Briefs: Beattie joins Lady Griz staff; Shrine baseball rosters set
Leia Beattie, who just completed her collegiate career at Northern Arizona, has joined the coaching staff for the Montana Lady Griz.
The daughter of Lady Griz great Kelly (Pilcher) Beattie went 4-1 on her mom’s home floor, Robin Selvig Court at the Dahlberg Arena. A native of Texas, she spent three seasons with Montana State before heading to NAU for two seasons.
She joins the staff of first-year coach Nate Harris, who was rewarded with the full-time job in March after leading Montana through the end of the season in an interim role.
Because of Covid-19 Beattie had a five-year college career, playing in 159 games with 115 starts. She totaled 1,452 points and hit 281 3-pointers. Her teams went a combined 111-49, and she played in the 2022 NCAA Tournament with MSU.
“It’s been amazing to come and play here. Great environment, great history, a really fun place to play,” Beattie said. “I’m excited to be on this side of things. It’s such a great program with so much upside.”
Bulldog trio picked for Shrine baseball game
Whitefish players Ryan Conklin, Christian Schwaderer and Avory Caton are among several area players selected to play in the inaugural Montana Shrine All-Star Baseball Classic July 16 at Butte’s Three Legends Stadium.
Coaches from the 35 high schools that offered baseball this spring were asked to nominate up to three seniors. Modeled after Montana’s East-West Shrine Game, it will raise money to benefit the Spokane Shriners Hospital.
Caton was selected at catcher, Conklin at shortstop and Schwaderer for the outfield. Other North A selections are: pitchers Landon Shoemake of Polson and Cody Todd of Troy; first baseman Justin Evans of Mission-Arlee; shortstop Bryson McCormick of Noxon-Thompson Falls; and outfielders Brody Smith of Mission and Sam Plummer of Bigfork.
WEST ROSTER
PITCHER: Evan Montague, Stevensville; Landon Shoemake, Polson; Henry Wilson, Missoula Big Sky; Cody Evans, Missoula Big Sky; Mason Arlington, Florence-Carlton; Isaiah Testerman, Florence-Carlton; Cody Todd, Troy
CATCHER: Avery Caton, Whitefish; Joseph Alexander, Frenchtown
FIRST BASE: Atticus Southwell, Hamilton; Justin Evans, St. Ignatius/Arlee
SECOND BASE: Landon Ramsey, Missoula Big Sky; Drew Wagner, Florence-Carlton
SHORTSTOP: Ryan Conklin, Whitefish; Bryson McCormick, Noxon/Thompson Falls
THIRD BASE: Joey Wheeler, Stevensville; Reese Earp, Corvallis
OUTFIELD: Cole Germane, Stevensville; Hunter Harrness, Hamilton; Brody Smith, St. Ignatius/Arlee; Christian Schwaderer, Whitefish; Owen Marston, Corvallis; Jacob Finch, Missoula Hellgate; Sam Plummer, Big Fork; Patrick Davis, Missoula Sentinal
UTILITY: Elijah McNair-Neal, Hamilton; Kaden Blowers, Frenchtown
EAST ROSTER
PITCHER: Matthew Donaldson, Butte; Killian Snarr, East Helena; Owen Schneider, Billing West; Blake Johnson, Sidney/Fairview; Sawyer Olson, Belgrade; Gage Banks, Belgrade; Conner Smith, Billings Skyview; Nick Martin, Billings Senior; Ryder Murdock, Billings Senior
CATCHER: Mason Sheppard, Columbus/Red Lodge; Cooper Ross, Columbia Falls
FIRST BASE: Hunter McCartney, Townsend; Jaylin Aimsback, Browning
SECOND BASE: Chase Wise, Billings West; Ryas Olson, Belgrade
SHORTSTOP: Reggie Sapa, Columbia Falls; A. J. Hill, Browning
THIRD BASE; Tocher Lee, Butte; Marcus Lagunas, Dillon
OUTFIELD; Will Stepan, Butte; Kai Richey, East Helena; Brady Randall, Billings West; Camden Wilson, Billings Skyview; Paxton Fitch.
Grizzlies No. 37 jersey goes to Oven
Trevin Gradney, the cornerback out of Billings West who wore the No. 37 legacy jersey for the Montana Grizzlies last season, has chosen sophomore linebacker Clay Oven to wear the number next.
The announcement came on Monday, June 7.
“It was a really cool experience to be the first one from Billings to wear the number last year and I’m very honored to pass it to another Billings guy because this is a great place,” Gradney said. “Clay is a good guy, I think this town deserves another 37, and I think he deserves to wear it.”
Oven, who played for Billings Central before coming to UM, is the first underclassmen to get the jersey since Deer Lodge’s Carson Bender from 2008-10. He is the seventh linebacker to don the number out of now 19 Grizzlies.
The tradition started with Plentywood’s Kraig Paulson, a running back; he willed the jersey to Tim Hauck, who became a two-time Big Sky Conference MVP.