Flag football set for home games; check in with cross country, volleyball, golf
Butte High and Butte Central will be looking for bounce-back performances as we turn to Week 2 of the high school football season.
Butte High dropped a 44-13 decision to Gallatin Friday night, while BC went on the road and fell 27-0 to Lockwood.
The Bulldogs hit the road on a short week to close out their non-conference schedule for a 6 p.m. Thursday game at Billings Skyview. The Maroons will play their home opener, taking Hardin at 7 p.m. Friday on Montana Tech’s Bob Green Field.
Friday’s score was not exactly indicative of how close the Butte High-Gallatin game was. The Bulldogs trailed 23-13 in the fourth quarter before the Raptors broke the game open.
Gallatin star quarterback Carter Dahlke showed why he is an early commit to the Montana State Bobcats, rushing for 100 yards. He joined Samuel Litzen in passing for a TD.
On defense, Dahlke returned an interception for a touchdown. The Raptors also got a back-breaking kickoff return for a touchdown from Bobby Gutzman.
Butte High’s defense was strong most of the night, despite being put in tough positions all game long. Senior defensive back Mitch Verlanic had a monster night to lead the Bulldogs. He registered 16 total tackles, 11 of which were solo. He also broke up a pass.
Senior Gunner Bushman added eight tackles, while Jaeger Hansen, Reece Cunneen, Hudson Luedtke and Kasen Snyder each got in on five take downs.
Hansen picked off a pass that was tipped by noseguard Grady Foley. Bushman recovered a fumble, and Bradey Doyle, Raeder Grey, Bridger Brancamp, Sawyer Casey and Kodye Kjersten each got in on multiple tackles.
Senior receiver Caleb Celli was a major highlight for an offensive team that struggled to move the ball. He caught TD passes from Brooks Vincent and Grey, who took snaps at quarterback while Vincent was briefly out after taking a vicious hit.
Luedtke joined Preston Jensen and Koda Schleeman with three receptions, while Brady Walsh grabbed two. Miner Lee, Peyton Johnson and Grey each caught one.
Skyview fell 28-20 at Helena High on Friday night. Junior quarterback Jaxon Zagata passed for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. He was picked off twice.
Senior quarterback Ryan Peoples passed for 112 yards to lead the Maroons. Jack Nagel, Joshua Sutton, Danny McCarthy, GG Fantini, Trey Hollow and Jaxon Hiatt all caught passes.
BC stats vs. Lockwood
RUSHING (9-13) — Danny McCarthy 2-(-5), Ryan Peoples 6-(-3), GG Fantini 1 (-2), Jaxon Hiatt 1-9, Henly Mansanti 1-14.
PASSING — Ryan Peoples 10-17-0-112.
RERCIVING (10-112) — Jack Nagle 1-13, Joshua Sutton 2-38, McCarthy 2-10, Fantini 2-34, Hiatt 1-14, Trey Hollow 1-3.
Butte High girls open flag season
Butte High’s flag football team showed improvement as the day went on Saturday at a season-opening jamboree in East Helena.
Bulldog fans will get the chance to see that improvement firsthand Wednesday when the Bulldogs play at Naranche Stadium.
After a 2 p.m. junior varsity game at the storied stadium, the Bulldog varsity team will take on Kalispell Flathead at 4 p.m. That will be followed by a varsity game against Missoula Big Sky at 6.
At Saturday’s jamboree, Butte High fell 13-6 before bouncing back with a 12-0 victory over Three Forks. Butte High’s JV fell 19-0 to East Helena.
Butte High coach John Stenson said the Bulldog offense started to get going in the second half against Boulder. He said freshman quarterback Rylee Erickson played great and ran for Butte’s lone touchdown. He also sighted junior Mackenzie Reed for her great play at running back and cornerback.
Stenson said Johnson Junior Brooke Johnson played an exceptional game to lead the way as the Bulldogs pitched the shoutout against Three Forks. Freshman Elli Carey showcased her speed while catching a short pass and burning into the end zone for the score. Erickson added a score on a quarterback keeper.
An interception by freshman Willow Rose highlighted Butte High’s effort in the JV game. Lilyi Malone played tough on run defense, and Bella Schrapps played a hard-nosed game at center and linebacker.
After Wednesday’s home action, the Bulldogs will play Boulder and Three Forks Saturday in Boulder.
Bulldog boys first, girls second in Boulder meet
Butte High’s cross country runners opened the season in impressive fashion Friday at the Jefferson Season Opener in Boulder. (Results)
Butte High’s boys ran to the team title in the six-team event. The Bulldog girls place second.
Bulldog seniors Camden Houchin and Levi Wiltsie placed first and second to lead the Butte boys to the team title. Houchin finish the 5-kilometer race with an impressive time of 16 minutes, 11 seconds. Wiltsie took second in 16:52.
Senior Lincoln Zell placed fifth for Butte, crossing in 17:32. Sophomore Isaac Zell took eighth in 17:49, and junior Bridger Luebke placed 13th in 18:19.
Also running for Butte were junior Johan Theiszen (19:27), freshman Jason Real (19:30), junior Colton Yoakum (19:39) and senior Ryan Hanson (20:12).
As a team, the Bulldogs scored 29 points. Helea Capital was second at 40, followed by Ennis at 76.
Capital won the girls’ crown with 36 points, finishing two points better than Butte High. Ennis was third at 70.
Butte freshman Sophia Houchin placed second to lead the Bulldogs. Townsend’s Kyla Meissner won with a time of 19:38. Houchin finished in 20:46. Butte freshman Elsa Theiszen took sixth in 21:50, while sophomore Penelope Luebke placed eighth in 22:02.
Also for Butte High, sophomore Adelaide Thomson finished in 24:01, and senior Kellie Jo Carpenter crossed in 24:27.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Fridah when they compete in Belgrade. The Butte Invitational is Sept. 25 at the Highland View Golf Course.
Butte Central’s cross country team began the season Friday at the Seamus Camp Invitational in Livingston. (Results)
The Maroons do not have enough runners for a team score. Junior Jack Holmes led BC’s boys with a time of 24:07. Junior Conan Holmes crossed in 26:27.
Freshman Ashley White was the lone BC runner on the girls’ side. She finished in 25:48.
The Maroons will host the BC Invitational next Tuesday at Fairmont Hot Springs.
Bulldog volleyball team drops thriller to Panthers
The Bulldogs thrilled the crowd in their volleyball season opener at the Ross J. Richardson Gymnasium Thursday night. Butte High, though, came out on the wrong end of a five-set battle with Belgrade.
No set was decided by more than five points as the Bulldogs fell 23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 21-25 15-11 (Stats) in the non-conference battle.
Senior Gracie Jonart tallied 15 kills, while junior Allie Becker added 13 to lead Butte High’s attack. The Bulldogs also got nine kills from senior Audry McClafferty, eight from freshman Ellison Grham and seven from senior Avery Barsness.
Graham, the setter, also registered 38 assists and 21 digs. Junior Cadence Graham led the Bulldog backcourt with 26 digs. Jonart dug up 19, and Becker dug 14.
Two days later, the Bulldogs went to Billings and dropped 3-0 decisions to Billings Senior and Billings Skyview.
Senior topped the dogs 25-21, 25-16, 25-14 (stats), while Skyview beat Butte 26-24, 25-18, 25-13 (stats).
The Bulldogs will be back in action Saturday for a crossover tournament in Belgrade. The Bulldogs will play the Panthers and the three Billings Class AA schools. They play their Western AA opener Tuesday at home against Missoula Sentinel.
Mickelson era gets ‘decent’ start
Butte Central’s volleyball team is under new leadership.
Former Montana Tech star Karina Mickelson steps in to fill shoes of Becky Hancock. After playing at the Western AA tipoff tournament Friday and Saturday in Polson, the new coach liked what she saw, for the most part.
BC swept Browning and split with Libby. Mickelson said the Maroons also took a set from Whitefish, too.
“It went decent,” Mickelson said. “We didn’t win a ton, but they were doing a lot of the right things. We got a ton of compliments from the other coaches saying how much they’ve improved already in so short a time.”
The Maroons will play in another tipoff tournament this Friday and Saturday. This time, though, BC will host the Southwest/Southeast Tipoff at the Maroon Activities Center.
Butte High soccer drops two at Helena High
Helena High’s boys’ and girls’ soccer teams swept the Bulldogs Saturday in the season-opening matches for both schools.
The Bengals won the girls’ match 10-0 and the boys’ battle 7-1.
“It was a learning experience with a group of girls without much experience,” Bulldog girls’ coach Geno Liva said. “They played hard and battled them. We did get a ton of girls experience on the field so that was good.”
Information for the boys’ match was not provided.
Liva is in his first year coaching the Bulldog girls. He also coaches Butte High’s girls’ wrestling team. Adam Colvin is the first-year boys’ coach.
The Bulldogs will play at home Saturday against Helena Capital. The boys play at 10 a.m., and the girls will follow at noon.
Butte High golfers second, third after Day 1 of Belgrade Invite
After the first day of the Belgrade Invitational, Butte High’s boy’s golf team sits in second place. The Bulldog girls are currently in third.
Butte High’s girls shot a 421 Tuesday at the Riverside Country Club. Great Falls Russell leads the way at 351, and Missoula Big Sky is third at 395. Missoula Sentinel sits in fourth at 425.
Bulldog junior Kate DeShaw fired an 85 on the par 71-course and sits in third place at the halfway point. CMR golfer Quincy Weymouth leads the way at 78. Teammate Brooklyn Hageman is second at 84.
Butte senior Keeley Johnston carded a 94, and that is good for ninth place after the first round. Bulldog Sage Leber shot a 105 and sits in 14th place.
Also for Butte, Julia DeShaw shot a 137, and Baely Norris hit 141.
Missoula Sentinel’s boys shot a blistering 280 Tuesday to take a commanding lead in the team race. Butte High is second at 312, and CMR is third at 314.
Sentinel’s Jack Schaefer and Missoula Big Sky’s Kellen Currie each shot a 4-under-par 67 to take the lead in the medalist race. Hudson Goroski and Joseph Meusey are next at 68 and 79.
Butte High senior Chase Choquette is tied for fifth place with CMR’s Jack Piski at 75. Bulldog teammate Teagan Yelenich one back at 76, which ties him for seventh place.
Jack Muhlestein hit a 79 for the Bulldogs, while Lane Lisac hit an 82 and Brandon Donnelly shot an 89.
The tournament concludes at 9 a.m. Wednesday with 18 holes at the Cottonwood Hills Golf Club.
Butte Central’s golfers will play at the Dillon Invitational on Wednesday. Butte High will send junior varsity golfers to compete in that meet.
Follow the Belgrade Invitational on the Golf Genuis app. The password is “BELGRADE25.”
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 