Butte High split varsity Western AA basketball games against Helena Capital Thursday night.

The Bulldog boys knocked off the Bruins 58-43 at the Richardson Gym, turning the tables on a team that beat them last month in Helena. The Bulldog girls, meanwhile, fell in a 42-33 thriller in Helena.

Butte High will take on Helena High Saturday. The Bulldog boys travel to the Capital City, while the girls host the Bengals at the Richardson Gym. Both games are set to begin at 3 p.m.

BOYS
Butte High 58, Helena Capital 43
The Bulldogs avenged the Jan. 15 loss at Capital, and they did it in convincing fashion.

Hudson Luedtke poured in a game-high 26 points to lead the way for the Bulldogs. He sank three 3-pointers and score 13 points in each half as the Bulldogs broke a tie with Capital for third place in the Western AA.

Butte High is now 12-3 overall and 7-3 in conference.

Cayde Stajcar and Mitch Verlanic each scored 10 points for the Bulldogs. Stajcar, who missed last week’s two games with a sprained ankle, also dominated on the glass and was a leader for a stellar Bulldog defensive performance.

Verlanic sank a pair of 3-pointers.

Brady Hanson scored nine points for Butte, and Josh Liston knocked in three. Rhett Arntson and Kendel Noctor also contributed for the Bulldogs.

Landon Levang scored eight of his team-leading 10 points in the first quarter for the Bruins, who fell to 9-6 and 6-4. Kobe Gamradt and Wil Spotorno each scored nine points for the Bruins. Drew Almquist tossed in six, Carson Toivonen tallied three, and Joey Mergenthaler and Brett Buehler each scored two.

HELENA CAPITAL (9-6, 6-4) — Kobe Gamradt 4 0-0 9, Carson Toivonen 1 1-2 3, Landon Levang 3 2-2 10, Drew Almquist 3 0-2 6, Wil Spotorno 2 5-6 9, Joey Mergenthaler 1 0-0 2, Brett Buehler 1 0-0 2, Keanen Green 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 8-12 43.
BUTTE HIGH (12-3, 7-3) — Cayde Stajcar 4 2-2 10, Hudson Luedtke 9 5-9 26, Mitch Verlanic 4 0-0 10, Josh Liston 1 0-0 3, Brady Hanson 3 3-4 9, Rhett Arentson 0 0-0 0, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 10-15 58.
Capital           12        6          9          16 — 43
Butte               13        11        21        13 — 58
3-point goals — Capital 3 (Levang 2, Gamradt), Butte 6 (Luedtke 3, Verlanic 2, Liston). Fouls — Capital 7, Butte 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.

GIRLS
Helena Capital 42, Butte High 39
HELENA — Avery Mergenthaler stole an inbounds pass with to help preserve the Capital victory.

The Bruins were up three when she stole the ball and was fouled with 4.5 seconds left. After her two free throws did not fall, Butte High’s Cadence Graham got off a desperation shot from just inside the halfcourt line at the buzzer.

Butte’s prayer was not answered. It would have capped a strong comeback effort by the Bulldogs, who trailed 30-19 after scoring just one point in the third quarter.

Madi Emmert scored 14 points to pace the Bruins, who improved to 8-7 overall and 7-3 in conference. Mergenthaler tossed in 13 for Capital, which got six from Ali Miller, five from Chloe LaFromboise and four from Cailin Mohar.

Despite playing in heavy foul trouble, Graham and Allie Becker combined for 29 points to lead the Bulldogs. Graham scored 12 of her 15 points in a 20-point Butte fourth quarter. Becker tossed in 14.

Franki Salusso scored four for Butte High, while Elli Graham tossed in three, Saege Grey scored two, and Emma Johnson knocked in one. Autumn Clary and Kendallyn Schad also contributed for the Bulldogs, who fell to 9-6 and 7-3.

BUTTE HIGH (9-6, 7-3) — Allie Becker 5 3-5 14, Cadence Graham 4 3-4 15, Autumn Clary 0 0-0 0, Franki Salusso 2 0-0 4, Emma Johnson 0 1-2 1, Elli Graham 1 0-0 3, Saege Grey 1 0-0 2, Kendallyn Schad 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 7-11 39.
HELENA CAPITAL (8-7, 7-3) — Chloe LaFromboise 1 3-7 5, Ali Miller 3 0-0 6, Madi Emmert 3 0-0 6, Tatum Campbell 2 0-0 4, Cailin Mohar 2 0-0 4, Avery Mergenthaler 5 3-6 13, Eva Dahlquist 0 0-0 0, Brynn Lawler 0 0-0 0, Andreah Bachmeier 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 12-21 42.
Butte               10        8          1          20 — 39
Capital           9          12        8          10 — 42
3-point goals — Butte 6 (C. Graham 4, Becker, E. Graham), Capital 1 (Mergenthaler). Fouls — Butte 17, Capital 15. Fouled out — Becker. Technicals