Upholding the name: Reggie Sapa

COLUMBIA FALLS — For more than four decades, the name Sapa has echoed throughout the Columbia Falls community. Whether it is at a ballpark, the gridiron, the hardwood or the local Blue Moon Nite Club, where three-sport athlete Reggie Sapa works to maintain the establishment his family built. 

As if playing football and basketball for Columbia Falls wasn’t enough, Sapa decided to finish his senior season pulling double-duty in the spring, playing on both the Wildcats and Kalispell AA Laers baseball teams.  

While the possibility of playing up to five games a week may be challenging to some, Sapa is no stranger to hard work, a characteristic that has made him the athlete and man he is today. 

“The season has been going really well, it’s a lot of baseball and it’s hard, but I love it,” Sapa said. “The more baseball the better. I am getting more at-bats and seeing more groundballs at shortstop.” 

In last week’s Friday matchup with rival Whitefish, the Wildcats won 12-0 to clinch the North A conference. They added wins against Troy and Polson to improve to 15-1 ahead of the Sapa-Johnsrud Invitational – on a field named after Reggie’s late uncle Jim Sapa and Ray Johnsrud who both lost their lives in a tragic train-car collision in 1984. 

Tragedy struck the Sapa family again in 2022 when Bill Sapa, Reggie’s father and Columbia Falls’ baseball coach, suddenly passed away at 53 years old.  

“I am born and raised in Columbia Falls and the Sapa family has been around since before I was born,” Chad Green, who took over as the Wildcats’ coach, said. “I was good friends with Reggie’s dad Billy who was the first baseball coach here and I coached football with him. 

“Watching Reggie do his thing, especially without Billy has been special he’s definitely our captain and that all-American kid everybody would want to coach.” 

Sapa earned All-State honors last year and appears to be heading that direction again this season as he commands the infield at shortstop and is the last guy on the mound as the Wildcats closer.  

He plays short for the higher-class Lakers as well but hasn’t pitched as his priority lies with his high school team.  

“It has only helped him playing with the Lakers and I have been working with them as far as scheduling goes,” Green said. “I think it has worked out great for both of us and Reggie and that is what’s important to me, to do right by Reggie.” 

The relationship Sapa has with his coach was evident after the Wildcats conference- clinching win last weekL He and teammate Nico Young dumped a water bucket on Green mid-interview. When asked was it because of the win, Reggie replied, “No, it was because sometimes he is grumpy and I wanted to fire him up.” 

Sapa also credited his success this season to the Lakers, citing that having multiple coaches point out different things on the diamond has helped in his development. 

“Playing for both teams has helped my game for sure,” Sapa said. “I wanted to play as much baseball as I can and challenge myself at the AA level and I have learned a lot.” 

As his senior season comes to end, the Wildcats are riding a 10-game winning streak. Playing in the Sapa-Johnsrud on for the last couple regular-season games is special to Sapa and he is hoping that his team goes out on top. 

“It means a lot,” Sapa said. “We got a great group of guys, and we have to keep working hard and keep the energy up in practice to keep this thing rolling.” 

Sapa’s title as captain and work ethic does not go unnoticed on the diamond, especially through the eyes of close friend Nico Young. 

Young is also a three-sport athlete and all-conference player last year and plays alongside Reggie at second, building on a close relationship on and off the field. 

“He is my best friend; someone I have always had a dynamic with whether batting beside him in the order or playing similar positions on the court,” Young said. “Reggie is always down for extra work and goes above and beyond everyone in any sport and his dedication and leadership keeps us going.” 

While the Columbia Falls postseason is on the horizon, Sapa will have plenty more baseball to play as the Lakers season extends through the summer and currently sit at 9-4.  

Sapa is currently mulling over baseball offers to continue playing at the college level, but his future goal is to own and operate the Blue Moon. 

“Since day one my mom has been on me and instilled a work ethic in me that is never going to break and I just really want to own a bar,” Sapa said.  

“Reggie’s work ethic alone will get him to play at the college level if he wants to,” Green said. “He is a great player and can do anything he sets his mind too; great kid and I love him.”