NW Montana standouts fill rosters for Veterans Memorial Softball Classic

Several Flathead Valley and Northwest Montana athletes have made the rosters for the 13th Annual Veterans Memorial All-Star Softball Classic, set for Aug. 7-8 in Belgrade. 

The list includes Glacier’s Olivia Warriner, who is headed to the tournament for a third time; the only other three-timer in this year’s tourney is Laurel standout Emerson Gunther. 

Each year five All-Star teams are chosen to take part in this event, which honors Montana veterans that lost their lives in the line of duty. The teams play a round-robin before a championship round on Day 2.  

Every player selected All-State in Montana receives an invitation; not everyone can commit, and it’s notable that nobody from State AA champion Billings West is rostered. 

Several from our corner of the state were, including repeat participants Onnika Lawrence of Columbia Falls, GG Hawk of Mission-Arlee-Charlo and Ava Grady of Glacier. 

Grady is playing on the William Galt Army squad, which will be coached by Polson’s Jami Hanson. 

Hanson has no Lady Pirates on his roster, but Polson players Opal Nash, Logan McCrea and Ahriana Rushing are competing on different teams. Rushing and Warriner are on the  

Terrell Horne Coast Guard roster. 

The squad most stocked with area talent is David Allison Coast Guard: The roster includes Taelor Holt of Glacier, Kylie Gjesdal-Davis and Lawrence of Columbia Falls; Nash; Neveah Christensen of Thompson Falls-Noxon, Briauna Kulawinski of Plains; and Weslee MacDonald of Libby. 

Troy coach Keith Haggerty is guiding the Gordon Thompson Marines team that includes Katie Bulawsky of Columbia Falls; McCrea; Hawk; and Libby’s Leah Rusdal. 

Troy is further represented by Addyson Fisher, who will play for the George Foss Navy team. 

Full rosters are below. 

13th Veterans Memorial Classic 

Team Rosters for the 13th Annual Veterans Memorial Softball Classic, set for Aug. 7-8 in Belgrade (repeat selections are in BOLD). 

William Galt Army 

Ava Grady, Glacier; Brea Henderson, Butte; Karli Goodell, Shepherd, Hailey Nicoson, Big Sky; Makenzie Brush, Frenchtown; Bailey Bridger, Sentinel; Nova Ervin, Three Forks; Mya Creighton, Dillon; Allie Becker, Butte; Josie Jerome, East Helena; Sage Manley, Columbus; Kristin Carrillo, Belgrade; Kinslee Reeves, Great Falls. 

Coaches: Jami Hanson, Polson; Juan Perez; Jaelin Moldenhauer. 

George Foss Navy 

Addyson Fisher, Troy; Piper Whitman, Sentinel; Brynn Donaldson, Glasgow; Adrienne Roth, Laurel; Ella Martin, Skyview; Molly Davids, Stevensville; Ainsley Courtnage, Havre; Bailee White, Belgrade; Ruby Dean, CMR; Bryn Grossman, Manhattan; Hayden Weaver, Big Sky; Adisyn Wood, Ennis; Kyann Dean, Huntley Project.

Coaches: Alex Hurley, CMR; Kelsey Blandow; Lindsay Cline. 

David Allinson Air Force 

Nevaeh Christensen, Thompson Falls-Noxon; Kylie Gjesdal-Davis, Columbia Falls; Natalie “Opal” Nash, Polson; Onnika Lawrence, Columbia Falls; Taelor Holt, Glacier; Briauna Kulawinski, Plains; Weslee MacDonald, Libby; Charity Dunn, Shepherd; Krista Dunn, Shepherd; Carlee Hofer, Billings Central; Jezzy Palmer, Frenchtown; Ali Miller, Capita; Bree Hanson, Havre. 

Coaches: Michael Falcon, Skyview; Jody McIlvain; Shane Sheridan. 

Gordon Thompson Marines 

Katie Bulawsky, Columbia Falls; Logan McCrea, Polson; GG Hawk, Mission-Arlee-Charlo; Leah Rusdal, Libby; Myli Adams, CMR; Mariah Johnson, Hamilton; Averie Matheson, Manhattan; Jacie Chapweske, Miles City; Brooke Stump, Belgrade; Riely Doney, Havre; Emerson Gunther, Laurel; Braella Jennings, Billings Senior; Kaylee Baker, Skyview.

Coaches: Keith Haggerty, Troy; Jared Koskela; Brad Hanson. 

Terrell Horne Coast Guard 

Olivia Warriner, Glacier; Ahriana Rushing, Polson; Alysa Hanninen, Sentinel; Brooklyn Cary, Corvallis; Sophie Sanders, Conrad-Choteau; Kinna Griffis, Belgrade; Grace Keller, Billings Central; Dylan Fraker Fox, Lockwood; Anna Elam, Lewistown; Grace Hansen, Huntley Project; Emma Hernandez, Billings Central; Dawson Ekin, Hamilton; Marley Chiasson, Lockwood. 

Coaches: Hannah Martinez, Hamilton; Jason Ekin; Danica Grier.