-to goal scorer once again. Sophomore Pax Longanecker, the 2024 IEL Newcomer of the Year, is set to control the midfield. Senior midfielder Logan McGrann, an all-league pick in 2023 who is fully healed up from an injury, is back with a vengeance as well.

A really big strength for Sandpoint this year will be their defense. All-Inland Empire League selection senior Isaac Schmit returns, as does junior Brennan Shaw. Senior Caiden Gion is another returner on the back line with great passing abilities — he can find the back of the net too. Gus Penrose, an all-league selection as a freshman last year, is another mainstay on the defense, which arguably ranks as one of the best in the state's 5A classification. Landon Brinkmeier is set to replace all-league goalkeeper Gavan Miles.

Coach Anderson said a state championship is always the goal, but his team needs to display state championship behavior every single day to accomplish what they want to accomplish — the ninth state title in school history and their first since 2012.

Coach's comments: "We have a group that's not only very skilled, but very committed, coupled with a deeper team than I have seen in the last seven years. It's a much deeper team than you normally get with small-town soccer. We have the pieces; it's just about putting them together. If they want to do something big this year, their actions every day need to represent that." - Coach Dan Anderson

On Landon Brinkmeier stepping in at goalkeeper: "The goalie position is obviously one of the most important on the field and he's ready for that challenge. He has the pedigree and the skill to step into the breach, and not only fulfill it, but excel at it." - Coach Dan Anderson 

On Huxley Hall's scoring abilities: "Huxley is the focal point of our attack. That being said, he's not going to have to do it alone. We have many players in the attacking part of the field who are going to be major contributors, playing with and around him. While we expect big things from him, we also expect big things from everyone around him." - Coach Dan Anderson 

About the team's strengths and depth: "Across the field, we don't have any weak points at any positions. We not only have good starters for every position, but we have depth. With the competition we have, our starters could change at any moment. We have good enough guys in backup positions to challenge for starting spots — a great problem to have. In my mind, I don't have a set starting lineup. It's exciting from a coaching standpoint and for keeping expectations and standards, and the way we conduct ourselves, high. The boys are not just competing against each other, but competing to be the best team we can be." - Coach Dan Anderson 

On the style of the soccer this team is going to play: "We're going to play a high-intensity, high-octane style of soccer... ultimately, we're going to be a fun team to watch because of that, and I want to encourage the community, not just veterans of the soccer community, but everyone to come watch our games and you will enjoy it. We're going to put the ball in the back of the goal a lot." - Coach Dan Anderson 

Player comments: "Super excited to play with these guys again. After a year of not playing sports competitively, it's a drain mentally. I've been working super hard to be back out here." - Logan McGrann

"Our back line is really good. We need a little bit of work, but once we fine-tune those little things, we're going to be unstoppable." - Isaac Schmit

"I want to build on last season. I'm surrounded by a really good team that's going to do great things. Super excited to be a contributor." - Huxley Hall

Most anticipated matchup: Moscow

Fun fact: The Bulldogs are looking for their sixth straight district title this year.

Sandpoint Boys Soccer Schedule 

8/23 — @ Lake City, 1 p.m. 

8/25 — @ Post Falls, 4 p.m. 

8/28 — vs. Bonners Ferry, 7 p.m. 

8/29 — vs. Stillwater Christian, 7 p.m. 

9/2 — vs. Moscow, 6:30 p.m. 

9/4 — vs. Coeur d’Alene, 7 p.m. 

9/9 — vs. Lakeland, 6:30 p.m. 

9/11 — vs. Lake City, 6:30 p.m. 

9/13 — vs. Lewiston, 2 p.m. 

9/16 — vs. Post Falls, 6:30 p.m. 

9/20 — @ Coeur d’Alene, 2 p.m. 

9/25 — @ Moscow, 4:30 p.m. 

9/27 — @ Lewiston, 12 p.m. 

10/2 — @ Lakeland, 4 p.m. 

10/7-14 — District Championships, TBD 

* Schedule as of 8/20, dates and times subject to change 

2024 RESULTS

8/24 — @ Lake City T 2-2

8/26 — vs. Post Falls W 4-1

9/3 — vs. Moscow W 1-0

9/5 — @ Coeur d'Alene L 4-1

9/7 — @ Vallivue L 4-3

9/10 — @ Lakeland W 4-3

9/12 — @ Lake City L 5-0

9/14 — @ Lewiston T 1-1

9/17 — @ Post Falls W 5-0

9/21 — vs. Coeur d'Alene W 4-1

9/27 — @ Moscow W 1-0

9/28 — vs. Lewiston W 3-2

10/1 — vs. Coeur d'Alene L 5-0

10/3 — vs. Lakeland W 5-0

10/5 — vs. Lake City L 5-0

10/12 — vs. Lewiston W 2-0*

10/15 — vs. Moscow W 2-1*

10/24 — vs. Blackfoot L 5-1**

10/25 — vs. Moscow L 3-2**

* denotes district playoff match

** denotes state playoff match

    Sandpoint High senior defender Caiden Gion looks to gain possession of the ball while fending off Moscow's Jonas Mordhorst during last year's 5A Inland Empire League district championship game.