By Bill Foley
Butte High’s girls’ basketball team qualified for the Class AA State tournament for the first time in six years last March.
Now, the Bulldogs are looking to do it again.
To do so, the Bulldogs, who open the season with a non-conference game at Dillon Tuesday, will have to overcome the loss of four seniors.
In Aspen Lovshin, Ally Cleverly, Brittney Tierney and Justise Birkenbuel, the Bulldogs lost 37.1 points of offense per game and about a decade and a half of combined experience on the varsity level.
Fifth-year Butte High head coach Maury Cook, though, really likes the players he has coming back.
“Right now our leadership, as far as communication, is really good,” Cook said. “The kids are working hard, talking to each other. Obviously, some practices are better than other, but when they’re working hard, they look good.”
The Bulldogs will start seniors Makenna Carpenter, Haley Herron, Grace McGrath and Trisha Ericson and junior MacKenzie Tutty.
Carpenter, who hit a buzzer-beating jumper to beat Billings West last season, and Herron are returning starters. Herron, who averaged 5.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season, has been contributing on the varsity level since she was a freshman.
Tutty, Ericson and McGrath saw valuable time as role players for the Bulldogs, who posted a 14-4 overall record in the regular season.
“Everybody who is back has significant playing time and played a lot at the state tournament and divisional tournament,” Cook said.
Junior McCaul McCarthy, who was a force off the bench a year ago, will again contribute as a reserve, as will sophomore Ashley Olson, Butte High’s lone 6-foot player.
Sophomores Kodie Hoagland, Tylar Clary and Brooke McGrath will also look to see some time on the varsity floor.
“We’ll start like we did last year: small,” Cook said. “We have to see who is going to step up to be in that main rotation.”
Herron, who plays way bigger than the 5-foot-8 she is listed as, could see her role expand this year, Cook said. Carpenter will be counted on from long range.
“She’s been shooting the ball well. We’re relying on her,” Cook said of Carpenter. “Brooke McGrath is shooting the ball. Hailey is tough. Hailey play inside out. When Ashley is in, she will play a little more on the perimeter. That helps us with some size.”
Mia Stenson and Emma Quist, a pair of sophomores Butte High was counting on using this year, will likely miss the season with injuries.
Butte High’s opener Tuesday at Dillon will be a 6 p.m. start of a girls-boys doubleheader. All of the Bulldog conference games, with the exception of the games against the Helena schools, will be like that.
The Bulldogs first home game is Thursday against Belgrade at the Richardson Gym. The majority of Butte’s home games will be at the Butte Civic Center.
Butte High will play four games before the Christmas break. The Bulldogs will play at Great Falls High on Dec. 20 before closing the pre-Christmas slate against Butte Central on Dec. 3.
Butte High’s first Western AA game is Jan. 4 at home against Missoula Big Sky.
The Western AA Divisional tournament is March 3-5 in Missoula. The Montana State Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman will host the Class AA State tournament the following week.
