There is nothing like the Butte Central Maroons to bring out the best in the Butte High Bulldogs.

I wrote that same sentence following a great Butte High-Butte Central basketball game back when John Thatcher was still coaching the Bulldogs, and it might be the truest statement I ever made.

The Maroons bring out greatness in the Bulldogs. And vice versa.  

You can usually see that in the games following the Butte-Central game. Even though BC coach Brodie Kelly is 8-13 all time against the Bulldogs, his Maroons probably have a better than .900 winning percentage in the games immediately following the “City Championship Game.”

The greatness by both teams was on full display three nights before Christmas as the Bulldogs beat the Maroons 76-67 in front of a large crowd at the Civic Center.

Sophomore Hudson Luedke scored 32 points to lead the Bulldogs. His legendary night tied Butte High’s record for the most points in a game against BC. Luedke now shares the mark with Scott Ferguson (in 1986) and Micah Downs (in 2003).

Freshman Josh Sutton scored 18 of BC’s first 20 points on his way to a team-leading 22 points.

The list of heroes on both sides, however, was much, much longer than that.

Tocher Lee (13 points) and Dylan “Bobby” Bache (12) joined Luedtke in double figures scoring for the Bulldogs. Owen McPartland (17) and Jack Keeley (15) did the same for the Maroons.

But Bo Demarais, Rueso Battermann, Toree Temple, Trey McCarthy, Braylon Larson, Tyson Zeren and Spencer Callaghan all had big moments for the Bulldogs in the win.

The same could be said for Ryan Peoples, Zane Moodry, Patrick Stimatz, Parker Robertson and GG Fantini for the Maroons.

While the Bulldogs led most of the game, the Maroons were always within striking distance. The outcome of the game was very much in doubt until the final seconds ticked away.

I have watched most of the Butte-Central games since 1984. That year was one of six times the game that went to overtime over the last 40 years. The rivalry needed double overtime in 2015, 2010 and 1996.

Maybe it was the fact that I wasn’t watching it as a reporter, like I did for so many years. Or maybe it was where I was sitting. But I think the latest game just might have been the best since 1984, which I will forever remember as the greatest game the Bulldogs and Maroons played since I was old enough to pay attention.

That is because of what happened after that classic game, which was played 40 years and 8 days before the latest edition of the Butte-Central game.

On Dec. 14, 1983, Butte High outlasted BC 59-55 in an overtime thriller. Three months later, both teams hoisted state championship trophies.

Butte Central beat Billings Central 76-73 in overtime in the Class A title game in Butte on March 10. The next Saturday, which was St. Patrick’s Day, saw Butte High beat Great Falls High 53-50 in the Class AA championship game in Missoula.

Starting the season with a game that was even better than the state championship games certainly helped propel a couple of Butte teams to greatness.

I was just a little short of my 10th birthday when the Bulldogs and Maroons captured titles. To this day, guys like Tom Kenney, Marc Murphy, Mickey Tuttle and Chris Rasmussen still walk on water in my eyes.

To me, they still trump Bird, McHale and Parrish because those two Butte teams have been legendary in my eyes for four decades. 

Years from now, some of the young kids watching the latest edition will probably feel the same way about today’s Bulldogs and Maroons.

The 1984 Bulldogs are planning a reunion to celebrate their team in March. So far, there is no word on whether the Maroons will do the same. How cool would it be to see both teams, back-to-back, in the St. Paddy’s Day parade in March?

That really needs to happen.

Is that possible for 1984 to repeat itself in 2024? The way both teams played three nights before Christmas sure looks like that is not out of the realm of possibility.

Without question, though, the game will make both teams better as we head into the January portion of the schedule. The game also had me thinking a lot about that 1984 classic.

It didn’t hurt that I ran into Murphy for a short chat just before the boys tipped off. I also sat in a similar location as I did 40 years ago.

In 1983, I sat behind the where Butte High’s bench was this year with my dad and brothers. I can’t remember if that was Butte High’s bench then, but I think it was.

Back then, I cheered like crazy for the Maroons, but I still respected the heck out of the Bulldogs as I watched Mike Ogrin hit two free throws to send the game into overtime and Scott Paffhausen hit two more to ice the win.

In 2023, I again took a seat behind the Bulldog bench, but up near the back of the arena this time. I cheered for both teams as I sat back and enjoyed the incredible action. I was for the Bulldogs, and I was for the Maroons.

My little brother used to say he was for the “team that wins” when we used to go to the Butte-Central football game. Then he would stand up and clap in victory when the final buzzer sounded.

I was legitimately for both teams because both teams are Butte teams. That is easier to do when you attended both schools, like I did.

I am happy for the Bulldogs and coach Matt Luedke. While Butte High has qualified for the Class AA State tournament in each of Luedke’s first four seasons as coach of the Bulldogs, I contend that this is his biggest win at Butte High.

If he’s being honest, he will probably agree with that statement.

As happy as I am for the Bulldogs, I am sad for the Maroons. They played well enough to beat just about any team in the state, but they had to head into the Christmas break with a tough loss.

In the end, though, I am happy for both teams because I know that game is going make them both better down the road.

The same will definitely be true for the girls’ teams, even though that game wasn’t as close as the boys’ game this year.

If Butte Central’s boys play that well at the end of the season, the Maroons could very well hoist their third Class A State championship banner since 2020.

If the Bulldogs play that well, they could be partying like it is 1984, and Tuttle will boost his grandson, Hudson Luedtke, to sit on top of the rim and celebrate like Mickey did in Missoula.

In the end, the greatness of the game will be determined by the outcome of the season for the Maroons and Bulldogs. If both teams fizzle out, which they won’t, the game will still be remembered for a while.

If both teams go on to do great things, like I suspect they might, then we will be talking about the Dec. 22, 2023 game for generations to come.

We will long remember the night that the Bulldogs and Maroons once again pushed each other to the edge of greatness.

— Bill Foley, who can’t wait for the next Butte-Central game, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. Listen to the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.