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KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of Jan. 12.
Monday
7 p.m. — Poi Time vs. ButteSports
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. HoopballasTuesday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Someday Starters
8 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Kenworthy
9 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Poi TimeWednesday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Hoopballas
8 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. KenworthyThursday
7 p.m. — City Boys vs. ButteSports
8 p.m. — City Boys vs. Washington Generals
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Bulldogs grab another Kalispell sweep
KALISPELL — The Butte High Bulldogs picked up another sweep of a Kalispell school Saturday.
Less than 24 hours after the Bulldogs took two from Flathead, they swept Glacier in a Western AA doubleheader. The Butte girls won 70-37 before the boys rolled their record to 7-0 with a 72-57 victory.
Both Bulldog teams are now 2-0 in conference play. The Butte girls moved above .500 at 4-3 overall. Butte High will take on the Helena school next week.
The boys head to Capital on Thursday before playing host to Helena High on Saturday. Butte’s girls will host Capital Thursday and head to Helena High on Saturday.
BOYS
Butte High 72, Glacier 57
The Bulldogs pulled off the Kalispell sweep for the third straight season.This time, Butte High had to come from behind to keep their record perfect. The Wolfpack led 29-27 at halftime, but the Bulldogs outscored Glacier 45-28 after the break.
Hudson Luedtke, who entered the trip with a sore ankle, scored 29 points to lead a Bulldog effort that saw four Butte players reach double figures. He scored 16 points in the second half.
Rhett Arntson scored 13 points for the Dogs, while Cayde Stajcar and Mitch Verlanic each scored 12. Brady Hanson tossed in six points.
Ryan Hanson, Raeder Grey, Kendel Noctor and James Pearston also contributed for Butte High.
Cooper Pelk scored 17 points to lead the Wolfpack. Asher Knopik added 13.
Butte High is expected to get senior Josh Liston back next week. He missed the last three games with a toe injury.
BUTTE HIGH (7-0, 2-0) — Cade Stajcar 6 0-0 12, Rhett Arntson 4 0-0 13, Hudson Luedtke 9 9-11 29, Mitch Verlanic 4 0-0 12, Brady Hanson 2 2-2 6, James Pearson 0 0-0 0, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0, Raeder Grey 0 0-2 0, Ryan Hanson 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 11-16 72.
GLACIER — Copper Pelc 6 3-8 17, Ethan Kastelitz 2 0-0 6, Talis Pitts 2 3-5 8, Asher Knopik 5 5-7 13, Carter Knopik 2 2-4 7, Tate Kahler 0 0-0 0, Hudson Kastelitz 1 0-0 3, Ryne Gillette 1 1-1 3, Hunter Daniels 0 0-0 0, Blake Pittman 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-25 57.
Butte 10 17 21 24 — 72
Glacier 14 15 13 15 — 57
3-point goals — Butte 9 (Verlanic 4, Arntson 3, Luedtke 2), Glacier 7 (Pelc 2, E. Kastelitz 2, H. Kasterlitz, Pitts, C. Knopik). Fouls — Butte 15, Glacier 17. Fouled out — A. Knopik. Technical — Butte bench.
GIRLS
Butte High 70, Glacier 37Butte High’s girls made it a 2-0 trip, and they made it look easy.
The Graham sisters — Cadence and Ellison — each scored 16 points to lead the Bulldogs, who took command with a 21-9 first quarter. Butte High led 38-17 at the break.
Ellison Graham knocked down four 3-poitners, while Cadence sank two.
Autumn Clary had what was perhaps her biggest offensive night for the Bulldogs. The defensive menace scored 14 points.
Butte High also got nine points from Allie Becker, eight from Emma Johnson, six from Saege Grey and three from Kendallyn Schad. Avery Barsness, Reese Johnson, Ellie Yates and Stella Callaghan also contributed for the Bulldogs.
Karley Allen scored 14 to lead the Wolfpack.
BUTTE HIGH (4-3, 2-0) — Allie Becker 3 3-4 9, Cadence Graham 6 2-2 16, Autumn Clary 6 1-1 14, Franki Salusso 0 0-0 0, Emma Johnson 4 0-0 8, Ellison Graham 6 0-0 16, Saege Grey 2 2-3 6, Kendallyn Schad 1 1-1 3, Reese Johnson 0 0-0 0, Ellie Yates 0 0-0 0, Stella Callaghan 0 0-0 0, Avery Barsness 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 8-10 72.
GLACIER — Lucy Holloway 0 0-0 0, Karley Allen 5 2-2 15, Miley Fritz 1 0-2 2, Remi Osler 3 0-0 6, Olivia Warriner 1 0-0 2, Nika Wagerin 2 0-0 4, Addison Brisendine 0 0-0 0, Kiera Lindsay 0 0-0 0, Alauna Hagen 1 1-2 4. Totals 15 3-6 37.
Butte 21 17 14 15 — 70
Glacier 9 8 10 10 — 37
3-point goals — Butte 7 (E. Graham 4, C. Graham 2, Clary), Glacier 4 (Allen 3, Hagen). Fouls — Butte 11, Glacier 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none. -
Butte Central opens conference play with convincing wins over Stevi
Butte Central’s basketball teams opened Southwestern A play Saturday with convincing wins over Stevensville.
The Maroon boys went on the road to beat the Yellowjackets 74-39. Central’s girls won 59-23 at the Maroon Activities Center.
Central’s teams will be back in action Tueday against Frenchtown. The girls will be on the road, and the boys will play at home.
BOYS
Butte Central 74, Stevensville 39
STEVENSVILLE — The Maroons outscored the Yellowjackets 27-8 in the first quarter and never looked back. BC led 47-16 at halftime.Joshua Sutton sank four 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead the Maroons, who connected on nine shots from behind the arc. Noah Sutton scored 10 points, while Ryan Peoples, Cade Kelly and Henly Mansanti each scored nine points in the win.
GG Fantini scored seven points, Jaxon Hiatt tossed in six, and Burkley Lakkala netted two. Gunner O’Brien, Carson Gillis, Teghan Sparks and Grady Button also contributed for the Maroons.
BUTTE CENTRAL (6-1, 1-0) — Ryan Peoples 4 1-1 9, Cade Kelly 3 1-2 9, Joshua Sutton 7 4-4 22, GG Fantini 3 1-1 7, Jaxen Hiatt 3 0-0 6, Noah Sutton 3 2-4 10, Henly Mansanti 4 0-0 9, Burkley Lakkala 0 2-2 2, Gunner O’Brien 0 0-0 0, Carsen Gillis 0 0-0 0, Teghan Sparks 0 0-0 0, Grady Button 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 7-11 74.
STEVENSVILLE — Kaden Wyant 3 3-5 10, McCoy Endres 3 2-4 8, Clay McKay 1 0-0 3, Trenton Scharff 1 0-0 3, Lucas Eberhardt 0 1-3 1, Taeshawn Luster 4 2-8 10, Jack Conrad 0 0-0 0, Kellen Hughes 0 0-0 0, Braedy Hayes 0 0-0 0, Luca Schmidt 1 2-2 4, Zaydon Williams 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 20-22 39.
Central 27 20 20 7 — 74
Stevensville 8 8 19 13 — 39
3-point goals — BC 9 (J. Sutton 4, N. Sutton 2, Kelly 2, Mansanti), Stevi 3 (Wyant, McKay, Scharff. Fouls — BC 22, Stevi 14. Fouled out — Lakkala.
GIRLS
Butte Central 59, Stevensville 23
Eighth grader Jordyn Samson had her second big game of the week, scoring 16 points to lead the Maroons to the win.BC led throughout, taking a 14-5 advantage after one quarter before leading 32-12 at halftime.
Zayonna Otherbull scored 11 points for the Maroons, and Arika Stajcar added nine points while playing with a sprained ankle.
The Maroons also got six points from Rylee Forbes, four from Evyn Smith, three from Jaedyn Maldonado and Mila Carriger, and two from Caden Tippett, Marly Mansanti and Luci Fantini. Braelynn Schelin added one point for the Maroons, whose defense was relentless the whole way.
Addi Drye scored 12 points to pace the Yellowjackets.
STEVENSVILLE — Addi Drye 4 3-6 12, Hadlie Leonard 1 1-2 4, Emma Tan 0 1-2 1, Kayden Tolley 1 1-3 3, Marley Gilleard 0 0-2 0, Talyn Bean 0 1-1 1, Nevaeh Meeder 0 0-0 0, Josie Randles 1 0-0 2. Totals 7 7-17 23.
BUTTE CENTRL (3-4, 1-0) — Jordyn Samson 6 2-4 16, Zayonna Otherbull 4 3-5 11, Rylee Forbes 3 0-0 6, Braelynn Schelin 0 1-4 1, Arika Stajcar 4 1-1 9, Luci Fantini 0 2-2 2, Jaedyn Maldonado 1 1-2 3, Natalie Osterman 0 0-0 0, Marly Mansanti 1 0-0 2, Mila Carriger 2 0-0 3, Evyn Smith 2 0-0 4, Caden Tippett 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 8-8 59.
Stevensville 5 7 4 7 — 23
Central 14 18 13 14 — 59
3-point goals — Stevi 2 (Drye, Leonard), BC 3 (Samson 2, Carriger). Fouls — Stevi 19, BC 19. Fouled out — Tan, Gilleard. Technicals — none. -
Bulldogs open conference play with sweep of Flathead
KALISPELL — The Butte High boys’ and girls’ basketball teams opened Western AA Conference play with wins over Kalispell Flathead Friday night.
Butte’s girls beat the Bravettes 40-25 before the Bulldog boys rolled their record to 6-0 with a 75-48 rout of the Braves.
The Bulldogs will stay the night in Kalispell to play Glacier on Saturday. The girls play at 2 p.m., with the boys following at about 3:30.
BOYS
Butte High 75, Flathead 48The Bulldogs outscored the Braves 48-26 in the second half, busting open a game they led 27-22 at the half.
Hudson Luedtke continued his great senior campaign with a game-high 29 points. He sank five 3-pointers and registered his first dunk in a varsity game.
Bulldog coach Matt Luedtke cited the play of Mitch Verlanic. The senior scored 13 points, knocking down three 3-pointers.
Butte High also got six points apiece from Cayde Stajcar and Rhett Arntson, five from Brady Hanson, and four from Raeder Grey and James Pearston. Kaleb Celli, Koda Schleeman and Ryan Hanson also contributed for the Bulldogs.
Hunter Fann’s nine points paced the Braves. Ben Reichner and Reece Brotherton each scored seven, while Eli Coopman scored six.
BUTTE HIGH (6-0, 1-0) — Cayde Stajcar 3 0-2 6, Rhett Arntson 2 0-0 6, Mitch Verlanic 5 0-0 13, Brady Hanson 1 3-6 5, Hudson Luedtke 8 8-9 29, Kaleb Celli 0 0-0 0, James Pearston 2 0-0 4, Koda Schleeman 0 0-0 0, Raeder Grey 2 0-2 4, Ryan Hanson 0 0-2 0. Totals 26 11-21 75.
FLATHEAD (1-4, 0-1) — Eli Coopman 2 2-2 6, Ben Reichner 3 0-3 7, Lance Schneiter 1 3-6 5, Reece Brotherton 3 0-4 7, Boston Case 2 0-0 4, Hunter Fann 4 1-2 9, Kyler Kossman 2 0-0 4, Leum Sasbury 1 0-0 2, Sam McConnell 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 6-17 48.
Butte 19 8 22 26 — 75
Flathead 11 11 15 11 — 48
3-point goals — Butte 12 (Luedtke 5, Verlanic 3, Noctor 2, Arntson 2), Flathead 2 (Brotherton, Reichner). Fouls — Butte 17, Flathead 17. Technical fouls — Butte, team.
GIRLS
Butte High 40, Flathead 25
Defense traveled with the Bulldog girls.Butte took a 22-17 lead into halftime and then took command in the third quarter, outscoring Flathead 12-1.
Cadence Graham poured in four 3-poitners and scored 16 points to pace the Bulldog offense. Allie Becker added eight points for Butte, which got six from Franki Salusso, four from Autumn Clary and two apiece from Ellison Grham, Saege Grey and Emma Johnson.
Kendallyn Schad also contributed for the Bulldogs, who evened their overall record at 3-3.
Brynn Kossman’s seven points led the Bravettes.
BUTTE HIGH (3-3, 1-0) — Allie Becker 2 3-4 8, Cadence Graham 4 4-8 16, Autumn Clary 2 00 4, Franki Salusso 3 0-0 6, Emma Johnson 1 0-0 2, Ellison Graham 1 0-0 2, Saege Grey 1 0-0 2, Kendallyn Schad 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-12 40.
FLATHEAD (0-5, 0-1) — Makenna Aldrich 2 0-0 4, Tayler Greene 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Converse 1 1-2 3, Brynn Kossman 3 1-2 7, Grace Gall 2 0-0 5, Lexi Herion 1 0-2 2, Gracie Mae Kilmer 0 1-2 1, Teagan Flint 0 0-0 0, Reese Rosenberg 1 0-0 3. Totals 10 3-8 25.
Butte 12 10 12 6 — 40
Flathead 8 9 1 7 — 25
3-point goals — Butte 5 (C. Graham 4, Becker), Flathead 2 (Gall, Resenberg). Fouls — Butte 15, Flathead 15. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none. -
Podcast No. 315: Aaron Woliczko
Aaron Woliczko served as the head coach of the Montana Tech’s men’s basketball team from 2010 through 2013. He had the program clearly pointed in the right direction when he and his family decided to move back to California.
Not long after that, Coach Woliczko started what has to be considered a dream job with the West Coast Conference. He is currently the senior associate commissioner for men’s basketball and sports administration.
In that job, he gets to rub elbows with some of the best coaches in the world. He has attended multiple Final Fours as part of his job, getting to sit in the good seats with the other “suits.”
Before he got into coaching, Woliczko was a three-sport athlete at Santa Cruz High School in California. He played basketball in junior college before taking his talent to the University of the Pacific, where he helped the Tigers win back-to-back Big West Conference titles.
Wolcizko’s Tigers went 24-6 and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1997. That team was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame.
As a senior in 1998, Woliczko and the Tigers went 23-10. He played most of the season with a broken hand. He also shared the court with teammate Michael Olowokandi, who was drafted with the first pick of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Today, Coach Woliczko is not the most famous athlete in his family. That would be his daughter, McKenna. She is a senior basketball and softball star at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Bruno, California. She is also a five-star basketball recruit who recently committed to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Aaron and his wife Erika also have a son, James, who was born after the family moved back to California. Look for big things to come from him someday, too.
Listen in to this episode as Coach Woliczko talks about growing up in California and playing basketball at Pacific.
Listen as he talks about his days coaching the Orediggers and some of the great players who brought to town. Listen to hear how much he loves his current job and what it is like to be the father of a five-star recruit in the days of Name Image and Likeness.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda of Butte, home of the sales staff that always has your back. This episode is also available on YouTube:
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BC sweeps Copperheads in Snake Pit
ANACONDA — Butte Central’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams opened 2026 with a road sweep of a longtime rival Thursday night at Memorial Gym.
Butte Central’s girls’ opened the doubleheader with a 37-22 win over Anaconda. The Maroon boys closed out the night with a 55-49 victory over the Copperheads in the night cap.
The Maroons open Southwestern A play Saturday against Stevensville. The girls will play at the Maroon Activities Center, while the boys will hit the road. Both games are set to start at 3 p.m.
BOYS
Butte Central 55, Anaconda 49
Joshua Sutton and Ryan Peoples combined to score 37 points to lead the Maroons to victory.Both sank three 3-pointer son the night. Sutton finished with 19 points, and Peoples tossed in 18.
The Maroons led 19-13 after the first quarter and took a 28-23 lead into halftime. Central led 40-34 after three quarters.
Jaxon Hiatt added five points for the Maroons, who got four apiece from GG Fantini and Burkley Lakkala, three from Noah Sutton and two from Cade Kelly.
Travis Dye had a big night, scoring 21 points to lead the Copperheads. He connected on five shots from 3-point range.
Brody Galle added 10 points for Anaconda. Shane Schalk scored seven, while Jesse Jones tossed in five, Kyson Patrick netted four, and Carson Lacey scored two.
BUTTE CENTRAL (5-1) — Ryan Peoples 6 3-6 18, Cade Kelly 1 0-0 2, Joshua Sutton 6 404 19, GG Fantini 2 0-0 4, Jaxon Hiatt 1 3-3 5, Noah Sutton 1 0-0 3, Henly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Burkley Lakkala 1 2-3 4. Totals 18 12-19 55.
ANACONDA (5-2) — Jesse Jones 2 1-2 5, Shane Schalk 3 1-3 7, Brody Galle 3 2-6 10, Teague Cromwell 0 0-0 0, Carson Lacey 1 0-0 2, Travis Dye 6 5-5 21, Treyton Patrick 0 0-0 0, Kyson Patrick 1 2-3 4. Totals 16 10-20 49.
Butte Central 19 9 12 15 — 55
Anaconda 13 10 11 14 — 49
3-point goals — BC 7 (Peoples 3, J. Sutton 3, N. Sutton), 7 (Dye 5, Galle 2). Fouls — BC 20, Anaconda 19. Fouled out — none.
GIRLS
Butte Central 37, Anaconda 22
Jordyn Samson made the most of her first trip to the Snake Pit with the Maroons.The eighth grader sank three 3-pointers and matched teammate Zayonna Otherbull with 12 points to lead the Maroons to the victory.
Central outscored the Copperheads 12-2 in the first quarter and led the rest of the way. BC led 17-12 at the half and 26-16 after three quarters.
Rylee Forbes and Arika Stajcar each added four points for the Maroons. Braelynn Schelin and Luci Fanti scored two apiece, and Jaedyn Maldonado tossed in one.
Jade Moses scored eight points to lead the Copperheads. Averie Sandoval added seven points for Anaconda, which also go four from Jasmine Johnson, two from Addi Case and one from Addi Olson.
BUTTE CENTRAL (2-4) — Jordyn Samson 4 1-2 12, Evyn Smith 0 0-2 0, Zayonna Otherbull 5 2-5 12, Rylee Forbes 1 2-2 4, Braelynn Schelin 2 0-2 2, Jaedyn Maldonado 0 1-6 1, Luci Fantini 1 0-0 2, Arika Stajcar 2 0-0 4. Totals 14 6-19 37.
ANACONDA (1-6) — Jade Moses 3 2-4 8, Addi Case 1 0-0 2, Addi Jovanovich 0 0-0 0, Addi Olson 0 1-4 1, Quincy Saltenberger 0 0-0 0, Jasmine Johnson 1 2-4 4, Averie Sandoval 2 3-4 7, Meika Boyer 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 8-18 22.
Central 12 5 9 11 — 37
Anaconda 2 10 4 6 — 22
3-point goals — BC 3 (Samson 3), Anaconda 0.Fouls — BC 20, Anaconda 18. Fouled out — Jovanovich. -
Podcast No. 314: Cadence Graham
Cadence Graham did not want to move to Butte. It was hard to blame her, either.
She was about to be an eighth grader in Belt. She was looking forward to continuing school and sports with her friends.
But Montana Tech hired her father, Jeff, to coach the women’s basketball team, and the family moved to the Mining City in the summer of 2022. It turned out to be a very good move for Montana Tech, Cadence Graham and the Butte High Bulldogs.
Cadence started playing basketball for the Bulldogs as an eighth grader at East Middle School. She split time between junior varsity and varsity before taking a larger role with the varsity team. She then led the team in scoring in a win over Butte Central.
Last Friday, Cadence became just the second Butte High girl to join the 1,000-point club. She also runs track for the Bulldogs, and she plays libero on the Bulldog volleyball team.
Since she is just a junior, Bulldog fans still have a lot more time to watch Cadence as she tries to help lead the Bulldog basketball team back to the Class AA State tournament. She also has time to make a run at Lexi Nelson’s school record of 1,696 points.
Listen in to this episode as Cadence she talks about how difficult it was for her to leave Belt for the Mining City. Listen as she talks about growing up with two coaches as parents. Her mother, Megan, is in the Montana Western Hall of Fame for hoops.
Listen as she talks about playing for Bryan Arntson and fighting at practice with her sister, Ellison. Listen to her big plans for the 2025-26 Bulldogs.
Listen in to hear that she realized moving to Butte turned out to be a very good thing.
Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat. This episode is also available on YouTube:
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Cadence Graham joins exclusive club
Butte boys off to best start in decades, wrestlers dominate
When Montana Tech hired Jeff Graham to coach its women’s basketball team in August of 2022, we had no idea it would have such a major impact on Butte High’s girls’ basketball program.
Graham and his wife Megan (Schmitz), a Montana Western Hall of Famer, moved to town with their four children. They came from Belt, where Jeff led highly-successful runs for the high school football and girls’ basketball teams.
About 3 and a half years later, their daughter, Cadence Graham, has joined some exclusive company in Mining City sports. The 5-foot-7 junior guard scored 12 points in Butte High’s 68-47 non-conference loss to defending Class AA State champion Gallatin Friday night at the Butte Civic Center.
That put Graham at 1,001 career varsity points. She is now one of just two Butte High girls to enter the 1,000-point club. The other is the great Lexie Nelson, a 2010 Bulldog graduate who scored 1,696 career points.
Graham is one of nine girls in Mining City high school history with 1,000 points. Seven of them are from Butte Central. The Maroons in the club are Kellie Johnson (1,530), Brooke Badovinac (1,330), Quinn (Peoples) Carter (1,224), Mollie (Peoples) McCamley (1,199), Kloie Thatcher (1,172), Emily St. John (1,073) and Meg (Haran) Murphy (1,048).
All seven of those BC players went on to standout careers in college. Badovinac is currently playing for Montana Tech. Johnson and Murphy are Butte Sports Hall of Famers.
Graham first started playing varsity for the Bulldogs as an eighth grader during the 2022-23 season. That was the first year eighth graders were eligible to play varsity sports, and she split time between the varsity and junior varsity teams.
Graham first made a name for herself in Butte when she scored a game-high 18 points as Butte High beat Butte Central 62-32 Jan. 31, 2023 at the Butte Civic Center. Big game after big game followed that performance.
Last season, Graham averaged 18.0 points and 3.2 assists per game in the regular season, and then helped lead the Bulldogs to the third-place game of the Class AA State tournament in Bozeman.
Graham’s 443 points last season ranked fifth all time for the Bulldogs, and it left her with 905 career points at the end of the campaign. She has scored 96 points through five games this season, including a 38-point performance in a season-opening win at Bozeman.
Sammy McGree ranks third on Butte High’s all-time scoring list with 936 points. Ally Cleverly (892), Brityn Stewart (838) and Butte Sports Hall of Famer Anna (Fabatz) Keltner (817) are the only other Bulldogs to score more than 800 points their career.
Graham will look to add onto that total Friday and Saturday when the Bulldogs play Flathead and Glacier in Kalispell. The Butte High boys will also be on the trip.
On Friday, the girls play at 6 p.m., and the boys will play at 7:30. The doubleheader starts with the girls play at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The boys’ play at 3.
Butte High’s girls will take a 2-3 record on the road after a brutal early-season schedule. The Bulldog boys are riding high at 5-0.
Dogs off to hot start
The last time Butte High’s boys’ basketball team started the season at 5-0, Curtis Smith was running the point.
Butte High is undefeated after five games for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign that saw the Bulldogs fall in the Class AA State championship game for the second straight year.
Only one of those games was decided by less than 10 points, too. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by an average of nearly 20 points, 64.8 to 45.2.
Of course, a big reason the Bulldogs are off to the hot start is senior guard Hudson Luedtke. He led the Class AA in scoring and assists last season, and he is on pace to do it again this year. Through five games, Luedtke is averaging 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
Another big reason for the hot start is 6-foot-9 sophomore Brady Hanson.
Can you name the last Butte High player to have four dunks in his career? It’s been a while. Hanson had four dunks in Friday’s 75-60 win over Gallatin at the Butte Civic Center alone.
All four of those dunks were two handed slams that left the backboard and shot clock rocking. One came on a pass off the glass from Luedtke on a fast break. Luedtke registered eight assists to go along with 22 points in that win.
Hanson scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. In addition to all the dunks, he sank a 3-pointer.
Senior Rhett Arntson also put together the biggest game of his varsity career in the win over Galatin. He sank five 3-pointers and scored 19 points in the win. The return of seniors Mitch Verlanic and Cayde Stajcar have also had a huge impact on the Bulldog team, particularly on defense.
The win, which came in Butte High’s first action since their Dec. 23 victory over Butte Central, had Bulldog fans dreaming big as they left the Civic Center.
That home crowd won’t get the chance to see the Bulldogs play again until they take on Jan. 17 when they play host to Helena High at the Richardson Gym. The next Civic Center game for the Bulldogs is Feb. 6 against Glacier.
Maroons head to Snake Pit
The Maroons had a longer break than usual this holiday season. BC hasn’t played since their Dec. 23 losses to Butte High.
Their first games back will also figure to be intense battles with a long-time rival as the BC’s boys’ and girls’ teams head to the Smelter City to take on the Anaconda Copperheads in a non-conference doubleheader with the Copperheads at the Snake Pit.
The girls play at 6 p.m., and the boys will tip off about 7:30.
Central’s teams have not played since they took on Butte High Dec. 23 at the Butte Civic Center.
On the boys’ side, the Maroons roll into action at 4-1 after the loss to the Bulldogs. Junior Joshua Sutton enters the game averaging a team-best 21.2 points per game. He is one of three Bulldogs averaging in double figures. Sophomore Jaxon Hiatt is scoring 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while junior GG Fantini is averaging 10.2 points and 6.0 boards
Senior Ryan Peoples and junior Cade Kelly round out the starting lineup for the Maroons. Freshmen Noah Sutton and Henly Mansanti and junior Burkley Lakkala are the first players off the bench.
The Maroons will take on a Copperhead team that is looking tough, winning five of its first six games.
Central’s girls are 1-4 heading into the new year. The Copperheads are 1-5.
Eighth grader Jordyn Samson and sophomore Zayonna Otherbull lead the Maroons in scoring. Samson is averaging 9.5 points per game, while Otherbull adds 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds to the BC lineup.
That starting lineup also included juniors Marly Mansanti and Rylee Forbes and sophomore Braelynn Schelin with sophomore Kenzie McQueary out with an injury.
Eighth Grader Lucy Fantini, sophomore Natalie Osterman, and senior Arika Stajcar have appeared in every BC game so far. Senior Caden Tippett, sophomore Jaedyn Maldonado and eighth grader Mila Carriger have also contributed for the Maroons.
Central will open Southwestern A play Saturday against. The BC girls will be at home, while the boys will hit the road.
Dogs stick Eagles, Knights
Butte High’s boys’ and girls’ wrestling teams rolled to dual victories over Missoula Big Sky and Missoula Hellgate Tuesday night at Butte High’s old gym.
The Bulldog boys, who saw six players place at the Tom LeProwse Invitational in Bozeman three days earlier, beat Big Sky 53-24 and Hellgate 60-12.
Against Big Sky, the Bulldogs got victories by way of the pin from Keegan Hunt, Reveles McEwen, Ryder McEwen, Bridger Garrison and Kasen O’Keefe. Crew O’Connor won by technical fall, Bradey Doyle and Renzy LeProwse won by decision, and Darryn Rossiter grabbed a forfeit victory.
Butte High was the beneficiary of six forfeits against Hellgate. They went to Darian Findlay, Jeff Nichols, Kuley Queer, Garrison, Phillips and Ryder Henry. Doyle, Andrew Baca, O’Keefe and Ryder McEwen pinned their opponents.
Butte High’s girls beat Big Sky 42-36 and pasted Hellgate 54-12.
Against Big Sky, Butte High’s Adalie Hazlett and Jessica Blow won by forfeit. The other five Bulldog wins came by forfeit. Brooklyn Hettick, Brooke Johnson, Mattie Stepan, Matti Neighbor and Peyton Liva all checked in to pick up wins.
Liva, Hazlett, Blow and Johnson pinned their Hellgate opponents. Hettick, Loretta Matteson, Stepan, Neighbor and Chyanne Robinson won by forfeit.
The Bulldogs will take on Glacier and Flathead Saturday at the old Gym. Action begins at noon, and the Bulldogs will be celebrating Senior Day.
Seniors for the Butte High boys are Bridger Brancamp, Zaiden Daly, Waylond Hicks, Hunt, Ryder McEwen, Phillips, Rossiter and Joey Ward. Seniors on the girls’ squad are Allie Ballensky, Blow, Jauclynn Lansing, Liva and Stepan.
For more detail on Tuesday’s duals, check out Bruce Sayler’s story on ButteSports.com.
Swimmers host invite
The swimming teams from Butte High and Butte Central will be back in action Saturday at the Butte Invitational at the YMCA.
Action begins at 10 a.m. for the meet, which is the first for the Bulldogs and Maroons since the Dec. 20 Bigfork Invitational in Polson.
Butte High’s girls picked up the team victory in that meet. The Bulldog boys placed third.
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Butte Central girls’ subvarsity report
Following are the Butte Central girls’ basketball subvarsity reports for BC’s pre-Christmas action. The reports were provided by the Central coaches.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Butte Central 64, Three Forks 45
THREE FORKS — Cambri Campbell went off for 19 points to lead four Maroons in double figures as BC rolled past the Wolves Dec. 12.Mila Carriger added 11 points, and Ryan Olson and Karla Reich each tossed in 10. The Maroons also got eight points from Blake Smith and six from Evyn Tippett. Lily LaRonde and Ashley White contributed for BC, too.
Butte Central 70, Manhattan Christian 26
MANHATTAN — Karla Riech, Evyn Tippett and Mila Carriger led the way as the Maroons won big Dec. 13.Reich scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Tippett scored 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. Carriger scored 15 points, collected five steals and blocked two shots.
Cambri Campbell and Blake Smith each scored seven points, and Ryan Olson tossed in six.
Lily RaRonde, Ashley White also contributed in the win.
Butte Central 38, Boulder 33
Nine different BC players scored points as the Maroons pulled out a tough win over the Panthers.Blake Smith led the way with 10 points to go along with nine rebounds and five steals. BC collected 21 steals as a team.
Cambri Campbell and Jordyn Samson added five points apiece. Jaedyn Maldonado and Karla Reich each scored four, Evyn Tippett and Luci Fantini each scored three, and Ashley White and Mila Carriger both tossed in two.
Fantini joined Smith with five steals. Samson collected four, and Maldonado snagged three.
Butte High 51, Butte Central 43
Mila Carriger scored 17 points and grabbed five steals to lead the Maroons in the tough loss to the Bulldogs Dec. 23 at the Butte Civic Center.Jordyn Samson and Karla Reich each scored two points for BC, which got two points apiece from Jaedyn Maldonado and Blake Smith and one from Evyn Smith.
Natalie Osterman, Ashley White, Evyn Tippett and Cambri Campbell also time for BC.
FROSH
Butte Central 50, Livingston 17Jordyn Samson scored nine points and Ryan Olson added eight to lead the Maroons in a season-opening rout of Livingston Dec. 9 at the Maroon Activities Center.
Nine different BC players scored in the win. Evyn Tippett scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mila Carriger, Ashley White, Blake Smith and Cambri Campbell each scored five. Luci Fanti scored four, and Lily Laronde tossed in two. Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller also contributed for the Maroons.
Butte Central 52, Whitehall 24
Ryan Olson and Ashley White combined to score 27 points to lead BC in the Dec. 15 game at the MAC. Olson scored 15 points, while White tossed in 13.Evyn Tippett scored eight points for BC, which got six points from Lily Laronde, five from Cambri Campbell, four from Jaylee Williams and two from Ayanna Weang. Tessa GanzenMuller, Allie Forrelli and Harper McGree also played for BC.
Butte Central 59, Manhattan 22
MANHATTAN — Ashley White scored 18 points to lead three Maroons in double figures in the Dec. 18 victory.Ryan Olson added 14 points and nine steals for the Maroons, who chalked up 32 takeaways. Cambri Campbell added 10 points, three assists and six steals.
Evyn Tippett scored eight points for the Maroons, who got four from Ayanna Weang, three from Lily LaRonde and two from Allie Forrelli. Harper McGree, Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller also contributed to the BC win.Butte Central 39, Butte High 27
Cambri Campbell’s 12 points and eight steals led the Maroons in the victory over Butte High Dec. 22 at the Butte Civic Center.Ashley White added 11 points and six rebounds, and Evyn Tippett chipped in with eight points and seven boards.
The Maroons also got six points from Karla Reich and one apiece from Ayanna Weang and Ryan Olson. Lily LaRonde, Harper McGree, Jaylee Williams and Tessa GanzenMuller played for BC, too, in the cross-town win.
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If they will do that to Wetzel, then no referee is safe
Shawn Wetzel is the unofficial “Mayor of Montana.”
He is not the most famous member of his family. That would be his late grandfather, Walter “Blackie” Wetzel.
Blackie Wetzel was a distinguished Blackfeet Tribal leader, activist and designer from Montana. He was famous for his part in creating the logo for the Washington Redskins. He rubbed elbows with Mike Mansfield and John F. Kennedy.
If you say the last name “Wetzel” in any corner of Montana, however, it is a pretty safe bet that people are going to think you are talking about Shawn. If you just say “Wetz,” they know you are.
It is almost impossible to dislike Wetz. He reminds many of us of Crush, the easygoing sea turtle in the animated movie “Finding Nemo.” Crush and his surfer dude attitude helped Marlin and Dory make it through the East Australian Current so they could find Nemo.
Crush might be the most likable character in the history of movies. Even though Marlin and Dory found themselves in a hopeless situation, Crush made it seem like everything was going to be just fine.
He called Marlin “Jellyman” and Dory “Little Blue” as he offered encouragement like, “Focus, dude” and “find your exit buddy.”
Wetzel has served as a volunteer boys’ basketball coach for Butte High the last handful of seasons. The 6-foot-8 former college basketball player added so much to the program. He added expertise, wisdom and levity, and he helped many players find their way through some rough current.
Just like Crush.
More than anything, Wetz added a genuine care and admiration for the players that was impossible to not see. There was not a dry eye in the Knights of Columbus Hall last spring when Wetz presented Hudson Luedtke with a genuine Blackfeet blanket in honor of him becoming Butte High’s all-time leading scorer.
Wetz came from a place of love and support.
I met Wetz shortly after he moved to town several years ago. I really got to know him on one December Saturday in 2022. That was the day that he and I refereed 12 girls’ basketball games together in a travel tournament in Dillon.
Kevin Engellant asked me if I could come down and work the games. I was not too keen on the idea because those tournaments can be a nightmare for officials. And that is a lot of games. But I jumped at the chance to work with Wetz.
Every game we refereed was made up of girls in the fifth and sixth grade. Wetz had all of them laughing and smiling the whole day. He had their parents laughing. He had their coaches laughing.
Even those coaches who treat a sixth-grade travel tournament game like it is the high school state championship game had their day brightened by Wetz. When they were mad at one of our calls, Wetz would quickly defuse the situation with a quick line and his super-chill attitude.
Refereeing at the younger age levels can often include almost as much coaching as it does foul calling. It isn’t coaching the X’s and O’s. It is coaching how the game is played. It is teaching players how to line up for free throws and how to inbound the ball.
It also sometimes includes offering encouragement to nervous players, and Wetz is the master of that. He’s Crush.
That is why I was so surprised to hear that Wetz was the victim of an assault by a parent at a basketball tournament last month in Anaconda. It was shocking to hear that it happened during a game in the girls’ middle school division of the tournament called the “Santa Slammer.”
I would think someone would take a swing at Saint Nicholas long before anyone would want to punch Wetz.
Yet, late in one game involving a team form the Kalispell area, a woman, who is the wife of the team’s coach and mother of one of the players, got really mad at Wetz. She took off her ear rings, ran down to the railing at Memorial Gym and took a swipe at Wetz.
When she did not connect, she jumped the railing, spit a loogie on his chest and then repeatedly swung and kicked at Wetz.
While Wetz had every right to push or punch back at the woman to defend himself, he did not. He simply used his reach advantage, putting his arm out to give her the Heisman.
All this happened while other moms and dads from the team screamed insults at Wetz, who was the object of the parent’s ire much of the game.
Parents in youth basketball often do not want fair officiating. Instead, they want their team to get every call. So, each whistle — or non-whistle — that doesn’t go their way is reason for them to lash out at the officials.
The parents of this team were also upset that Wetz would not let the players enter and leave the game like it was hockey. He made sure they checked in at the table and entered the game when called on at the next dead ball.
Again, it goes back to coaching how the game is played.
Many witnesses were on hand. Other than the few involved in assaulting the sports official, those observers back up Wetz.
A couple of highly-respected coaches, who were watching the game, wrote letters of support for Wetz because they heard the woman who assaulted him was trying to hurt him even more after the fact.
She apparently first contacted the Montana Officials Association to complain about Wetz. When she learned he is not a member of the MOA, she went to Butte School District No. 1 to levy a complaint.
Shortly after that, district officials told Butte High head coach Matt Luedtke that Wetz would not be approved to be a volunteer assistant this season. Since Wetz volunteered his time, the district does not have to give him an explanation for the denial, and it did not.
Was this woman’s complaint the reason? We don’t know. But it sure does feel like the victim is being punished.
He is also having his good named slandered. The aggressors claim that Wetz yelled some very disgusting words at them, and I know that is just not possible.
Nobody who ever really met him would think for one second that Wetz would start a fight with people in the crowd. It is just not how Wetz operates. He’s not a fighter. He’s Crush.
Hopefully, tournament directors and police are working to prosecute the woman who attacked Wetz. Her name and mug shot should be plastered on every newspaper and social media sight as an example of how not to behave.
She should be banned from the kind of sporting events people like her make so hostile.
Every referee who ever worked a travel tournament has a horror story. Angry, irrational parents and fans end the careers of so many officials before they ever really begin.
The yelling is one thing that most of us can take. It usually makes me laugh. Other times, I think the yeller might have a point. Maybe I did miss that call. Maybe I do need to pull my head out of a dark place.
What happened to Wetz, though, is beyond comprehension. It is so far over the line that you cannot see back.
That incident also clinches my decision to retire from refereeing travel tournament games. I already turned down as many games as I can. Now I will turn them all down. I am done.
The next time a fan at a travel tournament crosses the line, it will not be at my expense.
If they will do that to the Mayor of Montana, they will do it to anyone.
— Bill Foley, who is notably not the mayor, 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.
