Fall sports start this week on the links, gridiron
Fall sports at Whitefish High School start this week, including a home football game on Friday at the Dawg Pound.
Here’s what to look out for this season from the Bulldogs:
Football
The Dogs are looking to continue last year’s improvement, which saw an increase in wins over the previous year as well as a playoff appearance.
Last year the team went 5-5 and made the playoffs for the first time since winning the state championship in 2015. The season came to an end, however, with a road playoff loss to Dillon in the first round.
This year’s squad has some big shoes to fill, especially at the quarterback position. Mark Anderson lined up behind center as a senior last year, but since graduating the position has been open through the summer.
The team also graduated All Conference players in Dillon Botner, Jack Eisenbarth and Josh Dudley and All State players in Keegan Wold and Carver Gilman.
The team returns some veterans in Ian Calaway, Dillon Muth, Logan Drown and Devin Beale.
On Friday they’ll kickoff the season with a home battle against Libby, who last year went 5-4 for second place in the Northwest A conference.
That game will start at 7 p.m. at Memorial Field.
The homecoming game will be on Sept. 27 against Ronan, and on Oct. 18 they’ll host Stevensville for Senior Night.
Volleyball
Geting back to the state tournament is the goal for the Lady Dogs this season.
The team is again coached by Addy Connelly, who last year announced plans to step down but since has returned to the helm.
A number of strong players return to the court this year for the team, including seniors Luci Ridgeway, Kaiah Moore, Mary Akey, Hope Brown and Payton Reisinger. Other key returners are Jasmine Matern and Mikenna Ells, both juniors.
The team heads down to Butte on Friday for the Tip-Off Tournament, where they’ll get their first look at some tough competition for the season.
The following Thursday, Sept. 5, they’ll host Libby at Whitefish High School. That will start around 7 p.m.
Lady Dogs Soccer
The Lady Dogs soccer team is looking to move past last year’s semifinal match against Billings Central and into the title game.
The team kicks off its season against Columbia Falls next Tuesday, starting at 4 p.m. at Smith Fields.
This year’s team will be led by a number of returning players, including keeper Sami Galbraith, Josephine Brown, Grace Benkelman, Mary Peterson, Abigail Shaffer and Anna Cook.
Cook and Benkelman both received All State and first team All Conference honors, while Peterson and Shaffer received first and second team All Conference respectively.
The team is coached by Roland Benedict.
Cross Country
The Lady Dogs cross country team is hoping to improve on last year’s second place finish at state, while relying on some new faces to lead the team.
Seniors on the team include captains Jessica Henson and Josephine Vardell, as well as Neva Haugen, Chie Imoto and Kelsey MacDonald.
On the boys side, the team returns senior captains Bridger Gaertner and Miles Vrentas. Jacob Bailey, Bain Black, Anton Horowitz and Bridger Smith are the teams other seniors.
Last season Vrentas was the team’s top finisher at state, taking 19th overall.
The team is coached by Richard Menicke.
The team kicks its season off on Saturday with the Libby Invite, starting at 10 a.m.
On Sept. 14 they’ll race at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell for the Flathead Invite, and their home meet will take place on Sept. 24 during homecoming.
Golf
The Bulldogs’ golf season is already underway, having started last week in Missoula and hosted their home tournament on Tuesday after press time.
The team has already competed at the Corvallis Invite at the University Course in Missoula, the Old Works Invite in Anaconda, and the Browning JV Invite in East Glacier. Scores were not available for those tournaments.
This year’s team is led by returning seniors Ella Shaw and Megan Archibald on the girls side, as well as Andrew Brozek and Cameron Kahle on the boys side.
Shaw, Archibald, Annie Nixon, Kendall Reed and Anna Elm last year took second in the Class A State Tournament in Hamilton. All but Nixon return this year.
Brozek and Kahle both took All Conference honors last year.
Bill Kahle is the team’s head coach.
Boys Soccer
The Bulldogs are looking to defend last year’s state title, and they’ll have a target on their back this season.
Last year the team capped off an undefeated season with a home championship win over Polson, and this season they return many of the players that helped that title become a reality.
Captains on this year’s squad are Ian Lacey, Casey Schneider, Joseph Houston and Sam Menicke, all seniors. Senior goalkeeper Colter Upton also returns to guard the net.
Other seniors on the team include Bradlee Anderson, Kaden de Yong and Jeiven Pemberton.
The team will start its season next Tuesday with a home battle against Columbia Falls. The boys will start after the girls at 6 p.m.