Game time is closing in.
The West team of the Montana East-West Shrine Game will practice for the first time Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Montana Tech. The team will also practice at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The first practices come one week before the 67th annual game is played at Naranche Stadium in Butte. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on July 20.
Butte High coach Arie Grey will guide the West team on the same field he led the Bulldogs to their first Class AA State title in 21 years, eight months ago.
The game will have a lot of Butte flavor with Butte High offensive coordinator Mike Schmidt and former Butte Central defensive coordinator Lee LaBreche on the coaching staff. The team also has a handful of Butte players on the roster. Several more are alternatives.
Bryce Armstrong, Zach Bunney, Nick Butorovich, Anthony Moritz and Drew Schleeman were picked to represent Butte High, while Butte Central’s Northey Tretheway was tapped to represent the Maroons.
Alternate picks from Butte High include receiver Jon Allen, kicker Jake Dennehy, tackle Zach Erickson, defensive end Daniel Kloepfel, defensive lineman Billy Robinson, safety Tanner Tregidga and cornerback Andre Vialpando. Butte Central’s alternate selection was receiver/running back Joey Joyce.
Butte’s Lindsey Kambich is the trainer for the West team. Butte’s Bryan Prendergast is the manager. Jeff Hartwick of Butte is the West team coordinator.
Coaches for the game will check in on Friday, while players will check in from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
A cheerleader camp will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Montana Tech’s Leonard Field on Friday. The player banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the Butte Civic Center.
A parade will be held in uptown Butte at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Pre-game introductions begin at 6:15 p.m.
Click here to buy game and banquet tickets. Here is an itinerary of events for the week.
