Several members of the local Helena Rodeo Team are among the leaders in the state at the end of the fall rodeo schedule. The season will continue in the spring with contestants competing in numerous rodeos, then on to the State Finals in Missoula in June. The top four at the State Finals in each event will advance to compete at the National High School Finals in Springfield, Illinois in July.

Annie Novotny holds down the highest place of the local students, as she is currently splitting second and third in the breakaway roping. Novotny finished the season strong as she won the breakaway roping in Hamilton on the first day and placed second on the second day. She is also one of the top local competitors in the barrel racing and the pole bending, as she is just out of the top ten in both events. Bareback rider, Michael Miller, is sitting 4th place in the standings, along the way he has posted some of the highest scores of the fall, including an impressive ride of 76 points to win the Livingston rodeo.

Two contestants, Cassidy Nordahl and Kelsey Hanson, have top ten positions in two events. Nordahl used consistency in placing in the top four in almost every rodeo in either or both of her specialty events, the goat tying and the pole bending. She is splitting sixth and seventh in the goat tying and ninth in the pole bending in the standings. Hanson placed regularly in the team roping and the breakaway roping. She is sitting sixth in the team roping and eighth in the breakaway roping.

Other area contestants competing in the fall high school rodeos include Tyler Erickson, Bailee Novotny, Layne Wiebe, Chase Tryan, Sara David, William Glover, Mattie Murphy, Shayla Hunt, Shaylee Mintz, Erin Broadwater, Whitney Dirks, Lathe Fadness, Dallas Hilger, Tia Hilger, and Jenny Winfield. Most of these contestants have acquired valuable points toward the state finals.

Squirt A team splits two games

The Helena Bighorn Squirt A team split games on the road with the Billings Jr. Bulls over the weekend.

In their season opener, they fell to the Jr. Bulls with a 6-1 loss. Barron Culver scored the lone goal assisted by Christopher Palmer and Kyle Hayter.

In the second game both teams came up scoreless in the first period. Justin Henderson hit the net assisted by Bridger Croft for the first goal of the game in the second period. Billings scored tying the game 1-1. Nolan Davis assisted by Henderson scored the 2nd goal for the Bighorns and Billings once again came back with a tying goal. The Bighorns held off the Jr. Bulls and scored 2 more goals, Blake Miller unassisted, Miller assisted by Tanner Mohar and Palmer to end the third period 4-1.

The Bighorns continued their rally into the third period with Croft scoring assisted by Henderson and Davis, Miller assisted by Mohar and Palmer and Croft scoring unassisted. The Jr. Bulls were able to score once in the third period ending the game 7-3.

Protecting the net with 48 saves for the weekend was goalie Morgan Azarte. Tylar Holland, Jared Hiebert, Taggart Sullivan, Paul Hart and Jake Nelson all played tough offense and defense over the weekend.

The Squirt A team is sponsored by DBEC.Inc and Domino's Pizza. They are coached by Brian Mohar, Tim Hiebert and Chip Holland. The Bighorns will host the Sleeping Giant Invitational Squirt Tournament this coming weekend at The Helena Ice Arena.

Trap club to hold open shoot

The Helena Trap Club is holding an open-to-the-public shoot Nov. 18 on the club grounds at 5505 N. Montana Ave. at 11 a.m.

A chili and hot dog lunch will be provided by the club.