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Podcast No. 255: Caden Tippett
Nobody outworks Butte Central junior Caden Tippett when she is competing in a sport. She might not lead the team in points on the basketball court, but she leads the state in floor burns from diving for loose balls.
She might not be the fastest mountain bike rider on Butte’s Copper Sprockets youth racing team, but she is fearless enough to be known for taking headers while riding as fast as she can downhill.
She just might lead the state in road rash. Caden has only one gear, and that is all out. She also has the voice of an angel.
That voice is on display in Caden’s first single, “Ghost,” by Caden Lee, her stage name. The song was released on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your music on Saturday, April 5.
Caden, who can be seen in the Orphan Girl Children’s Theatre performance of “Something Rotten” this Thursday through Sunday, seems destined for big things. She plans to go to school for music and acting, and we already know she has the work ethic to pull off whatever she sets her mind to. Caden somehow crams 30 hours into every day.
She recorded and worked on the production of her single “Ghost” with Butte Central band director Russ Nelson while she was playing basketball for the Maroons. She is working hard to improve her numbers in the shot put and discus while cramming in hour after hour to get ready for a play.
Yesterday, Caden competed in one event at a track meet hosted by Butte High, then raced up town to rehearse her play.
Listen in to this podcast as Caden talks about her busy life and how much she loves competing in sports, performing on stage and signing her songs. Listen as she talks the process of writing and performing the song that has been in the works for quite some time.
Listen to hear her plans for the music video, which will likely be released early next month.
Listen as she talks about her work ethic, which could be attributed to the Tippett or Stillwagon side of her family. Then, make sure to check out Caden’s first single.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty.
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Five Butte boys post wins as Bulldogs host first home track meet
Henderson, Houchin, Wiltsie, Polich, Lee grab victories
Five members of the Butte High track & field team claimed individual victories Tuesday as the Bulldogs hosted a meet with Helena Capital and Butte Central on the Charlie Merrifield Track inside the Gene Fogarty Complex. (Results)
Sam Henderson continued his hot start to his season with two first-place finishes and one second-place showing. Seniors Brett Polich and Tocher Lee also grabbed wins, as did juniors Camden Houchin and Levi Wiltsie.
For the second straight meet, Henderson reached State qualifying standards in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and long jump. He placed second in the hurdles with a time of 15.02 seconds. Capital’s Oliver Moe won in 14.58. Henderson, a future Montana Grizzly won the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 2 inches, and soared 47-1 to win the triple jump.
Lee, who is the leadoff hitter on the Butte High baseball team (more on that later), won the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 1/5 inch. That jump surpasses the qualifying standard by a half an inch, meaning Lee will compete in the State meet in Kalispell.
Bulldog teammates Cohen Andrews, Ryan Hanson and Dylan Bache took the next three spots in the long jump.
Polich won the shot put for the second straight week, this time with a put of 47 feet. He also placed fifth in the discus.
Houchin, who won the 800- and 1,600-meter races last week in Missoula, posted a personal record to win the 80o in 2:01.62. Wiltsie won the 1,600 in 5:07.73.
Capital won the boys’ team title with 100.5 points. Butte High scored 60.5, and Central posted one point. On the girls’ side, Capital won with 119 points. Butte High scored 30.
Butte High’s boys got second-place performances from Mason Leber in the pole vault, Charles Killebrew in the 800 and Lincoln Zell in the 1,600. Hanson, who took third in the long jump, also placed third in the high jump.
Tyler Olsen took third in the pole vault, Jacobe Galle finished third in the 110 hurdles, and Jaeger Hansen finished third in the javelin.
Also, Braydon Pierce took fourth in the javelin, Bradey Doyle finished fourth in the pole vault, Bridger Luebke placed fifth in the 800, Matthew Donaldson took fifth in the javelin, Brady Hanson placed fifth in the high jump and Minor Lee ran to fifth in the 200.
Keefer McGree’s fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles led the Maroons.
Second-place performances by seniors Dylan Bartoletti, Brityn Stewart and Peyton Trabert and sophomore Cadence Graham led the Butte High girls.
Bartoletti took second in the 100 and fourth in the high jump. Stewart took second in the javelin, Graham ran to second in the 400, and Trabert finished second in the pole vault, just ahead of Valleria Trabert, who took third.
Autumn Clary (200), Berkli Salusso (800), Adelaide Thomson (1,600), Penelope Luebke (110 hurdles), and Darby Harrington (high jump) placed third for the Bulldogs. Alyssa Verlanic (800) and Mylee Demarais (shot put) placed fourth, and Kate DeShaw (100) and Jaycee Cleveland (javelin) finished fifth.
Butte Central also competed at the Hamilton Bronc Invitational Friday in Hamilton. (Results)
Justus McGee led the Maroon boys with a fifth-place showing in the 100. He also took sixth in the long jump. Danny McCarthy placed eighth in the 100 for the BC boys. Caden Tippett placed 10th in the shot put to lead the BC girls.
Stajcar’s six RBIs lead Bulldogs past Maroons
Butte High junior Cayde Stajcar showed off his Gatorade form Monday as Bulldog baseball team knocked off Butte Central 19-3 on Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium.
Stajcar, who took home the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year Award last baseball season, went 4 for 4 with a home run, three doubles and a walk. He drove in six runs and scored two.
Stajcar belted a two-run no-doubt home run in the first inning, highlighting a 13-run first frame as the Bulldogs took command early in the game that had been twice postponed by weather.
In all, Butte High pounded 15 hits to back up a strong performance by starter Brooks Vincent. The junior righty scattered three hits and worked around five walks to pick up the wins in three innings.
Koyde Kjersten got the final three outs in the game called by the run rule after four innings.
Second baseman Tocher Lee set the table for the Bulldogs with three stolen bases and four runs scored.
Matthew Donaldson went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, while Gunner Bushman poked two doubles and Will Stepan went 2 for 4 and drove in three. Logan Carden tripled, Teagan Duffy doubled, and Karsen McEwen joined Lee with a single.
Trapper Stajcar, Beau McGree and Gunnar O’Brien singled for the Maroons. McGree, O’Brien and Colt Hassler drove in runs.
The game was the first in nine days for the Bulldogs. The Maroons, meanwhile, played in the frigid cold Thursday in Dillon, falling 8-3 to the Beavers.
In Dillon, the Maroons couldn’t take advantage of 13 free passes — eight walks and five bean balls. Hassler and Jack Nagle each singled for BC. Hassler and Tony Stajcar drove in runs.
Trapper Stajcar took three beanballs. He also walked once, as did O’Brien, Hassler, Nagle, Tony Stajcar, Aiden Ossello, Kelton Keane and Treigh Hollow.
Andrew Bartlome homered and pitched three innings for the win. Will Hansen got the last nine outs for the save. Bartlome also singled.
Trenton Moreni hit two singles, and Cohen Hartman doubled for the Beavers.
On Monday, the Maroons ran into Gabe Banks. He struck out 10 batters and held the Maroons without a hit as the Belgrade Panthers beat Central 10-0 in Belgrade.
Max Dunning homered and drove in three runs to lead Belgrade’s offense. Sawyer Olson and Keegan Cook each drove in two runs.
McGree and Kelton Berger reached on walks for the Maroons.
Butte High will play host to Dillon on Friday before going to East Helena on Saturday. The Maroons play at Laurel on Thursday.
Bulldogs break out for two wins
Butte High’s softball team busted out in a big way this past week.
The Bulldogs piled up a total of 26 hits to pick up Western AA victories over Missoula Hellgate and Missoula Sentinel. Butte used an 18-hit attack to take down Hellgate 20-9 Thursday in Missoula. Then, Butte High downed Sentinel 7-4 Monday at Stodden Park.
Mattie Stepan pounded a pair of doubles and drove in two runs, while Reece Johnson, Gracie Ferriter and Gracie Jonart each poked three hits in the win. Kendallyn Schad homered and singled in a three-RBI performance.
Johnson, Ferriter, Allie Becker and Ashlinn Mullaney doubled in the win. Jonart joined Schad with three RBIs. Stepan drove in two runs, while Johnson, Ferriter, Mullaney, Becker, Ally Godbout and Hailey Skeel each drove in one.
Godbout poked two hits, and Brittyn Klima added a single.
Mullaney pitched the distance for the victory. She struck out 1 and worked around eight walks.
Butte High jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held on for the win Monday at home. Godbout hit a two-run single to highlight Butte’s four-run first inning. Mullaney smoked a three-run home run in the second inning.
Ferriter drilled a pair of singles for Butte, which also got singles from Madisyn Swanson, Jonart, Stepan, Godbout and Schad. Ferriter worked a pair of walks.
Mullaney again went the distance. She struck out nine and walked three in the victory.
Makenna Thorson hit a three-run home run to lead the Spartans.
Butte High, which improved to 2-4 overall and 2-0 in Western AA play, will play host to Helena High Thursday at Stodden. The Dogs will play at Helena Capital on Saturday.
Yellowjackets sting Maroons
Morgan Yaeger limited Butte Central to just wo hits, and Lilly Newsom and Molly Davids each drove in three runs to lead Stevensville to a 15-0 Southwestern A win over the Maroons Saturday in Stevensville.
Yaeger struck out seven batters and walked three in a game called after four innings by the run rule. She also hit a pair of doubles for Stevi, which improved to 3-1 on the season.
Braelynn Schelin and Zayonna Otherbull singled for the Maroons. Schelin also worked a walk, as did Marly Mansanti and Evyn Smith.
Schelin pitched and performed better than her stat line might indicate. She struck out five and was victimized by nine BC errors and six unearned runs.
The Maroons will again try to play their first home game Thursday when Corvallis comes to town for a Southwestern A game. Central will host Hamilton on Saturday.
Central 000 0 — 0 2 9
Stevensville 346 2 — 15 12 0
Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar; Morgan Yeager and Molly Davids. W — Yeager. L — Schelin (0-2).
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-2, 0-1) — Schelin 1-1, Natalie Osterman 0-2, Kodee Badovinac 0-2, Zayonna Otherbull 1-2, Marly Mansanti 0-1, Evyn Smith 0-1, Olivia Scott 0-2, Sawyer Svejkovsky 0-2, Brylee Armstrong 0-1, Stajcar 0-0.
STEVENSVILLE (3-1, 1-1) — Jaidan Oyler 1-3, Lilly Newsom 3-3, S. Maddix Ueager 0-3, Morgan Yeager 2-2, Davids 2-2, Emma Tan 0-2, Handlie Leonard 0-1, Olivia Hanson 1-2, Khloe Frost 2-2, Ciara Des Jarlais 0-1, Emilee Ross 1-3.
2B — Morgan Yeager 2, Hanson, Davids, Oyler, Newsom. RBIs — Newsom 3, Davids 3, Frost 2, Oyler, Morgan Yaeger, Ross.
Bulldog boys pick up win on court
Butte High’s boys’ tennis team both picked up their first wins of the season Saturday at Stodden Park.
Each Bulldog team played Billings Senior and Billings Skyview. Butte High’s boys beat Senior 5-3 and fell 7-1 to Skyview. The Bulldog girls fell 5-3 to Senior and 7-1 to Skyview.
On the boys’ side, Matthew Weldon and Tashi Hanley won on in straight sets on the singles side to help the Bulldogs get the win over the Broncs.
Butte High got three wins in doubles. Cole Skeel and Jason Johns won a tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles, while James and Max Pearston did the same at No. 2.
Playing their first match of the season, Matthew Lockmer and Archer Adams won in straight sets at No. 3.
Against Skyview, Skeel and Jones grabbed Butte’s lone win at No. 2 doubles.
On the girls’ side, Avery Blue won a tiebreaker at No. 3 singles, while Rachel Law won in straight sets at No. 4. Chloe Jewell and Sienna Bradley won in straight sets at No. 2 doubles.
Blue won a tiebreaker in a No. 2 singles match for the lone Butte win against Skyview.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Thursday when they travel to Missoula to take on Hellgate and Sentinel.
BOYS
Butte High 5, Billings Senior 3
Singles
Boone Zoon, Senior, def. Josh Schrader 6-2, 6-2
Matthew Weldon, Butte, def. Nate Washington 6-3, 6-2
Tashi Hanley, Butte, def. Tavin Schilhanek 6-2, 7-5
Karter Hammbemeister, Senior, def. Bryce Gratton 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
Cole Skeel/Jason Johns, Butte, def. Jackson Borgon/Braden Borgon 6-3, 5-7, 11-9
James Pearston/Max Pearston, Butte, def. Parker Howsey/Lukas Goodriddge 3-6, 7-5, 10-7
Matthew Lockmer/Archer Adams, Butte, def. Dean Thompson/Sylas Goodwin 6-4, 6-5
Brogan Fitzgerald/Trek Roan, Senior, def. Miles Gasser/Chase White 6-0, 6-0Billings Skyview 7, Butte High 1
Singles
Kyler Jones, Skyview, def. Weldon 6-0, 6-0
Grant Williams, Skyview, def. Shrader 6-0, 6-0
Billy Benjamin, Skyview, def. Gratton 6-1, 6-3
Chase Lawren, Skyview, def. Indro Paramanik, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Karsh Wohler/Isaac Mosser, Skyview, def. Briggs Joseph/Jaxon Jonart 6-0, 6-0
Skeel/Johns, Butte, def. Eli Edwards/Landon Foreman 6-4 6-1
Jordan Deim/Jackson Adelmar, Skyview, def. Pearston/Pearston 6-3, 6-1
Dean Semitte/Coller Jones, Skyview, def. Hunter LaPier/Kanyon Flynn 3-6, 7-6, 10-4GIRLS
Billings Senior 5, Butte High 3
Singles
Bella Rogge, Senior, def. Carleigh Donaldson 6-0, 6-0
Brinnley Greulou, Senior, def. Alissa Pennock 6-2, 6-1
Avery Blue, Butte, def. Ashley Emineth 5-7, 7-6, 10-6
Rachel Law, Butte, def. Jasmine Trerise 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
Aubrey Kroll/Taryn Leikam, Senior, def. Murphy Sullivan/Ayva Gerry 2-6, 6-4, 10-5
Chloe Jewell/Sienna Bradley, Butte, def. Nora Blackford/Jordan Goodridge 6-3, 6-2
Kassidy Nichols/Kyrie Blads, Senior, def. Bella Babb/Aubbrie Almendinger 6-3, 6-2
Emily Brooke Allman/Wyrston Oken, Senior, def. Allred/Danika Smith 6-0, 6-4Billings Skyview 7, Butte High 1
Singles
Taela Bower, Skyview, def. Law 6-0, 6-3
Blue, Butte, def. Gracie Shea 7-6, 4-6, 10-6
Frankie Struck, Skyview, def. Donaldson 6-1, 6-1
Lilli Hamptman, Skyview, def. Pennock 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
Elaise BauleyKennedy Miller, Skyview, def. Jewell/Bradley 6-2, 6-2
Harbor Farren/Ruby Schelle, Skyview, def. Sullivan/Sophia Groesbeck 6-4, 6-3
Tonya Wardell/Lily Brooke, Skyview, def. Gerry/Hallie Vanderlinden 6-4, 6-0
Kinsey Lierdow/Tori Wright, Skyview, def. Emily Allred/Danika Smith 6-0, 6-2
Maroons finally get matches in
Butte Central’s tennis teams finally got some real action in last week.
The Maroons opened the season Wednesday against Livingston and East Helena Wednesday in Livingston. Then, BC hosted Stevensville on Saturday.
Owen McPartland grabbed the only victory on the boys’ side in the home action against Stevensville. He won a 6-4, 7-6 match at No. 2 singles.
Jim Bradshaw, Joe Bradshaw and Karter Lindau also played singles for the Maroons. Jaxon Hiatt and Aidan McPartland played No. 1 doubles. James Holmes and Conan Holmes played No. 2 doubles, and Connor Hardy and Emmett Foley team for No. 3 doubles.
James and Conan Holmes teamed to win a pro set doubles match in Livingston.
Central picked up three wins on the girls’ side against the Yellowjackets. Logan LeProwse and Arwen Regester each won singles tiebreakers, LeProwse at No. 2 and Regester at No. 3.
Regester won an additional match against Stevensville, too.
Presli Smith, Mackenzie Cupp and Sloan Peterson also played for the BC girls.
The Maroons were set to travel to East Helena on Tuesday. Results from that action have not yet been provided.
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Anaconda-Deer Lodge is sticking it to the Copperheads, not the announcer
One of my favorite things to do when I meet someone from Anaconda is to mention the name Blake Hempstead.
Usually, I don’t even have to say his last name. Sometimes, I don’t even need to finish saying his first name before I get an eyeroll or a smile.
Blake is a guy I have long called the Anaconda town crier. He is a lightning rod in the Smelter City, where it seems like Anaconda residents, past and present, either absolutely love him or they cannot stand him. There is very little, if any, middle ground.
That is because Blake is an unapologetic teller of the truth, as he sees it. He is never afraid to tell someone to get bent if that person needs to, indeed, get bent. He is never afraid to tell someone to get bent, even if that someone does not need to.
He has a master’s degree in burning bridges with a minor in tracklessness.
Full disclosure, Blake is one of my good friends. If I need something — anything — I know that he would come through for me in the blink of an eye. But he is also usually the first one to make fun of me.
When former Anaconda coach Maury Cook was hired to lead the Butte High’s girls’ basketball program, I texted Blake to ask for his phone number. Blake’s response was “(406) 867-5309.” Then he wrote a column to publicly ridicule me for calling Jenny Jenny’s number, as he should have.
Usually, I get a kick out of following Blake’s fights in Anaconda, and there have been many. I laughed when he slammed his laptop and quit as a school board trustee in the middle of a Zoom school board meeting.
He quit the board in a huff, but not before playing an instrumental role in the remodeling of Memorial Gym.
I laughed when he went on a Facebook rampage about the goofy Anaconda people who are feeding the deer. I laughed even more when he publicly called out the organizer of a fun event for dropping quarters on the crowd from a helicopter.
Silly Anaconda.
The thing about Blake, though, is that nobody cares more about his hometown than he does. Not many people have done more for the youth of Anaconda, either. There has certainly never been a media member who has done more.
That does not end with his writing about, taking photos of and broadcasting Anaconda Copperheads games, either. Through his business, Anode Designs, Blake and his family have been very generous to Copperhead sports and the Smelter City over the years.
Last year, Blake spent several hundred dollars of his own money to rent a dunking booth that he placed outside his business on Park Avenue. That day he raised $2,600 for various charitable causes in Anaconda and Butte.
If properly advertised, I figured Blake’s appearance in the dunk booth could have raised enough money to pay off the national debt. Those who love him and those who cannot stand him would have revel in the chance to dunk him.
Maybe Elon can get on that one this summer.
Blake is an incredibly talented writer — especially when he’s blatantly trying to copy my style — and he’s one of the best sports announcers in the state. He is also a great sports historian. He puts the achievements of current Copperheads in perspective with the Copperhead greats of yesterday so they can be properly recognized.
Yes, the student-athletes of Anaconda are lucky to have Blake.
That is why it was so puzzling to see Blake’s latest fight with some of the leaders in Anaconda.
Last year, Blake pulled a trailer into the Charlotte Yeoman-Martin Complex, and he placed it outside the right field fence so he could broadcast Anaconda softball games with some protection from the elements.
He did that because he has some expensive equipment that he does not want to have to replace every time it rains during a home game. This spring, on short notice, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County said Blake needs to have a special use permit and insurance outside the policy he already has for his business, and those are cost prohibitive for a guy who already loses money covering the games.
This sudden demand was puzzling, to say the least, but I was not about to get involved in Blake’s latest fight in Anaconda. He is strong enough to fight for himself, and I am pretty sure he likes those fights. So, he does not need my help.
I shared Blake’s Facebook post about the dispute and asked my usual question, “What in the heck is going on in Anaconda?” But that was going to be the extent of my involvement in the matter.
Then, out of the blue, I received a lengthy text message an Anaconda-Deer Lodge official to inform me a little bit about Blake’s situation before I “did a big story on him.”
Never have I received any sort of preemptive message from a government official to try to stop me from writing or influence a column before I wrote it — or even thought about writing it.
I already suspected that Blake’s dispute was fueled, at least in part, by pettiness and government retribution because of his willingness to tell people to get bent. After all, we see that kind of stuff all the time over here in Butte, America.
The text from the government official, who does not like seeing Blake “playing the victim,” clinched that suspicion for me. That is because the text did not simply try to explain the county’s side of the story. Rather, the text included accusations that Blake fraudulently claimed his radio equipment was stolen from county property to get money from the county on two separate occasions.
The only thing I can say about those allegations is that I would bet my life on Blake’s honesty. Of all the qualities my friend Biff possess, that is one of his strongest. He might be a knucklehead, but he is an honest knucklehead.
Either way, I do not know what that has to do with parking a trailer outside the right field fence. It reeks of an attempt to slander his character in an effort to get a little out-of-court prior restraint.
The result of this dispute was that Blake was not there to broadcast the home opener for the 2025 Copperhead softball team. So, parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents who could not make the game, could not follow Blake’s call on the internet.
Oh, he could have brought his expensive radio gear and risked losing it all in the unpredictable weather of the Montana spring. But would you do that with your expensive equipment?
This week, Blake plans to pull his trailer and park in the parking lot — several hundred feet from home plate — and broadcast the game from there. For some reason, Anaconda-Deer Lodge does not need a special use permit for the publicly-owned parking lot like it suddenly does for the publicly-owned grass.
So, Blake will break out his binoculars and call the game from the Uecker Seats.
He will do that because he knows that those girls who play softball for the Copperheads deserve to have someone call their games. He will do it because it is the right thing to do.
He will also do it to highlight the government overreach that is on full display in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County.
The thing is, it does not matter who is right in this argument. Maybe Blake could have taken steps ahead of time to prevent it. Maybe insurance companies could be more reasonable. Perhaps the county should have just left well enough alone.
Semantics do not matter when we can plainly see that county officials, whatever their motives, are hindering a journalist who is trying to report on high school sports.
No, Blake could not possibly play the victim in this case.
This time, it is Copperheads who are being told to get bent.
— Bill Foley, who also doesn’t mind telling someone to get bent, 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: Brityn Stewart and Sam Henderson
Butte High seniors Brityn Stewart and Sam Henderson are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the Butte High track teams opened the season Tuesday in a meet with Missoula Sentinel in Missoula. The Bulldogs will see their first home action of the season this Tuesday in a meet with Helena Capital and Butte Central on the Charlie Merrifield Track.
Stewart takes home the girls’ honor after winning the javelin with a mark of 115 feet, 3 inches. That mark qualifies Stewart to compete in the event at the Class AA State meet May 22-24 in Kalispell.
There, Stewart will defend her state title in the event. Last May in Great Falls, Stewart uncorked a throw of 130-7 to win the state championship.
Her final track season comes after Stewart wrapped up a remarkable career playing basketball and volleyball for the Bulldogs.
Henderson, who will compete in track & field at the University of Montana, won three events in Missoula, qualifying for the State meet in all of them, to earn the boys’ honor. He won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.06 seconds, cleared 6 feet, 2 inches to win the high jump, and soared 45 feet, 4 inches to top the field in the triple jump.
The big day comes on the heels of a strong indoor season for Henderson, who started his career competing for Butte Central. Henderson placed second in the triple jump and third in the high jump last year at the State meet.
For the third 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 to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photos of Stewart courtesy of Alycia Holland Photography.
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Dougie Peoples again offers chance to train with a champion
Your son or daughter will have the chance to train with one of Butte’s all-time great basketball players again this summer.
Dougie Peoples, a Butte Central legend and current standout for the NAIA National Champion College of Idaho Yotes, will again host “Dougie’s Dribblers” this summer in Butte. “Dougies Dribblers” is a training regimen that will run from June through August. It is open to boys and girls age 7 and up, and training will be held two to three times each week.
Peoples, who hit a 27-foot buzzer beater to lift Butte Central to the 2022 Class A State championship, scored 21 points in the NAIA championship game late last month. He won 2023 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year Award honors. He holds the single-game and all-time scoring record for high school boys in Butte.
During the summer with Dougie, players will learn shooting mechanics and drills and ball handling drills. Training will also focus on the mental aspect of the game. It will include guest coaches and live competitions where players will learn how to compete and become winners.
Call (406) 565-3167 or dougiepeoples10@gmail.com to reserve a spot or for more information.
Only 25 spots are available each session.
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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 7.
Monday
6 p.m. — Cook vs. Poi Time
7 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. ButteSportsTuesday
6 p.m. — Crib Crew vs. Trojans
7 p.m. — Trojans vs. BC
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. Parish
9 p.m. — Hertz vs. ButteSportsWednesday
6 p.m. — Cook vs. Rosary Rattlers
7 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. Jellyfam
8 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. HertzThursday
6 p.m. — Crib Crew vs Parish
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs BC
8 p.m. — Rosary Rattlers vs Poi Time
9 p.m. — Washington Generals vs Someday Starters
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Bulldogs play Maroons Monday
The Butte High vs. Butte Central baseball game has once again been moved, Butte Central announced this morning.
Butte High and Central will now play Monday on Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium. The varsity game is set to begin at 5 p.m., with the JV playing at 3.
The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, but the weather did not cooperate. BC is slated to play in Dillon today. Butte High’s home game today against Lone Peak has been snowed out.
No makeup date has been announced.
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Podcast No. 254: Richard Gibson
He has been called Butte’s “Accidental Historian.”
Richard Gibson was born in Arkansas, raised in Flint, Michigan and educated at Indiana University in Bloomington. You will look long and hard, however, before you find someone who knows more about the history of Butte than Richard.
He is a geologist by trade. That is what Richard studied at Indiana University and the IU Geologic Field Station in Montana’s Tabacco Root Mountains. He analyzed the mineralogy of kidney stones, worked as a geophysicist in the oil industry and interpreted magnetic maps in the former Soviet Union.
Eventually, Richard made his way to Butte because he loved the mountains and the low population. Then he fell in love with the rich history of the Mining City.
Richard started volunteering at the World Museum of Mining and became the education director. He became involved with the Mai Wah Chinese Museum and the local Historic Preservation Commission, and he gave guided history tours of Butte.
He drove and led trolley tours, and he even wrote a book called “Lost Butte, Montana.”
Richard also had a nice run of writing history columns for The Montana Standard. He didn’t just focus on all the stories we already heard about. He instead told us about the obscure, yet instrumental historical characters and places.
Today, you can find Richard on his blog on Substack, where he writes about geology and more. He is currently working on a project on Butte’s Greenway Trail, and I cannot wait to check that out.
Listen in to this podcast as Richard talks about growing up in Flint, his days in Indian and his long road of work that proceeded him coming to Butte. Listen in to hear about the historic “Clown House” he resides in on the Butte Hill. Listen to hear his passion about Butte.
Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
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Henderson qualifies times three as Bulldogs open track season
Future Grizzly wins 110 hurdles, high jump, triple jump
If University of Montana track coaches had second thoughts about signing Butte High senior Sam Henderson, those doubts were erased in a big way Tuesday.
While opening the prep track season in the city of his future college, Henderson attained Class AA State meet qualifying standards in three events in a dual meet with Missoula Sentinel at Missoula County Stadium. (Results)
Henderson won the 110-meter hurdles, the high jump and the triple jump. He finished the short hurdles in 15.06 seconds, cleared 6 feet, 2 inches in the high jump and leapt 45-04 in the triple jump.
While neither were personal bests for the future Grizzly, all three qualified him for State. He was the lone competitor in the triple jump.
In all, Henderson was one of three Bulldogs to reach a qualifying mark on the day. Senior Brett Polich qualified with a victory in the shot put with a launch of 50-1. He also placed third in the discus.
Senior Brityn Stewart, fresh off completing her remarkable basketball career at Butte High, qualified by winning the javelin with a mark of 115-3.
No team scores were kept in the meet, but Butte High saw several other competitors claim victories.
Junior Camden Houchin posted a pair of personal bests while winning the 800- and 1,600-meter races. He finished the 800 in 2 minutes, 4.95 seconds and crossed in 4:38.72 in the 1,600.
Classmate Cohen Andrews jumped 20-1 to win the long jump.
On the girls’ side, freshman Ava Boehmer won the 100 in 13.52, freshman Evelyn Smith took the 800 in 2:34.36 and freshman Penelope Luebke won the 300 hurdles in 59.56. Luebke was the lone finisher in the event.
Also for the Bulldog girls, senior Mylee Demarais took second in the shot put and discus, sophomore Autumn Clary placed second in the 200, freshman Berkli Salusso placed second in the 800, senior Peyton Trabert finished second in the pole vault, and senior Elli Quist took second in the 100. Quist also placed fourth in the 200.
Sophomore Valleria Trabert placed third in the long jump and fourth in the pole vault. Sophomore Millie Guay finished third in the 100, and senior Jaycee Cleveland took third in the javelin.
For the Butte boys, senior Jacob Galle placed second in both hurdles races, junior Ryan Hanson finished second in the high jump and long jump, and senior Mason Leber placed second in the pole vault.
Also, Sam Sampson took third in the 200 and fourth in the 100, senior Matthew Donaldson finished third in the javelin, freshman Brady Hanson finished third in the high jump, and senior Tocher Lee jumped to third in the long jump.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday when they head to Billings to take on West and Skyview. Butte High will host a meet with Helena Capital and Butte Central Tuesday at the Charlie Merrifield Track at Bulldog Memorial Stadium inside the Gene Fogarty Complex.
McGee leads BC track team
Butte Central senior Justus McGee led the way with two two-five performances Saturday as the Maroon track team opened the season at the Frenchtown Invitational. (Results)
The future Rocky Mountain College football player placed fourth in the 100-meter race with a personal-best time of 11.66 seconds on the cold day. He placed fifth in the long jump with a leap 19 feet, 5 ½ inches.
The Corvallis boys scored 79 points to win the meet that saw 25 teams score points on both the boys’ and girls’ sides. Hamilton took second at 77, and Frenchtown placed third at 72. Butte Central scored 9 ½ points.
Dillon won the girls’ crown with 92 points. Havre was second, followed by Frenchtown at 69. Butte Central did not score any team points.
Junior Caden Tippett placed 10th in the shot put with a put of 28-3 to lead the BC girls. Senior Keefer McGree was the only other Maroon to finish in the top 10 in an event. He placed eighth in the 400 with a time of 56.04. Senior Michael Peck placed 14th in the shot put with a mark of 37-4 and 16th in the discus with a throw of 108-10.
Senior Patrick Stimatz placed 16th in the 100 in 10.97, while sophomore Danny McCarthy tied McGree for 17th in 12.03.
Friday, BC will compete at Hamilton on Friday before running in Butte High’s meet on Tuesday.
Maroons, Bulldogs set to clash on diamond
Weather made us making us wait a little longer than planned, but Butte High and Butte Central will meet on the baseball diamond of Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium.
The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but moved back to Friday at because of the weather. Game time is 3 p.m. for the varsity game. The JV will follow at 5.
First, Butte Central is scheduled to play Thursday in Dillon. Butte High is set to play its first home game Thursday against Lone Peak.
The Maroons opened the season at home last Thursday, dropping a 9-0 decision to East Helena at 3 Legends. A day later, BC traveled to Livingston and fell 11-4.
Xavier Nunn went 2 for 2 with three walks, three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Vigilantes. Leadoff hitter Killian Snarr wet 4 for 5. He scored twice. Liam Priebe pitched five innings, striking out eight, to grab the win.
Trapper Stajcar tripled, and Gunner “Goo” O’Brien smacked three singles to lead the Maroons. Colt Hassler worked a pair of walks, and Beau McGree dew one.
Hassler started on the mound and gave up three earned runs. Kelton “Stewie” Keene pitched three innings of relief, giving up two runs.
Liam Edwards drove in three runs, while Brentin Allgood, Ben Ciprani and Coen Braham each knocked in to lead Livingston past BC Friday. Austin Brockett struck out six over five innings to get the win.
Stajcar tripled, singled and stole a pair of bases to lead the Maroons. Treigh Hollow doubled, and Hassler, McGree and Jack Nagle singled. O’Brien struck out five over four and two thirds inning of work. Thanks to BC’s eight errors, he gave up six unearned runs. Aiden Ossello got four outs, two by way of the K.
Butte High lost 7-3 Friday in Belgrade. Less than 24 hours later, the Bulldogs rebounded with a 22-0 win at Townsend.
Junior Jaxon Williamson tossed an abbreviated no-hitter in the game that was called after three innings by the mercy rule. He walked one, and strikeouts accounted for eight of the nine outs he got. Gunner Bushman and Koyde Kjersten homered in Butte’s 12-hit attack. Bushman drove in four runs.
Brooks Vincent smacked three hits, including a double. Cole Solomon hit a double and a single, Evan McEwen doubled, and Tocher Lee, Logan Carden, Karsen McEwen and Tegan Duffy singled.
In Belgrade, leadoff hitter Ryas Olson went 3 for 4 to lead the Panthers, who did their damage on eight singles. The Panthers also took advantage of five Butte errors. Sawyer Olson and Gage Banks each added two singles to to back up Brayton Van Dyken, who struck out seven over six innings to get the win.
Cayde Stajcar, who started on the mound and took a hard-luck loss, homered in a two-hit performance to lead the Bulldogs. Karsen McEwen doubled, and Mathew Donaldson and Duffy each singled.
Maroons pound 12 hits, but fall in Livingston
Butte Central’s softball team smacked 12 hits as the Maroons opened the season Saturday in Livingston.
The Rangers, though, brought their bats, too. Livingston scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off with a 10-9 non-conference victory. After Sophia Rogers hit a two-run double to tie the game, Meleyah Gress hit a single. A fielding error then led to Bronwyn Herman scoring the winning run.
Rogers was on of five Livingston batters with two hits on the game. She drove in four runs from the leadoff spot. Quinci Wood tripled for the Rangers, while Gress, Peyton Coate, Dawson Wood and Chloe Goosey each hit two singles.
Coate pitched four innings of relief to get the win.
Freshman third baseman Kodee Badovinac went 3 for 4 with a triple and a double to lead the Maroon attack. Pitcher Braelynn Schelin and left fielder Cambri Campbell, also freshman, went 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
Junior right fielder Sophia Gelling hit a double and a single, and freshman short stop Natalie Osterman doubled.
BC also got a single from junior catcher Arika Stajcar. Freshman second baseman Evyn Smith joined Stajcar and Osterman with an RBI.
The Maroons are scheduled to play their home opener Thursday against Dillon at Stodden Park. BC is set to travel to Stevensville on Saturday.
Butte Central 053 000 1 — 9 12 2
Livingston 010 301 4 — 10 12 1
Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar; Chloe Goosey, Peyton Coate (4) and Dawson Wood. W — Coate (1-0). L — Schelin (0-1).
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-1) — Schelin 2-4, Cambri Campbell 2-4, Stajcar 1-4, Zayonna Otherbull 0-4, Kodee Badovinac 3-4, Evyn Smith 1-4, Marly Mansanti 0-3, Sophia Gelling 2-4, Natalie Osterman 1-3.
LIVINGSTON (1-0) — Sophia Rogers 2-4, Meleyah Gress 2-5, Tess Goosey 1-3, Kenna Benzel 0-4, Coate 2-4, Wood 1-4, Wood 2-3, Chloe Goosey 2-4, Bronwyn Herman 0-2.
3B — Badovinac; Wood. 2B — Badovinac, Gelling, Osterman; Coate, T. Goosey, C. Goosey, Rogers. RBIs — Schelin 2, Campbell 2, Stajcar, Smith, Osterman; Rogers 4, Gress 2, C. Goosey 2, T. Goosey, Wood.
Panthers put Freese on Bulldogs
Londyn Freese froze the Butte High bats Thursday as the Belgrade Panthers blanked the Butte High’s softball team 4-0 in a non-conference game in Belgrade.
Freese didn’t overpower the Bulldogs. She struck out three and walked three. But she held Butte High to just two hits on the day.
Reese Johnson and Hailey Skeel singled for the Bulldogs. Reese, the second baseman and leadoff hitter, also drew a pair of walks. Skeel walked once.
Ava Lund and Teagan Bowler doubled in runs for the Panthers. Bailee white poked a pair of singles. The Panthers took advantage of three Butte errors, and Ashlinn Mullaney surrendered just one earned run in the loss.
Butte High is slated to play at Missoula Hellgate on Thursday. The Bulldogs will play host to Missoula Sentinel on Saturday.
Before Butte High takes the field again, however, senior first baseman Madisyn Swanson will officially become a Buccaneer. Dawson announced the commitment of Swanson on March 19.
She will sign a letter of intent to play for the Glendive school at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Richardson Gym.
Butte High opens on Missoula courts
Butte High’s tennis teams got in their first action of the season Friday in Missoula. The Bulldogs dropped 8-0 matches to a tough Billings West squad before falling 5-3 in both team matches against the Panthers.
Because of the worsening weather, the matches against Belgrade were scored by pro sets.
Playing No. 1 on the singles side, Butte High’s Matthew Weldon picked up a victory against Belgrade. Tashi Hanley, at No. 3, also grabbed a win. Both won by scores of 8-3.
Butte High’s No. 2 doubles team of Cole Skeel and Drew Hanson picked up an 8-4 win.
For the girls, Butte High got wins out of No. 2 Avery Blue and No. 3 Carliegh Donaldson. Both won with 8-3 scores.
Chloe Jewell and Sieena Bradley teamed for an 8-5 win at No. 5 doubles.
The Bulldogs will play their first home matches of the season Friday, taking on Billings Skyview and Missoula Sentinel at Stodden Park. Missoula Big Sky will also be in town to battle Skyview and Sentinel.
BOYS
Belgrade 5, Butte High 3
Singles
Matthew Weldon, Butte, def. Tallon Blackburn 8-3
Conner Kelley, Belgrade, def. Jason Johns 8-4
Tashi Hanley, Butte, def. Peyton Pittman 8-3
Dexter McKenna, Belgrade, def. Bryce Gratton 8-6
Doubles
Grey Pommerville/Linus McKenna, Belgrade, def. Josh Schrader/Philip Russo 8-7
Cole Skeel/Drew Hanson, Butte, def. Owen Plagmann/Cameron Hansaker 8-4
Stryker Putman/Dylan Delph, Belgrade, def. Hunter LaPier/Kanyon Flynn 8-4
Carl Shaneman/Kasey Clemens, Belgrade, defMaxximus Pearston/James Pearston 8-7Billings West 8, Butte High 0
Singles
Ty Graham, West, def. Johns 6-0, 6-0
Luke Wilkinson, West, def. def. Weldon 6-1, 6-0
David Kauwe, West, def. Hanley 6-0, 6-3
Cole Lozier, West, def. Gratton 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Dallin Abrams/Anderson Hurst, West, def. Shrader/Russo 60, 6-0
Grant Wassmer/Mathew Paulsen, West, def. Skeel/Hanson 6-4, 6-2
Christian Allies/Camden Worthington, West, def. LaPier/Flynn 6-0, 6-0
Tanner Ludwig/Owen Thayer, West, def. Mason Johnson/Archer Adams 6-2, 6-1GIRLS
Belgrade 5, Butte 3
Singles
Nalalia Smelana, Belgrade, def. Murphy Sullivan 8-1
Avery Blue, Butte, def. Ivory Davis 8-3
Carliegh Donaldson, Butte, def. Isobel Cunningham 8-3
Val Moreno, Belgrade, def. Allisa Pennock 7-2
Doubles
Lexi Thom/Teagan McMahon, Belgrade, def. Sofia Groesbeck/Avya Gerry 8-0
Chloe Jewell/Sieena Bradley, Butte, def. Kimber Andres/Amelia Plagmann 8-5
Ruby Blossam/Delia Turner, Belgrade, def. Isabella Babb/Rachel Law 8-2
Jolene Turner/Kayli Tunrer, Belgrade, def. Rory Trafford/McKenzie Reed 8-1Billings West 8, Butte High 0
Singles
Jennifer Mathison, West, def. Donaldson 6-0, 6-0
Annabelle Peterson, West, def. Sullivan 6-0, 6-1
Anna Beacham, West, def. Blue 6-0, 6-0
Mia Hatzel, West, def. def. Pennock 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
Piper Abrams/Cambry Magone, West, def. Jewell/Bradley 6-0, 6-0
Abbey Thayer/Tiffany Williams, West, def. Groesbeck/Gerry 6-1, 6-0
Marissa Bruyure/Addison Townsend, West, def.Babb/Law 6-0, 6-2
Brooklyn Jepperson/Taylor Atkinson, West, def. Trafford/Reed 6-0 6-0
BC tennis postponed again
Butte Central’s tennis team will start the season. Sometime. It will. Maybe even as early as Wednesday.
BC’s season-opening action was rescheduled for the second time this week because of snow. The Maroons were set to go to Livingston to compete with Livingston, Dillon and Hardin.
That meet has been rescheduled for Wednesday. Of course, that was anything but a certainty to happen on the latest scheduled day.
Central is scheduled to play host to Stevensville Friday at Stodden Park.
Of course, the spring schedule is always subject to change. Click here for Butte High’s updated schedules. Click here for Central’s.
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‘Butte mess’ does not speak well for the ‘Can Do City’
In July of 1987, Butte earned a new moniker.
Things were finally starting to look up in the Mining City after the closing of the mines led to an economic depression in the 1980s. The Our Lady of The Rockies statue had been sitting atop the East Ridge for a year and a half, playground equipment from the Columbia Gardens was being fitted into Clark Park, Emma Park was being built, and the Northwest Little League field was receiving a makeover.
Unemployment was down, people were building, and the tax base was once again growing.
“A couple of years ago, people had written Butte off as dead,” Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Don Peoples said at the time.
That summer, we were finally lifting our head above water and looking toward better days.
That is when Peoples did an interview with a reporter from KBLG Radio in Billings. The reporter, who seemed surprised to learn the resilient community had rebounded so well from the economic disaster, referred to Butte as the “Can Do City.”
Peoples loved that, and he turned that into a slogan that seemed to perfectly embody the spirit of Butte. Then, Peoples used that motto for the local government.
Nearly four decades later, Butte’s local government has apparently changed that motto to “Let’s let Helena handle it for us.”
Now, we have legislators scratching their heads and referring to legislation in front of them as the “Butte mess.”
That is because our local government allowed one of Butte-Silver Bow’s biggest in-house disputes to be punted to the Montana Legislature, letting elected representatives from the other 55 counties make an important decision for us.
That is what is happening with House Bill 547. The bill, which has passed the House and is now in the hands of the Senate, would basically change Montana law to strip power from our volunteer firefighters and give full authority to the county’s director of fire services.
This is not to say that House Bill 547 is a bad bill. It is not to say it is a good bill. It is just complicated, to say the least.
Officials and firefighters on both sides of the dispute have made strong cases as to why the bill is either an absolute necessity or an unmitigated disaster.
The Butte-Silver Bow charter currently gives full power to the director of fire services. However, state law gives more autonomy to the volunteer fire departments, which are all led by their own chief.
This has led to some problems.
Many volunteers say they will quit if the bill to change Montana law passes, and it seems like we could see as many as 30 percent of the volunteers resign immediately after the bill hits the governor’s desk.
We could be talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of years of firefighting experience walking out the door.
The bill, which likely would be better if it was worked on with input from both sides, very well could be a good thing. It will probably fix some problems, but it could also cause many new problems.
It is the process behind the bill that stinks. It is the continued lack of transparency from our local government that has eroded the trust and confidence.
That lack of transparency has made an already contentious issue many times worse.
This dispute should have been settled in Butte. It could have been settled in Butte. It would have been settled in Butte if only it was given the chance for some good-faith negotiation and compromise.
We all know about the rift between volunteer and career firefighters that has existed for as long as there have been volunteer and career firefighters. Lately, though, the battle among leaders has made the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys seem like a minor disagreement.
That is a shame because, unlike in Charlottesville, there really are very fine people on both sides of this argument.
There are heroes on both sides of the dispute.
Our career firefighters leave work and say goodbye to their loved ones knowing in the back of their mind that they might not come home when their shift is over. We almost lost one of our firefighters at a house fire a couple of years ago.
Likewise, our volunteers go to bed every night with the realization that they could be awakened to battle a deadly blaze.
When that fire does strike, those career firefighters work well along with the volunteers to protect the people of Butte and Silver Bow County. They might not always agree, but they work together to get the job done.
Time after time, they get the job done.
Now, House Bill 547 is giving all those heroes a black eye.
“It’s a Butte mess,” said Anaconda Representative Scott DeMarois, who carried the bill in the House. “Is it ever,”
This is not fair to the volunteer or career firefighters. It is not fair to the volunteer chiefs. It is not fair to the leaders of the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department.
It is also not fair to our commissioners.
During Friday’s Senate hearing, a Democratic senator from Missoula referenced a letter she received from a Butte-Silver Bow employee on the subject. Then, the senator berated Commissioner Trudy Healy over the letter that Healy and other commissioners present had not been allowed to see.
Commissioners keep getting varying accounts of the issues behind the bill, too. Whether it’s safety, liability, accountability to taxpayers or something else, we seem to be denied those answers because the whole process lacks transparency.
The truth is that this mess was caused by a vacuum of leadership and openness by our local government.
What we do know now — thanks to a Republican senator asking questions — is the process that led to this bill started in secret America Rescue Plan Act committee meetings in 2022 and 2023.
Who is at fault for the mess, and who is in charge? Well, it depends on who you ask. The fingers are pointing in all directions.
At a heated meeting of the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners last October, Commissioner Jim Fisher practically ordered Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher to step up and solve the problem, and Gallagher said that he would.
That meeting ended with the understanding that, among other things, both sides would work together. But that, of course, never happened.
House Bill 547 was introduced in November, and the members of the council did not hear about it until the bill was being read in the House in late February.
At a heated commission hearing last week, Gallagher responded to accusations that he helped plan this bill in “secret meetings” by saying he did not know about it until right before its first hearing. Then, almost as a last-minute thing, he decided to testify for it in the House.
He testified for the bill again Friday during the Senate hearing, where angry arguments carried out into the hallway.
Fisher wondered if not knowing that the bill was coming — even though Butte-Silver Bow has at least one lobbyist in Helena — was any better than knowing and keeping it a secret. Fisher replied that either way it was an example of poor leadership.
Whether or not Fisher’s statement is correct or fair is beside the point. That is for history to decide.
No matter what, this issue should have been worked on long before it got to this point. That it was allowed to fester, even though many on both sides have long been vocal about the problems, is unacceptable.
Hopefully the Senate makes the decision that will work out the best in the long run for Butte and Silver Bow County. It is just too bad that Butte-Silver Bow was not allowed to solve a Butte-Silver Bow problem.
Right now, the rest of the state is laughing at us.
They must be wondering what in the heck ever happened to the “Can Do City.”
— Bill Foley, whose heroes have always been firefighters, 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.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 