The roster is balanced and the grass is greener for the Bulldogs as they prepare for the football season opener against Havre on Friday.  

Boasting 60 team members, the Whitefish roster balanced across grades, although there are a good number of newcomers, between freshmen and a few athletes new to the sport or the school.  

Team captains are Luke Dalen, Braylon Dunn, Sam Rainford and Austin Alton.  

"A big part of the culture of the program is driven by leaders," said Brett Bollweg, Whitefish head coach. "And not just those four, but the team in general has done a nice job of working hard to get themselves into that same position, learning what it takes to be an example for the younger guys." 

Senior quarterback Dalen is one to watch after a momentous junior season. Alton, Vlad Shestak, Vance Schwaiger and Leo Bungener are all poised to have exceptional seasons. 

Most of the team's coaches are back on board, but assistant coach Landon Henderson has stepped away, focusing on family. A former Bulldog player, Connor Silliker, joins the team after coaching and teaching in Billings for the last 12 years.  

"The continuity within our coaching staff always helps," Bollweg said. "Adding people with like-minded visions for kids and our program has been a great enhancement." 

The practice fields are sporting grass among the high school expansion construction.  

"It's unbelievable," Bollweg said. "This is my 20th year and we've never had real grass to practice on. It's awesome."  

The practice fields are new, but the new football stadium won't be ready until fall 2027. This is the last year the school district is leasing Memorial Field for football games.  

"We're thrilled and excited and grateful for those guys that have put time and energy into getting us what we have," Bollweg said. "We're practicing inside of a construction fence, but we have green grass, and we're watching things go up around us. It's a pretty fun time right now."  

As usual, playing the Wildcats will be a highly anticipated game this season.  

"Columbia Falls has a great team and is going to be a great challenge," Bollweg said. 

But Bollweg emphasizes that the most important game is the upcoming one.  

"The first game is the one that matters right now. It's always nice to get the first game under our belts. To really see who we are, see who everybody else is, and understand what's going on around Class A football," he said.  

The Bulldogs kick off the 2026 season at Havre Friday at 7 p.m. They are away again at Hamilton the following week.  

The first home game is Sept. 11 against Corvallis, featuring the class 1986 reunion and future Dogs night.