ALBERTON/ST. REGIS – Despite moving out of the area, St. Regis student Dallas Lewis continued to play football for the Timberwolves in his senior year at St. Regis High School.

Lewis was born in Lake City, Florida, but moved to Montana when he was three and began kindergarten at St. Regis Public School. He said, growing up, his family lived in DeBorgia and he took the bus to St. Regis for school. Only recently did this pattern change.

Lewis moved to Superior May this year. Under different circumstances, he would have had to spend his senior year at an entirely different school. Fortunately, he was able to continue going to St. Regis and graduate with the class he had spent his four previous years with. This was good as it meant he could continue with the school’s athletics program.

Lewis started to play football in sixth grade, his coaches and others pushed him to join the high school team later. With four older brothers who all played football for St. Regis, Lewis likely had shoes to fill. However, when he joined the team was exclusively a St. Regis football team.

According to Lewis, this was the first year for St. Regis to co-op with Alberton. At first, he was against the merger. Uncertain about the idea, he almost declined to join the team. In the end, he decided to play and give it a chance. As would be expected with two schools coming together, it was not easy.

“At first it was a little rough,” Lewis said. “The guys, I didn’t know them very well. But throughout the season we got better.”

However, the merger proved to be a success as the Timberwolves played better than the Tigers alone had. Lewis was proud to say this was the first season he had played, since junior high, where the team won games. He said he fondly remembers the first game the team won this year and counted it as one of his favorite memories from his time on the football team.  It was a good way for him to finish off high school football and look to his future goals.

Lewis plans to go to college to study education. He has put in applications at the University of Montana and Montana State. However, he has planned ahead only a short distance and has not decided what kind of teacher he would want to be.

“I haven’t decided that far ahead,” Lewis said.

After graduation, he does not plan to play in college athletics. Lewis said he loved to play football, but felt the college level was too much for him. Because of this, graduation will be bittersweet for Lewis. He said he would miss playing with the team and for his school. After the Timberwolves were eliminated from the playoffs, he recalled how strong his emotions were.

Lewis will miss the St. Regis Public School and the community there. He said he liked the teachers and had a lot of friends in the school who he will leave behind.

Lewis plans to play basketball for St. Regis this winter and thinks he may participate in golf or track and field in the spring.