Editor's note: Jim Stergar is the head boys basketball coach at Billings Central Catholic High School. He guided the Rams to the Class A state championship with a 70-30 rout of Dillon last Saturday in Great Falls, the program's fourth title and the third in Stergar's 14-year tenure.
Stergar, who eclipsed 400 career coaching victories earlier in the season, wrote the following reflection about his team in the aftermath of the championship and shared it for publication with MTN Sports.
BILLINGS — Some seasons are special. Some teams are memorable. And then there are seasons that feel like a blessing — moments where talent, faith, teamwork and community come together in a way that reminds you that the game is about much more than basketball.
Related: State A boys: Billings Central claims first title since 2021
This year, our boys basketball team finished the journey we set out on from the very beginning. With a final record of 21–2, we are state champions, winning our state tournament games by an average of 26 points. Many believed we were the best high school team in Montana regardless of classification, and our group proved that belief true with a dominant run in Great Falls at the Four Seasons Arena.
But what made this team special wasn’t just the wins. It was a team of young men who came together as one.
We were a team built on defense and brotherhood: From the first day of practice, we believed our identity would be defense. Coach Pat Hansen drilled it into us. Night after night, our players committed themselves to guarding, rebounding and sacrificing for each other. Every player on our roster contributed.
Our senior captains, Darcy Merchant and Howie Martin, and seniors Will Snell and Toby Stewart were our foundation.
Darcy led our team in scoring most nights and consistently delivered when we needed a basket. His legacy at Billings Central will be one for the ages. A player who can score in many ways could have gone for 25 a game yet he knew that getting all of his teammates involved would be more important and the way to win a championship. He didn’t chase anything but a golden trophy, one that wouldn’t just be a doorstop.
Howie, our quarterback and point guard/shooting guard/small forward/power forward/center, was the steady voice and example of leadership every team needs. His toughness and composure helped guide us through every challenge. He has a calmness that he brought us that coaches rarely see these days.
Toby Stewart gave us a scoring threat and is the most prolific 3-point shooter in the state. When Toby got hot, games changed quickly. He also proved to be a solid defender in which he took much pride. What an amazing two years we had together!
Will Snell may not have led the box score, but he did all the things that winning teams require. Rebounding, defense, hustle plays — Will embraced the dirty work that often decides, in this case, a championship.
Gunnar Larsen showed everyone why he is the best athlete in Montana and maybe the Northwest. Throughout the season he electrified crowds with multiple kinds of dunks — including windmills and 360s — but his impact went far beyond highlight plays. Besides his ability to shoot and score points, his motor is non-stop and a menace on the defensive end of the floor creating true havoc.
Cy Hansen ran the show at point guard and shooting guard. Steady, calm and reliable, Cy kept our offense organized and made sure everyone was involved yet made huge plays hitting timely 3s and tough 2s.
Paxton Prill, a 6-foot-3 physical presence inside (meat on meat), gave us toughness and strength. He is a winner: simply put, a competitive spirit that was felt every time he stepped on the floor. The (Notre Dame) Irish have a special kid coming their way.
Grady Heaney provided tremendous minutes. He is the kind of player every coach values — dependable, skilled and willing to do whatever the team needs. He will also be mayor or governor some day.
Then there is Brennan Harlan, our manager, who kept us all loose and having fun. What a huge impact he has on Central as a whole and for our team! Brennan knows he is my favorite.
Our Gray Team: The team behind the scenes who pushed our varsity all season long and prepared them to be the best version of itself. Without the Gray Team we wouldn’t have been so dominant. Some may say that the Gray Team was the best team in the state. Thank you Matthew Hermanson, Wyatt Duey, Brendan Barz, Ethan Stergar, Landon Desin and Daine Koppes, who were all part of the tournament team.
The Cone: A friendly reminder to all of us that basketball is just a game that will bring us joy and maybe a chant with cold water, too. Just hearing Darcy laugh on the court during a game when someone earns The Cone will forever be etched in my brain.
Our coaching staff: Coach Danny Desin (psycho babble), coach Pat Hansen (AKA 2Pat), coach Josh Stewart (Finny mindset), coach Joe Keller (have fun). Without these guys we wouldn’t be on the right track. A track that brought the real storm to Great Falls.
Our strength and conditioning coach: Joe Kindness. Coach Joe took time away from his family and volunteered his time to work with our men each week in the weight room and with team-building activities and visualization. Truly a blessing to have coach Joe work with these young men.
Our season was grounded in faith. Father John (Pankratz) was with us throughout the season and for the state tournament, reminding us that the blessings we receive in sports are gifts from God.
Win or lose, he reminded the boys that character, humility and gratitude matter most. We truly felt God’s presence during our journey. As it says in Scripture, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Our players carried that belief with them every time they stepped on the floor.
One team. One mission. No one was bigger than the team.
Not just our championship moment: After our dominant performance in the championship game, our boys celebrated together on the court and in the "space” provided to us near our locker room. Never enough time to really get a celebration because our girls were next. A good problem to have.
The night wasn’t over.
As we soaked in the moment, our girls team began warming up for its own state championship game. For the past three seasons they had been the best in Montana, winning back-to-back titles and chasing a third.
As I’m celebrating with the team I’m also trying to catch warmups and their championship night. As they line up I catch my daughter (Annika Stergar's) eye and give her a look of “Let’s go!” Tough for our girls team to play after us. Hardly able to be included in our journey as they are preparing for theirs. Again, a good problem to have at Central.
The night before, Annika had led them into the championship game with an incredible semifinal game, 27-point performance. It seemed destined to happen again.
Their championship game was a tough one. The girls faced a very strong team from Havre, a team (the Rams) had beaten twice earlier in the season. But that night, the shots didn’t fall and the momentum never came.
I was very proud of our girls, of course especially for Annika, for fighting until the final buzzer.
When that buzzer sounded, the dream of a third straight championship had slipped away.
For our family, the emotions were overwhelming. Not many can say they have been in these shoes. My wife Ashley and I felt like we were riding an emotional roller coaster. Moments earlier we were celebrating a state championship with our boys team. Then we were watching our daughter and her teammates experience the heartbreak that comes with falling just short.
Our son Ethan, a sophomore on the boys team, part of the brotherhood that made this championship possible, watched his sister’s last game and high school career come to an end. Our youngest Isaac, just 10 years old, proudly helped as a team manager, and was a leader for the crowd all weekend supporting his big sister and her final run. And our daughter Ellie, 13, felt the pain of watching her big sister walk off the court in tears.
Tough to watch our family go from the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat in just a matter of minutes. But that is sports. Lucky enough to have that opportunity to try. To try and fail makes us know what it’s like to be in the arena. These moments are where this sport will make us better people and family.
Annika’s high school career ends with two state championships and a runner-up finish — an incredible accomplishment. Her journey is far from over as she prepares to continue playing basketball at Carroll College.
As a father, I couldn’t be prouder.
As a coach, I am proud of our boys team for the way they competed, the way they defended, and the way they loved one another as teammates. And proud of them as young men with their bright futures ahead of them.
I am also grateful for the community, the coaches, the training staff with Dr. Jim Elliott and trainer Ryan Roche, our administration, the teachers and the parents who made this season unforgettable.
And as a man of faith, I thank God for allowing us to experience both the joy of victory and the humility that comes with defeat.
Our boys were dominant.
Our girls had a great season and showed incredible heart.
And in the end, both teams reminded us what high school sports are truly about — faith, family, perseverance and love for one another.
It was a night we will never forget. I will miss these two teams. More than I realize now.
