Nine from Northwest going to Badlands Bowl
After seeing a ton of success on the field this fall, nine local seniors will suit up for the Badlands Bowl this summer in Miles City.
Many of the players have already signed to play in college, but will sport their high school helmets one last time.
Glacier, runners up in Class AA this season, will be sending four players to the game, led three players on the defensive side of the ball. Jaxen Hashley will line up on the defensive front and Tadan Gilman will switch back to defense after playing this season at quarterback, listed at safety for the game. Both are signed to play at Montana State in the fall. Defensive player of the year Patrick O’Connell is listed at linebacker and Kellen Bemis will anchor the Montana offense at center.
Columbia Falls will send a pair of players, wide receiver Braxton Reiten and linebacker Trevor Hoerner. Polson wide receiver Matthew Rensvold and safety Tanner Wilson will represent the south side of Flathead Lake. All four of the players are headed to Missoula to play for Montana in the fall.
Class B state champions Eureka will send defensive lineman Joe Fehr, a signee at MSU-Northern. Eureka head coach Trevor Utter will be an assistant on the staff under head coach Chris Murdock of Class AA champion Billings Senior.
Bigfork’s Matt Farrier, Eureka’s Owen Davis and Cannan Smith, Whitefish’s Travis Catina and Andrew Simon and Columbia Falls’ Dakota Bridwell are listed as alternates.
The game will take place on June 17, pitting Montana against North Dakota. Whitefish quarterback Luke May passed for three touchdowns to lead Montana to a 36-7 victory last season in Dickinson, N.D., sending the Treasure State to its 17th victory in 23 meetings.
Knights of Columbus
Badlands Bowl
June 17, at Miles City
Montana roster
Head coach: Chris Murdock, Billings Senior. Assistants: TJ Umemoto, Senior; Rick Nordahl, Dillon; Roger Merritt, Sidney; Trevor Utter, Eureka; Chris Hess, Ennis
Offense
Quarterback: Nate Dick, Senior; Callahan O’Reilly, Bozeman
Running back: Ryan Arnston, Helena; RJ Fitzgerald, Dillon
Wide receiver: Lance McCutcheon, Bozeman; Mitch Roberts, Missoula Sentinel; Derrick Olson, Helena; Matthew Rensvold, Polson; Braxton Reiten, Columbia Falls; Chandler Allen, Fairfield
Center: Blade Miller, Billings West; Kellen Bemis, Kalispell Glacier
Guard: Bo Hann, Missoula Big Sky; Justin Pfeifer, Cut Bank; Todd Nordahl, Dillon
Tackle: Luke Poetzl, Senior; Daniel Stockton, Helena
Defense
Line: Jaxen Hashley, Glacier; Brentley Steinbeisser, Sidney; Ty Morgan, Ennis; Joe Fehr, Eureka; Hayden Hegg, Senior; Jaylen Taggert, Hamilton
Linebacker: Marcus Welnel, Helena Capital; Patrick O’Connell, Glacier; Trevor Hoerner, Columbia Falls; Kendall Johnson, Helena
Safeties: Keaton Anderson, Senior; Troy Andersen, Dillon; Tadan Gilman, Glacier; Tanner Wilson, Polson
Cornerbacks: Jake Orvis, Senior; Dawson McGlothlin, Sidney; Michael McGinnis, Sidney
Alternates
Matt Farrier, Bigfork; Tyler Burk, Miles City; Rielly Connley, Miles City; Owen Davis, Eureka; Trace Jones, Sidney; Jake Knack, Ennis; Dakota Bridwell, Columbia Falls; Peyton Hanser, Billings Central; Cullen Roll, Billings Senior; Max Clarke, Billings Senior; Benjie Phillips, Glasgow; Kellen Round, Missoula Loyola; Trevor Paro, Hot Springs; Bryson Deming, West; Chaz Maddock, West; Jase Stokes, Havre; Hayden Van Winkle, Belgrade; Cannan Smith, Eureka; Casey Cole, Laurel; Cade Wessel, Bozeman; Brian LaFond, Butte; Kiley Caprara, Butte; Nick Wakai, Missoula Big Sky; Travis Catina, Whitefish; Andrew Simon, Whitefish