This week we climb aboard the Way-Back machine and set the date for 25 years ago, revisiting the sporting headlines from the Independent Record from the first quarter of 1983. Several local teams and numerous individuals won state championships during that time frame.

Capital High garnered the boys state gymnastics title in Billings, scoring 252.65 points, while Helena High placed runner-up, at 246.10. Duane Frederick of the Bruins came in fourth in the all-around, with the Bengals’ Kenny Holshue taking sixth.

Placing for CHS were Fredericks in the rings (second), Rich Christians in the rings (third), Sven Brown in the parallel bars (fourth) and rings (sixth), and Bill Thiel in the pommel horse (fifth). HHS crowned a pair of state champions, with Bill Lofstrom copping the rings and Gerry Dupuis winning the pommel horse. Teammates Kerry Shultz finished third in the vault, Mike Abbott was third in the pommel horse, and Holshue took fourth in the floor exercise.

The Helena Bengal ladies placed fourth, led by Beth MacPherson, who took fifth in the all-around by placing third in the floor exercise and fifth in the balance beam. Capital’s girls came in sixth.

At the 1983 state wrestling tournament in Butte, HHS’s Dave Miller capped an undefeated season (26-0) with a 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten Bob Codden of Havre in the 145-pound finals. The Bengals scored 123 points and finished third. Other Helena placers were Shawn Budke at 112 pounds (second), Dean Colvin at 132 (third), Kevin Cloud at 155 (fourth), Byron Stahly at 167 (fourth), John Cooper at 185 (fourth) and Brad Bruno at 98 (fifth).

Dewey Jacobs finished runner-up at 105 as Capital ended up 11th. Fellow Bruins placing were Kelly Quinn, third at 126; Brad Brazier, third at 155; Dave Stacey, fifth at 132; and Brian Wooden, sixth at 112.

CHS’s ladies picked up the third-place trophy at the state swim meet in Great Falls, powered by sophomore Courtney Chovanak’s victory in the 200 meter freestyle and runner-up in the 100 butterfly. Teammate Lee Ware contributed a fourth in the 50 free and a sixth in the 100 free, with Katie Hanson taking fifth in the 100 breaststroke.

The Bruins were sixth in the guys’ meet, led by Pete Hanson, who finished third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 butterfly. Steve Lamphier was third in the 100 back, and the Capital 200 medley relay came in fourth. The Helena High gals took eighth, as Teri Ashley wound up fourth in the diving, and Ann Dowling finished sixth in the 100 breast.

Dan Chrichton and Kristi Fritz won their respective 4K cross country races at the Continental Divide Ski Games held at Frontier Town near the summit of MacDonald Pass. Bozeman’s Brian Scarborough and Kari Olin collected the Steve Settle Memorial Trophy by winning their 10K events. The highest local finishers in the men’s 10K were Triel Culver and Jim Hatcher. Helena’s other age-group winners included Cheryl Johnson (Liedle), Randi Hovin and Kris Roby.

Former Helenan Jim Reinig, head ski coach at the University of Denver, was serving as an assistant for the U.S. Ski Team at the World University Games in Sofia, Bulgaria.

At the Montana Open Powerlifting Championships, Drew Cloud captured the 123-pound title with a total of 905 pounds. Mike Hudson and Al Roy placed runner-up in the 148 and 200 classes, respectively. Roy performed the division’s best deadlift at 640.

Steve Blixt won the first go-round in the bull riding at the 1983 Montana Pro Rodeo Championship finals in Great Falls. Blixt wound up fourth in the average. Winning the bareback bronc riding average championship was Dean Folkford of Three Forks. Wolf Creek’s Bobbi Levine finished third in the barrel racing.

In the City Bowling League, some of the top scores belonged to Roger Liedle (276 game, 244, 656 series, 653), Mel King Jr. (264, 256, 635), Brian Seney (246), Frank Provost (245), Max Burner (235, 645), Buddy DuPree (643), George Miskovich (635), Al Carette (624), Aquilla Robertson (238, 236, 643), Becky Olson (236, 616), Maggie Olson (225, 621), Phyllis Frank (215), Nita Kabalin (215), Gloria Olson (584), Pat Fries (564), Wanda Jaeb (560) and Jane Shaff (550).

Wendy Sears, Carroll College senior hoopster, completed her career with nine Saints’ records: 32 single game points, 453 season points, 1281 career points, 149 season field goals, 535 career field goals, 87 season free throws, 216 career free throws, 241 season rebounds and 727 career rebounds.

Hilltop senior Carol Wirtz was selected the first recipient of the Cathy Wallace Award as team MVP.

Roundballers John Elliott of Boulder High and Townsend’s Dustin Evans were chosen to the District 4B all-conference team. Elliott, who was the district’s scoring co-leader at 17.3 points per game, led the Panthers to a third-place finish in the 4B tournament.

Capital (16-9) and Helena High (12-13) both qualified for the boys 1983 Class AA state cage tourney in Missoula. The Bengals won their opener over Anaconda, 74-58, spearheaded by Mike Skinner. The 6-5 senior produced 33 points, 14 rebounds and a school-record 10 blocked shots.

The Bruins captured their one-and-only state hoops championship, beating Kalispell 48-47, Great Falls High 56-51 and Billings Senior in the chipper, 46-45 in triple overtime. CHS won 8 out of their last 9 games. Named to the all-tournament first team were CHS’ John Harrington and Tracy Johnson, while making the second team were Paul Phillips of Capital and the Bengals’ Mike Skinner.

Reporter Curt Synness, phone 449-2150, email curt52s@bresnan.net