I was pretty skeptical of mixed martial arts as a serious sport when it really took off about 10 years ago, and I wasn’t alone. But thanks to the credibility established by UFC, MMA is now pretty widely accepted and supported as a legitimate competitive endeavor.

Evidence of that can be clearly found here in the Flathead Valley, where the number of both fighters and fans continues to grow. There are several talented locals rising in the MMA ranks like Zach Dickson and Jake Oyler, two professionals who train out of Montana Straight Blast Gym in downtown Kalispell.

The upcoming Kalispell Kombat event on Jan. 21 at Majestic Valley Arena is further proof of the valley’s growing appetite for MMA. The current fight card features 15 Kalispell residents competing in 14 bouts, including a professional main event fight for Dickson. Fights are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

“It’s probably the best card we’ve ever had in Kalispell,” said Kevin Moore with FightForce, which puts on the fights. “The talent is getting better and better here. These are high ranked amateur fighters.”

FightForce has been producing MMA events across the state over the years, and Kalispell has always been a popular stop. Last year’s Kombat drew over 1,000 fans, but never this many fighters.

“We’re loading it up,” Moore said. “It’s going to be a long night with a lot of good amateur fights and a good professional fight for Zach.”

Straight Blast Gym, a growing MMA gym with a history of strong competitors, has three fighters besides Dickson competing. A video below shows a compilation of the gym’s bouts from a previous Kombat event. Other fighters are competing “freestyle,” meaning unattached.

In conjunction with the event, a food drive is being held and a local business is offering a chance to meet and have dinner with a famed UFC fighter.

Fashion Plus Clothing in Kalispell is hosting Anthony "Rumble" Johnson between 12:30-5 p.m. on Jan. 21. Johnson, who is fighting Vitor Belfort in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 142 on Jan. 14, is a friend of Fashion Plus owner Kelley Taylor's. He appeared at last year's Kalispell Kombat. On Jan. 21, he will be offering autographs inside Fashion Plus, located at 132 East Idaho St. Those who purchase an article of clothing will be entered into a drawing to win a dinner with Johnson.

In cooperation with FightForce, Straight Blast Gym has started a food drive that will go until Jan. 20. With a donation of 10 non-perishable food items, donors’ names will be entered into a drawing for a VIP Ringside Table at Kalispell Kombat. The table will seat 10 people and has a value of $500. All donations must be delivered by noon Jan. 20 and the drawing will be held at 7 p.m.

Kalispell Kombat tickets can also be purchased at SBG or at the event. General admission tickets are $20 in advance. Ringside tables are available for $500.

Kalispell Kombat
Jan. 21, Majestic Valley Arena
Fights start at 7:30 p.m.
Current Fight Card
*Fighters affiliated with a gym have the gym’s name next to their names
135 pounds -- Jarrett Smith, Straight Blast Gym, Kalispell vs. DJ Snyder, Deer Lodge
175 pounds – Brandon Bailey, Kalispell vs. Matt Konoljnen, Montana MMA, Bozeman
170 pounds -- Michael Kuehne, Kalispell vs. Riley Tobin, PFA, Canada
160 pounds – Mark Johnson, Kalispell vs. Lane Day Chief, PFA, Canada
130 pounds – Luis Calderon, Kalispell vs. Leo Shoji, PFA, Canada
150 pounds – Vinnie Rossi, Kalispell vs. Mark Fallon, Kalispell
145 pounds – Sheldon Fisher, Fighters Island, Polson vs. Ericson Abalos, Montana MMA, Bozeman
145 pounds – Tony Best, Kalispell vs. Kris Putman, Heart N Soul, Great Falls
155 pounds – Joel Ballard, Kalispell vs. Jeremy Sanderson, Deer Lodge
135 pounds – Duran Flaget, Straight Blast Gym, Kalispell vs. Mitch Creighton, PFA, Canada
185 pounds – Gus Nolte, Straight Blast Gym, Kalispell vs. Tyrel Phillips, Grindhouse, Billings
185 pounds – Greg Tatar, Kalispell vs. Ace Gingerich, Dog Pound, Hamilton
155 pounds – Brent Young, Kalispell vs. Tyler Sager, Kalispell
145 pounds – Zach Dickson, Straight Blast Gym, Kalispell vs. Daniel Swain, Canusa, Newport, Wash.

CORRECTION:I originally said that Johnson will be appearing at Fashion Plus on Friday. He'll actually be there on Saturday, the day of the fights.

 

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The Kalispell Lakers legion baseball program is holding its mandatory sign-up meeting Jan. 30 at 7:00 pm inside the Country Kitchen Building at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Current or prospective players for both the A or AA team are encouraged to show up and meet coaches and board members and talk about the upcoming summer season as well as offseason workouts.

Current and prospective players must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and must have a physical fitness exam conducted before participating in workouts and try outs.

The Lakers have set up a registration form online for the first time this year: http://www.kalispelllakers.org/#!registration-form to register. The team's website is located at http://www.kalispelllakers.org/

 

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Shelley Burton has brought back Friday Night Fights with eight bouts scheduled for Jan. 13 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. The event will benefit Relay For Life and will feature a sanctioned professional fight between local boxer Jesse Uhde and Jesus Vallejo, the fifth ranked fighter in the Northwest.

Fights start at 8 p.m. The current card has seven men’s fights lined up and one women’s bout.

Burton, a former professional boxer who recently opened her own gym, Burton Boxing, in Kalispell, said she hopes to rejuvenate the sport’s status both locally and across the state. She recently transitioned from fighter to promoter after being officially licensed through the state, and in her new role she plans on trying to offer more opportunities for boxers like Uhde who are looking for a chance at fighting professionally.

Plus she believes the Flathead Valley is full of fans who will turn out to watch.

“There’s tons of people interested in (boxing),” she said.

Burton held a boxing event in November, which drew almost 900 people, she said. Another event is planned for Feb. 24 to benefit the Wounded Warriors program.

Burton recommends buying presale tickets, which are sold at a discount.

For more information, call 871-1181 or visit Burton Boxing at 1075 N. Meridian Rd.

 

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Kalispell’s Brock Osweiler will forgo his senior year at Arizona State University and enter the NFL Draft, the school confirmed on Friday.

The former Flathead High School star recently finished his record-breaking season with the Sun Devils, becoming the first quarterback in school history to throw for more than 4,000 yards. He passed for 4,036 and 26 touchdowns, the fourth most in school history. He also set records for completions (326), pass attempts (516) and completion percentage (63.2 percent).

Osweiler is not scheduled to hold a press conference at this time but did release a statement through the school explaining his decision to leave early:

"Winter Break was an important time for me and after much deliberation, I came to an important decision. In a lot of ways it was similar to my last year in high school. In high school, I was heavily recruited and visited a few of the top programs in the country. Of all of the recruitment trips, it was ASU that struck a lasting cord. Every person I encountered was so kind and it made my decision at the time more difficult to make. As a young man, I had some serious decisions to make, not even 18 years old and I had to make a choice that would ultimately impact my life forever.”

As many of you know, before I chose to live in Arizona, I had a commitment to Gonzaga University to play basketball. For a over a year I was certain that this was my path, it wasn’t until May 16th of 2008 that I was certain I had to be ASU’s quarterback. My coach at the time, Russell McCarvel stood by my decision and I graduated a semester early from my class. By January 2009 I was officially a Sun Devil.

ASU has taken excellent care of me and the city of Tempe has changed my life for the better. Not a single day has gone by where I have had to second guess or question my decision to enroll at ASU. I knew that in my heart this was part of my destiny. While I bleed and sweat Maroon and Gold I have now made the second-most difficult decision in my life. I have decided to declare myself eligible for the NFL draft. It was an exceptionally difficult decision to make, but having spoken to my family and close friends it became clear to me that this is the next path I must take to advance my personal and professional career.

I wish I could truly thank everyone that has helped me through my years at ASU, but there isn’t a proper way to match what everyone has done for me. I have been touched by the most amazing people and have made relationships I know will last my entire life. When I arrived in Arizona I was spellbound and culture shocked by Kush stadium. Seventy-two-thousand people could fit in the stadium which is 40,000 more people then the entirety of my hometown of Kalispell, Montana.

ASU has been my home for the last three years. I will never forget how many people have gone out of their way to make ASU home for me. I would like to thank the fans that have supported me through out all of the trials and tribulations. Sincerely, there is nothing like walking onto Kush Field before kick off and having the crowd erupt. There are so many things that I will miss about ASU, but I know that I will be a Sun Devil until I die. I have a pitchfork tattoo on my ribs to symbolize the BEST three years of my life. Thank you again for all of the support and positive wishes throughout this process.

Go Devils!"

McCarvel, the head football coach at Flathead, spoke with the Beacon on Friday about Brock's decision. McCarvel said he's excited for his former player to take the next step.

"It’s a lot of players' dreams to have a chance to enter the (NFL) draft. I know that he’s going to work extremely hard between now and draft day," McCarvel said.

"The sky's the limit. He’s got great potential and he’s got great work ethic," McCarvel added. "Somebody's going to pick him and in a year or so be really excited that they got him."

McCarvel said he hopes a regional team drafts Osweiler, making it easier for local fans to travel to games and cheer him on.

"He has a great following up here," McCarvel said.

 

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The Montana Big Sky Wildcats, a top-notch U19 Tier II hockey team of girls from across the state, won the Flathead Winter Classic championship at Woodland Ice Rink on Sunday.

The Wildcats defeated Lethbridge 5-3 on the final day of the nine-team tournament hosted by the Flathead Valley Hockey Association. The team's next stop is Salt Lake City for the Martin Luther King Girls Hockey Tournament Jan. 14-16. The ultimate prize awaits the girls in Dallas where the U.S. U19 Hockey Championship Tournament takes place March 28-April 1.

The Wildcats feature talented players from across the state, including four locals – Kalispell’s Carolyn Harms, Stephanie Tartaglino and Bridgett Herne and Whitefish’s Janessa Courtney.

Here’s a list of players pictured above after they won the championship last weekend:

Front Row: Goalie Kayleigh Handa (Great Falls), Goalie Carolyn Harms (Kalispell)
Middle Row: Sonja France (Missoula), Tylar Holland (Helena), Brooke Bogart (Spokane), Cassidy McGree (Butte), Julia Michels (Missoula), Janessa Courtney (Whitefish), Catie Etier (Spokane), Dakotta Heacock-Chambers (Missoula)
Back Row: Coach Steve Tartaglino, Stephanie Tartaglino (Kalispell), Claire Kinsey (Missoula), Bridgett Herne (Kalispell), Tyana Rasmusan (Glasgow), Alexia Gagliardi (Missoula), Sawyer Heacock-Chambers (Missoula), Rylee Cygan (Belgrade), Sarah Michels (Missoula), Taryn Francishetti (Billings), Assistant Coach Dick Gagliardi. Not pictured: Berkley Svingen (Glasgow)

 

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Ben Cutler, a 2009 Glacier High School graduate, was named the Frontier Conference men’s basketball player of the week on Monday after a career-best scoring performance last week.

The Carroll College guard went 6-for-7 from 3-point range en route to 33 points, leading the Fighting Saints over Dickinson State 89-76 on Dec. 28.

Cutler has played impressively so far this season, much the same way he did in high school. The former all-state Wolfpack guard has played in all 12 games so far and has scored the second most points (115) on the team. He’s averaging 9.58 points per game and his 3-point shot is still on target, leading the team at 53 percent (23-for-43). He’s shooting 51 percent from the floor overall.

Also similar to his prep days, Cutler has found success on the track during the spring. Last year he qualified for the NAIA Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Ind., in the 400 and long jump. He advanced to the semifinals in the 400.

 

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After finishing with a 9-3 record and winning the first playoff game in school history, Glacier High School’s football team has three players on the roster for the 66th annual Montana East-West Shrine Game, which will be played on July 21 in Great Falls. The rosters for both the West and East teams are announced at Christmastime each year.

Further testament to Glacier’s accomplishments this fall is the selection of Grady Bennett as head coach of the West team. It’s the first time Bennett has been head coach at the Shrine Game, though he was an assistant to Bob Applegate in 1997 and to Terry Thomas in 2007. As a player, he was the quarterback in a West victory in 1986.

Joining Glacier’s three players on the West roster are 11 other athletes from Northwest Montana, including three from Polson, two from Flathead, two from Whitefish, two from Bigfork, one from Libby and one from Columbia Falls. A number of other local players have been selected as alternates.

Northwest Montana’s roster selections are Luke Halliburton (defensive lineman), Anthony Gugliuzza (return specialist) and Caleb Harris (defensive end) of Glacier; Josiah Clairmont (guard), Vince DiGiallonardo (quarterback) and Paul McClurg (outside linebacker) of Polson; George Sherwood (wide receiver) and Nick Reilly (guard) of Flathead; Cody Dopps (running back) and Dillon Fraley (defensive end) of Bigfork; Maximillian Smith (defensive lineman) and Gage Vasquez (wide receiver) of Whitefish; Austin Barth (outside linebacker) of Columbia Falls and Sawyer Zimmerman (defensive lineman) of Libby.

The local alternates are Austin Cantrell (defensive lineman) and Connor Coleman (defensive end) of Bigfork; Matt Iavicoli (inside linebacker) and Mack Sutherland (guard) of Glacier; Travis Oakason (tackle) of Flathead and Jack Humphreys (cornerback) of Ronan.

Montana’s Shrine Game is one of the oldest high school all-star football contests in the nation. It has been played every year since 1947 to raise money for the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Spokane.

 

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I can never remember the names of all the college football bowl games, and I’m glad. This year’s bowl season features 35 games over-wrapped in commercials and product placement. The so-called “national championship” is in itself a ridiculous name (a computer picks the matchup, after all) but the game's title is not nearly as daffy as 90 percent of the other bowls'.

The “Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl." The “Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas." The “Famous Idaho Potato Bowl." The “Purina Puppy Chow Bowl."

Guess which one of those isn’t real? (OK, it’s the Puppy Chow Bowl. Although I’d definitely remember and watch that one.)

There is one bowl game that sticks out in my mind this season and it’s the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas featuring Arizona State University (6-6) and seventh-ranked Boise State University (11-1) on Thursday night. The game will be on ESPN at 6 p.m.

Since I have no clue what or who MAACO is, I’ve decided to simply call this the "Montana Bowl" because there are a few interesting storylines directly related to our state.

First and foremost, Brock Osweiler, the great Kalispell product, is finishing up what could be a record-breaking season as the starting QB for ASU. The Flathead High graduate is 237 yards shy of Andrew Walter’s 2002 school record for passing yards in a single season. Brock, a junior, has thrown for 3,641 yards and 24 TDs. Brock was the ninth-ranked passer in the nation this season with 303 yards per game on average.

In comparison, his Boise State equivalent Kellen Moore, the winningest quarterback in college football history, threw for 3,507 yards and 41 TDs this season.

In his first year as an every-game starter, Brock helped the Sun Devils reach the postseason for the first time since 2007. Brock had ASU in the hunt for a Pac-12 Championship game appearance after the Sun Devils won six of their first eight games, including an impressive win over ranked Missouri. But something went wrong (the defense needs a little work and so does the field goal kicker) and ASU ended the season on a four-game losing skid.

ASU’s outgoing head coach Dennis Erickson could be wrapping up one of the most successful careers in recent college football history. And it all started in Montana. The hall of famer, who has 179 career college wins, sixth most among current coaches, started his collegiate career as a QB at Montana State University. Erickson went on to earn all-conference honors in the Big Sky twice and became a graduate assistant after graduating. After leaving to coach at Billings Central for a year, he returned to MSU as an assistant coach in 1971. After three years in Bozeman, Erickson went on to the University of Idaho, where he would later become the head coach in 1981.

Erickson moved on throughout his career several times with stints at the University of Miami, where he replaced Jimmy Johnson and won two national championships, and with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. Erickson will coach his final game at ASU this Thursday.

Montana high school football fans likely remember Helena native Matt Miller. I sure do. Matt was one of the best prep athletes I’ve seen and it’s not that surprising he’s Boise State’s second leading receiver and destroyed the freshman school record for catches.

Matt, a freshman who tore his Achilles before last season and used a redshirt, has 58 catches (the previous record was 46), 647 yards and eight TDs, including one recent TD catch he made while lying on his back in the end zone that replayed on SportsCenter for awhile.



Other Montana ties include Aaron Pflugrad, the “playmaker” for ASU and the team’s second leading receiver. Aaron, a senior, is the son of Montana Grizzly head football coach Robin Pflugrad. He was born in Missoula when his dad was an assistant coach for the Griz and went to high school in Eugene, Ore., at Sheldon High. Aaron played for the Ducks for two seasons before transferring to ASU. He has 620 yards and five TDs.

And somewhat unrelated but still worth mentioning, there’s Bobby Hauck, the former Montana Grizzly head coach and current UNLV coach. Hauck is still trying to establish a successful program in Las Vegas (the Rebels are 4-22 the last two seasons under Hauck). But the athletic department must have faith in him as of now because they signed him to a two-year extension through 2014 this fall.

Hauck was born in Missoula and grew up in Big Timber. His brother Tim was a standout player who had a nice NFL career. The Haucks' father, Bob Sr., was the athletic director at my high school, Loyola Sacred Heart, in Missoula. He was one of the nicest and most respected men I’ve ever met and was truly a class act.

Am I missing someone else who has ties to Big Sky Country and will be within the vicinity of this game? If I did, let me know and I’ll share it with everyone. It’s always fun to see local talent on the big stage. That’s why this Thursday night I’ll be watching the Montana Puppy Chow Bowl.

Merry Christmas everyone!

UPDATED: From a fantasy football opponent of mine, Joel Rosenberg, here's some more Montana connections: Boise State's offensive coordinator is Brent Pease who played for the Grizzlies and later was the OC from 1991-96. "Actually, I think half of Boise State’s staff coached at MSU at some point."
Thanks Joel!

UPDATED (Dec. 23): Last night BSU looked like it took out its anger on ASU for being placed in the Las Vegas Bowl.

But there was plenty to celebrate for Montana fans who just wanted to see some local talent do well.

Brock finished his first full season as starting QB with a record-breaking performance. The Flathead High graduate passed for 395 yards and broke both the Las Vegas Bowl passing record and Andrew Walter’s 2002 school record for passing yards in a single season. Brock, a junior, finished with 4,036 yards, 26 TDs and 13 INTs.

Early word coming out of Tempe, Ariz., is that Brock is expected to return to college next year instead of entering the NFL Draft, even though the coaching staff is almost completely depleted at this point. I’m happy either way because I know we haven’t seen the last of our 6-foot-8 native playing in the national spotlight.

Miller caught four passes for 32 yards and a TD, and also threw for a score. The redshirt freshman finished the season destroying the school record for catches as a rookie with 62 (the old record was 46). Miller had 679 yards and nine TDs.

 

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