SANDPOINT — Whether it was at the Litehouse YMCA in Sandpoint or the Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene, the Sandpoint Bulldogs swim team spent last weekend winning races and setting new personal records in the process. 

The Bulldogs’ weekend started with their annual meet against Skyline High from Idaho Falls at the Litehouse YMCA, where Sandpoint won 19 of the 22 swims. Sandpoint set 31 new personal bests against Skyline, including Athena de Leeuw’s 2:46.45 PR in the 200-meter IM, an event she won by over 15 seconds. 

While the records led to several other victories, a majority of records were set by junior varsity swimmers who were continually pushing themselves, Sandpoint head coach Greg Jackson said. 

“We had strong individual and relay performances, but some of the efforts I was proudest of came from swimmers who don’t always receive the spotlight,” Jackson said. “Our JV swimmers showed commitment, support for their teammates, a willingness to sacrifice and the determination to keep improving. They brought the attitude of a championship varsity team.” 

Jackson specifically mentioned Sawyer Scott, Annabelle Bunge, Fiona Smith, Anna Mudgett, Quinlan Bunge, Maybelle Jensen, Blaise Baillie, Coady Lee, Aiden Cameron and Rhys Bricher as swimmers who shined over the weekend. Jackson said those 10 swimmers accounted for 26 PRs and brought encouragement and effort to help their teammates succeed. 

At the Skyline meet, the Bulldogs dominated the relays and took home gold in all of them. The boys relay team, made up of Bodi Demmons, Andrew Ford, Maximus Brown and Bo Zeller, set a new pool record in the 200-meter medley relay with a 1:59.89, beating the old 2:02.10 record.  

Sandpoint’s Ford set another pool record in the 100-meter breaststroke with a 1:11.41, shattering the previous 1:14.93 record. The Bulldogs boys won 107-62 against their Grizzly counterparts, while the girls won even more convincingly 117-53 on Friday. 

“This weekend also reflected the relationship we’ve built with Skyline High School,” Jackson said. “For seven years, our programs have shared a partnership rooted in sportsmanship, friendship, tradition and excellence. That camaraderie continues to teach our swimmers lessons that reach well beyond the pool.” 

On Saturday, the Bulldogs hosted an Inland Empire League meet at the Kroc Center against Lakeland, Post Falls and Skyline. Both the Sandpoint girls’ and boys' teams went undefeated in their duals against their league foes.  

The Bulldogs’ relay teams were out in full force and won five of the six relay events of the day. Individually, freshman Myelle Jensen, junior Lou Foust, freshman Joshua Jackson, senior Summer Loutzenhiser, Brown and Ford brought home gold medals from their events. Jensen, who won the 200-yard IM and 100-yard freestyle, and Ford, who won the 200-yard IM and 100-yard backstroke, were the lone Bulldogs to win two events each. 

In addition to the stellar results in the pool, Jackson thanked the community and parents for helping the team host two meets in two days. 

“Our swimmers, parents, volunteers, coaches and competitors each played a part,” Jackson said. “The results matter, but so does how we achieve them: through hard work, gratitude, sportsmanship and a commitment to one another. Those are the values our program strives to teach, and this weekend our team put them into practice.” 

Sandpoint’s swim teams are back in action on Oct. 17 at noon at the Astotin Aquatic Center in Clarkston, WA, for another league meet. Saturday’s league meet is the last one before the IEL District Tournament, which is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Moscow at the University of Idaho Swim Center.