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Butte Central girls’ subvarsity report
Following are the Butte Central girls’ basketball subvarsity reports for BC’s pre-Christmas action. The reports were provided by the Central coaches.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Butte Central 64, Three Forks 45
THREE FORKS — Cambri Campbell went off for 19 points to lead four Maroons in double figures as BC rolled past the Wolves Dec. 12.Mila Carriger added 11 points, and Ryan Olson and Karla Reich each tossed in 10. The Maroons also got eight points from Blake Smith and six from Evyn Tippett. Lily LaRonde and Ashley White contributed for BC, too.
Butte Central 70, Manhattan Christian 26
MANHATTAN — Karla Riech, Evyn Tippett and Mila Carriger led the way as the Maroons won big Dec. 13.Reich scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Tippett scored 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. Carriger scored 15 points, collected five steals and blocked two shots.
Cambri Campbell and Blake Smith each scored seven points, and Ryan Olson tossed in six.
Lily RaRonde, Ashley White also contributed in the win.
Butte Central 38, Boulder 33
Nine different BC players scored points as the Maroons pulled out a tough win over the Panthers.Blake Smith led the way with 10 points to go along with nine rebounds and five steals. BC collected 21 steals as a team.
Cambri Campbell and Jordyn Samson added five points apiece. Jaedyn Maldonado and Karla Reich each scored four, Evyn Tippett and Luci Fantini each scored three, and Ashley White and Mila Carriger both tossed in two.
Fantini joined Smith with five steals. Samson collected four, and Maldonado snagged three.
Butte High 51, Butte Central 43
Mila Carriger scored 17 points and grabbed five steals to lead the Maroons in the tough loss to the Bulldogs Dec. 23 at the Butte Civic Center.Jordyn Samson and Karla Reich each scored two points for BC, which got two points apiece from Jaedyn Maldonado and Blake Smith and one from Evyn Smith.
Natalie Osterman, Ashley White, Evyn Tippett and Cambri Campbell also time for BC.
FROSH
Butte Central 50, Livingston 17Jordyn Samson scored nine points and Ryan Olson added eight to lead the Maroons in a season-opening rout of Livingston Dec. 9 at the Maroon Activities Center.
Nine different BC players scored in the win. Evyn Tippett scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mila Carriger, Ashley White, Blake Smith and Cambri Campbell each scored five. Luci Fanti scored four, and Lily Laronde tossed in two. Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 52, Whitehall 24
Ryan Olson and Ashley White combined to score 27 points to lead BC in the Dec. 15 game at the MAC. Olson scored 15 points, while White tossed in 13.Evyn Tippett scored eight points for BC, which got six points from Lily Laronde, five from Cambri Campbell, four from Jaylee Williams and two from Ayanna Weang. Tessa GanzenMuller, Allie Forrelli and Harper McGree also played for BC.
Butte Central 59, Manhattan 22
MANHATTAN — Ashley White scored 18 points to lead three Maroons in double figures in the Dec. 18 victory.Ryan Olson added 14 points and nine steals for the Maroons, who chalked up 32 takeaways. Cambri Campbell added 10 points, three assists and six steals.
Evyn Tippett scored eight points for the Maroons, who got four from Ayanna Weang, three from Lily LaRonde and two from Allie Forrelli. Harper McGree, Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller also contributed to the BC win.Butte Central 39, Butte High 27
Cambri Campbell’s 12 points and eight steals led the Maroons in the victory over Butte High Dec. 22 at the Butte Civic Center.Ashley White added 11 points and six rebounds, and Evyn Tippett chipped in with eight points and seven boards.
The Maroons also got six points from Karla Reich and one apiece from Ayanna Weang and Ryan Olson. Lily LaRonde, Harper McGree, Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller played for BC, too, in the cross-town win.
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If they will do that to Wetzel, then no referee is safe
Shawn Wetzel is the unofficial “Mayor of Montana.”
He is not the most famous member of his family. That would be his late grandfather, Walter “Blackie” Wetzel.
Blackie Wetzel was a distinguished Blackfeet Tribal leader, activist and designer from Montana. He was famous for his part in creating the logo for the Washington Redskins. He rubbed elbows with Mike Mansfield and John F. Kennedy.
If you say the last name “Wetzel” in any corner of Montana, however, it is a pretty safe bet that people are going to think you are talking about Shawn. If you just say “Wetz,” they know you are.
It is almost impossible to dislike Wetz. He reminds many of us of Crush, the easygoing sea turtle in the animated movie “Finding Nemo.” Crush and his surfer dude attitude helped Marlin and Dory make it through the East Australian Current so they could find Nemo.
Crush might be the most likable character in the history of movies. Even though Marlin and Dory found themselves in a hopeless situation, Crush made it seem like everything was going to be just fine.
He called Marlin “Jellyman” and Dory “Little Blue” as he offered encouragement like, “Focus, dude” and “find your exit buddy.”
Wetzel has served as a volunteer boys’ basketball coach for Butte High the last handful of seasons. The 6-foot-8 former college basketball player added so much to the program. He added expertise, wisdom and levity, and he helped many players find their way through some rough current.
Just like Crush.
More than anything, Wetz added a genuine care and admiration for the players that was impossible to not see. There was not a dry eye in the Knights of Columbus Hall last spring when Wetz presented Hudson Luedtke with a genuine Blackfeet blanket in honor of him becoming Butte High’s all-time leading scorer.
Wetz came from a place of love and support.
I met Wetz shortly after he moved to town several years ago. I really got to know him on one December Saturday in 2022. That was the day that he and I refereed 12 girls’ basketball games together in a travel tournament in Dillon.
Kevin Engellant asked me if I could come down and work the games. I was not too keen on the idea because those tournaments can be a nightmare for officials. And that is a lot of games. But I jumped at the chance to work with Wetz.
Every game we refereed was made up of girls in the fifth and sixth grade. Wetz had all of them laughing and smiling the whole day. He had their parents laughing. He had their coaches laughing.
Even those coaches who treat a sixth-grade travel tournament game like it is the high school state championship game had their day brightened by Wetz. When they were mad at one of our calls, Wetz would quickly defuse the situation with a quick line and his super-chill attitude.
Refereeing at the younger age levels can often include almost as much coaching as it does foul calling. It isn’t coaching the X’s and O’s. It is coaching how the game is played. It is teaching players how to line up for free throws and how to inbound the ball.
It also sometimes includes offering encouragement to nervous players, and Wetz is the master of that. He’s Crush.
That is why I was so surprised to hear that Wetz was the victim of an assault by a parent at a basketball tournament last month in Anaconda. It was shocking to hear that it happened during a game in the girls’ middle school division of the tournament called the “Santa Slammer.”
I would think someone would take a swing at Saint Nicholas long before anyone would want to punch Wetz.
Yet, late in one game involving a team form the Kalispell area, a woman, who is the wife of the team’s coach and mother of one of the players, got really mad at Wetz. She took off her ear rings, ran down to the railing at Memorial Gym and took a swipe at Wetz.
When she did not connect, she jumped the railing, spit a loogie on his chest and then repeatedly swung and kicked at Wetz.
While Wetz had every right to push or punch back at the woman to defend himself, he did not. He simply used his reach advantage, putting his arm out to give her the Heisman.
All this happened while other moms and dads from the team screamed insults at Wetz, who was the object of the parent’s ire much of the game.
Parents in youth basketball often do not want fair officiating. Instead, they want their team to get every call. So, each whistle — or non-whistle — that doesn’t go their way is reason for them to lash out at the officials.
The parents of this team were also upset that Wetz would not let the players enter and leave the game like it was hockey. He made sure they checked in at the table and entered the game when called on at the next dead ball.
Again, it goes back to coaching how the game is played.
Many witnesses were on hand. Other than the few involved in assaulting the sports official, those observers back up Wetz.
A couple of highly-respected coaches, who were watching the game, wrote letters of support for Wetz because they heard the woman who assaulted him was trying to hurt him even more after the fact.
She apparently first contacted the Montana Officials Association to complain about Wetz. When she learned he is not a member of the MOA, she went to Butte School District No. 1 to levy a complaint.
Shortly after that, district officials told Butte High head coach Matt Luedtke that Wetz would not be approved to be a volunteer assistant this season. Since Wetz volunteered his time, the district does not have to give him an explanation for the denial, and it did not.
Was this woman’s complaint the reason? We don’t know. But it sure does feel like the victim is being punished.
He is also having his good named slandered. The aggressors claim that Wetz yelled some very disgusting words at them, and I know that is just not possible.
Nobody who ever really met him would think for one second that Wetz would start a fight with people in the crowd. It is just not how Wetz operates. He’s not a fighter. He’s Crush.
Hopefully, tournament directors and police are working to prosecute the woman who attacked Wetz. Her name and mug shot should be plastered on every newspaper and social media sight as an example of how not to behave.
She should be banned from the kind of sporting events people like her make so hostile.
Every referee who ever worked a travel tournament has a horror story. Angry, irrational parents and fans end the careers of so many officials before they ever really begin.
The yelling is one thing that most of us can take. It usually makes me laugh. Other times, I think the yeller might have a point. Maybe I did miss that call. Maybe I do need to pull my head out of a dark place.
What happened to Wetz, though, is beyond comprehension. It is so far over the line that you cannot see back.
That incident also clinches my decision to retire from refereeing travel tournament games. I already turned down as many games as I can. Now I will turn them all down. I am done.
The next time a fan at a travel tournament crosses the line, it will not be at my expense.
If they will do that to the Mayor of Montana, they will do it to anyone.
— Bill Foley, who is notably not the mayor, 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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Butte High girls’ subvarsity report
Following are the Butte High girls’ basketball subvarsity reports for the first five games of the season, as provided by Bulldog coaches.
The reports include games at Bozeman and Billings West, and home games against Dillon, Butte Central and Gallatin.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Butte High 40, Bozeman 13
BOZEMAN — Sage Grey and Avery Barsness each tossed in 10 points to lead the Bulldogs in the Dec. 13 season-opening win.Their play backed up a great defensive performance that created many turnovers that led to points. Stella Callaghan scored six points in the win. Reese Johnson and Berkli Salusso each scored four, and Ellie Yates, Ellison Graham and Kendallyn Schad each scored two.
Wakely Burleson also contributed for the Bulldogs. Johnson claimed Junkyard Dog of the game honors.
Payton Hyem scored six points to lead the Hawks.
Billings West 53, Butte High 21
BILLINGS — Asa Edwards scored 16 points, and Rylee Parker added 10 to lead West to the Dec. 19 win over the Bulldogs.Maddy Hutzenbiller and Kadence Avlt each scored eight points in the win.
Ellison Graham and Avery Barsness each scored six points to lead Butte High. Stella Callaghan scored three points, and Ellie Yates, Saege Grey and Berkli Salusso each scored two. Milee Stillwagon, Evie Smith, Wakley Burleson and Kendallyn Schad also contributed. Coaches named Yates the Junkyard Dog of the game.
Tatum Tash scored nine points, and Baylor Malesich added eight to lead Dillon. Piper Gaasch scored four, Brynna Gibson tossed in three, and Kenndyl Meine netted two.
Butte High 46, Dillon 26
Stella Callaghan and Berkli Salusso each scored 11 points, and Avery Barsness did a little bit of everything to lead the Bulldogs in the Dec. 16 win.Barsness, who scored six points, was named Junkyard Dog of the game for making winning plays, playing great defense and rebounding in the Bulldogs’ first home game.
Kendallyn Schad scored five points, and Ellison Graham and Saege Grey each scored four points. Elli Yates and Wakely Burleson each scored two, and Reese Johnson tossed in one.
Butte High 51, Butte Central 43
Saege Grey, the Junkyard Dog of the game, left her mark in just one quarter of play. She scored a team-leading 11 points and collected seven steals as the Bulldogs pulled out the tough win at the Butte Civic Center.Reese Johnson scored seven points in the win, and Avery Barsness tossed in seven. Butte High also got six points form Berkli Salusso, five from Stella Callaghan, four from Ellison Graham, three from Ellie Yates and Wakely Burleson and two apiece from Kendallyn Schad and Evie Smith.
Mila Carriger hit 11 of 12 free throws and scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Maroons. Jordyn Sampson and Karla Erich each scored eight points for the Maroons. Luci Fantini tossed in five points, and Evyn Smith and Jaedyn Maldonado each scored two.
Cambri Campbell, Evyn Tippett, Ashley White and Natalie Osterman also contributed for the Maroons.
Gallatin 43, Butte High 34
Mazzie Melin scored 13 points, and Mycah Flannigan added 12 as the Raptors knocked off the Bulldogs Jan. 2 in Butte.Stella Callaghan scored 10 points to pace the Bulldogs. Butte High also got six from Kendallyn Schad, five from Ellison Graham, four from Reese Johnson, three from Saege Grey and two from Evie Smith and Avery Barsness.
Wakely Burleson and Berkli Salusso also played for the Bulldogs.
SOPHOMORES
Billings West 31, Butte High 24
BILLINGS — An 11-point performance from Cambree Stiason led the West squad t the victory. Kinsley Saey scored seven points, while Jane Allen tossed in six, and Brooklyn Metcalft scored five.Burleson scored seven points, and Henderson netted six to lead the Bulldogs in the first sophomore game of the season. Persaius Findlay scored three points, and Sage Leber, Milee Stillwagon, Ava White and Megan Chiamulera each scored two.
Taylor Regan, Karlee Jeffery, Kenzie Rowe and Kaydee O’Connor also contributed for the Bulldogs. Leber was named Junkyard Dog of the Game.
Coaches credited the Bulldogs for a strong defensive effort against a much-taller West team.
Gallatin 37, Butte High 37
Bethany Rigg scored 10 points, and Callin Costello tossed in nine to lead Gallatin in the victory. Hanna Stahler scored seven, and Fallon Mortenson scored six.Kaydee O’Connor’s six points led the Bulldogs, who got five from Milee Stillwagon, four from Sage Leber, three from Wakely Burleson and Rylee Erickson, and two apiece from Persaius Findlay, Ava White and Megan Chiamulera. Kenzie Rowe also played for the Dogs, who played well as a group.
Butte High outrebounded Gallatin by six, and forced 23 Raptor turnovers.
Burleson was named Junkyard Dog of the game.
FRESHMEN
Butte High 57, Bozeman 22
BOZEMAN — Brea Henderson poured in a game-high 18 points to earn Junkyard Dog of the game and lead the Bulldogs to the lopsided win.Taylor Regan scored 13 points for Butte High, which got eight apiece from Karlee Jeffery, Lilly Sandoval and Sara Whitaker. Kynslee Wrampe scored two points in a game that saw Jordy Giop, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps contribute.
Flynn Daniels and Isla Diebert scored six points to lead Bozeman. Margaret McQuery and Violet Begnoche each scored five.
Katelyn England scored five points to lead the Hawks.
Butte High 41, Billings West 16
BILLINGS — Butte High put together a complete game — especially on defense — to roll to the victory over the Golden Bears.Karlee Jeffery scored 16 points, and Taylor Regan added 12 to lead the Bulldog attack. Sara Whitaker scored vie points, Kynslee Wrampe tossed in three, and Jordy Giop and Bria Henderson each scored two. Franki Allred tossed in one in a game that saw contributions from Lilly Sandoval and Bella Schrapps. Coaches named Schrapps the Junkyard Dog of the game.
Butte High 42, Dillon 37
A great team effort in the second half led to a come-from-behind victory for the Bulldogs in their first home action.Taylor Regan scored 13 points to lead the way for Butte. Brea Henderson added eight points for the Bulldogs, who got six points from Kynslee Wrampe, four apiece from Karlee Jeffery, Lilly Sandoval and Sara Whitaker and three from Jordy Giop.
Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed for Butte High. Jeffery was named Junkyard Dog of the game.
Baylor Malesich scored 18 points to lead the Beavers. Elly Davidson scored six, while Tatum Tash tossed in four, Ripley Reasoner and Kynsey Morrisore each scored three, Gaby Willett netted two and Piper Gaasch tossed in one.
Butte Central 39, Butte High 27
Cambri Campbell’s 10 points led the way as the Bulldogs knocked off the Maroons Dec. 22 at the Civic Center.Evyn Tipett added five points for BC, which got four from Ryan Olson, three from Karla Fetters and two apiece from Ashley White and Ayanna Weang each scored two.
Karlee Jeffery scored 10 points to lead Butte High. Taylor Regan scored eight, while Sara Whitaker tossed in three, and Lilly Sandoval, Jory Giop and Brea Henderson each scored two.
Kynslee Wrampe, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed for the Dogs.
Butte High 32, Gallatin 20
Brea Henderson scored 14 points, and Taylor Regan scored 12 in a game that saw the Bulldogs put forth an “awesome” defensive effort in the win.Kynslee Wrampe was named Junkyard Dog of the game for her fantastic offensive and defensive rebounding.
Lilly Sandoval scored five points, and Wrampe scored one. Karlee Jeffery, Sara Whitaker, Jodry Giop, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed in the win.
Avery Knockey’s six points paced Gallatin. Havyn Davila and Kaylynn Melton each scored five.
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Copper City Softball registration open
Registration for the 2026 Copper City Softball League is open from now through March 16.
The league offers four playing levels. They are Coach Pitch for girls 4 to 6, Farm League for girls 7 to 8, Minor League for girls 9 to 10, Major League for girls 11 to 12, and Junior/Senior Sandlot for girls 13 to 16.
Practices begin April 13, and Opening Day will be held May 3. The first games will be played on May 4 with tournament week running June 15 through 18.
Register online at coppercitysoftball.com. Call or text Jaimee Richards at (406) 498-6907 or email coppercitysoftball@gmail.com with questions.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Cadence Graham and Rhett Arntson
Butte High basketball players Cadence Graham and Rhett Arntson are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the Bulldog girls and boys opened January with a doubleheader against Gallatin at the Butte Civic Center.
Graham, a 5-foot-7 junior guard, takes home the girls’ honor after scoring 12 points to lead the Bulldogs in a 68-47 loss to the defending Class AA State champion Raptors. In doing so, Graham became just the second Butte High girl to score 1,000 career points.
She joins the great Lexi Nelson in that category. Graham, who has been a varsity contributor since she was in the eighth grade, still has nearly two full seasons to add onto that already impressive point total.
Arntson, a 5-8 senior guard, receives the boys’ accolades after helping lead the 5-0 Butte High boys to a 75-60 win over Gallatin. Arntson sank five 3-pointers on his way to scoring a career-high 19 points in the win.
He hit three of those treys and scored 11 points in the second quarter as the Bulldogs took command with a 25-13 run. That marked the second double-digit performance of the season for Arntson, who scored 13 points in Butte High’s 72-66 win over Billings West Dec. 19 at the Richardson Gym.
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.
Photos of Graham and Arntson were provided by Alycia Holland Photography.
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Little Kids Hoops returns Saturday
The Knights of Columbus Little Kids Hoops program will return from holiday break on Saturday, Jan. 10.
The league will run through January, and all boys and girls are still welcome to play.
Games for boys and girls from pre-kindergarten through second grade go from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Games for players in the third through sixth grade go from 10:30 until noon. Hoops will be lowered for the younger players.
The league is free to all boys and girls, and players can show up to play week to week. There is no registration.
Players will be put on teams each week by Dan and Tom Boyle, who will referee the games and make sure each player is part of the action. There are no coaches.
The KC Little Kids Hoops program has been running for more than 30 years, and many of the boys and girls in the league turned out to be high school and college players.
All players will receive a T-shirt on the last day.
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Osborne, Salo shoot to district titles
DILLON — Three girls and three boys, ages 8-13, were crowned champions at the Elks South District Hoop Shoot free throw contest Saturday at the Straugh Gymnasium on the Montana Western Campus.
Those winners include Butte’s Tenley Osborne and Clay Salo. Osborne won the girls’ 12-13 age group, making 20 out of 25 shots. Salo captured the boys’ 8-9 title. He sank 22 free throws.
Butte’s Jace Graham placed second in the boys’ 11-12 age group. He made 20 free throws. Anaconda’s Tre Estes won with 23.
Caitlyn Jo Gallagher of Butte took second in the girls’ 8-9 group.
Other Butte contestants who won the Butte Lodge No. 240 competition in November were Taylor Benski, Bridger Smyth, and JJ Hardy.
First and second place trophies were awarded to each boy and girl in three categories: ages 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The contestants who participated at the District Hoop Shoot Contest were crowned Champions at their local Lodge Contest within the Montana South District, comprised of Anaconda No. 239, Butte No. 240, Deer Lodge No. 1737, Dillon No. 1554.
The three first place boys and girls in age categories 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13 will advance to the Montana State Contest at Park County High School in Livingston on Feb. 14. They will compete against the Districts Champions from the other four Montana districts. With continued success, the six Montana State Champions will advance to the Regional Contest in Rapid City, South Dakota, on March 7and the National Finals in Chicago on April 18. The names of all the national winners will have their names digitally displayed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
This program is totally sponsored by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the U.S.A. It is endorsed by hundreds of school systems around the country. The Elks fund the program primarily through its National Foundation and the support of the local lodges and state associations.
The Elks Hoop Shoot” began as a local program by Corvallis Oregon Elks in 1946, is in its 54th year of national competition. In the past, Montana has crowned several National Champions.
Age group winners (scores out of 25):
Girls 8-9
1st – Kasey Staley, Dillon 20
2nd – Caitlyn Jo Gallagher, Butte 11Girls 10-11
1st – Aspen Gibson, Dillon 11, 3/5, 3/5
2nd – Adeley Kenny, Anaconda 11, 3/5, 2/5Girls 12-13
1st – Tenley Osborne, Butte 20
2nd – Kansas Keller, Dillon 18Boys 8-9
1st – Clay Salo, Butte 22
2nd – Emmett Holbrook, Twin Bridges 18Boys 11-12
1st – Tre Estes, Anaconda 23
2nd – Jace Graham, Butte 20Boys 12-13
1st – Austin Blando, Dillon 17, 4/5, 4/5
2nd – Jack Grinolds, Anaconda 17, 4/5, 3/5 -
KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball league for the week of Jan. 5. Only one game will be played on Monday because the Montana State Bobcats are playing in the FCS National Championship Game that night.
Monday
9 p.m. — Poi Time vs. Someday StartersTuesday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Everett-Cook Law
8 p.m. — Kenworthy vs. Everett-Cook Law
9 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. Someday StartersWednesday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Kenworthy
8 p.m. — Poi Time vs. ButteSportsThursday
7 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. Washington Generals
8 p.m. — City Boys vs. ButteSports
9 p.m. — City Boys vs. Hoopballas -
Hunt captures title at Tom LeProwse
BOZEMAN — For the second straight year, Butte High senior Keegan Hunt is a Tom LeProwse champion.
On Saturday, Hunt defeated East Helena wrestlers Eli Erdahl 6-4 in the championship match of the 110-pound division of the Tom LeProwse Invitational at Gallatin High School.
A year ago, Hunt won the 103-pound title in the tournament named after the Butte native who turned out to be a Bozeman coaching legend. Hunt then won a state title at 103 pounds in February.
In all, six Bulldogs placed in the tournament. Crew O’Connor took second at 103 pounds. Teammate Renzy LeProwse placed third in that division.
Reveles McEwen took third at 118 pounds, while Bridger Garrison captured fifth at 157 and Bode Hazlett placed sixth at 150.
Billings West won the team title with 247 points. Hardin took second at 229, and Huntley Project finished third at 183. Butte High placed seventh in the 50-team tournament with 161.5 points.
Butte High’s girls’ program competed in the Belgrade Invitational at the Belgrade Special Events Center.
Senior Mattie Stepan led the Bulldogs, placing third at 155 pounds. Cheyanne Robinson took sixth at 235, and Peyton Liva placed sixth at 100.
The Bulldog boys and girls will be back at home Tuesday, taking on Missoula Hellgate and Missoula Big Sky at the Butte High old gym. Action begins with extra matches at 5 p.m.
Results for the tournaments in Bozeman and Belgrade can be found at trackwrestling.com.
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Graham reaches 1,000 points in loss, Bulldog boys dunk on Raptors
It was a night of milestones, 3-pointers and slam dunks Friday at the Butte Civic Center.
Butte High junior Cadence Graham became just the second Bulldog girl to join the 1,000-point club in a 68-47 loss to defending Class AA State champion Gallatin. Then, the Butte High boys scored from deep and up high to roll their record to 5-0 with a 75-60 beating of the Raptors in the night cap.
The Bulldogs will be back in action next Friday and Saturday when the boys and girls travel to Kalispell to take on Flathead and Glacier. Those will be the first two Western AA games for Butte High.
BOYS
Butte High 75, Gallatin 60If Butte High fans did not believe their boys have the look of a serious state title contender before Friday night, they sure as heck do now.
The Bulldogs connected on 11 shots from 3-point range, and 6-foot-9 sophomore Brady Hanson electrified the crowd with four thunderous two-handed dunks to lead the Bulldogs in the win.
Hanson scored Butte’s first bucket on a dunk in traffic. He added three more slams and a 3-pointer. The prettiest basket of the night came on a break when Hudson Luedtke lobbed a pass off the backboard and Hanson threw it down.
Luedtke, the reigning scoring and assist champion of the Class AA, tossed in 22 points to lead the Bulldogs. Fellow senior Rhett Arntson had the best game of his varsity career, knocking down five 3-pointers and scoring 19 points for Butte, which led wire to wire.
The Dogs led 15-11 after one and 40-24 at the half. Butte took a 55-47 edge into the final frame.
Hanson scored 13 points for Butte, which got eight points and some tough defense from Cayde Stajcar. James Pearston sank a pair of threes and score six, Mitch Verlanic netted five, and Ryan Hanson tossed in two.
Kendel Noctor, Koda Schleeman and Kaleb Celli also contributed for the Bulldogs.
GALLATIN (2-2) — Ethan Waldo 3 0-0 9, Bobby Gutzman 2 0-0 4, Austin Bishop 3 0-0 6, Sam Litzen 2 0-0 5, Aidden Brown 5 2-2 12, Caden Flanigan 0 1-2 1, Brett Sonju 6 1-3 18, Joey Padilla 0 0-2 0, Zach Lockwood 1 2-2 4, Matthew Phillips 0 1-2 1, Wyatt Ford 0 0-0 0, Hudson Burke 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 7-13 60.
BUTTE HIGH (5-0) — Cayde Stajcar 3 2-2 8, Rhett Arntson 7 0-0 19, Hudson Luedtke 5 10-12 22, Mitch Verlanic 2 0-0 5, Brady Hanson 6 0-0 13, James Pearston 2 0-0 6, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0, Kaleb Celli 0 0-0 0, Ryan Hanson 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 12-14 75.
Gallatin 11 13 23 13 — 60
Butte 15 25 15 20 — 75
3-point goals — Gallatin 9 (Sonju 5, Waldo 3, Litzen), Butte 11 Arntson 5, Luedtke 2, Pearston 2, Verlanic). Fouls — Gallatin 19, Butte 15. Fouled out — Brown. Technical — Brown.GIRLS
Gallatin 68, Butte High 47
Jada Davis poured in 29 points for the Raptors, who pulled away with a 23-6 advantage in the third quarter.Davis was one of three Raptors in double figures. Makayla Coleman scored 12 points, and Avi Odegard tossed in 10. Amelia Hunter came off the bench to score eight.
Allie Becker’s 15 points paced the Bulldogs. She scored 10 of those points in the first half. After Cadence Graham’s 12 points, Butte got six from Autumn Clary, five from Emma Johnson, four from Saege Grey, three from Kendallyn Schad and two from Ellison Graham. Franki Salusso, Avery Basness, Ellie Yates, Stella Callaghan and Reese Johnson also contributed for the Bulldogs.
GALLATIN (4-0) — Jada Davis 8 11-13 29, Avi Odegard 4 2-2 10, Saydey Perry 2 0-1 4, Lorelei Bear Before 2 0-0 4, Makayla Coleman 4 4-5 12, Lydia Stewart 0 0-0 0, Ameilia Hunter 2 2-2 8, Auna Litzen 0 0-0 0, Kate Nansel 0 1-2 1, Taylor Thigpen 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 20-25 68.
BUTTE HIGH (2-3) — Allie Becker 4 7-5 15, Cadence Graham 2 7-8 12, Autumn Clary 0 6-8 6, Franki Salusso 0 0-0 0, Emma Johnson 2 0-0 5, Ellison Graham 0 2-4 2, Saege Grey 2 0-1 4, Kendallyn Schad 1 0-0 3, Stella Callaghan 0 0-0 0, Reese Johnson 0 0-0 0, Avery Barsness 0 0-0 0, Ellie Yates 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 20-28 47.
Gallatin 18 13 23 14 — 68
Butte 17 10 6 14 — 47
3-point goals — Gallatin 4 (Hunter 2, Davis 2), Butte 5 (Becker 2, C. Graham, Johnson, Schad). Fouls — Gallatin 24, Butte 16. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 