By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN
It has been nearly a decade since the Montana Grizzlies have traveled to Gonzaga to take on their old friends the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Montna Lady Griz have played at the Kennel twice in NCAA tournament games in the last 5 years.
The last time the Griz beat the Zags was December 14, 1996 when JR Camel and Ryan Dick carried the Griz to a double overtime win.
You have to wonder if Travis Deguiure and Ty Gregorek are sharing coaching tips. Just as the case was with Griz basketball for the Griz team has proven quite successful on defense, but in most categories on offense the Griz lag. Martin Bruenig is almong the Big Sky leaders in several categories joined by true freshman Michael Oguine who is among the league leaders in blocked shots.
This week the Lady Griz invade Mountain West country to face Colorado state and Wyoming. Colorado State has players from four U.S, states and five foreign countries. The leader of the Rams is Sweden’s Ellen Navaska who ranks among the leaders leading in scoring and assits-to-turnover ratio among other categories.
This football season Griz fans have marveled at the acrobatic catches of Ben Roberts but how about Ben’s talented sister Olivia Roberts? ‘Liv’ helped the Sentinel Spartans win three state titles. Roberts may have never been coached by Robin selvig, but she was a student of Monte’s (the mascot) for a number of years as a nationally ranked junior gymnast. Oliva Roberts now plays for the University of Whyoming. Wyoming has the top two 3-point shooters in the Mountain West in Jordan Kelly and Marquelle Dent.
Six of the eight teams remaining in the FCS play-offs have played at Washington Grizzly Stadium, most by way of the post-season. In 1993 Jacksonville State of Alabama was the reigning Division II national champs when they came to Missoula for a non-conference game and got shellacked by Dave Dickenson and friends.
It is predicted in many quarters that Alabama running back Derrick Henry will take home the Heisman Trophy which brings up a fun tidbit. Henry was born on July 17. 1994, that same day in Pasadena, Brazil defeated Italy in the World Cup Finals; a great day for foootball and football.
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Chris Walterskirchen has been an observer of Montana sports for nearly half a century. A Kalispell native, Chris has worked in various capacities for professional and college sports organization of at various times: ranging from announcing and statistical work to the concessions and even a stint as a costumed mascot.
Chris has academic degrees in communications and elementary education. His style of sports trivia involves more than just who won and who lost, but also focuses on the obscure or human side of sports. In this blog you will learn things like the Grizzly football team has won 210 games over the 19 seasons since they have had Monte as their mascot or that UNLV is the only school that both the Griz and Lady Griz have both faced in the NCAA basketball tournament
When not following sports Chris enjoys taking care of animals of all kinds (a peacock rescue?) and reading to pre-schoolers.