Future Grizzly wins 110 hurdles, high jump, triple jump
If University of Montana track coaches had second thoughts about signing Butte High senior Sam Henderson, those doubts were erased in a big way Tuesday.
While opening the prep track season in the city of his future college, Henderson attained Class AA State meet qualifying standards in three events in a dual meet with Missoula Sentinel at Missoula County Stadium. (Results)
Henderson won the 110-meter hurdles, the high jump and the triple jump. He finished the short hurdles in 15.06 seconds, cleared 6 feet, 2 inches in the high jump and leapt 45-04 in the triple jump.
While neither were personal bests for the future Grizzly, all three qualified him for State. He was the lone competitor in the triple jump.
In all, Henderson was one of three Bulldogs to reach a qualifying mark on the day. Senior Brett Polich qualified with a victory in the shot put with a launch of 50-1. He also placed third in the discus.
Senior Brityn Stewart, fresh off completing her remarkable basketball career at Butte High, qualified by winning the javelin with a mark of 115-3.
No team scores were kept in the meet, but Butte High saw several other competitors claim victories.
Junior Camden Houchin posted a pair of personal bests while winning the 800- and 1,600-meter races. He finished the 800 in 2 minutes, 4.95 seconds and crossed in 4:38.72 in the 1,600.
Classmate Cohen Andrews jumped 20-1 to win the long jump.
On the girls’ side, freshman Ava Boehmer won the 100 in 13.52, freshman Evelyn Smith took the 800 in 2:34.36 and freshman Penelope Luebke won the 300 hurdles in 59.56. Luebke was the lone finisher in the event.
Also for the Bulldog girls, senior Mylee Demarais took second in the shot put and discus, sophomore Autumn Clary placed second in the 200, freshman Berkli Salusso placed second in the 800, senior Peyton Trabert finished second in the pole vault, and senior Elli Quist took second in the 100. Quist also placed fourth in the 200.
Sophomore Valleria Trabert placed third in the long jump and fourth in the pole vault. Sophomore Millie Guay finished third in the 100, and senior Jaycee Cleveland took third in the javelin.
For the Butte boys, senior Jacob Galle placed second in both hurdles races, junior Ryan Hanson finished second in the high jump and long jump, and senior Mason Leber placed second in the pole vault.
Also, Sam Sampson took third in the 200 and fourth in the 100, senior Matthew Donaldson finished third in the javelin, freshman Brady Hanson finished third in the high jump, and senior Tocher Lee jumped to third in the long jump.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday when they head to Billings to take on West and Skyview. Butte High will host a meet with Helena Capital and Butte Central Tuesday at the Charlie Merrifield Track at Bulldog Memorial Stadium inside the Gene Fogarty Complex.
McGee leads BC track team
Butte Central senior Justus McGee led the way with two two-five performances Saturday as the Maroon track team opened the season at the Frenchtown Invitational. (Results)
The future Rocky Mountain College football player placed fourth in the 100-meter race with a personal-best time of 11.66 seconds on the cold day. He placed fifth in the long jump with a leap 19 feet, 5 ½ inches.
The Corvallis boys scored 79 points to win the meet that saw 25 teams score points on both the boys’ and girls’ sides. Hamilton took second at 77, and Frenchtown placed third at 72. Butte Central scored 9 ½ points.
Dillon won the girls’ crown with 92 points. Havre was second, followed by Frenchtown at 69. Butte Central did not score any team points.
Junior Caden Tippett placed 10th in the shot put with a put of 28-3 to lead the BC girls. Senior Keefer McGree was the only other Maroon to finish in the top 10 in an event. He placed eighth in the 400 with a time of 56.04. Senior Michael Peck placed 14th in the shot put with a mark of 37-4 and 16th in the discus with a throw of 108-10.
Senior Patrick Stimatz placed 16th in the 100 in 10.97, while sophomore Danny McCarthy tied McGree for 17th in 12.03.
Friday, BC will compete at Hamilton on Friday before running in Butte High’s meet on Tuesday.
Maroons, Bulldogs set to clash on diamond
Weather made us making us wait a little longer than planned, but Butte High and Butte Central will meet on the baseball diamond of Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium.
The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but moved back to Friday at because of the weather. Game time is 3 p.m. for the varsity game. The JV will follow at 5.
First, Butte Central is scheduled to play Thursday in Dillon. Butte High is set to play its first home game Thursday against Lone Peak.
The Maroons opened the season at home last Thursday, dropping a 9-0 decision to East Helena at 3 Legends. A day later, BC traveled to Livingston and fell 11-4.
Xavier Nunn went 2 for 2 with three walks, three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Vigilantes. Leadoff hitter Killian Snarr wet 4 for 5. He scored twice. Liam Priebe pitched five innings, striking out eight, to grab the win.
Trapper Stajcar tripled, and Gunner “Goo” O’Brien smacked three singles to lead the Maroons. Colt Hassler worked a pair of walks, and Beau McGree dew one.
Hassler started on the mound and gave up three earned runs. Kelton “Stewie” Keene pitched three innings of relief, giving up two runs.
Liam Edwards drove in three runs, while Brentin Allgood, Ben Ciprani and Coen Braham each knocked in to lead Livingston past BC Friday. Austin Brockett struck out six over five innings to get the win.
Stajcar tripled, singled and stole a pair of bases to lead the Maroons. Treigh Hollow doubled, and Hassler, McGree and Jack Nagle singled. O’Brien struck out five over four and two thirds inning of work. Thanks to BC’s eight errors, he gave up six unearned runs. Aiden Ossello got four outs, two by way of the K.
Butte High lost 7-3 Friday in Belgrade. Less than 24 hours later, the Bulldogs rebounded with a 22-0 win at Townsend.
Junior Jaxon Williamson tossed an abbreviated no-hitter in the game that was called after three innings by the mercy rule. He walked one, and strikeouts accounted for eight of the nine outs he got. Gunner Bushman and Koyde Kjersten homered in Butte’s 12-hit attack. Bushman drove in four runs.
Brooks Vincent smacked three hits, including a double. Cole Solomon hit a double and a single, Evan McEwen doubled, and Tocher Lee, Logan Carden, Karsen McEwen and Tegan Duffy singled.
In Belgrade, leadoff hitter Ryas Olson went 3 for 4 to lead the Panthers, who did their damage on eight singles. The Panthers also took advantage of five Butte errors. Sawyer Olson and Gage Banks each added two singles to to back up Brayton Van Dyken, who struck out seven over six innings to get the win.
Cayde Stajcar, who started on the mound and took a hard-luck loss, homered in a two-hit performance to lead the Bulldogs. Karsen McEwen doubled, and Mathew Donaldson and Duffy each singled.
Maroons pound 12 hits, but fall in Livingston
Butte Central’s softball team smacked 12 hits as the Maroons opened the season Saturday in Livingston.
The Rangers, though, brought their bats, too. Livingston scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off with a 10-9 non-conference victory. After Sophia Rogers hit a two-run double to tie the game, Meleyah Gress hit a single. A fielding error then led to Bronwyn Herman scoring the winning run.
Rogers was on of five Livingston batters with two hits on the game. She drove in four runs from the leadoff spot. Quinci Wood tripled for the Rangers, while Gress, Peyton Coate, Dawson Wood and Chloe Goosey each hit two singles.
Coate pitched four innings of relief to get the win.
Freshman third baseman Kodee Badovinac went 3 for 4 with a triple and a double to lead the Maroon attack. Pitcher Braelynn Schelin and left fielder Cambri Campbell, also freshman, went 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
Junior right fielder Sophia Gelling hit a double and a single, and freshman short stop Natalie Osterman doubled.
BC also got a single from junior catcher Arika Stajcar. Freshman second baseman Evyn Smith joined Stajcar and Osterman with an RBI.
The Maroons are scheduled to play their home opener Thursday against Dillon at Stodden Park. BC is set to travel to Stevensville on Saturday.
Butte Central 053 000 1 — 9 12 2
Livingston 010 301 4 — 10 12 1
Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar; Chloe Goosey, Peyton Coate (4) and Dawson Wood. W — Coate (1-0). L — Schelin (0-1).
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-1) — Schelin 2-4, Cambri Campbell 2-4, Stajcar 1-4, Zayonna Otherbull 0-4, Kodee Badovinac 3-4, Evyn Smith 1-4, Marly Mansanti 0-3, Sophia Gelling 2-4, Natalie Osterman 1-3.
LIVINGSTON (1-0) — Sophia Rogers 2-4, Meleyah Gress 2-5, Tess Goosey 1-3, Kenna Benzel 0-4, Coate 2-4, Wood 1-4, Wood 2-3, Chloe Goosey 2-4, Bronwyn Herman 0-2.
3B — Badovinac; Wood. 2B — Badovinac, Gelling, Osterman; Coate, T. Goosey, C. Goosey, Rogers. RBIs — Schelin 2, Campbell 2, Stajcar, Smith, Osterman; Rogers 4, Gress 2, C. Goosey 2, T. Goosey, Wood.
Panthers put Freese on Bulldogs
Londyn Freese froze the Butte High bats Thursday as the Belgrade Panthers blanked the Butte High’s softball team 4-0 in a non-conference game in Belgrade.
Freese didn’t overpower the Bulldogs. She struck out three and walked three. But she held Butte High to just two hits on the day.
Reese Johnson and Hailey Skeel singled for the Bulldogs. Reese, the second baseman and leadoff hitter, also drew a pair of walks. Skeel walked once.
Ava Lund and Teagan Bowler doubled in runs for the Panthers. Bailee white poked a pair of singles. The Panthers took advantage of three Butte errors, and Ashlinn Mullaney surrendered just one earned run in the loss.
Butte High is slated to play at Missoula Hellgate on Thursday. The Bulldogs will play host to Missoula Sentinel on Saturday.
Before Butte High takes the field again, however, senior first baseman Madisyn Swanson will officially become a Buccaneer. Dawson announced the commitment of Swanson on March 19.
She will sign a letter of intent to play for the Glendive school at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Richardson Gym.
Butte High opens on Missoula courts
Butte High’s tennis teams got in their first action of the season Friday in Missoula. The Bulldogs dropped 8-0 matches to a tough Billings West squad before falling 5-3 in both team matches against the Panthers.
Because of the worsening weather, the matches against Belgrade were scored by pro sets.
Playing No. 1 on the singles side, Butte High’s Matthew Weldon picked up a victory against Belgrade. Tashi Hanley, at No. 3, also grabbed a win. Both won by scores of 8-3.
Butte High’s No. 2 doubles team of Cole Skeel and Drew Hanson picked up an 8-4 win.
For the girls, Butte High got wins out of No. 2 Avery Blue and No. 3 Carliegh Donaldson. Both won with 8-3 scores.
Chloe Jewell and Sieena Bradley teamed for an 8-5 win at No. 5 doubles.
The Bulldogs will play their first home matches of the season Friday, taking on Billings Skyview and Missoula Sentinel at Stodden Park. Missoula Big Sky will also be in town to battle Skyview and Sentinel.
BOYS
Belgrade 5, Butte High 3
Singles
Matthew Weldon, Butte, def. Tallon Blackburn 8-3
Conner Kelley, Belgrade, def. Jason Johns 8-4
Tashi Hanley, Butte, def. Peyton Pittman 8-3
Dexter McKenna, Belgrade, def. Bryce Gratton 8-6
Doubles
Grey Pommerville/Linus McKenna, Belgrade, def. Josh Schrader/Philip Russo 8-7
Cole Skeel/Drew Hanson, Butte, def. Owen Plagmann/Cameron Hansaker 8-4
Stryker Putman/Dylan Delph, Belgrade, def. Hunter LaPier/Kanyon Flynn 8-4
Carl Shaneman/Kasey Clemens, Belgrade, defMaxximus Pearston/James Pearston 8-7
Billings West 8, Butte High 0
Singles
Ty Graham, West, def. Johns 6-0, 6-0
Luke Wilkinson, West, def. def. Weldon 6-1, 6-0
David Kauwe, West, def. Hanley 6-0, 6-3
Cole Lozier, West, def. Gratton 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Dallin Abrams/Anderson Hurst, West, def. Shrader/Russo 60, 6-0
Grant Wassmer/Mathew Paulsen, West, def. Skeel/Hanson 6-4, 6-2
Christian Allies/Camden Worthington, West, def. LaPier/Flynn 6-0, 6-0
Tanner Ludwig/Owen Thayer, West, def. Mason Johnson/Archer Adams 6-2, 6-1
GIRLS
Belgrade 5, Butte 3
Singles
Nalalia Smelana, Belgrade, def. Murphy Sullivan 8-1
Avery Blue, Butte, def. Ivory Davis 8-3
Carliegh Donaldson, Butte, def. Isobel Cunningham 8-3
Val Moreno, Belgrade, def. Allisa Pennock 7-2
Doubles
Lexi Thom/Teagan McMahon, Belgrade, def. Sofia Groesbeck/Avya Gerry 8-0
Chloe Jewell/Sieena Bradley, Butte, def. Kimber Andres/Amelia Plagmann 8-5
Ruby Blossam/Delia Turner, Belgrade, def. Isabella Babb/Rachel Law 8-2
Jolene Turner/Kayli Tunrer, Belgrade, def. Rory Trafford/McKenzie Reed 8-1
Billings West 8, Butte High 0
Singles
Jennifer Mathison, West, def. Donaldson 6-0, 6-0
Annabelle Peterson, West, def. Sullivan 6-0, 6-1
Anna Beacham, West, def. Blue 6-0, 6-0
Mia Hatzel, West, def. def. Pennock 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
Piper Abrams/Cambry Magone, West, def. Jewell/Bradley 6-0, 6-0
Abbey Thayer/Tiffany Williams, West, def. Groesbeck/Gerry 6-1, 6-0
Marissa Bruyure/Addison Townsend, West, def.Babb/Law 6-0, 6-2
Brooklyn Jepperson/Taylor Atkinson, West, def. Trafford/Reed 6-0 6-0
BC tennis postponed again
Butte Central’s tennis team will start the season. Sometime. It will. Maybe even as early as Wednesday.
BC’s season-opening action was rescheduled for the second time this week because of snow. The Maroons were set to go to Livingston to compete with Livingston, Dillon and Hardin.
That meet has been rescheduled for Wednesday. Of course, that was anything but a certainty to happen on the latest scheduled day.
Central is scheduled to play host to Stevensville Friday at Stodden Park.
Of course, the spring schedule is always subject to change. Click here for Butte High’s updated schedules. Click here for Central’s.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 