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Episode No. 340: Jeff Mangan
If you are tired of all the money thrown into our elections in Montana, then this episode is for you.
If you were exhausted by the millions of Tester-Sheehy commercials by April of 2024, then Jeff Mangan is your guy. Jeff is a 1982 Helena High graduate who has deep family roots in Butte and Anaconda. He is one of the driving forces behind the Montana Plan.
The Montana Plan would use the state’s authority to define what powers corporations get, effectively bypassing the dreadful 2010 Citizens United ruling by the United States Supreme Court.
Also known as the Transparent Elections Initiative, the Montana Plan would take the anonymous power out of the hands of the corporations and give it back to the people of the state.
This David vs. Goliath venture is already being copied in other states, and Jeff and his enormous band of volunteers have been working on this for more than a year.
Jeff, who served eight years in the Montana Legislature before serving a term as Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices, will be in Butte May 7 for a free screening of the 2018 documentary “Dark Money” at the Covellite Theatre. He will have some of the players in the movie on hand for a discussion after the film.
That will also be a great place for you to sign the petition to make sure the non-partisan Montana Plan goes before voters in November.
Last Summer, Erik Nylund and I met Jeff in Helena for an episode of the Mad About Montana Podcast. Earlier today, I caught up with Jeff over Zoom for a great conversation.
Listen in to hear Jeff explain how the Montana Plan will work. Listen in to hear why you might want to sign the petition to get the initiative on the ballot. Listen in to hear some rare optimism about the future of our political system.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
It is also available on YouTube:
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Episode No. 339: Josh Paffhausen
Who is the greatest athlete in Butte High history?
My brother will probably tell you that it is Todd Ericson. Some of the younger generations will tell you that it is Tommy Mellott or maybe even Hudson Luedtke. The old guys will tell you, without question, that it is Bob O’Billovich, and they will think you are a fool if you disagree with them.
They might be right.
However, I will forever say that it is Josh Paffhausen, and my mind is completely closed on the matter. You will get me to cheer for the Packers before you’ll get me to admit anyone was ever better than my fellow member of Butte High’s Class of 1993, and I will never cheer for the Packers.
Paffer was the quarterback of the 1991 Butte High Class AA State championship football team. He led the Class AA in all-purpose yardage two years in a row.
He was part of the Montana Grizzlies NCAA Division 1-AA national championship team in 1995. He switched from quarterback to receiver, and he broke the school record with 15 receptions in one game in 1997. That record lasted for nearly two decades.
He played the rest of his senior season without an ACL in one of his knees.
Paffer was also a great basketball player for the Bulldogs, and he could run like a deer on the track. He was good at anything he did. He probably would have been the No. 1 player on the golf or tennis team, and I bet he would have been a heck of a cross country runner.
Paffer was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 alongside his father, Wayne. This summer, Josh will be back in town to see his brother, Scott, inducted into the shrine.
Earlier today, I caught up with Josh over Zoom for a fun conversation.
Listen in as he talks about his days playing for Bulldogs and Grizzlies. Listen as he talks about winning those titles and the Grizzlies’ return trip to Marshall to face Randy Moss and the Thundering Heard in 1996.
Listen as he downplays catching 15 passes in one game and how he finished that season without an ACL.
Listen to hear why Paffer was always a team player, even if the Butte High school paper once referred to him as “Everybody’s All-American.”
Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.
This episode is also available on YouTube:
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Weather changes BC schedules
The wet weather forecast forced a pair of changes to Butte Central’s sports schedule, the school announced today.
BC’s baseball game set for Thursday in Corvallis has been called off. No makeup has been announced. The Maroons are still set to play Dillon at 3 p.m. today at 3 Legends Stadium, and BC will play host to Lone Peak Saturday afternoon.
Also, Thursday’s home softball game against Corvallis has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 6. The Maroons will play host to Hamilton on Saturday.
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Butte-Belgrade baseball postponed
Butte High’s non-conference baseball games against Belgrade set for Thursday have been postponed because of the wet weather forecast, the school announced this morning.
No makeup date for those games have been set.
The Bulldogs are still set to play Hamilton Saturday at 3 Legends Stadium. The junior varsity game will start at 11 a.m., with the varsity playing at 1 p.m.
Also, Butte High’s games against Butte Central have rescheduled for Wednesday, April 29. The JV will play at 3, and the varsity will play at 5.
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Butte High, BC softball fall at home; Bulldogs impress on Helena track
The varsity softball teams for Butte High and Butte Central dropped home games Tuesday at Stodden Park.
Butte High fell 7-4 to Helena Capital, while Stevensville topped the Maroons 9-5 in BC’s home opener.
Those games came busy Tuesday as our area teams brace for a weather forecast that is about to take a turn for the worse.
Butte High and BC’s track teams competed in Helena, although complete results with team scores are not currently available.
The BC tennis teams hit the road to take on Dillon.
The wet forecast forced a couple of changes, and more could be on the way. Butte High’s softball game at Helena High was moved up one day to Wednesday. Meanwhile, Butte High’s home track meet on Friday was moved back a day to Saturday.
Butte Central’s baseball team will play host to Dillon on Wednesday, and the Bulldogs are set to play home baseball games Thursday and Saturday against Belgrade and Hamilton. That slate comes after the Butte baseball varsity teams combined to go 3-0 on the diamond last week, when weather was also a dominant player.
Butte High’s softball and tennis teams and BC’s baseball team were all rained out on Saturday.
We will take at all that and more as we take a trip around the prep week in Mining City sports. Keep an eye on the updated schedules in the ButteCast.com menu for any changes.
Stevi spoils BC home opener
Molly Davies had a huge game to lead the Yellowjackets to the 9-5 victory over BC Tuesday afternoon. (Boxscore)
The Stevensville catcher went 3 for 4 with a home run, two doubles, two runs scored and four RBIs to lead the Yellowjackets’ seven-hit attack.
In addition to being BC’s first home softball game, it was also the Maroons’ Southwestern A opener.
Maddix Yeager pitched the distance in the win, striking out nine.
Blake Smith hit a single and a double from the leadoff spot ot lead the Maroon offensive. She also worked two walks.
Kenzie McQueary, Kodee Badovinac and Natalie Osterman each it a single for BC. Luci Fantini joined Smith with two walks.
Braelynn Schelin struck out seven batters in the loss. Only one run scored against her was earned as the Yellowjackets took advantage of seven BC errors.
The Maroons are scheduled to play two more home conference games this week. Corvallis is set to come to town for a 3 p.m. game on Thursday. Hamilton and BC are scheduled for a noon game on Saturday.
Bruins turn back Bulldogs
Addi Allen and Ali Miller each drove in two runs Tuesday, leading Helena Capital to a 7-4 Western AA softball win over Butte High. (Boxscore)
The Bruns jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held off Butte’s comeback attempt.
Miller went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Allen went 2 for four with two runs scored.
Jaiden Grooms added three singles, and Izzy Leventes tripled in a run for Capital. Leventes started and picked up the win in the pitcher’s circle.
Mattie Stepan went 3 for 4 with a home run to pace Butte High’s attack. Ally Godbout doubled, and Kendallyn Schad hit two singles and scored two runs.
Lilly Sandoval singled and drove in two runs for Butte High, which also got a single from Gracie Jonart. Allie Becker worked a pair of walks, and Brea Henderson worked done.
Henderson fanned nine Bruins in the loss.
The Bulldogs, whose home game against Missoula Hellgate last Saturday was rained out, will back in action Wednesday at Helena High. The game, which was moved up a day, is set to start at 3 p.m.
The Bulldogs will play at a crossover tournament Saturday in Great Falls. Their makeup game with Hellgate has been set for Monday at Stodden Park.
BC baseball team routs Townsend
Butte Central put on an offensive display Thursday in Townsend.
The Maroons grabbed their first baseball win of the spring, using 10 hits to roll to an 18-1 win over the Bulldogs. (Boxscore)
Beau McGree and Gunnar “Goo” O’Brien each hit a pair of hits in the win. Trapper Stajcar tripled, and Colt Hassler joined O’Brien with a double.
Connor Kachmarik drove in three runs without a hit, and O’Brien and Hassler each knocked in one.
Marcus Ballan, Kelsen Brackett, Hugh O’Brien and Tony Stajcar added hits for the Maroons.
Gunnar O’Brien struck out eight batters in the win, which was called after five innings by the run rule. He gave up three hits, all singles.
Dallas Fligge hit two singles for Townsend. Teammate Beau Summes added one, driving in Fligge for Townsend’s lone win.
The Maroons are set to battle Dillon at 3 p.m. Wednesday at 3 Legends Stadium.
Bulldog baseball grabs two wins
It is not every day that you see a balk-off win.
That was the case as the Butte High baseball team beat Missoula Sentinel in a 9-8 thriller Thursday at 3 Legends Stadium. (Boxscore)
Two days later, the Bulldogs went to Missoula to down Hellgate 6-3. (Boxscore)
Calvin Cunningham was the center of it all. He picked up the win in both games. He pitched in relief on Thursday before getting the start on Saturday. Cunningham also scored the winning run in Butte High’s improbable win over Sentinel.
With Gunnar Bushman at the plate, Cunningham took off for a two-out steal of home. He appeared to be thrown out easily.
However, Sentinel pitcher Keaton Elliott sped up his pitch delivery and was called for a balk, allowing the run to score in the bottom of the seventh inning.
That walk-off win came after a two-out rally saved the day for the Bulldogs. Cayde Stajcar started it with a triple. He scored on a single by Cunningham, who swiped two bases to get into position for the game-winning run.
The win spoiled a great performance by Sentinel starter Stellan Ridley. The hard-throwing lefty struck out nine batters in five innings. He gave up just one earned run.
Owen Dale went 3 for 4 to lead the Sentinel offense. Elliot hit a double and Huck Rohde smacked two singles to drive in two.
Stajcar, who committed to play college ball at Central Arizona earlier in the week, also hit his third home run of the season, joining Cunningham and Bushman with a two-hit game. Bushman doubled, and Logan Carden tripled.
Kodye Kjersten and Evan McEwen singled in the win. Kjersten also joined Cunningham with two RBIs.
Chase Lubick started and pitched into the sixth inning for the Bulldogs. Hunter Davies got four outs on the bump before Cunningham got the last one.
In Missoula, Cunningham pitched six innings, striking out four and giving up two earned runs in the win. Noah Powers struck out two in one inning for the save.
Stajcar hit a double and a single for Butte. Tegan Duffy, Cunningham, Bushman and McEwan added singles.
Andrew Richardson started for Hellgate and struck out six batters in four and a third innings of work. The former Butte resident also hit a double. Teammate Everett Roberts hit two singles.
The Bulldogs are set to host a pair of non-conference games this week. Belgrade is set to come to town on Thursday for a 5 p.m. game. Hamilton will be in town Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest.
Grey, Graham post wins
HELENA — Butte High Bulldogs Saege Grey and Cadence Graham posted victories Tuesday to highlight the Butte performance at a track meet that included Helene High, Helena Capital, Missoula Sentinel, Belgrade and Butte Central at Vigilante Stadium.
Complete results from the meet are not available on Athletic.net, which was undergoing technical issues Tuesday. (Results)
Grey won the 100-meter race with a personal-best time of 12.96 seconds. The freshman topped a field that included teammates Autum Clary (fourth place) and Kloe Dickinson (fifth). Butte Central’s Evyn Tippett placed sixth.
Grey also took second in the 200 meters.
Graham won the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in 50.24 seconds. Teammate Penelope Luebke took third, and Clary placed fourth. Graham also ran to second in the 100 hurdles.
Evelyn Smith took second in the 400 meters for the Bulldogs, finishing two spots ahead of Tippett, and Milee Stillwagon of Butte ran to second in the 1,600.
Emma Johnson and Kate DeShaw led the Bulldog girls in the field events. Johnson placed second in the discus and fourth in the shot put. DeShaw took third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump.
Valerie Trabert took second in the pole vault.
Other Butte High performances saw Butte’s Ellie Yates, Rylee Rickson and Berkli Salusso finish fourth, fifth and sixth in the javelin. Allie Ballensky took fifth in the discus, Adalie Grochowski placed fifth in the long jump, and Clara Sigler took fifth in the pole vault.
Kloe Dickinson finished sixth in the long jump, and Deearea Naugle
Central’s Caden Tippett finished fifth in the pole vault.
Jacob Galle had a nice day in the hurdles for the Bulldog boys. He took second in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 100 hurdles. Bulldog Raeder Grey took fourth in the 300 hurdles, one place better than BC’s Palmer Kellicut placed fifth. Kellicut also took fourth in the 110 hurdles.
Butte High’s Ryan Hanson cleared 6 feet to placed second in the high jump, and teammate Lincoln Zell ran to fourth in the 1,600 meters.
Central’s Danny McCarthy placed fourth in the 100, finishing just ahead of Butte High’s Brady Walsh and Tyce Snow. BC’s Grady Button took sixth in the 400, and BC teammate Henly Mansanti finished fourth in the high jump.
Also for Butte High, Brady Hanson took fifth in the high jump, Jaeger Hansen placed fifth in the javelin, and Sawyer Casey took sixth in the javelin, finishing one spot ahead of BC’s Will McGree.
Please note that many of the events are not listed as “finished” yet on athletic.net, so the results could be subject to change.
The Bulldogs opened the season Friday at home against Billings Senior and Billings Skyview. (Results)
Graham won the 300 hurdles and took second in the 100 hurdles, and Valerie Trabert took first in the pole vault to lead the Butte High girls.
Sophia Houchin placed second in the 1,600 meters, one place better than Stillwagon., and Johnson took second in the shot put and javelin.
Galle won both hurdles races to lead the Butte High boys. Camden Houchin win the 1,600, Jaeger Hansen won the javelin, and Ryan Hanson won the long jump and took third in the high jump.
Cohen Andrews took second in the triple jump for Butte High. Walsh took third in the 100 and 200, and Bridger Luebke finished third in the 800.
Butte Central competed in a meet in East Helena. Results form that race are not listed as officials.
Maroons compete on courts
Butte Central’s tennis team was busy over the last week. The Maroons competed in events on Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday.
The Maroons went to Livingston for matches against Hardin, Dillon and Glendive on Thursday.
Sofia Doto, Presli Smith and Tessa Ganzenmuller won singles matches for the Maroons in Livingston.
Doto and Jaylee Williams teamed up for a doubles match.
BC went to the Lewistown Invitational on Saturday before heading to Dillon to take on the Beavers on Tuesday. Results from that action have not been turned in by Tuesday night.
Central will play host to Corvallis on Saturday.
Butte High’s tennis teams, meanwhile, will be in Missoula Thursday to take on Hellgate and Sentinel. They head to Billings to play Senior and Skyview on Saturday.
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Time limits are a sign of the apocalypse
Ted Lasso did not win over the media in his introductory press conference as the surprising new coach of A.F.C. Richmond, but the fictional coach from the television show impressed me with one sentence.
“Back where I’m from, you try to end a game in a tie, well, that might as well be the first sign of the apocalypse,” Lasso said to a group of European reporters who call soccer “football.”
Other than Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who apparently really seems to enjoy a good sister kisser, nobody likes a tie. They are insulting to the players who left everything they have on the field only to leave it the same way the entered.
It is insulting to the fans who spent good money and invested a full day to watch a game, only to see it end without a winner.
When LaFleur and the Packers played for a tie against the Dallas Cowboys last season, fans from both teams were offended. They did not know how to handle it.
Was it a good thing? Was it bad? Is the world coming to an end?
Those were all good questions because, as Lasso said later in the series, “If God wanted games to end in a tie, She wouldn’t have invented numbers.”
Those in charge of high school baseball in Montana, however, have apparently not watched the great show “Ted Lasso.” They allow for games to finish in a tie. They do in junior varsity games, at least.
Early this season, Butte High’s junior varsity team traveled to Bozeman and played the Hawks to a 4-all tie. Making things worse is that fact that the game was the first in the history of the Bozeman High program because the JV game was played before the varsity contest.
What an anticlimactic way to open a program.
That tie was not the result of two teams playing inning after inning without being able to break the deadlock. It was not because they were playing at a stadium without lights and they ran out of daylight.
No, the game was called after five innings by the time limit, which completely goes against everything baseball is supposed to be about.
As the late Earl Weaver famously said, “You can’t sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You’ve got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That’s why baseball is the greatest game of them all.”
Weaver would certainly not approve of how junior varsity baseball and softball are handled in Montana. When the JV games are played before the varsity, they must play those games under on a strict time limit. No new inning can start 1 hour, 45 minutes after the beginning of the JV game.
That rule is right there in the Montana High School Association handbook. (Note: the MHSA’s job is to enforce the rules, not necessarily make them. So, I do not blame the MHSA.)
For starters, it is just silly to play the junior varsity game before the varsity game in springtime in the Rocky Mountains.
As they say in Montana, if you do not like the weather, just wait 5 minutes. That is why the varsity game should always be played first. Get the game that counts in standings in first before attempting the one that does not.
We have seen too many times over the years where the junior varsity softball game ends just in time for rain or snow to wipe out the varsity game. It has happened many times during the four seasons of Montana high school baseball, too.
We can live with the JV game getting rained out. Stopping a game in nice weather because of a time limit is just hard to swallow.
The argument for playing the JV games first is to have the varsity games played closer to “primetime,” so more people can attend. That is fine for sports played indoors, but it is not for spring sports in Montana.
Also, the game is not about the spectators. It is about the players.
The time limit probably doesn’t impact softball as much as baseball because softball is a much faster game. There isn’t as much spitting and scratching in softball. There also isn’t as many long pitching changes and pickoff attempts.
The games are similar in a lot of ways, but still very different.
One similarity is that the junior varsity softball and baseball players are all getting the shaft when put under a time limit. Players in both sports need game experience to develop their skills, and you cannot easily simulate that experience in practice.
I suspect one of the most difficult jobs of a coach in softball and baseball is to get playing time for all the players. Only nine batters bat in the lineup, and they generally only play a couple of games each week during the high school season.
It is harder to substitute players in softball and baseball than it is in other sports, where substitutions are pretty much unlimited.
In softball and baseball, it is tough for the players regularly in the starting lineup to get into any routine or groove. It is impossible for the players who are not. This is not as big of an issue in American Legion baseball because they play more times each week, and they usually play doubleheaders.
Every right-thinking coach in the world would like to have more game action to develop the players.
But in softball and baseball, we too often have a mindset of “just get the JV game over with already.” That is not the case in other sports. In volleyball, they play the subvarsity matches until the conclusion.
In basketball, they would play as many overtimes as needed to find a winner in each subvarsity game. In baseball and softball, the subvarsity games are basically an afterthought.
Good coaches know the value of a subvarsity program. That is quite literally where the future of the varsity program is developed. It is where the players improve on their skills and learn the system the coaches put in place.
The good varsity coaches watch those subvarsity games and evaluate their up-and-coming players. Then they help them improve their game so they might be able to contribute to the varsity team down the road.
One Class AA coach talked to me about this recently, and he said as long as he is making decisions, he will always play the junior varsity game second. And, he said, he will make sure the game is played until it is over.
“If we have lights,” he said, “we’ll play all night if we have to.”
You better believe that is a coach who is going to consistently have a winning varsity team.
What is it about baseball that so many people want to speed it up? Major League Baseball has implemented several new rules to speed up the game in recent years, and most of them stink.
I can reluctantly get behind the pitch clock, but the rest of the rules should be wiped off the book. There is nothing wrong with the sport that has been great since the 1800s.
Plus, the solution to a game being too long for a fan is simple. Just go home or turn the channel on your television. The same can be said for the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings who think the high school games are too long or the weather is too cold.
They can always go home and watch something on television instead.
If that is the route you take, I suggest you watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV. If nothing else, Lasso will fill you in on why ties in sports are just flat-out wrong.
I’m sure he would feel the same way about time limits.
— Bill Foley, who firmly believes the creators of Ted Lasso copied the persona of legendary Montana Tech football coach Bob Green, 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: Brea Henderson, Calvin Cunningham
Butte High softball player Brea Henderson and Butte High baseball player Calvin Cunningham are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
Henderson, a freshman, takes home the girls’ honor. While Mother Nature has limited the Bulldogs to two games, Henderson has been hot at the plate and in the pitcher’s circle. Through 14 innings pitched, Henderson racked up 10 strikeouts. She has surrendered just two earned runs in those two games.
She fanned eight batters as the Bulldogs opened the season with a 6-3 win over Flathead last Monday. The next day she pitched the distance again. She also blasted a clutch two-run home run in a 4-3 loss to Glacier.
Henderson appears to be the undisputed ace of the Bulldogs after impressing as a pitcher on the varsity team as an eighth grader.
Cunningham, a sophomore, receives the boys’ honor after picking up the pitching victory in two Butte High wins last week.
He got the last out before Butte High battled back for a 9-8 balk-off win over Missoula Sentinel Thursday at 3 Legends Stadium. He started at third base in that game, going 2 for 4 with three stolen bases, two RBIs and two runs scored.
At Missoula Hellgate two days later, Cunningham got the start on the bump and pitched six innings in a 6-3 victory. He struck out four and gave up two earned runs on six hits.
Cunningham also singled in the win.
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 Henderson and Cunningham courtesy Alycia Holland Photography.
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Butte Central girls’ subvarsity report
Following are the Butte Central subvarsity girls’ basketball reports, as provided by coaches. The reports include the final games of the BC season, contests against Est Helena, Corvallis, Dillon, Hamilton and Livingston.
Butte Central frosh 29, East Helena frosh 18
EAST HELENA — Ryan Olson poured in 11 points to lead the Maroons to the Feb. 17 road victory.Olson was one of six BC players to score in the victory. Ashley White scored six points, Lilly LaRonde tossed in four, Harper McGree and Mya McGree each scored three, and Jaylee Willians netted two points.
Cendyll Campbell, Klinley Czehure, Ayanna Weang, Evyn Tippett, Tessa Ganzenmuller, Kianna Puig and Allie Forelli also contributed in the win.
Butte Central frosh 49, Corvallis frosh 29
CORVALLIS — Ryan Olson and Ashley White went off to lead BC to the Feb. 21 win.Olson scored 19 points, while White netted 14 for the Maroons. BC also got eight points from Mya McGree, four from Allie Forelli and two apiece from Brinley Crawshaw and Harper McGree.
Lilly LaRonde, Jaylee Williams, Ayanna Weang, Tessa Ganzenmuller and Kianna Puig also saw time for BC in the win.
Dillon frosh 45, Butte Central frosh 29
Brooklyn Bliss scored 17 points to lead the way for the Maroons, who fell to the Beavers in this Feb. 23 game.Harper McGree scored five points for Central, which got three from Mya McGree and two apiece from Lilly LaRonde and Ashley White.
Allie Forelli, Kianna Puig, Tessa Ganzenmuller, Ayanna Weang and Jaylee Willams also contributed for Central.
Butte Central JV 54, Hamilton JV 28
Blake Smith scored 18 points to lead three Maroons in double figures in this Feb. 7 home win.Jaedyn Maldonado and Mila Carriger each added 11 points in the win. Evyn Smith scored four points, and Natalie Osterman netted three.
Marly Mansanti, Evyn Tippett and Karla Reich each scored two points.
Butte Central JV 71, Livingston JV 6
LIVINGSTON — Blake Smith, Mila Carriger and Evyn Smith led the way as the Maroons crushed the Rangers in this Feb. 10 road victory.Smith scored 16 points to lead all scorers. Carriger tossed in 15, and Smith netted 12.
Central got seven apiece from Natalie Osterman and Jaedyn Maldonado, five from Marly Mansanti, four from Evyn Tippett, three from Ashley White and two from Karla Reich.
Butte Central JV 59, East Helena 35
EAST HELENA — The Smith Show led the way as Central rolled to this Feb. 17 road win.Evyn Smith scored 14 points, while Blake Smith followed with 12 in the win.
Mila Carriger scored eight points for BC, while Marly Mansanti, Evyn Tippett and Ashley White each poured in seven points. Central also got three points from Natalie Osterman and one from Jaedyn Maldonado.
Butte Central JV 57, Corvallis 22
CORVALLIS — Blake Smith and Evyn Tippett combined to outscore the Blue Devils in this Feb. 21 road victory.Smith scored 13 points, while Tippett added 11 for the red-hot Maroons. Marly Mansanti scored eight points, Natalie Osterman scored seven. Evyn Smith, Jaedyn Maldonado and Mila Carriger each scored six points. Ashley White also contributed to the BC win.
Butte Central JV 61, Dillon JV 32
Blake Smith and Mila Carriger had a huge game as the Maroons closed the junior varsity season with this convincing Feb. 24 win at the Maroon Activities Center.Smith scored 19 points, and Carriger added 15 in the win. Evyn Smith scored nine points for BC, which got six from Evyn Tippett, five from Natalie Osterman, four from Marly Mansanti and three from Karla Reich.
Ashley White also contributed in the season-ending win.
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KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of April 13.
Monday
7 p.m. — Parish vs. Moof’s Dawgs
8 p.m. — Parish vs. Poi Time
9 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. Washington GeneralsTuesday
7 p.m. — ButteSports vs. Rosary Rattlers
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. Poi TimeWednesday
7 p.m. — Crib Crew vs. Hoopballas
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. Moof’s DawgsThursday
7 p.m. — ButteSports vs. Washington Generals
8 p.m. — Poi Time vs. Rosary Rattlers
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Episode No. 338: Jaxon Williamson
You will not be seeing today’s podcast guest pitching for the Butte High Bulldogs during his senior season.
Jaxon Williamson can only watch as the Bulldogs play their fourth season of high school baseball because he underwent Tommy John Surgery in November. Tommy John surgery means that the Ulnar Collateral Ligament was reconstructed in his right elbow. The procedure is named after John, who was the first pitcher to undergo the procedure in 1974.
The surgery has a high success rate, but it usually takes 12 to 18 months before a pitcher can pitch again. So, Jaxon will not be on the mound for the Bulldogs again.
That is a huge loss for the Bulldogs. As a junior, Williamson was throwing his fastball around 85 mph. He also led the team with a 3.00 ERA. He gave up just 14 hits while striking out 42 batters over 25 and two thirds innings in six starts.
Jaxon was primmed for a spot near the top of the Bulldog rotation for one last run at a state title.
But the pain in his arm got to be too much last summer, and he was forced to go to operating table, ending his pitching days for the Bulldogs.
He will, however, pitch again. Since he has not yet turned 18, Jaxon will have a “super senior” year for the Butte Miners American Legion baseball team. He is hoping to parlay that season into a spot on a college team.
Do not bet against him.
Jaxon showed us his determination when he worked his way back in time to play for the Butte High basketball team at the end of the season.
Earlier today, I met with Jaxon inside the vault at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill for a fun conversation.
Listen in as he talks about the injury that led to Tommy John and the long recovery process. Listen to hear that Jaxon doesn’t dwell on the negative about missing his final high school season. He instead focuses on the possibility or his next season.
Listen in to hear about the time Jaxon struck out the great Cayde Stajcar, even if Jaxon does not want to brag about it.
Listen in to hear me incorrectly say that Tommy John was a Met. I must have been thinking of Tom Sever.
Today’s podcast is presented by the Kvichak Fish Co. Think of it as salmon and halibut gone Girl Scout cookie. Place your order today.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 