Helena Girls Fastpitch Softball registrations are due this Friday, March 13 for girls planning on playing in the Minor, Major and Senior leagues. Registrations received after this date will be charged a $20 late fee. Late registrations will be accepted for any 9th-grade girls who are not playing high school softball -- unless all teams are full.

League Divisions are by grade (based on the 2008 - 2009 School year)

Rookies - K-2nd grades ($30) Minors - 3rd & 4th grades ($50)

Majors - 5th & 6th grades ($55) Seniors - 7th, 8th & 9th grades ($60)

Girls moving up or new to the Majors division must attend the draft on March 19 from 6-7 p.m. Girls moving up or new to the Senior division must attend the draft on March 20 from 6-7 p.m. Both drafts will be held at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds Multipurpose Building. Please arrive a half an hour before the draft begins to sign up and allow time for the girls to warm up.

League play is scheduled to begin Monday, April 13.

For more information or to download a registration form, please go to www.leaguelineup.com/helenagsa.

Great Divide skiers place in local races

The Great Divide Ski Team recently competed at the Whitefish Mountain Resort Open. In the J-3 division of the Giant Slalom, Joe Ringling placed third and Casey Jacobson placed sixth. On day two, in the Slalom, Jacobson placed fifth and Ringling placed eighth. In the J-1 category, former GDST racer Stephen Drake placed 1st in both races.

GDST also competed in three Super-G races in the Lone Peak Super Speed Series at Big Sky. In the J-3 category, Ringling placed ninth, 10th and 8th. Alec Gordon placed 11th, 12th and 11th. Jacobson placed 12th, 15th, and 13th. Jordan Barrows placed 13th, 13th and 12th. In J-1 division, Colten McCullough placed fifth, fourth and fourth and Drake placed second, first, and second. In the J-2 Women's category Lauren Lewis placed fifth, seventh, and sixth and former GDST racer Tara Hines placed first in two of the races.

Jacobson has been selected to attend the Northern Division 2009 Western Region J-3 Junior Olympics Festival at Brundage Mountain on March 19 - 22. His fifth-place finish in the slalom at the Missoula J-1 through J-3 Qualifier helped secure his berth at the J-O Festival. He will compete in the Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super-G. Selected as First Alternate is Joe Ringling, Second Alternate is Jordan Barrows, and Third Alternate is Alec Gordon.

Lewis and McCullough have been selected for the J-1 and J-2 Western Region Championships.

The last Northern Division race is scheduled for March 27 at Bridger Bowl. It is the only race of the season to include dual racing.

Dogsled race held near Polebridge

The final Montana dogsled race of the season was held last weekend near Polebridge. The trail was snowy and deep on Saturday and wonderful for all events on Sunday, making for a perfect weekend for the dogs and mushers.

The Root Beer Classic Fun Run has been held for 28 years along the Canadian border, and this past weekend's event was one of the most exciting in recent memory. There were junior events, skijoring, two, four, six, and 12 dog classes.

Each participant received a can of root beer for running and memories they won't soon forget.

The race was named after a well esteemed lead dog that organizer Jack Beckstrom of Olney once owned.