Kuplack, Chapman win at windy Sandpoint Invitational

By ERIC PLUMMER

Sports writer

SANDPOINT — Lake City sophomore Angelyca Chapman and Immaculate Conception Academy senior Christian Kuplack beat both a field of runners and a 20-plus mph breeze, claiming the individual titles on Saturday at the wind-blown William Johnson Sandpoint Invitational at Travers Park.

Chapman finished in 19 minutes, 45.58 seconds on the flat 5K course to edge Bonners Ferry’s Abigail Gorton by five seconds, as the two raced neck and neck from start to finish, with Chapman pulling away in the final 200 meters to claim her first varsity win.

With sustained 20 mph winds, and gusts blowing more than 30 miles per hour, weather played a factor in strategy. Luckily, the stretch into the wind was shorter than the stretch with the wind behind, but it still made for a tough go into the headwind, which Chapman used to her advantage.

After exchanging leads with Gorton for most of the race, Chapman was asked how it felt to close out her first win.

“It was painful, but it felt good,” she said, noting the wind played a role. “The resistance, I tried to use it to my advantage. Against the wind I would stay behind her (Gorton) so she would break it for me.”

The boys race was tight for a while, before Kuplack used a fluid and even stride to open a gap and cruise to a 16-second win over Carter Gordon of Lake City.

Priest River’s Cameron Parkes and Sandpoint’s Jett Lucas and Nicholai Braedt hung close with Kuplack for much of the race, but eventually were left behind, as Kuplack said he was patient and kept the pace slow early on.

“I have so much fun racing against (Parkes), he’s a great guy. Those guys really pushed me in the last couple miles. Sandpoint is just crazy,” said a happy Kuplack, relishing the thrill of competition. “It’s the ultimate feeling of relaxation, you know you’re the best here. Who cares about the medal. For that one meet you’re the best.”

The Sandpoint boys rode a third-place finish from Lucas and a fourth from Braedt, and strong pack-running mindset, to win the boys team title by 26 points over second-place Lake City.

The finish was strong considering No. 1 runner Ephriam Weisz tried to gut out a race despite being under the weather and was forced to drop out before the finish.

“Ephriam dropped out sick, and the boys were still packed up tight and won the meet,” said Bulldogs head coach Matt Brass. “We definitely have depth, and we emphasize pack running.”

The Timberlake girls were also forced to overcome a tough obstacle, finding out just before the race that No. 1 runner Abigail Peightal would not be able to compete due to injury. The 3A Tigers had their sights set on beating 4A power Sandpoint for the first time since 2011, and rallied to make it happen, beating the Bulldogs by nine points due to strong finishes from Sage Gervais (3rd), Sydnee Hotmer (4th) and Megan Hatrock (5th).

Tigers head coach Shawn Lawler, who feels his team is one of the top two 3A teams in the state, loved how his charges rose to the challenge.

“The girls said, ‘We’re going to do this for Abby.’ They got together, stepped up and ran hard for Abby,” he said, noting it’s a huge confidence boost to beat the Bulldogs. “That was good for the girls. They wanted to see if they could get it done.”

Some area teams are at the Inland Empire Challenge next Saturday in Lewiston.

GIRLS

TEAM SCORES — 1, Timberlake, 36. 2, Sandpoint, 45. 3, Lake City, 56. 4, Priest River 91.

INDIVIDUAL TOP 25 — 1, Angelyca Chapman, LC, 19:45.58. 2, Abigail Gorton, BF, 19:50.98. 3, Sage Gervais, TL, 20:31.74. 4, Sydnee Hotmer, TL, 20:34.69. 5, Megan Hatrock, TL, 20:36.31. 6, Clara Stephens, LC, 20:38.11. 7, Annika Rantala, PR, 20:49.52. 8, Niah Brass, Spt, 20:54.82. 9, Paige Davidson, Spt, 20:58.01. 10, Bionce Vincent, Spt, 21:00.27. 11, Chloe Braedt, Spt, 21:07.74. 12, Corina Wallace, Spt, 21:15.06. 13, Brooke Collins, LC, 21:35.33. 14, Haileyann Johnson, TL, 21:41.43. 15, Emma Howard, TL, 21:41.67. 16, Erika Swoboda, PR, 21:41.92. 17, Isis Rodriguez, TL, 21:55.77. 18, Megan Oulman, Spt, 22:04.05. 19, Ellie Tenbrink, LC, 22:08.75. 20, Mesa Keating, Spt, 22:15.11. 21, Kelsey Vershum, LC, 22:17.86. 22, Sharnai Hogan, PRL, 22:37.99. 23, Camille Usher, BF, 22:44.05. 24, Emily Gorino, BF, 22:45.09. 25, Josie Yovichin, Cd’A Charter, 22:49.81.

BOYS

TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint, 31. 2, Lake City, 57. 3, Timberlake, 75. 4, Immaculate Conception Academy, 90. 5, Bonners Ferry, 115. 6, Coeur d’Alene Charter, 127.

INDIVIDUAL TOP 25 — 1, Christian Kuplack, ICA, 16:14.76. 2, Carter Gordon, LC, 16:30.76. 3, Jett Lucas, Spt, 16:40.45. 4, Nikolai Braedt, Spt, 16:40.92. 5, Cameron Parkes, PR, 16:49.48. 6, Logan Hunt, 17:04.58. 7, Brady Nelsen, Spt, 17:09.8. 8, Maximillian Bazler, LC, 17:17.25. 9, Kieran Wilder, Spt, 17:24.41. 10, Travis Plunkett, TL, 17:32.85. 11, Seth Graham, Spt, 17:36.77. 12, Anthony Davis, LC, 17:39.01. 13, Logan Davis, Cd’A Charter, 17:41.84. 14, Gabriel Merithew, Spt, 17:46.92. 15, Daniel Pahl, TL, 17:49.04. 16, Sam Gorton, BF, 17:59.71. 17, Ethan Klisch, LC, 18:05.68. 18, Aidan Latham, ICA, 18:17.51. 19, Connor Alexander, BF, 18:30.46. 20, Joe Darakjy, ICA, 18:33.38. 21, Jordan Phillips, PR, 18:37.16. 22, Kellen Souza, Cd’A Charter, 18:41.08. 23, Travis Clark, LC, 18:41.5. 24, Jared White, Kel, 18:44.16. 25, Dylan Royce, TL, 18:47.18.

Shanahan fourth at

Mountain West Classic

MISSOULA — Post Falls’ Sydney Shanahan was the top local finisher at the Mountain West Classic on Saturday at the University of Montana Golf Course, finishing ninth in the varsity girls race in 18 minutes, 59 seconds.

Samantha Wood of Post Falls was 23rd in 19:42.51.

Post Falls’ girls finished fourth with 291 points.

Forster eighth at

Portland invite

PORTLAND — Coeur d’Alene sophomore Lauren Forster was the top local finisher, finishing eighth in 18:10.50 in the Danner Championships race (projected top-10 finisher at state) at the Portland Invitational at the Portland Meadows race track.

Coeur d’Alene finished ninth in the girls team scoring.

Coeur d’Alene senior Chad Humphreys was the lone local boy to compete in the Danner Championship race, finishing 56th in 16:22.10.