Schaeffer, Gunlock,Thompson take MCA winter honors
Columbia Falls’ Jessie Schaeffer and Bigfork’s Cortnee Gunlock saw their teams win landmark state championships; now both are Coaches of the Year for winter sports.
Schaeffer’s MatCats won the school’s first State A wrestling title since 1990. With Justin Windauer wrestling up a weight and still capping a 44-0 season with his second straight title, Columbia Falls far outpointed the competition, racking up 1990. Having 10 placers helped: “Every one of those kids wrestled above their seeds,” Schaeffer told the Hungry Horse News.
Bigfork had never won a girls basketball state championship until Gunlock’s charges went 26-0 and won the State B this season. After dominating opponents during the regular season and the divisional tournament, the Valkyries knocked off Baker, Huntley Project and Big Timber at State with Braeden Gunlock winning MVP honors.
Generally the state champion coach brings home these Montana Coaches Association honors, but there are exceptions: Flathead wrestling coach Jeff Thompson was also named girls wrestling coach of the year for Class AA. Flathead’s girls finished third at the 2023 state tournament after winning the previous two titles.
Baker’s Darrick Gorder and Will Bagley were named co-coaches of the year for ABC girls’ wrestling despite the Spartans’ third-place finish, behind Ronan and Miles City.
Another exception is the Class B boys’ basketball coach of the year going to Malta’s David Costin. Coach Scott Anderson and Missoula Loyola won the school’s first ever boys championship in March, beating Malta 65-55. The Rams had three runner-up finishes previously.
All the winners will be honored at an MCA Awards Ceremony July 27 at Great Falls’ C.M. Russell High School.
The complete list of honors is below:
Boys Wrestling
AA — Jeremy Hernandez, Billings West
A — Jessie Schaeffer, Columbia Falls
B — Tim Kaczmarek, Huntley Project
C — Charlie Crabb, Superior
Girls Wrestling
AA — Jeff Thompson, Flathead
ABC — Darrick Gorder and Will Bagley, Baker
Boys Basketball
AA — Jeff Hays, Missoula Hellgate
A — Scott Sparks, Lewistown
B — David Costin, Malta
C — Layne Glaus, Manhattan Christian
Girls Basketball
AA — Charlie Johnson, Billings West
A — Dustin Kraske, Havre
B — Cortnee Gunlock, Bigfork
C — Amber Erickson, Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale
Boys Swimming
AA — Brady Baughman, Missoula Hellgate
A — Robyn O’Nan, Billings Central
Girls Swimming
AA — Ed McNamee, Great Falls High
A — Robyn O’Nan, Billings Central
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to show swimming coach Brady Baughman's correct school.