Montana Sports Snapshots

By The Standard Staff - 04/25/2008

Anaconda women slate first tees ANACONDA — The Anaconda Country Club women’s golf league will gather for breakfast at the club on Wednesday, May 7 at 8 a.m. A meeting will follow and then the golf league will tee up the season at 10 a.m.

RMMA group earns place-winnings A group of Rocky Mountain Martial Arts students earned place-winnings recently at the Great Falls Invitational Taekwondo Championships tournament.

Big Sky Taekwondo was the host school with owner Master Scott Miranti. Students from Montana and Canada competed in Poomse (forms) and Gyroogi (sparring). RMMA collected 28 medals.

RMMA owner Jim Miller said Poomse, once seen mostly as a support category, has taken on a more prominent role, due much to attention from national and international competitions. Miller said the weekend saw the initial implementation of a “fight off” round robin format in Montana. Each competitor had the opportunity to perform his or her Poomse as many as four times, depending on wins. The old 10-point scoring system was replaced by the five-judge panel indicating a winner by a simple show of hands, which made for a fairer and speedier competiton, Miller said.

Place-winners for Rocky Mountain Martial Arts were Brandon Beckworth, second in forms, second in sparring in the adult blue belt division; Mariah Beckworth, fourth in forms, first in sparring in the adult yellow belt division; Hobie Biegler, third in forms, second in sparring in the adult white belt division; Timber Crooker, first in forms, third in sparring in the 13-15-year-old blue belt division; Hunter Rose Fisk, fourth in forms, third in sparring in the 9-10-year-old yellow belt division; Rosafina Fisk, fourth in forms, third in sparring in the 7-8-year-olds’ yellow belt division; Jordan Flynn, second in forms, third in sparring in the 10-12-year-olds red belt division; Billy Kelly, fourth in forms, third in sparring in the 4-6-year-olds green belt division; Kash Kelly, third in forms, first in sparring in the 7-8-year-olds blue belt division; Samantha O’Connell, first in forms, second in sparring in the adult white belt division; Mackenzie Rosenleaf, fourth in forms, first in sparring in the 8-10-year-olds green belt division; Hunter Russ, second in forms, third in sparring in the 10-12-year-olds blue belt division; and Laura Symmes, first in forms, third in sparring in the adult green belt division.

A Montana Taekwondo Associaton meeting was held the night before the tournament. A year’s review showed the purchase of electronic scoring equipment for four rings and a trailer to haul it so that any venue can be the site of a tournament. Better-run tournaments helped by more modern equipment have helped cut time from tournament lengths, too, it was noted.

Also the organization’s board voted to join the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and have a joing MTA/AAU membership. It will mean access to more events for MTA members, it was said at the meeting. Benefits in insurance and other items will save costs, too, in the new affiliation, the report said.

The RMMA headquarters is at 3233 Kennedy in Butte, and available by phone at 494-2754 or 494-2015. Miller said RMMA supports and accepts Mariah’s Challenge and offers discounts for the teens who accept the challenge.

Anaconda volleyball sets summer play ANACONDA — A 4-on-4 summer volleyball league is being offered girls who will be in grades 9-12 next fall.

Those going into grades 9 and 10 will play on Monday nights, and those in grades 11-12 will compete on Wednesdays. Games may be played on Fridays, if necessary. All scheduling is tentative, the flier said, and doubleheaders may be slated.

The league cost is $20 per player June 2 or before, $30 after. The league will run from the week of June 9 through the week of July 25. A single-elimination tournament will follow. Games will be played in Memorial Gym.

Players play specialized positions and no team can have more than six players on its roster. Phone Joe Mehrens, 563-2319 or 593-1804, for more information.

Seattle U recruit has Butte roots SPOKANE — Gonzaga Prep senior Mikaela Peterson has signed a National Letter of Intent to play women’s tennis at Seattle University next fall, it has been announced.

Seattle U is moving back up to NCAA Division I status after June 1 following several years as a Division II member. Peterson is the daughter of John and Nanette Peterson of Spokane, and granddaughter of John and Jean Peterson of Butte.

Volleyball camp to be in Anaconda ANACONDA — The Gold Medal Volleyball camp is scheduled for June 9-12 at Memorial Gym and is for girls entering grades 8-12.

Current or former collegiate volleyball players will be on the coaching staff. The camp is being directed by Anaconda High School head coach Joe Mehrens and he said the “Canyon Method” of play, developed by Team USA coaching veteran Carl McGown, will be taught.

The camp is being held as this year’s Heads-Up Volleyball Camp Mehrens usually directs summers. The first 24 to sign up and pay will be accepted into the camp. The cost is $135, but less for Serv-a-thon participants, Mehrens said.

Phone Mehrens at 563-2319 for details.

Butte High girls’ hoops camp set The Lady Bulldog Girls’ Basketball Camp is scheduled for June 9-12 at Butte High School, and is open to girls who will be in grades 3-12 next fall.

Those in 7th-12th grades will go from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, and the younger girls will participate 1:30-3:30 p.m. each day.

The pre-registration deadline is May 23 at $85 for grades 7-12, or $40 for those in grades 3-6 or $130 per family. The costs go up to $100 and $50 after May 23 and with no family discount.

The Butte High girls’ basketball staff and former players will comprise the teaching staff. A $25 deposit submitted by May 23 will reserve a camp spot.

Contact Jeff Arntson, 494-5103, for camp details.

BC to hold boys’ hoops camp Dates are June 23-26 for the Butte Central Boys’ Basketball Camp. Sessions will be at 3 p.m. daily at the Maroon Activities Center and are open to boys who will be in grades 3-8 next school year.

The Butte Central boys’ basketball coaching staff and players will instruct.

The cost is $50 per camper.

Registration and payment may be mailed to Brodie Kelly, 3002 Wynne Ave., Butte, 59701.

Lights plan shooting session HAVRE — Montana State-Northern head men’s basketball coach Shawn Huse plans to direct two boys’ basketball camps this summer in the Armory Gym.

The Lights Shooting Camp is offered June 9-12 and is open to boys entering gardes 7-12 next fall. The fees are $90 for commuters, $150 for those needing meals and $200 for those needing lodging, too.

The Lights Boys Day Camp is set for June 16-19 and open to those going into grades K-6 in the fall. The cost is $60 a camper.

Contact Huse or assistant coach Gabe Walker at (800) 662-6132, extension 4131 or 3543, respectively. Camp brochures are also available for download from the www.msun.edu/athletics/mensbb/camps.htm Web site.

Basketball event shoots for Future Problem Solvers A basketball shooting event to benefit the Butte Future Problem Solvers team is scheduled for Friday, April 25 at the West Elementary School gym.

Fourth-graders are to compete at 4 p.m., fifth-graders at 5 and then sixth-graders at 6. The entry fee is $3 per student. A final shootout at $1 per entrant will also be held.

Prizes will go the top boy and girl in each class in the competition, and a $10 prize will be given to the first individual to sink a shot from halfcourt.

Concessions and side events will be available.

Proceeds will benefit six Butte students — Keiffer Hepola, Jessica Herzog, Andie Hogan, Tess Janney, Dustin LaMiaux and Griff Warner n who teamed to win the Montana Future Problem Solving Bowl and have qualified for the international competition to be held May 28-June 1 at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Red-Black Scrimmage gets a touch of lavender DILLON — The lines of Vigilante Field will be painted lavender for the Montana Western college football team’s Red-Black Scrimmage on Saturday, April 26.

Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

Although there is no admission charge for the scrimmage, Bulldog fans are asked to make a donation upon entering. All Donations will be given to UMW athletic trainer Janelle Handlos, who will then pass the donations on to a cancer foundation of her choice.

Handlos is battling cancer and recently completed her treatments. She has been a source of inspiration to her co-workers and to the student-athletes she treats, a press release said.