The Butte High Bulldogs and Butte Central Maroons punched their tickets to the football playoffs Friday night with home victories.
Those wins came over some old nemeses, too.
Butte High beat Helena Capital 17-0 in a Western AA game at Naranche Stadium. That win coupled with Missoula Sentinel’s 21-7 win over Kalispell Flathead secures a spot for the Bulldogs in the Class AA playoffs. They will most likely play at Great Falls Russell next Friday night.
Butte Central beat Dillon 38-27 on Montana Tech’s Bob Green Field. The win sends the Maroons to the Class A playoffs. It was the first win by BC over Dillon since the 2014 regular season, and the first trip to the postseason for the Maroons since 2019.
Junior quarterback Raeder Grey ran for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bulldogs in their win. He also passed for 85 yards and a score.
Butte High took the lead for good on a 21-yard field by Bradey Doyle early in the second quarter. The Dogs made it a 10-0 game when sophomore Kodye Kjersten made a great grab for a 27-yard TD reception from Grey.
Grey capped the scoring late in the third quarter with a 3-yard run.
Senior Peyton Johnson added 73 yards on the ground, and classmate Gunner Bushman ran for 17 as the Bulldogs amassed 212 rushing yards behind an offensive line made up of seniors Keegan Swischer, Kadyn Sommer, Gannon Sullivan, Waylond Hicks and Grady Foley, and junior Mason Swanson.
Foley filled in at right tackle after Swanson left the game with an injury.
Brady Walsh caught three passes for 45 yards. Johnson added two grabs, and senior Hudson Luedtke joined Kjersten with one.
Luedtke and junior Jaeger Hansen led the Bulldogs with eight tackles. Bushman got in on six, while seniors Mitch Verlanic and Bridger Brancamp joined Foley with five. Grey and junior Finn Wortham got in on four.
Butte High registered five sacks. Foley and Junior Max Pearston each got in on two, while Luedtke, Brancamp, Wortham and senior Jacob Galle all got in on one. Galle and Sommer each also recovered a fumble.
Butte High closes the regular season at 3-6 overall and 2-5 in conference. Their two wins to end the regular season mean the Bulldogs will be still playing next week.
The Maroons close the regular season at 5-3 and 3-2. Bruce Sayler will have a full boxscore and game story at ButteSports.com.
Click the link below for complete stats from Butte High’s win over Capital.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 
Thanks Dad and reporter Foley! for this report. and for all the ways you bless this community and surrounding. With #7 having roots in Anaconda, your interview with football coach there (i’ve always thought the world of since meeting too) and your mentioning Jeff Frank (an ol’ loved co-worker of mine! brought back a flood of memories. The stats that he could roll off for anaconda was (is) amazing!! a legend for sure.
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