Dogs split with Belgrade on mat; hoops, swimming ready to go

Butte High’s wrestling teams made their 2025-26 home debut Tuesday night at the old gym, giving their home fans a taste of what is to come at this week’s Mining City Duals Jim Street Classic.

Belgrade won an exciting girls’ battle 39-36, while the Bulldog boys stuck it to the Panthers 57-15.

Butte High’s boys were nothing short of dominant in their first home performance of the season.

Renzy LeProwse (103 pound), Conner Crew (110), Keegan Hunt (118), Ryder McEwen (150), Cameron Fleege (175), Bridger Brancamp (190) and Caden Phillips (215) all won by way of the pin. McEwen needed just 58 seconds on the mat to get his pin.

Hunt is looking for his second straight state title. He won at 103 pounds in February.

Darryn Rossiter won by a major decision at 138, and Bradey Doyle won by technical fall at 144. Reveles McEwen (126) and Bridger Garrison (165) went the distance and won by decision.

The match of the night came at 157 pounds, where Belgrade’s Brody Dooley edged Bode Hazlett in an 11-10 thriller. Hazlett won the 144-pound state title last season.

Cody Westlake (132) and Nash Gentry (285) picked up pins for the Panthers.

On the girl’s side, Peyton Liva (105), Lilyi Malone (115), Adalie Hazlett (120), Sage Queer (145) and Matti Neighbor (155) each won by pin. Brooke Johnson picked up a forfeit victory at 140.

At 125 pounds, Belgrade’s Amelia Steinmann won a 1-0 battle over Butte High’s Jessica Blow.

Belgrade’s Quinn Lindsley (110), Rebekah Henke (130), Charlee Lund (135), Yamileh Ruiz (170) and Isabela Rangel (235) all won by pin. Bree Brings Down The Sun-Bullshoe-Williams picked up a forfeit victory.

The Bulldogs opened the season against the three Billings Class AA schools Saturday, and the Bulldog boys went 2-1. Bute High beat Billings Senior 48-20 and the Bulldogs topped Billings Skyview 48-34. The Dogs fell 35-18 to defending Class AA State champion Billings West 55-18.

Individual results from the duals were not available, but Bulldog coach Cory Johnston noted that Hazlett and Garrison each went 3-0.

Scores and individual results from the girls’ action are not available. Butte girls’ coach Geno Liva pointed out that junior Johnson went 3-0 with three pins.

The Mining City Duals will begin 10 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday. Action on both days will be at the Butte Civic Center.

The Bulldogs will also send a squad to compete in the Whitehall Duals, which begin at 9 a.m. both days.

Butte High’s girls, meanwhile, will head to the two-day Flathead Invitational in Kalispell. Matches begin at 2 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.

For more detail on Tuesday’s duals, check out Bruce Sayler’s story on ButteSports.com.

BOYS
Butte High 57, Belgrade 15
103 — Renzy LeProwse, Butte, pinned Ian Dooley,1:55
110 — Crew O’Connor, Butte, pinned, Luke Flack, 4:18
118 — Keegan Hunt, Butte, pinned Carson Wortham, 5:55
126 — Reveles McEwen, Butte, dec. Cohen Green 9-6
132 — Cody Westlake, Belgrade, pinned Joey Ward, 1:17
138 — Darryn Rossiter, Butte, maj. dec. Gage Young 18-5
144 — Bradey Doyle, Butte, tech fall George Roth 19-4
150 — Ryder McEwen, Butte, pinned Sam Smith, 0:58
157 — Brody Dooley, Belgarde, dec. Bode Hazlett 11-10
165 — Bridger Garrison, Butte, dec. Jacob Hahner 7-4
175 — Cameron Fleege, Butte, pinned Evan Rogers, 5:53
190 — Bridger Brancamp, Butte, pinned Michael Spears, 3:35
215 — Caden Phillips, Butte, pinned Noah Franscioni 3:47
285 — Nash Gentry, Belgrade, pinned Waylond Hicks, 1:28

GIRLS
Belgrade 39, Butte High 36
105 — Peyton Liva, Butte High, pinned Elizabeth Baca :46.
110 — Quinn Lindsley, Belgrade, pinned Brooklyn Hettick :50.
115 — Lilyi Malone, Butte High, pinned Ashlyn Sanderson 1:05.
120 — Adalie Hazlett, Butte High, pinned Violet Turnquist-Linn 2:00.
125 — Amelia Steinmann, Belgrade, dec. Jessica Blow 1-0.
130 — Rebekah Henke, Belgrade, pinned Addison Bohrman, won by forfeit.
135 — Charlee Lund, Belgrade, pinned Loretta Matteson 1:04.
140 — Brooke Johnson, Butte High, won by forfeit.
145 — Sage Queer, Butte High, pinned Peyton Main 2:58.
155 — Matti Neighbor, Butte High, pinned Kylia Daniels 5:52.
170 — Yamileh Ruiz, Belgrade, pinned Rylee Radcliffe 5:11.
190 — Bree Brings Down The Sun-Bullshoe-Williamson, Belgrade, won by forfeit.
235 — Isabela Rangel, Belgrade, pinned Chyanne Robinson :36.
Exhibition matches
Morgan Hunter, Belgrade, pinned Deearea Naugle, 3:27
Charlee Richter, Butte, pinned Synnore Nees, 3:21
Sarri Ruiz, Belgrade, pinned Reaghan Denning, 1:20
Mattie Stepan, Butte, pinned Kyla Daniels, 1:25
Bella Rangel, Belgrade, pinned Allie Ballensky, :38

Holmes first in Havre

Butte Central’s wrestling teams got out the gates in strong fashion at the Havre Invitational.

Junior Jack Holmes led the way, claiming first place in the 132-pound division. He pinned Max Holdorff of Havre, topped eighth-grade teammate Brekyn Armstrong 8-1 and topped Cutbank’s Chase Clift 3-0 to win the title.

Armstrong finished in third place. He fell to Holdorff and beat Clift 11-5.

Eighth grader Jace Rauch placed second at 103 pounds. He went 2-1 with a 18-5 win over teammate Jampel Hanley and a 16-0 technical fall over John Caven of Havre. Hanley finished third.

Freshman Kohler Sparks placed fourth at 125 pounds, and eighth grader Braydon Armstrong took fifth at 118.

Central’s boys’ wrestling team also includes freshmen David Sandoval and Tyge Meneses, and sophomores Connor Kachmarik and Kelson Brackett. Girls wrestling for the Maroons are freshman Felicity Stevens and junior Amira Gonzales.

The Maroons will host a mixer at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Maroon Activities Center. Central’s wrestlers will compete at the Whitehall Duals Friday and Saturday.

Maroons open in Frenchtown

Butte Central’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will be in Frenchtown Friday and Saturday to open the season with a tip-off tournament.

The Maroons will take on Browning on Friday and Columbia Falls on Saturday. The girls play at 1 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday. The BC boys play at 2:45 p.m. and 11:30 a.m.

On the girls’ side, Central is looking to build off last year’s strong finish that led them to the Western A Divisional tournament.

The Maroons will have a pair of seniors to lead the team in Caden Tippett and Arika Stajcar. The roster also includes juniors Marly Mansanti, and Rylee Forbes; and sophomores Jaedyn Maldonado, Evyn Smith, Kenzie McQueary, Zayonna Otherbull, Natalie Soterman and Braelynn Schelin. All those players bring back varsity experience for head coach Quinn Carter’s team.

Carter also added promising eighth graders Lucy Fantini and Jordyn Samson to the varsity roster.

Central’s boys will be looking to return to the Class A State tournament after a very rare absence last year.

Head coach Brodie Kelly’s squad will be led by senior Ryan Peoples and juniors Cade Kelly, Joshua Sutton, GG Fantini, Burkley Lakkala and Gunnar O’Brien. The BC varsity roster also includes junior Jaxon Hiatt and freshmen Noah Sutton and Jaxon Hiatt.

Joshua Sutton is BC’s leading returning scorer. He averaged 17.0 points per game last season.

The Maroons will host the East vs. West Tipoff tournament Dec. 19-20 at the Maroon Activities Center. That tournament will include Glendive, Whitefish and Sidney along with the Maroons.

Bulldog cagers head to Bozeman

The 2025-26 basketball season will begin Saturday in Bozeman for the Butte High Bulldogs. The Bulldogs and Hawks will play a doubleheader.

The girls will play at 2:30 p.m., with the boys following at about 4.

Butte High’s girls are looking to improve on their fourth-place finish at last year’s Class AA State tournament in Bozeman.

Franki Salusso and Emma Johnson are the only seniors on coach Bryan Arntson’s team. The roster, however, is still packed with experience and grit.

That roster includes juniors Cadence Graham, Allie Becker, Ellie Yates, Reese Johnson, Autumn Clary, Avery Barsness and Kendallyn Schad; sophomores Evie Smith and Stella Callaghan; and freshmen Elli Graham and Saege Grey.

Cadence Graham ranked No. 2 in the Class AA with 18.0 points per game last season. She has been a varsity fixture since she was in the eighth grade.

On the boys’ side, the Bulldogs are looking to bounce back after missing the State tournament for the first time under head coach Matt Leudke.

The team is led by senior Hudson Luedtke, who broke the school’s all-time scoring record midway through his junior season. He led the Class AA with 19.2 points and 6.1 assists per game last season.

Butte High’s current team also features the return of seniors Cayde Stajcar and Mitch Verlanic to the mix.

Other seniors on the team are Kaleb Celli, Rhett Arntson, Josh Liston, Howie Pearston, Kendel Noctor and Ryan Hanson.

The roster also includes juniors Brady Walsh, Beau Henderson, Matt Weldon, Koda Schleeman, Brayden Giop and Raeder Grey, and sophomores Noah Powers, Kodye Kjersten, Brady Hanson, Matt Marsenich and Troy Samson.

The Bulldogs will play their home openers in a doubleheader with Dillon next Tuesday.

Swimmers dive in Friday

Butte High’s swimming team will host the season-opening December Splash Friday at the Butte Family YMCA. Action begins at 4 p.m.

The meet will include the Helena schools and Butte Central. It is one of just two meets for the Bulldogs and Maroons before the Christmas break. Butte High and BC will also compete in the Missoula City Meet on Dec. 20.

Butte High’s girls’ team will include decorated seniors Olivia Thurmond and Tatum Trefts, along with junior Alaina Grochowski; sophomores Bella Corrales, Elaine Fuller, Elliot Longtin and Elly Rumler; and freshmen Bryher Fitzpatrick and Adalie Grochowski.

Nathan Stone is the lone senior on the Butte High boys’ team. He is joined by juniors Nathan Knopp, Ayvahn Mann and Gage Plum; sophomores Gunnar Benson, Alex Cranny, Elgin Hoar, Tucker Kissell, Grayson Lynch, Mason Pullman and Jorden Sonnemann; freshmen Alex Sonnemann, Sam Cunneen, Gabriel Cranny and Aaron Christensen; and eighth graders Rody Johnson and Cruz Kissell.

Competing for the Maroons will be Emmett Foley, Connor Hardy, Conan Holmes and Shamus Peck for the boys and Tessa Ganzenmueller, Morgan Hardy, Arwen Regester and Tia Thompson for the girls.