Athlete of the Week

DESPITE A LESS THAN DESIRABLE RECORD, OUR KSEN/K96—BOZEMAN TROPHY MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HAS PROVIDE A CONSTANT SPARK FOR HIS TEAM ALL SEASON LONG AND OUR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK CONTINUES TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT NOT EVERYBODY NOTICES BUT THAT LEAD TO TEAM VICTORIES.

OUR MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK IS CUT BANK’S JR. RUNNING BACK AND MIDDLE LINEBACKER HAYDEN HEDGES. HEDGES IS NOT THE BIGGEST OF PLAYERS AT 5-10 AND 185 LBS., BUT HEAD COACH DYLAN JOHNSTON SAYS HE’S CONTINUALLY IMPRESSED WITH “HOW PHYSICAL,” HEDGES IS RUNNING THE BALL AND TACKLING ON DEFENSE. HE’S BEEN A REAL GO-TO GUY ON 3RD DOWN AND OTHER SHORT YARDAGE SITUATIONS BUT HE ALSO HAS GOOD BREAKAWAY SPEED.

IN CUT BANK’S 44-6 WIN OVER WOLF POINT ON MONDAY NIGHT, HAYDEN CARRIED THE BALL 12 TIMES FOR 240 YARDS AND 3 TOUCHDOWNS. HE’S CONTINUALLY AMONG THE LEADING TACKLERS ON DEFENSE ACCORDING TO JOHNSTON AND A TEAM CAPTAIN.

KILLS, BLOCKS AND SERVING ACES MAY BE THE BIG STATS THAT GET A LOT OF NOTICE BUT OUR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK, SR. CHRISTINE FUNK OF CHOTEAU HAS BEEN TAKING CARE OF SOME OF THE MORE INTRICATE DETAILS OF THE GAME FOR 4 YEARS NOW AND ONCE LEADING THE CHOTEAU BULLDOGS TO AN UNDEFEATED CONFERENCE RECORD AND ONLY ONE LOSS ON THE SEASON.

CHOTEAU PICKED UP TWO MORE VICTORIES LAST WEEK AGAINST CUT BANK AND THEN A TALENTED TOWNSEND TEAM IN 3 STRAIGHT GAMES. FUNK HAD 1 BLOCK AND 1 ACE, AND SERVED WELL OVERALL, BUT 23 ASSISTS AND 11 DIGS…… WERE THE BIG STORY. MANY OF THOSE DIGS SIMPLY WOULD HAVE HIT THE FLOOR AND GIVEN THE OPPONENT THE POINT HAD SHE NOT KEPT THEM ALIVE.

IN REGARDS TO THE SETTING, IT’S THOSE LITTLE THINGS LIKE SEEING WHERE THE OPPONENTS SMALLER PLAYER IS ON THE FRONT LINE AND SETTING THE BALL TO THAT CHOTEAU ATTACKER TO GO AFTER THEM.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR KSEN/K96—BOZEMAN TROPHY ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK, JR. HAYDEN HEDGES OF CUT BANK AND SR. CHRISTINE FUNK OF CHOTEAU. THE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK IS SPONSORED LOCALLY BY McDONALD’S IN CUT BANK. McDONALDS HONORS OUR ATHLETE’S WITH TWO FREE VALUE MEALS EACH.