Simplot Games

Every year, there is a huge high school indoor track and field competition in Pocatello. The Simplot Games is the premiere high school event in the country. Josh decided to run this year and did the 1600 meter(also known as the 1 mile). There were 19 kids from Snake River running. Two of them were running the mile--Josh & Tylo. As Josh found out more information about Simplot, he realized that this was really a big deal. The Simplot Games record for the mile is 4:10, which is crazy fast. He decided he wanted to use the experience just to set a baseline to start the Track season with. Probably wise, since Josh talks about running a whole lot more than he actually does run. He ran on Thursday night and set a starting point of 5:38 for the track season & has set a goal to finish the season at 5:00 flat. He did a great job & I was proud of him! Track starts next week...I can already see that those first track meets promise to be as cold as they were last year!!

Best Game Ever!

Last night was Snake's Senior night for soccer. For senior night, they always play under the lights at the football field. My poor little camera, even on the night setting, was way over matched by how dark it was, but I was able to get a couple of photos that were decent. This was probably the best soccer game I have ever been to. The only thing that could have made it better was if Josh was able to play.

So they played Aberdeen last night...interesting matchup for me, as Aberdeen was my school. It was not at all difficult to root against my old school.

Aberdeen came out strong in the first half & scored three goals in like 15 minutes. Snake was playing kind of sluggish and not playing well as a team. The first half was a little frustrating to watch...especially since did I mention that this is at night? In October? In Idaho? It was freezing! Thank goodness for sweaters. And blankets. And gloves. And scarves. And hats. Anyway...

Snake came out in the second half as a changed team! They were strong, they worked together well, they talked, they passed, and they controlled the game for the entire second half. They came back to score 4 unanswered goals in the second half and win the game! Andy, a freshman super star, had an amazing game & scored two of the goals and an assist for the game winning goal. It was so fun to see them work so well. The win last night moved them to first place in the district. Districts start on Saturday.

Not only was the game amazing, but I think that Snake River soccer has THE best fans! They are supportive and they are loud. And yes, I willingly and proudly admit that I was one of those fans last night, jumping up and down in the bleachers, screaming til I had no voice, clapping til my hands hurt, and stomping my feet on the metal to make that really really loud noise. Embarassing, maybe. Obnoxious, perhaps. However, I prefer the term enthusiastic!!

Introducing the team prior to the game. Josh is all the way over on the left, in the hat

Honoring the seniors at half time--we have some great Seniors leaving the team--including our awsome goalie, McKay!

After the game, the parents always line up on the edge of the field. The kids run across the field to us and go down the line getting high 5's. Last night, they ran half way across the field & huddled, doing their pre-game routine, which I think is way cool. Plus, Josh is in the center, leading it. I'm proud of him for contributing what he can to his team even while he's injured. He leads their pre-game routine, helps them get warmed up, and is always on the sidelines, assisting with in-game coaching. I know it's hard for him to not be able to play, but I'm proud of how he's handling it!

Unhappy teenage boy

So the big doctor's appointment was today. The good news is that nothing is completely torn, which means no surgery! The bad news is that he damaged and partially tore his MCL, ACL, and PCL. The doctor compared it to a rope and explained that it's like he frayed some of the strands of the rope. He has been shut down for at least four weeks, which means that he is done for the season for both Soccer and Cross Country. I don't think I have ever seen him so devastated. He really, really thought he'd be able to come back for Districts and State. I feel so bad for him. He's so sad about this & there's nothing I can do to make it better. Poor guy! But like the doctor explained, missing the rest of the soccer season is better than taking a chance on having to get ACL surgery, which is a 1 year recuperation!

Soccer Game #4--SR wins 3-0!!

Today was game #4, at home against Shelley. Josh, after being home sick with a sinus infection on Monday & out yesterday for driver's ed, played a great game. He's feeling way, way better. The team played much better than I was told they played yesterday. It was good to see them bounce back from a tough game and a loss yesterday to play so well and control the game today.

As always, Josh is #5.


Cooper taking the ball down the field

Coop again, going for the shot


Congratulating Cooper after making a goal

Cooper, Hutch, and Josh making their plan for a throw in

Cooper going for a slide tackle

Mike flying down the field with the ball

Soccer Game #3--SR loses 2-0

So the first away game was last night. Josh didn't get to go because of a conflict with driver's ed. He was way bummed to hear that they lost the game 2-0 to Sugar Salem.

Soccer Practice

With back to school has come back to soccer. Soccer practice is in full swing, and their first game is tomorrow night! I took a couple of photos of them at practice last night & of course will have the camera out tomorrow--Go Panthers!





Josh is in the brown, juggling the ball as he heads back to the team. On a total side note, look at the huge bales of straw in the field in the background! I love harvest season!!

Track in Firth

I guess it really has been a long time since high school, because I had completely forgotten the down side of track. That would be that track is run in the spring. In Idaho. This last week, Idaho decided to make a return to winter. We had snow, we had hail, we had 20 degree weather. And of course, we had that during the track meet on Wednesday! It was so cold! I had three quilts/blankets, a sweatshirt, gloves, and a scarf, and was still shivering!!! I had forgotten that those track meets can be frigid! Josh wasn't feeling particularly well this last week, so he only ran the 4X200 and the 4X400--they finished 4th and 5th...not too bad at all, being as this was a 12 school meet. Here are some frigid photos....Keegan on the far end coming in 2nd on the hurdles

I do remember doing alot of huddling under blankets like this!

Josh coming to get his quilt from us

Those poor kids looked so cold out there! And the wind was blowing at about 30 miles an hour....not sure why we never thought to bring tents!
Emmett in the 4X200
Kaitlin in the 4x200

Spring Track

Now that the basketball season has ended, we have moved on to spring track. Yesterday was the first meet. They're still trying to figure out what events they are best at, etc. Josh ran the 400, the 200, the 4 X 200, and the 4 X 400. He did pretty well for himself. He placed 5th in his heats in the 400 and the 200, I think. His 4 X 200 & his 4 X 400 teams both placed third. He placed 9th out of 25 kids in the 400 & like 18th in the 200. They all did really well, especially for their first meet. His 4 X 200 team is all freshmen.

Josh stretching out during practice

Josh getting ready to shoot out of the blocks!

Josh's good friends Emmett and Cooper at practice.

Cooper, Josh and Emmett doing a cool down run after practice.

At the meet:

Keegan winning the hurdles

Tylo trucking it out in the 3200

Josh chilling in the stands

Christian on his way to a terrific 2nd place finish in the 3200

One of my favorite people ever, Cooper, running the 4 X 200

Josh running his leg of the 4 X 200

Another of my favorite people ever, Kaitlin, helping lead the SR girls to a 4 X 200 victory

Sr's hurdles phenom, Eden, on her way to an easy victory

The team relaxing

Josh's 4 X 400 race:

Nick, the first leg
Josh is the second leg
Cooper runs the third leg
Cooper in a hard fought battle, bringing up the anchor leg.

Basketball

I'm experiencing deja vu! It doesn't seem like it's been very long since the last time I posted about basketball. But this time, Josh is a freshman in high school(how in the heck did that happen?), and he's made his high school "C" team. They're about 6 games into the season. I got some pretty great photos at his game last Saturday, so here they are! Josh is number 33 and his best friend Cooper is number 15.

Josh goes to Snake River. As an Aberdeen alum, I was not ever a big fan of Snake River. And now I go to all sporting events and cheer for them. Josh doesn't appreciate me reviving some of my high school nicknames for his school, but they do make me laugh. Snake River is the home of the Panthers, and I have to admit, this mural is pretty darn cool.