Around Montana: Icedogs start fast, defeat Billings, 5-2

By Chronicle Staff

BILLINGS - Tanner Stansbury scored twice and Clancy O’Donnell, Andrew Vigen and Keith Smith each had two assists to lift the Bozeman Icedogs to a 5-2 victory Wednesday night over the Billings Bulls.

The Icedogs raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first period to cruise to their fifth consecutive win.

“That set the tone,” Icedogs coach Kevin Stone said of the opening period.

Mike Granato, Andrew Kuechler and JP Park also scored for the Icedogs, who are tied for third place with Missoula in the America West Division. Both teams have 20 points.

Bozeman hosts Butte Friday night.

Icedogs 5, Bulls 2

Bozeman 4 1 0 - 5

Billings 0 0 2 - 2

Scoring summary

First period

Bo - Tanner Stansbury (Clancy O’Donnell, Keith Smith) 8:18

Bo - Mike Granato (Clancy O’Donnell, Justin Irish) 13:56

Bo - Andrew Kuechler (Andrew Vigen) 14:27

Bo - JP Park (powerplay) (Andrew Vigen) 18:15

Second period

Bo - Tanner Stansbury (Keith Smith, Michael Greene) 7:01

Third period

Bi - Jeremy Rolfe (Eddie LaPera, Shane Harvey) 13:30

Bi - Josh Giudice (Rusty Roe, Colby Spoonemore) 17:01

Football

GRIZ PLAYOFF GAME TO BE TELEVISED: At Missoula, the University of Montana’s first-round Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff game against the Texas State Bobcats on Saturday will be televised live by KPAX-TV of Missoula and its Montana News Station affiliates (KTVQ/Billings, KRTV/Great Falls, KXLH/Helena, KCTZ/Bozeman, KXLF/Butte and KAJ/Kalispell), announced UM athletic director Jim O'Day.

KPAX-TV sports director Phil Buck will serve as the play-by-play announcer, while former Grizzly quarterback Grady Bennett, who is now the head coach at Glacier High School in his hometown of Kalispell, will provide in-booth color commentary. Derek Buerkle will serve as a sideline reporter.

GRIZ THROWBACK UNIFORMS POPULAR: At Missoula, the throwback uniforms the University of Montana football team wore during Saturday's Cat-Griz game proved much more popular than expected.

The Grizzly Scholarship Association sold some of the game-worn copper and yellow jerseys and helmets on Sunday, but then heard complaints from players and their families, who wanted to be able to keep the jerseys.

Athletics director Jim O'Day says he contacted Nike, which makes Griz uniforms, about ordering more. He says Griz fans who purchased a jersey Sunday will get a new uniform, and will now be able to choose the jersey number and size they want. They will be available in about a month.

O'Day says fans who really want game-worn uniforms will be able to get one.

No additional orders will be taken.

CARROLL QB NEEDS SURGERY: At Helena, Carroll College freshman quarterback Dane Broadhead is out for the season with a knee injury suffered in the first round of the NAIA playoffs, coach Mike Van Diest said.

Broadhead will have surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee, Van Diest said.

Freshman Matt Ritter finished the first-round game, a 35-18 win over Dickinson State, and is slated to start in the semifinals. Northwestern Oklahoma State forfeited Saturday's quarterfinal game against the Saints after discovering that it had used three ineligible players in its past three games, including its first-round playoff win.

Ritter will be the third starting quarterback for the Saints this season. Junior Gary Wagner suffered a broken ankle in the second game of the season.

With Broadhead's injury, Van Diest has been looking at Jon Von Eschen as backup quarterback. Von Eschen was the backup to Wagner during spring drills before having shoulder surgery.

Van Diest said Von Eschen has rested his arm for about the right amount of time before playing.

"It's about right on schedule. It wasn't certainly planned for this season," Van Diest said. "We're just going to test him out. We wanted to see if he could still throw a spiral with shoulder pads on."

Van Diest said he canceled practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday because of the forfeit and players were heading home for Thanksgiving.

"They're excited about it," Van Diest said. "Most of them had plans anyway, so it worked out good. Traveling will be a little bit better. That was nice for them."

Basketball

GRACE BIBLE SIGN-UP DEADLINE APPROACHING: The deadline to register for the Grace Bible Church Mini League basketball program is Monday, Dec. 1. The league is for second through fifth grade boys and girls. There will be a division offered for second and third graders and for fourth and fifth graders. 

The season starts in January and a mandatory parent registration meeting and player clinic will be held Saturday, Dec. 13 at Grace Bible Church with a makeup scheduled for Dec 16. 

Initial sign-up is required before attending this registration meeting/player clinic and is due by Dec. 1. 

To sign-up, e-mail bamunrud@theglobal.net or contact Brent Amunrud at 209-4905.  The cost is $15, to be paid at the mandatory registration meeting. Space is limited.

Hockey

SKATE WITH KESSEL SWEEPSTAKES ANNOUNCED: Play It Again Sports of Bozeman announced Wednesday that is has teamed up with Nike Bauer to offer "The Practice of a Lifetime." The sweepstakes features a grand prize one-hour hockey practice led by Phil Kessel of the Boston Bruins for up to 20 participants on the winner's home ice.

The promotion is being held through Dec. 31 at participating Play It Again Sports stores throughout the U.S., including the local store located at 1707 West Oak Street in Bozeman.

A forward for the Bruins, Kessel, 21, joined the team as the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft, and he is expected to be the team's leading scorer this year. He is the USA Hockey National and Development Team's all-time leader for goals and points.

In his rookie year, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an annual recognition for the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

“The Practice of a Lifetime” participants must be 13 years of age or older as of Nov. 1, 2008. In addition to the grand prize practice session with Kessel, Nike Bauer T-shirts and hats will be awarded as first and second place prizes, respectively.

Sweepstakes forms are available at participating stores. For a complete list of participating Play It Again Sports stores and the official sweepstakes rules, visit www.nikebauer.com/practice.

Cross country

MSU ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS: The Montana State cross country squads have tabbed their 2008 award winners, announced Bobcat head coach Dale Kennedy.

Sophomore Kala Jauquet (Butte) and freshman Patrick Casey (Laurel) have been named MSU’s ‘Top Gun’ recipients. The Top Gun award goes to the male and female cross country athletes that scored the most points throughout the season.

Although never finishing in Montana State’s top spot this fall, Jauquet produced several runner-up finishes and graded-out with a 2.2 power score. Jauquet finished 25th at the Big Sky Conference championships.

Jauquet was also named MSU’s most improved performer. As a freshman, she had a power score of 4.6 for the season.

“Kala had an outstanding season,” Kennedy said.  “The theme for this year’s team was consistency and a ‘pack mentality.’ Kala really established herself at the front of our squad and improved dramatically from her freshman season.”

Casey was the men’s top performer in four of five races for the Bobcats this fall. He placed 11th at the Big Sky meet, missing all-league honors by one spot. Casey became only the second MSU men’s cross country athlete to garner Top Gun honors. Nick Atwood, who redshirted the 2008 season, won the award in 2006.

“Patrick had an amazing first year competing for the Bobcats,” Kennedy said. “The experience and confidence he gained will serve us well next season as we look to make a run at the Big Sky Conference championship.”

The Bobcat men’s most improved runner went to sophomore Kelvin Daratha. Daratha, who improved his power score from 5.6 to 4.0 this season. He placed 27th overall at this year’s Big Sky meet.

“Kelvin also made a dramatic improvement,” Kennedy said. “He had an outstanding race at Montana, and gave us another strong outing at the league championships.”

EEKHOFF THIRD AT CONFERENCE MEET: At Sioux Center, Iowa, Manhattan’s Mark Eekhoff recently placed third at the Great Plains Athletic Conference meet, running for Dordt College. His time was a career-best on an 8-kilometer course (27 minutes, 22 seconds).

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