The 2024-25 Butte High Silver B’s Memorial Scholarship will go to Butte High seniors Karsen McEwen and Eli Smith, Silver B’s Historian Scott Paffhausen announced Tuesday.

The honors come with their name on a plaque and a $1,500 scholarship. The Silver B’s will present the scholarships to McEwen and Smith at a later date.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound McEwen receives the scholarship even though a knee injury limited his season to just four games. While playing defensive end, McEwen still registered seven total tackles for the Bulldogs.

Smith, a 5-10, 180-pound linebacker, receives the award after leading the Bulldogs with 78 total tackles. That includes 60 solo tackles.

The 2024 Bulldogs went to on the road to beat Great Falls High 21-17 in the first round of the playoffs. They fell at Kalispell Glacier 48-38 the next week. Glacier advanced to the Class AA state championship game.

In its fourth year, the Butte High Silver B Memorial Scholarship has now been awarded to seven student-athletes. Cole Stewart was the first winner in 2021-22. In 2022-23, Alex Watson and Jonas Sherman took home the honors. Last year, the scholarship went to Bo Demarais and Luke Verlanic.

The names of McEwen and Smith will join those distinguished former Bulldogs on the plaque.

In addition to Paffhausen, the Silver B’s officers are Matt Pelletier (treasurer) and Northey Tretheway (secretary). Dave Bennetts is the head of the Silver B’s Scholarship Committee.

Photos McEwen, left, and Smith are courtesy of Alycia Holland Photography.