Badgers 2018 sports year in review

BONNERS FERRY — The 2018 year has come to a close, but not without the Badger teams accomplishing some of their goals.

n The cross country team began their season with hot temperatures followed by a smoky weather advisory, making their seasons start a bit rocky. With two home meets on the new Badgers course throughout the Bonners Ferry High School and Bonners Ferry Middle School campuses, the Badgers pushed through the weather and was able to host Districts for the first time in five years, receiving great reviews on the new course.

The Badger Boosters supported the team by supplying new tents boasting the new Badger logo created by BFHS art teacher Josh Knaggs.

The highlight of the year was the team of 26, the largest cross country team fielded by Bonners Ferry since Tyler Warner has been the head coach, and only eight of those kids had been on the team last year.

“The group was talented, as it turned out, and was among the fastest Coach Catherine Delsalle and I have coached,” said Coach Tyler Warner.

The team members were very supportive of one another as they grew throughout the season, led by captains Sam Gorton, Serenity Fahey, and Abby Gorton.

“Abby Gorton also had one of the most successful seasons ever for a Badger runner, posting the fastest 5K time we have been able to verify with a 19:28 at the State Championship race in Lewiston, good enough for a fifth place finish,” said Warner.

Gorton’s finish was the highest score since Warner has been the coach for the team.

“Hunter Smith also had a good season, posting the team’s fastest times this year including a 17:00 at State, which brought him a 16th place medal. Both Abby and Hunter made the All-District 1 ‘Dirty Dozen’ team which recognizes the 12 best runners in North Idaho at all levels. The boys finished third in districts for a team berth to state, but the girls team sadly fell short and did not qualify this year.”

As the coming cross country season rears its head as the year turns, the team is looking forward to beating personal and school records.

“Coach Catherine Delsalle and I are very proud of this group,” said Warner. “They are very young, we’ll get a lot of them back next year, and they had many successes in 2018.”

n The Badger boys soccer team won the opening 3A State Tournament game, and then lost in the semifinals against the Ketchum Community School Cutthroats 3-0. They entered the tournament as the top seed with a 11-0-3 record. They won their ticket to state for the 15th year in a row, beating Timberlake 2-1 on Sept. 25.

n The Badgers boys baseball team dominated the 2018 season, winning championship rings.

“After a deflating loss in the 2017 State Championship game, this team came back this year (2018) with the mindset to ‘finish their business,’ thus claiming their first ever State Championship Title,” said Coach Tom Turpin. “This group of young men won more games in their four year stretch (80 total) than any other four year group and definitely deserve to be called the best ever.”

After earning the first 3A State Championships, the Badgers baseball team proudly received their championship rings in the fall of 2018, accompanied with rings for the coaches and necklaces for the lady leaders.

n The lady Badgers softball team aimed to defend their 2017 State softball title this past season, winning the 3A District 1 Tournament with a 4-2 record. After a grueling tournament of six games (45 innings) in two days, the ladies brought home second at state after falling 8-3 to Homedale.

n The volleyball ladies fought through the season, finishing with a loss against Coeur d’Alene Charter in a district play-in game. The ladies participated in the Dig Pink! Event, sporting pink uniforms. The game was against Clark Fork and was not officially scored, as it was a fundraiser event for breast cancer awareness, originally put on by the Side Out Foundation. The girls pushed through the season, coming close to their goals.

n The Badger football team had a tough go over the season, but there was some personal records set. Ty Bateman and Donovan Varelman made first team all-league defense and Larry Hoehne made second team all league offense for the Intermountain League.

n For an area with limited resources when it comes to competitive swimming, Julia Cummings found a way to represent the Badgers. She competed in the 1A-4A enrollment classification, finishing third in both the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke at the Idaho state swim meet on Nov. 4 in Boise.

Throughout the 2018 season, the Badgers have grown in knowledge, strength, and comradery. The new year of 2019 will bring new experiences as the seniors move on to higher learning experiences and the 2020 students move up to the plate.