Just like that, we are at the midway point of Western AA play. After Saturday, everyone has played once, then we will change venues and do it one more time.

Here is a look at the Western AA boy’s standings going into this weekend’s games:

Helena High       5-0
Hellgate              4-1
Butte High          3-2
Glacier                3-2
Big Sky                2-3
Capital                3-3
Sentinel              1-5
Flathead             0-5

The Bulldogs are currently sitting in a great place with Capital tonight and Helena High at home on Saturday. The big factor in Butte's second half of the conference season is that they will be on the road a lot. With 9 conference games remaining, 6 of those are on the road.

Butte High's Dylan Bache is picked up by Missoula Sentinel's Evan Richardson Friday night in a Western AA Boys Basketball matchup. Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Butte High's Dylan Bache is picked up by Missoula Sentinel's Evan Richardson in a Western AA Boys Basketball matchup. Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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Getting those road games started at Capital is not going to be easy, you know you are in for a physical ballgame in front of a loud crowd. You also know you are facing a disciplined team, with a great coach at the top.

Capital enters the ballgame going 1-1 over their last 2 games. A 44-42 loss to Helena High, and a 42-30 win over Sentinel their last time on the floor. Hayden Opitz, who scored 11 in both of those games, leads the Bruins in scoring at 13 points a game. Nick Michelotti is getting 9 a game, and Henry Gross and Joey Michelotti both enter at 6 points a game.

Capital averages 50 points a game, and they are defensively, holding their opponents to 46 points a game.

On the other side, the Bulldogs come in averaging 58 points a game led by freshman Hudson Leudtke at 16.4 points a game. Seniors Jace Stenson, and Cameron Gurnsey both come in getting 9 points and 5 rebounds a game, and senior Casey Merrifield averages 7 points a game.

Butte's Hudson Luedtke in the Bulldog backcourt with Jonas Sherman Thursday night in Butte. Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Butte's Hudson Luedtke in the Bulldog backcourt with Jonas Sherman in Butte. Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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Luedtke has led Butte High is scoring for 6 of their 8 games. That said, we have seen several different names on the scoring leaders list that speak to the Bulldog’s depth. We expect – and the Bulldogs need- Stenson and Gurnsey to be on that scoring list, but you add the solid play of Jonas Sherman, Merrifield, Kale McDonald, Tocher Lee, and Dylan Bache who had a great game against Sentinel, and you have to get excited about what’s ahead for the Bulldogs.

Butte High at Helena Capital tonight. 7 pm in Helena. The Dogs will return home to face Helena High on Saturday before the ‘Battle of Butte’ at the Butte Civic Center on Tuesday.

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