Montana

2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling

Published

1 month ago

February 20, 2026

2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling

The MHSA Montana State Wrestling Championships are underway! Follow the results right here. We’ll be updating this article throughout the event. For access to complete brackets and links to archived matches, click the link below.

MHSA Montana State Wrestling Championship Brackets

Round of 16 Results

G – 100

Katelyn Sphuler (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 36-7 won by fall over Emma Jurkovac (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 17-12 (Fall 1:41)

Prespehone Cox (Frenchtown (Girls)) 24-11 won by fall over Corrissa Baker (East Helena (Girls)) 28-12 (Fall 3:45)

Kricket Bridges (Lincoln County (Eureka) (Girls)) 19-4 won by fall over Josie Hillman (Corvallis (Girls)) 3-2 (Fall 0:34)

Cali Gorder (Wolf Point (Girls)) 34-3 won by fall over Mykell Hoyt (Browning (Girls)) 12-12 (Fall 0:11)

Peyton Liva (Butte (Girls)) 33-11 won by fall over Natalie Starks (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 7-11 (Fall 1:19)

Reese Violett (Colstrip (Girls)) 36-15 won by fall over Kinsley Nelson (Conrad (Girls)) 25-12 (Fall 2:31)

Victoria Tenney (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 28-6 won by fall over Keira Oftedahl (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 35-13 (Fall 3:29)

Ashlyn McCann (Billings Central/Joliet (Girls)) 31-0 won by fall over Fallon Freeman (Anaconda (Girls)) 16-14 (Fall 0:31)

G – 105

River Cote (Ronan (Girls)) 36-1 won by fall over Jentree Merkel (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 12-10 (Fall 0:08)

Quinn Lindsley (Belgrade (Girls)) 30-14 won by fall over Marie Cheff (Ronan (Girls)) 25-17 (Fall 1:42)

Rachael Rogers (Anaconda (Girls)) 25-10 won by major decision over Riley Pedersen (Glasgow (Girls)) 24-16 (MD 11-2)

Emma Hernandez (Billings Central/Joliet (Girls)) 33-3 won by fall over Gwynavere Hennell (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 11-9 (Fall 1:14)

Gwynevere Brown (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 38-9 won by fall over Riley Pattison (Glasgow (Girls)) 19-13 (Fall 0:56)

Serina Catt (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 27-5 won by fall over Vera Strub (Baker (Girls)) 19-16 (Fall 1:10)

Danyka Doll (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 21-11 won by fall over Lauren Gunderson (Conrad (Girls)) 24-15 (Fall 2:41)

Wai Fandrich (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 31-3 won by fall over Paisley Paxson (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 13-12 (Fall 1:16)

G – 110

Hayley Petersen (Simms (Girls)) 32-1 won by fall over Maysa LaFromboise (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 18-18 (Fall 1:51)

Idania Ocampo (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 25-8 won by fall over Malia Gergen (Frenchtown (Girls)) 30-9 (Fall 5:11)

Randi Hardman (Big Sandy (Girls)) 26-18 won by fall over Tymber Barnes (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 40-9 (Fall 3:51)

Kyra Anderson (Chester-Joplin-Inverness (Girls)) 31-6 won by fall over Brooklyn Nunn-Wilson (Missoula Sentinel (Girls)) 19-11 (Fall 1:29)

Cassidy Collins (Whitehall/Harrison (Girls)) 27-8 won by fall over Brooke Jamieson (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 20-11 (Fall 5:14)

Armani Stevenson (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 35-9 won by fall over Andrea Kennedy (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 22-11 (Fall 5:37)

Kaelynn Vanderpool (Corvallis (Girls)) 3-1 won by fall over Laityn Allen (Poplar (Girls)) 27-13 (Fall 1:05)

Payten Van Pelt (Billings West (Girls)) 29-2 won by fall over Sophia Catt (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 24-18 (Fall 1:28)

G – 115

Dani Larson (Manhattan (Girls)) 44-3 won by fall over Shaelynn Sinerius (Helena Capital (Girls)) 18-11 (Fall 0:51)

Alara Cooper (Poplar (Girls)) 39-7 won by tech fall over Bella Amen (Frenchtown (Girls)) 26-9 (TF-1.5 3:04 (19-0))

Beretta Winkowitsch (Cut Bank (Girls)) 31-10 won by major decision over Sylvia Sears (Forsyth (Girls)) 36-18 (MD 10-1)

Piper Gershmel (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 34-3 won by tech fall over Hailey Milyard (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 14-13 (TF-1.5 2:34 (20-2))

Cadence Crookston (Simms (Girls)) 31-7 won by fall over Nancy Harwood (Browning (Girls)) 25-20 (Fall 1:42)

Sailee Redding (Hardin (Girls)) 31-5 won by fall over Payton Welch (Shepherd (Girls)) 10-7 (Fall 1:14)

Sydney Drake (Helena Capital (Girls)) 37-10 won by fall over Allie Park (Cascade (Girls)) 22-13 (Fall 0:55)

Hannah Leonard (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 29-3 won by fall over Isabella Mikesell (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 34-16 (Fall 0:38)

G – 120

Bella Downing (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 27-2 won by fall over Mercedez Barber (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 35-16 (Fall 2:48)

Jordynn Vinson (Columbus (Girls)) 30-4 won by fall over Halle Downey (Whitehall/Harrison (Girls)) 27-7 (Fall 3:06)

Kallie Labrie (Malta (Girls)) 31-10 won by decision over Mariska Harris (Helena Capital (Girls)) 31-6 (Dec 10-7)

Ava Dewitt (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 38-8 won by decision over Violet Linn-Turnquist (Belgrade (Girls)) 37-14 (Dec 10-3)

Taylor Lay (Helena Capital (Girls)) 37-3 won by tech fall over Bailey Billmayer (Chinook (Girls)) 30-13 (TF-1.5 3:41 (20-5))

Aly Dinardi (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 18-6 won by fall over Prairie Sellars (Browning (Girls)) 33-12 (Fall 0:58)

McKenna Caplette (Havre (Girls)) 28-6 won by fall over Bryleigh Larson (Manhattan (Girls)) 37-12 (Fall 1:58)

Araeya Nelson (Billings West (Girls)) 29-7 won by fall over Liberty Boadle (Poplar (Girls)) 38-12 (Fall 1:53)

G – 125

Rebel Montanez (Frenchtown (Girls)) 30-4 won by fall over Shyloh Huffine (Polson (Girls)) 22-15 (Fall 0:16)

Grace Hicks (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 26-4 won by tech fall over Ainsley Peretto (Ronan (Girls)) 31-11 (TF-1.5 2:00 (15-0))

Ava Krings (Conrad (Girls)) 15-6 won by fall over Savanna Norwick (Laurel (Girls)) 30-11 (Fall 3:57)

Etta Wicks (Fort Benton (Girls)) 40-5 won by fall over Kitty Fosdal (Bozeman (Girls)) 25-13 (Fall 3:33)

Maia Campbell (Fort Benton (Girls)) 31-15 won by fall over Kamryn Rottmar (Powell Co. (Deer Lodge) (Girls)) 8-2 (Fall 2:57)

Jessica Blow (Butte (Girls)) 32-18 won by forfeit over Kylie Schwartz (Baker (Girls)) 35-5 (For.)

Adalie Hazlett (Butte (Girls)) 42-10 won by fall over Natalie Stewart (Manhattan (Girls)) 26-14 (Fall 5:15)

Madalyn Deiter (Great Falls Cmr (Girls)) 36-0 won by fall over Raigan Foster (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 17-10 (Fall 1:40)

G – 130

Julia Kay (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 32-1 won by fall over Faith Tolliver (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 21-19 (Fall 0:45)

Kylie Shine (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 21-6 won by fall over Sage Wierzbicki (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 27-11 (Fall 5:15)

Jaidyn Holdaway (Anaconda (Girls)) 23-8 won by tech fall over Isabella Cowan (Havre (Girls)) 29-8 (TF-1.5 5:02 (17-0))

Harley Labuda (Big Sandy (Girls)) 34-5 won by fall over Addison Bohrman (Belgrade (Girls)) 31-17 (Fall 1:18)

Taylor Dorvall (Whitefish (Girls)) 20-2 won by fall over Sierra McGreevey (Ronan (Girls)) 34-15 (Fall 1:52)

Camryn Fiscus (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 42-8 won by fall over Hannah Iverson (Custer/Hysham (Girls)) 24-15 (Fall 3:10)

Anola Naugle (Arlee (Girls)) 24-5 won by fall over Leila McKay (Helena Capital (Girls)) 36-15 (Fall 1:24)

Charlee Lund (Belgrade (Girls)) 38-5 won by tech fall over Rayne Emmett (Columbus (Girls)) 13-7 (TF-1.5 4:33 (22-2))

G – 135

Stella Wahl (Cut Bank (Girls)) 40-0 won by fall over Melodie Starman (Fort Benton (Girls)) 23-13 (Fall 1:04)

Emma Klingaman (Harlem (Girls)) 29-3 won by fall over Skadi `Jun Smith (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 29-12 (Fall 3:13)

Kaiah Dumont (Polson (Girls)) 29-6 won by fall over Arya Hernandz (Lockwood (Girls)) 23-14 (Fall 1:09)

Kinley Liles (Dawson Co. (Glendive) (Girls)) 26-6 won by fall over Annaci Westenskow (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 15-15 (Fall 0:27)

Kiera Lackey (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 29-4 won by major decision over Carly Mears (Malta (Girls)) 31-14 (MD 18-5)

Elizabeth Sherman (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 41-2 won by fall over Cara Wright (Forsyth (Girls)) 23-19 (Fall 0:51)

Elisa Bernabe (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 25-8 won by fall over Maycee Ort (Fort Benton (Girls)) 34-13 (Fall 3:45)

Cadence Weis (Laurel (Girls)) 34-2 won by fall over Kaylee Orcutt (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 22-10 (Fall 3:04)

G – 140

Madisyn Duffner (Choteau (Girls)) 25-11 won by fall over Kobe Stevens (Ronan (Girls)) 21-21 (Fall 1:45)

Madison Lamb (Glasgow (Girls)) 34-15 won by fall over Loretta Matteson (Butte (Girls)) 27-15 (Fall 2:58)

Lexi Harms (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 22-11 won by fall over Kellyn Nelson (Polson (Girls)) 24-5 (Fall 3:26)

Bonita Kinzer (Powder River Co. (Broadus) (Girls)) 29-7 won by fall over Alayah Stevens (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 22-16 (Fall 3:10)

Ariana Banner (Simms (Girls)) 22-7 won by fall over Braelyn Couch (Hardin (Girls)) 7-15 (Fall 1:31)

Faith Oakland (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 34-9 won by tech fall over Bridget Lovaas (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 28-11 (TF-1.5 2:48 (18-2))

Addison Clixby (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 24-6 won by fall over Taryn Reid (Fort Benton (Girls)) 32-17 (Fall 0:45)

Meadow Mahlmeister (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 32-0 won by fall over Noelle Nelson (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 14-10 (Fall 2:34)

G – 145

Kate Van Coutren (Manhattan (Girls)) 43-5 won by fall over Lily Parris (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 15-11 (Fall 5:59)

Venessa Wheeler (Polson (Girls)) 25-4 won by decision over Isabella Medrud (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 27-10 (Dec 7-6)

Lindsay Yoder (Simms (Girls)) 25-5 won by decision over Aubree Holinde (Glasgow (Girls)) 23-20 (Dec 16-15)

Tita Fandrich (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 33-3 won by fall over Kortni Speed (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 6-7 (Fall 2:00)

Kadence Montgomery (Shelby (Girls)) 32-16 won by fall over McKenna Jones (Conrad (Girls)) 33-7 (Fall 5:35)

Ryann Gorder (Baker (Girls)) 31-6 won by fall over Briar Charlton (Manhattan (Girls)) 34-12 (Fall 1:04)

Bailey Blake (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 33-8 won by major decision over Paloma Padilla (Havre (Girls)) 20-13 (MD 8-0)

Graylee Fox (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 21-2 won by fall over Alyssa Marquez (Columbus (Girls)) 23-16 (Fall 1:04)

G – 155

Lucy Armstrong (Conrad (Girls)) 31-0 won by fall over Piper Adams (Polson (Girls)) 17-19 (Fall 1:22)

Olivia Post (Columbus (Girls)) 20-6 won by fall over Meadow Ragen (St. Ignatius/Charlo (Girls)) 35-11 (Fall 5:27)

Leona Dodson Howe (Ronan (Girls)) 32-3 won by major decision over Luisa Rivera-Rosas (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 22-8 (MD 8-0)

Soraya Shirley (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 34-4 won by decision over Meghan Connelley (Libby (Girls)) 21-11 (Dec 5-4)

Mattie Stepan (Butte (Girls)) 37-4 won by fall over Kailynn Kramer (Great Falls Cmr (Girls)) 15-14 (Fall 1:18)

Brooke Werth (Shepherd (Girls)) 20-3 won by fall over Kara Jones (Conrad (Girls)) 26-11 (Fall 1:52)

Marley Olsen (Hamilton (Girls)) 33-5 won by major decision over Hadassah Read (Ronan (Girls)) 23-11 (MD 15-5)

Macy Tate (Baker (Girls)) 17-6 won by fall over Aspen Smart (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 11-9 (Fall 0:49)

G – 170

Ashtyn Dziekonski (Helena Capital (Girls)) 28-4 won by fall over Cora Johnston (Fort Benton (Girls)) 10-11 (Fall 1:38)

Faith Kistenmacher (Roundup (Girls)) 25-6 won by fall over Keara Wieczorek (Lincoln County (Eureka) (Girls)) 24-15 (Fall 1:13)

Natalia Samson (Choteau (Girls)) 24-7 won by major decision over Jazmyn Werk (Havre (Girls)) 28-12 (MD 13-3)

Hannah Gohde (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 35-5 won by fall over Olive Hilliard (Laurel (Girls)) 26-17 (Fall 2:56)

Hayden Edwards (Browning (Girls)) 27-2 won by fall over Lilly Allard (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 23-19 (Fall 1:52)

Lynley Conrad (Chinook (Girls)) 24-4 won by fall over Yamileh Ruiz (Belgrade (Girls)) 12-20 (Fall 0:12)

Olivia Carnell (St. Ignatius/Charlo (Girls)) 23-6 won by fall over Carmelia Horn (Hardin (Girls)) 19-7 (Fall 4:25)

Jayda Harbaugh (Baker (Girls)) 32-0 won by fall over Kehtsin Stiffarm (Harlem (Girls)) 23-17 (Fall 1:47)

G – 190

Madison Neely (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 11-14 won by fall over Keyenna DeRoche (Browning (Girls)) 26-10 (Fall 1:54)

Lauren Krebs (Hardin (Girls)) 25-6 won by fall over Amelia Clarke (Shelby (Girls)) 11-17 (Fall 0:22)

Daijalin Sunchild (Big Sandy (Girls)) 18-13 won by decision over Orla Sullivan (Whitefish (Girls)) 6-5 (Dec 7-6)

Brooklen Larsen (Billings West (Girls)) 13-8 won by fall over Josephine Manning (Fort Benton (Girls)) 31-5 (Fall 3:41)

Finlay Taylor (Ronan (Girls)) 18-13 won by fall over Rachel Vaughn (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 5-8 (Fall 0:40)

IsaBela Rangel (Belgrade (Girls)) 29-4 won by fall over Avery Violett (Colstrip (Girls)) 7-18 (Fall 0:44)

Malia Glassing (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 23-10 won by fall over Cadie Burgman (Anaconda (Girls)) 15-14 (Fall 1:04)

Madilyn Juelke (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 19-0 won by fall over Octavia Weis (Laurel (Girls)) 27-15 (Fall 1:44)

G – 235

Rylee Murgel (Helena (Girls)) 22-6 won by fall over Marquell Houle (Big Sandy (Girls)) 14-23 (Fall 1:04)

Hannah Holinde (Glasgow (Girls)) 23-12 won by fall over Hailey Littlefield (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 16-13 (Fall 0:59)

Judasha Ellsworth (Ronan (Girls)) 21-9 won by fall over Allie Ballensky (Butte (Girls)) 14-13 (Fall 4:48)

Scarlett Hoiness (Laurel (Girls)) 29-5 won by fall over Mariah Colunga (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 5-19 (Fall 1:03)

Elizabeth Henkins (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 16-2 won by fall over Abbiella Cochran (Saint Patrick`s Academy (Girls)) 6-12 (Fall 2:55)

Aniya Odei (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 16-4 won by fall over Chyanne Robinson (Butte (Girls)) 17-17 (Fall 1:06)

Grayson DeJong (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 5-2 won by fall over Gabriella Rico (Broadwater (Townsend) (Girls)) 15-5 (Fall 5:12)

Kelbey Brewer (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 15-1 won by fall over Anglia Tubbs (East Helena (Girls)) 10-24 (Fall 0:34)

Round of 32 Results

G – 100

Emma Jurkovac (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 17-12 won by fall over Aubreigh Whiteman (Plentywood (Girls)) 3-17 (Fall 0:31)

Prespehone Cox (Frenchtown (Girls)) 24-11 won by fall over Harlee Lefever (Great Falls Cmr (Girls)) 27-14 (Fall 1:07)

Josie Hillman (Corvallis (Girls)) 3-2 won by fall over Kimber Klein (Chinook (Girls)) 19-14 (Fall 0:55)

Mykell Hoyt (Browning (Girls)) 12-12 won by fall over Hadleigh Knoll (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 8-10 (Fall 1:11)

Natalie Starks (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 7-11 won by fall over Avery Corbin (Missoula Sentinel (Girls)) 17-13 (Fall 2:19)

Kinsley Nelson (Conrad (Girls)) 25-12 won by fall over RonElle LaForge (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 12-10 (Fall 1:43)

Victoria Tenney (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 28-6 won by fall over Harper Hardy (Ronan (Girls)) 2-3 (Fall 2:00)

Fallon Freeman (Anaconda (Girls)) 16-14 won by decision over Alexus Thompson (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 10-10 (Dec 6-2)

G – 105

Jentree Merkel (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 12-10 won by fall over Rylee Campbell (Missoula Hellgate (Girls)) 3-1 (Fall 1:39)

Marie Cheff (Ronan (Girls)) 25-17 won by decision over Stella Lundgren (Lockwood (Girls)) 14-13 (Dec 7-2)

Riley Pedersen (Glasgow (Girls)) 24-16 won by fall over Ember Carmichael (Corvallis (Girls)) 2-3 (Fall 1:18)

Gwynavere Hennell (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 11-9 won by fall over Kiaree White hawk (Poplar (Girls)) 13-14 (Fall 0:43)

Riley Pattison (Glasgow (Girls)) 19-13 won by fall over Mara Bartow (Missoula Sentinel (Girls)) 8-18 (Fall 1:33)

Vera Strub (Baker (Girls)) 19-16 won by fall over Emersyn Cleppe (Frenchtown (Girls)) 20-14 (Fall 5:15)

Danyka Doll (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 21-11 won by fall over Grace Richter (Anaconda (Girls)) 10-8 (Fall 2:28)

Paisley Paxson (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 13-12 won by fall over Tatum Hay Ogden (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 14-14 (Fall 2:39)

G – 110

Maysa LaFromboise (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 18-18 won by fall over Laney Frieboes (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 14-14 (Fall 0:48)

Malia Gergen (Frenchtown (Girls)) 30-9 won by fall over Evyn Potter (East Helena (Girls)) 17-33 (Fall 1:24)

Randi Hardman (Big Sandy (Girls)) 26-18 won by fall over Lilyi Malone (Butte (Girls)) 16-21 (Fall 1:08)

Brooklyn Nunn-Wilson (Missoula Sentinel (Girls)) 19-11 won by fall over Gracie Nordquist (Hardin (Girls)) 16-19 (Fall 0:28)

Brooke Jamieson (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 20-11 won by major decision over Brianna Wible (Great Falls Cmr (Girls)) 20-20 (MD 16-3)

Andrea Kennedy (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 22-11 won by fall over Peytn Morel (Choteau (Girls)) 30-16 (Fall 1:03)

Laityn Allen (Poplar (Girls)) 27-13 won by decision over Maddia Johnston (Anaconda (Girls)) 22-14 (Dec 8-3)

Sophia Catt (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 24-18 won by decision over Danica Hennell (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 19-13 (Dec 8-5)

G – 115

Shaelynn Sinerius (Helena Capital (Girls)) 18-11 won by fall over Bristol Ackerman (Dawson Co. (Glendive) (Girls)) 24-16 (Fall 1:03)

Bella Amen (Frenchtown (Girls)) 26-9 won by fall over Avery Faler (Belgrade (Girls)) 22-15 (Fall 3:45)

Sylvia Sears (Forsyth (Girls)) 36-18 won by fall over Tenley Benson (Corvallis (Girls)) 3-2 (Fall 1:24)

Hailey Milyard (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 14-13 won by decision over Breiah Davis (Havre (Girls)) 23-17 (Dec 5-3)

Nancy Harwood (Browning (Girls)) 25-20 won by forfeit over Ava Shook (Cut Bank (Girls)) 26-21 (For.)

Payton Welch (Shepherd (Girls)) 10-7 won by major decision over Shannon Woll (Bigfork (Girls)) 18-9 (MD 12-4)

Allie Park (Cascade (Girls)) 22-13 won in sudden victory – 1 over Braydee Lehman (Fort Benton (Girls)) 23-15 (SV-1 20-17)

Isabella Mikesell (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 34-16 won by fall over Lillian Rothwell (Columbus (Girls)) 20-13 (Fall 1:42)

G – 120

Mercedez Barber (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 35-16 won by fall over Jewell Reum (Ronan (Girls)) 28-18 (Fall 0:41)

Halle Downey (Whitehall/Harrison (Girls)) 27-7 won by fall over Gabby Vaca (Hamilton (Girls)) 23-15 (Fall 1:35)

Kallie Labrie (Malta (Girls)) 31-10 won by fall over Reese Jensen (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 19-21 (Fall 3:41)

Violet Linn-Turnquist (Belgrade (Girls)) 37-14 won by fall over Gizelle Beck (Powell Co. (Deer Lodge) (Girls)) 5-5 (Fall 3:00)

Bailey Billmayer (Chinook (Girls)) 30-13 won by decision over Olivia Johnson (Simms (Girls)) 17-17 (Dec 15-8)

Prairie Sellars (Browning (Girls)) 33-12 won by fall over Dakota Norris (East Helena (Girls)) 19-24 (Fall 3:31)

McKenna Caplette (Havre (Girls)) 28-6 won by fall over Ellie Munson (Shelby (Girls)) 15-15 (Fall 1:10)

Liberty Boadle (Poplar (Girls)) 38-12 won by major decision over Kaycee Orvis (Whitefish (Girls)) 9-13 (MD 13-0)

G – 125

Shyloh Huffine (Polson (Girls)) 22-15 won by decision over Stella Colley (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 12-11 (Dec 7-1)

Ainsley Peretto (Ronan (Girls)) 31-11 won by fall over Trinity Stoner (Helena Capital (Girls)) 6-4 (Fall 3:28)

Savanna Norwick (Laurel (Girls)) 30-11 won by fall over Kiara Brown (Plains / Hot Springs (Girls)) 20-16 (Fall 1:18)

Kitty Fosdal (Bozeman (Girls)) 25-13 won by major decision over Isabelle Salois (Cut Bank (Girls)) 24-18 (MD 13-1)

Maia Campbell (Fort Benton (Girls)) 31-15 won by fall over Amira Gonzales (Butte Central (Girls)) 18-16 (Fall 0:58)

Jessica Blow (Butte (Girls)) 32-18 won by fall over Amelia Steinmann (Belgrade (Girls)) 22-14 (Fall 1:01)

Natalie Stewart (Manhattan (Girls)) 26-14 won by decision over Marley Idland (Sidney / Fairview (Girls)) 19-7 (Dec 6-2)

Raigan Foster (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 17-10 won by decision over Cheyenne Blake (Polson (Girls)) 18-13 (Dec 4-1)

G – 130

Faith Tolliver (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 21-19 won by fall over Raigan Bauman (Corvallis (Girls)) 3-3 (Fall 0:46)

Kylie Shine (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 21-6 won by fall over Alyssa Thoft (Polson (Girls)) 15-21 (Fall 1:25)

Isabella Cowan (Havre (Girls)) 29-8 won by fall over Kacey Springer (Stevensville (Girls)) 24-16 (Fall 5:19)

Addison Bohrman (Belgrade (Girls)) 31-17 won by fall over Ireland Corbin (Plains / Hot Springs (Girls)) 21-12 (Fall 1:37)

Sierra McGreevey (Ronan (Girls)) 34-15 won by tech fall over Allie Treese (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 23-21 (TF-1.5 5:35 (17-2))

Hannah Iverson (Custer/Hysham (Girls)) 24-15 won by fall over Adalyn Cummings (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 28-13 (Fall 3:12)

Leila McKay (Helena Capital (Girls)) 36-15 won by decision over Jocelyn Arthur (Lockwood (Girls)) 36-11 (Dec 4-1)

Rayne Emmett (Columbus (Girls)) 13-7 won by fall over Khloe Price (Cut Bank (Girls)) 17-31 (Fall 4:29)

G – 135

Melodie Starman (Fort Benton (Girls)) 23-13 won by fall over Taylor Curry (Cut Bank (Girls)) 21-17 (Fall 1:09)

Skadi `Jun Smith (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 29-12 won by fall over Alice Albrecht (Bozeman (Girls)) 13-11 (Fall 3:36)

Arya Hernandz (Lockwood (Girls)) 23-14 won by fall over Bayleah Richardson (Bozeman (Girls)) 26-16 (Fall 4:42)

Annaci Westenskow (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 15-15 won by fall over Maci Mehrens (Helena (Girls)) 14-17 (Fall 1:48)

Carly Mears (Malta (Girls)) 31-14 won by fall over Cambri Guenzler (Choteau (Girls)) 12-20 (Fall 2:28)

Cara Wright (Forsyth (Girls)) 23-19 won by fall over Laila Neiss (Ronan (Girls)) 24-14 (Fall 3:20)

Maycee Ort (Fort Benton (Girls)) 34-13 won by fall over Beau Reynolds (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 19-17 (Fall 4:56)

Kaylee Orcutt (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 22-10 won by tech fall over Skyla Nielsen (Polson (Girls)) 10-8 (TF-1.5 3:05 (16-0))

G – 140

Kobe Stevens (Ronan (Girls)) 21-21 won by fall over Sandi Pease (Hardin (Girls)) 24-21 (Fall 3:47)

Loretta Matteson (Butte (Girls)) 27-15 won by fall over Brinly Reid (Fort Benton (Girls)) 17-26 (Fall 1:32)

Lexi Harms (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 22-11 won by fall over Alisha Cook (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 18-8 (Fall 2:58)

Alayah Stevens (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 22-16 won by fall over Genavieve Nissen (Big Sandy (Girls)) 6-26 (Fall 1:03)

Braelyn Couch (Hardin (Girls)) 7-15 won by fall over Emerence Beck (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 12-19 (Fall 1:18)

Bridget Lovaas (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 28-11 won by decision over Olivia Allestad (Havre (Girls)) 12-19 (Dec 14-10)

Taryn Reid (Fort Benton (Girls)) 32-17 won by fall over Cadence McClaran (Hamilton (Girls)) 2-2 (Fall 2:25)

Noelle Nelson (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 14-10 won by fall over Vivian Vaccaro (Manhattan (Girls)) 6-19 (Fall 5:08)

G – 145

Lily Parris (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 15-11 won by fall over Neeley Repscher (Gallatin (Bozeman) (Girls)) 11-6 (Fall 0:40)

Venessa Wheeler (Polson (Girls)) 25-4 won by fall over Adysen Morris (Fergus (Lewistown)/Hobson (Girls)) 18-16 (Fall 1:19)

Aubree Holinde (Glasgow (Girls)) 23-20 won by fall over Sage Queer (Butte (Girls)) 23-16 (Fall 1:34)

Kortni Speed (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 6-7 won by fall over Liberty Wicks (North Star (Girls)) 9-27 (Fall 1:57)

Kadence Montgomery (Shelby (Girls)) 32-16 won by fall over Mesa Ewing (Red Lodge/Belfry (Girls)) 20-16 (Fall 1:24)

Briar Charlton (Manhattan (Girls)) 34-12 won by decision over Haley Wilson (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 21-13 (Dec 11-7)

Paloma Padilla (Havre (Girls)) 20-13 won by fall over Ella Timlick (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 21-19 (Fall 0:29)

Alyssa Marquez (Columbus (Girls)) 23-16 won by fall over Kelly Hart (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 19-11 (Fall 5:27)

G – 155

Piper Adams (Polson (Girls)) 17-19 won by fall over Ruby Herman (Choteau (Girls)) 16-10 (Fall 3:55)

Meadow Ragen (St. Ignatius/Charlo (Girls)) 35-11 won by fall over Emika Beardsley (Custer Co. (Miles City) (Girls)) 12-11 (Fall 2:53)

Luisa Rivera-Rosas (Billings Senior High School (Girls)) 22-8 won by fall over Kassidy Lingle (Glacier (Kalispell) (Girls)) 17-12 (Fall 3:05)

Meghan Connelley (Libby (Girls)) 21-11 won by tech fall over Grace Scott (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 17-17 (TF-1.5 3:04 (20-2))

Kailynn Kramer (Great Falls Cmr (Girls)) 15-14 won by fall over Aurora Rice (Bigfork (Girls)) 7-7 (Fall 2:23)

Kara Jones (Conrad (Girls)) 26-11 won by fall over Lillie Takes The Horse (Hardin (Girls)) 14-16 (Fall 1:40)

Hadassah Read (Ronan (Girls)) 23-11 won by decision over Marie Bold (Havre (Girls)) 22-9 (Dec 10-7)

Aspen Smart (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 11-9 won by fall over Layla Svigen (Great Falls / Msdb (Girls)) 20-19 (Fall 5:10)

G – 170

Cora Johnston (Fort Benton (Girls)) 10-11 won by fall over Kylee Bourdon (Ronan (Girls)) 16-19 (Fall 0:40)

Keara Wieczorek (Lincoln County (Eureka) (Girls)) 24-15 won by fall over Adilynn Pilon (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) (Girls)) 20-14 (Fall 2:43)

Jazmyn Werk (Havre (Girls)) 28-12 won by forfeit over Harley Fetters (Cut Bank (Girls)) 23-15 (For.)

Olive Hilliard (Laurel (Girls)) 26-17 won by fall over Aubree Guardipee (Browning (Girls)) 17-12 (Fall 1:19)

Lilly Allard (Billings Skyview (Girls)) 23-19 won by fall over Rylee Radcliffe (Butte (Girls)) 18-14 (Fall 3:05)

Yamileh Ruiz (Belgrade (Girls)) 12-20 won by fall over Tarakona Bell (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 15-8 (Fall 2:56)

Carmelia Horn (Hardin (Girls)) 19-7 won by fall over Dasey McNary (Fairfield/Power (Girls)) 9-16 (Fall 2:48)

Kehtsin Stiffarm (Harlem (Girls)) 23-17 won by fall over Madison Clement (Helena Capital (Girls)) 20-12 (Fall 5:27)

G – 190

Madison Neely (Jefferson (Boulder) (Girls)) 11-14 won by fall over Aspen Martinez (Billings West (Girls)) 4-17 (Fall 3:40)

Daijalin Sunchild (Big Sandy (Girls)) 18-13 won by fall over Adri Cox (Flathead (Kalispell) (Girls)) 6-10 (Fall 0:57)

Brooklen Larsen (Billings West (Girls)) 13-8 won by fall over Tilli Werk (Havre (Girls)) 10-9 (Fall 1:57)

Rachel Vaughn (Missoula Big Sky / Loyola Sacred Heart (Girls)) 5-8 won by major decision over Starlene Potts (Laurel (Girls)) 12-25 (MD 11-3)

Avery Violett (Colstrip (Girls)) 7-18 won by decision over Kaci Costel (Browning (Girls)) 8-17 (Dec 6-1)

Octavia Weis (Laurel (Girls)) 27-15 won by fall over Jacquia McLeod (Corvallis (Girls)) 0-3 (Fall 1:05)

G – 235

Marquell Houle (Big Sandy (Girls)) 14-23 won by forfeit over Jess Elings (Cut Bank (Girls)) 20-5 (For.)

Abbiella Cochran (Saint Patrick`s Academy (Girls)) 6-12 won by fall over Kendyl Sutherland (Corvallis (Girls)) 1-2 (Fall 1:18)

Anglia Tubbs (East Helena (Girls)) 10-24 won by fall over Jasmine Grant (Browning (Girls)) 7-20 (Fall 2:55)

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Montana

The Best Small Town In Montana For Seniors

Published

9 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

The Best Small Town In Montana For Seniors

With a growing number of seniors moving to Montana, Butte is an affordable town oriented around community and ideal for retirees. Montana is among the most culturally and artistically rich states in the nation, with 687 arts and recreation venues per 100,000 older adults. Combined with the tax-friendly economy, Butte remains a place with top dining options, such as Uptown Café, and reputable healthcare at St. James Hospital, which has earned recognition through awards. For these reasons and more, including a low cost of living, seniors are sure to find the perfect place to call home in the small Montana town of Butte.

Making Money Stretch in Butte

Aerial panorama of Butte, Montana, along Park Street.

By many metrics, life in Montana is one of the more affordable states, and Butte can be especially helpful for spreading out retirement savings. Using the Economic Research Institute’s cost of living data, Butte is 8% lower than the national average and 3% lower than the average in Montana.

Quaint winter residential neighborhood in Butte, Montana.

Where a senior decides to live plays a big role in their financial stability, and that choice is easier when living in Butte. Zillow’s Home Value Index indicates an average home value of $271,700, a tremendous value, far lower than similar mountain towns in Colorado and Idaho. Montana’s average typical home sells for $460,700, so a homebuyer in Butte is saving almost $180,000 compared to the state average.

Dining

Butte's Historic District. — Butte’s Historic District. Photo: Andrew Douglas

Dining here offers a range of cuisines and specialties, making options diverse and keeping things fresh for residents and visitors. To tour a couple of the community’s favorites, begin at Uptown Café on East Broadway. With a reputation for serving “civilized dining in the Wild West,” the restaurant offers upscale comfort food such as beef wellington, chicken piccata, and melt-in-your-mouth desserts. Just a short distance from the Uptown Café lies Casagranda’s Steakhouse inside the 1900 Bertoglio Warehouse on Utah Avenue. Here, premium Rocky Mountain steak cuts vie for the spotlight alongside Italian pasta dishes and fresh seafood. With the famous Guido’s Bar inside, the eatery has earned a place among the best dining experiences in Southwestern Montana, thanks to its food and historical location.

Things to Do

A street corner scene in the neighborhood of Uptown Butte. Editorial credit: JWCohen / Shutterstock.com

The mining history that formed and sustained Butte for decades was not forgotten here. The town pays homage to these days, and guests or locals can learn all about the copper mining through the World Museum of Mining. This historical center is located on the grounds of the original Orphan Girl Mine, a rare site built directly over an old mine yard. Walk through Hell Roarin’ Gulch, an authentic recreation of a 1890s mining town with original or reconstructed buildings, and then take a guided tour 100 feet underground to see one of the few publicly accessible exposed veins of minerals in North America.

At the World Museum of Mining. Editorial credit: JWCohen / Shutterstock.com

For those looking to see what sort of entertainment can be found in Butte, begin this search at Mother Lode Theatre. Originally a Masonic Temple, the renovated space now hosts the Butte Symphony, various concerts, touring productions, and Montana Repertory Theatre in a warm and lively acoustic environment. The schedule is full most of the year, making this a common place for seniors in the community to frequent for regular entertainment.

Accessible Healthcare

Intermountain Health St James Hospital sign with logo and directions. Editorial credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock.com

At the heart of Butte’s appeal to seniors is Intermountain Health St. James Hospital, a full-service acute care facility on South Clark Street that is part of a prestigious nonprofit health system serving the American West. It offers a complete spectrum of specialty care services, including cancer care, emergency care, heart care, rehabilitation services, surgical care, and care for women’s health. Its goal is to see all patients within 30 minutes of their arrival. St. James has been honored as a recipient of the Chartis Center for Rural Health Performance Leadership Award for excellence in clinical outcomes in both 2022 and 2023. This is the highest level of performance for rural hospitals nationwide in quality, outcomes, and patient experience.

Nearby Towns to Explore

One of the advantages of living in such a prime position along Interstate 90 is how accessible nearby towns become when you settle in Butte. This region of Montana does a lot to preserve its history and heritage, so nearby communities have much to explore.

Anaconda

Twenty-five miles northwest of Butte on Interstate 90, Anaconda is another community that does a lot to preserve the memory of Montana’s copper era, with a downtown area still offering a glimpse of certain facades from days long gone. The thing most people come to see in Anaconda is the Washoe Theater, one of a small number of remaining Art Deco-era movie palaces in the United States, where ornate decoration and lighting envelop a constant schedule of movies and live acts. Golfers head to Old Works Golf Course, Montana’s only public Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, built on the site of Anaconda’s old copper smelter. It’s known for its spectacular black sand traps made from copper smelting waste and views of Anaconda’s famous Anaconda Stack.

Deer Lodge

About 35 miles northeast of Butte via Interstate 90, Deer Lodge offers the chance to dig deeper into the state’s frontier past. The main attraction is the Old Montana Prison Complex, one of the state’s most visited historic sites. Here, you can visit the original territorial prison built in 1871 as well as several satellite museums, including a collection of classic cars and a frontier town. Just outside the downtown area, the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site preserves one of the most important cattle empires of the West, with National Park Service-guided tours available at no charge anytime of the year. Back in the downtown area, Deer Lodge’s pedestrian-friendly historic main street makes exploration a breeze, with plenty of antiquing and dining to discover, the most popular of which is the Broken Arrow Steakhouse and Casino right on Main Street.

Montana’s wide swath of undeveloped farmland has helped keep costs affordable for seniors looking to retire somewhere new. Butte, Montana, especially has a lot to offer those wanting to stretch fixed incomes further, with a cost of living that is 8% lower than the national average. With Montana’s reputation as a cultural and artistic hub of the nation, the historic significance of Butte, and the natural wonder of the Continental Divide, this small town might be the best place for seniors.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for April 3, 2026

Published

21 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 3 drawing

31-45-62-63-68, Mega Ball: 15

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from April 3 drawing

02-07-18-20, Bonus: 08

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 3 drawing

08-16-37-45-53, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Montana

Tribes in Montana lose millions after USDA kills farm grants

Published

1 day ago

April 3, 2026

Press Room

Tribes in Montana lose millions after USDA kills farm grants

HELENA, Mont. — Kim Paul, executive director of the Piikani Lodge Health Institute, a nonprofit on the Blackfeet Reservation that promotes health and well-being, saw the email notification flash across her computer screen as she was working late last week.

It was the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying a nearly $9 million grant contract with Piikani Lodge had been terminated.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that awards under this program involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and wasteful spending that did little to further lawful agricultural land purchases,” the USDA wrote.

Paul was stunned. Piikani Lodge had planned to use the grant to improve operations for Native and non-Native farmers and ranchers in the region. The nonprofit had already separately acquired 600 acres on the Blackfeet Reservation, and planned to use the USDA funds to build a training hub for food producers and support about 300 farmers and ranchers in Glacier and Pondera counties.

Paul said she became short of breath when she saw the email. She dreaded sharing the news with her team.

“It was horror,” she said. “The horror of losing stability for our community.”

Funded through the Biden-era American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program was designed to support “underserved” farmers and ranchers. It awarded about $300 million to 50 grantees in 2023. Forty-nine of those grants were terminated last week.

At least two additional projects in Montana were affected by the cancellations: a Chippewa Cree Tribe project to purchase land and train young farmers and ranchers how to manage it; and one run by South Dakota-based Four Bands Community Fund that would have trained and financially supported at least 25 low-income agricultural producers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.

Montana-based awardees called the terminations “devastating.” They also say the grant cancellations were based on a false presumption that tribal initiatives fall under the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) rubric, and that USDA claims of wasteful spending are baseless.

Asked for comment, a USDA spokesperson said Thursday the agency “has worked to clean up the mess left for us by the last Administration. To no surprise, a peek behind the curtain of this Biden-era program revealed the egregious misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Piikani Lodge Health Institute leaders say they will have to restructure budgets and reconfigure staffing to keep some semblance of their project going. The Chippewa Cree Tribal project may be halted altogether. Four Bands Community Fund did not respond to an interview request by publication deadline. Awardees say the terminations hinder economic progress, not just in their communities, but across the state.

MONTANA PROJECTS CUT

The Chippewa Cree Tribe in north-central Montana was awarded a grant of nearly $6 million for a land acquisition project.

Chippewa Cree planning director Neal Rosette said the tribe planned to purchase agricultural land on and around the reservation and train prospective farmers and ranchers how to manage it.

Though reservation land can be used for farming and ranching, Rosette said, land prices can keep people from entering the industry. The Rocky Boy’s Reservation is home to almost 3,400 people, about 35% of whom live below the poverty line, according to U.S. Census data. The median household income on the reservation is $49,550, almost $26,000 less than the state’s average.

“We are trying to give opportunities to our young folks to make a living,” Rosette said.

Rosette said people working on the project had been trying to close on a 320-acre reservation property for months. The land costs about $400,000, but according to Rosette the tribe has received only about $50,000 of the nearly $6 million grant since 2023. The tribe, he said, asked USDA repeatedly to release the funds, but received minimal communication from the federal agency.

“They drug their feet, drug their feet, and then finally they pulled the rug out from under us,” he said.

Rosette has written many grants for the tribe in the past. He said receiving the termination letter from USDA marked “the first time I’ve ever got to the point where I felt like crying.”

“It’s so, so, so cruel,” he said. “It’s the worst feeling in the world. It was devastating for everybody. We were so proud of this project. We were so happy that we were finally going to be able to recover some lands for the benefit of our young people. And now it’s gone.”

Micaela Young, development director at Piikani Lodge Health Institute, said the canceled grant will delay construction on the community training center on the Blackfeet Reservation.

The Piikani Lodge project included building an industrial community kitchen where agricultural producers could prepare and process products like jams and jerky.

In its termination letter to Piikani Lodge, the USDA cited a “$20,000 allocation for a barbeque smoker” as an example of funding for items “outside the program’s mission of increasing land access.” The USDA has also mentioned a “$20,000 barbeque smoker” in statements to other media outlets as an example of “inappropriate spending.”

Paul said the characterization is hurtful.

“We did all this work, we spent so many years on this,” she said. “To say this was built on fraud? It’s a travesty. This was going to be five years of jobs for our people. Can you imagine the economic development that would come from that?”

‘DEI IS THE NEW BUZZWORD IN D.C.’

Paul and Rosette both took issue with the USDA’s assertion that programs benefiting tribes fall into the category of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). It’s well established in federal law that tribal citizenship is a political classification, not a racial one. In a May 2025 memorandum, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged the distinction, writing, “the Department’s unique government-to-government relationship” with tribes and their members “are legally distinct from policy-based Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.”

“We are a sovereign nation,” Rosette said of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. “We have a political relationship with this government.”

Democratic state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe who is running for Congress in Montana’s eastern district, called the agriculture department’s DEI reasoning “ludicrous.”

“DEI is the new buzzword in D.C.” he said. “Why isn’t our delegation protecting the sovereign status of the tribes? The bottom line is we don’t have representation in D.C.”

Asked for comment on the grant terminations, a spokesperson for incumbent eastern district U.S. Congressman Troy Downing said his “office is aware of the rescinded grants and welcomes input from community members regarding their impact.” A spokesperson for Sen. Steve Daines said the senator “is looking into the grant cancellations and will always work to support Montana’s tribal communities.”

Sen. Tim Sheehy and Rep. Ryan Zinke did not respond to requests for comment.

Walter Schweitzer, president of the Montana Farmers Union, said that as land, livestock and equipment prices increase, and as more farms are purchased by corporate entities, it becomes increasingly hard for young people to enter the agriculture industry.

“The average age of a farmer or rancher is somewhere around 60,” he said. “We need to encourage and incentivize any way we can to get young people involved in agriculture. And having diversity in who gets into agriculture is a positive thing because they bring a diverse set of ideas.”

Micaela Young, of Piikani Lodge Health Institute, said ag producers living on tribal land additionally face unique challenges. A patchwork of historical and sometimes conflicting federal policies have congealed over the course of more than a century into an unwieldy system of property ownership on reservations. Banks have not learned to effectively navigate the legal, bureaucratic and financial peculiarities of that system, making it difficult for prospective producers to access the capital necessary to enter the agricultural industry. Tribes, Young said, are also often located far from markets where they could sell their products.

“These kinds of projects that bring capital into Native communities can really help revitalize their main streets, increase public safety, there’s the opioid crisis, the suicide crisis in tribal communities, and people are really looking for hope,” Young said. “People are looking for jobs. Families need that income. So this kind of work really does lift up our Native communities to strengthen the overall state.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Piikani Lodge leaders said they plan to file an appeal through the National Appeals Division, which reports directly to the Secretary of Agriculture, before the 30-day deadline.

Andrew Berger, director of agriculture and climate adaptation at Piikani Lodge, said the organization is drafting a petition urging restoration of the funds.

“We’re still wrapping our heads around this,” he said. “[The grant] supported salaries and internships and all kinds of things. So we need to fill those gaps with other funding.”

Rosette isn’t sure whether the Chippewa Cree Tribe will file an appeal — an action he said requires time and resources. He said the tribe plans to ask the USDA to reconsider its decision.

“Whether they will listen?” he said. “Who knows.”

——-

Nora Mabie | nmabie@montanafreepress.org

Nora Mabie covers Indigenous affairs at Montana Free Press. She previously covered Indigenous communities at the five Lee Montana newspapers: the Missoulian, Billings Gazette, Independent Record (Helena), Ravalli Republic and Montana Standard (Butte). Prior to that, she covered tribal affairs for the Great Falls Tribune. Nora’s reporting about the return of ancestral remains and disparities in Native life expectancy have received state and national journalism awards. She was a 2023 National Fellow at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism and a McGraw Center for Business Journalism Fellow… More by Nora Mabie

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