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Duclos perfect as Trap season closes
Seth Duclos broke all 50 targets during Week 6 of the Butte Trap Club’s Fall League.
That marked the second time in as many weeks that Duclos reached perfection. Tim Cassidy, Scott White and Dave Vicevich each shot a 49 in the final week of the season. Riley Rigby, Rich Long, Justin Lerum, Josh Bridgeman, Alex Schneider and Dan Radamacher each shot a 48.
Gillian Clark’s 47 topped women’s standings. Rayelynn Brandle and Mindy McClernan were second at 44. They were followed by Kim McClafferty at 39 and Lisa Edwards at 36. Ryan Miller and Jake Taverna both shot 47 to top wobble scores.
Miller took home top gun honors for men with 291 out of 300 on the season. Rigby was second at 286.
Brandl ran away with women’s high gun with 270. Clark was next at 250. Chase White was the top junior at 249.
Wolverine Systems led team scratch standings at 1,126. Granite Amusement/Oasis was second at 1,121. Cooney’s/Vicevich was third at 1,118.
Vicevich, Duclos, Bridgeman, Clark and Doug Rentz make up the champion Wolverine Systems team.
Butte Trap Club – 2024 Fall League – Week 6 Final Standings
Team Scratch Standings
Wolverine Systems – 1126
Granite Amusement/Oasis – 1121
Cooney’s/Vicevich – 1118
Arc Electric – 1096
Baker Auto – 1085
Cooneys Locksmith – 1069
St James Hospital – 1048
S&S Plumbing – 1045
CF Plumbing & Heating – 1042
FJBCHO – 1040
WET1 – 1030
Archibald Co. – 1020
KR Contracting – 1011
Pro Inspection – 996
Vicevich Law Girls – 981
Randy’s Boys – 975
Sundance Plumbing – 972
Lockmer Plumbing – 964
Clay Howery Construction – 947
D-M Ranch – 926
Doodlebobs – 871
Superior Title – 863
J3 Construction – 859
Hazlett’s Heroes – 837
12G Girls – 797
WET 2 – 772
Daddy’s Girls – 762
Maloney’s – 759High Individual Scores
Seth Duclos – 50×50
Tim Cassidy – 49×50
Scott White – 49×50
Dave Vicevich – 49×50
Riley Rigby – 48×50
Rich Long – 48×50
Justin Lerum – 48×50
Josh Bridgeman – 48×50
Alex Schneider – 48×50
Dan Radamacher – 48×50High Lady Scores
Gillian Clark – 47×50
Rayelynn Brandl – 44×50
Mindy McClernan – 44×50
Kim McClafferty – 39×50
Lisa Edwards – 36×50High Wobble Trap Scores
Ryan Miller – 47×50
Jake Taverna – 47×50
Kohlten Fultz – 45×50
Scott White – 45×50
Rayelynn Brandl – 44×50High Gun Male
Champion Ryan Miller – 291×300
R-U Riley Rigby – 286×300High Gun Female
Champ Rayelynn Brandl – 270×300
Runner-Up Gillian Clark – 250×300High Junior – Chase White – 249×300
Team Division Winners
Class AA – Wolverine Systems – Dave Vicevich, Doug Rentz, Seth Duclos, Josh Bridgeman, Gillian Clark
Class A – Cooney’s Locksmith – Scott White, Chase White, Billy Bob White, Justin Lerum, Jayson Kress
Class B – Archibald Company – Kevin Zimpel, Mike Watson, Jake Sampson, Jason Dinius, Doug Royse
Class C – Clay Howery Construction – Rick Svejkovsky, Emmett Riordan, Andrew Howery, Clay Howery, Gus Bolton
Class D – J3 Construction – Mike Martin, Tommy Gates, Jonathan Peters, James Little, Darin Platter
Annie Oakley Winners
- 1st – Kaden Queer 2nd – Tyler Denny 3rd – Josh Bridgeman
- 1st – Josh Bridgeman 2nd – Kaden Queer
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Podcast No. 214: Greg Salo
Greg Salo belongs to a very exclusive group in the Mining City. That is to say that he earned All-American honors as a football player at Butte High School.
Salo eared that honor while playing for the Bulldogs in 1969. That was his third straight year as an All-State inside linebacker for the Bulldogs. He also started at quarterback during that senior season, tossing nine touchdown passes.
He was a key member of Butte High’s back-to-back State championship teams in 1967 and 1968.
Salo, who also played three years on the varsity basketball team at Butte High, went to UCLA to play football. According to a newspaper story announcing his signing at UCLA, Salo said he picked the Bruins over about 30 other schools that recruited him.
After one season in Los Angeles, Salo transferred to the University of Montana, where he played linebacker for the Grizzlies.
Of course, more people probably know Salo as a coach. His long coaching run included almost a decade at Montana State, where he served as the defensive coordinator for the Bobcats. Then he became head coach at Butte High School, where he led the Bulldogs from 2002 through 2007.
Salo was known as a bit of a no-nonsense coach who got the most out of his players. He knew when to chew a player out and when to give him a pat on the back.
His tenure at Butte High included coaching Colt Anderson, who went on to an All-American career with the Grizzlies and a nine-year career in the NFL. Anderson is currently the special teams coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.
Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.
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Peg Sarsfield Classic set to return
The Peggy Sarsfield Butte Rotary Classic, a once strong Montana Tech women’s basketball tradition, and the accompanying 3-on-3 girls’ basketball tournament will return this November at the Montana Tech HPER Complex.
The tournament will include Montana Western, Northwestern University and Montana Tech. Montana Western will play Northwestern University on Nov. 22. The next night, the Orediggers will play Northwestern.
The 3-on-3 tournament, which will be played Nov. 24, will be for elementary and middle school athletes. It will include six brackets for third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade.
Registration fee is $120 per team, and each team is limited to four players. An online registration link will be available soon. In the meantime, you can register by contacting coach Frankie Bignell at mbignell@mtech.edu.
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Podcast No. 213: Ben Alke
Ben Alke is running for Attorney General of Montana. He is the Democratic Party nominee, and he is from Bozeman.
But is mother is from Butte, and he grew up in Helena. So, we’ll forgive that Bozeman thing. Ben graduated from Helena Capital High School in 1997, and then went to Notre Dame for his undergraduate degree and Northwestern in Chicago for law school.
Ben was a solid cross country runner and golfer for the Bruins. After his high school golf tournaments, he said he felt at most home when he was hanging out with the Butte High guys — like Chad Lisac and Bob McCloskey.
Ben is running against Austin Knudsen, Montana’s Attorney General whose four years have been plagued by scandal while his office has been highly political.
Ben figured he just might be nuts to get into a statewide race. He never saw himself going into politics. He didn’t even run for student council in high school. But he felt like he needed to.
Like when your buddy is in a fight in a bar, you just have to step in and help out. That is how Ben sees his fight to return the rule of law back to the Attorney General’s office.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warrantee.
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An easy solution to the ‘dog problem’
One day after school, I was going to go for a jog with my new third-grade buddy Jeff Hartwick.
We planned to run about 2 and a half miles. It was a course that started at my house just below the Mountain Con Mine, and we would run over by the Kennedy Elementary School and back.
I had run the course with my mom before, but never by myself or with a friend.
We jogged from the Corner of Buffalo Street and Main Street to the corner of Buffalo and Montana Street. After that jaunt of a quarter of a mile or so, we realized our run was over because we couldn’t figure out a way to go.
“We can’t go that way,” Jeff said, pointing to the south.
If we went that way, there were a couple of older kids who might beat us up for treading on their turf. This was probably a paranoid thought, but we both believed that we would be risking our lives if we continued in that direction.
“Well, we can’t go up there,” I said. “There are a couple of mean dogs that will tear us apart.”
That thought was not so irrational. This was the fall of 1983, and the Butte Hill was Dog Heaven.
Everyone had a dog, and nobody believed in leash laws. We didn’t even believe in fences with closed gates.
Getting a dog in Butte back then meant that the whole neighborhood got a dog. It meant the people walking by your house got a dog to greet them — or to tell them to take a different route.
My family was as guilty as anyone. We had a little free-ranging dog who was hit by a car and killed in October of my first-grade year. The next May, we got a German Shephard/Huskey cross from the pound.
Even though she was female, we named her “Butch” because she reminded my dad of his old dog by the same name. She was the best dog, and she was very protective of her family.
Butch used to walk me to school. That ended the worry I had about bullies or other dogs.
Then, I trusted her to find her way home, where she would await my return. After that, she would accompany me just about everywhere I went — but for some reason she wasn’t with Jeff and me that day.
On the way home from school, I was on my own. I got out an hour before my older brother, so I didn’t have anyone to look out for me.
Usually there was a group of kids who walked with me at least a little bit of the way, but they were no protection against dogs and bullies.
Some of them were even bullies themselves.
One time as I walked home from the Blaine School alone, I had an aggressive Dobermann Pincher come at me. As I walked across the empty field on Wells Street, heading toward the Centerville skating rink, the dog kept biting my arms. He tore a couple of holes in my hand-me-down winter coat.
He wasn’t trying to kill me, though I thought he might be at the time. He was probably trying to play, but I was scared to death until a man came running out of his house to chase the dog away from me.
I couldn’t even say “thank you” to the man. I just ran home as fast as I could.
After that, the only thing I feared more than that Dobermann was the older boy whose family owned the Dobermann. I figured I at least had a chance to reason with dog.
Plus, it is no coincidence that the mean dog had a mean owner. I will always believe the old saying that there is no such thing as a bad dog. There are only bad dog owners.
Yes, we used to have a real dog problem in Butte. One ornery dog would hold an entire neighborhood hostage.
I don’t look back on those days as being bad, though. Actually, I kind of liked that so many people had dogs that they took care of. It was easier to take care of them that way, too. You could go on vacation, and your neighbors would look after your dog — even if you never told your neighbors you were going on vacation.
That problem lasted into the 21st Century before the county cracked down. For the last 20 years or so, you could go for a jog around uptown Butte without worrying about being attacked by a dog. For the most part.
The Butte Hill might still resemble Dog Heaven, but most of those dogs are confined to their yards.
It is starting to seem a bit like old times in Butte, though. The days of dogs with a bad disposition making some residents fearful when on their evening strolls seemed to have returned.
That is due largely to a couple of dogs who have been threatening people who walk on the walking trail through the old Con Mine yard up to the Granite Mountain Memorial. The dogs show their teeth, and there have been Facebook reports that they have bitten people.
My dad has had a few run ins with these dogs, who showed their teeth while convincing him to walk a different direction from his preferred daily routine.
He has called animal control multiple times. The last time he called, one officer told him that he could not do much about it. He said he issued the dog owners tickets, but nothing much more came of it.
Then he told my dad that those dogs are actually kind of scaredy cats. He advised my dad to pretend like he is going to go after the dogs. Then, they would run away.
That might have been the worst advice I have ever heard.
A woman posted on Facebook this weekend that she was attacked by those same dogs on the walking trail. The next day, another woman said she, too, was attacked by the same dogs.
However, upon further investigation, I believe the second woman was attacked by two different dogs who are also often out of their yard.
Yes, it seems like we might have a bit of a dog problem in Butte again. Actually, it is more of a people problem, and it goes well beyond the Butte Hill.
That problem should be relatively easy to solve, however. All we need is a little accountability.
The late Jeff Gibson was the longtime opinion editor and columnist at The Montana Standard. Back in the late 1990s, he offered a great solution to the dog problem.
Jeff said we should simply charge the owner with the act the dog was accused of committing. Notice I said “accused.” Even dogs should be afforded due process.
If a dog bites you, then the owners of the dog should be charged with biting you. If your dog barks all night long, you should be charged as if you stood out in your yard and yelled “hey, hey, hey” all night long.
If your dog poops in a neighbor’s yard, well, you get the point.
As Jeff laid it out, it is pretty simple. If your dog does the crime, you do the time. That would help some of these irresponsible dog owners learn some responsibility in a hurry, and dogs could prove once and for all that they really are not the problem at all.
It’s a people problem, and we must deal with these people.
Then those good citizens walking the streets and trails would no longer feel the way Jeff and I felt on the corner of Montana and Buffalo back in the third grade.
— Bill Foley, who would take a bullet for his dogs, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. 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: Beau McGree, flag football seniors
Butte Central freshman Beau McGree and Butte High’s four senior flag football players are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
McGree takes home the boys’ honor after hitting a hole-in-one at the Polson Invitational golf tournament. McGree used an 8-iron to ace the 145-yard hole No. 4 at the Polson Bay Golf Course.
McGree fired an 80 on the par-72 course to lead the Maroons. He placed 17th overall in a field of 79 golfers. The ace is the second in the McGree family in 2024. Beau’s brother Will, a junior on the BC team, hit an ace at the Butte Country Club in April.
Beau McGree’s strong freshman golf season comes on the heels of an outstanding American Legion Baseball season. He plays catcher and second base, and he played games for the Butte Motormen and Butte Muckers in 2024. He was also a standout for the BC varsity baseball team in the spring.
Butte High seniors Karsyn Lambrecht, Kaylee Hoar, Hailey Hotalen and Sophie Radcliffe share the girls’ honor after playing in the Bulldogs’ first Senior Night in flag football. The Bulldogs fell 20-12 to East Helena at Naranche Stadium, but Butte High coaches called it a good night.
Lambrecht played two seasons for the Bulldogs, while Hoar, Hotalen and Radcliffe each played three. All four attended a flag football camp in Missoula put on by the Atlanta Falcons.
“Each girl really focused on building the team and building the sport,” Butte High assistant coach Amy Schulte said. “All the underlayment mentioned their leadership, kindness and willingness to help in their letters to the seniors that we gave them last night. Karsyn is the fun and energy booster. Sophie is the calm pillar that’s keeps us on track. Hailey is also quiet but very much a lead by example girl. She does everything crisp and clean even in practice and many girls talked about being inspired by her that way. Kaylee is quiet but also one to always lend a helping hand.”
For the second 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 in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
The flag football seniors pictured above are, from left, Karsyn Lambrecht, Kaylee Hoar, Hailey Hotalen and Sophie Radcliffe. Photo of courtesy Alycia Holland Photography.
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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. 16.
Monday
7 p.m. — Poi Time vs. BigCat
8 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. ParishTuesday
7 p.m. — Jellyfam vs. Hoopin Heathens
8 p.m. — Someday Starters vs. BigCatWednesday
7 p.m. — Butte Sports vs. Cook
8 p.m. — Cook vs. Jellyfam
9 p.m. — Poi Time vs. ParishThursday
7 p.m. — Butte Sports vs. Thunder
8 p.m. — Thunder vs. Hoopin Heathens
9 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. Someday Starters
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Barkley, Duclos, Rigby post 50s
Rod Barkley, Seth Duclos and Riley Rigby each posted a perfect score of 50 to lead individual standings during Week 5 of the Butte Trap Club’s Fall League.
The perfect mark was the first of the season for Barkley and Duclos. Rigby shot a 50 for the third time this season. It was his second time reaching perfection in as many weeks.
Timmy Schrapps, Dave Vicevich, Josh Bridgeman and Jake Taverna each shot a 49, while Mark Hislop and Craig Durkin shot 48. Rayelynn Brandl shot a 47 to lead women shooters. Gillian Clark was next at 45. Kevin Zimpel shot a 43 to lead wabble scores.
Through five weeks, Granite Amusement/Oasis leads team scratch standings a 944. Wolverine Systems is just three back at 941, and Arc Electric is third at 905.
Butte Trap Club – 2024 Fall League – Week 5 Standings
Team Scratch Standings
Granite Amusement/Oasis – 944
Wolverine Systems – 941
Arc Electric – 905
Baker Auto – 899
Cooneys Locksmith – 888
St James Hospital – 877
S&S Plumbing – 873
CF Plumbing & Heating – 870
FJBCHO – 863
WET1 – 853
KR Contracting – 847
Archibald Co. – 842
Lockmer Plumbing – 830
Pro Inspection – 823
Randy’s Boys – 801
D-M Ranch – 786
Clay Howery Construction – 781
Cooney’s/Vicevich – 749
Superior Title – 726
Doodlebobs – 721
J3 Construction – 707
Hazlett’s Heroes – 704
WET 2 – 646
Sundance Plumbing – 640
12G Girls – 637
Maloney’s – 637
Daddy’s Girls – 620
Vicevich Law Girls – 506High Individual Scores
Rod Barkley – 50×50
Seth Duclos – 50×50
Riley Rigby – 50×50
Timmy Schrapps – 49×50
Dave Vicevich – 49×50
Josh Bridgeman – 49×50
Jake Taverna – 49×50
Mark Hislop – 48×50
Craig Durkin – 48×50High Lady Scores
Rayelynn Brandl – 47×50
Gillian Clark – 45×50
Colleen Fink – 41×50
Mindy McClernan – 38×50
Anna Leddan – 31×50
Denise Andersen – 31×50High Wobble Trap Scores
Kevin Zimpel – 43×50
Steve Powley – 41×50
Tim Cassidy – 41×50 -
Silver B’s will honor 20th Diamond B
The Butte High Silver B Football Organization will have a chance to honor a living local legend Sept. 20 when Mr. Lee Whitmore Smith will be recognized for having lettered for the Bulldogs 75 years ago.
Smith will be only the 20th Diamond B in the group’s 85-year history. He first lettered for Butte High during the 1949 season and played Fullback for Coach Harry “Swede” Dahlberg’s squad. Smith is being celebrated this year along with the 1999 letterwinners going in as Silver B’s and the 1974 lettermen heading in as Golden B’s.
The 85th Annual Meeting and Induction Ceremony (1940 – 2024) will take place Friday September 20, 2024, at The Butte High School Gymnasium with doors opening at 4 p.m. The meeting and dinner will start at 5:00 p.m. It is a MEMBERS-ONLY meeting and dinner…no guests or alcohol will be permitted. The group will then make its’ way to Naranche Memorial Stadium, to cheer on the 2024 version of the Butte High Bulldogs football team as they play host to the Missoula Big Sky Eagles. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Banquet tickets are $24 per person, and annual dues are $5 per person. Members are asked to please R.S.V.P. with prepayment as soon as possible. This is critical so that we have an accurate head count to supply to our caterer. Members can fill out and return the top portion of their 2024 brochure via US Mail or they can pay online by accessing our website at buttehighsilverbs.com. All mailings can be returned to Butte High Silver B’s P.O. Box 4655 Butte, MT 59702.
Those participating in the pre-game ceremonies are encouraged to wear their Silver B, Golden B or Diamond B Cap and Pin. Scott Paffhausen is the Historian, Dean Ericson is the Past-President, Matt Pelletier is the Treasurer and Northey Tretheway is the Secretary of the organization.
85th Annual Meeting and Induction Ceremony September 20, 2024
SILVER B INDUCTEES (1999 Squad) – The 1999 squad was coached by Steve Schulte. This was Schulte’s 3rd year as the Head Coach at Butte High School.
Jake Alt, Curtis Cooney, Mac Coyne, Pat Crossman, Corey Cutler, Travis DeMers, Bryan Edwards, Chad Erwin, Kiel Ferko, Shawn Fredrickson, Eric Halvorsen, Dan Hayes, Justin Powers, Shane Reilly, Chad Rogers, Dave Solan, Kyle Thomas and John Watts.
GOLDEN B INDUCTEES (1974 Squad) – The 1974 squad was coached by Dan Peters. This was Peter’s 2nd season as the Head Bulldog Mentor.
Dan Bersanti, Bill Boehmer, Wade Bristol, Pat Burt, Don Clark, John Coyne, Kirk DeVore, Jim Fortune, Glen Granger, Doug Gronvold, Steve Kambich, Bill Kraus, Tom Krueger, Dick LeCoure, Matt Lind, John Lowney, Dale McLaughlin, Bob Milodragovich, Russ Mitchell, Bob Nebres, Pat Ogrin, Kevin Pelletier, Jim Peltomaa (DECEASED), Bill Peterson, Paul Riley, Bill Riordan, Tim Schmidt, Rick Sholey and Don Warner.
DIAMOND B INDUCTEES (1949 Squad) – The 1949 squad was coached by the legendary Harry “Swede” Dahlberg who was in his 28th year as the Head Football Coach at Butte High School.
This year we are honoring a gentleman who will become our 20th Diamond B in the 85-year history of the organization. We are truly honored to be inducting Mr. Lee Whitmore Smith.
The remaining first year lettermen from the 1949 squad are now deceased. The Silver B’s would still like to honor the following gentlemen from the 1949 team:
Bob Bennie, Bob Butorovich, Gerald Dougherty, John Edgar, Don Galpin, Jim Garrett, Tom Grady, Jack Harrington, Alan Jackson, Jim “Gus” Janhunen, Jim Johnson, Wayne Kelly, Maurice LaPier, Richard “Gitch” Leppanen, Fred Moodry, Jim Moran, Don Puich, Jim Sevores, Glenn Shurtz, Mark Snow, John Stajcar, George Twardus and Ralph Worthem.
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Copper Queen League 3-on-3 hoops registration now open
Registration for the Copper Queen League is now open. The 3-on- league will play games Sundays from Oct. 27 through Nov. 10.
The league will feature divisions in 3rd and 4th grade, 5th and 6th grade, and 7th and 8th grade. The main goal for the league is to teach fundamentals of the game and provide opportunity to young female athletes.
Registration is limited to 8 teams per league. Teams are required to have a coach and four players.
Cost is $200 per team. All athletes will receive a Copper Queen League t-shirt for team jersey. Follow the registration link or scan the QR code to complete registration.
The registration deadline is Oct. 14.
