Wednesday, July 22, 2026
57.0°F

Gridders play in 8-man all-star game

JOHN HAMILTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
by JOHN HAMILTON
| June 10, 2026 12:00 AM

St. Regis Tiger Barrett Bessette and Superior Bobcats Logan Merrill and Sam Doughty represented their Mineral County schools for the last time of their high school careers in the 42nd edition of the Bob Cleverly 8-Man All-Star football game in Butte Saturday.

Bessette scored a touchdown on a 31-yard pass for the Blue team in the Blue’s 24-22 win over the Red at Bob Green Field. St. Regis head coach Jesse Allan served as an assistant to Seeley-Swan coach Jacob Haley at the annual all-star game in the Mining City.

The Blue team had scored first to go up 8-0 early in the game but, by the fourth quarter the Red squad had come back to lead 22-8.

Bessette scored his touchdown early in the fourth to make it 22-16 and Ekalaka’s Kaleb Frye then returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown after that and, with the two-point conversion added, the Blue escaped with the 24-22 win.

“What a game!” Allan exclaimed via email Sunday, adding that Bessette had an impact on the defensive side as well as on offense. “He probably had five solo tackles and three assists on the defensive side of the ball.”

Allan said Bessette showed that he belonged on the field with the best in Montana in Butte.

“He proved he belongs toward the top of the list of best players in the state,” Allan offered, “he was an integral piece to the Blue comeback last night.”

Allan said Bessette plans on attending the University of Montana Western in Dillon where he plans to continue to his football career this fall. Bessette was an All-Western C and All-State C performer for the State C playoff qualifying St. Regis Tigers last fall.

ARTICLES BY JOHN HAMILTON

North 14U to end play at Rampage in Rockies
July 22, 2026 midnight

North 14U to end play at Rampage in Rockies

Fresh off the Summer River Bash in Idaho, the North 14-U softball team will complete play at the Rampage in the Rockies in Missoula this week.

Block girls big part of Turf Wars wrestling team
July 22, 2026 midnight

Block girls big part of Turf Wars wrestling team

It was Turf Wars 2026 in Idaho, one of the largest amateur wrestling dual tourneys of the season, and the Block girls from Thompson Falls were a big part of it for Team Montana.

High-flying Richards soars in crunch time
July 22, 2026 midnight

High-flying Richards soars in crunch time

Landon Richards is used to going above and beyond, and the more pressure there is, the better he likes it. Maybe that is why he keeps setting new high jump records.