GREAT FALLS — High school seniors in Great Falls haven't had the chance to play baseball as a varsity sport. But that now changes.
One member of the new Great Falls High team is making a return to the diamond after some time away from the game.
"I never thought I'd have a chance to play again, so it's pretty cool I do have a chance," senior Andrew Boutilier said during a Bison practice at Americans Little League Field on Wednesday.
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Boutilier said he's taken the past two years away from baseball, stopping prior to his sophomore year, after originally playing for the Great Falls Chargers American Legion team.
"I really wanted to play basketball in the summer, the summer tournaments," Boutilier said. "A lot of commitment. I wasn't really interested in playing baseball during the summer."
Now with the sport debuting in high school in the Electric City, he's stepping back up to the plate. But, at first, Boutilier said he wasn't sure if he wanted to get back in to baseball.
"I was like, I don't really want to," Boutilier said. "I thought about it, I was like, it's pretty cool to be part of the first team ever to be here. So I was like, might as well play, one more shot. And not many people have the chance, especially at Great Falls High, to be the first. So to have that chance, it's pretty cool. I couldn't really pass it up."
Conversely, the Bison also feature players like senior Rowan Garten, who said he's constantly played baseball his whole life and has been waiting for this opportunity to arise.
"Means a lot, especially playing for high school because a lot of my friends around the country that play baseball, they get to play high school ball, but I've never been able to," Garten said. "It's all been legion, so being able to do that for Great Falls High is cool."
Garten said having a school team is great for players like Boutilier, who are getting back in to the sport, or those newer to the game overall.
"We got a really good coaching staff, so that gives them a really big opportunity especially to grow from here," Garten said. "Our coaching staff is so good and they got a lot of experience. It'll show them like how fun it is to play baseball."
With not playing for a couple years, Boutilier said he's still getting back up to speed.
"I got into golf while I quit, so (coach Ed McNamee's) been really on me about getting rid of that golf swing," Boutilier said. "Defensively is a lot better than hitting, but we'll work on it and get there at some point."
The Bison begin their first baseball season with a doubleheader at 12 p.m. and 3 on Saturday at Missoula Hellgate.
