Ray Jay Johnson and Steve Schulte have been best friends since they were kids.

They were also both legends playing for the Butte Central Maroons. Schulte still holds the school record with his 2,683 career rushing yards from 1976 through 1978. He also is the only person to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the Butte High-Butte Central football game. With his brother Pat on the play by play for the radio, Steve took the opening kick back 89 yards for a score to start the 1978 game. 

Schulte, a two-time All-State running back, went on to play football at Carroll College before starting his coaching career. He had a successful run in Browning. He also coached at Montana Tech and Carroll College before taking over as head coach at Butte High. After several years as the head man, Schulte returned to Butte High as an assistant coach, and he was part of the 2012 State championship team. He was also an assistant coach for the 2011 Butte High State championship softball team.

Steve was a bench player — and goon — for BC’s 1978 Class A State championship basketball team. Ray Jay Johnson was a star on that team.

Ray Jay was a two-time All-State basketball player. He was just the third player in school history to earn All-State twice in hoops, joining Danny Hanley and “Jumpin’” Joe Kelly.

Ray Jay was known to shoot the ball, and he was also known for his hard-nosed defense and taking a charge or three when needed. He was a long-range shooter whose records might still stand if he had a 3-poitn line in his day.

Ray Jay went on to have a solid career playing at the College of Great Falls. He was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

Whenever Ray Jay starts to tell stories, he will eventually bring up the name Steve Schulte. Whenever Steve tells a story, you better believe he is mentioning Ray Jay. That is why we had them on together. Earlier today, I met with the Hall of Fame story tellers at the Coaches Corner at Metals Sports Bar and Grill for this fun conversation.

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