Is this level of sorting and retrieval possible in a database accessible in App Inventor?

Your sheet would load from a Media text file just fine, and save a lot of web downloads.
See attached.
Also see the duplicate avoidance articles in FAQ Section: Lists

TestABG.aia (6.9 KB) Test.aia (3.2 KB)
(csv file upload disallowed @ewpatton, but look in .aia Media folder.)