Trojan Defense settles in to play as their Homecoming bonfire sets the backdrop for a challenging second half of their final home-town game. The Trojans, left with only 8 players on the field to tackle all remaining offensive and defensive plays, remained committed against the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks who drew from a roster of nearly 30 players on Friday, October 9. Photo by Stacy Bender, The Montanian.
By Stacy Bender
As the lights came down on Trojan Stadium this past Friday evening, a flood of emotions overcame the entire roster of Troy High School’s football athletes and coaches alike. “Between concerns associated with the Covid virus and not knowing whether we will have enough guys to finish the final game of our season,” shared Head Coach, Luke Haggerty, “It seemed to hit us that we very well may have just played our last game of the year.”
“Thank you for making it such a great year,” Senior Trojan, Jace Fisher, expressed to his team when reached for comment on Sunday afternoon. “I just want to tell my teammates thank you. It was one heck of a ride, but they stuck it out and helped to make my last year with the Trojans a memorable one.”
Friday evening’s Homecoming match-up against the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks did not end as the Trojans might have hoped it would. But that did not stop them from displaying the level of determination and resilience in the face of adversity which has become synonymous with the team’s reputation in recent years.
“Overall, it was pretty gutsy performance by the team and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Coach Haggerty, “Thompson Falls brought close to 30 kids and played their vasity team well into the 4th quarter. Our guys battled and never gave up.”
Those within earshot of the Blue Hawks bench during the game could hear Thompson Falls players commending that Trojan Spirit as a string of unfortunate injuries whittled-down their already minimal team. “We had only dressed 11 guys to start with,” said Coach Haggerty. “Following those injuries, we were left with 8 players to play the second half – both offensively and defensively.”
“It was hard, because we had managed to drive the ball well into the red zone at the beginning of the game. But we just never got there, and the injuries took us down from there,” Haggerty shared, going on to explain how the 2020 season had simply been challenging on multiple fronts.
Though several student athletes were interested in the program as the season began, many were unable to meet the academic requirements to be a part of the team. Out of 25 prospective athletes, only 14 made the roster. “There were times this season that we thought we might have to forfeit the game, but we managed to fight through it all.”
“Overall, I think this season shows the importance of dedication and hard work,” Haggerty stated. “When players slack off in the classroom, they are hurting their teammates more than themselves. “
“It’s not easy to work hard all week in practice and then lose every game,” Haggerty continued. “But this group continues to step up. These seniors will graduate with 1 win in 4 years. Yet they still showed up ready to work every day! Hopefully next year we can get more kids to understand that same value our guys have displayed.”
Jace Fisher, now committed to playing Defensive and Left Tackle for Montana State University next Fall, took a moment to reflect on what Coach Haggerty has taught him over the past three years. “He is the best coach I have ever had. He stuck by us no matter what. He has rebuilt a strong foundation for the Trojans to work from but the pandemic just threw us off.”
That foundation was reportedly felt strongly in the locker room as the Trojans digested a tough end to a rough season… but the team then decidedly agreed to look forward towards their next opportunity to play the game they love with the lessons they’ve learned soundly stored at the helm.
Troy Trojan enjoy Homecoming and crown their Royalty
By Stacy Bender
Due to a staff member recently testing positive for the Covid-19 virus at Troy High School, many of the Trojans Homecoming Week events became dampened as the school moved back into a Phase 1 mode of operation to limit further contact and exposure among students. The traditional Homecoming parade which normally sends Royalty candidates and athletes down Main Street to greet the community preceding the scheduled football game was cancelled. However, as per the votes recorded by their peers, the Trojan’s 2020 King and Queen were duly crowned during a quiet presentation held at halftime of the Friday, October 9, game.
Troy Trojan
Homecoming Royalty
King and Queen
Seniors Dylan
Peterson and Chloe McNew
Per the votes recorded by their peers, the Trojan’s 2020 King and Queen, Senior Dylan Peterson and Chole Mcnew were duly crowned during a quiet presentation held at halftime of the Friday, October 9.
Troy Trojan
Homecoming Royalty
2020 Prince and Princess Alyssa
Kelso and Julian Koehn
Nominated and voted into royalty by their peers, THS Junior, Alyssa Kelso, and Sophomore, Julian Koehn step forward as 2020 Homecoming Prince and Princess as soon-to-be-crowned King, Dylan Peterson, cheers them on from afar. Photos Courtesy of Wendy Tunnison
A look into the City of Libby’s water system
By Moira Blazi
Flower Creek Dam in Libby, Mont. Photo by
Moira Blazi, The Montanian.
When folks in greater Libby turn on their tap, they are getting some of the purest, freshest ,and most traceable water anywhere.
High up in the Cabinet Mountains, the snowmelt and spring rain pool in Flower Lake and other small lakes in the flower creek drainage. Moving down the upper crevices of Flower Creek, the life sustaining fluid flows down right into Flower reservoir. If you gaze away from the newly built, 12 million dollar dam, toward the mountain peaks, the reservoir looks just like a natural alpine lake.
Water Treatment Plant Operator, Robert Salter met with The Montanian to help us all understand where our wonderful water comes from.
“The old dam was built in the 50’s by Pacific Power and Light.” Salter explained, “It was a single wall (Arch) dam, which is not as strong as the current gravity based dam, which holds back the water by sheer mass and gravity.”
The new dam was built during the spring/summer of 2016, by Johnson and Wilson, a firm based in Helena, Mont. At the time this was widely seen as a badly needed infrastructure improvement. The project engineers with the Montana association of dams, came and gave a presentation. “They were concerned that the dam might not withstand an earthquake.” Salter told The Montanian. “They basically told us ‘ If this thing failed, it would not be pretty, it would take lives.”
So, the City of Libby commissioned a new dam, costing about 12 million dollars. The reservoir created, holds about 20 acre feet of snow fed , mountain stream water, or about 72 million gallons.
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