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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Copper City Stars, Gavin Trudgeon
This week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week honors go to the Copper City Softball Senior All-Stars and Butte Miner Gavin Trudgeon.
The All-Star team for players 13 to 16 takes the girls’ honor after going 4-1 to start the Western Regional Softball Tournament in Missoula.
This marks the first time in Copper City Softball Little League history that a senior team has gone to the Western Regional. The Montana state champions beat Arizona 8-4, Washington 10-0, Oregon 6-5 and Southern California 5-3 before dropping a 6-5 decision to Northern California.
Kendallyn Schad, Brit Klima and Madisyn Swanson led the Butte girls at the plate. Mattie Stepan was a solid leader behind the plate while swinging a hot bat. Reese Johnson and Allie Becker were tough in the middle, turning a few double plays this weekend along with being quick on the bases.
Ellison Graham and Avery Barsness were a defense a force, covering ground in the outfield. Sophie Radcliffe had some great catches and hits over the weekend. Brea Henderson was tough on the mound and loud in the dugout. Lilly Sandoval and Cambree O’Neill were key contributors coming off the bench for a group full of enthusiasm and energy.
Copper City is coached by Melissa Johnson, Travis Johnson and Josh Schad. Kate McGree is the Copper City president.
Trudgeon takes home the boys’ honor after picking up a win on his last appearance on the mound at 3 Legends Stadium.
Trudgeon pitched the distance as Butte’s “Mine Boys” completed a doubleheader sweep of the Bitter Root Red Sox with a 10-3 win. The righty struck out four batters and did not issue a walk. He gave up just five hits in yet another quality start for the Miners.
Trudgeon, a senior and recent Butte High graduate, is 5-3 on the season. That includes eight starts and 11 overall appearances. Like he did with the Bulldogs, Trudgeon gives the Miners a reliable option on the mound.
Those Miners will play in the South A District tournament this weekend in Belgrade.
For the second year, Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
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2024 Butte Sports Hall of Fame class will be truly ‘Special’
The 2024 Class of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame will be “Special” in more ways than one this weekend.
Events get started at 1 p.m. Friday with a golf scramble on the Par 3 course at the Highland View Golf Course. Cost is $10 per player, plus green fees for non-members. The scramble will include a hole-in-one contest with a chance to win a 2025 Honda CR-V from Leskovar Honda.
Friday’s Green Jacket Ceremony at the Butte Civic Center will feature Butte Sports Hall of Fame members from past and present. Past inductees will stroll down the aisle before the presentation of Green Jackets to the Class of 2024.
The night will conclude when Ronnie Counts is presented with the first Butte Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. All local Special Olympians are invited to walk down the aisle and help celebrate “Coach Ron.”
A social hour at 6 p.m. will open the evening, and the ceremony will start at 7. The event is free and open to the public.
Saturday’s induction banquet begins with a 6 p.m. social hour at the Civic Center. Dinner and the ceremony will begin at 7. Cost is $45, and tickets can be purchased at the Civic Center box office or at ButteCivicCenter.com.
Limited tickets could be available at the door, if they are not sold out.
This year, the Hall of Fame will induct 13 individuals and seven teams.
Individuals going into the Hall are Matt Buckley, Dan Lean, Martha (Apoltel) Lonner, Betty Merrifield, Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson, Linda (Lyons) Paull, Erin Popovich, Ron Richards, John Rickman, Bruce Sayler, Steve Schulte, Kyle Smith, and Don Tamietti. Lean, Olson and Tamietti are being inducted posthumously.
Teams entering are the 1983, 1984 and 1985 Montana Tech men’s basketball teams, the 1989 Butte High boys’ basketball team, the 1992 Butte High wrestling team, the 1996 Butte High softball team and the 1999 Butte Central softball team.
Bios of individuals and teams follow:
Matt Buckley Matt Buckley
Matt Buckley was a standout football player at Butte Central and Carroll College in the 1970s. Buckley was a member of three State championship football teams at Butte Central from 1971-73. He played both was as a running back and linebacker on the 1973 state title team.
Following the 1973 season, Buckley was picked first-team all-conference as a linebacker. There was no Class A All-State team picked that year. Buckley played in the 1974 Shrine Game before playing at Carroll College.
Buckley was a four-year starter for the saints at defensive tackle and received post season honors all four years. In his senior year, 1977, Buckley played both defensive tackle and fullback on offense, receiving all-conference and all-district post season honors at both positions. Buckley, an accomplished rodeo cowboy, competed as a steer wrestler and team roper for eight years at rodeos throughout Montana. He was an outstanding boxer at Carroll College, compiling a record of 12-1 in amateur fights over a four- year period. In 1977 he competed in the Montana Golden Gloves tournament reaching the semi-final round in the heavyweight division. In 1991, Buckley won the class B Butte City Handball title. He continues to ride and train young horses. He was/is a true all-around athlete.
Dan Lean Dan Lean
Dan was a long-time coach at Butte High School. He was an assistant football coach for the Bulldogs from 1974 through 1993. He was part of Butte High Class AA State championships in 1977, 1981 and 1991. Lean was on the Bulldog staff when the Bulldogs finished State runners up in 1975, 1975, 1986 and 1987.
Dan was an assistant basketball coach for the Bulldogs from 1976 through 1994, when he took over as head coach for three seasons. He was on the bench as Butte High won the Class AA State basketball championship on St. Patrick’s Day in 1984. He was an assistant on the runner-up teams of 1989 and 1990.
Dan assisted with track at Butte High and helped coordinate and run the Butte track meets for many years. Dan was part of a small group involved in the development of the Butte Softball Association in 1968 and assisted that group as they fostered the success of organized softball in Butte.
Dan also served as a referee as a member of the Montana High School Association from 1967 through 1977.
Martha (Apostel) Lonner Martha (Apostel) Lonner
Martha was an outstanding skier for Butte High School in the early 1960s. It was acclaimed by one of her coaches that the Butte High ski team had a prodigy among them with Martha, as she demonstrated exceptional talent and skill on the mountain. She was the first female athlete awarded a varsity letter for skiing or any other varsity sport for girls at Butte High School four years in row, making her a pioneer for women to join the ranks of varsity athletes.
She was on three straight State championship teams in 1960, 1961 and 1962 and was often the winner in most of the ski meets before the annual state championship meet. She was the leading scorer for girls at the 1962 and 1963 annual state high school finals. During her senior year in 1963, Martha went through the season undefeated in the slalom, giant slalom and downhill. Lonner was awarded the Butte Athletic Council’s outstanding skier award twice. She was selected as a member of the Northern Rocky Mountain Ski Association (NRMSA) Team and successfully competed in the annual Junior National Ski Championships throughout the United States four years in a row.
Betty Merrifield Betty Merrifield
Betty Merrifield spent her career as a teacher and administrator in the Butte School District, and while she retired in 2002, her involvement with kids and athletics in our community continued. Betty was instrumental in starting the Butte Track Club in the late 1960’s and she continues to serve as Club President today. She served on the Board of Directors of AAU Montana and USATF Montana, both national organizations for youth track & field over the years.
Since the 1960s, Betty has worked Butte track meets, whether grade school, middle school, high school, or club meets. There is an entire Butte generation living within earshot of Bulldog Memorial Stadium that has grown up listening to her voice. Many have commented over the years that hearing Betty’s voice over the loudspeakers is a sure sign that it is track season in Butte.
Away from the track, Betty has timed countless road races, cross country and speedskating meets over the years. She has served as Chief of Protocol for world and national speedskating competitions with overall responsibility for the integrity of competition results.
Betty embodies the spirit of a true contributor to Butte Sports. Her involvement spans decades and she takes great pride in whatever role she plays helping our community earn its well-deserved reputation for hosting quality athletic competitions.
Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson
Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson was an outstanding runner at Butte High and Flathead Valley Community College. In 1977, she won three national titles in one day at the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association. Her effort led the Mountainettes to the team championship.
Wanda won the 440-yard dash before anchoring championship runs in the 880-yard medley relay and mile relay.
Before that, Matteson was Butte High’s middle-distance juggernaut of the Western AA division. Wanda won the Western AA divisional in the 440 three times during her career as a Bulldog, 1975. She finished second at the State AA meet as a senior and fourth as a junior and was awarded Butte High’s prestigious Bill Hawke Award both years as the school’s top girls track athlete.
Matteson passed away at her home surrounded by her loved ones in Roundup on October 9, 2022, after a long battle with Multiple System Atrophy and a short battle with cancer. Wanda will be remembered as one of the greatest girls’ middle-distance runners in Butte history.
Linda (Lyons) Paull Linda (Lyons) Paull
Linda (Lyons) Paull was a dynamic, versatile athlete in four sports wrapped in a 5 foot nothing package. At Butte High School in the 1970’s, she earned seven varsity letters in her three year high school career, (3) track, (2) gymnastics and (2) basketball. Paull was the first female to earn seven varsity letters earning the first Big “B” Award. Linda played summer league softball for years and in 1976 her team won the State A championship, she was named to the all-star team. Paull earned three state tournament All-Star selections in the 70’s, moving to Helena, she was a member of four different teams, three of which qualified for regionals.
Linda took her gymnastics talent to Montana State. She competed for four years qualifying for regionals each year. Following her college career, Paull began her coaching career in Helena coaching gymnastics, track, and cross country. She is the only Helena High girls coach to capture state championships in two different sports. Paull guided Bengal gymnastics team from 1980-89, with a state title in 1988. In track, Linda served as the head coach from 1993-2000, with a state title in 2000. She concluded her head coaching career at HHS girls’ cross country from 2008-2019, collecting the programs first state trophy in 34 years. Previous induction, Montana Coaches Hall of Fame 2018 and Helena Sports Hall of Fame 2022.
Erin Popovich Erin Popovich
Erin Popovich, a 2003 Butte Central graduate, represented the United States in swimming at three Paralympic Games and, in 2019, became just the second Paralympic swimmer to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.
Competing for her country at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Paralympic Games, Popovich’s historic career includes 19 medals, 14 of which were gold. She broke numerous world records in the process. In four world championships appearances, she secured 25 medals.
After winning six medals — three gold and three silver — and setting four world records in her Paralympic debut in Sydney, Popovich dominated the Athens 2004 Games, topping the podium seven times in seven races. Her performance in Athens was highlighted by three world records and four meet records.
Her lengthy list of accolades in the pool propelled Popovich to two ESPY Awards for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. She was also named the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sportswoman of the Year in 2005.
Popovich attended Colorado State University, where she swam at the NCAA Division I level against able-bodied athletes while completing a degree in health and exercise science.
Following her retirement from competition, she continues to be involved with Para swimming supporting future generations of swimmers.
Ron Richards Ron Richards
Ron Richards was a standout as a player and a coach. He was the anchor of the offensive and defensive lines for two State championship teams at Butte High — in 1967 and 1968. He was voted first-team All-State following each season. He was a unanimous All-State pick on both sides of the ball in 1968. Richards was a captain for the Bulldogs, and he played in the 1969 Montana East-West Shrine Game. In 1999, Richards was named to Butte High’s All-Century Football Team.
Richards went on to become an All-Big Sky Conference player at the University of Montana, playing guard and tackle for the Grizzlies. In 1972, Richards was awarded team MVP honors as well as UM’s Paul Westcamp Award.
Coach Richards began coaching as an assistant with the Grizzlies in 1973. The next year he started coaching at Butte High, where he stayed until moving to Montana Tech in 1985. Coach Richards served as offensive coordinator at Butte High and Tech. He was part of state championships at Butte High in 1977 and 1981. At Montana Tech, his offenses routinely led the Frontier Conference in rushing. He served a stint as head coach at South Dakota Tech and as offensive coordinator at the University of Montana.
John Rickman John Rickman
John Rickman was a standout basketball player for Butte Central in the late 1950s. Rickman was a starter for the Maroons in 1958 and 1959, and he led the Class AA in scoring during the 1959 regular season. He averaged 19.0 a game during the season on his way to 458 points. John made 140 field goals and 177 free throws. The free throw mark set a new school record. Rickman scored in double figures in 23 of the 24 games he played in during the year. He tallied 20 or more points in 10 games and 15 or more points in 18 of 24 contests. During the 1959 state tournament in Butte, Rickman led the Maroons to an 80-64 opening game win over Kalispell. John pumped in 37 points in the victory. At the time that set the school record for points in a game. The next night he had 28 points in a 70-58 semifinal loss to eventual state champion Butte High. He tallied 78 points in three tournament games. Rickman was named to the All-Tournament and All-State team. He was also named to the Scholastic Magazine’s All-Rocky Mountain team and the Catholic High School All-American team. John went on to play basketball at Gonzaga. In 1999, John was selected to the Butte Central All-Century basketball team.
Bruce Sayler Bruce Sayler
Bruce Sayler was a longtime sports writer for The Montana Standard newspaper. The Missoula native was hired at the local paper in 1978, after stints working at The Montana Kaimin, The Missoulian and in Burley, Idaho. Bruce wrote for the Butte paper until 2012. His game stories, columns and feature stories brought the athletes to life on the pages of the newspaper. He covered champions and teams that didn’t win a game, always treating every game like it was the biggest game. He covered state champions in the six different decades.In addition to high school and college teams, Bruce covered professional basketball and baseball in Butte. He excelled covering boxing, and he is well known as one of the great wrestling writers.
Bruce served as sports editor for the final decade and a half of his run at the Standard, and he was a leader in making sure the paper covered every sport for every team in the readership area — including the girls. He was a pioneer in this regard.
In 2012, Sayler started working for ButteSports.com, where his career continues into his 70s. He has written about sports for more than 50 school years. He has been a Heisman Trophy voter for the last quarter of a century.
Steve Schulte Steve Schulte
Steve “Coachie” Schulte was an outstanding athlete at Butte Central in the 1970s, competing in football, basketball, and track. Schulte averaged 6.7 yards per carry, scored 31 touchdowns, and racked up 2,762 total yards. As a running back, his 2,683 career rushing yards from 1976-1978 still stands as the best in BC history. He ran for 368 yards against Livingston in 1976 and still holds the Butte Central individual single game rushing record. He was named All-State in 1976 and 1978; and played in the 1979 Montana East-West Shrine Game. Schulte was a member of the 1978 Butte Central State Championship basketball team, which was selected the “Team of the Century.” He took his talents to Carroll College where he played football from 1979 to 1982. Schulte has also left his mark as a coach. After turning around a nearly defunct program in Browning where he earned his nickname “Coachie,” Schulte returned to Butte. He went on to assist coaching the 1996 Montana Tech Football Team, which played in the National Championship game. Schulte became the head coach of the Butte High Bulldogs football team in1997 and was at the helm until 2001. He was an assistant coach on Butte High’s 2012 State Championship football team and the 2011 Girls’ State Championship softball team.
Kyle Smith Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith was a three-time state champion wrestler at Butte High and a two-time NCAA All-American. The1998 graduate’s dominating career helped the Bulldogs win two state titles in the 1990s. In four years for the Bulldogs, Smith compiled an incredible 148-8 record for a Butte High team that also placed third at state in 1996 and second in 1998.
After placing second at state at 145 pounds as a freshman, Smith won the state title at 152 pounds. He won the 171-pound title as a junior before claiming 189-pound title as a senior.
Smith went on to a stellar career at the University of Michigan. In 2002 and 2003 he qualified for the NCAA Tournament, placing seventh at 197 pounds both times. He was named All-American both of those seasons.
In football, Smith was a two-year starter for Butte High at linebacker. Following his senior season, Smith was named first-team All-State.
Don Tamietti Don Tamietti
Don Tamietti was a youth sports contributing legend in the Mining City. During his lifetime, Tamietti’s passion for sports and his contributions are many. From skiing to rodeos to speedskating and finally wrestling, he gave his all. He organized many events on his own to include bringing the district High School Rodeo to Butte in 1975 and 1976.
Wrestling was his greatest joy and his passion. Having started out coaching his grandchildren, he soon expanded to many more individuals. He spent countless hours training and mentoring many young men who went on to become high school champions.
As a proud member of the Butte Wrestling Club, Tamietti worked to organize and run many tournaments and matches at the Civic Center and other venues. The Joe McCarthy tournament, the NAIA tournament, and the Mining City Duals are just a few that my Tamietti organized or helped organize. The Cyclops Memorial Tournament was named in his honor.
During his years in the Butte Wrestling Club, Tamietti did everything from going out to recruit sponsors for programs to selling 50/50 tickets to coaching the wrestlers. Tamietti would often travel out of town to events, usually taking wrestlers with him. He took teams to Fresno, California and Waterloo, Iowa for tournaments.
Ron Counts Coach Ron Counts
The first Butte Sports Hall of Fame Special Olympics Achievement Award goes to a true Mining City sports legend. Coach Ron Counts has done it all on so many levels. He has always been a model of class and sportsmanship, setting a shining example of just how great sports can be. He has served as the water boy for the Butte Central Maroons for decades. He has also coached with Butte High, Montana Tech, the Butte Miners and Muckers, countless Little League teams and, of course, the Maroons. It is hard to imagine a Butte Central game without Coach Ron on the sideline or bench. Coach Ron has even drawn up winning plays for the Dillon Beavers in the Class A State Championship basketball game, making him coach Craig Finberg’s favorite assistant.
Coach Ron has also been a long-time participant in the Montana Special Olympics. During the Opening Ceremony for the 2019 Montana Special Olympics State tournament in Butte, former NFL player Colt Anderson singled out Coach Ron as his all-time favorite coach.
Thank you, Coach Ron, for all you have done for the sports scene in the Mining City. You are a true Butte sports legend.
1982-83 Montana Tech men’s basketball
Led by Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, the Orediggers captured the Frontier Conference tournament title and made a run to the District 12 Championship game, falling 88-78 to Northern State of Aberdeen, South Dakota at the HPER Complex. Tech completed the season with a 22-9 overall record. The Orediggers went 10-5 in Frontier Conference play, unseating back-to-back champion College of Great Falls for the crown.
Craig Russell and Cevin Johnson were selected first-team all-conference, and Johnson was selected to the All-District 12 team. Terran Carter, Steve Seaman and Kent Andre rounded out the starting lineup for the Orediggers, who got hot late in the season to start an exciting three-year run by the Orediggers. Joe Puckett, Craig Padbury, Artie McDuffie, Dan Trudnowski, Kevin Hennessy, Joe McClafferty and Glenn Anderson contributed off the bench.
Sampson was named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year. He was assisted by John Thatcher and Mark Watts.
1983-84 Montana Tech men’s basketball
The Orediggers defended their Frontier Conference regular-season and tournament titles, rolling to a 22-7 overall record. That included an 11-4 conference campaign. For the second year, Tech advanced to the District 12 Championship game, this time falling to Northern State 60-59 in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Cevin Johnson again earned first-team all-conference accolades to go along with an All-District 12 honor. Freshman “Flyin’” Brian Vaughns was named second team all-conference along with teammates Kent Andre and Terran Carter.
Joe Puckett rounded out the starting lineup. Reserve players included Andy Cook, Darryl Luoma, Dan Trudnowski, Kevin Hennessy, Roy Peterson, Rob Peterson and Joe McClafferty. McClafferty was lost late in the season to a severe knee injury.
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson was again assisted by John Thatcher and Mark Watts.
1984-85 Montana Tech men’s basketball
The Orediggers won the Frontier Conference regular-season and tournament titles for the second straight year. They won the league tournament title for the third time in three years. Head Coach Kelvin Sampson’s Orediggers compiled a 22-6 regular-season record. Tech went 12-3 in the Frontier, while routinely playing in front of a packed house at the HPER Complex.
Tech fell to Rocky Mountain College, 60-56, in a District 12 playoff game in Butte, ending the Oredigger run. Tech had beaten the Battlin’ Bears all three times the teams previously that season.
“Flyin’” Brian Vaughns took home first-team all-conference and second-team All-District 12 honors. Robert Montague was selected first-team all-conference, and Ron Atkinson took home second-team all-confernece honors. Andy Cook and Darryl Luoma rounded out the starting lineup for the Orediggers. Brian McCormick, Kevin Hennessy, and Howard Batie came off the bench.
Sampson, who was assisted by John Thatcher and Mark Watts, was named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year.
1988-89 Butte High boys’ basketball
The Butte High boys’ basketball team might be the best Montana team to not win the state championship. Even without a title, they are in the conversation as being the best high school basketball team the Mining City has ever seen.
The 1988-89 Bulldogs won the Western AA Divisional title and took a 19-0 record into the state tournament. Kalispell, which fell to Butte High twice in the regular season and in the divisional title game, shocked Butte High 53-50 in the championship game.
Butte High entered the state tournament with three players averaging in double figures. Gary Kane averaged 22.3 points, while fellow seniors Jasson McNallie averaged 13.8 and Todd Ericson averaged 11.4 points. Senior Scott Hemmert and junior Corey Dunstan rounded out the starting lineup for Coach Pat Foley’s team.
Other team members included seniors Fritz Daily, Marc Kelly and Dave Chamberlin and juniors Curtis Smith, Jason Booth, Gary Burt, Corey Dunstan and Brian Michelotti, and sophomores Rusty Cash, Hal Hunsaker, Scott Johns and Dan Walsh.
The 1988-89 Bulldogs’ 21-1 record is the best record in school history.
1991-92 State champion Butte High wrestling team
Legendary Coach Jim Street’s Bulldogs capped their run of 13 straight Class AA State titles in February of 1992 in Billings.
The Bulldogs scored 180 ½ points for the title. Billings West finished second at 164 ½, and Bozeman placed third at 156. Brodie Cooney at 98 pounds, Brent Choquette at 130, and Jason Street at 171 won individual titles to lead the Bulldogs to yet another championship. Choquette finished the season unbeaten.
In all, 10 Bulldogs placed in the top six. That includes Brian Church, who placed second at 135 pounds. Butte High got third-place finishes from John Burke at 105 pounds and Robin Moodry at 140. Dean Beckman placed fourth at 145, Brad Salvani took fifth at 119 pounds, Randy Riley placed fifth at 189, and Chuck Hazlett finished fifth at heavyweight.
Other letterwinners from the team include Jeremy Bassett, Shawn Graham, Brian Seymour, Sean Smitham, Josh Vincent, Jeremy Whitlock, Brett Heard, Keith Meagor, Brandon Queer, Jeremy Webster, Jeremy Tafelmeyer, Joe Burke, Jake Kovensky, Gino Liva, David Liva and Mike Reilly.
1996 Butte High softball team
These Bulldogs prove that you don’t have to have a banner to be champions. Butte High captured the Western AA crown in 1996, but they were robbed of a chance to play for a state championship by heavy rain in Billings.
Butte High went 15-4 and finished the conference schedule undefeated, and the Bulldogs were ready to take the state by storm at the Class AA State tournament in Billings. The storm, however, struck first.
Junior Jori Petersen led the 1996 Bulldogs from the pitcher’s circle, posting a 12-0 record with a 1.57 ERA. Petersen had a stellar defense behind her, and the Bulldogs were a wrecking crew at the plate
Keli Renz led the offense with a .488 batting average. Jennifer Hope (.471), Beth Toivonen (.438) and Misty Balentine (.432) all batted over .400. Mandi Ueland (.393), Shannon Crowley (.324), Heidi McCarthy (.323), Amanda Evans (.314) and Kristen Uggetti (.275) were also forces in the box for the Bulldogs. Chrissy Leathers was a standout before suffering a season-ending injury late in the campaign.
Other letterwinners include Mindy Balentine, Wendy de Barathy, Amber Lienemann, Kris Phillips, Marissa Richards, Julie Redekopp, Anjie Lacey, Molly Pahut and Melissa Maddock.
1999 State Champion Butte Central softball team
The Butte Central Maroons made history on a rainy diamond in Anaconda. Mother Nature forced the Class A State softball tournament to be moved from Butte to Anaconda for the final day, and BC knocked off Polson 7-2 before clobbering Laurel 13-1 in the championship game to complete the perfect season.
The Mighty Maroons became the first girls’ team in school history to post an undefeated season. They also became Montana’s first undefeated high school softball team.
Anjie Lacey pitched both those games to run her record to 15-0. Alicia Wheeler went 11-0 on the season. The offense was powered by Heather Ryan, Jackie Hogart, Bryn Olson, Kacie Briney, J.J. Hogart, Melissa Brophy, Wheeler, Kaci Regan, Kate VanDaveer and Kelsey Orizotti. Sarah Thatcher was a standout outfielder, and Meghan Foley, Cianna Roeber, Jessie VanDaveer, Erica “Bubba” Mahoney also saw action for the champs.
The title was Central’s second title in three seasons. The Maroons also won the 1997 state championship — one year after they were on track to win it all before rain canceled the State tournament in 1996.
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He calls me ‘Guy’
Ronnie Counts calls me “Guy.”
That’s what he calls all men and boys when he knows that he knows us but doesn’t know our name. I fall under that category.
Ronnie knows me pretty well. He knows my son, and he knows that he had some health issues a few years back. When Grady isn’t with me, Ronnie asks, “How’s your boy?”
You can tell that he genuinely cares about him. You just can’t fake that kind of sincerity, and Ronnie is nothing if not sincere.
Ronnie knows legendary sportswriter Bruce Sayler by name. Bruce is one of the lucky few, and he knew I worked with Bruce. After Bruce suffered a heart attack and was severely injured in the crash the attack caused in 2002, Ronnie would come up to me to ask, “How’s Bruce?”
Of course, just about everybody in town knows Ronnie. Most of us call him “Coach Ron” or “Coach Ronnie” or simply “Coach.”
Ronnie is a Special Olympian, and he has been a part of so many teams. He has “coached” with the Butte High Bulldogs, Butte Central Maroons, Montana Tech Orediggers and countless other teams around town.
He used to direct the band at every school in town, and he often dressed up as an umpire at local softball games when he was younger.
I have known Ronnie for as long as I can remember. When I was in junior high school, I used to work the concession stand at the Stodden Park softball fields.
Ronnie would come to the counter and say something like, “I’d buy a hotdog and a pop, but I have no money.”
Or, he’d throw a handful of pennies, nickels and dimes on the counter and say, “What can I get for this?”
Of course, Ronnie’s money was never good at the concession stand when I worked. He got whatever he wanted for free, and he was not shy at all about taking advantage of that.
Ronnie, who can eat more hotdogs than Joey Chesnut, truly is a Butte legend. He has been at the heart of so many great Butte sports moments that it is hard to even begin to count them all.
When he addressed a packed Butte Civic Center full of athletes before the Special Olympic State Basketball tournament in 2019, former NFL player Colt Anderson told the crowd that Ronnie was his favorite coach of all time.
We all have our favorite Ronnie story, and mine is one that has been going on for about eight years now. It started when I took a photo of Ronnie holding up a BC towel while he was sitting on the end of the team bench during a divisional basketball tournament at the Maroon Activities Center.
It was a pretty cool photo that I put in the photo gallery inside the game story on ButteSports.com.
Not long after I took that photo, my computer crashed. Luckily, I still had all the all the photos on the website. Or so I thought.
For reasons I will never understand, the guy redesigning ButteSports.com decided to trash all the photos that we had on the site from 2012 into 2016.
Sure, I have all the photos somewhere on laptops of that have long since crashed. But getting them off the computers is above my technological savvy.
I believe I have three computers like that in my basement because PC laptops, in my experience, only last two years.
Not long after the ill-advice decision to trash our ButteSports.com photos, Ronnie started to ask me for copies of the photos I took of him.
“Hey guy,” he will say when I see him. “You get those photos for me?”
He has literally asked me that more than 100 times. I feel like I am disappointed him every time I see him. He does not understand the reason I do not have the photos.
He kept asking even after I gave up the job with ButteSports.com and started officiating basketball games. Ronnie will see me standing in the officials costume across the court and walk over. “Hey Guy,” he will say. “You got those photos yet?”
Ronnie is never disappointed that I don’t have the photos. He always laughs at me, and I tell him I will work on it.
Ronnie showed up in uniform to coach the Butte Muckers during their June baseball tournament in Butte. During one game, he came up to the press box, where I was working as the public address announcer, because it was an unseasonably cold day.
“I’d buy one of those sweatshirts,” Ronnie said, “but I didn’t bring my money.”
It was like I was at the concession stand again. I knew exactly what Ronnie was getting at, but he would never flat-out ask me to buy him a hoodie. But he did ask me to drive him home so he could get a sweatshirt.
So, my wife and I bought Ronnie a “Muck Show” hoodie, and he was happy as could be as he pulled it over his head. He was also very grateful.
“Thanks guy,” Ronnie said. “You get those photos yet?”
This weekend, I will have more than a photo for Ronnie. We will have a plaque for him during the Green Jacket Ceremony of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame induction. Ronnie will get to take that plaque home, while a replica will forever hang on the wall with the Butte Sports immortals of the Hall of Fame in the lobby of the Civic Center.
Ronnie wasn’t voted into the Hall of Fame as a Green Jacket, but he will be the recipient of our first Special Olympics Lifetime Achievement Award. We are inviting every Special Olympian in town to walk down the aisle and go on stage with Ronnie as he receives the special honor.
We plan honor a Special Olympian every time we induct a Hall of Fame class moving forward. It is something that is long overdue.
“Special Olympian” is not just a clever term. Those athletes truly are special. If Special Olympians ran the world, it would be a much better place. There would be no war, and everyone would be happy to take care of everyone else.
None is more special that Coach Ron. Not in these parts.
This honor, though, is not an attempt to stop Ronnie from asking me for those photos. I know that will never happen.
I know that because Coach Ron was in uniform as the Butte Miners won the South A District American Legion baseball tournament in Butte in July of 2022. Of course, the team went on to win the Class A State title and the Northwest Class A Regional title, and Ronnie was on Cloud 9.
After the District championship game, I took a picture of Ronnie with a handful of Miners players. Ronnie was happy as could be in the photo.
The next day, I got a print of the photo and put it in a nice frame. I brought it by Ronnie’s apartment to give it to him. While I did not have those other photos, I knew Ronnie would be thrilled with the photo I gave him.
He might even forget about the other photos, I figured. I figured wrong.
When I handed Ronnie the photo, he looked at it and beamed. I could tell that he was really happy with the picture.
With a big smile on his face, he held it out and stared at the photo for what had to be 30 seconds.
“Thanks Guy,” Ronnie said as he turned to look at me. “You got those other photos yet?”
— Bill Foley, who answers to Guy, Bill, Billy, Mac or Buddy, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. Listen to him on the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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Mile High wins 11-12 District title
8-10 team also headed to State
The Mile High 11-12 All-Star baseball team is partying like it is 2009.
For the first time in 15 years, the Mile High stars captured the Montana District 2 championship Monday in Billings. The Butte boys beat Mount Sentinel 5-4 in championship game, avenging a loss on Saturday. Butte went 4-1 over the four days of the tournament.
The title sends the Mile High Stars to Billings for the State tournament, which is July 26-28. The winner of that tournament heads to San Bernardino, California Aug. 2-8 for the Western Regional. The winner of that tournament goes to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The Mile High team is made up of Lane Lisac, Brady Hansen, Kason Liston, Benny Donaldson, Finn Hassler, Rody Johnson, Hunter Summers, Hudson Summers, Cruz Kissell, Drew Kachmarik, Kale Alexander and Mason Lowney.
Travis Johnson is the manager. John Summers and Troy Hansen are coaches.
The 11-12 Mile High All-Stars won’t be the only team playing at State in Billings July 26-28. They will be joined by the Mile High 8-10 All-Star team, which placed third in the District tournament in Missoula.
Players for that team are Pierce Collins, Cooper Coffening, Kooper Conway, Reid Hoffman, Daxon Dennehy, Cruz Clary, Jace Graham, Cooper Phillips, Cade Salo, Kobin Kujawa, Hunter Liston and Chase McQueary. Jordan Clary and Keli Renz-Coffing are the coaches, and Matt Kujawa is the manager.
Mile High 8-10 All-Stars -
Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Stajcar, Harris-Huerta, Davies
This week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week are Copper City Softball 10U All-Star Oakley Stajcar and Butte American Legion baseball players Lucas Harris-Huerta and Hunter Davies.
Stajcar takes home the girls’ honor for her outstanding play leading up to this week’s State tournament in Missoula.
“She has good hitting and on-base percentage, and she is obviously a great catcher and base runner,” Coach Jenny McEwen said of Stajcar. “But she is also a hard worker, has a good attitude and is very coachable.
“She is a great kid in addition to being an all-around great athlete,” McEwen added. “She is funny and kind.”
Harris-Huerta and Davies share the boys’ honor after delivering gems on the mound.
Harris-Huerta fired a complete game as the Butte Miners completed a key conference sweep of the Helena Reps with a 6-1 win Friday night at Kindrick Legion Field. The righty went 7 innings, giving three singles, walking two and striking out two. The run he allowed was unearned,
Harris-Huerta ran his record to 3-0 with the win. He is also a force at the plate for the Miners.
Just when it looked like Harris-Huerta ran away with the honor, Davies mowed down the Salmon Savages Sunday in Idaho.
Davies, who earned the nickname “The Legend” as a young player, pitched his best game of his Legion career as the Butte Motormen beat Salmon 12-1 in Game 1 of a Butte sweep. Davies pitched all six innings before the game was stopped by the Mercy rule. He struck out three, walked two and gave up just four hits, all singles. Davies is 3-0 on the season.
For the second year, Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photo of Harris-Huerta, middle, is courtesy Josie Trudgeon Photography.
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Podcast No. 199: Gingerbread Amy
Gingerbread Amy is the newest Butte Rat.
She has only been in the “Holey City” since June 8 of this year, but she made herself at home almost as fast as Irish Johnny did. She also plans to stay around for a while, giving tutorials on how to build gingerbread houses and just generally entertaining the people.
Earlier this week, Amy hosted Open Mic Night at the Covellite Theater. She has been doing standup at such events for 20 plus years. She has also been “making a living” with gingerbread houses for about the same time.
Amy says she has been working in the minor leagues of the entertainment business for decades, and that is the way that she likes it. Fame is not what she strives for. She simply wants to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
In her short time in the Mining City, she is proving to do just that. She was a huge hit in the Fourth of July parade, and she is a fixture at the counter at the M&M, where she says she has her personalized chefs.
Yesterday I met Amy at her workshop in uptown Butte for a fun conversation.
Listen in to hear how the New Hampshire native ended up in the Mining City. Listen to hear her talk about her years entertaining and successful tennis career. Listen in to hear her take on Butte and on why she immediately felt like home when she came her.
Listen in to hear that Gingerbread Amy is about a whole lot more than gingerbread houses. For more on Amy, go to gingerbreadamy.com.
Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
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Podcast No. 198: John Amtmann
The world is John Amtmann’s playground.
If you look up John on Facebook, you will see that is true. You will find a bunch of photos and videos of John whitewater rafting, descending a cliff, rolling on the mats, riding his mountain bike or one of many other activities. You would have to think that he rarely ever sleeps.
John disputes that, however. He says that his favorite hobby is to take naps.
When he isn’t teaching in the biological science department at Montana Tech, he is driving an ambulance, working as a ski patrol or life guard or delivering pizzas around Chicago. He grew up in Arlington Heights, which is a suburb of the Windy City.
Recently, John spent time backpacking around Japan in a quest to learn more about the martial arts.
John really is one of the most interesting men you will ever meet. He is too down to earth to go by “Dr. Amtmann,” even though that is a title he earned.
He is the father of three girls — Aidan, Hannah and Devin. While some have said the way he raised his daughter was dangers, John said he raised them to live. They are now three successful adults who also have a lot of fun.
In fact, John was kayaking on the Big Hole River with one of his daughters right before this podcast, which was recorded in the Team Room of the Metals Sports Bar & Grill.
Listen in to hear John talk about growing up in Chicagoland and the many times he has gone back. Listen to why he says he earned postseason honors as a very undersized defensive end in high school.
Listen to hear his teaching and parenting philosophies and to hear what he learned in his journey through The Land of The Rising Sun.
Today’s podcast is brought to you by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warrantee.
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Erin Popovich was a tough interview, but she is a Butte sports legend
It is still the toughest interview of my career. It is also one of the best subjects of a story I ever got to write about.
In the fall of 1998, I was a part-time writer for The Montana Standard. One day, Bruce Sayler sent me to the Montana Tech pool to write a story about an eight-grade swimmer named Erin Popovich.
Walter Hinick went to the pool to snap a photo of Erin, and the story ran on the cover of the next day’s sports section.
Even at such a young age, Erin was already making big things happen.
Less than a year after she joined the Butte Tarpons swimming team, the Butte Central Junior High student was heading to Christchurch, New Zealand to compete in the International Paralympic World Swimming Championships.
It did not take long to see that this girl was a phenom in the pool.
I didn’t know a lot about swimming then. I still don’t. But I have never seen anyone make something look as easy as young Erin made swimming look. She effortlessly darted back and forth in the pool as if she was a goldfish.
I watched in awe as she just went back and forth and back and forth.
Getting her to answer questions, though, was kind of like pulling teeth.
“What do you like best about swimming?”
“Are you excited about your trip?”
“How do you expect to do?”
“Are you going to compete in swimming when you’re in high school?”
The answer to each question was the same. Erin looked at me, put out her hands out and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “I don’t know.”
When you study journalism in college, the professors do not prepare you for such an interview. I was definitely not prepared to write a feature story on a person who hardly spoke at all.
Of course, when I went to the University of Montana to become a newspaper writer, I never thought I would be interviewing a girl in the eighth grade. Even the most well-spoke eighth graders are tough interviews.
When I got back to the newsroom and sat down at my computer, Bruce, then the sports editor of the paper, asked me how the interview went.
“It was so tough,” I said. “She shrugged her shoulders at every question.”
Bruce quickly put that into perspective.
“It could have been worse,” he said. “It could have been a radio interview.”
Erin did give me one really good answer for the story. I asked her if she felt like she had a disability. She shook her head to say, “no.” Then, thankfully, she elaborated.
“Except for maybe going on roller coasters,” she said before holding her thumb and index finger about an inch apart. “I’m always this much too short.”
At the time, Erin was 4 feet, 2 ¾ inches tall. She was born with achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that restricted the growth of her limbs.
The day I met Erin, I learned from her mother, Barbara, that “dwarf” is the preferred term. More importantly, I learned that a good story is not about the quotes. It is about the subject. And no subject was better than Erin Popovich.
Marie Cook was the coach of the Butte Tarpons, and she went on and on about the greatness of Erin.
“She’s a dedicated athlete,” Cook said. “She gives 100 percent in practice and 100 percent at competitions.”
Basically, Cook said Erin was a coach’s dream.
“When she’s working, she really stays focused,” Cook said. “She listens to her coaches and really tries to do what they say. It’s hard for the kids on this team to think of her as disabled. But when she gets on the blocks with taller kids, you can see it. She’s such an inspiration to everyone.”
Erin started swimming for the Tarpons in January of 1998. By the end of September, she already held a world record and two American records in disabled swimming.
That, however, was just the beginning.
Erin, who graduated from Butte Central in 2003, went on to be a three-time Paralympian, competing for the United States in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She won 19 Paralympic medals — 14 gold and five silver.
She destroyed more records than Mike Veek’s Disco Demolition night.
Her long list of achievements includes winning two ESPY Awards for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. She was named the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sportswoman of the Year in 2005.
Erin graduated from Colorado State University, where she swam at the NCAA Division I level against able-bodied athletes. She earned a degree in health and exercise science.
In 2019, Erin became just the second Paralympic swimmer to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame.
She sure did come a long way from being that young girl who had to wear braces to straighten her back and legs.
The daughter of Dr. Keith Popovich, Erin moved to Butte when she was 5. By the time I met her that day at the Tech pool, she had undergone multiple surgeries, including one on her eardrum that allowed her to finally try swimming.
Now she is 39, and swimming is still very much a part of her life.
Her career has taken her to the administration side of Paralympic swimming.
Earlier this year, I talked to Erin for the first time since that day in 1998. I had a hard time connecting with her on the phone because she travels the world.
When I finally got ahold of her, Erin was in Switzerland with the U.S. swimming team. I was calling to tell her that she was selected to be inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame.
Even though it is not the first Hall of Fame to call her, Erin truly seemed to be blown away by the honor.
Almost every email I have sent to her regarding the details of the induction generates an automatic replay telling me that Erin will get back to me when she gets back into the country.
Next weekend, Erin will take her rightful place alongside the more than 200 Butte sports immortals in the Butte Sports Hall of Fame.
She might be the smallest of those immortals, but she one of only a few who have her own Wikipedia page.
That page, by the way, says that Erin is now 4 feet, 4 ¾ inches tall.
So, not even roller coasters are obstacles any more.
— Bill Foley, who thinks riding roller coasters is overrated anyway, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. 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: Trapper Stajcar and Lily Sandoval
This week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week are Butte Mucker Trapper Stajcar and Mining City Magic player Lily Sandoval.
Stajcar takes home the boys’ accolades after a stellar performance at the Missoula Maverick’s Firecracker Tournament. He helped lead the Muckers to a 3-2 performance. The Butte boys didn’t make the title game, but they beat both teams that did.
On the tournament, Stajcar went 9 for 12 at the plate. The speedy outfielder scored 12 runs and stole 13 bases. In 24 games with the Muckers, Stajcar is batting .444. He has scored 34 runs and swiped 37 bases. Stajcar has only been caught stealing two times, and both times probably should have resulted in a balk call.
Sandoval takes home the girls’ honor for her stellar weekend at the Capital City Classic in Helena. Sandoval sold out with diving catches while batting cleanup all weekend for the 14U Magic, helping lead the girls to the tournament title.
“It’s a joy to watch her, but it is even better to coach her,” said Magic coach McCaul McCarthy, who is shown in the photo with Lily. “Lily’s can-do attitude is contagious, and it was just what we needed pushing into the championship.”
For the second year, Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
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Leskovar sponsoring hole-in-one prize for Hall of Fame scramble
This year’s Butte Sports Hall of Fame celebration will include a chance to win a 2025 Honda CR-V from Leskovar Honda.
Butte’s locally-owned dealership is sponsoring a hole-in-one contest during the Hall of Fame scramble on Friday, July 19 on the Par 3 course of the Highland View Golf Course.
One hole will be designated as the prize hole. That hole has not yet been selected.
The tournament, which will be $10 per person plus green fees for non-members, is open to the public. The tournament has tee times blocked off from 1 to 3 p.m. Players can show up with a team of four or five or come as an individual and join a team.
You do not have to sign up in advance.
The Green Jacket Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 19 at the Civic Center. The event, which is free to the public, begins with a 6 p.m. social hour.
The Induction Banquet begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. That event also begins with a 6 p.m. social hour. Cost is $38 before July 12. Then the cost goes up to $45. Tickets can be purchased at the Butte Civic Center box office or at butteciviccenter.com.
Individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame this year are Steve “Coachie” Schute, Ron Richards, Matt Buckley, Martha (Apostel) Lonner, Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson, Linda (Lyons) Paull, Dan Lean, Erin Popovich, Kyle Smith, Don Tamietti, Bruce Sayler, Betty Merrifield and John Rickman.
Ronnie Counts will receive a Special Olympics award, and all local Special Olympians are invited to come walk down the red carpet to honor Coach Ron.
Teams inducted this year are the 1983, 1984 and 1985 Montana Tech men’s basketball teams, the 1989 Butte High boys’ basketball team, the 1992 Butte High wrestling team, the 1996 Butte High softball team, and the 1999 Butte Central softball team. Teams will be recognized on Friday night before receiving their plaques on Saturday.
In addition to purchasing a ticket, members of those teams are asked to RSVP to Butte Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director Bill Foley so the Hall of Fame can have a plaque for them at the banquet. Call or text Foley at (406) 491-3022 or email him at foles74@gmail.com.
Team members who cannot make the banquet can purchase a plaque for cost, plus shipping.
