Big Bend Community College and North Idaho College met on the softball diamond for a doubleheader Sunday in Idaho.
Why were the games notable for sports fans who reside on The Rock, thousands of miles away from where the action happened? Shanoah Spear is a freshman at Big Bend, while Kate Holland is a freshman at North Idaho College. They were once teammates on the Kodiak High School softball team.
However, because of a Holland injury, only Spear suited up in the twinbill that Northern Idaho swept, 17-4 and 7-2.
Spear — a two-way star for Kodiak — played second base and hit fifth in the order in the first game. In the second game, the right-hander was inside the circle, demonstrating the versatility that landed her the 2024 Northern Lights Conference most valuable player award.
This is Spear’s first season at the collegiate level, as she intended to play for Big Bend last season until the Northwest Athletic Conference School in Moses Lake, Washington, decided not to field a team for the 2025 season.
In Sunday’s first game, Spear went 1 for 2, driving in a run on a single. North Idaho used a 12-run second inning en route to posting the seven-inning victory.
Spear tamed North Idaho’s offense in the second game, allowing seven runs on 15 hits in six innings. She struck out three and walked three. She gave up four runs in the first, then settled down, allowing only solo markers in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
At the dish, Spear drew a walk, while Big Bend collected only two hits as Northern Idaho improved to 4-9 on the season.
Spear’s debut was in a 13-5 loss to Walla Walla on Saturday. She went 1 for 2 and pitched two innings, allowing six runs on five hits, while striking out one and walking two.
Holland — a two-time NLC first-teamer — and Spear were teammates for three high school seasons — two of them resulting in conference crowns.
Spear was a legend in 2024, blasting not one but two game-winning home runs that powered Kodiak to a Northern Lights Conference title and a runner-up finish at the Division II State Championships.
Jackson Krug, a senior at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, was selected to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-academic team, presented by Barnes & Noble.
Krug — psychology student — earned his spot on the team after maintaining a 3.65 grade point average.
To qualify for academic all-conference, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20, must be in at least their second season competing for their team and must have competed on the court during the 2025-26 campaign.
On the court, Krug has recorded 32 points, 38 rebounds and eight assists in 16 appearances — all career highs.
UAF (8-8 conference, 13-12 overall) concludes the regular season with home games against Saint Martin’s University (7:30 p.m. today) and Western Oregon University (3:15 p.m. Saturday). The four Nanook seniors will be honored at Saturday’s game.
Colin McCarthy has been on a scoring frenzy. In his last 10 games for the Boston Junior Bruins, the Kodiak skater has two goals and four assists. That has upped his season point total to 21 (16 assists and five goals).
The Junior Bruins sit third in the New England Central Division with a 19-12 record.