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Kalispell teams rule West AA track, but Henderson smashes TJ record

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By Bruce Sayler
The billing was shared. The record-breakers, the weather and the workers starred on Saturday at Bulldog Memorial Stadium where the Western AA Divisional high school track meet finished on the Charlie Merrifield Track.
Butte High senior Sam Henderson was expected to break the boys’ triple jump meet record and he responded. He shredded it. The record in the 1,600-meter relay also tumbled and Butte Sports Hall of Famer Dan Hanley’s 45-year-old record in the boys’ 200-meter sprint was tied.
Temperatures were mostly in the upper 50s without wind or rain while the sun smiled down on the Gene Fogarty Sports Complex, which housed the meet site on the East Middle School grounds.
“I wasn’t ready on my first one,” Henderson told bystanders after he smashed Mathew Tokarz’ Western AA triple jump record set in 2012. “I got too much height.”
So, he marked 46 feet, 4 ¼ inches. Then, he scratched on his second.
The third jump, though, was monstrous. Standing on the runway and eyeing the pit, Henderson began the slow clap of his hands. His teammates joined in, so did his rivals and then, after realizing Henderson was declaring he was targeting the record, so did the crowd in the stands.
Tokarz’ record was 46-7 ½. Henderson had never reached that distance.
Saturday, he popped a 48-7 ¼ — within a quarter of an inch of demolishing the previous meet record by two whole feet.
He can add the honor to his University of Montana track scholarship and the 6-10 personal-best in the high jump he posted on Friday while also winning that event. His winning high jump was six inches higher than his nearest competitor. His triple jump beat the runner-up by more than two-and-a-half feet.
“It was my personal record by three inches,” he said about the triple jump. “Now, I need two-and-a-half more (to break the state record).”
The state Class AA meet will be held next weekend in Kalispell.
“I’m proud of the kids,” Butte High head coach Arie Grey said. “There were a lot of kids who made the finals who weren’t supposed to and some kids making it to State that weren’t supposed to.
“Sam’s record made it a special day.”
Kalispell teams topped the standings. The Flathead boys retained their title from last year while scoring 123 points, outpacing runner-up Helena High, which totaled 91. Helena Capital was third with 74, one more than Kalispell Glacier.
The Glacier girls upended defending champion Flathead in the girls’ team competition. The Wolfpack stacked 115 points while Missoula Hellgate placed second with 95 and Flathead third with 76, five more than fourth-place Missoula Big Sky.
The Big Sky boys clocked 3 minutes, 20.70 seconds to win the 1,600-meter relay and knock a 10th of a second off the record. The old mark of 3:20.80 was put by Bozeman High in 1980 – the same year that Butte High’s Hanley blistered his 21.80 mark in the 200 meters. Flathead’s Ben Blivens matched the time on Saturday. Friday’s first day of the meet saw Dylan Hill of Helena High reset the boys’ 800-meter record with a 1:53.75, beating the old best time of 1:54.23 Henry Ballinger of Helena High ran in 2023.
Henderson won two events and led the Bulldogs in place-winnings. Other Butte High place-winners in the boys’ events were: Levi Wiltsie, fifth in the 3,200-meter run; the 1,600-meter relay team, sixth; Brett Polich, fifth in the shot put; Jaeger Hansen, fourth in the javelin; Dylan “Bobby” Bache, fourth in the long jump; and Cohen Andrews, fifth in the long jump.
For the Butte High girls, Dylann Bartoletti placed sixth in the 100-meter dash; the 400-meter relay team came in third; the 1,600-meter relay team was fifth; Mylee Demarais placed fifth in the shot put; Brityn Stewart grabbed second place in the javelin and Peyton Trabert tied for fourth place in the pole vault.
The members of the Butte High girls’ 400-meter relay team were Autumn Clary, Cadence Graham, Saege Grey and Bartoletti, and their 1,600-meter relay team was comprised of Wakely Burelson, Sophia Houchin, Grey and Graham.
The Bulldog boys’ 1,600-meter relay team had Bache, Sam Sampson, Raeder Grey and Camden Houchin.
The team was so determined to gain a placing and advance to the state meet that anchorman Houchin lost his legs down the stretch, head coach Arie Grey noted. They went out on him and Houchin fell to the ground. He regained his feet in time to nip the Flathead runner for seventh place. The Braves had been way behind the field due to dropping the baton on the first exchange and having to chase it down, pick it up and continue.
Then, Missoula Sentinel, fifth across the finish line, was ruled to have committed a violation, cutting in front of a rival runner too close, and disqualified. The decision moved Butte High into sixth place and qualified the Bulldogs for the state meet.
“The kids were inspired a lot by seeing what Camden did, leaving everything out there for his team,” coach Grey said. “He left everything out there to get to state.”
Grey said results director Liza Dennehy and the many volunteers who worked the meet were also stars of the show. The meet featured the stadium’s new track scoreboard, which provided event updates, standings and race videos throughout the day to the fans.
Boys
Team scores – Kalispell Flathead 123, Helena High 91, Helena Capital 74, Kalispell Glacier 73, Missoula Big Sky 72, Butte High 35, Missoula Hellgate 32, Missoula Sentinel 27.
100 – 1, Ben Bliven, Flathead, 10.97. 2, Jaxon Allery, Sentinel, 11.06. 3, Luke Ruch, Helena High, 11.07. 4, Cooper Nelson, Capital, 11.11. 5, Parker Link, Hellgate, 11.20. 6, Pacer Lybbert, Helena High, 11.21.
200 – 1, Ben Bliven, Flathead, 21.80 (ties meet record set by Dan Hanley, Butte High, 1980). 2, William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 21.90. 3, Cooper Pelc, Glacier, 22.40. 4, Cooper Tschan, Sentinel, 22.45. 5, Blake Williams, Big Sky, 22.50. 6, Brady Williams, Big Sky, 22.54.
400 – 1, Lane Chivers, Flathead, 49.18. 2, Adam Guajardo, Big Sky, 49.94. 3, Ben Bliven, Flathead, 50.31. 4, Travis Ryland-Davis, Helena High, 50.71. 5, Blake Williams, Big Sky, 51.19. 6, Kellen Gibson, Sentinel, 51.28.
800 – 1, Dylan Hill, Helena High, 1:53.75 (meet record. Old record 1:54.23 by Henry Ballinger, Helena High, 2023). 2, Kason Kastner, Flathead, 1:54.39. 3, Owen Thiel, Glacier, 1:54.73. 4, Henry Sund, Helena High, 1:55.82. 5, Isaiah Cowan, Big Sky, 1:57.12. 6, Chris Jenemann, Helena High, 1:57.87.
1,600 – 1, Elliot Stimpson, Helena High, 4:15.78. 2, Owen Thiel, Glacier, 4:16.50. 3, Henry Sund, Helena High, 4:22.22. 4, Milo Kauffman, Helena High, 4:26.04. 5, Dylan Hill, Helena High, 4:27.61. 6, Miles Joseph Miller, Hellgate, 4:28.66.
3,200 – 1, Christopher Holland, Flathead, 10:11.78. 2, Eli Highness, Helena High, 10:20.47. 3, Carson Thorne, Flathead, 10:23.63. 4, Brodyn DeShaw, Flathead, 10:25.21. 5, Levi Wiltsie, Butte High, 10:25.67. 6, Mica Kantor, Sentinel, 10:31.43.
110 hurdles – 1, Oliver Mow, Capital, 14.22. 2, Corbin Weltzien, Hellgate, 14.25. 3, Ethan Anderson, Glacier, 14.50. 4, Kellan Krueger, Big Sky, 14.62. 5, Cormack Batt, Big Sky, 14.74. 6, Cooper Pelc, Glacier, 15.15.
300 hurdles – 1, William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 38.51. 2, Lane Chivers, Flathead, 39.04. 3, Ethan Anderson, Glacier, 39.74. 4, Merek Mihelish, Capital, 40.15. 5, Cormack Batt, Big Sky, 40.42. 6, Kellan Krueger, Big Sky, 40.57.
400 relay — 1, Helena High (Pacer Lybbert, Trey Peterson, Luke Ruch, Travis Ryland-Davis) 42.58. 2, Missoula Sentinel (Cooper Tschan, Calvin Bucklin, Hunter Cadena, Jaxon Allery) 42.76. 3, Missoula Hellgate (Rocky Mogstad, Parker Link, Oliver Caton, Corbin Weltzien) 42.81. 4, Missoula Big Sky (Blake Williams, Adam Guajardo, Brady Williams, Maron Fines) 43.14. 5, Helena Capital (Boone Davis, Cooper Nelson, Oliver Mow, Jackson Beard) 43.22. 6, Kalispell Glacier (Spencer Hodge, Shae Warner, Ulrich Warner, Ethan Anderson) 43.43.
1,600 relay – 1, Missoula Big Sky (Blake Williams, Brady Williams, Isaiah Cowan, Adam Guajardo) 3:20.70 (meet record. Old record 3:20.80 by Bozeman High (John Emory, Bruce Barnhart, Mark Gary, Dale Huls) 1980). 2, Helena High (Dylan Hill, Luke Ruch, Travis Ryland-Davis, Henry Sund) 3:27.65. 3, Helena Capital (Boone Davis, Merek Mihelish, Oliver Mow, Dylan Almquist) 3:27.86. 4, Kalispell Glacier (Shae Warner, Owen Thiel, Ulrich Warner, Mark Ahner) 3:28.74. 5, Missoula Hellgate (Clive Jackson, Case Procacci, Charlie Gruber, Grady Caton) 3:31.54. 6, Butte High (Dylan “Bobby” Bache, Sam Sampson, Raeder Grey, Camden Houchin) 3:34.21.
Shot put – 1, Ben Winters, Glacier, 52-1. 2, Derek Opitz, Helena Capital, 50-6. 3, Will Astle, Glacier, 50-5. 4, Evan Pyron, Hellgate, 50-3. 5, Brett Polich, Butte High, 48-5. 6, Vaughn Wirkus, Capital, 47-11.
Discus – 1, Dylan Smith, Glacier, 164-5. 2, Evan Pyron, Hellgate, 146-0. 3, Vaughn Wirkus, Capital, 144-4. 4, Ben Winters, Glacier, 143-11. 5, Sam Sirmon, Sentinel, 143-9. 6, Kellan Vallance, Sentinel, 139-5.
Javelin – 1, Tyler Crum, Capital, 183-1. 2, Adam Guajardo, Big Sky, 168-10. 3, Auston Rowe, Helena High, 164-11. 4, Jaeger Hansen, Butte High, 163-9. 5, Ethan Kastelitz, Glacier, 163-4. 6, Owen Daniel, Hellgate, 159-8.
High jump – 1, Sam Henderson, Butte High, 6-10. 2, Porter Gibbs, Big Sky, 6-4. 3, Azher Hazen, Helena High, 6-2. 4, Jaxan Lieberg, Helena High, 6-2. 5, Landon Zieg, Sentinel, 6-0. 6, Eli Coopman, Flathead, 5-10.5, Jack Rob
Pole vault – 1, Brayden Brisko, Capital, 15-0. 2, Ryan Fuller, Capital, 13-6. 3, Michael Mahar, Flathead, 13-0. 4, Zane Schnackenberg, Capital, 13-0. 5, Nick Carter, Big Sky, 13-0. 6, Creed Wiley, Glacier, 12-6.
Long jump – 1, William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 22-5 ½. 2, Ben Bliven, Flathead, 21-2 ¾. 3, Maron Fines, Big Sky, 21-1 ¾. 4, Dylan “Bobby” Bache, Butte High, 21-1 ½. 5, Cohen Andrews, Butte High, 20-10. 6, Cooper Nelson, Capital, 20-8 ¼.
Triple jump – 1, Sam Henderson, Butte High, 48-7 ¼ (meet record. Old record 46-7 ½ by Mathew Tokarz, Flathead, 2012). 2, William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 46-0. 3, Porter Gibbs, Big Sky, 45-10 ½. 4, Adam Guajardo, Big Sky, 44-4 ¼. 5, Jack Robinson, Glacier, 43-4. 6, Trey Peterson, Helena High, 43-1 ¼.
Girls
Team scores — Kalispell Glacier 115, Missoula Hellgate 95, Kalispell Flathead 76, Missoula Big Sky 71, Helena High 64 ½, Helena Capital 59 ½, Missoula Sentinel 24, Butte High 22.
100 – 1, Quinlyn Simmons, Helena High, 12.55. 2, Sofia Szollosi, Hellgate, 12.57. 3, Isabella Grutsch, Big Sky, 12.94. 4, Hazel Bishop, Helena High, 13.05. 5, Zeila Wagner, Glacier, 13.15. 6, Dylann Bartoletti, Butte High, 13.31.
200 – 1, Alivia Rhinehart, Flathead, 25.15. 2, Sofia Szollosi, Hellgate, 25.52. 3, Anneliese Bessette, Hellgate, 26.21. 4, Carmen Eddy, Glacier, 26.28. 5, Reagan Castillo, Flathead, 26.75. 6, Brooklyn Smith, Helena High, 26.78.
400 – 1, Nya Myers, Big Sky, 59.15. 2, Anneliese Bessette, Hellgate, 59.24. 3, Mia Swartz, Sentinel, 1:00.17. 4, Dacia Benkelman, Glacier, 1:01.53. 5, Elizabeth Urban, Capital, 1:01.62. 6, Addison Roush, Helena High, 1:02.39.
800 – 1, Gia Petrini, Hellgate, 2:17.93. 2, Alyssa Vollertsen, 2:18.80. 3, Jamison Molloy, Hellgate, 2:20.19. 4, Everett Holland, Flathead, 2:22.72. 5, Hadyn Garza, Helena High, 2:23.55. 6, Miel Newton, Glacier, 2:23.70.
1,600 – 1, Lauren Bissen, Glacier, 5:09.92. 2, Gia Petrini, Hellgate, 5:16.13. 3, Josie Wilson, Flathead, 5:18.86. 4, Jamison Molloy, Hellgate, 5:21.79. 5, Kortney McKay, Helena High, 5:24.48. 6, Kate Lee, Helena High, 5:28.13.
3,200 – 1, Josie Wilson, Flathead, 11:34.57. 2, Ryah O’Dell, Helena High, 11:55.03. 3, Everett Holland, Flathead, 12:17.75. 4, Lily Oplinger, Helena High, 12:21.14. 5, Elizabeth Cornelius, Sentinel, 12:32.12. 6, Sage Bosshardt, Big Sky, 12:38.50.
100 hurdles – 1, Alivia Rhinehart, Flathead, 14.60. 2, Isabella Grutsch, Big Sky, 15.48. 3, Bristol Lenz, Flathead, 15.95. 4, Gracelee Banna, Big Sky, 16.20. 5, Pelea Sagato, Big Sky, 16.36. 6, Lainie Grensten, Sentinel, 16.54.
300 hurdles – Alivia Rhinehart, Flathead, 44.54. 2, Nya Myers, Big Sky, 46.06. 3, Carmen Eddy, Glacier, 46.49. 4, Addison Brisendine, Glacier, 46.71. 5, Hazel Bishop, Helena High, 47.37. 6, Addison Roush, Helena High, 47.90.
400 relay – 1, Kalispell Glacier (Breanna Barnes, Carmen Eddy, Emmery Schmidt, Zeila Wagner) 50.09. 2, Missoula Hellgate (Paisley Johnson, Sofia Szollosi, Elly Reed, Anneliese Bessette) 50.80. 3, Butte High (Autumn Clary, Cadence Graham, Saege Grey, Dylann Bartoletti) 51.00. 4, Helena Capital (Trinity Austria, Hosnya Ayidomihou, Brooke Howlett, Alyvia Sperry) 51.08. 5, Missoula Big Sky (Jemiah Belitz, Natalie LaForest, Pelea Sagato, Gabby Alec-Rebolledo) 51.11. 6, Missoula Sentinel (Makenna Kulbeck, Mia Swartz, Lainie Grensten, Mairyn Agostinelli) 51.33.
1,600 relay – Kalispell Glacier (Dacia Benkelman, Alyssa Vollertsen, Emmery Schmidt, Carmen Eddy) 4:04.62. 2, Missoula Hellgate (Grace Boyles, Gia Petrini, Jamison Molloy, Anneliese Bessette) 4:08.64. 3, Helena Capital (Trinity Austria, Adeline Osborne, June Lay, Elizabeth Urban) 4:12.34. 4, Missoula Big Sky (Grace Marshal, Emma Marshal, Adelaide Sugden, Nya Myers) 4:12.57. 5, Butte High (Wakely Burelson, Sophia Houchin, Saege Grey, Cadence Graham) 4:12.58. 6, Helena High (Harper Johnson, Kortney McKay, Lauryn Lieberg, Emmie Bermingham) 4:18.15.
Shot put – Allie Krueger, Glacier, 35-9. 2, Katie Kananen, Capital, 33-9. 3, Dani Wines, Capital, 33-8. 4, Greta Hageman, Capital, 33-6 ½. 5, Mylee Demarais, Butte High, 32-7. 6, Shay Casagrande, Sentinel, 31-11.
Discus – 1, Brooklen Kopp, Hellgate, 118-4. 2, Rylee Bigelow, Glacier, 117-11. 3, Bryar Michalson, Capital, 114-0. 4, Allie Krueger, Glacier, 109-10. 5, Dani Wines, Capital, 109-2. 6, Emi Berg, Sentinel, 108-4.
Javelin – 1, Kaelyn Saari, Capital, 127-5. 2, Brityn Stewart, Butte High, 120-8. 3, Charlotte Osier, Glacier, 116-10. 4, Madison Clement, Capital, 112-7. 5, Kinzey Clark, Hellgate, 108-7. 6, Morgan Meissner, Hellgate, 108-4.
High jump – 1, Jaidyn Pevey, Glacier, 5-4. 2, Ruby Roscoe, Hellgate, 5-2. 3, Alice Dolezal, Flathead, 5-0. 4, Chloe Jackson, Helena High, 4-10. 5, Britton Heuiser, Helena High, 4-10. 6 (tie), Lauryn Lieberg, Helena High, and Knoelle Ferguson, Capital, 4-8.
Pole vault – 1 (tie), Naomi Lee, Sentinel, and Breanna Barnes, Glacier, 11-3. 3, Knoelle Feguson, Capital, 10-6. 4 (tie), Reese Johnson, Sentinel, and Peyton Trabert, Butte High, 9-6. 6, Josie Crumley, Helena High, 9-6.
Long jump – 1, Madilyn Todorovich, Helena High, 17-2. 2, Britton Heuiser, Helena High, 16-6. 3, Zeila Wagner, Glacier, 16-4 ¼. 4, Gabby Alec-Rebolledo, Big Sky, 16-3 ½. 5, Hazel Bishop, Helena High, 16-3 ½. 6, Jaidyn Pevey, Glacier, 16-1 ¾.
Triple jump – 1, Gabby Alec-Rebolledo, Big Sky, 37-1 ½. 2, Isabella Grutsch, Big Sky, 35-0. 3, Alice Dolezal, Flathead, 34-11 ¾. 4, Ashlyn McDaniel, Big Sky, 34-4 ¾. 5, Dacia Benkelman, Glacier, 34-1 ¼. 6, June Lay, Capital, 33-11 ¼.



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Rec Sports

‘Batter Up!’ Dos Pueblos Little League Calling for Youth Baseball Umpires | Sports

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December 23, 2025

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Dos Pueblos Little League is recruiting middle school and high school baseball players to umpire Little League games this season.

Prior umpiring experience is preferred, but not required. Dos Pueblos Little League has an Umpire Board member who will help with training, but baseball knowledge is a must.

Gear also provided and Little League umpires can earn $40 per game or receive volunteer service hours.

Umpiring Little League is “a great way to build leadership skills and stay involved in the game,” organizers said.

To apply, email presidentdpll@gmail.com.



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Vote now for the Freep Buffalo Wild Wings Boys Athlete of the Week

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December 23, 2025

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Dec. 23, 2025, 5:08 a.m. ET



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Prattville Fire’s Battalion Chief Travis Rodie Retires After 26 Years Of Service

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December 23, 2025

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Addie McCluskey

Elmore Autauga News

Prattville Fire Department’s (PFD’s) Battalion Chief Travis Rodie celebrated his retirement, Dec. 22, 2025, at Stanley Gann Training Center, marking the end of a 26-year career of dedicated service.

Mayor Bill Gillespie presented Rodie with a token, recognizing his selfless leadership and long-standing commitment to the citizens of Prattville.

“Chief Rodie has done so much for our community,” said Gillespie. “One person can’t do everything, but one person can make a difference, and he’s done it from the top down.”

Assistant Chief Ricky Roberts also highlighted Rodie’s commitment to the community, which he said has extended far beyond PFD, including his service in the U.S. Air Force and his time coaching local youth sports.

“You’ll never meet a more dedicated employee than Travis,” said Roberts. “When given a task, whether he liked it or not, he would always get it done. His work ethic is unmatched. He’s championed physical fitness, invested deeply in public education, and consistently advocated for every single member of this department for 26 years.”

In the days leading up to his retirement, Rodie made a point to visit each fire station, offering encouragement and sharing lessons he hoped would stay with his colleagues long after his departure.

“There are three things I try to teach my grandchildren that I will leave you with today,” said Rodie. “All you need to be successful in this world is to be smart, be kind, and be strong.”

Rodie concluded the ceremony by calling his final class of recruits forward for one last tradition: 20 team pushups. As they counted each repetition, the emotion in the room was unmistakable — a fitting tribute to a leader whose impact will be measured not just in years served, but in the people he shaped and the legacy he leaves behind.



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Gregory Dean Craig, 62, Otwell

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December 23, 2025

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Gregory Dean Craig, 62, of Otwell, passed away December 19, 2025, in Huntingburg.

He was born June 11, 1963, to Jerry and Patty (Hayes) Craig in Washington, Ind.

Greg had worked as a land surveyor for Nerco and Phoenix Natural Resources. He spent 18 years with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department and currently works in the parts department at Farbest Foods.

Greg was kind, hardworking, and loved his family fiercely. He told his wife he loved her every single day. He prayed for each member of his family every day while driving to work. He was often quiet but felt things deeply. He especially loved being “Pap” to his grandson, Barin. He delighted in doing things with him and loved it while on vacation when Barin, who loved the beach, wanted to leave it to have a campfire with Pap.

Greg was happiest while fishing or hunting and loved being at “The Last Resort”. Going on a little fishing trip with his dad or his son, Clint, was a special treat. He coached both his children in youth sports and supported everything they did. They knew he always had their back. He also took great pride in keeping his lawn in pristine condition.

Greg was a collector at heart, whether it was fishing lures, plastic worms, or Batman figures for Clint. When Clint was born, he bought a rattletrap lure to start his collection. He owned possibly the most extensive beer memorabilia collection around and was so proud of his “museum”.

Greg is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jody (Booth) Craig; daughter, Allyson Michelle (Jim) Bowers, or “Ally Shell” as Greg called her; son, Clint Matthew (Kelsey Barrett) Craig, or “Slappy” as Greg called him; grandchildren, Barin, Klaire, and Kameryn Bowers; mother, Patty Craig; brother, Brent (Jamie Williams) Craig; uncles, Gordon Craig and Roger Chamness; an aunt, Patsy Gilham; and several cousins.

He is preceded in death by his father, Jerry Craig; grandparents, Marion and Anita Jean Hayes and Luther and Norma Craig; aunt, Debbie Chamness; and his mother in law, Sharon Booth.

Services for Greg will take place at 2 p.m. EDT on Friday, December 26, 2025, at Harris Funeral Home in Petersburg, with visitation time from 10 a.m. EDT until service time.

Burial will follow at Otwell Cemetery.

Harris Funeral Home is entrusted with care.



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Jack Ryan: Baseball fields are all gone, but the memories survive

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December 23, 2025

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On a cool and sunny Friday afternoon, I finally did what I’d been meaning to do for several weeks.

I drove over to Edgewood Park to have a look at the former Dixie Youth Baseball fields. After several years of being unused, McComb officials recently removed the fencing around each field along with several buildings on the property.

It’s an inglorious ending to a place that introduced thousands of local children to baseball and softball, and drew hundreds of their family members and friends on summer evenings to watch the games.

But now it’s gone. I parked my car and looked out at the property, trying to recall the location of the various fields.

Everything has been removed. The concession stand, the overhead press boxes behind each home plate, the storage buildings, the fences, the dugouts, the bleachers, the cinder blocks. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like even the sidewalks were gone.

One overhead light lay on its former field, where the minor league used to play. There were three vehicles on the property, with guys completing the removal work, including a truck and a backhoe.

I don’t blame the city for clearing the property. It had been overgrown for several years until the city board approved the cleanup.

Nor do I blame the McComb Exchange Club for merging its youth baseball operations with Summit several years ago and moving to the Windsor Gay Youth Complex, which has more space than Edgewood Park did. Times change, and decisions have to be made.

In fact, Pike County once had three Dixie Youth Baseball locations, in McComb, Magnolia and Summit.

The Dairy Belt leagues in Magnolia were the first to close, pretty much going the way of all the dairy farms that Southwest Mississippi used to have. And then McComb DYB left Edgewood Park, where it had been since it started in 1958, for Summit.

Mary Ann and I were regulars at youth baseball games from 1994 to 2008, if my math is correct. Though it could be aggravating at times for parents trying to make sure their kids got to where they were supposed to be, the upside to Dixie Youth Baseball far outweighed any hassles.

The baseball fields are gone, but the memories remain. Every family has them, and here are some of my favorites:

• Coaching T-ball was comically fun. I remember one year, a player insisted on sitting down in the base path whenever he was in the field. I would have to go lift him up to move him out of the way.

• John’s junior league team Sonic won the championship in 1997. It was a close race with another team.

This team was a great group of kids, and they had good coaches and especially a fun group of parents. And the Sonic on Delaware Avenue, to their credit, donated a bunch of hamburgers for the team party.

• Thomas struggled at the plate in his first few games of minor league, when players graduated to a live pitcher instead of the junior league machine.

I pulled out my VCR tape of “The Empire Strikes Back” — this was the summer of 2000 — and had him watch Yoda’s tutorials of Luke Skywalker. A Jedi must feel the Force; it surrounds us. Believe in what you can do. And the very next game, he got a hit.

• When Audrey was in the softball leagues, one year I had these comical trash-talking contests with friends whose daughters were on another team. Audrey, it turned out, was a decent player. A sign of her future on the high school volleyball team.

When Audrey, our youngest, finished her last year of Dixie Youth, I was glad to be free of spending two nights or four nights a week at the park. I planned to go back once in a while to see what was going on, but I never did.

This would be the right place to thank all the Exchange Club members and other volunteers who do the hard work of running Dixie Youth. They all are champs.

Looking out at the empty space on Friday, it had to look a lot nicer than it did when the property wasn’t being used and the weeds had taken over. So I’m OK with starting from scratch on what is a pretty large piece of Edgewood Park.

A soccer league has asked to use the property, and I hope they, or some kind of youth sports group, gets it. The place has six decades of history, and that ought to continue.



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Chicago ARF celebrates championship season for local Homenetmen and AYF youth

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December 23, 2025

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GLENVIEW, Ill. — On Saturday, Dec. 20, the Chicago “Christapor” Gomideh of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) hosted a special evening at Shahnasarian Hall in the Armenian Community Center in Glenview to celebrate Armenian youth, athletic excellence and the enduring values that guide the Armenian community.

The evening began with a shared dinner, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for fellowship and celebration. The Gomideh expressed its sincere gratitude to all who contributed to the preparation, serving and cleanup, whose efforts ensured a smooth and enjoyable start to the night.

The program formally opened with welcoming remarks by Hagop Soulakian, chairman of the Chicago “Christapor” Gomideh. He welcomed the athletes and members of Homenetmen Chicago and the Chicago Ararat AYF Juniors and Seniors, along with their families, and congratulated both organizations on their recent championship victories.

The Homenetmen Chicago athletes were recognized for winning the 2025 Navasartian Games, followed just one week later by the Chicago Ararat AYF Juniors, who captured the 2025 Junior Olympic Championship. These back-to-back victories were highlighted as a source of pride for the entire community and as evidence of discipline, preparation and teamwork.

Hagop Soulakian, chairman of the Chicago “Christapor” Gomideh

In his remarks, Soulakian emphasized that these achievements extend beyond athletics. “Winning championships does not happen by chance,” he stated. “It begins with ideas, preparation and planning. It requires hard work and sacrifice. But above all, championships are won through unity.”

He then connected these athletic principles to the mission and values of the ARF through the symbolism of its coat of arms. He explained that the pen represents ideas, education and thoughtful preparation; the shovel symbolizes disciplined work and consistent effort; the sword honors sacrifice and courage; and the fist unites all of these elements through collective strength. “Just as in athletics,” he noted, “ideas, hard work and sacrifice only lead to victory when they are bound together as one. That belief — unity through shared purpose — is exactly what the ARF stands for.”

To conclude the program, the ARF invited all Homenetmen athletes and AYF members to the front of the hall, where each was presented with a Zinanishan pin. The pin was offered as both a token of appreciation for their hard work and a reminder of the principles required to succeed not only on the field, but within the Armenian community and in service to the nation.

Khajak Arakelian (right), chair of Homenetmen Chicago, and Aleena Surenian (left), chair of the Chicago Ararat AYF, cut the cake.

The evening continued with a special cake-cutting ceremony led by Khajak Arakelian, chair of Homenetmen Chicago, and Aleena Surenian, chair of the Chicago Ararat AYF, marking the shared celebration between the organizations. Following the ceremony, it was announced that Chicago will host the 2027 AYF Senior Olympics. The announcement was met with enthusiasm and pride, as hosting the Senior Olympics is both a significant responsibility and a meaningful honor for the local community. The opportunity reflects the confidence placed in Chicago’s organizations and volunteers and further underscored the evening’s theme of youth leadership, organizational strength and collective commitment to the future.

Organizers expressed hope that the evening fostered renewed appreciation for all those who helped make the celebration joyful and meaningful, while reinforcing the importance of unity, service and continued investment in youth. As emphasized throughout the night, the young people honored at this event represent more than championship teams; they are future leaders of the Armenian community. As Soulakian reminded those gathered, “Our survival has never been accidental; it has always been the result of resilience, unity, and an unbreakable commitment to our nation.”



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