Couldn't Be Any Prouder!

Got 'er done!  

A Bulldog victory over a tough team from Lakeland. 

 https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2024/feb/07/4a-district-1-2-girls-basketball-sandpoint-girls-hold-lakeland-scoreless-in-ot-to-capture-game-1-victory/

I wish my mentor and friend Bob Hamilton were still alive.  

First, he would be so proud of the Sandpoint High girls varsity basketball team.  Bob coached girls basketball back when we were both teaching at Sandpoint High School.  

He had wonderful and continued success with his teams.

With all the intertwining of our two families:  he taught me journalism and advised me when I was Cedar Post editor back in the 1960s.

Years later, when Bob retired after 28 years with the Cedar Post, I took his place.  

During my years as adviser, my son Willie served as a sportswriter on our school paper's staff. 

Then, a few more years later, Will Love came back to Sandpoint High School to advise the Cedar Post and to teach journalism, photography and graphic arts just like his mom had done before.

Later, he coached some boys basketball teams and then Bob's and my colleague Duane Ward convinced Willie to join him as assistant on the girls basketball team.

When Duane retired from coaching and after about 50 years of serving Sandpoint High, Willie took the head coaching job, the same position a former Cedar Post adviser named Bob Hamilton had held. 

It's a pretty neat circle and intertwining of individuals in Sandpoint High history. 

Throughout his career, Bob kept track of what was going on with Sandpoint High athletics as a whole, meticulously documenting wins, losses and individual statistics. 

A lot of the material Bob collected ended up in the newspapers and eventually a book.

Sadly, I don't think anyone has taken on that challenge in recent years.  

As one who does keep track of a certain amount of trivia and a very proud mom, I would be interested to know if this current Sandpoint High girls varsity basketball team is setting some school records for doing what they did once more last night:  winning. 

If there's anyone out there that knows for sure, I'd love to see the information.  

For now, based on my own personal history here in Sandpoint and at Sandpoint High, I believe that some win-loss records for girls basketball and maybe even boys basketball teams are being set. 

Maybe CDA Press sports editor Mark Nelke knows. 

Anywho, most of the folks who attended last night's Lakeland-Sandpoint play-off game were probably drained when the final buzzer of the overtime segment went off. 

These girls, as someone said overnight, played their hearts out and some at a disadvantage because they weren't feeling well. 

Bill and I learned some information late in the game which erased an assumption that we both had held.  We thought that if the Bulldogs won last night, the play offs for State were over. 

Not so.  

Lakeland and Sandpoint play again tomorrow night at Les Rogers Gym in Sandpoint at 6 p.m.

I think every fan would agree that it would be really really neat to see a lot more fans in the stands for tomorrow night's game. 

This team has earned that kind of support.  In addition, they deserve to have more people appreciate firsthand the effort and drive and talent and teamwork they have displayed game after game. 

And, more importantly, I cannot leave out the "will to win." 

I heard several times last night that very characterization.  THEY HAVE THE WILL TO WIN, and they don't give up. 

If Sandpoint wins tomorrow night, they'll have  a win-loss record of 20-3, and they'll head to State next week. 

If Lakeland wins, there will be another game Saturday night. 

We don't know the outcome, but we do know for certain that this year's girls basketball team is once again something special and a wonderful reflection of Sandpoint High School and the community.

The photo below illustrates how much these young ladies mean to future Sandpoint High athletes. 

I met a woman last night whom I've seen at all the basketball games.  I asked her if one of the players was her daughter.  

She pointed at her daughter, who was actually a fourth grader at Washington School, and told me she was the team's coach and that her players really admire the SHS girls squad. 

So, the future is looking good, thanks to adult mentors and to the example set by the young women playing for Sandpoint High. 

GO, Bulldogs, and congratulations to the team, coaches, parents and to all who work behind the scenes to support this team's current journey to greatness. 

  🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

A light moment in a tense game for Coach Love.

My favorite Coach Love comment of the night:  You've got eight turnovers! Stop that!

They did. 

Yesterday was a full day for Bill and me. 

We left Sandpoint at 8 a.m. with the dogs.  Once there, we drove past the Gonzaga campus to the Washington State University Veterinary Specialty Teaching Clinic aka Animal Eye Clinic of Spokane. 

A few weeks ago, after visiting with my optometrist in a post-cataract surgery appointment, I was inspired to revisit Foster's blindness. Could it be that cataract surgery would restore some vision? 

Bill and I discussed the idea and both agreed that nothing would be lost if we gave Foster the opportunity to have a battery of specialized eye exams.  

So, we made an appointment at the clinic in Spokane and centered it around when Annie would be coming home. 

We did not tell her about the appointment because we did not want to get her hopes up. She finally learned yesterday just before boarding her flight from Seattle. 

Foster spent a few hours at the eye clinic, so Bill and I took Bridie for walks and enjoyed lunch for the first time ever at Jack and Dan's near Gonzaga. We also spent some time at REI. 

Then, we went to the airport and hung out in the cell phone lot for a while so Bridie could spend more time outside.  It was neat to see Annie's Alaska jet touch down. 

We then returned to the clinic and learned that Foster would not be a good candidate for cataract surgery because there was no sign of retinal activity.  

Although we wished the news would be different, we have no regrets because we did everything possible for the little guy. 

Foster could care less about the results.  He's doing just fine, as he has for almost two years of limited or no vision. 

The appointment and the airport stop took up most of the day, so we had time for Annie to pick up her usual Second Avenue Pizza, head home, let the dogs have some time outside and then head to the game.

All in all, it was a full day but well worth the efforts. 

Happily, today is a bit more relaxed.  Annie will work remotely, and Bill and I will tend to our projects.  Then, Annie and Bill will go to the Gonzaga women's game (I'm almost sure they are setting win-loss records). 

Tomorrow, we'll get revved up to go watch another basketball game and hope for a win. 

Happy Friday.   

We were so thrilled with how well our two beloveds behaved yesterday at the clinic and wherever we took them for walks.

Their manners were impeccable. 

Not just good dogs but great dogs!