CHUCK BANDEL
Valley Press
Recent Stories
Alberton and Hot Springs clash in volleyball match
It was a tall order indeed for the young, promising Alberton volleyball team.
Trotters stay hot with volleyball win over T-Falls
Cue the ominous “Jaws” sound bite that was played when a shark was about to attack.
Co-op Tigers rebound in win over Lakeside
After last week’s Homecoming loss to Shelby, St. Regis-Mullan Idaho football co-coach Jesse Allan vowed the team would shake it off and get back in the saddle this week.
Superior Bobcats roll Darby, 72-36
After multiple seasons of success on the football field, the Superior Bobcats were thought to have lost, by some pundits, their explosiveness thanks in large part to a large number of key players who graduated last Spring.
Savage Heat crush Twin Bridges, 51-8
Add to the list of six-player football teams to watch in the rapidly approaching Montana high school playoffs, as usual, the Hot Springs Savage Heat.
Lima escapes Alberton with 6-man win
There are a few games every season that are literally last-second thrillers.
COLUMN: Thrill of victory
For years, Wide World of Sports ran a classic commercial that espoused “the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.”
Lady Hawks win home XC meet; Tulloch leads Plains runners
It was, to say the least, a good meet for Sanders County high school cross country runners.
Charlo nips Lady Hawks in volleyball thriller
If you don’t like fast-paced action and loud auditoriums, the gym at Thompson Falls High School would not have been a good place to be Saturday afternoon.
Lady Bobcats shows improvement in loss
It has been said that even a journey of one million miles begins with a single step.
Trotters moved into 3rd place with pair of volleyball wins
This time of year, with playoffs on the not-too-distant horizon, fans are looking for that “team to watch.”
Turnovers doom Superior in battle with Charlo
It is the bane of sporting events. A coach’s nightmare. And often the difference between a W and a L in the record category.
Hawks runners ready for Western B/C meet
A strong showing by eighth-grade runners is adding a boost to postseason hopes as well as the future of Thompson Falls cross country fortunes.
Loyola upends Blue Hawks, 33-14
Despite a lightning quick start, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks football team found itself on the wrong end of a 33-14 game with Missoula Loyola Friday night in the Garden City.
Plains shuts out Victor, 58-0
Once the stretch of winless games was over, it was clear the Plains Horsemen footballers were on their way to better things.
Hot Springs volleyball takes narrow loss to Charlo
It was a battle for the conference lead in Charlo Saturday night as the Lady Vikings hosted surging Hot Springs for the top spot in the Western 14C volleyball standings.
Noxon volleyball gets win at St. Regis
It was an even par week for the Noxon Lady Devils volleyball crew, as they fell to Western 14C conference leader Charlo Friday night at home, then traveled to St. Regis and swept the Lady Tigers Saturday evening.
Heat torch visiting Lima, 64-6
Make that coaching victory number 101.
Shelby grinds out win over co-op Tigers
You’ve no doubt heard of Charles Dickens classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities.”
Lady Hawks remain undefeated in conference action
The Lady Hawks have taken flight, and it comes at the right time of the year.
T-Falls' Palmer places in top 10 at Whitefish Invite
As the state cross country championships get closer every day, the Thompson Falls harriers are working to get everyone healthy as they look for positive results ahead.
St. Regis-Mullan stays undefeated
How about them Tigers? They just keep rolling along, their latest victim in Idaho 8-man football the Lakeside Tigers who fought hard but still lost to the St. Regis-Mullan, Idaho co-opers 54-32 in a game played in Plummer, Idaho.
Arlee spoils Plains homecoming with shutout win
It was not a special Homecoming, thanks to the Arlee Warriors football team, although alumni still had a good time cheering for a team sure to return to prominence in the town of Plains.
Lady Hawks stay perfect in conference volleyball
As if from out of the Blue, Thompson Falls is in the thick of the Western 7B volleyball chase.
Hot Springs thumps six-man rival; Coach Lawson notches 100th win
There was a lot to celebrate Friday night in Hot Springs.
Superior football evens record at 3-3
For those who might foolishly have thought Superior is a non-factor in the Western B 8-player football battles this year, think again.
Trotters stay in the mix with sweep over Troy
As the volleyball season crests the midway point, the Plains Trotters have stealthily put themselves in the thick of the Western 7B conference race after splitting a pair of conference games this past week.
Hot Springs volleyball sweeps St. Regis
Teams that gel into a cohesive unit as the mid-season matches come and go are often very dangerous teams to play.
COLUMN: Know the rules
As I’ve tried to broaden my sports world this past year, I’ve encountered a strange, sometimes troubling, and often head-scratching aspect of this quest.
Plains XC teams continue to impress
While Class A schools Corvallis and Columbia Falls continue to dominate team scores in area cross country meets, the young runners from Plains are making it clear they are a factor in the making.
Esler Foundation makes donation to support veterans
When your world has been turned upside down and back again, closure and healing are two key words.
Hawks football shut out by strong Eureka squad
A big second quarter made the difference for the unbeaten Eureka Lions as they turned back visiting Thompson Falls 40-0 in a Western B 11-player football game Friday night.
Alberton keeps fighting in loss to Twin Bridges
You have to love the Alberton Panthers football team.
Lady Bobcats show fight in losses
It has been a long season for the young Superior volleyball team, which lost a lot of talent to graduation this past Spring.
Lady Panthers fall to Charlo
They battled throughout eight explosive sets of volleyball.
Plains girls place third at Thompson Falls Invite
On what was near ideal conditions, several hundred cross country runners converged on the Rivers’ Bend Golf Course for the annual Thompson Falls Invitational meet last week, with men’s and women’s teams from Columbia Falls taking home both team titles.
Bobcats fall to Arlee in Class B action
Moving up to Class B has proven to be a challenge for the Superior Bobcats football team, who were already challenged by some big losses through graduation last spring.
Hot Springs gets big wins at home
Six sets of volleyball equaled two match sweeps for the Hot Springs Lady Heat this past weekend.
Lady Bobcats volleyball looking for first win
Graduation was not good to the Superior Lady Bobcats volleyball team.
COLUMN: Amazing Alberton Panthers
It felt like I just watched a classic John Wayne movie, where he fights to the bitter end and is remembered as a hero.
Hawks shut out Anaconda for homecoming win
Thompson Falls senior Max Hannum had a weekend fit for a king.
St. Regis-Mullan co-op holds off Clark Fork, 20-12
Winning ain’t always pretty, but it’s spelled the same and it starts with a “W”.
Thousands race at Mountain West Classic
As cross country events go, this is second only perhaps to the Montana state championships.
Lady Hawks stay undefeated in conference action
Part of competing for a championship, coaches will tell you, is you need to win the games you are expected to win.
Plains spikers sweep Darby
Sometimes, even if you are not successful to the full extent or your efforts and hopes, you still have to step back as an athlete and say “wow, what a game.”
Noxon stumbles against West Yellowstone
It was, to say the least, a big game in this year’s Western 6-player conference football action.
St. Regis sweeps Two Eagle River
In the wacky world that is the Western 14C volleyball conference life is, as has been said, like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.
Lady Savage Heat edge Alberton
It was a hard fought week of volleyball for the young and improving Hot Springs volleyball team.
Hawks fall on road at Boulder
Sometimes you run into a team on a roll and a team with a history of football success.
Horsemen thrash Troy for first win in 2 seasons
It was coming and anyone who is a football fan knew it would.