Nagy sisters an asset to Charlo high school sports

By KYLIE RICHTER

Lake County Leader

In Class C sports all over the state, coaches cross their fingers every year hoping to get enough kids to make a team, or two teams, if they are lucky. 

Every athlete matters, no matter his or her height or athletic ability.

Charlo is no different. With around 90 students in the high school, Charlo actually sits toward the higher end of the Class C enrollment numbers.

Three years ago, Charlo picked up two sisters who would end up playing a very important role in athletics and academics. Shayna Nagy and Cheyenne Nagy transferred to Charlo from Hot Springs. Shayna, who is a senior, and Cheyenne, who is a sophomore, said transferring wasn’t too big of a deal. “Our parents thought it was the best idea for us. At first it was a little hard, but I didn’t really mind,” Shayna said.

The move also meant a longer commute for the girls and their younger brother, who is a fifth grader. While Hot Springs was only 15 minutes from their house near Camas Prairie, Charlo is about a 40-minute drive. That means that the girls have to drive to school in the dark and sometimes return home after dark in the winter.

Bret Thompson, the girls’ basketball and track coach, said Charlo is lucky to have the Nagy sisters. “For as far as they have to drive, I don’t think they are ever late, and neither of them hardly ever misses school,” Thompson said. “Both of them are great kids who get good grades. We were fortunate to pick them up.”

Both sisters are placing in track consistently for the Vikings. Cheyenne runs both hurdles and sometimes runs in the relays, and Shayna runs the longer races, while also participating in the relay teams. Last year, Shayna was a member of both relay teams that made it to state, while Cheyenne was the alternate. Both girls helped to earn the Charlo girls a first place at district track last year, and they are back in the running to do it again — although they face tough competition from Arlee.

During the basketball season, both girls were varsity starters.  Before they started basketball the first year they came to Charlo, Thompson wasn’t sure what to think. “I know I’m not always the easiest coach to have, but both girls adjusted right away and worked hard,” he said.

Shayna was a sharp shooter and the leading scorer for this year’s team and was an All-Conference selection this year. Cheyenne was the second-leading scorer and earned a second team All-Conference selection. Between the two sisters, they scored over 500 points this year. Along with the help of others, like seniors Sienna Brown and Madison Foust, Charlo had a great season, earning second place at districts and taking a trip to the divisional tournament. 

Shayna, who will graduate later this month, is a three-sport athlete who is also her class valedictorian. She plans to attend Washington State University in Pullman this fall with fellow senior Sienna Brown, where she wants to study to become a veterinarian. “I’m pretty excited,” Nagy said. “It’s far enough away, but also close enough to come home if I want to.”

Cheyenne, on the other hand, still has a few years to go. With three seniors on the basketball team, Thompson said she will continue to be an important part of the basketball team. 

During the summer both girls are involved in 4-H in Sanders County. Both have raised pigs to take to the fair. Along with 4-H, both said they attend basketball open gyms for fun. The family also has a basketball hoop at their home. “We have a backboard made of plywood and old rim that our family sometimes shoots around on,” Cheyenne said.

Both girls credit their parents for getting them started with sports at a young age. When asked what their favorite sport is, both replied “basketball” in unison. “We really like college basketball. March is our favorite month of the year,” Shayna said. Of course, they can’t both like the same team. Cheyenne is a Duke fan, while Shayna cheers for North Carolina.

Shayna and Cheyenne are very competitive toward each other. “Sometimes I get really competitive and don’t want her to beat me in anything,” Cheyenne said, “but being together all the time also makes us better at playing together, especially in basketball, since our family sometimes plays together.”

“But I usually beat her,” Cheyenne said with smile.

“Not true,” Shayna added.