FRITZ NEIGHBOR
SPORTS EDITOR
Fritz Neighbor is the Sports Editor for the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees sports coverage across the Flathead Valley, including high school athletics, youth sports, and regional competitions. In his leadership role, he helps shape the newspaper’s sports coverage and editorial direction. Fritz’s column, Full Count, taps into his decades’ long career covering Montana sports. You’ll also see Fritz sharing his thoughts and insights on the Big Sky Now podcast.
IMPACT: Fritz’s work celebrates the athletes and teams that bring Northwest Montana communities together.
Recent Stories
Thousands of teammates, pupils and Ws
Gary Evans, the unheralded (and unpaid) pitching coach for the Glacier Wolfpack, figures he’s played alongside a thousand different fastpitch players.
Ronan hires Flathead grad Sherwood as boys coach
George Sherwood, a former standout athlete at Flathead High School who has been an assistant coach for three sports at Ronan, is the new head basketball coach for the Chiefs.
Roster cutdown approaches for Range Riders
The 2023 Glacier Range Riders, on the way to Cutdown Day, gather at Flathead Field at 10 o’clock every morning. For five or so hours, they… do what, exactly?
Wolfpack, Bravettes win rainy Roe titles
The 44th Archie Roe Invitational track and field meet was going to get run, rain or shine. You know which thing happened Saturday.
Fast start, 8 letters, many 400s
You can make a case for Peyton Walker being the fastest of the Walker triplets, since she arrived in this world one minute before Jackson and two minutes ahead of Robert.
A heart ailment sidelined Glacier’s Jeff Lillard a year ago; now he’s faster than ever
Jeff Lillard chugged through the turn during the 200 meters of last April’s Swede Dahlberg Invitational and came across the tap in 23.93 seconds, which for most of us is plenty fast.
Flathead senior Tali Miller closing out an underrated career
Tali Miller was a solid three-sport athlete for the Flathead Bravettes — volleyball, basketball and track and field — before flag football came along last fall.
Valley athletes shine at Pilcher Top 10
The 23rd Russ Pilcher Top 10 meet brought in solid spring weather Tuesday, along with the best track and field athletes within a 150-mile (or so) radius of MCPS Stadium.
AA, A Lakers gearing up
With any coaching endeavor there is the possibility of attrition, and this year’s Kalispell AA Lakers won’t have a trio of players that saw plenty of action in 2022 and were eligible to return this summer.
120 years later, a righthander is remembered
Before Saturday turned the well-dressed into the overdressed, bundled-up local baseball historian Betsy Wood gave a short speech at the corner of 9th Street E and 8th Avenue E in Kalispell.
Glacier’s Anderson enjoying senior season at third base
If the spring of 2020 seems like a couple minutes ago, you’re not alone. Glacier third baseman Avery Anderson remembers that freshman season, or lack thereof, well.
Lillard, Glacier boys forge Crosstown split
While some races lacked the usual star power — the Swede Dahlberg meet looms in Butte Friday — there were some personal records at the dual, which the Glacier boys and Flathead girls won at Legends Stadium.
Lions 9 has roared into first season
There are some understandable and ongoing concerns from American Legion coaches about the addition of baseball as a Montana High School Association-sanctioned sport this spring.
Nuce, Maroon make waves in Griz spring game
MISSOULA — Asked about defensive end Henry Nuce, Montana Grizzlies football coach Bobby Hauck started with the phrase, “He’s young.”
Reports: Utah State hiring Bobcats' Sprinkle
Montana State men’s basketball coach Danny Sprinkle, who took the Bobcats to the last two NCAA Tournaments, has been hired away by Utah State according to several reports on Friday.
Softball season gearing up for valley schools
After snow and more snow, it feels like the 2023 softball season can begin in earnest in the Flathead Valley. Glacier has its home opener Thursday against Missoula Hellgate; the same day Whitefish returns to varsity softball with a trip to Northwest A foe Ronan.
A little snow couldn’t hurt his Pro Day
A couple weeks ago, when Patrick O’Connell got back to his hometown, it was a balmy 50 degrees in the Flathead Valley. “Not bad,” he thought.
Whitefish girls look like threat to repeat
The Kelliann Blackburn Era of Whitefish girls track ended in 2022 with the program’s fifth State A championship, and now the Matt Beckwith Era begins.
Many more road trips in store for Stu Pederson
As luck would have it, Stu Pederson was in the Flathead Valley when news broke that professional baseball was coming to Kalispell.
Flathead boys basketball coach Johnsrud steps down
Flathead High is looking for a new boys basketball coach, after word came Friday that Dirk Johnsrud will no longer lead the program after three seasons at the helm.
Flathead alum Osweiler seeks happy campers
Second-year Flathead football coach Caleb Aland figured it couldn’t hurt to reach out to Brock Osweiler, the former Braves quarterback who ventured onto an NFL career.
Upset-minded Bobcats ready for K-State
A few hours after Montana State’s RaeQuan Battle, Jubrile Belo, Darius Brown II and coach Danny Sprinkle had their press conference in Greensboro, N.C., 15th-seeded Princeton knocked off Arizona 59-55 Thursday at the NCAA Tournament
Rounding up trophy runs of Wolfpack, Bravettes
Recency bias is a thing, so I have a couple things of note after watching the recent State AA basketball tournaments last weekend at the Butte Civic Center.
State AA girls: Flathead falls short
Billings West overtakes Bravettes in fourth quarter for AA girls title
A three-point play by Sydney Pierce and a 3-pointer from Kourtney Grossman fueled a late run for the Billings West Golden Bears, who rallied past the Bravettes 48-43 and their first outright title since 2011.
State AA boys: Wolfpack beats Bozeman in third place game
Glacier is young as Montana high schools go, and while its boys basketball history includes the 2017 State AA championship, that’s the only trophy the Wolfpack had. Until Saturday.
State AA girls: Bravettes make title game
Kennedy Moore’s 20 points and 10 rebounds stick out in Flathead’s 51-43 defeat of the defending state champion Skyview Falcons, in the late semifinal game at Civic Center. But there was so much more that fueled a dominant second half in which the Bravettes outscored Skyview 28-14.
State AA boys: Golden Bears’ surge turns away Wolfpack
Up 40-30 late in the third quarter, the Bears (19-4) held off the Wolfpack for a 52-43 win at the Butte Civic Center. They’ll take on Missoula Hellgate for the state championship Saturday around 8 p.m.
State AA girls: Bravettes use early lead to beat Bozeman
After the Flathead Bravettes put the finishes on a 48-37 win over Bozeman, they didn’t look all that happy. Then their cheering section let them hear it, and some smiles went up.
Bravettes, Vals lead 6 teams into state tourneys
The Flathead Valley is well-represented at this week’s state basketball tournaments, and at least a couple teams are in it to win it.
Hard Knocks, Golden Gloves under (sky) lights
Before he racked up a 9-4 record as a professional fighter, Jesse Uhde honed his skills at a place called Kalispell Boxing.
Wildcats work OT for State A berth
Columbia Falls girls ousted with loss to Laurel
Hunter Goodman scored 15 points, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, and the Wildcats beat Havre 82-74 Saturday at the Butte Civic Center.
Chouinard, Bravettes win Western AA at buzzer
The Flathead Bravettes’ won a landmark Western AA title Saturday, on a buzzer-beating shot by Avery Chouinard that didn’t look good when it hit the rim. But then it hit the rim again. And again.
Hellgate boys dominate first half, beat Glacier
The Missoula Hellgate Knights got a certain measure of revenge Saturday, beating Glacier 57-33 for the Western AA boys divisional basketball title at Flathead gym.
Bravettes hold off Sentinel for trip to Western AA chipper
It was another tense victory for the Flathead Bravettes Friday, but with a wrinkle.
Covill, Knights stymie Glacier girls
It was a great start the Glacier girls put together Thursday morning, in the first game of the Western AA Divisional basketball tournament at Flathead High School.
Confident Wolfpack downs Big Sky again
Glacier’s boys again made pretty short work of Missoula Big Sky Thursday, defeating the Eagles 54-31 to make the semifinals of the Western AA Divisional at Flathead High School.
Bravettes find a way
The Flathead Bravettes were up against it Thursday evening, trailing 47-40 to a feisty Butte squad intent on serving up the Western AA Divisional’s biggest upset.
AA hoops: Bravettes' Moy fights back from knee injury
She played in every game as a freshman, and as a junior was critical to the Flathead Bravettes’ first State AA basketball trophy in 15 seasons. So when Maddy Moy went down with a torn ACL and meniscus at Gonzaga’s basketball camp in late June, she was determined not to stay down long.
Big Sky tour nears end for 'TJ'
Not quite a year ago, Tiana Johnson scored 14 points for Idaho against Northern Arizona, in a Big Sky Conference women’s basketball game played in Flagstaff last March 4.
Chouinard, Bravettes heat up to beat Big Sky
The 14th verse was a lot like the rest for the Flathead Bravettes, who downed Missoula Big Sky 46-45 for their 11th conference girls basketball win Saturday, all of them by eight points or less.
Hot-shooting Wolfpack bombs Big Sky, 68-38
The Glacier boys basketball has been pretty good at home this season, even before Thursday’s Senior Night battle with Missoula Big Sky.
7 years later, the Wildcats break through
The Columbia Falls Wildcats’ boys basketball team is 14-3, and if you think they’ve fattened up on Class B competition, we have some context.
Things have worked out for Olsen, Wolfpack
Before his Helena Capital Bruins lost at Glacier on Jan. 13, coach Guy Almquist told his radio play-by-play man that Glacier’s Ty Olsen was a point guard in a linebacker’s body. He wasn’t complaining; he was just stating a fact.
Glacier boys, Flathead girls earn tough wins
Crosstown II played to a packed Flathead High School gym Thursday night, and given the physical play on display, it’s fitting that each game was decided by a touchdown.
This time numbers still add up
For the record, this year’s scoring change for State AA boys did not affect the top of the team wrestling standings.
Kubi, Bravettes grow into Western AA power
Akilah Kubi, when asked how tall she is, replied: “Five-foot-9.” Then she added, “But you can write 5-10.”
Brave Brawlers, Bravettes settle for silver, bronze
With their sights set on three straight titles, the Flathead boys and girls wrestling teams have a right to be disappointed with just a place (the Brave Brawlers) and a show (the Bravettes).
MatCats’ time is right now
It’s been a long time since a Northwest Montana team has captured a State A wrestling crown, and even longer for one from Columbia Falls.
It’s official: Vasquez is a 4-time champ
The goal of a fourth straight state championship seemed pretty much ordained for Glacier wrestling standout Teegan Vasquez.
Bravettes sit second while Glacier, others in the hunt
Let the record show that the Flathead Bravettes’ hopes of a third straight state wrestling title were in trouble before the 120-pound quarterfinals.