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WARNING: there is discussion about drugs in this article

Nike Indoor Nationals: Nathan Neil Breakthrough two mile 

Going to the Nike Nationals is a big feat in itself, but going twice and winning one is something that sounds like a dream. Bozeman senior Nathan Neil has made that dream come true. 

Last December was the first time Neil went to Nationals for the 5k where he finished third just two seconds behind the winner Jojo Jourdon (Utah).

On March 8th Neil made his second appearance at Nationals, running his fastest 2 mile time yet with a time of 8 minutes, 46.96. Seconds. Neil started the race in the back but  made his move on the seventh lap moving from 12th to 6th. He surged to take the lead on lap eight passing leaders Will Conway (Indiana) and Colin Eckermen (Tennessee). The meet took place at the Armory track and field center in New York City which is also the home of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. 

With the conclusion of the Nike Indoor Nationals, Neil will be heading out to what might be his biggest meet of the season, the Arcadia Invitational in California on April 5-6. 

Whitefish Skier Adds Two More National Titles to Her Collection 

The second week of March is the biggest and busiest time of year for Lake Placid, New York, because the Nation’s youngest and fastest cross country skiers are racing for first in the Junior National cross country skiing championship. 

The week starts out with racers skiing through several inches of fresh powder for individual skiing. Two days later, the classic sprint races happen in the rain and slush. The weather conditions made it hard in the distance race causing many to wipeout turning a corner. Head director of the Glacier Nordic Club (GNC) said ‘“ I started staking out a corner with extra poles and skis for racers that broken theirs’”. 

Maeve Ingelfinger, a senior at Whitefish high school and star of the (GNC), stayed calm and collected with the weather changes and delivered spectacular performances. She took seventh in the U18 individual skate, first in the classic sprint, first in the classic 10k mass start, and second in the 4x3km team realy. 

Sentinel Springs Sports

Spring weather has begun and so has spring sports. Softball and Track has started at Sentinel and a lot has already happened. 

Softball has played two games already and won their home opener on March twenty-six. Nina Samoury (Junior) was a star as she went 4-5 with a home run, three runs, and three RBI (runs batted in). Another star, Kennedy Dypwick (Senior) went 3-4 with a home run, three runs and three RBI. 

Track’s first meet was also on March twenty-six at the MCPS stadium. The team was smaller than usual because Athletes need eight practices to compete at the first meet of the season, but because spring break took place the second week of the season most athletes couldn’t get all eight. Performances that stood out was

Montana Tech In Trouble With AD Facing Drug Charges

            Montana Tech might need a new associate athletic director soon because  Nicholas Kelly Bowsher, age 44, is currently facing several drug felony offenses. 

Bowsher faced judge Ben Pezdark on March twenty-first, and was charged with five counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to sell. The drugs were as follows: ecstasy, LSD, ketamine, cocaine, and MDA. Bowsher was also charged with three felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The drugs were, once again, as follows: crack cocaine, methamphetamine and hydrocodone. He also had a felony count of possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture and one misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Bowsher has been working with Tech since 2011 and  was promoted to his current position in 2016. Tech knows about the charges and arrest but didn’t provide a comment. Bowsher’s bond is set at $500,000.

Bozeman Beats Missoula To Win State Championship 

The Bozeman Icedogs won 8-1 against the Missoula Bruins in the Montana Amuter Hocky Association Tressure State Legue State Championship  that happened in Havre ice Dome on March 3rd. 

Miko Perkins was the leading scorer for the Icedogs with a hat trick. Awyer Rogers, Ben Chabalowski, Jamie Dahman, Reid Wilkinson and Owen Andrews all scored goals of their own. 

Bozeman made six of their eight goals on even strength and two on power plays. They lead 1-0 in the first period and 3-1 after the second before scoring five goals in the third. 

Missoula took shots with the Bozeman goalie faceing 27 shots while managing to  save 23 of them. Missoula’s goalie faced 42 shots and was able to save 34 of them. 

Former Montana State Coach Heads to Washington

Danny Sprinkle is finally going home after being hired by the University of  Washington to be the new head men’s basketball coach.

Sprinkle was born in Washington and his father played football for the Huskies in the 1960s. Sprinkle attended high school in Helena and later played as a guard for MSU in the 1990s and then served as an assistant coach for them from 2006-2008. MSU hired him to be the head coach in 2019 and he led the Cats to the consecutive Big Sky Conference Tournament titles/ NCAA Tournament. Sprinkle left Montana in 2023 due to becoming the head coach at Utah state. 

Sprinkle led USU to the regular season Mountain West Conference title and 28-7 overall record this season. USU beat TCU in the first round of the NCAA march madness tourney which was Sprinkle’s first ever march madness win in his career. Unfortunately, USU lost against Purdue who was a number one seed 106-67 in the second round of the tournament. 

Sprinkle will be replacing Mike Hopkins, who was fired after seven seasons in Seattle with one year left on his contract. Sprinkle has a 6 year contract that is worth $22.1 million with his annual salaries growing from 3.2 million in the first year, to 4.2 million in the sixth year.