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
Big Sky tops Flathead 21-20
A couple sophomores stood tall in Missoula Big Sky’s 21-20 Western AA football win over Flathead Friday at Legends Stadium. One was Big Sky’s 6-foot-2 quarterback Avery Omlid. The other was Flathead's 5-7 Jordan Griffin, who did about everything except kick.
Flathead looks to run record to 2-1 in Week 3
Any football coach will tell you all games are important, but Flathead’s Western AA Conference opener with Missoula Big Sky on Friday has that late-October feel.
A belated pro debut for Guzman
In 2009 the Daily Inter Lake ran an article on a local boxing gym that featured, among others, an 11-year-old fighter named Dillan Guzman.
Big Sky Notebook: Griz punt fake was timely
The Montana Grizzlies offense was scuffling a little bit in the first quarter on what became a 35-20 win over Butler Saturday, in that with a 10-0 lead it had produced a tip-drill interception and a punt.
Griz use 2nd QB to do in Butler
One quarterback started quick, the other finished strong, and 14th-ranked Montana got past a stubborn Butler football squad 35-20 Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
AA Football: Braves hold off Belgrade 17-14
For a win in their home football opener, the Flathead Braves combined just enough scoring with just enough defense, and added in a killer dose of screens.
Area cross country teams ready for Flathead Invite
The Flathead Invitational cross country meet is set for noon Friday at Rebecca Farm, which also happens to be the site of this year’s State Cross Country Championships.
Western AA football: Flathead brings in Belgrade; Glacier on road to face Billings Senior
The Flathead Braves’ 2023 football opener didn’t go as planned and doesn’t look great on paper, but second-year coach Caleb Aland came away encouraged.
Picking a QB — it’s so 2003
That the Montana Grizzlies haven’t decided on a quarterback might seem news to some, as the squad prepares to open their season against Butler at noon Saturday.
AA Football: Pack swamps Bison
Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley lived up to the hype Friday, completing 19 of 26 passes in the Wolfpack’s 44-0 runaway win over Great Falls High, at Legends Stadium.
Flathead gridders have outside shot
It makes sense for the Flathead Braves, a one-win football team a year ago, to be only looking up this season. Especially if they look outside the hash marks.
Deep Wolfpack ready for banner ‘23 season
The Glacier Wolfpack have played for three State AA football championships and won one, so it’s saying something that this 2023 squad might set the high-water mark for the program.
Wildcat footballers ready for Western A run
Of the many encouraging things about this football season in Columbia Falls, the biggest is that quarterback Cody Schweikert could be a one-way player.
Eureka Lions poised to take tough 7-B
The District 7-B received another makeover this school year, with Bigfork moving to Class A and the Whitehall Trojans — not for the first time — moving over from the 5-B.
Class A golf: Pirates looking for more plunder
The Polson Pirates, to no one’s surprise, are still loaded. And watch out for the Columbia Falls boys.
Griz finding a punter (again)
In July, Montana Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck said he had a couple punters transferring in, though because fall camp was a few weeks away — and they were still recruitable — he didn’t name names.
Defensive end completes a July Hail Mary
Every player that signs with the Montana Grizzlies football program wants to get on the gridiron sooner rather than later, and Glacier High’s Hank Nuce made sure it was sooner.
Flathead picks Williams as next softball coach
Flathead High has selected its new softball coach, and pending school board approval Brittany Williams will guide the Bravettes in 2024.
Wolfpack boy golfers win opening meet big
Flathead, Glacier have high hopes for season on the links
Coming off a second-place finish at last year’s State AA tournament, the Glacier Wolfpack boys golf team had high expectations for 2023. On Monday and Tuesday the Wolfpack made a statement, winning the opening Great Falls Invitational by 22 strokes.
A title long coming; a little boost at end
You wonder how history might differ if Cary Finberg had been a teacher, which of course was the original plan.
Wildcats Strike: Columbia Falls’ first boys basketball title 20 years ago didn’t come easy
It’s hard to believe now that Columbia Falls, despite graduating ample basketball talent through the years — Cary Finberg, Mike Caldwell and the late Craig Finberg quickly come to mind — had not won a boys basketball state championship before 2003.
Glacier's Keim commits to Griz football
The Montana Grizzlies picked up another verbal commitment from a Glacier Wolfpack gridder Thursday, with Isaac Keim announcing that he’s headed to UM.
Awaiting the return of Griz DOLA
The acronym used in the 2000s, when the Montana Grizzlies were blowing open lanes for the likes of Lex Hilliard and Chase Reynolds, was DOLA.
Wolfpack’s Henry Sellards commits to NDSU football
Henry Sellards, who will be a senior offensive lineman at Glacier High this fall, already has plans for college — he gave his verbal commitment to North Dakota State for football Tuesday.
Twins back in their usual spot — at State
The Glacier Twins got a late start to their Legion season, thanks to the first year of baseball as a high school sport in Montana.
Big Sky football: Griz, Cat coaches chew on preseason predictions
When you look at the 2023 Big Sky Conference football preseason polls, it's important to know that in 2022, the Montana Grizzlies were the pick, and finished 8-5. Montana State, picked second and third by the media and coaches, and Sacramento State were co-champions.
Scarlets no-hit Lakers in State AA opener
The first thing you need to know about the Kalispell Lakers’ State AA Legion opener on Saturday is, Max Holden threw a whale of a game. The rub is that Billings Scarlets’ hurler Drew McDonald was unhittable.
In first summer, Stumptown sets fast pace
It was during the State A track and field championships, Memorial Day weekend, that Josiah Osborne said the quiet part out loud.
Nikunen, Lakers head for State AA tourney
It wasn’t a pretty end to the regular season for the Kalispell Lakers, but they head into the State AA tournament starting Saturday in Missoula knowing they’re a handful of runs away from 40-plus wins.
Dinesen, Coleman shine in second season with Riders
It was last August when Mason Dinesen walked from the short walk to the temporary clubhouse of the fledgling Glacier Range Riders, having been acquired from the venerable BIllings Mustangs.
Range Riders run win streak to 8
The red tops looked good on the Glacier Range Riders Friday. So do eight straight wins.
A dog-legged route to Saints’ Hall of Fame
Jim Mee’s original plan was to play on the hardcourt alongside Andy Garland, and it’s fitting that both the Libby Logger, Mee, and Sentinel Spartan are headed into Carroll College’s Hall of Fame in September.
Royal Sweep: Lakers walk off Billings 3-2 in final home game
To the list of things Max Holden has done well for the Kalispell Lakers this season, add this: An A-plus helmet toss.
Max Effort: In his third season with the AA Lakers, Max Holden has been a leader on offense and on the bump
When Max Holden got to the AA Kalispell Lakers in 2021, veteran coach Ryan Malmin figured he’d be a pitcher-only player, and Holden himself figures to be a pitcher at the next level.
Rex, Pete and that elusive playing time
My iPhone, like many out there, is stock full of podcasts, and as I scrolled through the other day I found one I hadn’t finished.
Avery birdies 18, wins State Juniors
A two-putt from 30 feet isn’t the most exciting way to nail down a Montana State Juniors golf championship.
East-West Shrine Game: Oakland pulls double coaching duty in Butte
If you’re an extra-celebrated high school football player, June can mean a whirlwind tour of Montana. Same if you happen to coach.
Third chance paying off for Howell, Range Riders
In 2020 Gabe Howell was enjoying what he called his second chance: Four years after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves, he was hitting .396 for the Savannah Bananas of the Coastal Plains (Summer) League.
Kalispell School Board officially hires Trageser as Flathead boys basketball coach
The Kalispell School Board made it official at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, approving Dan Trageser as the next boys basketball coach at Flathead High School.
Glacier Twins reload for busy June, July
In olden times, and we’re referring in this case to last June, the American Legion baseball Glacier Twins would have at least a dozen games under their belt by now.
Glacier Range Riders win home opener after trailing by 9
Home Opener No. 2 was a lot warmer for the Glacier Range Riders, the outcome a lot more entertaining — and Crews Taylor was on the right side of it both times.
Range Riders ready for (dry) home opener
It’s a little early to have a formula for winning Pioneer League baseball games, but the Glacier Range Riders are 2-0 when they score six runs or more.
Wolfpack crushes Helena for softball title
Helena pitcher Faith Howard threw a heck of a game at the Glacier Wolfpack Saturday, in the first championship game of the State AA softball tournament. It was the Wolfpack that owned the encore.
Glacier boys, Whitefish girls chase track hardware
The state track and field championships are this weekend, and the weather is — it’s Memorial Day weekend, remember — not particularly promising. Such is the case in Butte, where the State AA and B meets will run concurrently.
C-Falls, Libby head into (State A) unknown
It used to be, the top three regular-season teams from four conferences populated the annual State A softball tournament.
Hiring of Flathead hoops coach tabled by board
In another left turn in Flathead High School’s search for its next boys basketball coach, the hiring of Dan Trageser has been tabled by the Kalispell School Board.
Wolfpack, Bravettes ready for State AA
Glacier’s softball squad is a No. 1 seed into the State AA tournament that begins today at Helena’s Batch Fields, which means they’ll hurry up and wait.
Familar faces lead 2023 Range Riders into opener
Some familiar names dot the 2023 Glacier Range Riders roster ahead of the start of their second season, which begins Tuesday night in Great Falls.
Trageser picked to lead Flathead High boys basketball
After much delay and little more than a week before summer basketball camp season, Flathead High School has selected a head boys coach: Dan Trageser.
Fisher pitches, hits Polson to state title
They didn’t announce a most valuable player at the first-ever Montana All-Class State Baseball Tournament, but if they did, it would likely be Espn Fisher.