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Bulldog golfers just miss All-State
Butte High golfers Chase Choquette, Kate DeShaw and Keeley Johnston finished just out of the running for All-State honors Friday at the Class AA State tournament. (Results, use pass code “STATEAA25.”)
Helena Capital’s John Gilbert claimed boys’ medalist honors in dramatic fashion. He drained a long birdie putt on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Missoula Sentinel’s Jack Schaefer for the state title.
Gilbert and Schaefer both finished with a 1-over-par 141, shooting a 72 on Thursday and a 69 Friday on the par-72 course.
Jack Prinski of Great Falls Russell placed third at 144.
The top 15 players earn All-State honors, and Choquette missed that by just one shot. He followed a 76 with an 81 for a 157 to place 18th. The four players just ahead of him tied for 14th.
Lane Lisac, who is an eighth grader at East Middle School, was the only other Bulldog boy to play at State. He improved four shots for an 81 and a 166 total.
On the girls’ side, Billings Senior’s Payton Tryan took home medalist honors at 153. She shot a 77 after an opening-round 76. Heidi Huber of Bozeman took second at 160, followed by Kira Connell of Bozeman at 162.
Bulldog junior Kate DeShaw improved four shots for a 93 and a 190 total and 18th place. She missed the top 15 and All-State by two shots.
Butte High senior Keeley Johnston followed a 92 with a 99 for a 191 total and 19th place.
Missoula Sentinel won the boys’ title, and Bozeman claimed the girls’ crown.
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Podcast No. 294: Keith Sayers
You will look long and hard before you find a better ambassador for the Mining City than today’s guest. In these parts, Keith Sayers is the most-known motorcycle rider who doesn’t have the last name Knievel.
Keith bought his first motorcycle from a friend for just $10 when he was 9 years old. He turned quite the profit on that investment. Keith is now in his 20th year making a living riding his dirt bike.
You probably know Keith from the show he and his fellow riders put on in Butte every June during the Colt Anderson Dream Big Event. Or maybe you remember him from his shows during Evel Knievel Days. Or maybe you live in any corner of this country and you know him because Keith performed in your town.
Sayers started racing motocross when he was 12 years old. That led him to give up on his dreams of playing professional baseball. He realized the dirt bike was his calling.
During the first Evel Knievel Days in 2002, Keith stood at the fence as he watched the freestyle riders wow the crowd with their tricks. He wondered how he could be part of that team. Fast forward a few years, and Keith owned the that team, and the shows for Evel Days got bigger and better each year. He introduced us to X Games legends like Heath Frisby.
At 43, the 2001 Butte High graduate is still touring the country and riding. He travels with his wife Danielle, the couple’s daughter Lylee (15) and son Gavin (12).
Listen as he talks about Evel Days, jumping Sparky’s Garage and his trick that gets the biggest roar from the crowd. Listen to hear his passion when he talks about being a role model.
Listen as he talks about how Gavin is already a better rider than his dad.
Today’s episode of the ButteCast is brought to you by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
Watch this episode on YouTube:
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Choquette tied for 7th after first round
Johnston leads Bulldog girls
Butte High senior Chase Choquette is tied for seventh place after the first round of the Class AA State golf tournament at the Butte Country Club. (Results, use pass code “STATEAA25.”)
Choquette fired a 6-over-par 76, and he is tied with Torren Murray of Glacier, Timmy Lien of Billings Senior and Derek Schaefer and Joseph Meusey of Missoula Sentinel.
Three players shot an opening-round 72 to share the lead in the race for medalist honors. They are Jack Pinski of Great Falls Russell, John Gilbert of Helena Capital and Jack Schaefer of Sentinel.
Luke Nelson of Glacier shot a 73, while Reece Chapman of Helena Capital shot a 75, and Austin Kaufman of Helena High carded a 75.
Eighth grader Lane Lisac shot an 85 in his first State tournament round. He and Choquette are the lone boys playing for the Bulldogs.
Sentinel took the team lead with a 303. Capital is three back at 306, while Glacier is third at 309.
Peyton Tryan of Senior shot a 76 to lead the girls’ individual race. Bozeman’s Heidi Huber is second at 80. Hawks teammate Kira Connell is third at 81. The Country Club is a Par 71 course for the girls.
Butte High senior Keeley Johnston shot a 92 to lead the Bulldogs. That is good for 14th place Johnston four shots out of the top 10, and the top 15 after the final round earn All-State honors.
Bulldog junior Kate DeShaw shot a 97, and sophomore Sage Leber hit 124.
Bozeman holds down the tea lead at 352. Billings West is second at 369, and Senior is third at 379.
The tournament concludes with 18 holes on Friday.
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Bulldogs look to get back to winning; Maroons roll streak to three
Flag football, golfers head to State
The Butte High Bulldogs will have an ace up their sleeves Friday night when they welcome Helena High to Naranche Stadium for a Western AA football game.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m., a half hour later because of Silver B’s Night.
The Silver B’s will welcome former Bulldog players who first lettered in 2000 to the distinguished group before the game. They will also induct the 1975 first-time letter winners as Golden B’s, and Joe Kilminster and Daniel Larsen will become the 21st and 22nd Diamond B’s in the 86-year history of the organization.
Kilminster and Larsen first lettered in 1950.
Then, the former Bulldogs will take the best seats in the house to watch Butte High (1-4 overall, 0-3 Western AA) play the Bengals (3-2, 2-1).
That setup has worked very well for the Bulldogs in the past. Butte High 55-28-1 overall on Silver B’s Night. That includes eight straight victories in front of the old Bulldogs.
Butte High’s last loss on Silver B’s Night came in 2015, when they fell 28-9 to Missoula Sentinel.
Butte High is 11-2 on Silver B’s Night since Naranche Stadium reopened in 2011. There was no Silver B’s Night in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.
Butte High is looking to bounce back from last week’s gut-wrenching 10-7 home loss to Missoula Sentinel. Blaise Olson booted a 36-yard field goal as time expired to hand the Bulldogs a loss that will likely mean they will need to win their four remaining games to host a playoff game.
The Bengals come to town after winning their last two games. Helena beat Helena Capital 27-24 last week. A week earlier, the Bengals beat Flathead 31-20 at home. Two weeks before that, the Spartans fell 31-24 in double overtime at Sentinel.
Helena High opened the season with a 28-20 win at home against Billings Skyview before losing 42-13 at Gallatin.
Junior Reece Silvonen and senior C.J. Danforth have both taken snaps at quarterback for the Bengals. They have combined for nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Junior Peyton Lorenz is averaging 5.5 yards per carry to lead the Bengal rushing attack. Sophomore Brayden Garza is averaging 4.3.
Junior Gracen Silvonen leads the team with 33 receptions for 342 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, senior Auston Rowe has picked off four passes, and senior Nicholas Kantorowicz has racked up three sacks.
Junior Raeder Grey took over as the starting quarterback last week for the Bulldogs. He completed 10 of 28 passes for 141 yards. He was picked off once. Grey also used his legs, scrambling for 31 yards and several key first downs.
Senior Peyton Johnson muscled his way to 65 yards on 16 carries behind an offensive linemen Gannon Sullivan, Keegan Swisher, Waylond Hicks, Mason Swanson, Sawyer Casey and Kadyn Sommer.
Senior Kaleb Celli caught five passes for 61 yards, and classmate Hudson Luedtke hauled in four for 77. Senior Brooks Vincent, who moved from quarterback to receiver, also caught a pass for the Bulldogs, who lost senior receivers and return man Preston Jensen for the season with an injury.
Senior defensive back Mitch Verlanic leads the Bulldogs with 46 total tackles, 35 of which are solo. Junior linebacker Jaeger Hansen has 39 total tackles, while senior linebacker Gunner Bushman has 33, and Luedtke has racked up 30.
Junior Bradey Doyle and emerging junior backer Finn Wortham each have 26.
Junior Kodye Kjersten, Grey, junior Reece Cunneen, junior Kasen Snyder and seniors Grady Foley and Bridger Brancamp have reached double digits in tackles.
The Bulldogs will travel to Kalispell to take on Flathead on Oct. 10 before heading to Missoula to battle Hellgate at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Oct. 16. The Bulldogs close out the regular season at home against Capital on Oct. 24.
Maroons win third straight
Don’t look now, but the Butte Central Maroons are on fire.
BC officially has a winning streak after last Friday’s 35-13 Homecoming beating of Corvallis in a Southwestern A game on the Bob Green Field. That followed a 17-16 home win over Hardin and a 40-0 pounding of Ronan in Missoula.
Senior Ryan Peoples tossed four more touchdown passes to lead the way. He hooked up with senior GG Fantini and freshman Henly Mansanti each for two TDs. Fantini also punched in a 3-yard run.
Through four games, Peoples, who was also voted Homecoming King, has passed for 780 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has thrown just one pick.
Fantini leads the team with 15 receptions for 217 yards. Mansanti, sophomores Treigh Hollow and Palmer Kellicut and senior J.J. Taylor each have racked up a pair of sacks for the BC defense.
The Maroons (3-1 overall, 1-0 Southwestern A) are back at home this Friday for a 7 p.m. Southwestern game against Stevensville. The Yellowjackets come to town at 1-4 and 0-1.
Stevi fell 52-7 at home to Hamilton last week. That came after a 26015 loss at Hamilton.
After losing 40-14 at Hardin and 42-14 at Libby, the Yellowjackets picked up their lone win of the season against Livingston. They beat the Rangers 21-0 at home.
Freshman quarterback Luca Schmidt has passed for 442 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions for Stevi. Classmate Mylan Hill leads the team with 22 receptions for 120 yards.
Central will be on the road the next two weeks, taking on Frenchtown and Hamilton. They will close the regular season at Oct. 24 at home against Dillon.
Click here to read Bruce Sayler’s game report and full boxscore on BC’s win over Corvallis on ButteSports.com.
Helena schools spike Bulldogs
Butte High’s volleyball team went 0-2 in its matches against Helena Capital and Helena High last week.
The Bulldogs fell 3-1 at home Thursday to Capital before dropping a 3-0 decision Saturday at Helena High.
Capital beat Butte High 25-19, 23-25, 25-15, 25-21 as the Bulldogs celebrated Homecoming at the Richardson Gym. (Boxscore)
Senior Gracie Jonart, who was named Homecoming Queen a night later, spiked 15 kills in the loss. Junior Avery Barsness added nine, while senior Audry McClafferty and freshmen Ellison Graham and Saege Grey each killed six. McClafferty also registered five blocks.
Senior Makenzie Dahyuff and junior Ellie Yates each served two aces, and Graham set 35 assists.
Jonart also had a big match in the backcourt, racking up 19 digs. Junior Cadence Graham added 17 digs.
On Saturday, Helena High won 25-21, 25-18 and 25-15. (Boxscore)
Barsness tallied 12 kills, and Ellison Graham served three aces to lead the Bulldog attack. The younger Graham also collected 13 digs and set 18 assists.
The Bulldogs will play a Western AA match at Missoula Big Sky on Thursday. They will take on the Great Falls and Bozeman school in a jamboree Saturday in Butte.
Butte High will play Great Falls High at 11 a.m., Bozeman at 12:15, Great Falls Russell at 1:30 and Gallatin at 2:45.
BC volleyball hosts Dillon
Butte Central’s volleyball team will host its only match of the week Thursday when Dillon Comes to town for a 7 p.m. Southwestern A battle at the Maroon Activities Center.
Central dropped both of its conference matches last week, falling in straight sets. Frenchtown beat BC 25-10, 25-9, 25-11 in Thursday’s Homecoming match.
Two days later, Hamilton topped the Maroons 25-14, 25-5, 25-14 in Hamilton. Stats for those matches were not submitted for this report.
BC will play host to the annual Blocktober Classic tournament Oct. 10-11 at the MAC.
Flag football heads to State
Butte High’s flag football team will head to Hamilton for the State tournament Wednesday and Thursday. The Bulldogs will face three-time defending champion Kalispell Glacier in a first-round game at 4 p.m.
That comes after the Bulldogs closed the regular season Saturday with a 7-2 Senior Day loss to East Helena at Naranche Stadium. A safety by junior Brooke Johnson accounted for Butte High’s lone score as the Dogs honored seniors Allie Ballensky, Megan Flanick, Charlee Griner, Laney Huizinga and McKenna LeCoure.
Other players on the Bulldog roster are juniors Jayda Gustafson, McKenna Ketchum, Alexis King, Jaydyn Mason and Mackenzie Read; sophomores Brylee Ballensky, Iszabella Dawson, Addisyn Lambrecht, Lilyi Malone, Audrey Moore and Chyanne Robinson; and freshmen Ellie Carey, Reaghan Denning, Rylee Erickson, Kolbie Erickson, Brooklyn Hettick, Jaydyn LaBuff, Kaydee O’Connor, Willow Rose, Bella Schrapps and Kynslee Wrampe.
BC runs in Dillon
Two days after competing in the Butte High Invitational, Butte Central’s three varsity boys’ runners ran in the Dillon Invitational at the Beaverhead Golf Course. (Results)
Hamilton senior Taylor Doleac won the 5-kilometer race with a time of 16 minutes, 47 seconds. Carter Koerner of Corvallis took second at 17:00, followed by fellow Blue Devil senior Marrek Jessop at 17:12.
Junior Jack Holmes led the Maroons, finishing in 22:00.27. Eighth grader Terry Roman finished in 25:05, and junior Conan Holmes crossed in 28:14.
Corvallis ran away with the team title with 29 points. Hamilton was second at 103, followed by East Helena at 107.
Boulder won the girls’ title with 56 points, edging Frenchtown by two. Corvallis was a close third at 60.
Livingston freshman Grace Malloy won the girls’ race in 19:33. Hamilton junior Aleigha Child was second at 1952, and Boulder junior Peyton Stearns took third in 20:13.
The Maroons will run again Thursday in a meet in Hamilton. Butte High will run Friday in Three Forks. Both Butte schools will compete in the Helena 7-on-7 meet Oct. 9.
Bulldog girls battle
Butte High’s girls’ soccer team put together its best effort of the season in Saturday’s Homecoming match against Kalispell Flathead.
The Bravettes downed the Bulldogs 2-1, taking advantage of a penalty kick with less than a minute left. Lydia Revenaugh scored the goal for the Bulldogs, and coach Geno Liva pointed out that Butte High had five other shots on goal. Liva said his team played hard for all 80 minutes.
Butte High fell 10-0 Tuesday at Helena Capital.
The Bulldog boys dropped a tough, 1-0 decision to Flathead Saturday as the Braves picked up their first win of the season. Gavin Hammer scored Flathead’s goal.
The Bulldogs junior varsity team battled to a 2-all tie with Flathead, the first tie for the team this season. Capital topped Butte 9-0 on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs will be at home Saturday to take on Helena High.
Country Club hosts State AA
Five Butte High Bulldogs and three Butte Central Maroons will compete in State golf tournaments this week.
Seniors Chase Choquette and Keeley Johnston, junior Kate DeShaw, sophomore Sage Leber and eighth grader Lane Lisac qualified for the Class AA State tournament at last week’s Western AA Divisional tournament in Kalispell.
The State AA tournament will be played at the Butte Country Club Thursday and Friday. The teams will have a practice round on Wednesday.
Butte Central will be represented by three members of the McGree family at the State A tournament. Siblings Will, Beau and Mya all qualified for the State tournament at last week’s Western A tournament in Hamilton. Will is a senior, Beau is a junior and Mya is an eighth grader.
The tournament will be played Friday and Saturday at the Sidney Country Club.
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Everyone should know the liberating feeling of losing an election
The question has been coming up more and more now as we approach one year since the 2024 General Election.
“Are you going to run again?”
I placed second in the 2024 race for chief executive of Butte-Silver Bow, and people have been asking me if I will try it again in 2028. Some people are asking because they would like to see me run again. Others, I assume, are just curious.
Maybe they want to vote against me one more time.
My answer, though, is the same. “No,” I say. “I’ve told too many people to get bent on Facebook since the election.”
And man, have I been telling a lot people to get bent on Facebook. It started the day after the election when I unloaded on some men who decided to tell lecture my daughter about her reproductive rights, or the very real threat to them.
After 13 months being on my best behavior because I was running for public office, it sure felt exhilarating to be set free by the election results. I hope all of you can experience the liberating feeling of losing an election someday.
It wasn’t that I was being a phony during the election. I only offered honest opinions about local issues. I was straight to the point and maybe a little blunt. I was so blunt in pointing out what I thought the county leaders were doing wrong that the guy who beat me in the election is still telling people that I ran a negative campaign.
I don’t get that. Pointing out that he wanted to dump toxic waste near homes or that he fell for a con man with a fake nuclear reactor was not running a negative campaign. I didn’t bring up any side jobs in college or other extracurricular activities before my opponent was elected.
That is something a negative campaigner would have done.
In my thousands of conversations with people while knocking on doors, I never once shied away from telling the truth. But I was nice about it.
The two questions I heard the most had nothing to do with the local election. People asked me if I was going to vote for Donald Trump and if I thought transgender women should play sports with girls.
I told them that I wasn’t voting for Trump, and if they asked, I told them why. I told them that their fears about transgender athletes in sports were not real. In 25 years writing about sports, I never saw one transgender athlete.
Fewer than 10 of the more than 500,000 athletes in the NCAA are transgender, yet those handful of people were used to divide the nation and distract us from the fact that the ultra-rich are taking over the country.
Despite what you might have seen in a real negative campaign, your fourth-grade daughter is not going to have to play volleyball against Caitlyn Jenner.
However, I always said that I respect the civil rights of every person, even if I do not think it is fair for transgender women to compete in women’s events. But I would fight for every person’s right to be whoever he or she wants to be.
After the election, I figured it was no more Mr. Nice Guy when it comes to people being rude on social media.
I just don’t tell off everyone on Facebook. It typically only happens when someone is being insulting.
In the days since Jimmy Kimmel was booted off the air because the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission did not like that Jimmy was making fun of Trump, I have told dozens of people to get bent. Then I blocked them so I don’t have to fight with them again.
Let me tell you, that feels great.
That is not to say that I will just block someone for disagreeing with me. I have all kinds of friends whom I do not see eye to eye with on politics. I am even friends with some weirdos who cheer for the Packers and Yankees.
I have no problem engaging in some give and take, and I am always willing to agree to disagree with someone.
But, when you go to my Facebook page and talk about what “side” I am on or tell me that I have an “agenda” or “narrative,” you can go jump off a cliff. I am not now, or never will I be, on any “side” when it comes to politics. The only side I am on is when I’m cheering for the Bears and Red Sox or watching my son play for the Bulldogs.
That is it.
In case you haven’t noticed, my association with Erik Nylund on the Mad About Montana Podcast means that politicians on both sides of the aisle in Montana dislike me at about the same rate.
I don’t like politicians who “compromise” on things like clean water. I don’t like politicians who try to get journalists and comedians fired. I don’t like politicians who are too gutless to hold townhall meetings with their constituents.
I don’t like politicians who do not tell the truth.
When Kimmel was forced off the air of a couple of weeks ago, I posted a story about it on Facebook. My only comment with the post was, “Free speech was fun while it lasted.”
With that, the insult barrage was on. People who think the FCC shutting down a late-night show was the work of a “private company” started calling me names. Really vile slurs, too.
So, I told those people to take a long walk off a short plank and I blocked them. They are still free to say whatever they want about me and my crazy free speech ideas. They are just not going to do it on my Facebook page.
I ended the argument with a very cathartic “get bent.”
One member of the Flat Earth Society jumped into the fray after Kimmel was put back on air.
“You mean like what they did to Rosanne (SIC) and Tucker Carlson?” he wrote. “It sucks when it doesn’t fit your narrative right?”
When I explained that Roseanne Barr and Tucker Carlson were not fired by the government and told him that it was his tone that sucked, he called me a bully. He said it was not fair that “someone in journalism” was torching people on Facebook.
By torching, it appears he means making a counterpoint.
For the record, I have never pushed a narrative on anyone. I will speak out to defend anyone’s right to free speech. I will even defend the Flat Earth Society’s right to be stupid.
Yes, they keep saying that we need to turn the temperature down on our political talk. Our nation is getting more divided every day, and made-up wedge issues are the main culprit.
More than that, though, we need people to speak the truth. When somebody says something that is dead wrong, good people should not remain silent. The truth might not always be nice, but it is essential.
Nice is becoming a substitute for truth and some things don’t need to be sugar coated.
Being nice is not going to protect the reproductive rights of our daughters. Being nice is not going bring down the price of eggs. Being nice is not going to stop us from being drug down a hole toward a totalitarian rule.
And if people want to call me names because they don’t agree with me, well, then they can get bent.
You see, that right there is why I am not going to run for office again in 2028. Or, who knows, maybe it is the reason I will win.
— Bill Foley, who really is a nice guy, 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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Podcast No. 293: Brian Gilman
Brian Gilman is a 1988 graduate of Butte High School.
A black belt in Taekwondo, Brian played football at Butte High before walking on the football team at Montana Tech. He was part of the Bulldog squad that fell 14-12 to Helena Capital in the Class AA State championship game, and that loss still hurts today.
After graduating with a degree in environmental engineering from Montana Tech, Brian joined the Marines. After many jobs and deployments, he earned the rank of colonel before retiring after nearly 27 years of service.
Today, Brian lives in Bozeman, where he is the chief executive officer for Warriors & Quiet Waters. There, Brian works to empower post-9/11 veterans to thrive.
Warriors & Quiet Waters is a purpose-driven veteran service organization that offers nature-based experiences, a sense of community and belonging, and guided personal growth designed to restore minds, bodies and spirits of post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones.
The organization has had a huge success rate.
Listen in to this episode of the ButteCast as Brian talks about growing up in Butte and playing football for Butte High and Montana Tech. Listen in as he talks about the influence former Oredigger coach Bob Green had on his life.
Listen in to hear why he joined the Marines after college and how he feels about the work he is doing today.
Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today. Click here for more on Warriors & Quiet Waters.
This episode is also available on YouTube (without video):
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Will, Beau and Mya McGree
Butte Central golfers Will, Beau and Mya McGree are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the three McGree siblings qualified for the Class A State tournament. This is believed to be the first time three players from the same Butte family will compete in a State high school golf tournament.
All three qualified for the trip to the State A tournament in Sidney at Friday’s Western A Divisional tournament in Hamilton. State will be played on the par-72 Sidney Country Club Friday and Saturday.
Will is a senior, Beau is a sophomore, and Mya is an eighth grader. Will and Beau tied for seventh place in the boys’ tournament. Each fired a 7-over-par 79 at the Hamilton Golf Club. Mya qualified on the girls’ side by shooting a 105.
The 2025 high school golf season saw at least one of the McGrees — sometimes all three — place in the top 10 of tournaments week after week.
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.
In the photo above, from left to right, Beau, Mya and Will McGree.
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KC basketball schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of Sept. 29.
Monday
7 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. Kenworthy
8 p.m. — Poi Time vs. Jellyfam
9 p.m. — Ranchmens vs. Washington GeneralsTuesday
7 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Poi Time
8 p.m. — Everett-Cook Law vs. Someday Starters
9 p.m. — Hoopballas vs. Rosary RattlersWednesday
7 p.m. — Parish vs. Jellyfam
8 p.m. — Parish vs. Someday StartersThursday
7 p.m. — Rosary Rattlers vs. Ranchmens
8 p.m. — Kenworthy vs. Washington Generals
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Sentinel-Butte High stat sheet
Blaise Olson booted a 36-yard field goal as time expired Friday night at Naranche Stadium to give the Missoula Sentinel a 10-7 Western AA win over Butte High.
Rudy Hess tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Eby on Sentinel’s first possession of the game. The play came on fourth down.
Raeder Grey scored on a 4-yard quarterback keeper late in the third quarter to tie the game.
In his first start at quarterback, Grey passed for 141 yards. He hit Kaleb Celli five times for 61 yards. Hudson Luedtke caught four passes for 77 yards.
Mitch Verlanic had a monster game again to lead the Bulldog defense. He registered 16 total tackles, 10 of which were solo. Luedtke and Fin Wortham each got in on 13 tackles, while Jaeger Hanson collected.
Butte also got nine tackles from Gunner Bushman and six apiece from Grady Foley and Bradey Doyle.
Butte High will play host to Helena High next Friday night. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. as Butte High celebrates Silver B’s Night.
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Choquette, DeShaw, Johnston move on to State with top-10 showings
Bulldogs Lisac, Leber also qualify
KALISPELL — Five Butte High golfers will represent the Bulldogs at the Class AA State tournament next Thursday and Friday at the Butte Country Club.
That comes after three of those Bulldogs placed in the top 10 at the Western AA Divisional tournament at the Northern Pines Golf Course. The two-day tournament concluded on Friday. (Results)
Choquette, a senior, tied for sixth place on the boys’ leaderboard with Helena High’s Austin Kaufman with a 3-over-par 147 two-day total. Choquette followed a 71 with a 76 on the par-72 course. Kaufman hit a final round 78 after an opening 69.
Luke Nelson of Glacier followed a 68 with a 70 for medalist honors at 138. Hudson Goroski of Missoula Sentinel took second at 140, shooting a final-round 71. Torren Murry of Glacier took third at 142.
Sentinel won the team title at 587. The Spartans shot a 299 after opening with an even-par 288. Glacier was second at 590, followed by Helena Capital at 616 and Missoula Big Sky at 651. Butte High placed sixth at 681, following a 339 with a 342.
The top four teams and next eight individuals, including ties, move on to State.
Eighth grader Land Lisac made the cut for the Bulldogs. Lisac followed an 86 with an 88 for a 174 total.
Also for the Bulldogs, Braden Donnelly finished at 179 after shooting 87 and 92. Beckham Kinsey improved 12 shots for an 86 and a 184 total, and Miles Choquette finished at 197 after a 95 and a 102.
On the girls’ side, DeShaw tied with Abbi Townsend of Glacier for seventh place at 186. The Bulldog junior improved two shots for a 92 on the final round.
Keeley Johnston, a senior, tied for 10th place at 190. She improved eight shots for a 91 on Friday.
Sage Leber, a sophomore, made a big jump on Day 2, improving 16 shots for a 104 and a 224 to make the cut.
Baely Norris hit a 245 total for the Bulldogs, while Julia DeShaw finished at 277.
The Bulldogs tied for fifth place with Helena Capital at 845. Butte High slipped from the fourth spot after Day 1, even though they improved 17 shots for a 414 on Friday.
Glacier won the team title at 718. The Wolfpack was followed by Helena High at 760, Missoula Big Sky at 802 and Kalispell Flathead at 820.
