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Beau McGree ties for fifth place
SHELBY — For the second straight fall, Butte Central’s Beau McGree is an All-State golfer.
This time, the Butte Central junior tied for fifth place at the Class A State golf tournament at the Marias Valley Golf & Country Club.
McGree followed Friday’s round of an even-par 72 with a 5-over Saturday for a 149 total. He tied with Sawyer Gentry of Livingston, who improved one shot for a 74 on the final round.
Polson junior Max Milton, who did his best Ryggs Johnston impersonation all season long, captured the boys’ state title. He finished 11-under par at 133. He shot a final-round 67 after Friday’s opening 66.
Colin Jensen of Billings Central finished two back at 135. He improved three shots for a 66. Mason O’Neill of Whitefish and Matthew Hermanson of Billings Central tied for third place at 148. Both shot a 76 after a 72 on Friday.
McGree tied with his brother Will, who now plays for Montana Tech, for 13th place at the Class A State tournament last year in Sidney.
Billings Central captured the team title with a score of 597. Polson took second at 602, and Whitefish finished third at 636.
Hamilton star Cameron Burnett had a legendary day to win the girls’ individual crown. She improved 10 shots for a 3-under 69 on Saturday. That gave her a 148 total, which was 10 shots better than second-place Karlee Brown of Whiteish. Autumn Goodan of Lewistown and CeCe Fornshell tied for third at 161.
Dillon’s Skylar LaPierre placed fifth at 162. She hit a final-round 79.
Butte Central freshman Mya McGree tie for 28th place in a field of 55. She followed Friday’s 96 with a 98 to tie with BrookeLynn Bray of East Helena at 194.
With a score of 710, Whitefish won the girls’ team title. Lewistown finished a distant second at 745, and Corvallis placed third at 749.
Complete results can be found on the Golf Genius app. The GGID is STATEA26.
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Maroons, Bulldogs win on road
Butte Central and Butte High’s football teams picked up road conference victories Friday night.
The Maroons went to Stevensville and rolled to a 55-7 victory over the Yellowjackets in a Southwestern A contest.
Central put the game away early, jumping out to a 42-0 halftime lead as BC improved to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in league play. Stevi fell to 2-3 and 0-2.
Butte High, meanwhile, took command early and held on for a 29-27 win over Helena High at Vigilante Stadium. The win lifts Butte High to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Western AA action.
The Bengals fell to 3-3 and 2-2.
Raeder Grey started off Butte High’s scoring with a 6-yard run. Shortly after the Bulldogs forced and recovered a Helena fumble, Grey hit Miner Lee for an 11-yard strike.
Lee added touchdown runs of 12 and 21 yards in the win. He had another touchdown scamper called back by a penalty just before Tegan Duffy booted a 26-yard field goal.
That kick extended Butte’s lead to 29-14, and the Bulldogs held off a Helena rally.
Butte High will play host to Flathead next Friday. The Bulldogs will celebrate Senior Night, even though they take on Missoula Hellgate Oct. 15 at Naranche Stadium.
The Maroons will also be home the next two weeks, starting next Friday when Frenchtown comes to town. BC will host Hamilton on Senior Night Oct. 16.
Stats and summaries for Friday’s games are not currently available. We will track them down in time for the next ButteCast SportsCap.
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Bulldogs run fast at Headwaters
Maroons ran Thursday in Hamilton
THREE FORKS — Even without their usual fastest boy and girl, the Butte High cross country teams put up some impressive times Friday at the Headwaters Invitational. (Results)
However, they were not the only team that could say that.
The Belgrade boys and girls swept team titles on a fast course on the Headwaters Golf Course.
Dawson Parke of Drummond won the boys’ race, finishing the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 18 seconds. He edged Ember Hunt of Whitehall by 2 seconds.
Trent Lane of Cascade placed third in 16:33.
Gage Novak, an Anaconda sophomore with Mining City roots, placed 15th with a personal-best time of 17:37.
Junior Isaac Zell paced the Bulldogs, who were without injured Bridger Luebke. Zell placed 17th with a season-best time of 17:46.
Zell was one of four Bulldogs to break 19 minutes on the day. Colton Yoakum crossed in 18:18, edging teammate Jason Real by 1 second. Kai Schuler finished in 18:35.
Butte’s Jack Taylor crossed in 19:20, and Lyric Haston finished in 19:42.
Belgrade scored 63 team points for the win. Drummond took second at 89, and Jefferson High of Boulder finished third at 119. The Bulldogs ran to seventh place at 187.
The Panthers scored 31 points for the girls’ win. Jefferson was second at 57, followed by Townsend at 83.
Kyla Meissner of Townsend won the individual title in 18:36. Savannah Allen of Belgrade took second in 18:48. Teammate Amelia Brown was third in 19:27.
Penelope Luebke led the Bulldogs, placing 15th in 21:20. Teammate Wakely Burelson finished in 22:50. Sophia Houchin did not compete for Butte High.
Butte Central, meanwhile, competed in the Hamilton Invitational on Thursday. (Results)
Ben Martin of Darby won the boys’ race in 16:05. Jackson Bontadelli of Polson took second in 16:20, and Anze Vaux Witt of Missoula Sentinel crossed in 16:27, edging Jeremy Davidson of Corvallis by a little more than a second.
Three BC runners competed. Eighth grader Ryan Byrne led the way with a time of 20:19. Joe Bradshaw crossed in 20:57, and Roman Terry clocked a time of 22:35.
On the girls’ side, Polson Morgan and Quinn Delaney finished 1-2. Morgan posted a time of 17:57, and Quinn finished in 18:20.
Aleigha Child of Hamilton took third in 18:37.
Ashley White led the Maroons. She crossed in 23:45. Lionnora Howard finished in 29:58.
Next up for the Bulldogs and Maroons is Thursday’s Capital City 7 of 7 meet in Helena.
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Muhlestein places third at State AA golf
DeShaw closes career with All-State honors
GREAT FALLS — When the Butte High golf team last went to Great Falls in August, Jack Muhlestein self-reported a scorecard error and was disqualified.
Bulldog coach Cory Johnston told Muhlestein that his honorable ways built up some serious karma that will pay off down the road. It appears that Johnston was right.
On Friday, the Butte High junior fired his second straight even-par 72 at the Meadow Lark Country Club to capture the third-place medal at the Class AA State tournament.
Muhlestein shot a 33 on the front nine and a 39 on the back to lock up the medal and All-State honors.
Jayce Belzer of Helena Capital won the individual title. He followed a 69 with a 71 for a 139 total. Jackson Hageman of Great Falls Russell took second after improving three shots for a 69 and a 142 total.
Muhlestein’s 144 was three shots better than Capital’s John Gilbert, who placed fourth. Sam Alke of Gallatin, Torren Murray of Glacier and Will Benne of Bozeman tied for fifth at 148.
Butte High freshman Lane Lisac tied for 18th place at 156. He improved two shots from Thursday’s opening round with a 77, missing All-State honors by one shot.
All-State distinction goes to the top 15 golfers.
Bulldog junior Teagan Yelenich followed an 80 with an 83 for a 163 total. Sophomore Miles Choquette finished at 173 after shooing an 85 and an 88, and classmate Braden Donnelly carded a 175. He shot 87 and 88.
Missoula Sentinel won the boys title at 604. Capital was second at 6-9, and CMR placed third at 619. Butte High placed seventh at 636 after Friday’s 320.
On the girls’ side, Butte High senior Kate DeShaw closed out her solid Bulldog golf career with All-State honors. She followed an 85 with a 90 for 175, which was good for a tie for 14th place with Brooklynn Hageman of CMR and Becky Schmidt of Flathead.
Payton Tryan and Clare Jensen of Billings Senior tied for the top spot at 153, but Tryan won the state title on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Jenson followed an 82 with a 71 on Friday, while Tryan carded an 80 after an opening-round 73.
Aerin Ryan of Gallatin placed third at 154, while Paige Loberg of West took fifth at 175.
Butte High junior Sage Leber also competed for the Bulldogs. She improved one shot for a 197 and a 215 total.
Senior won the team title at 654, beating Gallatin by three shots. West took a distant third at 704.
Complete results are available on the Golf Genius app. The GGID is AASTATE26.
Pictured above are, from left to right, Butte High golfers Beckham Kinsey (alternate), Miles Choquette, Lane Lisac, Sage Leber, Kate DeShaw, Jack Muhlestein, Teagan Yelenich and Braden Donnelly.
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Beau McGree fourth after first round
SHELBY — Butte Central junior Beau McGree finds himself in a four-way tie for fourth place after the first round of the Class A State golf tournament at the Marias Valley Golf & Country Club.
McGree followed a 40 on the front nine with a 32 on the back to match par at 72. He trails the great Max Milton of Polson by six shots.
Milton shot a 33 one each nine to take the boys’ individual lead with a 66. He sits three shots better than second-place Colin Jensen of Billings Central. Royce Taylor of Laurel is second at 70.
McGree is tied with Stuart Gentry of Livingston, Matthew Hermanson of Billings Central and Mason O’Niell of Whitefish.
Billings Central leads the boys’ team race at 293. Polson is second at 301, followed by Whitefish at 312.
Ryhlee Scott of Whitefish shot a 78 to take the first-round lead on the girls’ leaderboard. Cameron Burnett of Hamilton and Autumn Goodan of Lewistown are one shot back at 79. Karlee Borwn of Whitefish is fourth at 82, and Dillon’s Skylar LaPierre is holding down fifth at 83.
Butte Central freshman Mya McGree carded a 96. That puts her four shots out of 15th place and All-State recognition heading into Saturday’s final round.
Follow the tournament live on the Golf Genius app. The GGID is STATEA26.
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Muhlestein third, DeShaw tied for 10th after first round of State AA golf
GREAT FALLS — Some Bulldogs are in the hunt at the halfway mark of the Class AA State golf tournament.
Junior Jack Muhlestein and senior Kate DeShaw lead the way for Butte High. Muhlestein sits in third place on the boys’ leaderboard after the first 18 holes at the Meadow Lark Country Club. DeShaw is tied for 10th on the girls’ side.
Muhlestein matched par with a 72, shooting an even par 36 on each nine. That puts him four shots behind leader, Jayce Belzer of Helena Capital. Belzer shot a 4-under 68, following a 35 with a 33.
John Gilbert of Capital is holding down second place at 71. Four golfers are tied for fourth place at 73. They are Torren Murray of Glacier, Jackson Hageman of Great Falls Russell, Brady Muus of Billings Skyview and Derek Schaefer of Missoula Sentinel.
Butte High freshman Lane Lisac carded a 79, which puts him in a tie for 22nd place. He is also in the middle of a logjam that is right on the edge of the top 15. Currently, 15th place is a 77, and the top 15 players earn All-State honors.
Bulldog junior Teagan Yelenich is also right there following a first-round 80. Sophomore Miles Choquette added an 85 for the Bulldogs, and classmate Braden Donnelly hit an 87.
Capital leads the team race at 299. The Bruins lead Sentinel by one shot. Glacier sits in third at 308.
Butte High sits in seventh place at 316.
DeShaw shot an 85 and sits in a tie with Glacier’s Maggie Mitton for 10th place.
Payton Tryan of Billings Senior holds the lead at the halfway point at 73. Aerin Ryan of Gallatin is two back at 75, and Paige Loberg of Senior sits in third at 78.
Junior Sage Leber added a 108 for the Bulldogs, who qualified two girls for the tournament.
Senior and Gallatin are tied for the team lead at 327. Big Sky is a distant third 361, which is one shot better than Billings West.
The tournament concludes Friday. Play begins at 10 a.m.
Follow the tournament live on the Golf Genius app, where you can find complete results. The GGID is AASTATE26.
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Bulldog, Maroon golfers head to State
Butte High soccer, volleyball at home, football teams on road
While Butte High’s flag football season came to an end with Monday’s home battle with Missoula Big Sky, the rest of the fall sports are heading into crunch time.
That includes the golf teams from Butte High and Butte Central. Nine golfers in total will head to their respective State tournaments this week.
The football teams from Butte High and Butte Central will be on the road again this week. So will BC’s volleyball team. The Bulldogs, though, will see some home action in volleyball and soccer this week.
The Copper Sprockets cycling team also showcased their talents behind Big Butte in the Copper Kings Clash. Those riders have a week off before they close the season in Lolo.
We will look at all of that as we take a trip around the Mining City high school sports scene.
State golf opens Thursday
The Class AA State golf tournament begins Thursday at the Meadow Lark Country Club in Great Falls.
Play begins at 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday.
Butte High’s boys’ team has the makings of contenders as they travel to Great Falls — this year and beyond. The Bulldogs do not have a single senior on the team that placed third at last week’s Western AA Divisional tournament at the Butte Country Club.
Making the trip for Butte High’s boys are freshman Lane Lisac, sophomores Braden Donnelly and Miles Choquette, and juniors Josh Muhlstein and Teagan Yelenich.
Lisac tied for second place at the divisional tournament. Muhlstein took 10th, and Yelenich and Donnelly tied for 18th.
Lisac, Muhlstein and Yelenich took turns leading the Bulldogs this season. That includes Yelenich’s first-place showing at Butte High’s season-opening one-day tournament at Fairmont Hot Springs.
Donnelly and Choquette have come on as of late, and look to be playing their best at the right time.
Lisac is the only Bulldog who played at State last year, when he was an eighth grader at East Middle School. Muhlstein and Yelenich represented the Bulldogs at State as freshmen.
Senior Kate DeShaw and junior Sage Leber are veterans of State tournament play. They will both represent the Bulldogs at Meadow Lark.
DeShaw placed 18th at last year’s State tournament, missing All-State honors by just two shots. All-State distinction goes to the top 15 individuals.
Siblings Beau and Mya McGree will represent Butte Central at the Class A State golf tournament, which is Friday and Saturday at the Marias Valley Golf & Country Club in Shelby.
Beau McGree tied for second at last week’s Western A Divisional tournament in Polson. That was just one of many top finishes for the junior who is looking for All-State honors for the second straight season.
He tied with his brother Will, who now plays for Montana Tech, for 13th place at last year’s State A tournament in Sidney.
McGree’s season includes defending his title at the Butte Central Invitational and winning tournaments in Livingston and Dillon. He also tied with Yelenich for the top spot at Butte High’s one-day tournament. Yelenich was awarded medalist honors after a scorecard playoff.
Mya McGree, a freshman, will represent the Maroons on the final tournament for the second year. She played at the State A last year as an eighth grader.
She has also spent much of the season near the top of the leaderboard. Her freshman campaign includes a victory at the Bigfork Invitational.
Live results from both tournaments will be available on the Golf Genius app. The GGID is AA State26 for the Class AA and StateA26 for the Class A.
Bulldogs travel to Helena High
Another tough Western AA road test is in store for the Butte High football team Friday.
The Bulldogs will travel to Helena High for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Bengals at Vigilante Stadium.
The Bengals, who are coming off last week’s 34-27 home loss to Helena Capital, enter the contest at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Western AA play. Helena High beat Missoula Sentinel 35-26 Sept. 11 in Helena before traveling to Kalispell tea edge Flathead in a 31-30 thriller Sept. 18.
In non-conference play, the Bengals routed Skyview 41-14 in Billings and fell 41-20 at home to Gallatin.
Once again, the Bulldogs (1-4, 0-3) will be facing a dual-threat quarterback. This time it is Helena senior Reece Silvonen.
Silvonen has completed 68 percent of his passes on the season. He’s tossed 11 touchdowns compared to four interceptions. He is also averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns on the ground.
Senior Gracen Silvonen is the top target. He has hauled in 30 passes for 299 yards and three scores. Junior Tyse Todorovich has 18 grabs for 267 yards and four scores.
Junior Brayden Garza leads the Helena rushing attack. He’s racked up 262 yards on six scores while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
After a review of the film by Bulldog coaches, senior linebacker Finn Wortham was credited with 18 total tackles in last week’s 14-6 loss to Missoula Sentinel at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Ten of those tackles were solo.
Junior backer Hudson Steel added 10 tackles, eight of which were solo, while seniors Evan McEwen and Bradey Doyle followed with nine and eight.
Wortham leads the Bulldogs with 45 takedowns on the season. Senior Jaeger Hansen is second with 38, and classmate Raeder Grey is third at 29. McEwen and Doyle follow at 26 and 23.
Seniors Reece Cunneen, Miner Lee and Maxximus Pearston are also in double digits in tackles, along with Steele and juniors Colt Stenson and Kodye Kjersten.
Kjersten and sophomore Ryan Bache each have a pair of picks on the season. Pearston and Dyle lead the team with two sacks apiece.
Grey is completing 58 percent of his passes. He’s tossed five touchdowns and four picks. Three of those TDs went to Bache, who leads the team with 14 receptions for 258 yards.
Senior Brady Walsh, who has two receiving TDs, Lee, Kjersten and senior Koda Schleeman are also favorite targets.
Lee has put together a strong season at running back. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He has 306 yards and four touchdowns running behind Pearston and his fellow linemen in junior Konner Hanni, junior Sawyer Casey, junior Karter Hall, senior Mason Swanson and sophomore Colton Nasheim.
The Bulldogs return home next Friday for a Senior Night game against Flathead. Butte High will host Missoula Hellgate on Thursday, Oct. 15 before closing the regular season at Helena Capital on Oct. 23.
BC eyes win at Stevi
The Maroons look to even their Southwestern A record Friday when they take on Stevensville in a 7 p.m. football game in the Bitterroot Valley.
BC is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in conference after last Friday’s 25-20 loss at Corvallis.
The Maroons showed good fight in the loss. Sophomore quarterback Noah Sutton had another big night passing. The lefty completed 29 of 41 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. He hit senior GG Fantini and sophomore Jaxon Hiatt on scoring strikes.
Hiatt and senior Joshua Sutton each caught nine passes for the Maroons. Sutton racked up 94 yards, while Hiatt accounted for 65. Fantini grabbed six passes for 43 yards, and sophomore Henly Mansanti hauled in five passes for 34 yards.
Mansanti also ran for 30 yards on seven carries.
BC coach Don Peoples Jr. singled out the play of tight ends Burkley Lakkala and Palmer Kellicut. Lakkala, a senior, and Kellicut, a junior, filled in at offensive tackle in the game.
Peoples said they “did a great job.”
The Yellowjackets are 2-2 overall and 0-1 after last week’s 46-0 loss at Hamilton. Stevensville beat Livingston 50-13 in Livingston a week after beating Libby 14-6 at home. The Yellowjackets also have a 44-0 home loss to Hardin, a team the Maroons went on the road and took to double overtime.
Sophomore quarterback Luca Schmidt is completing 61 percent of his passes. He’s tossed five TDs and thrown six interceptions. He and senior Jake Nyholm each have two touchdowns on the ground.
Senior receiver Kaden Wyant is having a big season for the Yellowjackets. He has hauled in 51 passes for 516 yards and four touchdowns.
The Maroons will play their first home game since Sept. 11 a week from Friday against Frenchtown. Hamilton will come to town for Senior Night Oct. 16, and BC will close out the regular season Oct. 23 at Dillon.
Bulldog volleyball hosts CMR
Butte High is in the middle of a busy stretch on the volleyball court.
The Bulldogs will play host to Great Falls Russell at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ross J. Richardson Gymnasium.
Butte High opened a set of three matches this week Tuesday night at home, falling 3-1 to Missoula Hellgate.
That came after the Bulldogs beat Helena Capital 3-0 at home last Thursday and then fell 3-2 at Helena High on Saturday.
The Bulldogs cruised past Capital 25-10, 25-12, 25-20. At Helena, they dropped a 25-21, 14-25, 25-23, 27-29, 15-8 thriller to the Bengals. (Stats)
Seniors Cadence Graham and Allie Becker combined for 37 kills to lead the Bulldogs in that match. Graham spiked 19, while Becker killed 18.
Sophomore Elli Graham and junior Stella Callaghan led a Bulldog team that served 11 aces. Each served up three while Becker and junior Kalee Wright each served two.
Senior Ellie Yates collected a team-best 30 digs in the match. Elli Graham added 17, while Cadence Graham added 16, and Becker dug 15.
On Tuesday, the Bulldogs fell 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-10 to Hellgate. Stats from the Capital and Hellgate matches have not been posted.
Butte High travel to take on Great Falls Russell on Saturday. The Bulldogs will host Flathead and Glacier on Oct. 9 and 10.
Maroon spikers hit the road
Butte Central’s volleyball team will be on the road for a pair of matches this week.
First up is a trip to Dillon for a Southwestern A showdown with the Beavers at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Maroons will then travel to Missoula to take on Loyola in a 1 p.m. non-conference match on Saturday.
Central is looking to bounce back from Saturday’s 25-16, 25-10, 25-19 loss at Hamilton. Stats from that match have not been submitted.
BC will host the 15th Annual Blocktober Classic Oct. 9-10 at the Maroon Activities Center and Butte Civic Center. The tournament will see 26 teams compete.
Click here for the schedules, brackets, rosters and, eventually, results.
Dogs look to boot Kalispell schools
Butte High’s soccer teams will be back at home for the first time in two weeks.
The Bulldogs will play host to Glacier on Friday before hosting Flathead on Saturday. The girls will kick off action at 2 p.m. Friday at Bulldog Memorial Stadium. The boys will follow at 4:30.
On Saturday, the girls will play at noon, and the boys will play at 2:30 p.m.
Both Bulldog teams are coming off 10-0 losses to undefeated Missoula Sentinel teams last Thursday.
Butte High boys’ coach Adam Colvin said the Bulldogs played better than the score.
“We did much better today than we did vs Big sky on Tuesday,” he said. “The score would indicate the opposite since we lost 0-10, but in my opinion, Sentinel is not only the best team in the West this year, I think they may be the best I’ve seen between the five years I’ve been at Butte soccer.”
The injury-plagued Bulldogs were down a pair of starters on a hot day.
“We had lots of people playing in positions they don’t normally play, and we held our own for a respectable amount of time vs a real tough opponent in a tough set of conditions,” Colvin said. “Regardless the boys were disappointed. We had a mistake here and there, most other teams in the state we would recover quickly enough to limit the damage, but Sentinel is too good to give them any advantage.”
Butte High girls’ coach Geno Liva said his girls battled the whole game.
“Elly Rumler responded well to a new position and increased duties,” Liva said. “Klara Andrejcakova played well from striker position.”
After Saturday, the Bulldogs will be down to three matches left. The Butte teams will head to Helena High Oct. 8 and play host to Helena Capital on Oct. 10. Butte High’s final regular-season game is set for Oct. 13 at Missoula Hellgate.
Cross Country teams back in action
Bulldog and Maroon runners posted nice showings last Thursday at the Butte High Cross Country Carnival at Stodden Park.
Both teams will be back in action this week.
Butte High will run Friday at the Headwaters Invitational in Three Forks. That meet will see 17 teams compete. The Bulldogs are the only Class AA squad in the lineup.
On Thursday, the Maroons will run at the Hamilton Invitational at Daly Mansion. The Maroons will run with 15 other teams. The lineup includes Dillon, Corvallis, Frenchtown, Hamilton, Stevensville and Missoula Sentinel.
Butte High and Butte Central will run in the Capital City 7 of 7 meet Oct. 8 in Helena.
Flag season ends
Butte High’s flag football season came to an end Monday with a 30-8 loss to Gallatin at Naranche Stadium.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs fell 19-18 to Bozeman and 30-8 to Gallatin. Butte High did not qualify for the State tournament, which is Oct. 7-8 in Billings.
That means the careers of seniors Kolbie Erickson, Jayda Gustafson, Brooke Johnson, Alexis King, and Mackenzie Read came to an end.
Bulldog second-year coach John Stenson said it was a tough season when it came to wins and losses. But the coach said his girls had fun and improved.
“It’s a great group of girls to work with,” he said.
Sprockets fare well in Clash
The Copper Kings Clash mountain bike race took over the Big Butte Open Space Park Saturday. (Results)
The event was fourth race of the season on the Montana NICA series, and the host Copper Sprockets saw eight riders finish in the top five of their division.
Renzy LeProwse rode to second place in the JV1 boys’ race. Grace Ricahrdson took second in the fifth-grade girls division.
Paisley Jaksha (JV3 girls), Luke Renouard (JV2 boys), Elsie Walsh (eighth-grade girls) and Torsten Thieszen (sixth-grade boys) finished fourth in their divisions. Charlotte Stevens (sixth-grade girls) and Parker Sullivan (fifth-grade girls) raced to fifth place.
Next up is the season-ending Lolo Final Landing. That race will be held Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Rossignol Ranch in Lolo. Sunday, Oct. 11 will be reserved for a makeup in case of postponement because of weather.
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Episode No. 386: Steven Gillespie
Get ready for a different kind of comedy show at the Covellite Theatre.
The DOSE: A Psychedelic Comedy Show will perform at Butte’s great theatre at 7 p.m. Saturday, and you have probably seen nothing like this. (Click here to buy tickets)
The DOSE is billed as a fully-immersive psychedelic multimedia experience featuring a live DJ, visuals, flow performers, and a carefully-curated lineup of some of the best comedians in the country.
The main comedian is Steven Gillespie, one of the creators of the DOSE, and he is the real deal. His second comedy album “Alive on State” reached No. 1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts, and it hit the top 10 on the Billboard charts.
He has appeared on Conan, Amazon Prime’s “Inside Joke,” and FOX’s “Laughs All-Stars.”
Best of all, Steven is a Bears fan, even though he grew up in Wisconsin. So, you know he’s a good guy.
Yesterday, before the Bears opened a can of whoopass on the Eagles on Monday Night Football, I caught up with Steven over Zoom for a fun conversation.
Listen in as we talk about his career and why he started the DOSE. Listen in to hear why you might want to go check out a different kind of comedy show that just might leave you partying all night long.
Today’s episode is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start savig today.
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Butte, America has never had a better representative than John Kovacich
When he walked into the Butte Civic Center lobby for the announcement of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 on Feb. 11, John Kovacich looked like he could have been a mafia leg breaker.
Kovacich, who passed away unexpectedly Thursday at 66, was on the stocky side. Not fat, but powerful.
He wore a leather jacket, and his bald head was covered by a Boston Scally Cap that was straight out of the Peaky Blinders. It was like he was a grownup version of Scut Farkus’ sidekick, Grover Dill, on A Christmas Story.
But when he smiled, you could see that the legendary Butte High Bulldog and Montana Grizzly was much more likely to give you a hug than he was to break any of your bones.
That was my introduction to the man they called “JK.” I had known of him for decades, but I never had the chance to meet him before he was called to the Hall of Fame.
Kovacich was a key member on two legendary Butte teams. He played second base on the 1972 Mile High All-Star baseball team. That team is Butte’s only state championship Little League Baseball team in the boys 12-and-under division. The Mile High All-Stars advanced to the Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, California.
Five years later, Kovacich played cornerback on what might have been Butte High’s best football team of all time. At least Pat Kearney thought that when he named his All-Century team in December of 1999.
Those state champion 1977 Bulldogs are definitely the best defensive team that Butte — and perhaps the state — has ever seen. Statistically speaking, it isn’t even close.
The 1977 Bulldogs shutout their first seven opponents and allowed just 20 total points while going 11-0. That is an average of 1.8 points per game surrendered.
All four of Butte High’s secondary starters earned All-State honors. That included Jim Anderson, Dick Yant, Reed Madison and Kovacich.
Kovacich was listed as 6-foot-1, 180-pounds, and he said he was not really all that fast. But he was tough. He had to be because cornerbacks had to do a lot more tackling in the run-heavy Class AA of 1977.
Five years after the Bulldogs bullied their way to the state crown, Kovacich was part of the University of Montana’s Big Sky Conference championship team — at team that, under coach Larry Donovan, helped lead to the construction of Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
He wore No. 21 because Jim Kiick, a running back on the 1972 Miami Dolphins. But he liked to say he was No. 1 in your heart.
Since I took over as executive director of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, Kovacich was on the list of people I could not believe were not already in the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. That was based on his resumé alone, too. I was not old enough to have watched him play for the Bulldogs.
How could a captain and All-State player from our best team not be recognized?
This year, he was finally voted into the Hall of Fame, and I could not wait to meet him. I also did not know what to expect. He was just a legendary Bulldog with a tough last name.
I assumed John was related to the legendary Bob “Ace” Kovacich, who also looked like he could have been a mafia leg breaker. I assumed wrong.
So, it was a bit shocking to see that this legend was such a mild-mannered guy. He was so genuine. He was the kind of guy who, when he asked you how you were doing, he really cared about your answer. He was closer to Tony Robbins than he was Dick Butkus.
In April, I asked John to be a guest on the ButteCast, and he enthusiastically agreed. He told me he listens to every episode of the podcast to keep tabs on the people from back home.
I offered to drive to Missoula to meet him for the episode, or I told him we could do it over Zoom. John would have none of either. He was going to drive to Butte to see me.
We met in the Vault at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill April 30 to talk for more than an hour. Over that time, John might have set a record for the amount of names he dropped when giving credit to teammates and coaches for his success.
He credited Butte High head coach Jon McElroy and defensive coordinator Jim Street. He credited assistants like Steve Stosich and Dan Lean. He even credited his East Junior High coaches Gene Fogarty and Chum Roesti.
He credited his fellow defensive backs, and he credited quarterback Barry Sullivan, running back Si Timberman and nose guard Andy Kalarchik. He pointed out that Timberman was the Offensive Player of the Year in Montana Class AA and Kalarchik was the Defensive Player of the Year.
Kovacich pointed out his great coaches and teammates at the University of Montana, and he told some amazing stories about the team. That included the time when quarterback Marty Mornhinweg led the Grizzlies to an amazing come-from-behind victory after staying up all night gambling at Nevada-Reno.
He praised his college roommates, including legendary Dillon coach Terry Thomas.
He even mentioned some of the great Butte High Bulldogs and Montana Grizzlies who were years older or years younger than him.
He gave a shoutout to his wife, Johnna, and thanked her for all that Anaconda girl has done for him.
Not one time did he mention a negative word about anybody or anything. Without question, I have never met a more kind, caring and positive person as John Kovacich.
Butte, America has never had a better representative.
He had not met some of his fellow members of the Class of 2026 before the induction, and they feel the same way after spending a little time with John. His infectious smile and happy-to-be-here attitude made the entire Hall of Fame weekend better for everyone.
While his induction was long overdue, it was fitting that his big night came on the same night that his 1972 baseball team also joined the shrine. That meant John easily had the biggest entourage of all individual inductees.
Five tables of 10 were reserved for them, and the entire group looked at John like he was their best friend. That’s how so many people look at John because to meet him was to love him. You just couldn’t help it.
It seemed like every person John ever met was still his best friend.
While his induction probably should have taken place at least a decade earlier, John was not put off by the wait. He was gracious and just looking forward to the weekend. He was simply honored to be joining the long list of Butte sports immortals.
He looked up to so many of them, including his good friend and neighbor Glen Welch and his cousin Len Kelly. He cheered them on, and he was honored to be joining them with a Green Jacket.
Until the day he died, John was a Butte High Bulldog. No title could have ever been better. Six days before he passed away, he attended the Silver B’s banquet and watched the Bulldogs play. Like always, he was the highlight for those who got to see him.
Like always, his table smiled and laughed just a little bit more.
“I’m just proud to be from Butte, Montana,” John said. “I vacation in Missoula, and I’m from Butte.”
Then, as not to even imply a bad word about any place or any person, John sang the praises of the friendly people of Missoula.
If you get the chance, I hope you will listen to the podcast. It was episode No. 343, but it will be No. 1 in your heart.
Listen in, and you will see that John Kovacich would have been the worst mafia leg breaker.
— Bill Foley 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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Spots remain for Rock League hoops
As of Monday afternoon, six pots remain open for the fifth- and sixth-grade division of the Rock 3 on 3 Youth Basketball League.
The league for third- and fourth-grade boys is full. The signup deadline is Oct. 7.
The league will run from Oct. 18 through Nov. 25, with games being played each Sunday from 2 to 4 pm. at the Maroon Activities Center.
Cost is $100 per player. Games will run 25 minutes, and players from the Montana Tech men’s basketball team will officiate.
In a change this year, all players will register individually. Once the league fills up, players will be placed on teams.
One of the best parts of Rock League is the chance for kids to meet new teammates, grow in different roles, and develop skills in competitive games — and individual sign-ups help make that possible.
The goal of the league is to teach all players how to play using simple concepts where everyone develops offensive scoring skills. Three-on-three hoops puts players in a position where everyone should handle the ball and participate on offense.
Each team will need a coach, and coaches are encouraged to organize their own practices by finding a time and location that works for their team.
The registration form includes a place to indicate whether you are willing to coach or if you know someone who is willing. With individual registration, having enough parents and coaches is especially important.
If you are interested in coaching but don’t have much experience, please reach out to league director Brodie Kelly. He will provide guidance, structure, fundamentals, and concepts that work well at this age.
The focus is on fundamentals, teamwork and fun. The schedule and results will be posted each week on ButteCast.com.
Click the links below for registration forms and league information.
