CHUCK BANDEL
Valley Press
Recent Stories
Lady Hawks stay on winning trajectory
There are teams who peak at the right time, while others fly or flop out of the gate.
Kvelve's Comments: Out of this world
Maybe it’s a case of I’ve maxed out on sports, or maybe it is a simple matter of curiosity, but the other day I was cruising along in Big Red, my legendary Dodge Ram, and I began wondering what outer space aliens may think of some of these events we Earthlings call sports.
Local throwers go long at Top 8 meet
The “Top 10” and “Top 8” high school track competitions for this part of Montana featured athletes from most of the Class AA and A schools in Western Montana, with some solid showings from local (Sanders-Mineral) tracksters sprinkled among the results.
Noxon-Thompson Falls baseball claim wins over county rival
This year’s unofficial and non-existent local high school baseball wars trophy goes to the Noxon-Thompson Falls co-opers who could lay claim to the title following a pair of wins over Sanders County rival Plains-Hot Springs this past week.
Prep golfers tested on Eureka course
In more ways than one, the Tobacco Valley Invitational golf tournament this past week in Eureka was a sneak peek at post-season play.
Local track teams compete at Seeley Swan
The Plains women’s track team placed fifth at the Seeley Swan High School track and field meet this past Friday at Missoula County Public Schools stadium.
Savage Horsemen go 0-3
The quest for victory number one goes on for the Thompson Falls-Noxon baseball team after a tough week gone by.
Plains-Hot Springs baseball co-op notch first victory
Not to be outdone by the counterparts on the Trotters, the young Plains-Hot Springs baseball co-op (Savage Horsemen) won their first game of the season last week in a big way.
Superior tennis off to strong start
A whirlwind schedule this past week for the Superior Lady Bobcats tennis team saw them emerge with a solid trio of unbeaten players, including their top singles and number one doubles team.
Savage Hawks softball post mixed results
It was a mixed bag for the Thompson Falls-Noxon varsity fastpitch softball team this past week as the team routed Eureka 14-1 Tuesday on the Lady Lions’ home field, their third straight win.
Kvelve's Comments: Track dreams
This track and field stuff amazes and befuddles me in a good, envious kind of way.
Plains sweeps team titles at T-Falls Invitational
Plains continues to roll in track and field as they swept the men’s and women’s team titles at this past week’s Thompson Falls Invitational meet in T Falls.
Trotters outlast Lady Lions for first win
Even in the talent-laden ranks of the Western conference fastpitch softball skirmishes, they had to break through.
MAC takes out Plains softball
Even a quick glance at the Plains-Hot Springs softball roster reveals the youth on the squad, which has just one senior and two juniors.
Plains-Hot Springs hang with Ronan in 15-8 loss
It has been said, possibly ad nauseum, that even a long journey begins with a single step.
Whitefish tops Noxon-Thompson Falls baseball
It was another hard week for the Noxon-Thompson Falls baseball team as they continued to battle for their first win of the year.
Devil-Hawks score win in Bonners Ferry
In what has been a learning curve of a start to the spring high school softball and baseball season, with youth and inexperience being the key factor, one local team has stepped forward to “rep” Sanders and Mineral counties.
Trotters win Libby Invite
Track fans could quite possibly have seen this coming.
St. Regis' Thomas wins Plains Invite in chip-off
This year’s Plains Invitational Golf meet featured a “chip off” to settle the individual boys team title, and a surprise winner in the girls team chase.
Hawks take first game over Plains
For two innings on a blustery Monday afternoon, the Plains-Hot Springs Trotters and the Thompson Falls-Noxon Blue Hawks were locked in a classic pitcher’s duel during their high school fastpitch softball showdown.
Kvelve's Comments: Crack of the bat
I was once accused of not being very good with change.
Superior girls, Hot Springs boys win Dave Tripp
This is shaping up to be a pretty good year for Sanders and Mineral counties' high school track and field teams, as indicated by Superior’s girls and Hot Springs’ boys following the Dave Tripp Track meet this past weekend in Polson.
Red Devils face defending baseball champs
The defending high school state champs showed why they are among the top favorites again this year when they took on the still-new-kids-on-the-block from Noxon-Thompson Falls this past Saturday in Polson.
Trotters looking for first softball win
Navigating the early season waters of the Western B-C Montana high school fastpitch softball conference can be a treacherous endeavor, especially for young teams.
Local teams tee off at season's first golf tourney
In what was the first area golf tournament of the 2025 season, golfers from 11 different western Montana schools hit the links in Hamilton for the Florence-Darby Invitational at the Hamilton Golf Club.
Plains golf team optimistic despite low turnout
Good things can come in small packages. In the case of the 2025 Plains High golf team, that could be a motto this year as just four players turned out for the combined boys’ and girls’ teams.
Superior boys golf team up to the challenge
The 2025 Superior High golf team will be known this year as the Bobcats.
Panthers make debut on Montana tennis courts
Alberton’s emergence as a Montana high school varsity sports player is taking another step forward this year with the inaugural Panthers tennis team.
Lady Hawks softball goes 0-3 on road trip
Going through the Western B-C fastpitch softball 2025 gauntlet is a daunting task at best.
Kvelve's Comments: Real sports at home
The names are familiar for sure. I know I’ve seen these teams on TV for years.
Plains track teams soar at Bigfork Invite
Something is brewing among the mountains and valleys that make up Sanders and Mineral counties.
Blue Hawks return top golfers
A mixture of youth and experience are being counted on to make a competitive blend for this year’s Thompson Falls boys’ and girls’ golf teams.
Savage Horsemen shut out at Eureka
In what is their first year of Montana varsity high school baseball, the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen team is getting a rude introduction to Western B-C conference play.
Tigers golf squad returns strong core
They had a good run in the post-season last year, led by one of the best golfers in school history.
Lady Hawks notch wins at Three Forks
It was cloudy and cold for the Thompson Falls-Noxon fastpitch softball team’s games against Ennis this past Friday at Pirk’s Place stadium in T Falls.
Wildcats blank Plains in baseball season opener
This was not the way the Plains Horsemen wanted their 2025 varsity baseball season to begin.
Track teams off and running at Frenchtown meet
In the early hours of the Frenchtown Invitational track and field meet this past Saturday, clouds and temperatures in the low to mid 30s kept non-competitors in layers of clothing and blankets.
Trotters fastpitch suffers four losses to open season
Sometimes in competitive sports, the road to a win can be long and winding.
Kvelve's Comments: Back to the ballpark
It was one small step for Chuck, one giant leap for Chuck’s heart.
Noxon's Ricky Williams has a day at Fan-Tastic meet
With the challenge of a “light” turnout for this year’s track and field teams (boys and girls) already a reality, Noxon track coach Matt Havens could hope for quality over quantity.
Noxon-Thompson Falls baseball see big turnout
Before the season begins, the Noxon-Thompson Falls boys baseball team knows it has a daunting challenge ahead.
Noxon track team small but mighty
Good things come in small packages, they say.
Kvelve's Comments: Batter up
One of the coolest things in my sports-filled life may seem weird to many, but to the 12-year-old version of me it was off-the-charts cool.
Panthers open track season at Frenchtown Invite
Maybe 13 will turn out to be a lucky number for Alberton High’s track team.
Hawks tracksters set sights on peaking by May
For Thompson Falls head track coach Trenna Ferris, a basic concept is a season-long goal.
Bobcats track deep with potential
So, pardon the pun, one guy vaulted the Superior Bobcats track and field team to an eleventh-place finish in last year’s Montana Class B state championship via a vault.
Trotters softball roster full of promising players
There are some folks who have coaching in their blood, who thrive on the competition and the challenge of molding a team into a winner.
Talented Hot Springs track team built on hard work
Heading into the 2025 class C track and field season, there is reason to be optimistic on the track and fields of Hot Springs.
Lady Hawks softball led by pitching depth
It is a well-known and accepted truth that fastpitch softball teams with solid pitching staffs do well.
Plains track returns state champs
There were two state B-C track and field champions from Sanders and Mineral counties last year, and one state champion in cross country.