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Wrestlers hunt titles in Billings
Bulldog girls will honor seniors
MetraPark Arena in Billings will be wrestling central the next three days as the Magic City hosts the Montana High School Association All-Class Wrestling Tournament.
Action begins at 3 p.m. Thursday with first-round boys’ matches and first- and second-round girls’ bouts. Champions will be crowned following the Parade of Finalists at 3 p.m. on Saturday. (AA boys’ brackets; A boys’ brackets; girls’ brackets.)
Butte High will send 15 boys and 10 girls to battle. Butte Central will send three boys and one girl.
Two Bulldogs — senior Keegan Hunt and junior Bode Hazlett — are looking for back-to-back championships, but in different weights.
Hunt won the title at 103 pounds a year ago. Last week he won the Western AA Divisional title at 110 pounds in Missoula. Hazlett won the crown at 144 last year. This time around, he is No. 2 seed from the West at 157 pounds.
The Bulldog boys have four divisional title winners heading to Billings. Eighth grader Crew O’Connor won at 103 pounds, senior Ryder McEwen took the title at 150, and junior Bridger Garrison won at 165.
Other Bulldog boys competing at State will be seniors Darryn Rossiter (126 pounds), Bridger Brancamp (215) and Waylond Hicks (285 max); juniors Aiden Maesar (118), Bradey Doyle (132) and Kasen O’Kefe (175); sophomores Kuley Queer (110), Reveles McEwen (118) and Blaise Perez (138); and freshman Renzy LeProwse (103).
LeProwse, Doyle and the McEwen brothers all placed at State last year as Butte High finished just four points out of third place. Ryder McEwen too fourth at 138, and Doyle placed fourth at 118. Reveles McEwen took fifth at 118.
The Bulldog girls have a pair of divisional champs in senior Mattie Stepan and eighth grader Adalie Hazlett. Hazlett took the top spot at 125 pounds, while Stepan is making yet another trip to State after winning the 155-pound division.
Stepan placed fourth at 145 last year. Senior Peyton Liva took second at 100 pounds last week. She placed sixth in that weight class last State a year ago.
Eighth grader Loretta Matteson also made her Bulldog debut season an impressive one. She will be the No. 2 seed from the West at 140 pounds.
Also competing for the Butte High girls are seniors Jessica Blow (125 pounds) and Allie Ballensky (235 max), junior Rylee Radcliff (170), sophomores Lilyi Malone (110) and Chaynne Robinson (235 max); and freshman Sage Queer (145).
Butte Centra junior Amira Gonzales is back at State to once again compete at 125 pounds for the Maroon girls. She placed fourth at the Western A Divisional in Dillon.
The Maroons will send three boys to Billings, led by eighth grader Jampel Hanley. He placed second at 103 pounds at the divisional tournament.
Also making the trip to the big stage for BC are junior Jack Holmes (132) and eighth grader Braydon Armstrong (118).
Billings West enters the tournament as the four-time defending champ in the Class AA boys. Laurel is the defending champ in Class AA boys. Billings Senior won the last three Class AA girls titles, while Miles City is the reigning champion in Class A girls.
Bulldog girls host Senior Night
Thursday night will be Senior Night as the Butte High girls’ basketball team plays host to Missoula Hellgate at the Ross J. Richardson Gymnasium.
Game time is 7 p.m. for the rematch between the Bulldogs and Knights. Hellgate topped the Dogs 58-47 Jan. 22 in Missoula.
The Bulldogs enter the game at 10-6 overall and tied for second place in the Western AA with the Knights at 8-3. Hellgate is 11-4 overall. With the top two teams automatically qualifying for the Class AA State tournament, this game is a big one.
The Bulldogs will be honoring seniors Franki Salusso and Emma Johnson, and their parents, before tipoff. Both have been multi-year contributors for the Bulldog varsity team.
Junior Cadence Graham and freshman Elli Graham combined to score 33 points to lead the Bulldogs last time out. Elli Graham scored 17, and Cadence Graham added 16 in a 63-47 win over Helena High Saturday at the Richardson Gym.
Junior Allie Becker joins Cadence Graham, Salusso, Johnson and junior Autumn Clary in the starting lineup. Clary, though, did not play in Saturday’s win over Capital. Elli Graham started in her place.
Fellow freshman Saege Grey is usually quickly off the bench, along with junior Kendallyn Schad.
Juniors Ellie Yates, Reese Johnson and Avery Barsness also see lots of varsity time along with sophomore Stella Callaghan.
Hellgate beat Helena Capital 41-14 Saturday in Missoula. Paisley Johnson, a 5-foot-10 junior leads the Knights with an average of 11.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Elly Reed, a 6-foot 23nior, contributes with 8.6 points, 6.1 boards and 3.5 assists per game. Gianna Passuccio, a 5-9 senior, scored 17 points to lead the Knights last time against Butte High. Freshman Texas Gilman added 12 points.
Boys head to Hellgate
Butte High’s boys’ hit the road to take on Hellgate in the 7 p.m. game in Missoula.
The Bulldogs are in must-win mode if they want to avoid a playoff game and qualify for State with the No. 2 seed. Butte High is 13-3 overall and 8-3 in conference play. Hellgate is 12-3 overall and is holding onto second place at 9-2.
Hellgate beat the Bulldogs 50-38 Jan. 22 in Butte. Zane Gillhouse, a 6-5, senior scored 15 points in that win, while 6-3 classmate Spencer Wayland tossed in 14.
The Knights have won five straight and six out of seven after Saturday’s 55-51 win at Helena Capital. Gillhouse scored 16 to lead the way, while 6-7 sophomore Liam Dick added 14.
Hellgate is 6-2 at home, with losses to Missoula Sentinel and Billings West.
The Bulldogs are riding a four-game winning streak, and senior guard Hudson Luedtke scored points in that stretch. That’s an average of 28.8 points per game.
The impressive run lifted Luedtke to 1,568 points on his career. He is just 129 points shy of passing Bulldog great Lexie Nelson’s city high school record of 1,696 points. Luedtke became the all-time leading scorer in the Bulldog boys’ program midway through his junior season.
Luedtke is joined in the starting lineup by classmates Cayde Stajcar, Mitch Verlanic and Josh Liston and sophomore Brady Hanson. Seniors Rhett Arntson and Kendel Noctor are the first players off the bench. Seniors James Pearston and Ryan Hanson also contribute in a reserve role.
Juniors Raeder Grey, Brady Walsh and Koda Schleeman have also seen varsity time along with sophomores Kodye Kjersten and Noah Powers.
Butte High’s final two games will be at home. They play Missoula Sentinel next Tuesday before celebrating Senior Night next Thursday against Missoula Big Sky.
Peoples heating up
Junior guard Joshua Sutton has led the Maroons in scoring all season long.
He is averaging 20.9 points per game this season, and his 334 points through 16 games this season has him closing on joining the 1,000-point club. With two games left in the regular season, Sutton has 949 career points.
Since Sutton has gone over 30 points multiple times this season, it is not out of the question that he joins that club before the postseason begins.
At 14-2 overall and 7-1 in Southwestern A play, the Maroons have already secured an automatic berth into the Western A Divisional tournament, which is March 5-7 in Hamilton.
The top teams automatically move on.
Another player to watch for the Maroons is senior Ryan Peoples. The future Montana Tech football player has heated up as we head to crunch time. Peoples is averaging 11.4 points per game through 16 games. Over the last five games, though, Peoples is scoring at an 18.6 points-per-game clip.
That includes 29 points from Peoples in Tuesday’s 71-69 non-conference overtime win at East Helena.
Traditionally, Peoples has relied on the 3-point shot when he went big scoring. Tuesday’s performance did not include a single made 3-poitner. He missed both of his attempts behind the arc.
Peoples is still second to Sutton on the team with 21 made 3-pointers.
The Maroons will play at home at 3 p.m. Saturday against Corvallis. Central’s girls will play at Corvallis on Saturday.
The BC girls are 5-11 overall and 2-6 in conference. They sit in fifth place in the Southwestern A. They will have to win their last two regular-season games and get some help if they want to host the divisional play-in game.
Otherwise, BC will host Stevensville in the No. 5 vs. No. 6 play-in game. The winner of that game would go to Hamilton, most likely, for one game to go to divisionals.
Central will close the regular season Tuesday with a doubleheader against Dillon at the Maroon Activities Center. The BC boys and girls will both host Senior Parent Night.
Peoples is the lone senior on the boys’ team. The girls’ team includes seniors Arika Stajcar and Caden Tippett.
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Podcast No. 325: LeRoy Lee
The 1980s were not an easy time for the Mining City.
Things started to turn around late in the decade. But for the better part of the 80s, Butte was mired in an economic depression. After the mines closed, so many people were left unemployed or had to flee their hometown to find work somewhere else.
My dad was one of the men who, when he was lucky, found work hundreds, if not thousands of miles from home. Other times, there was no work at all.
During that time, two things reassured me that Butte’s will could not be broken. The first was Coach Jim Street’s wrestling team, which a state championship every year of the 1980s.
The second was the Our Lady of the Rockies statue.
That statue started as a promise made by the late Bob O’Bill. He told the Blessed Mother Mary that if his wife, Joyce, survived her surgery for cancer that he would build a 5- or 6-foot statue of Mary on the East Ridge.
Joyce survived the surgery and Bob enlisted LeRoy Lee to build the statue that turned out to be one of the tallest statues in the United States at 90 feet tall.
LeRoy was a welder who never finished high school. He said he had no idea how to build a statue. But he prayed about it, and then built it.
“I didn’t build the statue,” he said. “Mary and Jesus built it.”
He started with a finger and then built the hand. The next thing he knew he was building a face. LeRoy said the Joe Roberts, another man who was instrumental in the project, told him that the nose looked like Porky Pig.
So, LeRoy prayed to Jesus, who told him to make her look pretty. Now, the nose is perfect.
The statue went up the mountain by helicopter section by section. Thanks to the work of so many, the head was put in place on Dec. 20, 1985.
That day, Butte was national news. And for more than 40 years, the Our Lady of the Rockies has been sitting atop the East Ridge. It means so much to so many. For many it is spiritual. For me it represents the time when Butte would not simply die and go away like so many thought it would.
Front of the Lady designed by LeRoy. 
Back of the Lady designed by LeRoy. For quite some time, I had been planning to get a hold of LeRoy, who is now 91, to talk to him about the construction of the statue and the impossible task of getting it on top of the mountain. I kept meaning to call him.
Then, out of the blue, LeRoy called me last week. He wanted me to share a story written about the Lady by Fr. Elias. I scanned that story in and it is available below. If you don’t know the story, you should read it. If you do know the story, you should also read it.
Yesterday, I sat down with LeRoy for the long-overdue talk about the Lady and the 45 years of his life he has dedicated to Her.
Listen in as he talks about that impossible task and the many near misses that almost derailed the project. Listen to the story of how the helicopter nearly crashed, but miraculously the statue survived with just a few bent fingers that LeRoy quickly fixed.
Listen to how his LeRoy wrote a book, titled “Our Lady Builds a Statue,” and how it was translated into “American English” by Pat, his wife of nearly 70 years.
This is episode just captures a small part of the amazing story. But it is one you do not want to miss.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Leskovar Honda, home of the non-commission sales staff that always has your back. This episode is also available on YouTube:
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Maroons split with Vigilantes
EAST HELENA — Butte Central and East Helena spilt varsity basketball games in a non-conference basketball doubleheader Tuesday night.
The Vigilantes won the girls’ battle 53-25 before the Maroon boys escaped with a 71-69 overtime victory in the night cap.
Central will play Corvallis on Saturday, with the girls hitting the road and the boys playing at the Maroon Activities Center. East Helena finished its regular season with the twin bill.
The Maroons will close their regular season next Tuesday with a home doubleheader against Dillon.
GIRLS
East Helena 53, Butte Central 25
The Maroons fell behind early and could not recover.East Helena jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the first quarter and led 21-11 at halftime. The Vigilantes then put the game away by outscoring BC 35-14 after the break.
Adde Mix scored 15 points to lead three Vigilantes in double figures in the win. Keeley Hamilson sank three 3-poniters and scored 13 points, while Emma Taylor tossed in 11. East Helena also got seven points from Ellie Silvonen and five from Josie Jerome.
Eighth grader Luci Fantini scored 11 points to lead the Maroons. Jaedyn Maldonado scored five, and Braelynn Schelin tossed in three. Kenzie McQueary, Zayonna Otherbull and Rylee Forbes scored two apiece.
Arika Stajcar, Jordyn Samson, Evyn Smith, Caden Tippett, Marly Mansanti, Natalie Osterman and Mila Carriger also contributed for the Maroons, who fell to 5-11 overall. East Helena closed out its regular season at 10-8.
BUTTE CENTRAL (5-11) — Kenzie McQueary 1 0-0 2, Zayonna Otherbull 1 0-0 2, Braelynn Schelin 1 0-0 3, Luci Fantini 3 4-6 11, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Jordyn Samson 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Maldonado 2 0-0 5, Evyn Smith 0 0-0 0, Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Caden Tippett 0 0-0 0, Mila Carriger 0 0-0 0. Totals 0 4-6 25.
EAST HELENA (10-8) — Ellie Silvonen 3 0-0 7, Keeley Hamilson 4 2-2 13, Emma Taylor 5 1-2 11, Adde Mix 7 0-0 15, Rori Schoenfeld 0 2-2 2, Kyndal Lowrie 0 0-0 0, Josie Jerome 2 0-0 5. Totals 21 5-6 53.
Central 1 10 9 5 — 25
E. Helena 11 10 18 17 — 53
3-point goals — BC 3 (Fantini, Shelin, Maldonado, E. Helena 6 (Hamilton 3, Silvonen, Jerome, Mix). Fouls — BC 4, E. Helena 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.BOYS
Butte Central 71, East Helena 69 (OT)
Joshua Sutton sank a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to lift the Maroons to the gut-check victory on the road.That capped an exciting game that nearly ended at the buzzer in regulation.
East Helena’s Paker Taylor grabbed an offense rebound and was fouled on his way back up. He then hit one of two free throws with three tenths of a second left to send the game into overtime tied at 61.
After Sutton’s three at the end of the extra frame, the Vigilantes got off a shot that bounced wide and out of bounds. The ball belonged to East Helena with .3 seconds left. But BC’s Cade Kelly tipped away a pass to prevent a shot and preserve the victory.
Ryan Peoples had a huge game to lead the Maroons. He scored points without the benefit of a 3-point basket. Sutton finished with 19 points for BC, who connected on just 4 of 14 shots for behind the arc.
Jaxon Hiatt scored 10 points before fouling out, Noah Sutton tossed in nine, and GG Fantini and Henly Mansanti each scored two. Burkley Lakkala also contributed in the victory that lifted BC to 14-2 on the season.
Deondray Ellis scored 23 points to lead the Vigilantes, who fell to 10-8. Avery Hager scored 18, and Bearek Sherman tossed in eight. East Helena also got Eight from Andrew Maxness, five from Taylor and one from Talen Thatcher.
BUTTE CENTRAL (14-2) — Ryan Peoples 13 3-4 29, Cade Kelly 0 0-0 0, Joshua Sutton 7 4-4 19, GG Fantini 1 0-0 2, Jaxon Hiatt 4 1-2 10, Noah Sutton 3 1-2 9, Burkley Lakkala 0 0-0 0, Henly Mansanti 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 9-12 71.
EAST HELENA (10-8) —Bearek Sherman 5 4-5 14, Deondray Ellis 9 3-6 23, Andrew Maxness 4 0-0 8, Avery Hager 9 0-2 18, Talen Thatcher 0 1-2 1, Parker Taylor 2 1-2 5. Totals 29 9-17 69.
Central 21 10 11 19 10 — 71
E. Helena 13 12 15 21 8 — 69
3-point goals — BC 4 (N. Sutton 2, J. Sutton, Hiatt), E. Helena 2 (Ellis 2). Fouls — BC 15, E. Helena 14. Fouled out — Hiatt. -
Call to the Hall will be worth the wait
Should Colt Anderson be elected to the Butte Sports Hall of Fame?
That seems like a silly question, but it is one that was posed to the Hall of Fame selection committee as they deliberated during the selection of the Class of 2026.
The same was asked about Rob Johnson and brothers Bryon and Bradley Wilson.
Of course, the answer to all four of those is a resounding yes. Of course they should be — and will be — elected into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. Anderson played nine seasons in the NFL after an All-American career at the University of Montana. Johnson played for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Wilsons were Olympic freestyle skiers, with Bryon winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Bryan is coaching champions at this year’s Olympic Games.
This time, though, those four did not get enough votes to be elected into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. Believe it or not, that makes perfect sense when you think about the history of the shrine.
This year marks my fifth class as executive director of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, a job I did not apply for. Electing a class is such a bittersweet endeavor. We are all so very happy for the people who were selected, but we feel so bad about the many, many more who were left out once again.
I do not, however, feel bad for Colt, Rob, Bryon or Bradley. They are very young, and I have no doubt that their day will come.
The Butte Sports Hall of Fame is not like the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is no distinction of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Dave Dunmire, a member of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame selection committee, and I often talk about the Hall of Fame for baseball and football players. Our logic is that if you must think about it, then they are not a Hall of Famer.
Hall of Famers are obvious, we say.
The Butte Sports Hall of Fame is different, though. Obvious candidates usually have to wait for their turn. We do not just vote yes or no on a candidate. If that was the case, the Class of 2026 would include about 150 members.
To think, people complained that the 2024 induction ceremony in the baking-hot Butte Civic Center was way too long with 13 individuals and seven teams.
We are still playing catch up with the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, which began in 1987 and is getting ready for just its 20th class. We have golfers competing against football players to get into the Hall of Fame. We have runners competing against bowlers.
And we can only put in so many people each selection. That is why Sonny Holland and Ed Simonich did not get in the first time around. Think about that for a second.
Eso Naranche and Sam Jankovich did not make it until the third time. Tom LeProwse was not inducted until the fifth class in 1997. They named the Butte High stadium after Naranche in 1943, and LeProwse starred in the first Montana East-West Shrine Game in 1947.
For years, I have felt horrible for deserving guys like Greg Salo and Bernie Brophy. I also really wanted to see Butch Starin finally recognized as one of the all-time greats of the Mining City.
Those three started their incredible athletic careers in the 1960s.
This year, all three were finally selected. Salo and Brophy were elected by selection committee, and Starin was voted in by the current Hall of Famers. Unfortunately, the announcement of Salo’s induction came one day shy of the one-year anniversary of his death.
Starin and Brophy were at the press conference last week to be recognized.
Butch opened his comments by saying, “Well, I made it.” Bernie said that, other than his wedding day and the birth of his kids, that this was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.
The class also includes three women who were pioneers before the days of Title IX in Shirley Chesterfield-Stanton, Susie Hogart-Harrington and the late Jane Pasco. They are so long overdue for recognition in the Mining City.
Before he was a Montana Grizzly, John Kovacich was a standout on the 1977 Butte High football team. He also played on the 1972 state champion Mile High Little League All-Star baseball team, which is finally receiving Hall of Fame recognition this time around.
John waited years for that call. So did Kevin Parvinen, one of Jim Street’s favorite wrestlers during his run of 13 straight state titles.
Brian Bolton, the youngest member of the class, was also one of Street’s favorite wrestlers in that title streak. Brian graduated from Butte High in 1991, when Colt, Rob and Bryon were little kids. That was a year before Bradley was born.
Scott Paffhausen, who was elected as a contributor by the Hall of Famers, was one of my childhood heroes as he helped the Butte High boys’ basketball team win the Class AA state title in 1984.
Don Peoples Jr. and Chunky Thatcher are also going in, and I played for both of those coaches who left a lasting impact on my life in so many ways I can’t even begin to explain.
As I drove home from the selection meeting, which resembled a schoolyard fight with 12 committee members who are passionate about the Hall of Fame, I felt bad for the great many of Hall of Fame-worthy candidates who will have to wait at least two more years.
As fun as it is to deliver the great news, it is so hard to deliver or try to explain the bad news.
Then I had a long talk with Ray Jay Johnson, a Hall of Famer and member of the selection committee, and I realized I was looking at it wrong.
The Class of 2026 is incredible. All 12 individuals and the five teams going into the shrine July 24-25 are special in their own right. That people are sad — or mad — that their friends or loved ones were left out only means that the Hall of Fame is important.
When people stop carrying about being left out, we will have a major problem. When people stop crying when they get that call to the Hall, I know it is time to walk away.
John Thatcher told me years ago that Butte is the greatest sports town in the world, and I think the Butte Sports Hall of Fame proves that he is correct. The people charged with selecting those Hall of Famers care about getting it right.
Eventually, that will mean those who are worthy of induction will get the call they want, or that their friends or relatives want.
So, we should choose to focus on the great class that will be inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in July, and then keep pushing for the candidates you want to see picked in 2028.
Like in 2026 — and the 19 classes that preceded it — the Class of 2028 will be a class that is long overdue.
But if Brophy’s words tell us anything, the call will be worth the wait. It certainly was for people like Sonny Holland, Sam Jankovich and Tom LeProwse when their day finally came.
It will also be worth it for Colt, Rob, Bryon and Bradley.
— Bill Foley, who does not like to wait, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74 or Bluesky at @foles74.bsky.social. Listen to him on the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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Tre Estes wins State Hoop Shoot
LIVINGSTON — Several local athletes placed in the Montana Elks Hoop Shoot Championship Saturday in Livingston.
That includes Anaconda’s Tre Estes, who won the boys’ 10-11 division by making 23 of 25 shots. Estes and the five other champions will represent Montana in the Regional Semifinals March 7 in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Butte’s Tenley Osborne placed third in the girls’ 12-13 age group, making 15 shots and beating two others in a shoot off in an exciting division that saw all the competitors within one shot of each other.
Austin Blando of Dillon placed third in the boys’ 12-13 making 19 shots, and Dillon’s Kacy Staley placed fourth in the girls’ 8-9 with 11 made shots.
Butte’s Clay Salo placed fourth in the boys’ 8-9 division, making 16 shots. Aspen Gibson of Dillon placed fifth in the girls’ 10-11 making seven shots.
Click the links below for full results and a history of Montana shooters at the National Elks Shoot.
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Butte Central girls subvarsity report
Following are the recent Butte Central subvarsity girls’ basketball reports, as provided by coaches. The reports include games with Stevensville, Frenchtown, Hamilton, Dillon, Corvallis, Boulder and Anaconda.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Bute Central 55, Anaconda 4
ANACONDA — Eighth Grader Luci Fantini went off for 21 points as the Maroons rolled to the big win Jan. 8 at the Snake Pit.Mila Carriger tossed in nine points in the win, and Evyn Tippett scored eight. BC got six from Evyn Smith, four from Jaedyn Maldonado, two apiece from Blake Smith, Cambri Campbell and Karla Reich, and one from Ashley White.
Natalie Osterman also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 78, Stevensville 4
Nine Maroons scored in the Jan. 10 victory at the Maroon Activities Center.Three of those BC players reached double figures, with Jaedyn Maldonado leading the way with 14. Mila Carriger and Blake Smith each scored 13 points in the win.
Evyn Tippett scored nine points, Ashley White tossed in eight, Luci Fantini netted seven, Evyn Smith and Karla Reich each scored six, and Natalie Osterman scored two.
Butte Central 47, Frenchtown 25
FRENCHTOWN — Evyn Smith’s 12 points led the way as the Maroons picked up the Jan. 13 road victory.Mila Carriger added 10 points in the victory for the Maroons, who got six points form Evyn Tippett and Jaedyn Maldonado. Blake Smith scored five, Karla Reich scored four, Luci Fantini added three, and Natalie Osterman tossed in one.
Marly Mansanti also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 36, Hamilton 33
HAMILTON — BC used a balanced attack to squeak out the Jan. 17 road victory over the Broncs.Jaedyn Maldonado scored 10 points to lead eight Maroons in the score book. Blake Smith and Mila Carriger each scored eight points in the win. Evyn Tippett tossed in four, Evyn Smith added three, and Marly Mansanti, Natalie Osterman and Luci Fantini each scored one.
Ashley White also contributed in the BC win.
Butte Central 40, Dillon 30
DILLON — Mila Carriger’s 12 points led the way as the Maroons topped the Beavers Jan. 22 in the B.W. Lodge Gym.Blake Smith added eight points, while Evyn Tippett tossed in six. Central also got five from Jaedyn Maldonado, three from Luci Fantini and two apiece from Evyn Smith, Natalie Osterman and Karla Reich.
Marly Mansanti and Ashley White contributed to the win, too.
Butte Central 56, Corvallis 15
Mila Carriger scored 14 points to lead three Maroons in double figures in the Jn. 24 win at the MAC.Marly Mansanti scored 13 points, and Blake Smith added 10 in the victory. Jaedyn Maldonado scored seven points for BC, which got four apiece from Evyn Smith and Luci Fantini. Natalie Osterman scored three, and Evyn Tippett tossed in one.
Karla Reich also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 45, Jefferson High 37
BOULDER — Nine Maroons scored points in the Jan. 29 road victory.Luci Fantini led the way with nine points, and Mila Carriger and Marly Mansanti each scored eight points. Karla Reich netted six for BC, which got four from Blake Smith, three apiece from Evyn Smith, Evyn Tippett and Natalie Osterman, and one from Jaedyn Maldonado.
Butte Central 59, Stevensville 5
STEVENSVILLE — Another balanced attack led the way as the Maroons completed the season sweep of the Yellowjackets in convincing fashion.Karla Reich’s nine points led the way. Mila Carriger and Natalie Osterman scored eight, and Blake Smith netted seven. Luci Fantini, Marly Mansanti and Evyn Smith each scored six points, Evyn Tippet scored five, and Jaedyn Maldonado added four.
Butte Central 50, Frenchtown 29
Mila Carriger and Jaedyn Maldonado reached double figures in scoring as BC rolled to the Feb. 3 win at the MAC.Carriger scored 12, and Maldonado tossed in 10. Blake Smith and Luci Fantini added seven points apiece for BC. Central also got four apiece from Evyn Smith and Evyn Tippett, three from Karla Reich, two from Natalie Osterman and one from marly Mansanti.
Ryan Olson also contributed in the BC win.
FROSH
Butte Central 55, Stevensville 8
Ryan Olson poured in 15 points to lead three Maroons in double figures in the Jan. 10 win at the Maroon Activities Center.Ashley White added 12 points for BC, and Evyn Tippett netted two. Karla Reich and Cambri Campbell each scored eight points. Lilly Laronde, Harper McGree, Jaylee Williams, Tessa Ganzenmueller and Kianna Puig also played for the Maroons.
Butte Central 43, Frenchtown 25
FRENCHTOWN — Ashley White scored 15 points, and Ryan Olson added 14 as the Maroons rolled to the Jan. 13 road win.Evyn Tippett scored 10 points for the Maroons, who got two apiece from Lilly LaRonde and Karla Reich. Alli Forelli, Harper McGee, Jaylee Williams, Tessa Ganzenmuller and Kianna Puig also played for BC in the win.
Butte Central 38, Hamilton 16
HAMILTON — Eight different Maroons scored as BC picked up the Jan. 17 victory on the raod.Ashley White scored seven points to lead BC’s balanced attack. Mya McGree and Ryan Olson scored six, and Evyn Tippett netted five. Harper McGree scored four in the win, and Lilly LaRonde, Alli Forelli and Tessa Ganzenmueller each tossed in two.
Kianna Puig and Jaylee Williams also contributed in the victory.
Butte Central 41, Dillon 31
DILLON — Ashley White and Ryan Olson each scored 10 points to lead the maroons to the victory Jan. 22 at the B.W. Lodge Gym.Mya McGree and Ayanna Weang each added six points, Evyn Tippett tossed in five, and Lilly LaRonde and Karla Reich each tallied two. Kianna Puig, Jaylee Williams, Harper McGre and Tessa Ganzenmueller also contributed for BC.
Butte Central 49, Corvallis 25
Three BC players scored in double figures as the Maroons nearly doubled up the Blue Devils Jan. 24 at the MAC.Ryan Olson scored 13 points, and Mya McGree and Karla Reich each scored 10 to pace the Maroons. Lilly LaRonde scored six in the win, while Allie Forelli netted four, and Jaylee Williams, Ayanna Weang and Tessa Ganzenmueller each scored two.
Kianna Puig and Harper McGree also contributed in the victory.
Jefferson High 40, Butte Central 24
BOULDER — Ryan Olson had a big day to lead the Maroons in a losing effort Jan. 29 on the road.Olson scored 16 points. Karla Reich scored the other eight points for the Maroons. Lilly LaRonde, Evyn Tippett, Jaylee Williams, Ayanna Weang, Harper McGree, Tessa Ganzenmuller, Kianna Puig and Allie Forelli also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 53, Stevensville 2
STEVENSVILLE — Ryan Olson and Karla Reich reached double figures to lead the Maroons to the Jan. 31 road rout.Olson scored 16 points, and Reich netted 10 in the win. In all, nine Maroons found the scorer’s book. Mya McGree scored five, Lilly LaRonde and Allie Forelli scored three apiece, and Ayanna Weang, Harper McGree, Tessa Ganzenmueller and Kianna Puig each tossed in two.
Jaylee Williams also contributed in the Maroon victory.
Butte Central 61, Frenchtown 20
Nine Maroons scored, with three reaching double figures, in the Jan. 3 home victory over the Broncs.Ryan Olson scored 14 points, while Blake Smith contributed with 12 and Karla Reich scored 10 in the win. BC also got seven points from Mila Carriger, six from Evyn Tippett and Harper McGree, four from Ayanna Weang and two apiece from Lilly LaRonde and Tessa Ganzenmuller.
Allie Forelli, Kianna Puig and Jaylee Williams also contributed for BC in the victory.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Tessa Ganzenmueller, Hudson Luedtke
Butte Central swimmer Tessa Ganzenmueller and Butte High basketball player Hudson Luedtke are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
Ganzenmueller, a junior, takes home the girls’ honor after delivering the the school its first girls’ individual state championship in swimming. She won the Class AB title in the 100-yard breaststroke Saturday at the 57th Annual Montana High School State Swimming Meet at Great Falls High School.
Ganzenmueller finished the race in 1 minute, 14.38 seconds for the victory. BC coach Mariya Peck said, “That swim will be remembered for a long time.”
Ganzenmueller also placed fifth in the 200 freestyle and swam a leg in BC’s fifth-place 200-freestyle relay team and sixth-place 200 medley relay team, making her a four-time All-State swimmer in one meet.
Luedtke, a senior, takes home the boys’ honor after another incredible week. The award is designed to be spread around to many athletes, but it is impossible to not acknowledge the run Luedtke is on.
Butte High is riding a four-game winning streak, and Luedtke scored 115 points over that span of four games in eight days. He scored 26 points in Thursday’s home win over Helena Capital before tossing in 26 in Saturday’s win at Helena High.
Luedtke has also threatened a triple-double with rebounds and assists in that span.
Already the career leading scorer for Butte High boys, Luedtke has 1,568 points in his four seasons at Butte High. With three regular-season games and the playoffs left, Luedtke is 129 points shy of breaking Lexie Nelson’s city record of 1,696 points in a high school career.
For the fourth year, Leskovar Honda, home of the non-commission sales staff that always has your back, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photo of Ganzenmueller provided by Mariya Peck. The photo of Luedtke courtesy Alycia Holland Photography.
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Omission: BC’s Gonzales qualifies
DILLON — Butte Central’s Amira Gonzales qualified for the Girls State wrestling tournament Saturday.
The junior placed fourth at 125 pounds for the Maroons at the girls’ Western A Divisional meet at the B.W. Lodge Gymnasium. She will compete in the state meet, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Billings Metra.
Gonzales also competed for the Maroons at 125 points at last year’s state meet.
Here name was omitted from a story posted Saturday night due to incomplete results on trackwrestling.com.
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Dougie Peoples hits COI milestone
Butte Central graduate Dougie Peoples was not the team leader in points when he tossed in four points in the defending NAIA national champion College of Idaho’s 84-59 win Saturday at Bushnell (Oregon).
That distinction belonged to Alex Germer, who scored 20 points to lead three Yotes in double figures scoring.
Peoples, though, reached a major milestone in the victory. The junior became the latest College of Idaho player to reach 1,000 career points.
The Yotes are 18-8 overall and 13-5 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Peoples is averaging 15.0 points per game, shooting 40 percent from 3-point range. He scored 21 points in COI’s 93-65 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan in the NAIA national championship game in Kansas City.
Milestones are old hat for Peoples, who is best known for hitting the long, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Butte Central a win over Lewistown in the 2022 Class A State championship game in Missoula.
He closed his Butte Central career with 1,683 points. Only Butte High star Lexie Nelson scored more points playing high school basketball in the Mining City. She closed her career with 1,696 points.
Following his senior season in 2023, Peoples was named the Gatorade Montana Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
The Yotes play at home Friday and Saturday against Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon. Then they head to the Cascade College Conference Tournament Feb. 25 through March3 in Olympica, Washington.
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KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of Feb. 16.
This is the final week of the Winter season. The season-ending double-loss tournament will begin next week, and the Spring league will open shortly after that.
Monday
7 p.m. — Kenworthy vs. Washington Generals
8 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Poi Time
9 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. HoopballasTuesday
7 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. ButteSports
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. JellyfamWednesday
7 p.m. — ButteSports vs. Poi Time
8 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. KenworthyThursday
7 p.m. — City Boys vs. Washington Generals
8 p.m. — City Boys vs. Hoopballas
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 