Big Sky High School - Sunrise Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

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X a flnlsh. A , if TITLE SE - Senior Russ a take down attempt from Brent T durin the S ,WE title match for the Q . on to win the Q of tlt mf irq, L., ,

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. - i . JVVZI W M i. .Nt . aka... 8 ,V is 4,.k In MOVING IN FOR THE SHOT - Senior Brent Burtsfield moves in for the shot against Hellgate. Hellgate, more than any team, was able to dominate the Eagles this year. GOT TO FIND A WAY - The Eagles swamped the Copperheads both times they met. Senior center Steve Grover gets set for the shot in this confrontation. POUNDING TI-IE BOARDS - The Bison 4 fell short of an early L season victory thanks to Q the Eagles' hot shooting ' including that of junior Rusty Richardson. t . Pi 75 -is . - R . SS fx 1 U . 'Q T er' S MR. of i...-Q-0-f-4 Touted as tourney weaklings, Eagles become asters of the furious finish State second place is first-ever for Eagles hands of the Bulldogs which bumped them from the title game. They did somediing about it. The game began with both teams scoring virtually at Will. Butte, behind towering Chris Rassmussen, a six-foot-eight inch senior. was limited to a sub-par game thanks to the defen- sive efforts of Eagle Steve Grover. The Eagles' hopes for a first game win were almost wiped away in the final seconds of the final stanza. Tied at 59-all, Rassmussen was fouled and sank both free throws, giving Butte a seem- ingly insumiountable 61-59 lead with only one second remaining in regulation time. Time for the miracle. Time for perhaps the most stunning sports fmale in Big Sky sports history. Grover picked the ball out of teammate Derek Whiddon's hands, stepped out of bounds, and launched an arrow down court to a streaking Dave Arledge, who sank an un- contested bunny to tie the game up and send it into overtime. The overtime stanza belonged to the Eagles. who advanced to a semi-fmal match against Billings Senior. Senior. a previous first round winner who destroyed the Westem AA Division champs CONCENTRATION - Jeff Steven- son sets strategy to run the offense against the Wildcats. Sentinel Spartans the previous night, fell wig- gling and squirming as the Eagles roared to a 61-47 win behind a stellar performance from Richardson. But a first-ever state title was not to be. After nearly five minutes of scoreless first quarter action. Hellgate began plucking the feathers. Both teams exchanged blow for blow, until Hellgate senior, and toumarnent MVP Robbie Laird, got on track with 20 first half points while the Eagles were limited to only twelve. Ignoring I-lellgate's lopsided halftime lead. the Eagles regained earlier form and scratch- ed the deficit down to a heartbreaking Hve point loss. The Eagles grabbed another step on the lad- der by eaming the best finish any Big Sky boys' basketball team has ever attained. Richardson. who scored 54 points in three games, was named to the all-toumey first team. Grover. behind a superhuman defensive effort against Butte, made the second squad. The Eagle cagers attributed much of their success to fifth year coach Bill Langlas. He did really well with what he had to work with, said senior Dave Arledge. He took our strong points and used them to their best advantages. Boys' Basketball - 133

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You don't need to talk tough. Just prove it. The Big Sky wrestlers in five brief years have proven without a doubt to be one of the outstanding wrestlilng programs in the state of Montana. Behind head coach Cal Johnson, the Eagle grapplers have consistently proven the skep- tics wrong by placing higher than expected in state competitions. The Eagle program has produced several state champions over the past years. This year was no exception. Two in- dividuals - senior Russ Garrett at 185 and sophomore Scott Wilson at 132 - captured state titles at the state meet at Missoula Sen- tinel High School and led the Eagles to a fifth- place standing. The only disappointment was that the Eagle wrestlers had aimed for a higher fmish at state than they eventually won. Nonetheless it was the fourth time in the five-year history of the school that the Eagles had placed in the top five at state. Other stalwart perfomaances included: a state fourth place from 105 pounder, senior Brandon Knudson: state fifth-place finishes from junior 1 12-pounder Mike Northcutt and sophomore 119-pounder Kurt Trowbridge: and a fifth-place at state from 126-pound sophomore Tim Healey. Two other seniors who had outstanding per- formances during the year were Shane Smith and Leroy Thomas. The Eagles as a team finished their season with a 13-1-1 dual meets record. However, they did not repeat as divisional chanipions, losing out to Kalispell. They had their share of impressive moments. However, most of the team's best group showings came earlier in the season. The Eagles placed first at the season-opening Libby Invitational and later at the University of Montana Dual toumament. They grabbed a sixth-place Hnish at the prestigious 30 team Tri-State tournament in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and scrambled to an im- pressive second place at the Rocky Mountain Classic hosted by Missoula Hellgate. Both state champions expressed deep pleasure in their state championships. There are no words for such a great feel- ing, said Wilson of his title. It's fthe titlei something that will last the rest of my life, commented Garrett. tEEPING CONTROL - Attempting to manuver an op- onent on to his back, junior Mike Northcutt works toward victory in this state match. Northcutt finished fifth. AZ POWER - The Eagle wrestlers mascot Taz was source of good luck. Fiuss Garrett gets a dose before is state title match. Shane Smith and Coach Caner offer est wishes. STAND-OFF - A big boost to the was the showing of Sophomore Scott Wilson in meet. Wilson walked away with the title, defeating Bennett of Havre, 5-2. l ,, Y THE MASKED DESTROYER - Junior Kurt Trowbridge, who had to wear a face mask as the result of an injury, attempts to to eliminate an opponent in his battle for fifth place. Eagles show early power in wrestling battle by crambling their wa! to the top Garrett leads Wrestlers to top state ranking GRAOIOUS WINNER - Junior Kurt Trowbridge hugs Bob Wilson from Libby alter winning their bout for fifth and sixth place. 'fu... ' xv-3-4 My T 1 1 kbs.- WRESTLING