The Butte Sports Hall of Fame will grow by 14 individuals and five teams this July.
Individuals joining the Hall are the late Tony Banovich, Corey Bolton, Ron Collins Sr., Don Douglas, Deanna Dugdale, the late Hoot Gibson, Bob Given, Ray Jay Johnson, Gary Kane, Julie (Leary) Nadeau, the late Don “Lefty” Orlich, Tom Roberts, Debbie Silk and the late Ed Yeo.
Teams entering the Hall will be the 1982 Frontier Conference champion Montana Tech volleyball team, the 1983 Frontier Conference Montana Tech football team, the 1990-91 state champion Butte High wrestling team, the 1995 state champion Butte High softball team, and the 1996 state championship Butte Central-Anaconda swimming team.
The class will be introduced during a 1 p.m. news conference Wednesday at the Butte Civic Center. The conference will be broadcast live during the KBOW radio program “Partyline.” Listen live at 550 AM, 101.5 FM, kbow550.net or on the KBOW app.
The Green Jacket Ceremony will be held July 15, and the induction banquet will take place July 16. Both events will be held at the Butte Civic Center.
This year will mark the 18th class inducted by the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, which began enshrining Butte sports legends in the summer of 1987. It inducted a class every other year through 2019.
The 2022 class brings the total individuals inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame to 214.
The 2021 induction was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Butte Sports Hall of Fame will move forward with a new class every even year. The next class will join the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Information on the individuals and teams in the Butte Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 follows:
Individual Inductees
Tony Banovich
He was an outstanding runner at Butte Central in cross country and track who went on to become a titan of running in Montana and well beyond.
Banovich was a member of two Butte Central cross country teams that placed second at the state meet in 1978 and 1979.
Banovich led the Maroons in 1979 with a fifth-place finish at state and was named All-State in cross country. In track, he placed fifth in the two-mile at the 1980 state track meet. Later, Banovich would become one of the premier road runners in the state, winning numerous races including Butte’s Veterans’ Day race three times in 1983, 1993 and 2004. He is one of only three Butte natives to win the title three times and the only male runner to capture the event in three different decades. He also won the Anaconda St. Patrick’s Day run four times, the John Colter run in Three Forks twice, the 1984 Big Butte run with a course record time and the 2000 Montana Cup run in Helena. Tony helped organize and run the Montana Cup for many years.
Banovich is the first athlete to win all four races at the Governor’s Cup. He won in various years the 5-kilometer, 10-kilometer, half-marathon and marathon races. Banovich ran a personal best of 2:28 in the 2001 Cleveland Marathon. He also competed in the 2004 Boston Marathon, where he was the 44th overall male and placed fifth in his age class of 40-45. Tony has given back to the sport of running by coaching high school cross country and track teams in Plains, Montana.
Tony was part of the original Road and Track Club in Missoula. That evolved into Run Wild Missoula. Run Wild organized the city’s first marathon in 2007. In 2009, that race was named the best in the United States by Runner’s World Magazine.
Tragically, Banovich passed away in October of 2020. He was the Missoula Marathon race director at the time of his death.
Corey Bolton
He was an outstanding football and wrestling star at Butte High and Western. Later, Bolton was a successful wrestling coach at Butte High. Corey was a member of three state championship wrestling teams at Butte High in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Bolton won the 160 individual state title at the 1988 and 1989 state finals, going 62-0 over his final two seasons. He compiled an 84-8 overall record in four years at Butte High.
In football, Bolton was a two-year starter as a running back for the Bulldogs. In 1987, he rushed 83 times for 522 yards, scoring two touchdowns. He also caught eight passes for 168 yards, scoring one touchdown. The Bulldogs made it to the state finals before losing to Helena Capital 14-12 in the title game. In 1988, Bolton rushed for 983 yards on 179 carries to lead the team.
For his efforts, Bolton was selected second-team All-State following the season. Overall, Bolton compiled 1,511 rushing yards on 262 carries, scoring nine touchdowns.
Corey took his athletic talents to Montana Western. Bolton competed on the Western wrestling team and earned NAIA All-American honors. In football, he was a starting running back for the Bulldogs. In 1990, he set school records with 986 rushing yards on 180 attempts. He was named the 1990 Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Year. During his football career in Dillon, Bolton earned All-Conference, All-District and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention honors.
He set a school record for touchdowns scored with 29 during his career. He was also the school’s all-time leading rusher with 2,691 yards.
In 2000, Bolton coached the Butte High Bulldogs to the Class AA state championship. Bolton became only the second Bulldog to both play on and coach a state championship team in one sport. The other was Swede Dahlberg who played on the 1914 and 1915 state championship football teams at Butte High and later coached nine state football title teams at his old school. Bolton was inducted into the Montana Western Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Ron Collins Sr.
He was a longtime wrestling official well known for his integrity, judgment and famous “flying pin.” Ron began officiating in 1963 after graduating from high school and would continue in the activity until his retirement in 2010.
His career spanned 47 years and in 2014 he was inducted into the Montana Official’s Association Hall of Fame.
Ron exemplified the qualities of a great sports official. He was well-respected by wrestlers, coaches and wrestling fans throughout the state of Montana. If a match or dual meet was going to be close, he was the preferred official among wresters and coaches. This preference resulted in Ron officiating more high school wrestling tournaments than any other official in Montana. His hustle and unique style made wresting entertaining to watch and he was always a fan favorite at many state tournaments.
In addition to high school wrestling, Ron has officiated 24 NAIA National College Wrestling Tournaments starting in 1982, five Junior College National Wrestling Tournaments in 1986,87,88,89 and 90. He also was an official at two Big Sky Conference tournaments. Collins was placed in charge of officials of the NAIA National Meet in 1996 and served in that role for nine years.
In 1990, Collins was recognized by the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials for his dedication and his achievements in the sport of wrestling as an official. In 2007, he was named the National Wrestling Official of the Year by Wrestling USA Magazine. In 2009, he was selected Montana Wrestling Official of the Year.
Ron has also been a longtime supporter and contributor to the success of Butte sports. He coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in the late 1960s and 1970s. Umpired Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball and substituted as an umpire for the Pioneer League Butte Copper Kings. He was past president of the Mile High Little League, Silver Bow Kiwanis and United Way. Collins was chairman of the chamber of commerce sports and recreation committee, president of the Butte Athletic Council for two years and served three years on the Butte School Board.
His strong ties to the community enabled him to help raise money for various teams, athletes and organizations. Ron also helped establish the Butte Wrestling Club and was involved as a coach and official.
Don Douglas
He was a standout athlete at Butte High competing in football, basketball and track. He was a three-year starting quarterback for Butte High in football. He led the Bulldogs to the 1981 state championship running for a score and passing for a touchdown in a win over Great Falls Russell.
Douglas accounted for 221 of the team’s 352 total yards in championship game. During the 1981 season, Don completed 70 of 132 passes for 998 yards and 10 touchdowns. Douglas set a new school-record in each of those categories for a season. He also carried the ball 97 times for 511 yards.
Don accounted for 1,509 total yards in the season to set a new school-record. For his efforts, Douglas was named first-team All-State. During his career, Don completed 152 of 310 passes for 2,052 yards and 16 touchdowns. He set a school-record for career completions, pass attempts and total passing yards. He also set a record with 2,830 total yards during his career.
In basketball, Don started his senior year. He scored 181 points in 20 games. Douglas competed in track for the Bulldogs and was an exceptional baseball player.
Following his prep career, Don received a scholarship at the University of Nebraska. He eventually transferred and completed his playing days at the University of Montana in 1986. He scored a touchdown in the Grizzlies 1986 win over Montana State.
Deanna Dugdale
She was an outstanding basketball player for Butte High. Deanna was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs from 1980-82. During her three years, Butte High compiled a record of 41-31, competing in the state tournament in 1981 and 1982.
The Bulldogs placed third at State in 1981. Dugdale posted 459 points in 1982 that set a new school record. The mark would last 28 years before being broken by Lexie Nelson in 2010. During that season, she also set a school record with 229 rebounds, the first player with more than 200 boards in a season at Butte High. She also compiled 75 steals, 171 field goals, 410 field goal attempts, and made 117 free throws out of 172 free throw attempts.
Dugdale was the first player at Butte High to toss in more than 100 free throws in a season. All of those marks set new school records at Butte High. Deanna set a school record, tossing in 35 points in a state tournament game against Columbia Falls. During the 1982 divisional tournament, she led all scorers at the event with 82 points for a 27.3 average. Dugdale was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player even though Butte High only placed fourth at the tournament.
She was selected first team All-State in basketball following the season. Overall, Dugdale had 651 career points the fourth best ever at Butte High.
‘Hoot’ Gibson
He was been a longtime supporter and contributor to the success of the wrestling programs in Butte. Gibson helped start the Little Bulldog wrestling program in 1971. The next year, he put down the money to establish the Butte Amateur Wrestling Association with the AAU.
After that, Hoot worked with both high schools developing wrestlers and teams. He was a key contributor to acquiring local, state and national tournaments to Butte. Gibson would do every possible duty asked to help secure a wrestling tournament and put it on in a first-class manner.
Hoot has been a member of the Butte Amateur Wrestling Association for more than 40 years. Through the years, he mopped mats, sold hot dogs, acquired ads for programs, sold T-shirts, took tickets and also coached kids in the sport of wrestling from the pee-wee division up through college. He was one of the key reasons why Butte had so much success in wrestling at the high school level in the 1980s and 1990s.
He helped secure financing so many youngsters could attend events like the NCAA national tournaments or compete in regional and national events. Gibson was a member of the Advantage Butte Board of Directors. In 2010, Gibson sold more than $20,000 in advertising to help the Montana East-West Shrine Game, which was played in Butte for the first time. Also in 2010, Hoot received the Mike Venner Award from the Chamber of Commerce for his outstanding work in the community.
Hoot passed away in November, 2019. He was 80. The following wrestling season, Hoot’s name appeared on Butte High’s warm-up shirts.
Bob Given
Bob was an outstanding football player at Butte High and Montana State (MSC-MSU) in the 1960s. At Butte High, Given was a three-year letterman in football and track. He also lettered twice years in basketball.
Given played defensive back in 1959 and was the starting receiver and defensive back on the 1960 and 1961 state championship Bulldog football teams. Bob was the leading receiver in 1961, hauling in nine passes for 191 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven TD receptions set a school record that stood until Jon Smitham broke the record during the 1991 state championship season. Given was first-team All-State in 1961 and named to the 1962 Montana East-West Shrine Game, where he helped lead the West to a 26-6 victory.
Given also played varsity basketball for two seasons in 1961 and 1962. A starter in 1962, he scored 132 points. He competed in track for his idle Coach Swede Dahlberg. Dahlberg said of Given, “Not much talent, but he never quits.” Bob qualified for the 1962 state track meet in the low hurdles and broad jump.
After the Shrine Game, Bobcat coach Jim Sweeney offered Given a walk-on opportunity to play for the Cats. At Montana State, Given earned a three-year full-ride scholarship. He was a three-year starter at defensive back for the Bobcats and alternated at running back in 1964 and 1965. For three years, he ran as special teams gunner and alternated as a kickoff and punt returner. Sweeney and coach Sonny Holland nicknamed him “Rawhide.” The Coaches honored him as the teams Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Inspirational Player in 1964 and 1965.
Given was voted First Team All-Big Sky in 1965.
Bob was a member of the 1964 Montana State Hall of Fame team that won the Cameilla Bowl, beating Sacramento State 24-7, where he contributed with an end zone interception. During his Bobcat career, Given had 10 interceptions.
Given still has a Montana State Record that stands today. He registered four interceptions in three years — 1963, 1964 and 1965 — against Montana. He picked off two Griz passes during the Bobcats’ 24-7 victory in Bozeman in 1965. His four interceptions is the most ever by a Bobcat player in the Cat- Griz Game. Only the legendary “Wild” Bill Kelly, at Montana in 1925 and 1926 has as many interceptions as Given in the Divide Wars.
Ray Jay Johnson
Ray Jay Johnson was known as “Butte Central’s Mr. Basketball” in the late 1970s. Johnson played three years for the BC varsity team, and his teams went to the state tournament all three years.
Playing for Butte Sports Hall of Fame legend John Thatcher, Johnson started for the 1978 and 1979 teams, helping lead the Maroons to the Class A State tournament. He was a first-team All-Tournament Team selection both seasons. In 1978, he was the starting guard on the Butte Central team that won the state championship. That team was voted Butte Central’s Team of the Century, and Johnson was one of the 12 players named to Butte Central’s All-Century team.
During the championship season, Johnson was the team’s third-leading scorer with 11.3 points per game. He was selected first-team All-State. As a team captain in 1979, Johnson led the Maroons to the state tournament again, this time as the team’s leading scorer. He averaged 16.6 points per game, tossing in 465 points on the season. He was again named first-team All-State. He became only the third BC player in school history to be named All-State in basketball two years in a row, joining Danny Hanley and “Jumpin’” Joe Kelly. During his two years as a starter, the Maroons went 41-13.
Johnson finished his prep career with 776 points (12.9 points per game). Known as a hard-nosed defensive player who was never afraid to take a charge, Johnson was also a long-ranger shooter in the days before the 3-point line. His scoring numbers would have been much higher if he played 10 years later.
Johnson then took his talents to the College of Great Falls, where he was part of multiple Frontier Conference titles playing for coach Steve Aggers’ Argos. Johnson was presented with the J.L. McLaughlin Award as the team’s most inspirational player three years in a row. The award is voted on by teammates.
Gary Kane
Gary Kane was a star basketball player from 1987 to 1989 for Butte High. He scored 883 career points, which is third best in school history. After scoring 399 points as a junior, Kane scored 473 points as the Bulldogs finished the 1988-89 season with a 21-1 record.
Kane averaged 21.5 points per game during the 1988-89 season, and that is a school record. No other Butte High player averaged 20 points per game during a season. His 16.6 points per game average at Butte High is the best ever for a player competing in more than 25 career games.
Kane was selected All-State as a senior and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year. His 73 career 3-pointers are still a record at Butte High, and Kane represented the Treasure state in the Montana-Wyoming all-star series, scoring 23 and 16 points in two games. MTN Sports named Kane of the top 50 Montana basketball players over the last 50 years.
Gary played four seasons at the University of Montana. Kane and the Grizzlies won the Big Sky Conference championship in 1991 and 1992, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament both years. The Griz played the great Larry Johnson-led UNLV team in 1991. They fell to Florida State in 1992. During the 1991 season, Kane made 68 3-pointers for the Grizzlies. Though his final three seasons in Missoula were plagued by injuries, Kane was still a four-year letter-winner. In 1994, he received UM’s Naseby Rhinehart Award as the most inspirational player.
Julie (Leary) Nadeau
She was a standout girls’ basketball player at Butte Central in the 1980s. Leary competed for the Maroons’ varsity team from 1984-87.
In 1986, Julie scored 35 points against Stevensville to set a new school record. She also had 15 field goals in that game to set a new school record that still stands today. That game also saw Leary pull down 19 rebounds as BC beat Stevensville 54-53 at the Montana Tech HPER Complex.
In her senior year, in 1987, Julie was the team’s leading scorer with 346 points. Her 346 points was the second best ever by a Lady Maroon. She averaged 15.7 points a game.
Leary had 141 field goals in the season to set a new school record. For her efforts, Leary was selected first team All-State in basketball. Leary was selected and played in the Montana Girls’ All-Star basketball series. She is the only Butte Central player to ever compete in that event. During her career, she tallied 259 field goals, third best at Butte Central. She scored 644 points which ties her for sixth best all time at Butte Central.
Julie was a standout softball player as a girl. She was part of the North West Little League All-Star team that qualified for the regional tournament in Klamath Falls, Oregon. She was also a solid all-around volleyball player and track athlete for the Maroons. She earned 10 varsity letters. Four of those letters came in basketball, which was her first love.
Leary signed to play basketball at Montana Tech. She left the team early in her freshman season. Julie never got to return to the court after a 1989 crash left her paralyzed from the chest down. Years later, Leary graduated from Montana Tech.
Don “Lefty” Orlich
He was an outstanding baseball player in the Butte Copper League. Lefty was called the “Bambino” or Babe Ruth of the circuit for hitting towering home runs. He is even said to have hit a home run of the great Satchel Paige when the Kansas City Monarchs came to town.
Orlich won the league batting title in 1952 at the age of 36 with a .413 average. He played for the McQueen squad from 1946 to 1957. Lefty was on two league champions in 1953 and 1957. He served as the player-manager for two seasons during his time with the McQueen.
Orlich began his baseball career playing on the first American Legion team formed in 1932. He later played on the McQueen’s team and also the Highlander Beer club in the old city league in 1935. He then joined and played for the Silver Bow Parks team in the Montana State League before hooking on and playing a number of years for the Butte Copper Sox in the Montana State League. Orlich was on the 1939 team that won the league title.
Lefty was given a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds in September, 1940. He was to report to the Reds’ minor league training camp the next spring, but military duty prevented him from pursuing a baseball career. Besides playing, Lefty served the country in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
He also served as the vice president of the Butte Copper League for a number of years.
Tom Roberts
Roberts could be inducted as an athlete, coach or contributor.
Tom was a longtime Butte High girls’ track coach. He served as head coach of the Bulldogs from 1994-2012. During his 19-year tenure, Roberts coached 10 individual state champions, and he led the Butte High club to the 2009 Class AA state championship.
That was the Butte High girls’ first state title in track 22 years.
Prior to being head coach, Roberts was an assistant coach at Butte High from 1975-93. During that time, the Bulldogs won three state titles in 1984, 1986, and 1987. He coached 14 individual state champions during his coaching career. Besides coaching, Roberts works as a volleyball official at the high school and college rank. Roberts became an official in 1975 and still does it today. He has served as head of volleyball officials for the Frontier Conference since 1991.
Tom was an official at five NAIA Regional tournaments. He also officiated matches in the Big Sky Conference. He was voted Volleyball Official of the Year in 2005.
During his own athletic days, Tom competed in track at Butte High. His specialty was the high jump. He made All-State in the high jump in 1968 and 1969. He also earned All-State in the triple jump in 1969. After competing four years at Butte High, Roberts was a member of the Montana Tech track team. He won the Frontier Conference title in the high jump in 1971 with a leap of 6 feet 6 inches. The effort set a new league mark. He qualified for and competed in the NAIA National meet.
The next spring, Roberts competed for the University of Montana. The Grizzlies won their only men’s track and field title that year in 1972. Roberts helped the cause placing fifth in the Big Sky Conference high jump competition at the league’s championship meet. He placed third in the high jump in 1973 and sixth in 1974 at the Big Sky meet.
In 2013, the 1972 Grizzly team was inducted into the University of Montana Hall of Fame.
Roberts still serves as a volunteer coach with the Butte High track program.
Debbie Silk
She was an outstanding all-around athlete at Butte High, competing in three sports in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In her senior year, in 1981, Debbie was a dominant force leading Butte High to a third-place finish at the state basketball tournament. Silk set a school record with 444 points during the season. She also set a school record averaging 17.1 points a game. The average was also the fourth best overall in the state.
Silk averaged 12 rebounds per a game and shot 46 percent from the field. She tallied more than 20 points in a game nine times. In 21 of 24 games, she scored double figures. Silk set a school record throwing in 34 points in a game against Helena Capital. She also had 16 field goals in that game, setting a new school record.
Overall, Silk set five school records in 1981 — points in a game, field goals in a game, points in a season, average points a game and points in a career. She was picked first-team All-State following the 1981 season. Silk was also chosen as an honorable mention All-American. For her efforts, she received the Connie Hogan Memorial Girls’ Basketball Award at the end of the school year. Silk finished with a school record 707 career points.
Debbie was also a member of the Butte High track team, competing in the shot put. Following her prep career, Silk played basketball three years at the College of Great Falls. In 1984, she was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Week. When basketball was suspended following the 1985 season at CGF, Debbie went to Boise State to play for the Broncos during her senior season. In two games against Washington State that year, Silk scored 21 and 17 points.
Ed Yeo
He was a standout athlete at Butte High and Rocky Mountain College in the 1960s.
He played basketball and baseball in Butte. Yeo was a two-year starter on the Bulldogs’ basketball teams in 1962 and 1963. In his senior year, in 1963, he led the team in scoring with 376 points in 25 games for a 15.0 average. He was selected first-team All-State following the season.
During his career, Yeo had 189 field goals, 554 points in 49 games for an average of 11.3 points a game.
In baseball, Ed played on the American Legion team. In 1963 he pitched Butte to a 7-2 win over Billings. It was only the second time in eight years that the Billings club had been beaten by a Montana team.
Following his prep career, Yeo went to Rocky Mountain College where he competed in baseball and basketball for the Bears. In basketball, he was selected first-team All-Frontier Conference and also first-team NAIA District 5 in both his junior and senior years. As a pitcher in baseball, in 1964, Yeo was a member of the Rocky Mountain College team that won the Frontier Conference title and played in the District 12 finals.
After college, Yeo coached a year in Libby before returning to Butte as an assistant basketball coach. He took over as the Bulldogs’ head coach in basketball in 1974. He led the Butte High girls’ team for three years. He took over at the head golf coach at Butte High in 1971. Yeo held that position for 30 years. During his tenure, the Bulldog girls won the state championship in 1984 and 1985. They are the only girls’ golf teams to win the state championship in Butte.
Ed coached six individuals who placed in the top three at the state golf tournament. Yeo was inducted into the Rocky Mountain College Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. His 1964 Rocky Mountain College team went into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
1982 Montana Tech volleyball
A year after winning Montana Tech’s first women’s Frontier Conference title in any sport in 1981, these Orediggers did it again. Under first-year head coach Linda Schoenstedt, the Orediggers went 26-12 overall and 8-1 in league play.
Following the regular season, Tech captured the District 12 championship. The Orediggers fell to District 11 champion Kearney State, the No. 3 team in the nation, in a match to advance to the NAIA National tournament.
Jo Buysse, who guided the Orediggers title team in 1981, served as an assistant coach. Members of the team were Mary Theis, Mary Yakawich, Kristi Hoklin, Julie Hoklin, Shelly Linz, Stacey Weiss, Mary Quade, Michelle Smith, Jamie Connell, Cindy Seymour, Beth Seymour and Cathy Gallagher.
1983 Montana Tech football
The 1983 Orediggers were perhaps the best Montana Tech football team of the 1980s. Coach Paul Giesey’s Orediggers produced 21 All-Conference selections, and Giesey was named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year.
Tech went undefeated in conference action finishing with a 7-3 overall record. Quarterback Greg Miller was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Year following the season.
The Orediggers led the Frontier and District 12 in rushing per game with 257 yards. Reaching as high as No. 8 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, the Orediggers just missed the narrow window of the NAIA post season at that time. The team was selected to play in the Sunflower Bowl in Kansas, but turned down the offer due to the cost of travel and the amount of school the student-athletes would have missed.
1990-91 Butte High wrestling
These Bulldogs delivered Butte High’s 12th straight Class AA State title under head coach Jim Street. Four Bulldogs won individual titles as Butte High racked up 182.5 points. Second-place Great Falls High scored 56.
Seniors Mark Struznik, Vince Bolton and Brian Bolton and sophomore Jason Street captured individual crowns. Struznik won at 171 pounds a year after winning the 160-pound title. Vince Bolton at 125 pounds, Brian Bolton at 130 and Street at 152 won for the first time. The Boltons and Struznik finished the season undefeated, while Street avenged his only loss in the title bout.
Junior Robin Moodry placed second at 135 pounds, losing only to four-time state champion Bill Zadick of Great Falls.
Freshman Brodie Cooney (98 pounds) and sophomore Brent Choquette (119) placed third, and senior J.P. Gordon (145) placed fourth. Senior Ryan Pesanti (140) and senior Brian Anderson (189) placed sixth. Pesanti advanced to the semifinals before suffering a serious knee injury.
1995 Butte High softball
The Bulldogs captured the school’s second Class AA state softball title in 1995. After falling 4-0 to Great Falls Russell in the first championship game in Great Falls, head coach Jim Hope’s Bulldogs beat the Rustlers 8-6 to hoist the championship trophy.
Senior Jamie Hardesty, the tournament MVP, pitched all five state tournament games for the Bulldogs. She also drove in Shannon Crowley for what proved to be the game-winning run in the championship game.
Butte High finished the season at 21-3 overall. That included an 11-1 mark as the Bulldogs captured the Western AA title.
The team also included Kelly Clark, Kristy Wiley, Heidi McCarthy, Jenifer Hope, Beth Toivonen, Mandy Ueland, Amanda Evans, Keli Renz, Marci Hansen, Kristen Uggetti, Chrissy Leathers, Misty Balentine, Wendy deBarthy, Jory Peterson, Kris Phillips, Julie Redekopp, Marissa Richards, Amber Lienemann and Missy McKenzie (manager).
1995-96 Butte Central-Anaconda swimming team
The Butte Central-Anaconda co-op team captured the Class A state swimming championship in the Bison Fieldhouse Pool in Great Falls.
Sophomore Neal Driscoll and senior Bobby Goldhahn of Butte Central led the team, which scored 80 points for the victory. Havre and Hardin followed at 61 and 60.
Driscoll placed fourth overall in two events, and Goldhahn achieved two fifth-place finishes while competing against a combined Class AA and Class A field.
Other team members include Ryan Mulcahy, Damon Sullivan, Kirk Lubic, Greg Burns, Jeff O’Rourke and Lance Schmidt. The team was coached by Jason Egan.
