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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.
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Butte High girls’ subvarsity report
Following are the Butte High girls’ basketball subvarsity reports for the first five games of the season, as provided by Bulldog coaches.
The reports include games at Bozeman and Billings West, and home games against Dillon, Butte Central and Gallatin.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Butte High 40, Bozeman 13
BOZEMAN — Sage Grey and Avery Barsness each tossed in 10 points to lead the Bulldogs in the Dec. 13 season-opening win.Their play backed up a great defensive performance that created many turnovers that led to points. Stella Callaghan scored six points in the win. Reese Johnson and Berkli Salusso each scored four, and Ellie Yates, Ellison Graham and Kendallyn Schad each scored two.
Wakely Burleson also contributed for the Bulldogs. Johnson claimed Junkyard Dog of the game honors.
Payton Hyem scored six points to lead the Hawks.
Billings West 53, Butte High 21
BILLINGS — Asa Edwards scored 16 points, and Rylee Parker added 10 to lead West to the Dec. 19 win over the Bulldogs.Maddy Hutzenbiller and Kadence Avlt each scored eight points in the win.
Ellison Graham and Avery Barsness each scored six points to lead Butte High. Stella Callaghan scored three points, and Ellie Yates, Saege Grey and Berkli Salusso each scored two. Milee Stillwagon, Evie Smith, Wakley Burleson and Kendallyn Schad also contributed. Coaches named Yates the Junkyard Dog of the game.
Tatum Tash scored nine points, and Baylor Malesich added eight to lead Dillon. Piper Gaasch scored four, Brynna Gibson tossed in three, and Kenndyl Meine netted two.
Butte High 46, Dillon 26
Stella Callaghan and Berkli Salusso each scored 11 points, and Avery Barsness did a little bit of everything to lead the Bulldogs in the Dec. 16 win.Barsness, who scored six points, was named Junkyard Dog of the game for making winning plays, playing great defense and rebounding in the Bulldogs’ first home game.
Kendallyn Schad scored five points, and Ellison Graham and Saege Grey each scored four points. Elli Yates and Wakely Burleson each scored two, and Reese Johnson tossed in one.
Butte High 51, Butte Central 43
Saege Grey, the Junkyard Dog of the game, left her mark in just one quarter of play. She scored a team-leading 11 points and collected seven steals as the Bulldogs pulled out the tough win at the Butte Civic Center.Reese Johnson scored seven points in the win, and Avery Barsness tossed in seven. Butte High also got six points form Berkli Salusso, five from Stella Callaghan, four from Ellison Graham, three from Ellie Yates and Wakely Burleson and two apiece from Kendallyn Schad and Evie Smith.
Mila Carriger hit 11 of 12 free throws and scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Maroons. Jordyn Sampson and Karla Erich each scored eight points for the Maroons. Luci Fantini tossed in five points, and Evyn Smith and Jaedyn Maldonado each scored two.
Cambri Campbell, Evyn Tippett, Ashley White and Natalie Osterman also contributed for the Maroons.
Gallatin 43, Butte High 34
Mazzie Melin scored 13 points, and Mycah Flannigan added 12 as the Raptors knocked off the Bulldogs Jan. 2 in Butte.Stella Callaghan scored 10 points to pace the Bulldogs. Butte High also got six from Kendallyn Schad, five from Ellison Graham, four from Reese Johnson, three from Saege Grey and two from Evie Smith and Avery Barsness.
Wakely Burleson and Berkli Salusso also played for the Bulldogs.
SOPHOMORES
Billings West 31, Butte High 24
BILLINGS — An 11-point performance from Cambree Stiason led the West squad t the victory. Kinsley Saey scored seven points, while Jane Allen tossed in six, and Brooklyn Metcalft scored five.Burleson scored seven points, and Henderson netted six to lead the Bulldogs in the first sophomore game of the season. Persaius Findlay scored three points, and Sage Leber, Milee Stillwagon, Ava White and Megan Chiamulera each scored two.
Taylor Regan, Karlee Jeffery, Kenzie Rowe and Kaydee O’Connor also contributed for the Bulldogs. Leber was named Junkyard Dog of the Game.
Coaches credited the Bulldogs for a strong defensive effort against a much-taller West team.
Gallatin 37, Butte High 37
Bethany Rigg scored 10 points, and Callin Costello tossed in nine to lead Gallatin in the victory. Hanna Stahler scored seven, and Fallon Mortenson scored six.Kaydee O’Connor’s six points led the Bulldogs, who got five from Milee Stillwagon, four from Sage Leber, three from Wakely Burleson and Rylee Erickson, and two apiece from Persaius Findlay, Ava White and Megan Chiamulera. Kenzie Rowe also played for the Dogs, who played well as a group.
Butte High outrebounded Gallatin by six, and forced 23 Raptor turnovers.
Burleson was named Junkyard Dog of the game.
FRESHMEN
Butte High 57, Bozeman 22
BOZEMAN — Brea Henderson poured in a game-high 18 points to earn Junkyard Dog of the game and lead the Bulldogs to the lopsided win.Taylor Regan scored 13 points for Butte High, which got eight apiece from Karlee Jeffery, Lilly Sandoval and Sara Whitaker. Kynslee Wrampe scored two points in a game that saw Jordy Giop, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps contribute.
Flynn Daniels and Isla Diebert scored six points to lead Bozeman. Margaret McQuery and Violet Begnoche each scored five.
Katelyn England scored five points to lead the Hawks.
Butte High 41, Billings West 16
BILLINGS — Butte High put together a complete game — especially on defense — to roll to the victory over the Golden Bears.Karlee Jeffery scored 16 points, and Taylor Regan added 12 to lead the Bulldog attack. Sara Whitaker scored vie points, Kynslee Wrampe tossed in three, and Jordy Giop and Bria Henderson each scored two. Franki Allred tossed in one in a game that saw contributions from Lilly Sandoval and Bella Schrapps. Coaches named Schrapps the Junkyard Dog of the game.
Butte High 42, Dillon 37
A great team effort in the second half led to a come-from-behind victory for the Bulldogs in their first home action.Taylor Regan scored 13 points to lead the way for Butte. Brea Henderson added eight points for the Bulldogs, who got six points from Kynslee Wrampe, four apiece from Karlee Jeffery, Lilly Sandoval and Sara Whitaker and three from Jordy Giop.
Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed for Butte High. Jeffery was named Junkyard Dog of the game.
Baylor Malesich scored 18 points to lead the Beavers. Elly Davidson scored six, while Tatum Tash tossed in four, Ripley Reasoner and Kynsey Morrisore each scored three, Gaby Willett netted two and Piper Gaasch tossed in one.
Butte Central 39, Butte High 27
Cambri Campbell’s 10 points led the way as the Bulldogs knocked off the Maroons Dec. 22 at the Civic Center.Evyn Tipett added five points for BC, which got four from Ryan Olson, three from Karla Fetters and two apiece from Ashley White and Ayanna Weang each scored two.
Karlee Jeffery scored 10 points to lead Butte High. Taylor Regan scored eight, while Sara Whitaker tossed in three, and Lilly Sandoval, Jory Giop and Brea Henderson each scored two.
Kynslee Wrampe, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed for the Dogs.
Butte High 32, Gallatin 20
Brea Henderson scored 14 points, and Taylor Regan scored 12 in a game that saw the Bulldogs put forth an “awesome” defensive effort in the win.Kynslee Wrampe was named Junkyard Dog of the game for her fantastic offensive and defensive rebounding.
Lilly Sandoval scored five points, and Wrampe scored one. Karlee Jeffery, Sara Whitaker, Jodry Giop, Franki Allred and Bella Schrapps also contributed in the win.
Avery Knockey’s six points paced Gallatin. Havyn Davila and Kaylynn Melton each scored five.
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Copper City Softball registration open
Registration for the 2026 Copper City Softball League is open from now through March 16.
The league offers four playing levels. They are Coach Pitch for girls 4 to 6, Farm League for girls 7 to 8, Minor League for girls 9 to 10, Major League for girls 11 to 12, and Junior/Senior Sandlot for girls 13 to 16.
Practices begin April 13, and Opening Day will be held May 3. The first games will be played on May 4 with tournament week running June 15 through 18.
Register online at coppercitysoftball.com. Call or text Jaimee Richards at (406) 498-6907 or email coppercitysoftball@gmail.com with questions.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Cadence Graham and Rhett Arntson
Butte High basketball players Cadence Graham and Rhett Arntson are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
The honors come after the Bulldog girls and boys opened January with a doubleheader against Gallatin at the Butte Civic Center.
Graham, a 5-foot-7 junior guard, takes home the girls’ honor after scoring 12 points to lead the Bulldogs in a 68-47 loss to the defending Class AA State champion Raptors. In doing so, Graham became just the second Butte High girl to score 1,000 career points.
She joins the great Lexi Nelson in that category. Graham, who has been a varsity contributor since she was in the eighth grade, still has nearly two full seasons to add onto that already impressive point total.
Arntson, a 5-8 senior guard, receives the boys’ accolades after helping lead the 5-0 Butte High boys to a 75-60 win over Gallatin. Arntson sank five 3-pointers on his way to scoring a career-high 19 points in the win.
He hit three of those treys and scored 11 points in the second quarter as the Bulldogs took command with a 25-13 run. That marked the second double-digit performance of the season for Arntson, who scored 13 points in Butte High’s 72-66 win over Billings West Dec. 19 at the Richardson Gym.
For the fourth 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 Graham and Arntson were provided by Alycia Holland Photography.
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Little Kids Hoops returns Saturday
The Knights of Columbus Little Kids Hoops program will return from holiday break on Saturday, Jan. 10.
The league will run through January, and all boys and girls are still welcome to play.
Games for boys and girls from pre-kindergarten through second grade go from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Games for players in the third through sixth grade go from 10:30 until noon. Hoops will be lowered for the younger players.
The league is free to all boys and girls, and players can show up to play week to week. There is no registration.
Players will be put on teams each week by Dan and Tom Boyle, who will referee the games and make sure each player is part of the action. There are no coaches.
The KC Little Kids Hoops program has been running for more than 30 years, and many of the boys and girls in the league turned out to be high school and college players.
All players will receive a T-shirt on the last day.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 