LAKEWOOD — At one of the largest cross country meets in the nation, the Sandpoint varsity girls placed fifth in the Varsity Gold Division at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational last weekend.

The Lady Bulldogs were led by Elizabeth Storms, who ran a season-best 19:48 at the invitational, which featured 184 teams from 10 states. The girls who scored, Olivia Betz (19:57), Theresa Hurt (20:13), Delaney Barron (20:14) and Ruthie Laughridge (20:27), built a block to finish within 39 seconds of each other and earned a fifth-place finish out of 18 teams. 

The Bulldogs also got quality runs from Charli Hall (20:27.2) and Sophie Brubaker (20:57). Sandpoint head coach Mike Ehredt said the girls climbed from ninth at the two-mile mark to fifth. 

“I've been very pleased with the progress everyone on our team has made,” Ehredt said. “The entire season has been a rehearsal for Districts next week and State at the end of the month, and the kids know the importance of consistency in their training, but also of being consistent with positivity for each other.” 

On the boys’ side in Lakewood, Wash., the Bulldogs were led by another school record-setting performance from Kai Budensiek, who helped them finish 10th overall. His 15:22 final time shattered his previous record, which he set at the Bulldogs’ last meet, by 10 seconds and earned him an 18th overall finish. 

Budensiek was backed up by a 58th place finish from Hobbes Conley (15:54), an 80th place finish from Jack Lovin (16:09), an 81st from Landon Connor (16:10) and a 93rd from Cy Marshall (16:19). Sandpoint added a 115th place from Wyatt Lemon (16:37) and a 138th finish from Riley Shadel (17:02). 

“This level of competition is good for them and good for the program as we move into the final two weeks of our season,” Ehredt said. 

While the Bulldogs varsity teams battled in the Pacific Northwest, their junior varsity teams and Priest River Lamanna High’s runners took on the Battle For the 509 meet in Spokane. Ehredt had his JV boys step up to run in the Varsity Red Division, which they ended up winning as a team. 

Four of the Bulldogs’ five scorers finished in the top 20, led by Pheonix Young (17:21) in ninth. Young was supported by a 15th place finish from Parker Enna (17:43) and a tied time from Trace Evans (17:44) and Roan Luikens (17:44). 

In the Varsity Red Division, Priest River’s Daniel Gunkle headlined the Spartans’ effort with a 40th-place finish (18:13). Freshman Seth Paschetag wasn’t far behind Gunkle, finishing in 55th place (18:31) out of 159 competitors, another strong showing for the young runner.  

On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs’ JV team won the Competitive JV Division, led by two impressive 21:24 runs from Lillian Grant and Addy Schla. Sienna Szabo (21:43), Marcela Thompson (22:05) and Simone Holly (23:53) rounded out Sandpoint’s victorious day. 

In that event, Priest River was by a 77th-place finish from Alannah McLaimtaig (24:12), with Ailish McLaimtaig (25:31) and Lydia Paterson (25:34) capping off the Spartans’ efforts. The Spartans did not have enough runners in any event to score as a team. 

For both teams, those were their final scheduled meets before they head to the District 1-2 Championships next week. Sandpoint will travel to the 5A/6A Championship on Oct. 22 at The Course in Spokane Valley, while Priest River will head to the 3A Championships on Oct. 24 at the Grangeville Country Club.