Local athletes poised to leave for collegiate football camps

Over the next couple of weeks, many of the area’s foremost athletes will again don their pads and hit the gridiron for a new college football season.

Ten county footballers will open camp at six different institutions, the first to report being Montana and Montana State athletes, who will report on Saturday, Aug. 4.

Polson graduate Vince DiGiallonardo, entering his freshman season at Montana State after redshirting last year, hopes to make a splash in Bozeman.

“My goal this year is to be a special teams contributor and do as much as I can as a defensive back,” DiGiallonardo said. “Mostly just make the traveling squad and be a special teams contributor.”

Given the recent success of the Bobcats’ program, DiGiallonardo said he was all right with redshirting. He said that taking a year helped him to adjust to the speed of mid-major college football.

“Redshirting was a great experience, especially going from high school to the FCS [NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision] level, it was a big jump,” he said. “It was really good to get a year under my belt to see the change in the game.”

Polson’s Craig Bagnell had to be a quicker study. Entering his fourth year as the starting quarterback at University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., Bagnell has high hopes for the 2013 campaign.

“I’m excited because we have a lot of guys coming back who have a lot of experience,” Bagnell said.

The NCAA Division II Marauders finished 4-7 in a 2012 season marred by injuries. Bagnell’s campaign was no exception; he missed three games due to a back injury.

“It’s just been kind of a long process to get back to 100 percent,” he said. “Our strength and conditioning coaches and trainers did a great job.”

In the eight games he did play, Bagnell threw a career-high 22 touchdown passes and more than 2,100 yards.

“He’s been amazing,” said Mary head coach Myron Schulz. “… He’s like one of the coaching staff.”

Schulz said Bagnell, who stayed in Bismarck this summer to help run the team’s summer workouts, has a knack for making the right decisions in terms of playcalling as well.

“He can change to attack the defense or just get us out of a bad situation,” the coach said.

Bagnell and the Marauders will begin practice August 14.

Football season is fast approaching in Butte as well, where Alex Havlovick and Will Davey, both Polson graduates, will suit up for Montana Tech’s squad.

Havlovick, a junior, is in the running to start at offensive tackle for the Orediggers, who are the reigning NAIA Frontier Conference champs. He started four games on the line in 2012.

“I feel like Alex has worked very hard to develop himself,” Head Coach Chuck Morrell said. “His last couple years he’s turned into a guy who is definitely going to be on the field for us this year.”

The incoming freshman Davey will play safety in Butte. Morrell will evaluate his status when camp opens on August 18.

“Will obviously had an outstanding career for Coach Wilson. He just came off playing the Shrine Game and played extremely well over there,” Morrell said. “I don’t think it’s going to be too far down the road that he’ll be a contributor to our secondary.”

The fact that the Orediggers have a need at safety should help his chances of seeing the field, the third-year coach added.

“He’s an excellent tackler,” Morrell said. “… I feel like that’s the spot that he can accelerate the fastest at.”

DiGiallonardo said he is excited to get back to formal football practice.

“Fall camp is football 24-7,” he said. “You practice and you watch tape of the practice. It’s just focusing and working on what the coaches are trying to coach you on.”

Polson’s Eric Williamson will join DiGiallonardo and the Bobcats in Bozeman as a walk-on. Former Charlo standout Tra Ludeman has a preferred walk-on spot with Montana. Jared Gallatin of Polson is entering his freshman year at Rocky Mountain College. Montana Western players Dale BigSam (Polson), Matt Detwiler (Ronan), Tyson Noyes (Ronan) and Barret Sargent (St. Ignatius) will also report this month.