The night before the night before Christmas belonged to the Bulldogs this year.

There was no holiday drama this time as Butte High’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams swept the Maroons Tuesday night at the Butte Civic Center. The Butte High girls won 62-24 before the Bulldog boys rolled to a 71-30 win behind a 32-point performance by senior Hudson Luedtke.

The Butte boys’ win, which was the most lopsided in the history of the Butte High-Butte Central rivalry, lifted the Bulldogs to 4-0 as they head into the Christmas break. The Maroons fell to 4-1.

Before Tuesday, the biggest win by either team was a 77-37 victory by Butte High in 1988. The win was also the third straight for Butte High, and the Bulldogs now lead the all-time series 102-80-1.

On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs now lead the Maroons 41-18.

If history is any guide, though, the Maroons will quickly bounce back. It seems like BC always improves after it plays Butte High, and vice versa.

Central’s boys and girls are back in action Jan. 8 when they head to Anaconda to take on the Copperheads. Butte High plays again Jan. 2 when Gallatin Comes to town for a doubleheader at the Civic Center.

BOYS
Butte High 71, Butte Central 30

It is hard to say what was more impressive: Butte High’s offense or Butte High’s defense.

On a night in which the Bulldogs seemed to make every shot they attempted, Butte High terrorized the Maroons on the other end of the court.

The Bulldogs shut down a BC squad that had been averaging 66.8 points per game.

Luedtke finished his career in the rivalry with a 3-1 record thanks to a performance that started with a game-opening contested 3-pointer. He reached 32 points without a single point from the free throw line, and he did not play a second of the fourth quarter.

Butte High led 22-9 after the first quarter and 44-12 at halftime. Butte High took 69-18 lead into the fourth quarter.

Luedtke, who hit four of Butte High’s 10 3-pointers, was the lone Bulldog in double figures scoring, but nine different Butte High players scored and 13 players got in the game.

Josh Liston scored eight points, while Cayde Stajcar, Mitch Verlanic and Rhett Arntson each scored six points. Brady Hanson, who threw down an Earth-shattering two-handed dunk, scored five points, James Pearston tossed in four, and Brady Walsh and Ryan Hanson each scored two.

Kaleb Celli, Koda Schleeman, Kendel Noctor and Raeder Grey also contributed for the Bulldogs.

Joshua Sutton scored 11 points to lead the Maroons. Jaxon Hiatt and Noah Sutton each scored six, GG Fantini tossed in three, and Ryan Peoples and Henly Mansanti each scored two. Cade Kelly and Burkley Lakkala also contributed for the Maroons.

BUTTE CENTRAL (4-1) — Ryan Peoples 1 0-0 2, Cade Kelly 0 0-0 0, Joshua Sutton 5 0-1 11, GG Fantini 1 1-2 3, Jaxon Hiatt 2 1-2 6, Noah Sutton 1 4-4 6, Henly Mansanti 0 2-2 2, Burkley Lakkala 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 8-11 30.
BUTTE HIGH (4-0) — Cayde Stajcar 3 0-0 6, Hudson Luedtke 14 0-0 32, Mitch Verlanic 2 0-0 6, Josh Liston 3 0-0 8, Brady Hanson 2 1-2 5, Rhett Arntson 2 0-0 6, James Perason 2 0-0 4, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0, Ryan Hanson 1 0-0 2, Kaleb Celli 0 0-0 0, Brady Walsh 0 2-2 2, Koda Schleeman 0 0-0 0, Raeder Grey 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 3-4 71.
Central           9          3          6          12 — 30
Butte               22        22        25        2 — 71
3-point goals — BC 2 (J. Sutton, Hiatt), Butte 10 (Luedtke 4, Verlanic 2, Liston 2, Arntson 2). Fouls — BC 7, Butte 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.

GIRLS
Butte High 62, Butte Central 24
The Bulldogs used a balanced offensive attack and a relentless defense to pick up their eighth straight win over the Maroons.

Central hung tough with Butte High for the first quarter, but the Bulldogs pulled away by outscoring BC 38-12 over the middle two quarters.

Cadence Graham, a junior playing in her fourth Butte-Central Game, hit 7 of 8 free throws and scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs. In all, Butte High saw nine players score points.

Senior Emma Johnson added nine points, while freshmen Ellison Graham and Saege Grey each scored eight. Allie Becker tossed in seven, Franki Salusso added six, Kendallyn Schad scored five, Stella Callaghan knocked in three, and Avery Barsness netted two.

Autumn Clary did not score, but she was a force on defense for the Bulldogs, who evened their record at 2-2.

Rylee Forbes scored six points to lead the Maroons, who played their third straight game without injured Kenzie McQueary. Zayonna Otherbull, Jaedyn Maldonado tossed in five, and eighth graders Mila Carriger and Luci Fantini scored four. Braelynn Schelin added on point for BC, which got contributions from Caden Tippett, Natalie Osterman and Evyn Smith.

BUTTE CENTRAL (1-4) — Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Zayonna Otherbull 2 0-1 4, Rylee Forbes 1 4-6 6, Braelynn Schelin 0 1-2 1, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Natalie Osterman 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Maldonado 1 2-2 5, Luci Fantini 1 2-4 4, Caden Tippett 0 0-0 0, Evyn Smith 0 0-0 0, Mila Carriger 1 2-2 4. Totals 6 11-17 24.
BUTTE HIGH (2-2) — Allie Becker 1 5-7 7, Cadence Graham 3 7-8 14, Autumn Clary 0 0-2 0, Franki Salusso 3 0-0 6, Emma Johnson 4 0-0 9, Ellison Graham 3 0-0 8, Saege Grey 4 0-0 8, Kendallyn Schad 2 0-0 5, Avery Barsness 1 0-0 2, Stella Callaghan 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 12-19 62.
Central           5          7          5          9 — 24
Butte               11        18        20        13 — 62
3-point goals — BC 1 (Maldonado), Butte 6 (E. Grham 2, C. Graham, Johnson Schad, Callaghan). Fouls — BC 19, Butte 16. Fouled out — Clary, Johnson. Technicals — none.