Where are they now? Over 35 local graduates are currently competing in college sports
After high school, most athletes don’t get a lot of attention unless they are stars on their college teams. We decided to dig up as many local graduates as possible who continued their athletic career after high school.
Albert Plant III, Arlee
Plant was listed on the University of Great Falls website as a member of the lacrosse team. He played in all eight games the team had last season. He was a member of the Ten Sticks lacrosse team during high school.
Zachary Camel, Arlee
Camel spent two years playing basketball at Salish Kootenai College after high school, where he helped lead the team to two national championships. After graduating with his Associates degree, he walked on to the University of Montana basketball team, where he is currently a junior. He was a two sport athlete in high school, and made the 2013 All-State basketball team.
Violet Pablo, Arlee
Pablo is a freshman at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, where she is playing basketball. The 2015 Arlee grad helped her high school team to a district championship this past winter, and has seen quite a bit of playing time so far this season as a Lady Bison.
Allysa Doty, Charlo
Charlo 2014 grad Alyssa Doty is currently playing softball for the Salem based Corban University. She holds Class B-C All-State and three-time All-Conference credentials from her time with the Mission-Arlee-Charlo Lady Bulldogs as well as volleyball All-Conference first team honors with the District 10C Charlo Lady Vikings. Corban softball coach Nathan Ohta observes that Doty “… has an extremely strong arm behind the plate, and is a very strong natural athlete.”
Abby Knight, Charlo
Knight is a sophomore at the University of Great Falls, where she competes in rodeo. The Charlo grad made it to the National College Finals Rodeo this past spring as a freshman, one of only two from the university. In high school, she earned four letters in rodeo, three in basketball and one in cross country. She was a three-time High School Rodeo State champ and a four time qualifier for the National High School Finals Rodeo.
Stephen Delaney, Charlo
Delaney has competed well in his time as a Carroll College athlete. The Charlo grad placed second at the National Outdoor Championships in the 400 hurdles and was a member of the 4 by 400 meter relay that also participated at nationals. His personal record in the 400 hurdles was 51.94. He rejoined the Carroll football team this year after injuries plagued the team and scored two touchdowns throughout the five games he played in. In high school, Delaney had 14 top ten finishes at state track, including championships in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles.
Kinley Pope, Charlo
Pope played in 22 softball games this past year as a member of the Carroll College team. Throughout that time, the third baseman had 19 hits and nine runs for the team. She will be a senior on the team this coming season.
Kail Pope, Charlo
Pope is a member of the Montana State University-Billings track and field team. The Charlo grad was a three-sport athlete in high school and was an All-State runner three times in track. He was also part of the four-time state championship track and field teams.
Dalton Delaney, Charlo
Delaney, a 2015 Charlo grad, is running cross country for the University of Montana Western team this year as a freshman. He was a multiple sport athlete in high school and was also part of Charlo’s four year run as state track and field champions.
Jacen Petersen, Charlo
Petersen now wrestles at 165 for the Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pac-12. Peterson is off to a 5-1 start thus far this season, closing in on squaring his overall collegiate career record. Peterson was a twice State B-C champion with back-to-back undefeated seasons, a four-time All-State recipient not only in wrestling, but also as an integral part of the Charlo State C four peat in track and field. In his senior and junior years, he won state in wrestling. He took second his sophomore year and fourth his freshman year.
Chico Stipe, Charlo
Stipe contributes to the defensive backfield for the Western Bulldogs, where he has tallied a tackle in limited action during a pair of games.
Raymond Matt, St. Ignatius
Matt is currently a red shirt freshman safety playing football at UM Western in Dillon. Raymond was an All-State running back for the Bulldogs last year as well as a first team All-Conference linebacker.
Will Powell, St. Ignatius
Powell is currently competing on the MSU rodeo team. The 2015 Mission graduate has a long history of competing well in rodeo, going back to his junior high days. This past summer, he competed in the National High School Finals Rodeo, and won multiple times while competing around the state this summer. He is competing in steer wrestling, team roping, and calf roping for the Bobcats.
Paden Alexander, St. Ignatius
Alexander is having a great career at the University of Montana. The former Mission Bulldog competes in indoor and outdoor track, along with cross country. He placed in the top ten in two events at the 2014 indoor Big Sky conference championships. As a red shirt sophomore, he is also one of the top runners on the UM cross country team. He placed 37th overall at the Big Sky Conference championships in Cedar City, Utah on October 31.
Ryan Windauer, MVCA
Windauer, a 2013 MVCA grad, plays soccer for the Minnesota-based North Central University men’s soccer team. So far in his career, he has two assists, 29 shots on goal, and 55 shots.
Brad Pichler, Polson
After playing baseball at Dawson Community College, Pichler signed with the Glacier Grizzlies, only to find out the league fell through. Now Pichler is planning to play on the University of Montana baseball team. During high school, he was a member of the Mission Valley Mariners.
Derek Peel, Polson
After a great season with the Mission Valley Mariners, the 2015 Polson grad decided to try his hand at college baseball. He is currently playing at Lassen Community College in California.
Sarah Howell, Polson
Polson 2015 grad Sarah Howell (2015: 2g5a, 10sog, 18sh) is a versatile player for the University of Great Falls Argonauts, whose most recent endeavor was the supplying of an assist during her team’s playoff loss to Carroll College. Howell’s proficiency on the pitch as a prep player procured for her multiple accolades (3x all-state, 4x all-conference) which were underscored by the volume of goals/assists she generated during both Spring and Fall soccer schedules that cumulatively crested the century plateau.
Gracie Carlyle, Polson
Carlyle, a 2015 Polson graduate, is competing on the track and field team at Carroll College.
Claudia Hewston, Polson
Hewston, a Polson grad, is running cross country for the University of Great Falls. She recently finished in the top 15 of the Frontier Conference meet, qualifying her as an individual for the NAIA National Cross Country Championships to be held Saturday, November 21 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Chloie Huerta, Polson
Huerta, a sophomore at Carroll College, competes on the track and field team. She is currently throwing the shot put for the Saints.
Vince DiGiallonardo, Polson
DiGiallonardo just finished up his junior season of football as a defensive back for the Carroll College Saints. He registered 11 total tackles on the season. The Polson graduate started his college career at MSU, where he red shirted his freshman year before transferring to Carroll. Last year, he appeared in all 12 games and had 13 total tackles along with an interception. In high school, he was a three-time All-State quarterback and free safety and played in the Shrine game.
Anna DiGiallonardo, Polson
Polson 2013 grad Anna DiGiallonardo competes on the Idaho State Bengals women’s golf team. Anna played a prominent role in the Polson girls State A three peat and was widely decorated in multiple prep sports. She was a two-time All-State golfer and a four time All-State track athlete.
Alex Helgeson, Polson
Helgeson is currently a midfielder for the Carroll College soccer team as a freshman. During high school, he was an All-State selection in 2014 and first team All-Conference in 2012 and 2013. He was also academic All-State in 2011 and 2012.
Andrew Weltz, Polson
Weltz, a sophomore at Carroll College, is competing on the track and field team for the Saints, where he competes as a jumper.
Will Davey, Polson
Davey is a red shirt sophomore at Montana Tech, where he plays defense for the Diggers. So far, he’s registered 23 tackles and four interceptions this year. Tech hosts Dickinson State this weekend in the playoffs. Last year, he appeared in nine games, during which he registered 42 tackles, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. His career best performance was last year when he made 10 solo tackles and two assists, plus had a fumble recovery for 38 yards against Rocky Mountain College. In high school, he was selected as an All-State player twice. He also played in the Shrine game.
Jessica Bagnell, Polson
Bagnell has been practicing with her Lady Yellowjacket teammates during fielding drills at shortstop, but thus far has refrained from throwing and batting segments to allow time for the mending of an injury she incurred. The prep softball credentials of Bagnell reflect her versatility since she was conferred all-conference recognition under different position designations each season. Her coach Rebekah Gasner is optimistic about the bounce that a mended Bagnell can give to their program.
Jared Gallatin, Polson
Gallatin plays defensive back for MSUB. Gallatin saw limited action in four games this season, but his most memorable outing took place in the final quarter against MSU-Northern when he scored a pick six off a 44 yard interception return for a touchdown.
Joe Gallatin, Polson
Joe is the younger brother of Jared. He also plays football for MSUB, where he red shirted this year.
Nick Howell, Polson
Howell is a defender playing in his final season with Rocky Mountain College soccer team, where he is an integral part of the Battlin’ Bears lock down defense. Rocky not only captured the regular season crown, but also wrapped up the Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament championship to secure an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament. Howell’s team will attempt to chill out the fair weather acclimated Mariners from the Palos Verdes vicinity of Southern California this upcoming weekend.
Jaylin Kenney, Polson
Kenney pulls double duty during the spring sports season at Carroll College as a softball player as well a member of the golf team. The prep credentials of Kenney include softball twice All-State, thrice All-Conference along with golf three-time All-State, four-time All-Conference recognition. Her Fighting Saints coach Aaron Jackson observed that Jaylin “was consistent throughout the Fall and had some big timely hits for us” over the course of the Fall ball scrimmage schedule. Kenney also garnered 2014-15 NAIA Scholar-Athlete Honors for her work in the classroom.
Linnea Madsen, Polson
Madsen currently plays soccer for the Minnesota-based North Central University. The 2015 Polson grad is a midfielder for the soccer squad. Season highlights involving Madsen include the scoring of the go ahead goal late in a game against Canadian Mennonite in early October and her most recent feat of the foot scored midway through the opening round during Nationals in mid-November. Madsen was thrice decorated All-Conference during the course of her high school career.
James Larson, Polson
Larson, a 2012 Polson grad, plays soccer for St. Mary’s University. He has four career goals, two assists, and 39 shots for the team, who’s record this year is 6-9-3. Larson was twice decorated all-state, thrice all-conference in high school.
Keeley Clairmont, Polson
Clairmont is a 2015 Polson grad who has seen periodic action during the course of the season as a reserve forward for Kansas-based Central Christian College. She registered three shots on goal and five shots this year. The Lady Tigers (16-4) fell a game short during the Association of Independent Institutions tournament of qualifying for the NAIA Nationals.
Taylor Brackey, Polson
Brackey is currently playing for the Dawson Community College softball team. The 2015 Polson grad played in a pair of games this fall in which she went 2-4 and knocked in a tying run for DCC. She was an All-State, twice All-Conference selection in high school.
Ashleigh Lynch, Ronan
Lynch transferred from Wenatchee Valley College to Corban, where she earned dual NWAC All-Conference awards (1st-team 2015, 2nd-team 2014). Lynch was twice All-State, thrice All-Conference first-team as an outfielder for the Ronan Maidens. Her Corban coach anticipates that “her speed gives us a lot of options offensively and we anticipate her being a major contributor to our team’s success this season.”
Aspen Jore, Ronan
Jore is currently a student at the University of Great Falls, where she will be competing on the track and field team, throwing the javelin. Jore, a 2015 Ronan graduate, was a multi-sport athlete in high school. She consistently placed high in throwing events in track, and was an All-Conference basketball player.
Toby Cheff, Ronan
Cheff is finishing up his impressive career on the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team. He competed in his first meet this past week, where he took down his opponent to give MSUN a win over UGF. This past season, he won titles at the Missouri Valley Invite, the Tyler Plummer Classic, and the West National Qualifying tournament. He made his third straight trip to the NAIA National tournament, where he placed third at 285, and earned his second All-American selection. He finished the season 20-1 with 10 pins. The year before he had a record of 24-7, and in 2013, had a record of 25-9.
-We realize this may not be a complete list of local college athletes.