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Sutton climbing into BC history
Wrestlers ready for postseason, Will McGree swings to Tech
Joshua Sutton is not-so-quietly climbing up some historical ladders in the Butte Central boys’ basketball program.
The 5-foot-11 junior guard is averaging exactly 21 points per game to lead the Maroons. He scored 19 points in Tuesday’s 67-40 loss at Frenchtown. That loss snapped BC’s seven-game winning streak, and it is the only loss to a Class A team this season.
Sutton will likely become the next Butte prep basketball player to join the 1,000-point club. Butte High junior Cadence Graham joined the club last month, and Sutton could very well be getting his membership card before the season is over.
The 19 points in Frenchtown brought Sutton’s career total to 888 points with five games remaining in the regular season. Then, of course, the Maroons will have the Western A Divisional tournament in Hamilton and quite possible the Class A State tournament in Great Falls.
Eight former Butte Central players have previously joined the 1,000-point club. They are Dougie Peoples (1,683 points), “Jumpin’” Joe Kelly (1,404), Joe Devich (1,364), Jonathan Richards (1,118), Justin Thatcher (1,117), Ryan Murphy (1,035), Mark Murphy (1,015) and Tom Kenney (1,002).
Sutton would be the first Maroon to join the club with the benefit of playing an extra season. He played in 25 varsity games as an eighth-grader in 2022-23, the first year eighth graders were allowed to play in Class A and Class AA competition. Of course, that should not mean that Sutton’s stats deserve an asterisk. He scored just 34 total points that season.
Sutton scored 241 points as a freshman, 340 as a sophomore and 273 so far this season. He has played in 83 total varsity games, and the Maroons have a 62-21 record in those games.
Sutton recently passed Tyler McIntyre and Jake Stagnoli on the all-time list of varsity games played for the Maroons. He is tied with Thatcher.
The record is held by Devich, who played 111 varsity games from 1947 through 1950. Luke Heaphy (102 games), and current BC assistant coach Cade Holter (101) are the only other Maroons to play more than 100 varsity games.
As long as he stays healthy, Sutton will pass all of them next season. That eighth-grade season definitely gives Sutton an assist on that front.
Sutton and the Maroons will look to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss Saturday when the Hamilton Broncs come to town for a boys-girls doubleheader at the Maroons Activities Center. The girls play at 3 p.m., and the boys follow at 4:30.
It will be the busiest day of hoops in Butte this season, with BC and Butte High’s teams using a total of five courts to get in all the action.
The Bulldogs, who play host to a twin bill with Kalispell Glacier Friday at the Civic Center, will host Flathead in a double dip on Saturday.
Butte High will also use the old gym and the Richardson Gym at the High School for subvarsity games, and the Maroons will play their C squad and junior varsity boys’ games in on the old court of the Civic Center annex.
BC’s girls, who opened some eyes with a solid second half in Tuesday’s home loss to Frenchtown, enters the game with the Broncs finally getting healthy.
Sophomore Kenzie McQueary returned recently, and coach Quinn Carter said Tuesday that she is back to her old self after a hip injury. BC also got back sophomore Natalie Osterman, who missed time with a rolled ankle.
By Saturday, the Maroons are hopeful to see the return of eighth-grade star Jordyn Samson.
Saturday’s tilt is a huge one for the Maroons, who are looking to take control of the No. 4 seed in the Southwestern A. That would mean a home play-in game for the Western A Divisional.
The top three teams move on automatically to the divisional. The fifth and sixth seeds play the first play-in game, with the winner going to the No. 4 seed for the right to play at divisionals.
Central, which fell 35-31 to the Broncs Jan. 17 in Hamilton, must beat the Broncs by five points or more to hold the edge on a potential tiebreaker with Hamilton. The Broncs enter the game at 5-9 overall and 2-4 in conference. Central is 4-9 and 2-5.
A win by the BC boys would securely put the Maroons in the driver’s seat to avoid a play-in game. Central is 11-2 overall and 6-1 in conference. Hamilton sits in fourth place at 5-9 and 3-3. BC beat the Broncs 48-36 Jan. 17 in Hamilton.
Bulldogs look for Kalispell sweep
Butte High’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will be looking to sweep the Kalispell schools for the second time this season when Gallatin and Flathead come to town.
The girls open both doubleheaders, playing at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. The boys play at 7 and 4:30. The Bulldogs swept the Wolfpack and Braves both nights when they went to Kalispell Jan. 9 and 10.
The Bulldog girls beat Flathead 40-25 before rolling past Glacier 72-37. The boys won 75-48 and 72-57.
On the boys’ side, the Bulldogs enter the weekend at 9-3 overall and 4-3 in Western AA play. Glacier is 4-9 and 1-5 after Tuesday’s 44-36 home loss to Missoula Hellgate. Flathead is 1-11 and 0-6. The Braves will play at Hellgate on Thursday.
After starting the season at 7-0, the Bulldogs are 2-3 over their last five games. Senior Cayde Stajcar suffered a high ankle sprain early in last week’s loss at Missoula Sentinel. He toughed it out and finished the game, but his status for this week is up in the air.
Without Stajcar, the lineup will be considerably smaller, even though 6-foot-9 sophomore Brady Hanson poured in a career-high 19 points in last week’s win at Missoula Big Sky. The last time he played in the Civic Center, he left the gym rocking with four monster dunks in a 75-60 Jan. 2 win over Gallatin.
Senior Rhett Arntson started in place of Josh Liston when he was out with an injury. Liston back is back and starts for the Bulldogs the along with seniors Hudson Luedtke and Mitch Verlanic.
James Pearston, Kendel Noctor, Ryan Hanson, Kaleb Celli, Raeder Grey, Brady Walsh, Koda Schleeman, Kodye Kjersten and Noah Powers have also contributed for the Bulldog varsity squad. Pearston, Noctor, Ryan Hanson and Celli are seniors, the others also play subvarsity games.
The Bulldog girls are 7-5 and 5-2 heading into the weekend. Glacier sis 1-12 and 0-8, while Flathead is 2-10 and 1-6. The Bravettes host Hellgate on Thursday.
Cadence Graham scored 32 points in Friday’s 72-47 home win over Missoula Sentinel. She sank five 3-pointers in that performance. Her sister, Elli, started the game with three straight made 3-pointers, but then the freshman left the game after bumping her knee.
The injury is not thought to be serious, but her status for this weekend is still up in the air, according the Bulldog coach Bryan Arntson.
Senior Emma Johnson joined the younger Graham with nine points in that win. Freshman Saege Grey scored seven.
Senior Frankie Salusso and juniors Allie Becker and Autum Clary join Cadence Graham and Johnson in the starting lineup. Ellie Graham, if she can go, Grey and junior Kendallyn Schad are the first players off the bench.
Juniors Avery Barsness, Reese Johnson and Ellie Yates and sophomore Stella Callaghan also contribute regularly for the Bulldogs.
Next week, the Bulldogs play Helena Capital and Helena High. The boys host Capital on Thursday before heading to Helena High on Saturday. The girls play Capital in Helena on Thursday and then host the Bengals on Saturday.
Bulldog wrestlers close home slate
Butte High’s wrestling teams wrapped up their home action Tuesday night with duals against the Bozeman schools.
The Bulldogs dominated the Bozeman Hawks while splitting with the Gallatin Raptors Tuesday at the old gym.
Butte High’s girls blanked Bozeman 75-0 and topped Gallatin 54-30.
Against Gallatin, Jessica Blow, Adalie Hazlett, Brooke Johnson, Loretta Matteson and Mattie Stepan won by way of the pin. Sage Queer, Rylee Radcliffe, Allie Ballensky and Peyton Liva accepted forfeits.
Forfeit was the name of the game against Bozeman. Liva, Brooklyn Hettick, Lilyi Malone, Deena Naugle, Blow, Queer, Stepan, Mattison Neighbor, Radcliff and Chaynne Robinson won by forfeit. Hazlett won by decision, while Johnson and Matteson picked up pins.
On the boys’ side, Butte High fell 41-34 to Gallatin and beat Bozeman 84-0.
Reveles McEwen and Darryn Rossiter pinned their Gallatin counterparts. Bradey Doyle won by technical fall, and Ryder McEwen and Bode Hazlett picked up decisions. Keegan Hunt and Renzy LeProwse won by forfeit.
The Dogs skunked the Hawks, using seven pins and seven forfeits. Rossiter, Dyle, Joey Ward, Daniel Fraser, Ryder McEwen, Cameron Fleege and Kasen O’Keefe stuck their opponents. LePrwose, Kuley Queer, Reveles McEwen, Hazlett, Bridger Brancamp, Caden Phillips and Waylond Hicks accepted forfeits.
Check out Bruce Sayler’s story on ButteSports.com for more on these duals.
Next up for the Bulldogs are the Feb. 14 Western AA qualifying tournaments in Missoula. The girls will compete at Hellgate, while the boys hit the mats at Sentinel.
BC’s Holmes goes 3-0 at Duals
Butte Central’s wrestling team did not win any duals as the Maroons hosted the Class A Duals Friday and Saturday at the Butte Civic Center. They simply do not have enough wrestlers out to score enough dual points.
Central fell 42-27 to Dillon, 72-3 to Libby/Troy, 72-6 to Lockwood and 72-12 to East Helena.
That, however, does not mean the Maroons did not find success on the mats. Junior Jack Holmes went 3-0 to lead the BC effort. He picked up one decision and two pins on the tournament.
Eighth grader Jampel Hanley also went 3-0, though two of those wins were accepted forfeits. He also picked up a decision.
Freshman Tyge Meneses picked up a pin against Dillon, while eighth grader Jace Rauch added a forfeit win.
Click here to find results of the Class AA Duals.
The Maroons will close out their home portion of the season with a 5 p.m. mixer Friday at the Maroon Activities Center. BC will then head to the Western A Divisional Feb. 13-14 in Dillon.
Bulldogs swim past Maroons
Butte High’s boys and girls topped Butte Central in the Butte Crosstown Swim Meet Monday at the Butte Family YMCA.
The Bulldogs, who had a huge numbers advantage, won 275-97 on the girls’ side and 552-101 on the boys’ side.
Alex Sonnemann won two individual events for the Butte High boys. Gunnar Benson, Tucker Kissell, Nathan Stone and Elgin Hoar each won one. Shamus Peck won two for BC.
Adalie Grochowski, Alaina Grocowski, Oliva Thurmond and Bryher Fitzpatrick won individual events for the Bulldog girls. Alex Morey picked up one for the Butte High girls.
The meet was the final action for the Bulldogs and Maroons before the Feb. 12-14 State meet in Great Falls.
McGree signs with Diggers
Will McGree parlayed his outstanding high school golf career into an opportunity at the next level.
He will take that opportunity at his hometown school, Montana Tech. McGree signed to play golf for the Orediggers Friday.
The signing comes after McGree earned All-State honors last October at the Class A State meet at the Sidney Country Club. He tied with his brother, Beau, a sophomore, for 13th place. The brothers also tied for seventh place at the Western A Divisional tournament in Hamilton.
Will McGree was a four-year standout for the Maroon golf team. He also competes in track at BC.
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Butte High girls subvarsity report
Following are the recent Butte High subvarsity girls’ basketball reports, as provided by coaches. The reports include games with the Missoula schools and a sophomore game in Ennis.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Butte High 43, Missoula Hellgate 33
MISSOULA — Evie Smith scored 12 points, all on 2-point field goals, to lead a balanced Bulldog attack in the Jan. 22 road win. She took home Junkyard Dog of the game for her efforts.All 11 Bulldogs scored in the win. Elli Graham and Kendallyn Schad each scored six points, while Saege Grey and Berkli Salusso tossed in four apiece. Stella Callaghan, Brea Henderson, Taylor Regan, Wakley Burelson and Avery Barsness each scored two, and Reese Johnson tossed in one.
Butte High 49, Missoula Sentinel 25
An 11-point performance by Junkyard Dog of the game Avery Barsness led the way as the Bulldogs clipped the Eagles Jan. 27 at Butte High.Evie Smith added eight points for the Bulldogs, who got seven from Saege Grey, six apiece from Reese Johnson and Berkli Salusso, five from Stella Callaghan, three from Kendallyn Schad, two from Wakley Burleson and one from Brea Henderson.
Elli Graham and Taylor Reagan also contributed for the Bulldogs.
Missoula Sentinel 37, Butte High 36
Kaelynn Goss scored 12 points to lead Sentinel as the Spartans nipped the Bulldogs at the Richardson Gym Jan. 30.Elli Graham and Evie Smith each scored 12 points to pace the Bulldogs in the loss. Graham, of course, scored her points in limited action because she plays varsity ball. Saege Grey scored four points in limited action, while Stella Callaghan tossed in three, Reese Johnson sand Kendallyn Schad each scored two, and Taylor Regan netted one.
Brea Henderson, Berkli Salusso and Avery Barsness also contributed for Butte High.
SOPHOMORES
Butte High 29, Ennis 26
ENNIS — The Bulldogs held Ennis to just 10 points in the second half for the come-from-behind win that completed the season sweep of the Mustangs Jan. 26.Wakely Burleson played her best overall game, scoring a game-high 16 points in the victory. Rylee Erickson scored four points, while Sage Leber tossed in three, and Milee Stillwagon, Aly Verlanic and Kaydee O’Connor each scored two.
Kenzie Rowe, Persaius Findlay, Ava White and Megan Chiamulera also contributed for the Bulldogs. Leber took home Junkyard Dog honors.
Butte High 50, Missoula Sentinel 15
Eight different Bulldogs scored in the game. Coaches praised the team for handling a zone defense by playing together and allowing the ball to find the open girl.The Bulldogs also did a phenomenal job hustling, getting loose balls, grabbing rebounds and getting deflections that led to the transition game.
Sage Leber took home Junkyard Dog honors after leading all scorers with 10 points. Kaydee O’Connor added eight points, while Kenzie Rowe, Milee Stillwagon, Wakely Burlson and Rylee Erickson each scored six. The Bulldogs got four apiece from Ava White and Megan Chiamulera.
Persaius Findlay and Aly Verlanic also contributed in the win that coaches called a “great team game.”
FRESHMEN
Butte High 62, Missoula Hellgate 11
MISSOULA — Brea Henderson scored 13 points to lead three Bulldogs in double figures in the lopsided victory.Karlee Jeffery added 12 points, and Taylor Reagan tossed in 10 for Butte High. Nine Bulldogs scored points in the win, with Sara Whitaker scoring nine. She also earned Junkyard Dog honors for her great rebounding.
Kynslee Wrampe scored eight points, Lilly Sandoval netted four, and Jordy Giop, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps each scored two.
Butte High 49, Missoula Big Sky 14
Brea Henderson had herself a game as the Bulldogs rolled to the victory.Henderson earned Junkyard Dog honors for her defense and diving hustle plays. She also led all scorers with 19 points.
Lilly Sandoval added eight for the Bulldogs, while Sara Whitaker tossed in six, Taylor Regan, Kynslee Wrampe and Jordy Giop each scored four, Karlee Jeffery tallied three, and Bella Schrapps scored one. Franki Allred also contributed for the Dogs in the win.
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Shodair Play Yellow Golf Invitational set at Rock Creek Cattle Company
Shodair’s Sixth Annual Play Yellow Golf Invitational will be held May 31 and June 1 at the Rock Creek Cattle Company, near Garrison and Deer Lodge.
The tournament, a fundraiser for Shodair Children’s Hospital, is billed as “Where golf meets giving and Montana’s kids win.” It offers two days of championship golf at one of America’s top 100 golf courses. It includes evening dinner with special guests and a live auction. Winners earn the chance to attend the PGA Memorial in 2027, where they will be joined by Play Yellow champions from across the country.
Registration for a team is $3,800, and this year’s tournament will include Play Yellow Miracle Challenges. That includes a hole-in-one miracle shot, where $25,000 goes to the winner and $25,000 goes to Shodair.
Click here for more information and how to register a team or to sponsor the tournament.
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Podcast No. 322: Dylan Cook returns
Today, Butte High graduate Dylan Cook makes his second appearance on the ButteCast. This time he joins the show as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
We all know Dylan’s story by now. He was a quarterback in high school and to start his college career at MSU-Northern. He transferred to the University of Montana, switched to the offensive line and became a starter.
Dylan signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent a year with the Bucs before moving to Pittsburgh, where he spent most of the last three seasons on the Steelers practice squad.
The Steelers activated Dylan from the practice squad because of injuries before their Dec. 7 game in Baltimore. He was set to be the backup tackle on the left and the right.
He was forced into the game because of injury and played the rest of the season at left tackle, guarding Aaron Rodgers’ blind side. He got his first start against the Dolphins on Monday Night Football Dec. 15 in Pittsburgh.
That night, ESPN colorman Troy Aikman praised the play of Dylan. So did many of his coaches. So did Rodgers. Dylan started in a win over the Lions in Detroit, and he started in Cleveland, where he did not give up the record-breaking sack to Myles Garrett.
Dylan then started the regular-season finale, a home win over Baltimore, and the home playoff loss to the Houston Texas.
Of course, he got his start to on the gridiron in the Mining City. He put up a great junior season at quarterback for Butte High, but broke his collarbone in the first quarter of his first game of his senior season.
Yesterday, I met with Dylan at the Coaches Corner at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill for a fun conversation.
Listen in as he talks about playing for the rabid fan base in Pittsburgh. Listen to what it was like to make his NFL debut. Listen to hear if he was nervous for his first start on Monday Night Football.
Listen in as Dylan talks about the game where Garrett did not break the record, even though everybody in Cleveland was rooting against Dylan. Listen in to hear what’s next now that the Steelers are going through a coaching change.
If you weren’t cheering for Dylan and Steelers before, you will be after listing to this.
Today’s episode is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today. This episode is also available, with captions, on YouTube:
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Broncs take two from Maroons
Frenchtown swept a pair of Southwestern A games with Butte Central’s varsity basketball teams Tuesday night.
On the girls’ side, the Broncs came to town and beat the Maroons 64-46 at the Maroon Activities Center. Despite the loss, the Maroons showed much promise against a talented Bronc squad. In Frenchtown, the Broncs salvaged the regular-season split with the Maroons, rolling to a 67-40 victory.
Central’s boys and girls will be back in action Saturday when Hamilton comes to town for a doubleheader at the MAC. The girls play at 3 p.m., with the boys following at 4:30.
GIRLS
Frenchtown 64, Butte Central 46
If the Maroons make a run in the postseason this year, they will likely point back to the second half of this game as the moment where it all began.The powerful Broncs got 30 points from Boise State-bound Mason Quinn, and Frenchtown went wire-to-wire for the win. The Maroons, though, put up a strong showing in the second half.
Frenchtown led 24-15 after one and broke the game open with a 17-5 run in the second quarter, taking a 41-20 advantage into the break. Ryan Lucier added 14 points for the Broncs, who won for the seventh time in eight games. Jezzy Palmer scored 11.
Central outscored Frenchtown 26-23 after the intermission. It was not nearly enough to come back for the win, but it had BC fans happy with the potential they saw from their young Maroons, who fell 55-18 to the Broncs Jan. 13 in Frenchtown.
Eighth grader Luci Fantini came off the bench to score 10 points to lead the Maroons. That marked her third straight game pacing the team in scoring.
Kenzie McQueary, Zyonna Otherbull and Rylee Forbes each poured in seven points for the Maroons. Braelynn Schelin scored six points, and Natalie Osterman tossed in five. The Maroons also got two points apiece from Evyn Smith and Jaedyn Maldonado.
Arika Stajcar contributed for the Maroons, along with Henly Mansanti and Caden Tippett.
FRENCHTOWN (11-3, 6-1) — Mason Quinn 11 7-7 30, Jezzy Palmer 5 0-0 11, Laney Holleran 1 0-0 2, Ryan Lucier 5 0-1 14, Iris Arlint 0 0-0 0, Toni Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Henley Harris 1 0-0 2, Gracie Kreis 1 0-0 2 2, Sophia Lebsock 0 0-0 0, Addy Haynes 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 7-8 64.
BUTTE CENTRAL (4-9, 2-5) — Kenzie McQueary 2 3-4 7, Zayonna Otherbull 1 5-7 7, Rylee Forbes 3 1-2 7, Braelynn Schelin 2 0-0 6, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Luci Fantini 2 5-6 10, Evyn Smith 1 0-0 2, Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Natalie Osterman 1 2-2 5, Jaedyn Maldonado 1 0-1 2, Caden Tippett 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 16-2 46.
Frenchtown 24 17 10 13 — 64
Central 15 5 12 14 — 46
3-point goals — Frenchtown 4 (Quinn, Palmer, Lucier, Haynes), BC 4Schelin 2, Fantini, Osterman). Fouls — Frenchtown 17, BC 7. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.BOYS
Frenchtown 67, Butte Central 40
FRENCHTOWN — Hank Smith had another monster game against the Maroons. The 6-foot-6 junior scored 35 points as the Broncs snapped BC’s seven-game winning streak and got a little revenge for the 74-71 loss to BC Jan. 13 in Butte.Smith scored 15 points in the first quarter as the Broncs took the lead for good. He was the only double-digit scorer for the Broncs. Cooper Michaud scored nine points, while Jaxon Haynes and Henry Griffin both tossed in six.
Joshua Sutton scored 19 points to pace the Maroons. Ryan Peoples scored nine points before fouling out, and Jaxon Hiatt scored six.
The Maroons also got three from Cade Kelly, two from Henley Mansanti and one from Burkley Lakkala. Noah Sutton and GG Fantini contributed for BC, too.
BUTTE CENTRAL (11-2, 6-1) — Ryan Peoples 3 2-4 9, Cade Kelly 1 1-2 3, Joshua Sutton 7 2-2 19, GG Fantini 0 0-2 0, Jaxson Hiatt 3 0-0 6, Noah Sutton 0 0-0 0, Henley Mansanti 1 0-0 2, Burkley Lakkala 0 1-4 1. Totals 15 6-14 40.
FRENCHTOWN (10-4, 4-2) — Trevor Smith 2 0-0 4, Cooper Michaud 4 0-0 9, Konner Klimpel 1 0-0 2, Hank Smith 14 6-7 35, Henry Griffin 3 0-0 6, Jaxon Haynes 2 1-3 6, Brooks Day 0 0-0 0, Cole Pfahler 1 0-0 3, Brayden Ricci 1 0-0 2, Cody Forthofer 0 0-0 0, Hendrix Waln 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 7-10 67.
Central 9 5 12 14 — 40
Frenchtown 19 15 16 17 — 67
3-point goals — BC 4 (J Sutton 3, Peoples), Frenchtown 4 (Michaud, Smith, Pfahler, Haynes). Fouls — BC 12, Frenchtown 16. Fouled out — Peoples. Technicals — none. -
Honor Fritz Daily by joining his fight
If it wasn’t for Butte, we’d all be speaking German.
That is something Fritz Daily loved to say. He wasn’t being an arrogant Yankee talking down to people from England and France. Rather, Fritz was talking to all of us.
If it was not for the resources from the Mining City — those precious minerals taken out of our underground mines — the bad guys might have won World War I and World War II.
Adolf Hitler might have taken over the world if it was not for the hard-working miners and muckers from the “Richest Hill on Earth.”
That statement by Fritz, who passed away last week at the age of 80, was 100 percent true. Butte played an instrumental role in the victories of the two world wars. That is an undeniable fact.
In the aftermath of a century of mining that helped power the world, though, Butte got the shaft. It is still getting the shaft when it comes to environmental cleanup.
Fritz saw that, and he called it out. He shouted it from the mountain top that Butte and its people deserve better. It was a fight that Fritz lived and breathed. It was a fight that he literally waged until the day that he died.
Fritz called the Berkeley Pit an “ecological timebomb.” He pointed out the cruel irony of turning off the pumps on Earth Day of 1982, setting that impending disaster into motion.
He spoke out about the unfair and unconscionable acceptable lead levels. In Anaconda, cleanup was forced to get lead down to 400 parts per million. In Butte, it is left at 1,200 parts per million.
When it appeared that many of our local leaders and decision makers sold out for British Petroleum and the Atlantic Richfield Co., Fritz was there to call them out.
He called out the absurdity of cleaning up the Milltown Dam before cleaning Silver Bow Creek. He said it was like dropping a gallon of milk on the floor, and then mopping it up before you picked up the spilling container.
Along with Sister Mary Jo McDonald and Ron Davis, Fritz sued to force Butte-Silver Bow, British Petroleum and the State of Montana to clean up Silver Bow Creek, which still runs with waters more contaminated than the Pit.
They won that lawsuit, though our county and state leaders, along with the so-called Environmental Protection Agency and British Petroleum, largely ignored Judge Brad Newman’s order. They are still ignoring that court order.
When people speak out with inconvenient truths in Butte, they inevitably find their credibility attacked. They have their jobs threatened — or worse. While many still speak out, that character and professional assassination is real enough to silence many.
It never hushed Fritz. He could not be intimidated. He always spoke the truth.
“The only thing worse than bad guys doing bad things is good guys who sit by and don’t say anything and let it happen,” Fritz would say.
Fritz would never stay silent. He called out injustice to its face. It was just who he was.
They tried to tell us that Fritz was just a crazy old man. They portrayed him as if he was Grandpa Simpson yelling at the cloud. Fritz should not be listened to, they said. He should not be interviewed by news outlets.
Whatever you do, do not listen to this crazy old codger. Do not give him a platform on which to speak.
That might have worked for the agencies that wanted to keep Fritz away, but it never worked on us. We knew better the whole time. We knew that there was no more trustworthy voice when it came to Butte Superfund issues than the honest words of Fritz Daily.
When Fritz spoke, we listened because we know that Fritz loved nothing more than the people of Butte. Whether it was during his days as a seven-term Montana legislator or just a citizen not afraid to use his voice, Fritz fought for us.
“I was always my own man and stood for what I believed,” Fritz wrote in his own obituary. “I am a proud Butte, Irish, Catholic, Union, moderate Democrat. I once held a Legislative philosophy that Butte came first, Montana second and the Democratic Party came third. I recently received a correction from a former colleague that described my philosophy as Butte first, Butte second, and Butte third. I think she was correct.”
She was unquestionably correct. Fritz was all about Butte. He will long be remembered as the ultimate “Butte guy.” Nobody ever embodied that title more. He spent every day fighting for the people of Butte — past, present and future.
For so many of us, he was our go-to guy, our moral compass and our biggest supporter. He was our rock. Our inspiration to fight on.
When we lose important figures, people often wonder how to honor them and preserve their legacy. Do we name a building or stadium in his or her honor?
We do not need to do that for Fritz because fighting for Butte was his legacy. Now that he is gone, there is no better way to honor his memory than to continue his fight.
Much of that fight focused on the allowable lead levels in Butte. Fritz said those levels should be set at zero. He simply could not stomach how any bureaucrat could sit behind a desk while generations of Butte children are poisoned.
It looked like we had a victory on that front in the fall off 2024, but the EPA drug its feet and our local government focused on keeping an in-house jobs program instead of pushing for a much faster remedy offered by bringing in contractors.
Now, under a new presidential administration, the EPA appears to be backtracking a bit. We need to give the organization a reminder of what its job is supposed to be. We must hold the EPA’s feet to the fire.
If you want to honor Fritz, step up and join the fight. Step out of your comfort zone and go to a meeting. Stand up and speak at that meeting. Raise some hell with the chief executive, members of the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners, the Montana legislators and the governor.
Raise some hell with the EPA and British Petroleum.
I know I will never stop fighting for the people of Butte. I know that I will have to up my game now that the ultimate Butte guy is no longer around to lead the charge. I will always stand with fighters like Sister Mary Jo McDonald, Ron Davis, Mick Ringsak, Evan Barrett, Don “Moose” Petritz and Erik Nylund.
I will always stand with the Butte Watchdogs for Social and Environmental Justice. I will always stand with Fritz and for Fritz.
You, too, should stand up and make sure you are never that good guy who sits by, not saying anything, as bad things happen. You, too, should be a fighter like Fritz. Do it for Fritz and his legacy of 80 years fighting for the Mining City.
Let every word you speak that is not in German be your daily reminder.
— Bill Foley, who does not speak German, 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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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Brady Hanson and Luci Fantini
Butte High basketball player Brady Hanson and Butte Central hoopster Luci Fantini are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The young honorees are showing that the future of basketball in the Mining City is bright.
Hanson, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, takes home the boys’ honor after scoring a career-high 19 points in Tuesday’s 62-54 win at Missoula Big Sky. Hanson added nine points three nights later in a Butte High loss at Missoula Sentinel.
Already the unofficial school record holder in backboard-shaking dunks, Hanson is averaging 9.4 points per game for the Bulldogs. He entered last week averaging 6.2 rebounds per contest. Hanson has been a varsity contributor for Butte High since he was in the eighth grade.
Fantini, a 5-6 eighth-grade guard, takes home the girls’ honor. That comes after she scored a career-high and team-leading 18-points in Central’s 60-42 win Saturday at Stevensville. That marked the second straight game that Fantini led the Maroons in scoring, sinking seven 3-pointers in those two games.
She has stepped up her game just in the right time for a young BC team that was hit hard by injuries.
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.
The photo of Hanson courtesy Alycia Holland Photography. The photo of Samson was provided by Jacqueline Photography.
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KC honors Butte legend Jim Street
For maybe the first time, Jim Street was speechless.
The legendary Butte High wrestling coach was lured to the Knights of Columbus Hall Sunday evening, thinking he was there for a celebration of a friend. Instead, he walked into a celebration of one of the greatest high school coaches of all time.
It was a night to honor Street as more than 100 people showed up for the coach. It was a virtual who’s who of the Butte wrestling community of the past and present.
A banner featuring 22 photos honoring the legacy of Street and his 15 Class AA State championship wrestling teams was unveiled on the wall of the northwest corner of the Felix Madrazo Gym.
Former Bulldog wrestler Brandon Queer spoke before the banner was uncovered. He said the wall is about a lot more than those 15 titles — 13 of which came in consecutive years from 1980 through 1992. It was about a program of greatness.
“What made this program great was consistency and a dedication to things that work,” Queer said. “It was a well-oiled machine. It wasn’t flashy, but it worked.”
Street’s son, Jason, and daughter, Jackie, removed the covering. As audience applauded, Coach Street could hardly speak.
“I had no idea,” he softly said, eventually. “I’m sorry I’m emotional. If I could control it, I wouldn’t be.”
Street then slowly started to talk about his years as the coach of the Bulldogs. He talked about how he told the school board that he expected to win the State title when he interviewed for the job.
“I said, ‘If. You give me the job and I don’t win a title in four years, I’ll resign,’” Street said. “’You won’t have to fire me.’”
Street’s team delivered on that promise time and time again.
At first, the coach said he thought the success came because his program outworked other programs. He said that as he the invitations to speak at coaching conventions piled up as the titles started to stack.
“I worked harder than the other coaches,” Street said. “The kids worked harder than the other wrestlers — in all aspects.”
Eventually, Street came to realize that the success was built on a foundation of honesty. Then he directed his comments to the many of his former wrestlers in the audience.
“When you walked off the mat, whether you won or lost, I told you the truth,” he said. “What I was doing that the other coaches weren’t doing was that I was telling them the truth. They trusted me, and I think I it was because I didn’t bullshit them.”
Street told the story about how Jim Blow beat Mike Mathews of Great Falls to win the 130-pound title. Mathews, was a dominant wrestler, but Street told him to go out and “pin his ass.”
“He didn’t pin him,” Street said, “but he sure as heck beat him. I believed in him, and he believed in me.”
Now, Street’s teams and his legacy will be on display for future generations to see when they work out or play basketball at the KC. It is the latest piece of what Bernie Boyle has turned into a great museum about sports in the Mining City.
“It’s about a culture that demanded excellence and built people beyond the mat,” Queer said of Street’s Bulldog program. “This wall will be there as symbol that people will look at and talk about what the Coach Street years were all about.”
Then, the crowd went upstairs to the KC Hall for food, drinks and stories about the legendary coach.
This banner was unveiled Sunday evening at the KC’s Felix Madrazo Gym. -
KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of Feb. 2.
Monday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. ButteSports
8 p.m. — Kenworthy vs. HoopballasTuesday
7 p.m. — ButteSports vs. Someday Starters
8 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Washington GeneralsWednesday
7 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Poi Time
8 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. KenworthyThursday
7 p.m. — City Boys vs. Hoopballas
8 p.m. — City Boys vs. Washington Generals
9 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. Poi Time
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Maroons sweep Yellowjackets again
Butte Central’s varsity basketball teams completed the season sweep of Stevensville with a pair of Southwestern A victories Saturday afternoon.
Butte Central’s boys beat Stevi 74-45 at the Maroon Activities Center, while the Maroon girls rolled to a 60-42 victory in the Bitterroot Valley.
Central’s teams have a pair of huge battles coming up on Tuesday. The Maroon boys head to Frenchtown looking to sweep the Broncs after winning a 74-71 thriller Jan. 13 in Butte. Central’s girls will play host to the Broncs.
BOYS
Butte Central 74, Stevensville 45
Joshua Sutton and Ryan Peoples combined to score 51 points in Saturday’s victory that the Maroons led nearly wire to wire.Sutton buried five 3-pointers and scored 29 points, while Peoples sank three treys and tossed in 22 for the Maroons, who won their seventh straight game. They completed January without a loss, and BC is undefeated against Class A competition.
Noah Sutton came off the bench to score seven points for the Maroons (11-1 overall and 6-0 in conference). GG Fantini and Jaxon Hiatt each tossed in four for BC, which got three from Henly Mansanti and Grady Button, and two from Burkley Lakkala.
Cade Kelly, who blocked a pair of shots, also contributed along with Gunnar O’Brien and Teghan Sparks.
Taeshawn Luster, a 6-foot-5 junior, scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Yellowjackets. Kaden Wyant scored 10 points for Stevi, which got seven from Jake Tschida and six from McCoy Endres.
STEVENSVILLE (1-13, 0-6) — Kaden Wyant 2-14 5-6 10, McCoy Enders 2-7 2-6 6, Jake Tschida 3-9 0-0 7, Gage Bierer 1-4 0-0 2, Taeshawn Luster 6-10 1-4 13, Luca Schmidt 102 0-0 3, Trenton Scharff 1-1 1-4 3, Luis Eberhardt 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 16-48 10-22 45.
BUTTE CENTRAL (11-1, 6-0) — Ryan Peoples 8-14 3-4 22, Cade Kelly 0-1 0-0 0, Joshua Sutton 10-20 4-4 29, GG Fantini 2-4 0-2 4, Jaxon Hiatt 1-5 2-2 4, Noah Sutton 2-4 3-6 7, Burkley Lakkala 1-1 0-0 2, Henly Mansanti 1-2 0-0 3, Gunnar O’Brien 0-1 0-0 0, Teghan Sparks 0-1 0-0 0, Grady Button 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 26-54 12-18 74.
Stevensville 11 8 15 11 — 45
Central 17 21 20 16 — 74
3-point goals — Stevi 3-16 (Wyant 1-8, Tschida 1-4, Schmidt 1-1, Endres 0-2, Bierer 0-1), BC 10-29 (J. Sutton 5-12, Peoples 3-8, Mansanti 1-2, Button 1-1, Hiatt 0-2, Kelly 0-1, Fantini 0-1, O’Brien 0-1, Sparks 0-1). Fouls — Stevi 11, BC 22. Fouled out — none. Technical — Luster.GIRLS
Butte Central 60, Stevensville 42
STEVENSVILLE — Eighth grader Luci Fantin scored 18 points, and sophomore Kenzie McQueary added 16 to lead the Maroons in the victory.McQueary, who put together her best game since returning from injury, scored 12 points in the first half to help the Maroons take a 30-15 lead.
Zayonna Otherbull added 11 points for the Maroons, who got five points from Braelynn Schelin, four from Arika Stajcar and Rylee Forbes, and two from Evyn Smith.
Addi Drye scored 20 points to lead the Yellowjackets.
BUTTE CENTRAL (4-8, 2-4) — Kenzie McQueary 5 6-10 16, Zayonna Otherbull 2 7-13 11, Rylee Forbes 2 0-1 4, Braelyn Schelin 1 3-4 5, Arika Stajcar 2 0-0 4, Evyn Smith 1 0-0 2, Luci Fantini 6 2-3 18. Totals 19 18-30 60.
STEVENSVILLE — Addi Drye 7 3-3 20, Emma Tan 4 0-0 14, Kayden Tolley 0 1-4 1, Harley Gilleard 0 0-0 0, Josie Randles 0 0-0 0, Talyn Bean 0 0-0 0, Amy Donaldson 2 1-4 5. Totals 15 5-11 42.
Central 21 9 13 17 — 60
Stevi 8 7 8 19 — 423-point goals — BC 4 (Fantini 4), Stevi 7 (Tan 4, Drye 3). Fouls — BC 18, Stevi 21. Fouled out — Drye, Tan.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 