MHSA accepts Alberton/St. Regis football co-op
<p>Alberton and St. Regis High School football programs will merge next season and form the Clark Fork Timberwolves.</p>
They are going to be the only Timberwolves in Montana next year.
After meetings with the Montana High School Association, representatives from Alberton and St. Regis High Schools were successful in getting approval to merge the two school’s football programs into one – becoming the Clark Fork Timberwolves.
“It should be a great, great fall,” St. Regis Athletic Director and Football Head Coach Damian Droessler said. “I’m excited – we have a lot of good things on the horizon.”
Traditionally when mergers are approved by the MHSA they are granted for three years, however since the organization will vote on their rules for the number of students enrolled at two schools in order for merger approval after next season, the Timberwolves were only granted a one year co-op agreement.
“Next year the co-op number is 85 (high school students at both schools and it’s slated to change to 65 after next year,” Droessler said. “If the number were to go to 65 it would be difficult to justify it, but if it were to go back to 85 it could continue.”
Regardless of only getting approval for one year, Droessler said they are “excited” for the season.
“It’s going to be a great season with a lot of positives,” Droessler said “It’s a great opportunity for our kids first and foremost. We don’t know how long this opportunity is going to last, it might only be one year, but we are going to maximize it as much as we can.”
The plan for the co-op will be to alternate practices at both locations.
Home games will also alternate – as of the most recent schedule the Timberwolves will have three home games this season, two of those will take place in St. Regis.
“If there are any beyond that it will start out in Alberton,” Droessler said.
The team will have four coaches total with two coming from each school and this week nine of the Timberwolves are in Billings attending the Rimrock Football Camp.
“They’re going to start off getting together and playing for the first time together there,” Droessler said.