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No need to worry about the Maroons
Wednesday, Jan. 3, 1990 was a rough day for the Butte Central boys’ basketball program.
It started with high hopes for three hard-working teams that expected to upset the powerful Butte High Bulldogs at the Butte Civic Center. It ended with three losses, including a 67-36 blowout in the varsity game.
Butte High’s junior varsity team beat the Maroons 81-55 thanks to a 21-point performance from Chris Toivonen. That came after my freshman team lost 66-53 to the Bulldogs.
After looking at the boxscore, that freshman game was apparently way closer than I remembered. It really felt like a brutal beating at the time.
That was one of the many games I did not get into that year. I could only watch from the end of the bench as Josh Holdsworth, Kevin Stenson, Josh Paffhausen and Chad Roesti scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. John Keeley and Mike McLaughlin were the double-digit scores for us.
Two memories stand out from that game. The first was that Stenson and his ridiculous perm. He made at least a couple of 3-pointers, and smiled at his friends on the BC bench after each one. I swear one time he gave us the Michael Jordan palms up with a shrug of the shoulders on his way down court, with those curls bouncing on top of his head.
The second was that our coach, Don Peoples Jr., was really, really mad at us for what he said was a lack of effort in that loss. I think that was the game when he broke a dry-erase board, but I could not swear to it. So, I was not about to point out that I gave a hall of fame effort sitting on the bench.
Coach was so ticked off that he told us we had to practice at 6 o’clock the next morning. Just before the start of the varsity game, though, we learned that he changed his mind about that. We just had to practice after school the next day, and let me tell you, none of us were looking forward to that.
We would have rather gone to a root canal.
Then Curtis Smith and the Bulldogs really rubbed salt in our collective wound during the varsity game. They beat the heck out of the Maroons.
Corey Dunstan scored 19 points, and Curtis scored 18 points to go along with probably just as many assists. Curtis looked like a combination of Magic Johnson and John Stockton as he brilliantly ran the offense for the undefeated Bulldogs.
Every assist was a spectacular one, too. Each one was a highlight reel.
They could have made a full music video out of Curtis’ highlights from that one game. You know, like they did in “NBA Superstars,” the video that we all got for free that year with our paid subscription to Sports Illustrated.
Butte High led 15-4 after the first quarter, 38-13 at halftime and 52-24 after three quarters. In the BC student section, we just quietly sat on our hands and took the beating. The players were distraught. The fans were distraught. The coaches were distraught.
It did not feel like we were ever going to win another game. The beatdown was just too much.
Of course, it was not the end of the road for the Maroons that night. Not even close. BC ended up playing in the last game of the season, dropping a 69-49 decision to Dillon in the Class A State championship game in Bozeman.
Even though the Maroons did not capture the state title, that was still a magical run by the team that beat Anaconda in the Central A Divisional championship game the week before. That Anaconda team included Cory and Tony Huot, too.
Oh, and the Bulldogs did not beat Central again until 1995.
While that loss to the Bulldogs that night probably still stings the varsity players, it also seemed to help start turning the fortune of the team. Well, that and the great Sean Walsh joining the team for the stretch run.
That 1990 game and the season that followed are what I thought about after Butte High rolled BC 71-30 two nights before Christmas in the Civic Center.
Since it was a smallish crowd for the Butte High-Butte Central game, my phone kept going off with text messages asking about the game. Was Butte High that good? Or, did BC just shoot that poorly.
The answer was a little of both, but mostly because the Bulldogs are that good. The game said more about the Bulldogs than it did the Maroons.
Butte High played an incredible game right from the start. Senior Hudson Luedtke played what will go down as at least one of the best performances by any player in the rivalry that dates back to 1916.
Luedtke tied the Butte High record for points against the Maroons with 32. He previously shared that mark with Scott Ferguson (in 1986) and Micah Downs (in 2003). Luedtke also finished with nine rebounds and five assists — though none of his dimes were as fancy as the ones Curtis Smith dished.
Luedtke did that while playing just 21 minutes. He did not step on the court once in the fourth quarter.
Luedtke wasn’t the only player making shots for Butte High. No matter what kind of shot the Bulldogs took, it went in. They just couldn’t miss.
The Bulldogs made 10 of 20 attempts from 3-point range. Luedtke hit four, including a contested one to start the game. Mitch Verlanic, Josh Liston and Rhett Arntson each hit two.
On the flip side, the Bulldogs used their decided size advantage to stymie the BC offense. But even when BC got open shots, they just did not fall.
That is how the ball bounces some times. Even the greatest shooters have an off night, and BC will probably not shoot like that again this decade.
If we can learn anything from Butte High and Butte Central basketball over the decades, it is not to worry about the Maroons after a game with the Bulldogs. That goes the other way, too. For the boys and for the girls.
When the Bulldogs play the Maroons, both sides get better. The Butte High-Butte Central rivalry is like playing a state championship game in the middle of the season. Or, in this case, early in the season.
The atmosphere, the stage and the historic significance is uplifting, and even the team on the wrong end of the scoreboard gets a boost moving forward into the season. This has been the case for decades.
Not too long ago, BC beat Butte High four games in a row, and that included a couple of blowouts. The Bulldogs ended up going to the Class AA State tournament in each of those seasons.
Butte Central won one game against Butte High in 1957 and then beat the Bulldogs two out of three times in 1958. Those Bulldogs won back-to-back Class AA State titles.
You better believe being battle tested by the Maroons helped the Bulldogs when push came to shove late in those title runs.
Likewise, that 1990 blowout loss made Central a better team, and the recent losses will end up making the BC boys and girls better.
That is something you can take to the bank.
As long as they don’t show up with ridiculous Kevin Stenson perms, they are going to be more than fine.
— Bill Foley, one of the only people to get cut by the Butte Central and Butte High basketball teams, 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: Franki Salusso and Hudson Luedtke
Butte High senior basketball players Franki Salusso and Hudson Luedtke are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the Bulldog girls and boys swept Butte Central in a doubleheader last Tuesday at the Butte Civic Center.
Salusso takes home the girls’ honor after helping lead the Bulldogs to a 62-24 win over the Maroons. The 5-foot-6 guard scored eight points in the win, but that was only the beginning of her big night. She also grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and collected four steals.
Bulldog coach Bryan Arntson pointed out that the Bulldogs were plus 36 on the point differential when Salusso was on the court.
The 6-2 Luedtke takes home the boys’ honor for his role in Butte High’s 71-30 victory. Luedtke played just 21 minutes in the game, yet he tied the record for most points scored by a Bulldog against the Maroons with 32. He previously shared that mark with Scott Ferguson (in 1986) and Micah Downs (2003). Luedtke also scored 32 points against BC in 2024.
Luedtke, who was picked to play in the Montana East-West Shrine Game on Christmas morning, also dished five assists and pulled down nine rebounds in the win.
For the third year, Leskovar Honda, home of the non-commission sales staff that always has your back, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photos of Salusso and Luedtke were provided by Alycia Holland Photography.
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Butte Sports Hall of Fame nominations close at the end of 2025
Nominations for the Butte Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 are due by the end of Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Athletes must be nominated to be considered for the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, and only those nominated before the deadline will be considered.
Those nominated in the last several selection processes do not need to be re-nominated. Re-nominations, though, can be made for the purpose of providing more information on a nominee.
Candidates who are 15 years or more removed from high school and have finished competing at their highest level of their sport are eligible for selection into the Hall. Categories are also available for head coaches, old timers (50 plus years) and contributors.
A public forum will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26 at the McQueen Club. The forum will allow people to make a presentation on behalf of nominees in front of the selection committee. All presentations will be strictly limited to 3 minutes. Letters of recommendation and/or short videos of support can be submitted to the Hall of Fame selection committee.
The 2026 inductees will be named in February, and the Green Jacket and Induction ceremonies will be held July 24 and 25 at the Butte Civic Center.
To submit a nomination, email as much information as possible to Bill Foley at foles74@gmail.com.
For more information, call or text Foley at (406) 491-3022.
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Luedtke, Verlanic, Peoples named to 2026 Montana Shrine Game
Anaconda’s Galle called to game; Dye named alternate
The 2026 Montana East-West Shrine Game will be played June 20 in Butte.
The game will also include a trio of players from the Mining City. Butte High seniors Hudson Luedtke and Mitch Verlanic were named to the West roster along with Butte Central senior Ryan Peoples.
The rosters were sent to the media Tuesday night for the release on Christmas morning.
Butte’s players will be joined by Anaconda receiver Brody Galle and possibly Copperhead Travis Dye. Galle will be the first Anaconda player to participate in the game since Sean Gallagher in 2016, and Dye was named as an alternative.
Luedtke, a two-way starter and four-year All-State player, will play receiver for the West Side. That comes after he hauled in 73 passes for 763 yards and six touchdowns this past season.
Verlanic will play safety for the West. He registered a team-leading 104 total tackles in 2025. That includes 77 solo take downs.
Peoples will play quarterback. He passed for 1,705 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the Maroons to the playoffs for the first time this decade.
Galle caught 43 passes for 840 yards and five touchdowns for the Copperheads, who advanced to the Class B playoffs. He also ran for two TDs.
The alternate players are not listed by position, but Dye could help the West side on both sides of the ball if he is elevated to the roster. He passed for 2,170 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Copperheads. He also registered five sacks and three interceptions on defense.
The West roster will also include at least two more players with deep ties to the Mining City. Missoula Hellgate quarterback Vince Paffhausen was named to the team as an “athlete.” He is the son of former Butte High quarterback Todd Paffhausen.
Helena High’s Riley Schulte was named to the West roster as a cornerback. He is related to the Butte Schulte family, which just might be the “First Family” of the Shrine game.
Kalispell Glacier coach Grady Bennett will serve as head coach of the West Side. The 2026 season will be Coach Bennett’s 23rd year as a head coach and 20th year at Glacier High School, where he’s led the Wolfpack to six state championship games in the past 13 seasons, winning the Class AA State Championship in 2014 and 2025. The Wolfpack have made 16 playoff appearances in 19 seasons.
Bennett played in the Montana East-West Shrine Game in 1986, was an assistant coach for the West in 1997 and 2007, and was the head coach of the 2012 West Team. He is honored to have a role in the Shrine Game for five decades.
The East Team will be coached by Hunter Chandler. He is entering his sixth season as head coach at Gallatin High School in Bozeman. Under his leadership, the Raptors have reached the state semifinals in each of the past four seasons.
Before taking over at Gallatin, Chandler served five years as the defensive coordinator and assistant coach at Bozeman High School. He began his coaching career at Havre High School under longtime coach Mark Samson.
The Montana Shrine Game is the premier all-star game in Montana and has a long history of distinguished players and coaches. It is also one of the oldest high school all-star football games in America. Since 1947, Montana high schools’ finest players are selected to compete in a game to raise money and to help make the public aware of the expert orthopedic care available at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Spokane, Washington. Expert care is provided regardless of the family’s ability to pay. In recent years, the Montana game has become the top Shrine Game in the nation for hospital donations.
In the last ten years this game has raised more than $1,000,000. Forty of Montana’s finest are selected to compete on each team and two players from Canada will join them, one for the East and one for the West.
These players were nominated by their schools and coaches across the state and finally selected as the “best of the best” to participate in the 79th Montana Shrine Game. They join an elite fraternity of players, many of whom have gone on to distinguished collegiate and professional careers.
Click the link below to see the full rosters for both teams.
Pictured above are, from left, Hudson Luedtke, Mitch Verlanic and Ryan Peoples. Photos of Luedke and Verlanic provided by Alycia Holland Photography. Photo of Peoples courtesy Josie Trudgeon Photography.
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Dogs make statement in sweep of BC
The night before the night before Christmas belonged to the Bulldogs this year.
There was no holiday drama this time as Butte High’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams swept the Maroons Tuesday night at the Butte Civic Center. The Butte High girls won 62-24 before the Bulldog boys rolled to a 71-30 win behind a 32-point performance by senior Hudson Luedtke.
The Butte boys’ win, which was the most lopsided in the history of the Butte High-Butte Central rivalry, lifted the Bulldogs to 4-0 as they head into the Christmas break. The Maroons fell to 4-1.
Before Tuesday, the biggest win by either team was a 77-37 victory by Butte High in 1988. The win was also the third straight for Butte High, and the Bulldogs now lead the all-time series 102-80-1.
On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs now lead the Maroons 41-18.
If history is any guide, though, the Maroons will quickly bounce back. It seems like BC always improves after it plays Butte High, and vice versa.
Central’s boys and girls are back in action Jan. 8 when they head to Anaconda to take on the Copperheads. Butte High plays again Jan. 2 when Gallatin Comes to town for a doubleheader at the Civic Center.
BOYS
Butte High 71, Butte Central 30It is hard to say what was more impressive: Butte High’s offense or Butte High’s defense.
On a night in which the Bulldogs seemed to make every shot they attempted, Butte High terrorized the Maroons on the other end of the court.
The Bulldogs shut down a BC squad that had been averaging 66.8 points per game.
Luedtke finished his career in the rivalry with a 3-1 record thanks to a performance that started with a game-opening contested 3-pointer. He reached 32 points without a single point from the free throw line, and he did not play a second of the fourth quarter.
Butte High led 22-9 after the first quarter and 44-12 at halftime. Butte High took 69-18 lead into the fourth quarter.
Luedtke, who hit four of Butte High’s 10 3-pointers, was the lone Bulldog in double figures scoring, but nine different Butte High players scored and 13 players got in the game.
Josh Liston scored eight points, while Cayde Stajcar, Mitch Verlanic and Rhett Arntson each scored six points. Brady Hanson, who threw down an Earth-shattering two-handed dunk, scored five points, James Pearston tossed in four, and Brady Walsh and Ryan Hanson each scored two.
Kaleb Celli, Koda Schleeman, Kendel Noctor and Raeder Grey also contributed for the Bulldogs.
Joshua Sutton scored 11 points to lead the Maroons. Jaxon Hiatt and Noah Sutton each scored six, GG Fantini tossed in three, and Ryan Peoples and Henly Mansanti each scored two. Cade Kelly and Burkley Lakkala also contributed for the Maroons.
BUTTE CENTRAL (4-1) — Ryan Peoples 1 0-0 2, Cade Kelly 0 0-0 0, Joshua Sutton 5 0-1 11, GG Fantini 1 1-2 3, Jaxon Hiatt 2 1-2 6, Noah Sutton 1 4-4 6, Henly Mansanti 0 2-2 2, Burkley Lakkala 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 8-11 30.
BUTTE HIGH (4-0) — Cayde Stajcar 3 0-0 6, Hudson Luedtke 14 0-0 32, Mitch Verlanic 2 0-0 6, Josh Liston 3 0-0 8, Brady Hanson 2 1-2 5, Rhett Arntson 2 0-0 6, James Perason 2 0-0 4, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0, Ryan Hanson 1 0-0 2, Kaleb Celli 0 0-0 0, Brady Walsh 0 2-2 2, Koda Schleeman 0 0-0 0, Raeder Grey 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 3-4 71.
Central 9 3 6 12 — 30
Butte 22 22 25 2 — 71
3-point goals — BC 2 (J. Sutton, Hiatt), Butte 10 (Luedtke 4, Verlanic 2, Liston 2, Arntson 2). Fouls — BC 7, Butte 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.
GIRLS
Butte High 62, Butte Central 24
The Bulldogs used a balanced offensive attack and a relentless defense to pick up their eighth straight win over the Maroons.Central hung tough with Butte High for the first quarter, but the Bulldogs pulled away by outscoring BC 38-12 over the middle two quarters.
Cadence Graham, a junior playing in her fourth Butte-Central Game, hit 7 of 8 free throws and scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs. In all, Butte High saw nine players score points.
Senior Emma Johnson added nine points, while freshmen Ellison Graham and Saege Grey each scored eight. Allie Becker tossed in seven, Franki Salusso added six, Kendallyn Schad scored five, Stella Callaghan knocked in three, and Avery Barsness netted two.
Autumn Clary did not score, but she was a force on defense for the Bulldogs, who evened their record at 2-2.
Rylee Forbes scored six points to lead the Maroons, who played their third straight game without injured Kenzie McQueary. Zayonna Otherbull, Jaedyn Maldonado tossed in five, and eighth graders Mila Carriger and Luci Fantini scored four. Braelynn Schelin added on point for BC, which got contributions from Caden Tippett, Natalie Osterman and Evyn Smith.
BUTTE CENTRAL (1-4) — Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Zayonna Otherbull 2 0-1 4, Rylee Forbes 1 4-6 6, Braelynn Schelin 0 1-2 1, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Natalie Osterman 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Maldonado 1 2-2 5, Luci Fantini 1 2-4 4, Caden Tippett 0 0-0 0, Evyn Smith 0 0-0 0, Mila Carriger 1 2-2 4. Totals 6 11-17 24.
BUTTE HIGH (2-2) — Allie Becker 1 5-7 7, Cadence Graham 3 7-8 14, Autumn Clary 0 0-2 0, Franki Salusso 3 0-0 6, Emma Johnson 4 0-0 9, Ellison Graham 3 0-0 8, Saege Grey 4 0-0 8, Kendallyn Schad 2 0-0 5, Avery Barsness 1 0-0 2, Stella Callaghan 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 12-19 62.
Central 5 7 5 9 — 24
Butte 11 18 20 13 — 62
3-point goals — BC 1 (Maldonado), Butte 6 (E. Grham 2, C. Graham, Johnson Schad, Callaghan). Fouls — BC 19, Butte 16. Fouled out — Clary, Johnson. Technicals — none. -
Podcast No. 312: Katie Verderber
Katie Verderber wore a uniform to represent our country when she served in the Army.
In March, she will wear a different kind of Team USA uniform when she represents the United States in the Paralympic Games in Italy. She will compete in curling.
The Valier, Montana native graduated from Montana Western before heading to Syracuse to earn a law degree. Then she enlisted in the Army to put that degree to use for the military.
After suffering an injury while serving in Afghanistan and undergoing a botched surgery, Katie was forced to medically retire from service. Eventually, her injury led her to a wheelchair, but it could not break her competitive spirit.
She started with downhill skiing and then moved into curling, where she proved to be a quick learner and a rising star. She earned a spot on Team USA earlier this year.
She also made the transition from working for the state government to working for Silverman Law, a growing firm that recently opened an office in Butte.
Earlier today, I drove to Helena to meet Katie for a fun conversation. Listen in as she talks about her love of sports that started when she was born in to a home that cheered for the Green Bay Packers. She talked to me anyway.
Listen as she talks about growing up in a small town and changing her major from elementary education to pre-law. Listen as she talks about joining the Arm, suffering the injury and the long, slow decline.
Listen to hear how she is not letting that slow her down and how she has become an inspiration for the disabled and able-bodied alike. Listen in the hear how excited she is to represent our nation in the Paralympic Games.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Leskovar Honda, home of the non-commission sales staff that always has your back. It is also available on YouTube:
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We have the power to fight back against guys like James Cox Kennedy
My cousin Justin is not a fan of James Cox Kennedy, or people like him.
Kennedy is the kind of guy who thinks he can own a river, and he thinks his fat wallet should allow him to keep people away from his river. He thinks he can own the mountains and all the animals in them, too.
There are a lot of super-rich guys like that, but Kennedy has been one of the most open about his plans.
Justin is as Montana as they come. That is probably why guys like Kennedy despise him. No matter how hard he tries, guys like Justin will just not go away like Kennedy and his ilk would like.
The feelings, though, are more than mutual.
Justin is an avid hunter. He can’t shoot straight, but he likes to take aim at the elk in the mountains of his home state. He likes to wear KUIU gear to keep him warm and dry when he does it.
At least he did until he saw that Kennedy recently bought KUIU.
“They just lost a customer,” Justin said upon hearing the news. He means it, too. Justin would shop Victoria’s Secret for his hunting attire before he would shop KUIU again.
He is one of many. No self-respecting Montana hunter or fisherman would ever get caught wearing any clothing from a company owned by the Georgia billionaire who tried take the Ruby River and go home.
Montana public lands are under attack. They have been for a long time, and there is no disputing that fact. The difference is we used to have politicians who protected us from the greedy multi-millionaires who try to grab up all the land.
They served as guardrails for the Mr. Burns types like Kennedy.
Now, all our major political offices are held by multi-millionaires who are looking to grab up all their land and turn the state into a playground for millionaires and billionaires. The inmates are running the asylum. The fox is in the hen house.
Whether it is the Yellowstone Club, the Crazy Mountains or what they are now trying to do in Virginia City, it is not hard to see the playbook. The ultra rich are getting a major assist in raping the land from the government that is supposed to protect it.
In 2014, Kennedy lost a case in the Montana Supreme Court as he tried to overturn Montana’s stream access law, and I wrote an open letter to him to try to comfort him in his difficult time.
Call me a cockeyed optimist, but I think the tide is turning. I firmly believe the people of the state are finally opening their eyes to what is going on, and we are all going to come together to fight back.
We must do this if we want to keep the Montana we have known and loved. We must fight back before it is too late.
Otherwise, we will all have a bunch of guns — thanks the Second Amendment — but with nothing to shoot at and nowhere to shoot them. The mountains and streams will be reserved for those who can afford them.
That is why we all must be like Justin and speak out. We must be like Justin and boycott the companies owned by the kind of people who will try to steal our land.
Together, we have the power with our voices, our pocketbooks and our ballots.
If we use those to fight back, someday I will be able to write a similar letter to these rich guys who think they can own all our mountains and all the animals in them. It will be directed at the millionaires and billionaires who try to steal the public’s precious resources and the politicians who put their rich friends over the people of Montana.
Following is the letter I wrote to Kennedy on Jan. 21, 2014.
A letter to James Cox Kennedy
Mr. James Cox Kennedy,
If you will, I would like to speak on behalf of the non-gluttonous majority in light of the major decision rendered by the Montana Supreme Court last week.
The 1985 stream access law was upheld, ending your decade-long attack on humanity with you coming out as the clear loser in the case.
Even though Forbes Magazine calls you one of the top 50 richest people in the United States, you no longer have the power keep us poor folks from floating, fishing or wading past your mansion on the Ruby River.
As a preschooler might tell you, na-na na-na boo-boo. Ha-ha, you lose. The good guys won, and we hope your loss stings like an infected cut from the barbed wire fence you put up because you think you can actually own the Ruby River.
We hope you received the bad news from Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman because that’s what happens when a sorry billionaire tries to steal Montana.
Those fences, by the way, weren’t that tough to get over. Those warning signs you posted weren’t nearly enough to intimidate a true Montanan. We scoffed at your electrified fences.
It was bad enough to be so delusional to think you can own river. Trying to keep people off that river qualifies you as movie villain evil.
It is mildly surprising that you let the fish swim through your precious property.
It would not be shocking to hear that you tried to have the river stocked with sharks with lasers shooting from their foreheads.
Actually, Dr. Evil wouldn’t have been mean enough to try to keep people from using a river. The bad guys in the Die Hard movies would be shocked at your behavior.
Mr. Grinch wouldn’t touch you with a 39-and-a-half-foot poll.
You make the self-indulgent clown who paid $350,000 to shoot an endangered black rhino look like a guy in touch with reality.
You are like the “get off my lawn” old man, only a billion times worse. Just like the kids playing ball won’t ruin your grass, the sportsmen using the water of Mother Earth will not tarnish your view in the beautiful Ruby Valley.
At least the curmudgeon who doesn’t want kids on his grass actually had something to do with making the grass looking nice.
Who are we kidding? You probably think you are responsible for the beauty of the river meandering through the valley.
The only thing you are responsible for, though, is wasting a lot of time and ruining Sunday afternoons for sportsmen who truly value the river more than you could possibly ever pretend.
Thanks to the Montana Supreme Court, those days are over.
Now may you go to bed each night with thoughts of freedom warriors like Pat Ryan and Tom Malloy — shirtless and casting a line in plain view from your picture window — dancing through your head.
Money might be able to rent you happiness, but that is a thought that will surely haunt your dreams like Clark Griswold watching cousin Eddie emptying his septic tank.
When the Supreme Court justices rightly agreed with the rest of the right-thinking people of the world last week and ruled that you are in the wrong, we couldn’t help but giggle uncontrollably.
Now you have to take down the barbed wire, and the flood gates will be open. With any luck the summer of 2014 will see the Ruby River turn into the swimming pool when the caddies took over in Caddyshack.
Take a good look at us through your picture window as we go by because we’ll be easy to spot.
We’ll be the ones with our thumbs on our ears and our fingers waving as we yell “na-na na-na boo-boo.”
Sincerely,
Everybody
— Bill Foley, was doesn’t hunt or fish, 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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Bulldogs-Maroons meet on hardwood
Wrestlers, swimmers find success
Call it the “City Championship” or the “Butte-Central Game.”
By whichever name, it is always the biggest game of the year when the Butte High Bulldogs and Butte Central Maroons square off on the hardwood. The Bulldogs bring out the best in the Maroons, and the Maroons push the Bulldogs to the limit.
You can count on it.
That rivalry will renew Tuesday on the brand-new court at the storied Butte Civic Center. The doubleheader will begin with the girls playing at 6 p.m. the boys will tip off around 7:30.
Butte High will meet the Butte Central boys for the 183rd time in the nightcap. The Bulldogs hold a 101-80-1 advantage in the rivalry that back dates to 1916.
Butte High won the last two games against BC, including a 62-51 win in January. The Bulldogs hold a 6-4 advantage over the last 10 meetings.
This time, the game will include a pair of undefeated teams. Butte High is 3-0 with a road win at Bozeman and home wins over Dillon and Billings West. The Maroons are 4-0, beating Browning, Columbia Falls, Sidney and Glendive. The last two games came at a tipoff tournament at the Maroon Activities Center.
This game will feature some big-time scores. Senior Hudson Luedtke leads the Bulldogs into action. Butte High’s all-time leading scorer is averaging 28.6 points per game to start off the 2025-26 campaign. That includes breaking the school record with 43 points in Bozeman.
Junior Joshua Sutton, who first impressed in this rivalry as an eighth grader, is averaging 23.8 points per game. He is shooting at a ridiculous 62 percent from 3-point range.
Sutton will likely be joined in the starting lineup by senior Ryan Peoples, juniors Cade Kelly and GG Fantini and sophomore Jaxon Hiatt.
Junior Burkley Lakkala and freshmen Henly Mansanti and Noah Sutton are the first players off the bench for coach Brodie Kelly’s Maroons. Juniors Gunnar O’Brien, Grady Button and Carsen Gillis have also seen varsity time so far.
The starting lineup for Butte High coach Matt Luedtke will likely include Hudson Luedtke, fellow seniors Cayde Stajcar, Mitch Verlanic and Josh Liston and 6-foot-9 sophomore Brady Hanson. Senior Rhett Arntson also started a game for Butte High, while seniors Kendel Noctor, James Pearston and Ryan Hanson, junior Brady Walsh and sophomore Raeder Grey have contributed off the bench.
Butte High’s girls lead the all-time series with the Maroons 40-18 in a rivalry that began in 1976. The Bulldogs have won the last seven meetings. BC’s last win came in 2017.
Coach Bryan Arntson’s 1-2 Bulldogs are trying to get back to winning ways. After junior Cadence Graham’s 38 points led the Bulldogs to a season-opening win in Bozeman, the Bulldogs dropped a home battle to Dillon and fell to Billings West on the road.
Graham is averaging 23.3 points per game. This will be her fourth appearance in this game, and she is 25 points shy of joining the 1,000-point club.
Other Bulldog starters will likely be seniors Franki Salusso and Emma Johnson and juniors Allie Becker and Autumn Clary. Freshmen Ellison Graham and Saege Grey, juniors Elli Yates, Reese Johnson, Kendallyn Schad and Avery Barsness have contributed off the bench along with sophomore Stella Callaghan.
Starters for BC coach Quinn Carter’s Maroons the last two games were senior Arika Stajcar, juniors Marly Mansanti and Rylee Forbes, sophomores Zayonna Otherbull and Braelynn Schelin. Sophomore Kenzie McQueary also started two games, but did not play this past weekend because of an injury.
The game will feature the debut of two sensational eight graders, Luci Fantini and Jordyn Samson. Both have already made an impact on the 1-3 Maroons.
Sophomores Natalie Osterman and Jaedyn Maldonado have also contributed in varsity games for BC this season.
Bulldogs go 7-1 in Gillette
Butte High’s varsity boys’ wrestling team closed out 2025 in style Friday and Saturday at the Pat Weede Memorial tournament at the Campbell County Recreation Center in Gillette, Wyoming.
The Bulldogs went 5-0 on Friday before winning their first two duals of the day Saturday. They then fell 67-9 in the No. 1 vs. No. 1 finale to Sturgis, South Dakota.
On Friday, the Bulldogs beat Scottsbluff, Nebraska 52-30, downed Capser, Wyoming 40-31, routed Gillette 65-9, topped Bismark, North Dakota 45-33 and beat Dickinson, North Dakota 52-24.
Butte then edged Thunder Basin of Gillette 36-35 on Saturday before topping Sheridan, Wyoming 56-18.
Bridger Garrison and Ryder McEwen led the Bulldogs, going undefeated in their eight matches on the weekend. Garrison wrestled at 157, while McEwen competed at 144.
Darryn Rossiter won seven matches at 132 pounds.
Bradey Doyle (138), Keegan Hunt (120) and Reveles McEwen (144) picked up six wins for the Bulldogs, while Bode Hazlett (150) and Renzy LeProwse (106) both win five matches. Caden Phillips (215), Cameron Fleege (165) and Crew O’Conner (113) won four.
Butte High is back in action Jan. 2-3 when they head to Bozeman to compete in the Tom LeProwse Invitational.
Butte High also sent some junior varsity wrestlers and its girls’ team to Great Falls for the CMR Holiday Classic. Five Butte High girls placed in their weight class.
Mattie Stepan led the way for the Bulldogs, placing fifth at 155 pounds. Adalie Hazlett (125 pounds) and Peyton Liva (105) took seventh, and Chyanne Robinson (235) and Jessic Blow (125) finished eighth.
Butte Central also sent teams to the meet. Complete results for the CMR Holiday Classic and Pat Weede Memorial can be found at trackwrestling.com.
Maroons swimmers impress
Butte High’s girls won the Bigfork Invitational Saturday in Polson. In the same meet, the Bulldog boys placed third.
Butte Central had some swimmers turning heads, too.
Tessa Ganzenmueller placed third in the 100-yard breast stroke and fourth in the 200 freestyle to lead the Maroons.
Morgan Hardy took sixth in the 50 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle. Connor Hardy placed sixth in the 100 breast stroke and 10th in the 50 freestyle.
Central’s swimmers will be back in the pool Jan. 10 at a meet hosted by Butte High at the Butte Family YMCA.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Zayonna Otherbull and Joshua Sutton
Butte Central basketball players Zayonna Otherbull and Joshua Sutton are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the Maroons hosted the East vs. West Tipoff Tournament at the Maroon Activities Center.
Otherbull, a 5-foot-10 sophomore forward, receives the girls honor. She scored 10 points as BC beat Sidney 44-41 Friday night. The next day, she poured in 16 points in a 57-42 loss to Glendive.
“Zayonna has had a great start to the season,” BC coach Quinn Carter said. “Her versatility on both ends of the floor plays a significant role in our team’s success. She is a great leader, and I’m really excited to see her continue to lead our team this season.”
Sutton, a 5-11 junior guard, takes home the boys’ honor. He is a big reason why the Maroons are off to a 4-0 start.
He scored a total of 53 points as the Maroons rolled to big wins over Sidney and Glendive. That includes a 29-point performance in Saturday’s 72-55 win over Glendive.
Sutton is averaging 23.8 points per game for the 4-0 Maroons. He has made 18 of 29 attempts from 3-point range. That is an insane 62 percent from behind the arc. Sutton’s strong start comes on the heels of his outstanding football season.
For the third year, Leskovar Honda, home of the non-commission sales staff that always has your back, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photos of Otherbull and Sutton provided by Jacqueline Photography.
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Bulldog girls swim to title in Polson, boys place third
POLSON — Butte High’s girls captured the team title Saturday at the Bigfork Invitational.
The Bulldog boys also had a big day, placing third in the meet that saw 12 teams compete.
On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs chalked up 288 points. Helena Capital placed second at 253, and Whitefish finished third at 240.
Freshman Adalie Grochowski led the way for the Butte girls. She won the 100-yard freestyle and took second in the 100 backstroke.
Junior Alaina Grochowski won the 100 breast stroke and took second in the 100 butterfly, and senior Tatum Trefts took second in the 100 breast stroke. Senior Olivia Thurmond placed second in the 500 free and third in the 500 freestyle. Sophomore Bella Corrales took eighth in both the 200 and 50 freestyle, and freshman Bryher Fitzpatrick posted her best time to place sixth in the 200 individual medley.
Sophomore Elly Rumler dropped four seconds of her personal best to place 10th in the breast stroke.
Butte High’s girls were strong in the relays, too. All three teams picked up a victory.
Thurmond, Trefts and the Grochowskis won the 200 medley relay. Thurmond, Corrales and the Grochowskis won the 200 freestyle, and Corrales, Fitzpatrick, Rumler and Trefts captured the title in the 400 free relay.
Helena High won the boys’ title with 302 points. Polson took second at 259, and Butte High scored 229, four more than fourth-place Whitefish.
Senior Nathan Stone won the 100 butterfly and took third in the 100 breast stroke to lead the Bulldog boys.
Junior Gage Plum placed fifth in the 500 free style and eight in the 1009 back stroke. Freshman Alex Sonnemann placed ninth in the 50 freestyle and swam his best time in the 500 to place fourth.
Sophomore Grayson Lynch placed seventh in the 200 free and eighth in the 200 individual medley. Sophomore Tucker Kissell placed fifth in the 200 free, and sophomore Gunnar Benson competed in the 100 butterfly for the first time and placed sixth.
Junior Ayvahn Mann placed seventh in the 200 individual medley.
Sonnemann, Elgin Hoar, Stone and Kissell placed fourth in the 200 medley relay. Plum, Alex Cranny, Hoar and Lynch finished fifth in the 400 freestyle relay.
The big day for the Bulldogs closes out the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule. Butte High’s teams will look to pick up where they left off Jan. 10 at the Butte Inivitational at the Butte Family YMCA.
