Written by: Keller Sherman

For three straight years, the Sandpoint Bulldogs have seen their season end at the hands of the Skyline Grizzlies. Two of these contests occurred in the semifinals of the state playoffs and the other in the state championship game. For Sandpoint to finally reach the mountaintop and win a state title, they will most likely have to go through Skyline. Can they finally get over the Skyline hump and bring home a long awaited state title?

Sandpoint returns both the offensive and defensive conference newcomer of the year in the Inland Empire League in Hunter Garcia and Blayne Kanning. From the all-league team, Kody Brewster, Max Frank, Joe Bohanek, and Eli Allshouse are all back.

Sandpoint lost some key pieces from the 2022 squad. The conference player of the year in Parker Pettit as well as the defensive player of the year in Wes Benefield are gone. Benefield was selected to first team all-state at linebacker.

Additional all-state honorees that graduated after the 2022 campaign include Carson Laybourne, Wylan Dorrel, and Jacob Gove. At the conference level, Arie Vandenburg, Austin Smith, Levi Ballison, Owen Wimmer, Jack Zimerman, and Koby Barlow received all-conference honors and have graduated.

Sandpoint faces a unique schedule in 2023. Not only will the Bulldogs seek to win yet another conference title, but they will also look to improbably go 4-0 against the 5A Inland Empire League. They host Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene back to back to open the season with a home date against Lewiston and a road trip to Lake City coming later on in the year.

Two dates against schools from Canada highlight the non conference schedule as the Bulldogs will meet Raymond High School, Alberta at the University of Montana in Missoula and then host Lethbridge College to conclude the regular season.

A neutral site date with Homedale at Hermiston, Oregon marks the third straight season where the Bulldogs face the Trojans. The two teams have split their last two meetings with both games going to the home team; Homedale in 2021 and Sandpoint in 2022.

In conference play, Sandpoint hosts an improved Lakeland team at home and travels to Moscow. The Bulldogs are seeking their fourth straight conference title and will be looking for even more as they look to finally conquer Skyline and win a state crown.