Missoula's Hellgate High Schoolwent nearly two years without playing a game and even longer without a win. Despite the varsity program’s infamous 33-game losing streak, the team rallied through growing pains and wildfire smoke to field their first team in two seasons.
Back in black: Missoula Hellgate's Ceaton Oliver shows off the Knights' new look Wednesday at Missoula County Stadium. Hellgate football spent a forfeited 2016 season rebuilding and hopes 2017's new look will add to the fresh start.
Suiting up: Jase Lewis, Richard Harris and Coleman Rothman, from left to right, put on their gear before summer camp in July. Coach Morris opted for evening camps to beat the heat and add to the atmosphere.
Rallying the troops: Players gather around the sideline during a team scrimmage in summer camp. "It’s just building. It’s good to see these numbers out here. We have not had these numbers here in a while," Hellgate senior Kade Lunday said. "You can just tell the coaches are excited to be here, the kids are excited to be here, it’s definitely a better environment than we had before."
Bulking up: "At this point last year we had concrete still in here," Hellgate's strength and conditioning coach Paul Capp said at a summer morning lift session. "... At the same time last season it wasn’t necessarily about getting bigger and stronger. It was teaching the kids how to play the game the right way. Once we had (the weight room), we hit the ground running."
Knight sky: A Hellgate football player catches a pass in the waning hours of a summer camp. "We’re battling it within our own school, we’re battling it within our own town, we’ll battle it in the state — this perception of Hellgate football," Coach Morris said at the end of the summer session. "Just getting kids to buy in to change that, to be a part of that, I hope we do."
Smoked out: Coach Morris and coach Brian Salonen react to the updated particulate count of Missoula's smoky air at midnight on Aug. 11. Morris and the coaching staff planned to hold the first practice of the season at midnight, but due to smoke from the wildfires burning, the practice was canceled. Regardless of the cancellation, a team member's mom made breakfast burritos for everyone.
Round table: Hellgate players gather in a computer lab at the high school to watch film from the scrimmage on July 26.
Armorer: Offensive lineman Dayne Clouse, left, and coach Morris look through a bin of pads while adjusting Clouse's gear.
Football feast: Players walk into China Buffet together for dinner after the last night of summer camp.
Dawn of the Knights: Greg Guardipe, right, and Jordan Best share a moment as the team breaks for water during Hellgate's summer training camp in July. "That exceeded my expectations," Coach Morris said after Hellgate's scrimmage against Sentinel and Big Sky. " ... We had guys hitting, guys breaking down — that’s outstanding, that’s how you play football."