CrowNews.Net

Tuff Harris Signs With New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints announced Tuesday that they have signed Tuff Harris. Harris, a member of the Crow Tribe, played for the Miami Dolphins last year. The Dolphins waived him in April . The Saints plan to use Harris as a defensive back and a punt return specialist. The first mini camp for the Saints is scheduled for this weekend in New Orleans. The Saints open their regular season on Sept. 7, with a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Dome in New Orleans. On Sept. 21, the Saints travel to Denver to play the Broncos.

A Look Back at the End of Plenty Coups' Season

Click above to view a slideshow from the Plenty Coups-Rocky Boy State Class C semifinal game in Butte.

By Brandon Gonski
CrowNews.Net

All season, the Plenty Coups Warriors had visions of a state Class C title game. And with only one loss going into the state tournament in Butte last month, it seemed a possibility.

Until the Warriors met the Rocky Boy Stars.

In the Friday night semifinal game featured in the slideshow above, the Warriors fell to the Stars 101-74, losing the chance to advance to Saturday night's championship game.

Despite a disappointing end to the Warriors season head coach Lawrence DeCrane said he was very proud of the boys getting this far and viewed their successes this season as a blessing that they should all appreciate.

Zooming in on the Class C State Tournament

The Plenty Coups Warriors and the Rocky Boy Stars prepare to tip off during the Class C Basketball semifinal game in Butte. Click here to view a gallery of photos taken by Casey Kills Pretty Enemy. The images capture moments of the Plenty Coups players, cheerleaders and fans' trip to Butte last month.

LBHC Rams Wrap Up Second Season

Click to Play

Video by Adam Sings In The Timber and Emily Haas | Produced by Adam Sings In The Timber
CrowNews.Net

On Sunday, Feb. 17, the Little Big Horn College Rams lost a home game against the Williston State College Tetons. The final score was 118-84. Coming off a disappointing season, the Rams look forward to next year.

Correction: No Team Montana for 2008 NAIG

On March 2, Crownews.net reported on the 2008 North American Indigenous Games set to take place this summer on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and encouraged Crow athletes to participate.  However,  it has come to our attention that event organizers have set a December 31, 2007 deadline for team entries and the
deadline passed without successful entry of a Team Montana.

NAIG organizers believe standing firm on pre-established deadlines is important in order to help portray the event as well-organized.  According to various sources associated with the host tribe in Canada, diligent efforts were made by the NAIG planning council to notify all tribes in Montana to elicit interest.

Plenty Coups Beats Shields Valley, Faces Rocky Boy

CrowNews.Net

The Plenty Coups Warriors beat Shields Valley 64-60 in the first round of the State C tournament Thursday night. Pryor's Rumeal Decrane poured in 24 points, leading the team in scoring.

Tonight's semi-final match between Plenty Coups and Rocky Boy looks to be exciting. Rocky Boy beat Big Sandy 74-65 during the first round of state tournament games. Tip off for tonight's game is at 8:00 p.m. at the Butte Civic Center.

Plenty Coups Warriors Win Division

                        
Fans crowd around the Plenty Coups Warriors as player Avery Bull Shows shows off the team's plaque and he and his teammates celebrate capturing the Southern C Crown. Click here to see a slide show of last weekend's Southern C tournament. Photo by Casey Kills Pretty Enemy.

By Leo Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

Billings' Shrine Auditorium was the place to be on Saturday night for basketball fans. Those lucky enough to get in saw Pryor's Plenty Coups Warriors beat the Wibaux Longhorns, 77-72.

Plenty Coups fans, hailing from every district on the reservation, filled the gym and some waited as long as three hours to get a seat. Many children grabbed court side seats -- on the floor. The game had an electric atmosphere with fans stomping in the bleachers, cheering on their team and rattling not only the auditorium but the Wibaux team, too. When a Wibaux player stepped to the free throw line for a crucial shot late in the fourth quarter, the basketball hoop shook.

On the Courts: Prep Tournaments and 2 LBHC Losses

CrowNews.Net

The Little Big Horn College Rams lost a high scoring game in Crow Agency to Salish Kootenai College Bison Tuesday. The final score was 105-104.

The Rams had a balanced scoring attack with Frank Hugs leading the way with 16 points.

Crow tribal member Pius Takes Horse, who's from Wyola, poured in 19 points for SKC.

On Sunday, the Rams also lost at home in a game against the Williston State College Tetons. The final score was 118-84.

Tim Pease takes a practice shot before the Rams play the Williston State College Tetons. Crow News Photo/Adam Sings In The Timber

LBHC Sets School Record; Plenty Coups 18-0

CrowNews.Net

It happened. The Little Big Horn College Rams captured their fifth win for the season Tuesday when they won 85-83 in a home game against Sheridan College, a school that beat the Rams 127-77 just five days earlier.

Waiting on a Win

Story by Mary Hudetz|Slideshow by Mary Hudetz, Elena Russell and Leona Hugs
CrowNews.Net

When the Little Bighorn College Rams step onto their home court Thursday for a game against Dawson Community College of Glendive, they will have claimed four victories so far this season. They'll also have more than two months of their roughly four-month-long schedule behind them.

Claiming that fifth win -- no matter how the team's wins and losses compare come late February --  would prove significant for LBHC, which got its basketball program started just last year under the direction of head coach Gordon Real Bird.

Mid-Season Woes for Rams

By Leo Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

The Little Big Horn College Rams traveled to the eastern part of the state to face Miles City Community College on December 19 and fell, losing 107-79.

“We were not playing as a team against Miles City," said Gordon Real Bird, the team's head coach. "We have a lot of talent, we just need to decide that we are a team and play together.”

At the halfway point of the season the Rams have a record of 4-12. The next games will be at home at the  Apsaalooke Center, or Crow Agency's Multi-Purpose building, on Jan. 2 against Bismark State of  North Dakota.

“We are going into conference play now," Real Bird said. "I think this team is capable of winning  and having a better record than last year’s team.”

Tuff Harris Set to Play in Dolphins' Season Finale

By Jay Harris
CrowNews.Net

Finally!

Christmas arrives a little late this year for Tuff Harris fans but better late than never when it comes to playing in the NFL.

The Miami Dolphins coaching staff informed Tuff earlier this week that he will start on special teams for the team's season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals (6-9).

After a full season of hard practicing and seven weeks on the 53-man active roster,Tuff, a rookie safety, is getting this much anticipated opportunity to play.

“Ever since I was activated from the practice squad, the coaching staff has told me to be ready to play,” he said over the phone for CrowNews.Net.

For the Rams, a New Team Record Is One Win Away

By Mary Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

A win and a loss against the Salish Kootenai College Bison this week means the Rams will go into their holiday break having won just as many games as the Little Bighorn College team did throughout their entire 2006-07 run.

On Monday night, the Rams won 124-112 with top-scorer Frank Hugs pouring in 40 points during the grand opening of SKC's new $5.5 million athletic center in Pablo. DJ Piapot was SKC's top scorer with 27 points.

Though Hugs came back Tuesday night to lead the team with 31 points, the Rams couldn't pull out the win. Piapot and the Bison rallied back from Monday night's game to beat the Rams 134-114.

Rocky Mountain College JV Edges LBHC Rams

By Leo Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

On a cold, snowy night in Billings, the Little Big Horn College Rams lost a hot game to the Rocky Mountain College Bears junior varsity team 101-96.

The Rams led at half time 49-46 but their top two scorers, Frank Hugs and Wacey Real Bird fouled out late in the game and the Bears pulled out the win.

The Rams were going for their third straight win but fell to 2-5 on the season.

“This team has a lot of talent," said Gordon Real Bird, the team's head coach. "We just need to work on our dedication in order to put it together."

Hugs poured in 29 points with a combination of three pointers and drives through heavy traffic to the basket. Real Bird added 10 rebounds to his career high of 22 points. Cody Rose led Rocky with 24 points.

The Rams will play two games over the weekend in Sheridan, Wyo. On Friday night, they face a tough Sheridan College team and Saturday they square off against Powell Community College. Conference play will begin at the end of December.

In other action Tuesday night, the Lady Rams lost to RMC's JV team.

Lady Rams Fall to Western Montana in OT

By Brett Thomas-DeJongh
CrowNews.Net

The Little Big Horn College Rams took on the Western Montana College Bulldogs’ junior varsity squad in the Apsalooke Center this week as a Veterans Day crowd watched the Rams go down fighting. 

The ladies’ matchup was a tense battle, with Adree Hugs leading the Rams with 16 points and six blocked shots. The Lady Rams, who trailed for most of the game, tied the game at 40 on a three-point basket by Hugs with 10 seconds left. But the Bulldogs won in overtime, 48-41.

Little Big Horn College Basketball Rosters

Here are the rosters for the 2007-2008 Little Big Horn College Rams basketball season.

Mens Squad

Lady Rams

Looking Back: Lodge Grass Homecoming

Slideshow by Adam Sings in the Timber | Story by Mary Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

Lodge Grass fans, many decked in orange and black, braved a cool night in late September to support their hometown Indians during this year’s homecoming game.

The Lodge Grass team, made up of mostly underclassmen, played the White Hall Trojans and loss 63-0, making the halftime coronation the evening highlight. Chaz Bends, a linebacker on the football team, and Talista Stevens, the senior class president, were crowned king and queen, an honor that spotlighted the students on the football field but not at a high school dance. Said Stevens: “We don’t dance because we never win homecoming… It’s too sad.” 

But in a town where basketball is king, football fans continued to cheer on their team late into the fourth quarter. On the sidelines, boys tossed a football as the team on the field took heavy hits from the Trojans, but also hustled and drew an occasional “Good Indians” from announcer Darren Fritzler.