In these uncertain times, as the Montana High School Association mulls moving the Class AA football season to the spring and knocks the A football playoff field down to eight teams, it’s good to find some positives.

Lending optimism for me, among others: Dolly Parton, Mike Trout’s dad strength and the American Legion Summer of 2020.

Montana was one of the few states to put together a Legion baseball season, and the Kalispell Lakers were one of the seven AA teams in the state. Their efforts – and those of the Glacier Twins and teams around the region – are appreciated, and not just because the games played out completely under the specter of COVID-19.

“In all honesty we had a great season,” said veteran Lakers’ coach Ryan Malmin, whose club went 31-16. “To finish in the top three in the conference with this group of kids, losing the number of starters we did – the kids being able to step into big roles – it was a tremendous feat for them.”

At one point, after winning three of four from the Billings Scarlets, the Lakers were 28-9. Meanwhile the dog days approached and a few were banged up.

Kael Willis (hip) was never 100 percent; pitchers Jack Corriveau and Danny Kernan had to work around soreness; Ben Corriveau missed a week with illness and Kobe Burland, Ethan Diede and Kaden Willis were injured at various times.

Told that his team had lost seven of its last 10, Malmin paused. He seemed surprised.

“I did not look at it that way,” he said. “I just looked at it one game at a time.”

The Lakers, who replaced six starters from 2019, lost to those same Scarlets 8-6 to bow out at state. A win would have left them in the final three.

As it was they left 12 men on base against the Scarlets; a 4-game sweep at the hands of eventual state champion Bozeman included two games that could have gone either way.

For quite a while this summer the Lakers won those games.

“That final game we were a base hit from being in the top three,” Malmin said. “We had our opportunities – but baseball is like that.”

Jack Corriveau was the lone all-conference and All-State pick, and was part of a pitching staff that fore a good part of the season had an earned-run average under 4.00. It rose to slightly over that while Kalispell went 1-2 at state.

“That says a lot about the kids on our team and what they were able to achieve,” Malmin said of the one All-State selection. “Top three – you’re probably deserving of more kids on that list.”

Next spring the Lakers will have to again replace a half-dozen players. Jack Corriveau, Ben Corriveau and Connor Drish are intent on playing college ball. The AA club will restock with those that played on the A and B teams in 2020.

“We’re going to return some kids on the mound,” Malmin said. “And we’ll say goodbye to six great kids. And look forward to other kids coming up and filling those roles.”

Sports reporter Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or at fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com