Griz Central Top Story
Pflugrad wants to give Jimmy Wilson 2nd chhance Play Video
Posted 07/30/2010 10:23 AM by Derek Buerkle
MISSOULA - New head coach Robin Pflugrad continues to bring more and more talented players to the Grizzly football roster. But most people are talking about one athlete making a return trip to Missoula as Jimmy Wilson will suit up for the Griz again this fall.
Wilson recently spent two years in Southern California on trial for first degree murder. But after two separate juries heard the case, he was acquitted and now, Pflugrad feels giving Wilson a second chance is the right thin…
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Griz-Tenn. game provides UM payday Play Video
Posted 07/28/2010 10:48 AM by Phil Buck
MISSOULA - There are less than 40 days until the Griz kick off their season, but college football fever has already started sweeping through Missoula.
This week's news out of the UM athletic department has Griz Nation even more excited about next year's season-opener. Montana signed a deal that will have them open the 2011 season at the University of Tennessee.
The game not only offers an opportunity to play in one of the biggest college football stadiums in the country, but a… Click to Read More
Griz named to All America team
Posted 07/27/2010 6:31 AM by Phil Buck
The Sports Network is released its 2010 Preseason All-America teams Monday and a half-dozen Big Sky Conference players earned first-team honors.
Grizzly senior running back Chase Reynolds and junior cornerback Trumaine Johnson both made the first team while Montana center Alex Verlanic, a senior, made the second-team on offense.
Overall, a dozen Big Sky players were named to either the first-second-or-third teams, second only to the Southern Conference's 15 honorees.
UM, Tenn. anounce details of 2011 season opener Play Video
Posted 07/27/2010 8:12 AM by Phil Buck
MISSOULA - The University of Montana Grizzlies will have to ignore a sea of orange and the infectious strains of "Rocky Top" when they travel to Knoxville in September 2011 to play the University of Tennessee.
Both schools finally announced details of the early season game on Monday after the showdown had been rumored since late last week.
The contest is scheduled for Sept. 3, 2011 at Neyland Stadium and marks the first gridiron matchup between the two schools.
Th…
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Griz hope to play at Tennessee in 2011
Posted 07/24/2010 8:24 AM by Phil Buck
It's been a while since the Griz played a big-name opponent on the football field. Four years, in fact, since Montana opened the 2006 season at Iowa, five years since the Griz played the University of Oregon in Eugene.
But those big-money games are hard to pass up and it looks like Montana could have another one on the horizon sometime in soon.
UM Athletic Director Jim O'Day confirmed today that the Griz are still trying to schedule two opponents for the 2011 schedule and that… Click to Read More
Griz edged by EWU for Presidents Cup
Posted 07/20/2010 8:30 PM by Derek Buerkle
The Big Sky also wrapped up this past school year by handing out the prestigious President's Cup this week. The award combines every school's performance in every sport with how well their athletes performed in the class room. And this year, Eastern Washington brings home the cup for the first time.
The Eagles edged out Montana and Northern Arizona by a single point for first place. The Bobcats tied with defending champion Weber State for 4th. Montana owned the top mark in the con… Click to Read More
Griz top Big Sky preseason football polls
Posted 07/20/2010 7:59 PM by Jon Kasper, Big Sky Conference
OGDEN, UT -- A coaching change hasn't swayed the opinion of the Montana Grizzly football program - at least not in the minds of Big Sky Conference coaches and media.
The preseason polls were released Tuesday, and the Grizzlies are heavily favored to win a 13th straight Big Sky Conference championship. The favorite status, however, came as a bit of surprise to new head coach Robin Pflugrad.
"Well, if you look at it close, yeah it is," said Pflugrad, who served as an a…
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KPAX promotes Buerkle to sports director
Posted 07/20/2010 4:41 PM by Mark Holyoak
MISSOULA, MT - KPAX is pleased to congratulate Derek Buerkle on his promotion as the new sports director at KPAX/KAJ TV. Derek succeeds Phil Buck who is returning to his hometown of Seattle to take a position at KIRO-TV.
"Derek is a very proficient sports reporter and I know he will do a great job as our sports director," said KPAX/KAJ General Manager Bob Hermes. "Derek has a strong work ethic and an eye for finding interesting stories to share with our viewers.
Derek is a… Click to Read More
Local Sports News
Mavericks reflect on championship Play Video
Posted 07/30/2010 10:17 AM by Richie Melby
MISSOULA - The Missoula Mavericks earned the right to continue their magical season earlier this week.
The Mavs led Great Falls 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth and then with two outs and a runner on third, Tucker Cook hit a line drive to center off of Andrew Sopko, but Ben Roberts made the catch, and the Mavericks celebrated their first state title in 12 years.
It was the Missoula Mavs State Tournament to lose, but it wasn't going to happen on a Wednesday night in Medicine Hat.… Click to Read More
Phil Buck goes out with a bang..sort of (VIDEO) Play Video
Posted 07/29/2010 11:32 AM
MISSOULA - The entire Pioneer League had Wednesday off, with the Osprey beginning a five-game homestand Thursday night.
But there was still some action on the Os home field as the Arizona Diamondbacks held an open tryout session.
Sine Wednesday was Phil Buck's lasy day at KPAX, he decided there was no better way to go out then by "humiliating myself out on the baseball diamond".
Griz-Tenn. game provides UM payday Play Video
Posted 07/28/2010 10:48 AM by Phil Buck
MISSOULA - There are less than 40 days until the Griz kick off their season, but college football fever has already started sweeping through Missoula.
This week's news out of the UM athletic department has Griz Nation even more excited about next year's season-opener. Montana signed a deal that will have them open the 2011 season at the University of Tennessee.
The game not only offers an opportunity to play in one of the biggest college football stadiums in the country, but a… Click to Read More
Scarlets upset high powered Mavericks Play Video
Posted 07/28/2010 10:50 AM by Phil Buck
MEDICINE HAT - Ten home runs in three games. That's how many the Missoula Mavericks had sent out of the ballpark at the Legion baseball state tournament before Tuesday night's semifinal against the Billings Scarlets.
The Scarlets, are the two-time defending state champs in this tournament, but the Mavs came in as the favorite to win it this year.
This one turned out to be a great game, in the furst, back-to-back Missoula homers put the Mavs up 2-0. But the Scarlets were not l… Click to Read More
Golfers try to qualify for Men's US Amateur in Missoula
Posted 07/27/2010 12:56 PM by Derek Buerkle
MISSOULA - The Ranch Club in Missoula hosted a U.S. Men's Amateur qualifier on Monday and the top two golfers after 36 holes qualify for next month's national event.
Kalispell's Larry Iverson, fresh off a third-place finish at the Montana State-Am. At the par-5 17th his second shot finds the bunker but he sticks it close to the pin and easily made his birdie.
Iverson finished six-under at the end of 36 holes, good enough for a fourth-place finish, and two shots off of a qualif… Click to Read More
Ospreys struggles continue
Posted 07/27/2010 6:54 AM by Phil Buck
OGDEN, UT - The Missoula Osprey continued their road trip in Ogden Monday night, but it was more of the same.
Nick Akins came up a single short of hitting for the cycle as the Ogden left fielder had a double, a triple and home run with four runs batted in as the Osprey lose their second in-a-row.
Missoula has now lost seven out of their last 10 games, falling to Ogden Monday by a final score of 11-2.
The Osprey managed to get just four hits as the Raptors clinched the … Click to Read More
