2024 marks a significant milestone in the story of Skyline Sports. Although the official anniversary comes later in the year, we’ll be celebrating our 10th birthday all year long with special content and retrospectives — including in this series, where we’ll peruse Skyline’s deep archive, looking back at stories and games from the past. Here are some of the top stories published by Skyline Sports in the month of February.
CHOATE’S FIRST RECRUITING CLASS FLUSH WITH IN-STATE PRODUCTS
By Colter Nuanez (February 3, 2016)
Jeff Choate had a clear vision when he took over at Montana State, and his first recruiting class included 10 signees from Montana and future Bobcat legends like Chase Benson, Taylor Tuiasosopo, Lewis Kidd and Kevin Kassis.
“As Jeff Choate prepared for a whirlwind first recruiting season, he walked the halls of Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, taking in pictures of Hall of Fame players and Buck Buchanan Award winners. As Montana State’s new head football coach took in his new surroundings, something he already believed to be true was strongly affirmed: recruiting the state of Montana would be crucial as he tried to complete his first signing class in roughly one month’s time.”
DECUIRE HOPES TO CONTINUE LEGACY OF STAR GUARDS AT MONTANA
By Colter Nuanez (February 4, 2016)
Travis DeCuire was a legendary point guard during his playing career at Montana. When he took over the head coaching job at his alma mater, it quickly became apparent that the Grizzlies’ tradition of having top-tier back courts would continue.
“Although (Walter) Wright dominated the rival Bobcats down the stretch, getting in the lane whenever he pleased, his first rivalry game got off to a rough start. On Montana State’s first offensive possession, Wright had a miscommunication and lost his man. Montana State junior Quinton Everett soared from the baseline for a two-handed dunk. DeCuire immediately pulled his starting point guard from the game, undressing him on the sidelines with words Wright said he could not repeat.
‘That’s what we do,” DeCuire said. “It’s a little tough love between him and I. He responds to it. When I recruited him, he and I talked about what he wanted to get out of this and what I needed from a point guard. Our backgrounds are a little similar coming out of high school. I felt I can relate to him very well. Coming into this thing, he knew I was going to be hard on him. He responds. He plays better angry.'”
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: STOCKTON REWRITING NARRATIVE OF HER CAREER DURING HISTORIC BOBCAT CAMPAIGN
By Colter Nuanez (February 18, 2016)
Despite her famous last name, Lindsay Stockton didn’t often find that things came easy at Montana State. But the point guard eventually turned things around and authored a fine finish to her career.
“John Stockton built a reputation as a fearless competitor with a high basketball IQ, peerless court vision and the will to compete, each features his daughter displays in the Big Sky. Lindsay’s competitive nature is striking, her playing style one of an energetic, aggressive defensive stalwart with arguably the quickest hands in the league.”
LEWISTOWN ROOTS RUN DEEP FOR LADY GRIZ SHOOTING STARS
By Colter Nuanez (February 19, 2016)
By chance or something deeper, three of the greatest Lady Griz players of the last decade came from Lewistown. Colter Nuanez profiled McCalle Feller, the latest in the line.
“Feller might be the most prolific gunner of the standout trio. Her 210 attempts from beyond the arc last season were a school record, one she might’ve broken if not for her injury. In 21 games, she is averaging 7.5 3-point attempts per outing. It’s a mentality she’s honed since a kid and one that has helped her carry on a legacy.”
MCLEOD RUNS UNFORGETTABLE 800 TO CLAIM BIG SKY PENTATHLON CROWN
By Colter Nuanez (February 25, 2016)
Erika McLeod’s run in the 800 meters, the final event of the pentathlon at the Big Sky indoor championships in 2016, is one of the most legendary athletic feats of the Skyline Sports era. Needing to beat Montana State’s Danielle Rider by 10 seconds, McLeod ran under 2:15, dusted Rider by nearly 15 seconds and clinched an improbable conference crown.
“On the 200-meter flat track, McLeod left the competition in the dust, sprinting her way to a personal-best 2:14.58 with her teammates hanging over the railing cheering her on. She defeated teammate Nicole Stroot, the event runner up, by nine seconds. She bested Rider, who ran 2:27.03, by nearly 13 seconds. McLeod’s final event victory earned her 899 points compared to Rider’s 731. The 168-point advantage turned the 130-point advantage on its head.”
SELVIG’S INFLUENCE STILL STRONG THROUGHOUT THE BIG SKY
By Colter Nuanez (February 7, 2017)
Legendary Lady Griz coach Robin Selvig retired after the 2015-16 season. But, of course, the aura of one of the greatest-ever coaches in women’s college basketball still influenced coaches around the Big Sky.
“Gene Roebuck often matched wits with Selvig during 24 wildly successful seasons as UND’s head coach. But North Dakota’s first season in the Big Sky in 2012 was Roebuck’s last at the helm. (Travis) Brewster took over and tried to build his program like the Lady Griz.
Brewster said he learned early on when battling Selvig’s teams that if there was a flaw in UND’s game plan, Selvig would exploit it. If North Dakota’s coach did not make an adjustment, Selvig would hammer the weakness relentlessly.”
MOLDED MENTALITY: FERRIS HAS EVOLVED INTO ONE OF BIG SKY’S BEST
By Colter Nuanez (February 24, 2017)
Peyton Ferris went from a Class C star at Twin Bridges to a Big Sky MVP at Montana State. Colter Nuanez profiled an all-time great Montana State Bobcat.
“Beginning in seventh grade, Ferris would hitch a ride to Dillon to jump into as many open gyms at Montana Western as she could. She remembers being coached by former Western player Jamie Lake and hoping to someday play at Lake’s level. She also remembers playing with boys as often as possible to improve her toughness.
In middle school, Ferris played for her mom at Sheridan. She grew up watching men’s college basketball and she frequently tried to implement the moves she saw on television into games. It’s the roots of her unorthodox, pounding style that almost always ends with finesse finishes off the glass.”
FINDING JACK: LOPEZ PUTS DEFENSE FIRST TO EARN VALUABLE PLAYING TIME
By Kyle Sample (February 24, 2017)
Over the course of multiple years, Australian sharpshooter Jack Lopez turned himself into a crucial piece for Travis DeCuire’s early Griz teams. Kyle Sample wrote a profile that should be required reading for role players everywhere.
“While he has become one of the more consistent long-range shooters in the country over the last two years, it’s on the defensive side of the ball where Lopez has earned his minutes. Once a player who tried to block every shot in his area, the he has grounded himself; he is far more likely to take a charge than he is to return a shot. It’s a relatively new thing for the senior, who realized soon after coming to Montana from Australia, that he wasn’t as big and as athletic as those he was facing. Without the ability to reach the heights his opponents were, Lopez took a new approach and has excelled.”
HALL’S VIRTUOSO PERFORMANCE PACES BOBCATS PAST GRIZ
By Colter Nuanez (February 26, 2017)
Tyler Hall put up countless incredible performances in a Montana State uniform. His most iconic might have come during the rivalry game in Bozeman in 2017.
“On Saturday with a capacity crowd of 6,772 on hand, Hall put forth his most spectacular scoring display to date. The 6-foot-5 sophomore guard hit shots from all angles, swishing 3-point jump shots off crossovers, showing newfound post moves, hitting fade-away shots from inside the arc, finishing through contact and ripping the net any chance he could.”
BEST OF THE BIG SKY: MEN’S BASKETBALL CONTINUES UPWARD TREND
By Colter Nuanez (February 14, 2018)
An influx of talent and several huge non-conference wins had observers – including Colter Nuanez – thinking that 2018 might be the year the Big Sky broke its NCAA Tournament drought.
“The Big Sky currently ranks No. 18 among 32 Division I conferences in RPI, a stark improvement from the 29 to 31 range the league hovered in last season. DeCuire’s Grizzlies currently sit at 13-0 in Big Sky Conference play, sporting an RPI of 89 thanks to an 18-5 record against Division I competition. A win Thursday at Eastern Washington would tie the school record for the best start in league play. A sweep of EWU and Idaho this weekend would help Montana equal the best start in the history of the BSC. The strong push coincides with a non-conference filled with impressive performances and near misses.”
SETTER TO SOLE SENIOR: HENDERSON’S INFECTIOUS ATTITUDE LEADS LADY GRIZ
By Colter Nuanez (February 21, 2019)
Jace Henderson went from being a prized in-state recruit for Montana’s volleyball team to one of the most well-rounded posts in the Big Sky Conference and one of the most iconic Lady Griz of the past decade.
“Once upon a time, Henderson was the two-time defending Montana Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year, a prized recruit on her way to Missoula to help save the University of Montana’s struggling volleyball program.
Five years later, Henderson has the distinction of being the only senior on a Montana women’s basketball roster riddled with injuries for the third straight season. If heart, hustle, endless enthusiasm and infectious positivity were the only things Henderson brought to the table, her transition to the hardwood would still be considered a successful one.
But the fact is, Henderson has evolved into one of the Big Sky Conference’s most skilled and versatile post players. The Billings Senior product is averaging 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, the latter the third-best average in the league. She leads the league in field goal percentage at 59.1 percent shooting.”
ALL IN TO WIN: OGUINE SACRIFICES PERSONAL SUCCESS, FINISHES A GRIZ LEGEND
By Andrew Houghton (February 23, 2019)
Michael Oguine came from Los Angeles to become a high-flying, attention-grabbing star for Montana. Despite his exceptional athletic gifts, his true value to the Griz came in his willingness to be a role player.
“In four years, Oguine, despite making such a good first impression, has never once made the All-Big Sky first team, and he likely won’t this year, either. He’s been overshadowed constantly at UM, first by then-senior Martin Breunig, then by back-to-back transfers — Ahmaad Rorie, the future pro, and Akoh, the final piece on a championship team.
Even recently, when Akoh went down with an injury two weeks ago, it’s been junior Sayeed Pridgett who’s taken the spotlight with back-to-back conference player of the week awards.
But ask anyone around the team, and they’ll tell you: Oguine has been the most important player for the Griz almost since he stepped foot on campus.”
FULL CIRCLE: SAMUELSON RELIVING HIS DREAM AS SECOND-GENERATION GRIZ
By Colter Nuanez (February 21, 2020)
Another great Griz hoops story, Jared Samuelson grinded away at Rocky Mountain College for two years before following in his father Shawn’s footsteps by donning the maroon and silver of Montana.
“When Samuelson was a youngster growing up in Billings, he watched videos of his father, Shawn Samuelson, muscling his way through the paint against teams like the Idaho Vandals.
Idaho left the Big Sky Conference following Shawn Samuelson’s senior season at Montana in 1996.
So it’s no surprise that earlier this season, when Jared Samuelson hit three 3-pointers in the first half in what ended up a 67-63 win over Idaho that the second-generation Griz wore an illuminating smile with each triple that brought the Dahlberg Arena crowd to their feet.”
CONFIRMED: VIGEN IS NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT MONTANA STATE
By Colter Nuanez (February 8, 2021)
To replace Jeff Choate, Montana State turned to a man with experience at the top levels of the FCS: North Dakota State assistant Brent Vigen.
“The quarterback guru — Vigen coached Brock Jensen and Carson Wentz while recruiting Easton Stick to Fargo, while also mentoring Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen at Wyoming — was one of three candidates Skyline Sports confirmed came to the MSU campus for in-person interviews.
Montana State also courted Nebraska offensive coordinator Matt Lubick and Oregon linebackers coach Ken Wilson. Both elected to stay at their respective programs rather than taking over for Jeff Choate.”
THE PILLARS OF CHOATE — CHANGING A COLLECTIVE MENTALITY
By Colter Nuanez (February 14, 2021)
Following Jeff Choate’s departure from Montana State, Colter Nuanez write a six-part series about the pillars of the brash coach’s success with the Bobcats — starting with how he changed his team’s attitude and approach towards its rival.
“Yet no football head coach — and perhaps no figure in the modern history of the university save current MSU president Waded Cruzado — altered and influenced the mentality, the sense of belief and the expectation to never take a back seat to anyone, particularly not the Griz, more than Jeff Choate.
The dynamic, driven personality came to Montana State with a vision. He preached that vision with as much passion and ferocity as any football coach the Big Sky Conference has seen. From his ability to profess his goals to his gift for galvanizing every person involved in the entire fabric of Montana State football, Choate is a spectacular figure in the lore of a program steeped in history.”
DEFINING HIS OWN LEGACY: KUPP RETURNS TO EWU FOR RELATIONSHIPS, NOT RECORDS
By Colter Nuanez (February 13, 2022 – originally published September 10, 2016)
With Cooper Kupp leading the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance (and eventual title), we re-published the extensive feature Colter Nuanez wrote about the record-setting receiver all the way back in 2016.
“Nine days after Eastern Washington fell to rival Portland State to stamp the first three-game losing streak of Kupp’s otherwise championship-laden football career, with the recent recollections dancing between his ears, Kupp relinquished control. He ignored the hype of NFL Draft pundits who assured him he would be at worst a third-round selection. He resisted the temptation of the seven-figure checks that would come with turning pro. The best player the Big Sky Conference has ever seen made his seismic decision: Kupp would return to terrorize the FCS for one more season.”
“IT WAS A NIGHTMARE”: THE COLLEGE COACHES WHO TRIED TO STOP COOPER KUPP
By Andrew Houghton (February 13, 2022)
Before the Super Bowl, Andrew Houghton caught up with several former Big Sky defensive coordinators who’d tried to stop Cooper Kupp. Later in the afternoon on the day this piece was published, Kupp won Super Bowl MVP.
“(Former Idaho State defensive coordinator Roger) Cooper: I just remember trying to bracket coverage him with two of our better guys, either high and low or in and out based on down and distance. On third downs we were bracketing him and he’s catching balls on us, and I’m just watching our DBs out there, absolutely, at this point, at a loss for words just because I don’t know how many more guys you can put on a guy.”
SKYLINE SPORTS MID-SEASON ALL-BIG SKY MEN’S HOOPS AWARDS
By Andrew Houghton (February 2, 2023)
Andrew Houghton’s take on the 2022 midseason all-stars (along with its companion one about the women’s league) was strong, sharp hoops writing of the type that’s consistenly appeared on Skyline Sports.
“Battle is averaging 17.1 points per game, Jones 15.5, both solidly in the top 10 in the league. Both play for good teams. Both are unique, one-of-one players with one outlier skill – Battle’s athleticism and Jones’ rebounding. I flip-flopped on who to put first multiple times – including at least once while writing the damn thing.
In full flight – when he is taking over games – Battle is breathtaking. Ask Montana (18 points on a variety of seemingly impossible hanging finishes) or Southern Utah (29 points in the non-conference, including the game-winning pull-up with under a minute to go) or, most recently, Sacramento State (a new career-high 32 on 18 shots last weekend). He is capable of doing things that no one else in the conference can. The only possible reaction after some of his highlight plays is staring straight ahead in disbelief.”
MONTANA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME: TREASURE STATE LEFT INDELIBLE MARK ON OKONIEWSKI
By Colter Nuanez (February 26, 2024 – originally published in 2021)
After leaving Montana, Steve Okoniewski embarked on a six-year professional career. Following his death in 2024 at the age of 74, we re-published Colter Nuanez’s fantastic profile of a man who had his life forever changed by the Treasure State.
“Okoniewksi’s football career had its share of highs — like earning All-American honors for the 1970 Griz as Montana posted a 10-0 regular season record or getting selected with the 41st overall pick by Atlanta in the 1972 NFL Draft— and its lows; he never played a snap in a preseason game before the Falcons cut him as a rookie and he seemed to always be on the move.
With each new city, whether chasing professional dreams or coaching high school football or serving as a high school principal, Okoniewski has always felt the pull of the Rocky Mountains and the Blackfoot River.”
