Mountain View wins inaugural Hubcap Heist, builds school-to-school ties

A day of games, snacks and loud cheers ended with a shiny chrome trophy and a clear message: alternative high schools in Kootenai County can stage spirited, community-building events. On Jan. 15 at the Mountain View gymnasium in Rathdrum, the Mountain View Moose prevailed over the New Vision Stingrays in the inaugural Hubcap Heist, a multi-event competition that included a basketball game, a volleyball match and lighter contests that concluded with "several Oreos," according to participants.

Assistant Principal Mark Gorton announced the winner after chronicling the morning's contests and praised both schools for their participation. "This went exactly like it should," Gorton said, noting the clean play and good sportsmanship. He added that New Vision students brought strong spirit and effort. "They did that very well."

The Hubcap Heist expands a recent tradition: the schools have played head-to-head basketball games the past three years. Organizers described the Jan. 15 event as the first step toward a larger, recurring Mountain View–New Vision collaboration that will likely grow in coming years. Gorton framed the goal as reducing barriers between the student bodies. "We've wanted to develop things to where the students understand, 'Hey, we're not different,'" he said. "This is the first step."

Students responded with enthusiasm. New Vision sophomore Hunter Johnson summed up the mixed competition and camaraderie: "We won some, lost some, but it was really fun overall," he said. "It felt really good. It was definitely a rewarding experience for our school." New Vision junior Liam Goold called the day "a very good event" and said it offered more variety and engagement than a single game: "When I was a sophomore we had a basketball game against Mountain View at New Vision, it was fun. But this was a lot better, there was a lot more stuff to do here."

Freshman Evelynn Brekke celebrated the volleyball victory for Mountain View. "I'm feeling pretty great," she said, and emphasized the rarity of such events for alternative schools: "Alternative schools don't get to do things like this a lot," she said. "The fact that we brought two alternatives together to do this is pretty great."

For local families and educators, the Hubcap Heist highlights the value of extracurricular opportunities for alternative high school students, offering social connection, school spirit and visible recognition. As organizers plan to grow the event, the competition could serve as a model for other districts seeking inclusive ways to connect small or geographically dispersed student populations. Expect future Hubcap Heists to bring more events, larger crowds and continued chances for students across Rathdrum and Post Falls to compete, collaborate and celebrate together.