HELENA — The Butte Bulldogs have been on the wrong side of a couple close ones this season.
Friday night, they finished one.
Butte High went into Vigilante Stadium and held off a late Helena High charge for a 29-27 Western AA victory, snapping a three-game losing streak and giving the Bulldogs a much-needed conference win.
Quarterback Raeder Grey helped get the Bulldogs rolling early, using his legs for a 6-yard touchdown run.
Butte’s defense then created an opportunity of its own by forcing and recovering a Helena fumble. The Bulldogs turned the takeaway into points when Grey found Miner Lee for an 11-yard touchdown.
Lee wasn’t finished.
The Bulldog running back added touchdown runs of 12 and 21 yards as Butte continued to build its advantage.
It looked like Lee had found the end zone again later in the game, but the touchdown was called back by a penalty. The Bulldogs still salvaged the possession when Tegan Duffy knocked through a 26-yard field goal.
That field goal ended up mattering plenty.
Butte had built a 29-14 advantage, but Helena made its push late.
The Bengals scored twice and suddenly a game the Bulldogs had controlled was down to two points.
But this time, Butte didn’t let it slip away.
The Bulldogs finished the job and walked out of Vigilante Stadium with a 29-27 victory.
It was a needed result for a Butte team that entered Friday riding a three-game losing streak, including a heartbreaking 22-21 loss to Missoula Big Sky at Naranche Stadium on Sept. 18.
That Big Sky game showed how explosive Butte can be. Grey threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, including a 58-yard strike to Ryan Bache and a 78-yard touchdown to Brady Walsh. Walsh also took the opening kickoff 94 yards to the house.
But the Bulldogs came away empty-handed that night.
Friday in Helena was different.
They made enough plays, created a turnover, got touchdowns on the ground and through the air, and when Helena made its late run, the Bulldogs protected the lead.
Grey and Lee again played major roles in the offense, with Grey accounting for touchdowns both through the air and on the ground and Lee finding the end zone three times — once receiving and twice rushing.
Butte improved to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Western AA play with the victory. Helena dropped to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
The Bulldogs now return to Naranche Stadium next Friday for Senior Night against Flathead.
After three straight weeks of coming up short, they’ll return home with something they haven’t had in a while.
Momentum.
