Winter Prep Sports Preview 2022
Basketball, wrestling and swimming seasons have started competitions with local teams again aiming for statewide notoriety
By Micah Drew
After Class AA officials pushed back the start of the winter season an extra 10 days, all classifications are now well into the start of competitions.
Wrestling will once again be a dominant storyline this winter after Flathead won both the inaugural girl’s tournament as well as the boy’s tournament. This year, the all-class wrestling tournament will return to MetraPark in Billings in February. Like last year, the girls tourney will be single-classification.
Here’s an overview of what to watch with each team in the Flathead.
Swimming
COLUMBIA FALLS/WHITEFISH
Head Coach: Hayden Pierce
2020-21 postseason (boys): Columbia Falls 3rd /Whitefish 2nd
2020-21 postseason (girls): Columbia Falls 6th/Whitefish 4th
Key returners (girls): Nia Hanson, Whitefish, Sr., Ada Qunell, Whitefish, Sr.
Key returners (boys): Logan Botner, Whitefish, Sr., Connor Cheff, Columbia Falls, Sr.
Botner won the 100 butterfly (54.49) and the 500 freestyle (5:15.43) well clear of his closest competitors and contributed to two podium-topping relays for the Bulldogs, while Cheff took the 200 IM with ease. On the girls side, Qunell will be defending titles in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle, but she has the range to compete, and win, in any event.
BIGFORK
Head Coach: Charlotte Ball
2020-21 postseason (girls): 2nd
Key returners (girls): Sophi Logue, Sr., Sydney Slawter, Sr.
Logue made history two years ago by winning the first individual title for a Valkyrie, in the 100 butterfly. Last year she defended the title and shows no sign of relinquishing it as a senior, and will be a threat in every event she enters. Slawter is a podium threat in the 50 free and 100 backstroke.
FLATHEAD/GLACIER
Head Coach: Karen Bouda
2020-21 Postseason (boys): Flathead 8th /Glacier 6th
2020-21 Postseason (girls): Flathead 12th/Glacier 10th
Key returners (girls): Lily Milner, Flathead, Sr., Eden Flake, Glacier, Sr.
Key returners (boys): Xander Stout, Glacier, Jr., Drew Bouda, Glacier, Sr.
Last year Milner became a double-double state champion after winning the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke in back-to-back state meets with huge margins of victory.
Wrestling
FLATHEAD BRAVES
Head coach: Jeff Thompson
2020-21 postseason (boys): 1st at state
2020-21 postseason (girls): 1st at state
Key Wrestlers: Fin Nadeau, Sr., Noah Poe-Hatten, Jr., Ethan Freund, Jr., Hania Haliverson, Jr., Emma Gambino, Jr., Alliyah Stevens, Sr.
The seven-time state champion Brave brawlers are looking to continue their Class AA dominance. The 60-person team boasts its usual depth and started the season with a strong win at the Mining City Duals, the second time winning the meet under coach Thompson. On the girls side, the Bravettes started the season with a solid win at the Flathead Invitational, showing no signs of giving up the inaugural state title won last year.
GLACIER WOLFPACK
Head coach: Ross Dankers
2020-21 postseason (boys): 10th at state
2020-21 postseason (girls): 15th at state
Key wrestlers: Teegan Vasquez, Jr., Josh Melton, Jr., Jessalyn Hewit, Audrey Goodsell
Vasquez is the valley’s only returning state champion and is halfway through his pursuit of a perfect high school record. Hewitt won at 132-pounds in the early season Flathead Invitational with Goodsell taking third place at 170.
COLUMBIA FALLS WILDCATS
Head coach: Jessie Schaeffer
2020-21 postseason: 7th at state
Key wrestlers: Justin Windauer, Jr., Dylan Delorme, Fr.
Columbia Falls returns Windauer as the top returner on the team after finishing runner-up at 126-pounds last year. Delorme is one of a crew of talented freshman showing early season strength after taking a 120-pound win at the early season Owen Invite, which the Wildcats won.
WHITEFISH BULLDOGS
Head coach: Danny Neff
2020-21 postseason: 16th at state
Key wrestlers: Landree Aurund, Fr., Logan Heyne, Fr.
Aurund and Heyne lead a young squad of Bulldogs who will be bolstered by talented veterans like returning state qualifiers Brian Sweeney and Henry Bennetts.
BIGFORK VIKINGS
Head coach: Shawn Hall
2020-21 postseason: 25th at state
Key wrestlers: Traic Fainter, So., Joseph Farrier, Jr., Ryder Nollan, Sr.
Hall continues to work on rebuilding a Vikings program that is only a few seasons old in its latest iteration, and success is showing in strength of numbers. Farrier was the only state qualifier his freshman year, but as a sophomore was one of seven Viking to make it to the state bracket.
Boys Basketball
FLATHEAD BRAVES
Head coach: Dirk Johnsrud
2020-21 record: 6-9 (6-8 Western AA)
Key players: Joston Cripe, Jr., Gavin Choinard, Sr., Noah Cummings, So.
This is Johnsrud’s second season as head coach after four years as the junior varsity boys coach and a season as the freshman girls coach. The Braves return all-state scorer Cripe, who averaged 15.6 points a game last year and was the conference assist leader, but is coming back from a torn ligament from last year’s play-in game in March. He’ll join the team in January and will make an instant impact on the young Braves.
GLACIER WOLFPACK
Head coach: Mark Harkins
2020-21 record: 7-10 (6-8 Western AA)
Key players: Noah Dowler, Jr., Connor Sullivan, Sr., Will Salonen, Sr.
The Wolfpack upset Hellgate last year to make it to the Class AA tournament and it was a strong senior presence that helped them get there. This year’s lineup is not short on height or experience, however, with three players over 6-5, including 6-7 Dowler who averaged 4.5 rebounds last year.
WHITEFISH BULLDOGS
Head coach: Scott Smith
2020-21 record: 7-9 (4-6 Northwest A)
Key players: Bodie Smith, Sr., Talon Holmquist, Sr.
All-conference honoree Smith and starter Holmquist will reprise their roles as scoring leaders while stepping into senior leadership roles on a team that will be shaking off a disappointing season last year that ended with a play-in loss to rival Columbia Falls.
COLUMBIA FALLS WILDCATS
Head coach: Chris Finberg
2020-21 record: 7-11 (4-6 Northwest A)
Key players: Jace Hill, So., Cade Morgan, Sr., Mason Peters, Sr.
Hill averaged 16.3 points a game as a freshman and will help lead a relatively young team in a competitive Northwest A conference. He’ll have help from Morgan, who returns as the top three-point shooter on the team. The Wildcats last won a state title in 2014.
BIGFORK VIKINGS
Head Coach: John Hollow
2020-2120 record: 15-4 (7-1 District 7B)
Key players: Levi Taylor, Sr., Bryce Gilliard, Jr., Isak Epperly, Jr.
Bigfork has been one of the top teams in the state over the last decade and with Hollow now in his third season at the helm, he continues to find his stride with the Vikings as they aim to return to the state tournament, just three seasons after their last championship.
Girls Basketball
FLATHEAD BRAVETTES
Head coach: Sam Tudor
2020-21 record: 2-13 (2-12 Western AA)
Key players: Clare Converse, Sr., Akilah Kubi, Jr., Maddy Moy, Jr.
It’s been two decades since the Bravettes last won a state title. Now second year head coach Tudor plans to bring the team back to the top of the conference, a year after the Bravettes won just two games. The Bravettes have just one senior in Converse, but behind her is a talented team of veteran players — already the Bravettes have tied last season’s record by winning its first two games.
GLACIER WOLFPACK
Head coach: Amanda Cram
2020-21 record: 9-8 (8-6 Western AA)
Key players: Sidney Gulick, Sr., Bethany Sorenson, Sr.,
Amanda Cram returns for her third year as head coach for the Wolfpack. In her second year, Cram guided the program to a fifth-straight state tournament berth, and despite losing a cadre of seniors, expects a sixth. Gulick is coming off a superb volleyball season and will likely be the top scorer for the Wolfpack.
WHITEFISH BULLDOGS
Head coach: Bob Bolam
2020-21 record: 15-8 (7-3 Northwest A)
Key Players: Taylor Means, Sr., Erin Wilde, Sr.
Whitefish broke a decade-long state appearance drought last year with fanfare — the Bulldogs made the consolation game after defeating top-ranked Columbia Falls. After drumming up the cross-valley rivalry to a new level, Bolam hopes the young team will draw motivation from last year’s post-season run.
COLUMBIA FALLS WILDCATS
Head coach: Cary Finberg
2020-21 record: 20-2 (10-0 Northwest A)
Key players: Maddie Robison, Sr., Lexi Oberholtzer, So.
Columbia Falls lost a lot of talent from last year’s top-seeded team, but the history and coaching prowess of Cary Finberg means the Wildkats can’t be counted out. Senior Maddie Robison drained 25 points in last weekend’s first game of the season over Hamilton and put up 17 more against Corvallis the next day.
BIGFORK VALKYRIES
Head Coach: Cortnee Gunlock
2020-2120 record: 10-11 (4-5 District 7B)
Key players: Emma Berreth, Sr, Scout Nadeau, Sr.
All-state returnee Berreth leads a slew of underclassman that will be clamoring to step into leadership roles on the team and return to the state tournament after just missing out last season.